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Safari West Temporarily Closed Due to Storm ConditionsPredictive Safety Announces Partnership with DISA Global SolutionsFirefighting foam from last summer’s spill at Brunswick Executive Airport floated on the wind in the days after the discharge. Ben McCanna/Staff Photographer This article is the first in a series, A Fire Hose of ‘Forever Chemicals,’ which can be seen in entirety here . The series was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center’s StoryReach U.S. Fellowship Program, first appeared on the Maine Morning Star site . During 21 years working as a municipal firefighter, “I had hyper-exposure” to foam, recalled Jim Graves, director of training at the Maine Fire Service Institute. Graves entered the fire service at age 17 and was later sent to “foam firefighting school,” a week-long training in the selection and use of these chemical fire-suppression agents. Fires are classified by the material ignited, and only Class A fires – involving wood, cloth, rubber and some plastics – respond well to water. Class A foam is typically used on structural fires because it penetrates into materials to quell flames quickly. Class B or aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF, called “A triple-F”) targets flammable and combustible fuel fires, which water can spread. A cascading arc of AFFF, formed by mixing a small percentage of concentrate with a high volume of water, can slide quickly across the surface of a fuel spill, creating a thin barrier that effectively deprives flames of oxygen and suppresses fuel vapors. The efficiency of AFFF relies on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a vast class of thousands of synthetic chemicals characterized by nearly unbreakable carbon-fluorine bonds. First used in World War II, PFAS were subsequently added to hundreds of types of consumer and industrial products due to the chemicals’ ability to repel water and oil, resist heat, and reduce surface tension. Corporate documents reveal that chemical manufacturers like 3M and DuPont knew a half-century ago that fluorinated chemicals posed serious health risks. PFAS persist indefinitely in the environment and accumulate in bodies–potentially disrupting hormonal, immune and reproductive systems, and increasing the risk of various cancers. AFFF became a staple on military bases in the 1970s, not long after its development by 3M and the U.S. Navy. By 1988, the federal government mandated its use at commercial airports (a stricture that held until May 2023). Use of AFFF foam increased among Maine fire departments in the 1980s and 1990s, with 70% of departments in a recent survey reporting that prior to 2022 they used the foam, at least occasionally, primarily for combustible fuel fires, vehicle fires and routine trainings. Brendan Bullock/Maine Morning Star Some municipal fire departments, particularly those near highways, industry and airports, also kept stocks on hand for vehicular and other fuel fires and for use in periodic training. A recent survey of Maine fire departments (see sidebar) found that 70% used AFFF prior to 2022, at least occasionally, primarily for combustible fuel fires, vehicle fires and routine trainings. When military bases in Maine closed, they gave some AFFF (made to military specifications, high in PFAS) to municipal departments around the state. “Smaller departments always had access to that ‘mil-spec’ foam,” one fire chief observed. AFFF became a staple tool for many departments because it worked remarkably well. “It was a truly amazing chemical engineering accomplishment,” Graves said, “but horrible, as we have now learned.” NOT ‘SAFE AS DISH SOAP’ In 2001, a consultant told a technical committee of the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) that the toxicity and persistence of two PFAS compounds that Class B foams can degrade into – PFOA and PFOS – could be a “death warrant.” Manufacturers changed methods to produce PFAS formulations with shorter carbon chains, and marketed those AFFF concentrates to fire departments as a “sustainable substitute.” But over time, many of the newer compounds proved to be just as toxic, and more mobile and persistent in ecosystems. States began to control AFFF use in 2019, and in 2021 Maine banned its manufacture, sale and distribution (temporarily exempting airports and oil terminals), and mandated containment and reporting of any use. Maine also banned AFFF in firefighter training, but through the preceding decades “we trained with foam because it was required,” Graves said, referring to the voluminous standards the NFPA sets for fire departments. “If we had known, we would have stopped using [foam] way earlier.” Firefighters were assured that AFFF was safe as dish soap, and the concentrate looked similar – a pale amber liquid stored in sparsely labeled 5-gallon pails, 50-gallon drums or translucent 250- to 330-gallon totes. The concentrate could become viscous at times, congealing around valves. Graves recalls once having to reach into a tank of AFFF concentrate up to his shoulder to release a clog. Convinced that all firefighting foams were harmless, departments used them – not only at live fires and trainings – but occasionally, when requested, for recreational purposes. Various foams (of unknown class) were spread for birthday parties and at parks for community events so that children could slide and romp in what seemed like a bubble bath run wild. Worker cleaning up foam concentrate from a spill at the former Naval Air Station in Brunswick on Monday, August 19. Ed Friedman/Friends of Merrymeeting Bay Recent research indicates that some legacy PFAS compounds like PFOA and PFOS may transfer readily into aerosol form. When the State of Michigan tested foam at a highly contaminated lake, it found PFAS levels as high as 220,000 parts per trillion (ppt). Yet little research has been done on health effects from inhaled particles of AFFF, according to a spokesperson for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “For many firefighters, AFFF may be the most significant source of exposure to PFAS,” a working group of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC, part of the World Health Organization) concluded. In 2023, the IARC classified PFOA as carcinogenic and PFOS as possibly carcinogenic to humans. Cancer has become the leading cause of death among active firefighters. North America’s largest union of first responders, the International Association of Fire Fighters, reports that in 2023 occupational cancer accounted for 72% of the line-of-duty deaths among its U.S. members. Firefighters are 9% more likely than the general population to develop cancer and 14% more likely to die from it, a federal study found. A fire station sign reads: “You can’t train too hard for a job that can kill you.” Brendan Bullock/Maine Morning Star Through training, appropriate equipment and careful practices, firefighters work to minimize the hazards inherent in fires, smoke and diesel truck fumes. But they were never warned that chemicals in the AFFF spewing out of firehoses and blowing about them like snow could get into nearly all of their organs and remain for years. “It freaks me out so bad that the firefighters of Maine had no clue,” Graves said. “Honestly, I’m scared for a lot of my generation.” He has already lost many firefighter friends to cancer. Colleagues in the fire service share Graves’ sense of being trapped in what he terms a “bad lottery,” expecting not a winning ticket but a devastating illness: “Many of us are sadly waiting for the day that we get a diagnosis.” RISKS OF SCATTERED AFF STOCKS The threats posed by AFFF extend far beyond the fire service. “AFFF is responsible for some of the largest PFAS releases to the environment,” Washington State’s Department of Ecology wrote recently in a 260-page environmental impact statement. “These are also the most complex, costly, and difficult to investigate and remediate.” The longer AFFF concentrate sits at dispersed locations around Maine, Graves said, the greater the likelihood it will get spilled or dumped. Public awareness of that risk rose after a hangar fire suppression system at Brunswick Executive Airport malfunctioned last August, mixing water with roughly 1,450 gallons of PFAS-laden concentrate to fill the massive structure four to five feet deep in foam. That spill, which could affect the community and watershed for generations, was far from anomalous. Brunswick Landing, the converted compound of a former U.S. Navy air station, has had at least a dozen other inadvertent AFFF spills recorded during and after its military use, including another hangar spill in 2019 and a 2012 hangar spill of 2,000 gallons of concentrate discovered by the Brunswick Sewer District. The August 19 AFFF spill at Hangar 4 of Brunswick Executive Airport, the site of a former U.S. Navy air station, was one among at least a dozen other AFFF spills recorded during and after the military’s tenure there. Photo by Martha Spiess For 30 years ending in 1990, the former station hosted fire trainings (many of which likely involved foam discharge), according to an environmental assessment prepared for the Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center. The report also noted that “expired AFFF would be discharged to various grassy areas around [the Naval Air Station] from fire vehicles for routine maintenance.” In an assessment of airport fires at Department of Defense facilities nationwide, the U.S. Air Force found that just one fire had occurred over three decades (extinguished by a water deluge system) while chemical foam had discharged accidentally once every two months on average over 15 years, resulting in one death, 21 injuries and more than $24 million in “mishap” costs. Two months prior to the Brunswick accident, 800 gallons of foam concentrate spilled at an Air National Guard facility in South Burlington, Vermont. Fire suppression systems used in oil and gas storage and transport, many of which rely on AFFF, can also malfunction. Rack systems used to transfer oil and gas from storage tanks to trucks have built-in sprinkler systems that are prone to accidents, according to Philip Selberg, chief of the South Portland Fire Department. Oil terminals are subject to Maine’s AFFF law as of January 1, 2025, but to Selberg’s knowledge, only one local terminal has transitioned to a fluorine-free substitute. (That terminal owner, Global Partners, declined Maine Morning Star’s request for an interview.) Awareness of risks associated with AFFF has increased since the state restricted its use in 2021, but deliberate dumping of foam concentrate remains a concern. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has spent several years overseeing the remediation of a site where intentional dumping occurred in 2020. A U.S. Air Force Assessment found that chemical foam systems at military installations discharged accidentally once every two months on average over 15 years, resulting in one death, 21 injuries and more than $24 million in “mishap” costs. Foam from the recent Brunswick spill carried PFAS chemicals into surrounding ecosystems. Photo by Steve Walker During routine well monitoring at a closed demolition debris landfill in Gorham, DEP staff learned that the town’s public works staff had dumped 500 gallons of AFFF concentrate from the fire station into the landfill several months earlier. That discovery led to a protracted investigation and remediation (with costs borne by the municipality), involving multiple environmental assessments and removal of contaminated soil, according to agency records. AFFF can also be deployed inadvertently, due to confusion among firefighters (many of them volunteers) who face a vast and ever-changing array of foam formulations. In New Hampshire, contractors for the state recently identified about 250 AFFF formulations from roughly 40 manufacturers. Maine fire departments received clear guidance not to use AFFF in training and to report its use to the DEP, but they never got instructions on separating AFFF stocks and storing them carefully until they can be collected – to reduce chances of unintended use. Some AFFF containers in Maine far exceed the product’s long shelf life, which ranges from 10 years to 25 years. Plastic drums of PFAS-laden concentrate stored at the Brunswick Executive Airport (as of November 2023) had production dates in the mid- to late 1980s. NOT A SIMPLE SWITCH A wide range of fluorine-free foams (called F3) are now available, and two independent entities have tested some of these products to ensure that they are not – unlike earlier PFAS reformulations – “regrettable substitutions.” Anila Bello, a researcher with the Department of Public Health at the University of Massachusetts Lowell who surveyed fire-training facilities nationally, has observed how that earlier deception left fire professionals skeptical about current marketing claims. Having been told that shorter-chain PFAS were safe during the foam transition that occurred in the mid-2000s, “[firefighters] are very hesitant transitioning to F3 foam; they want it to be truly safe for human health and for the environment,” she said. “They’re concerned that they’ll be in the same situation 10 or 20 years from now.” A toxicological study of six PFAS-free foams concluded that the new formulations, when compared to earlier products with PFAS, “appear to have a lower likelihood of environmental persistence and bioaccumulation and to have lower oral human health toxicity.” However, the Interstate Technology Regulatory Council cautions that all Class B foams (including F3 ones) can be problematic “if the foam reaches drinking water sources, groundwater [or] surface water” with the potential for “acute aquatic toxicity” and “nutrient loading.” Even fire departments ready to adopt F3 alternatives can be slowed by the costs and the logistical hurdles of selecting appropriate foam, training staff in its use, and purging AFFF from existing equipment so it does not contaminate the new foam. Fire departments ready to adopt F3 alternatives can be slowed by the costs and the logistical hurdles of selecting appropriate foam, training staff in its use, and purging AFFF from existing equipment so it does not contaminate the new foam. Brendan Bullock/Maine Morning Star In South Portland’s case, the needed foam research took considerable time and expense, including sending staff members to different out-of-state product demonstrations to determine which new formulas might work best – knowledge that fire departments can’t derive from “white papers written for chemical engineers,” Selberg said: “It’s a bit of a leap of faith to be sure that what you buy is going to work for you.” The South Portland Fire Department recently settled on a replacement foam that Selberg has confidence in, but now the department needs to coordinate with seven oil terminals, each of which is mandated to keep a reserve of AFFF on-site but all of which rely on the city for fire services. The foam that terminals select for replacements, he said, “needs to be something we as a department are familiar with so if we respond to a facility, we can all work together.” One of the largest concentrations of AFFF still stored in Maine is in South Portland, where seven oil terminals along the Fore River are mandated to keep reserves on hand for the City’s fire department to use. Legislation that prevents oil terminals from purchasing new AFFF takes effect January 1, 2025. Photo by Alex MacLean Once departments acquire F3 foams, they need to rid foam equipment of residual AFFF. That process, typically involving a series of rinses, is complicated by the need to save rinse water for safe disposal (a process outlined in detail by states like Washington and Connecticut). Maine has no central clearinghouse for information on the foam transition so departments like South Portland’s have been fielding frequent calls since the August 19 airport hangar spill. “Brunswick has upped the ante for everybody: I can’t tell you how many calls I’ve gotten from departments wanting to know what to swap, how to swap,” Selberg said. “Suddenly, it’s a big deal. Honestly, it should have been a big deal for us five years ago, right? Until Brunswick happened, we’ve all been sitting around waiting to figure out if someone would take the lead. And sadly, we haven’t.” A MISSED OPPORTUNITY Five years ago, Graves and two dozen other individuals knowledgeable about Class B foam were invited to serve on an AFFF Working Group of the Governor’s PFAS Task Force, which formed to develop a strategic plan for the state’s PFAS response. The working group drafted recommendations, endorsed by the task force and published in January 2020, that could have set Maine on a path toward gathering and securing all remaining AFFF stocks, a step that might have prevented the Brunswick spill. The task force recommended in part “that all fire departments in the State of Maine be required to disclose the type and quantity of current inventory of Class B AFFF,” and that protocols be established for safe storage and routine inspection. It called for a state-level funding mechanism that would allow the Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and the DEP to “develop and execute a Class B AFFF takeback and/or replacement program that does not financially burden Maine fire departments or their municipalities.” The state-level funding mechanism, a prerequisite for many of the other working group recommendations, was never established. In response to inquiries from Maine Morning Star, spokespersons for MEMA and the DEP indicated that any progress toward an AFFF inventory and takeback (or buyback) program await funding. Even the mandated reporting of AFFF use is in essence “voluntary,” according to DEP spokesperson David Madore, because it was an unfunded initiative. “We do not have the financial resources or staff required to implement the program,” he wrote. Fourteen states have now taken action to limit uses of AFFF, according to the nonprofit Safer States, but few states have created the sort of dedicated revenue source that the Maine task force envisioned. Funded by a tax on tanker fuel transport, Colorado helps fire departments cover foam replacement costs by buying back AFFF at $40/gallon. The tax also supports a grant program that helps public water systems, private well owners and local governments sample waters for PFAS contamination, including those affected by past AFFF use. Connecticut appropriated $3 million to help fire departments transition off fluorinated foams, providing grants for disposal of AFFF concentrate and rinsate from decontaminating trucks and equipment. Manufacturers marketed AFFF to fire departments as being ‘safe as dish soap,’ so firefighters took few precautions handling the concentrate or the foam created when concentrate was mixed with high volumes of water. Brendan Bullock/Maine Morning Star Without a provision to cover municipal costs for foam replacement, budgetary pressures or the Yankee penchant to use things up before acquiring replacements could drive fire departments to retain their remaining AFFF stock. As South Portland has learned, the foam transition entails extensive labor and costs – in research, retraining and equipment cleaning – that extend beyond replacement foam purchases. Asked what the fire department would like going forward, Selberg replied: “The best-case scenario is the State comes in tomorrow and says ‘Inventory what you have, we’ll come down and get it, and we’ll credit you so you can buy what you need. Right now, that burden is going to be on our city to do all those things.” DETERMINING HOW MUCH AFFF IS IN MAINE The AFFF Working Group discovered during its 2019 research that completing a statewide inventory would prove challenging. An initial survey sent to 305 fire departments by the Office of the State Fire Marshal garnered just 61 responses. Among 20 “industry partners” with potential AFFF (like paper mills and oil terminals), eight responded. Incomplete state-level data complicates the work of undertaking an inventory. Maine currently lacks a comprehensive database of all the state’s fire departments, and only 259 out of an estimated 378 departments report to the state. MEMA and staff of the Fire Marshal both informed Maine Morning Star that they have no current contact information for industry partners. As of 2022, the Maine Marine Oil Spill Contingency Plan documented more than 19,000 gallons of AFFF stored in just four communities. Former military bases represent another significant source, with an estimated 6,000 gallons of AFFF concentrate at Brunswick Landing alone (although numbers are still in dispute). Factoring in other military sites, airports, helipads, paper mills and fire departments, AFFF accounting becomes speculative. The DEP estimated the total volume statewide in 2022 at 48,000 gallons but that was simply an extrapolation from the limited responses to the AFFF Working Group survey. A recent survey completed by Maine Morning Star, which like the state’s 2019 survey had only a 20 percent response rate, reported roughly 4,000 additional gallons at municipal departments beyond those counted in the oil spill plan. A similar extrapolation, adding in the 25,000 gallons from industry and military sources, would total 45,000 gallons–close to the DEP’s original estimate. LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR COLLECTION For Maine to successfully gather back most of the remaining AFFF, it will need an accurate inventory of where the foam concentrate is stored. Achieving a high response rate on an inventory is clearly challenging – but not impossible. North Carolina undertook an AFFF inventory with roughly three times the number of fire departments Maine has (1,217 departments spanning 2,119 sites, when counting multiple stations) and achieved a 100% participation rate. Brian Taylor, the State Fire Marshal, said he knows what Maine is up against, given that his office typically gets a 10% return rate on surveys and both states have a high proportion of departments staffed entirely or mostly by volunteers. In North Carolina, Taylor said, the AFFF inventory was mandated and strongly supported with “boots on the ground” – regional resource people (affiliated with the North Carolina Collaboratory) who could help local departments compile the needed information. The state also has three “foam research analysts” to help gather and manage data, at an annual cost of roughly $300,000, according to Taylor. North Carolina plans to conduct an annual AFFF inventory until all remaining stocks are collected, with about 11% gathered and stored by the State to date). Its foam analysts are also helping gather data for a state investigation of water quality at wells located near fire departments and training areas. To make AFFF reporting easier, Taylor’s office encouraged the development of a new application within a software system already used to report fire incidents by many fire departments nationally. That AFFF management application is now available to any state at no added cost. Use of that reporting software is mandated in North Carolina but remains optional in Maine, according to State Fire Marshal Shawn Esler. It was given to departments in 2014 and 91 percent of reporting departments in the state now use that software, according to the Fire Marshal’s office. GETTING RID OF AFFF Following up on Maine’s AFFF law, the DEP delivered a progress report to the Legislature in March 2022 that identified obstacles to disposing of the foam concentrate stocks. The primary options at that time involved incineration or transport to a hazardous waste dump. Incineration of surplus AFFF by the Department of Defense had already generated PFAS contamination downwind of incinerators, indicating that temperatures in a typical incinerator do not fully break down PFAS (a concern confirmed by a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidance document last spring). Transporting PFAS out of state to hazardous waste facilities in fenceline communities runs counter to the environmental justice provision Maine must apply in its own siting decisions regarding solid waste facilities. Landfills can contaminate groundwater and surface waters with PFAS from leachate and can emit PFAS in a gaseous form. Since 2022, experimental approaches to break down AFFF into relatively benign elements have advanced, with some methods now being piloted at a commercial scale. Two states, Ohio and New Hampshire, have sent their AFFF stocks to a new plant in Columbus, Ohio that uses superheated water to break apart the strong fluorine-carbon bonds in PFAS, a process known as supercritical water oxidation (SCWO). This highly energy-intensive process is still new and while it doesn’t appear to generate problematic PFAS byproducts, it does produce hydrofluoric acid, which the EPA notes “may require protections for worker health, emission controls, and reactor care.” A 2022 U.S. Government Accountability Office report noted that “maintenance can also be difficult and costly because of the intense heat, pressure and corrosive by-products generated during treatment.” New Hampshire’s contract to dispose of 9,924 gallons of AFFF using SCWO is costing roughly $500,000, according to Andrew Gould of the state’s Department of Environmental Services. Once the material is processed, the state will be provided per-batch confirmation of destruction to help protect the participating fire departments and airports from liability. (PFOS and PFOA are now listed as hazardous waste under the federal “Superfund” law, but the EPA has issued a policy explicitly stating that it does not intend to pursue entities such as fire departments, local airports and water utilities.) In its 2022 report to the Legislature, the DEP indicated that it “does not recommend pursuing long-term consolidated storage of waste AFFF at this time. Until the U.S. EPA provides final guidance on management of this waste stream, the Department recommends ensuring that existing stocks of AFFF are stored safely in place.” Nearly three years later, the EPA appears no closer to issuing final guidance, having just updated its “interim” guidance in April 2024. The August foam spill at Brunswick Landing undercut public confidence that remaining AFFF stocks can or will be “stored safely in place.” By mid-September, Maine Rep. Dan Ankeles (D-Brunswick) had submitted three bill titles to the Legislature, including ones that would mandate and fund both an AFFF inventory and a takeback program. Details are still being finalized in concert with the DEP and the Office of the State Fire Marshal. The foam spill at Brunswick Landing last August undercut public confidence in the safety of dispersed storage of AFFF stocks. Photo by Steve Walker Maine could collect AFFF and store it until a thorough analysis of emerging technologies is completed. Now that oil terminals in Maine are becoming subject to the AFFF law, they will be transitioning off fluorinated foams. Staff of the South Portland Fire Department have been meeting with oil terminal representatives and are considering disposal options for the City’s remaining stocks of AFFF. “We don’t have the facilities to keep it other than how we keep it,” Selberg said. The department’s AFFF containers are stored in climate-controlled settings, but they’re not bermed off or protected with secondary containment to catch leaks. Planning for the removal and replacement of 3,000 or so gallons of foam concentrate, he adds, “the logistics and cost of that are pretty burdensome.” The city recently allocated $125,000 in federal American Rescue Plan funds to begin that transition. “I’ve been approached by some of the terminals here about going in with them and getting rid of [AFFF stocks] through one of the waste contractors,” Selberg said, “but I don’t really know where it’s going. So am I just sending it to some poor county in the middle of nowhere and making it their problem?” We invite you to add your comments. We encourage a thoughtful exchange of ideas and information on this website. By joining the conversation, you are agreeing to our commenting policy and terms of use . More information is found on our FAQs . You can modify your screen name here . Comments are managed by our staff during regular business hours Monday through Friday as well as limited hours on Saturday and Sunday. Comments held for moderation outside of those hours may take longer to approve. Please sign into your Sun Journal account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe . Questions? Please see our FAQs . Your commenting screen name has been updated. Send questions/comments to the editors. « Previousk go ktv 。

UK’s ‘biggest drug smuggling gang’ hid narcotics worth £7bn inside rotten onions

Quintals of PDS rice seized and 336 people apprehended in Annamayya district, says SPBARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Tens of thousands of Spaniards marched in downtown Barcelona on Saturday to protest the skyrocketing cost of renting an apartment in the popular tourist destination. Protesters cut off traffic on main avenues in the city center, holding up homemade signs in Spanish reading “Fewer apartments for investing and more homes for living" and “The people without homes uphold their rights.” The lack of affordable housing has become one of the leading concerns for the southern European Union country, mirroring the housing crunch across many parts of the world, including the United States . Organizers said that over 100,000 had turned out, while Barcelona’s police said they estimated some 22,000 marched. Either way, the throngs of people clogging the streets recalled the massive separatist rallies at the height of the previous decade’s Catalan independence movement. Now, social concerns led by housing have displaced political crusades. That is because the average rent for Spain has doubled in last 10 years. The price per square meter has risen from 7.2 euros ($7.5) in 2014 to 13 euros this year, according to the popular online real estate website Idealista. The growth is even more acute in cities like Barcelona and Madrid. Incomes meanwhile have failed to keep up, especially for younger people in a country with chronically high unemployment. Protestor Samuel Saintot said he is “frustrated and scared” after being told by the owners of the apartment he has rented for the past 15 years in Barcelona’s city center that he must vacate the premises. He suspects that the owners want him out so they can renovate it and boost the price. “Even looking in a 20- or 30-kilometer radius outside town, I can’t even find anything within the price range I can afford,” he told The Associated Press. “And I consider myself a very fortunate person, because I earn a decent salary. And even in my case, I may be forced to leave town.” A report by the Bank of Spain indicates that nearly 40% of Spaniards who rent dedicate an average of 40% of their income to paying rents and utilities, compared to the European Union average of 27% of renters who do so. “We are talking about a housing emergency. It means people having many difficulties both in accessing and staying in their homes,” said Ignasi Martí, professor for Esade business school and head of its Dignified Housing Observatory. The rise in rents is causing significant pain in Spain, where traditionally people seek to own their homes. Rental prices have also been driven up by short-term renters including tourists. Many migrants to Spain are also disproportionately hit by the high rents because they often do not have enough savings. Spain is near the bottom end of OECD countries with under 2% of all housing available being public housing for rent. The OECD average is 7%. Spain is far behind France, with 14%, Britain with 16%, and the Netherlands with 34%. Carme Arcarazo, spokesperson for Barcelona’s Tenants Union which helped organize the protest, said that renters should consider a “rent strike” and cease paying their monthly rents in a mass protest movement. “I think we the tenants have understood that this depends on us. That we can’t keep asking and making demands to the authorities and waiting for an answer. We must take the reins of the situation,” Arcarazo told the AP. “So, if they (the owners) won’t lower the rent, then we will force them to do it." The Barcelona protest came a month after tens of thousands rallied against high rents in Madrid. The rising discontent over housing is putting pressure on Spain’s governing Socialist party, which leads a coalition on the national level and is in charge of Catalonia’s regional government and Barcelona’s city hall. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez presided over what the government termed a “housing summit” including government officials and real estate developers last month. But the Barcelona’s Tenants Union boycotted the event, saying it was like calling a summit for curing cancer and inviting tobacco companies to participate. The leading government measure has been a rent cap mechanism that the central government has offered to regional authorities based on a price index established by the housing ministry. Rent controls can be applied to areas deemed to be “highly stressed” by high rental prices. Catalonia was the first region to apply those caps, which are in place in downtown Barcelona. Many locals blame the million of tourists who visit Barcelona, and the rest of Spain, each year for the high prices. Barcelona’s town hall has pledged to completely eliminate the city’s 10,000 so called “tourist apartments,” or dwellings with permits for short-term rents, by 2028.

What To Expect From Trump 2.0Why it matters: Despite their potential, quantum computers have largely remained confined to laboratories and have yet to demonstrate their usefulness for real-world tasks. However, a small San Francisco startup called BlueQubit aims to be among the first to make this groundbreaking technology practical. BlueQubit recently secured a $10 million seed funding round led by Nyca Partners to advance its mission of helping businesses harness the power of quantum computing. The company's flagship product is a quantum software-as-a-service (QSaaS) platform, which provides industries with access to quantum processors and emulators for tackling problems that classical computers cannot solve. BlueQubit claims its software stack, combined with proprietary algorithms, can run quantum emulators up to 100 times faster than existing solutions. The company achieves this through a unique approach: leveraging classical GPUs to test and refine quantum algorithms before deploying them on quantum hardware. This strategy enables effective scaling and supports the development of innovative quantum machine learning and optimization techniques. While sectors like pharmaceuticals and materials science are poised to benefit significantly from quantum computing as it becomes more accessible, Nyca Partners anticipates that the financial services industry will be the first to see transformative impacts. "We have been looking for a team to invest in who are looking to enable financial services firms to hit the ground running once quantum is here," said Tom Brown, partner at Nyca. BlueQubit ultimately aims to accelerate the mainstream adoption of quantum technology by bridging the gap between quantum hardware capabilities and enterprise software demands, according to TechCrunch. The company's founders, CEO Hrant Ghairbyan and CTO Hayk Tepanyan, bring deep experience from their work developing quantum technologies at Google. Ghairbyan contributed to pioneering efforts that later informed Google's Quantum AI team, while Tepanyan worked on Google's infrastructure team. After observing rapid advancements in quantum computing, the duo launched BlueQubit in 2022. Interestingly, the idea for the company struck them while surfing. "We decided to start the company while sitting on surfboards in Santa Monica, CA, in the spring of 2022," Ghairbyan told TechCrunch. "We had just heard a new announcement from the IBM Quantum team about progress on superconducting qubits, and it was clear that the quantum landscape was advancing at an incredible pace." Quantum computing, alongside generative AI, has become one of the hottest topics in tech. Its development has accelerated significantly in recent years. Earlier this month, Google's quantum computing lab unveiled a new chip, Willow , which reportedly performs certain benchmark calculations in just five minutes – tasks that would take the world's fastest supercomputer "10 septillion years" to complete.Preview: Kilmarnock vs. Aberdeen - prediction, team news, lineups

Iran lifts ban on WhatsApp and Google Play, state media says

QUEBEC CITY — H O Innovation Inc. (“H O Innovation” or the “Corporation”) is proud to announce the award of several capital equipment projects to its Water Technologies & Services (WTS) business line. This is the result of the strong work of our team and commitment towards delivering top of the class solutions to our clients. The Corporation is happy to announce that after having secured and performed the engineering portion of the work, it is now under contract for the fabrication and supply of its largest wastewater treatment facility in Canada. The Corporation will provide a 67,000 m /day (17.7 MGD) 6-train ultrafiltration facility for the City of Innisfil, Ontario for the treatment of secondary effluent to minimize the discharge of phosphorous into Lake Simcoe. H O Innovation had provided a 38,000 m /day (10.04 MGD) drinking water facility to the City of Innisfil back in 2017. Another project is located in the Province of Quebec, Canada. The Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach is implementing a major upgrade to their drinking water facility. The Corporation provided the initial phase back in 2007 and has been providing maintenance and operation services since the original plant start-up. The expansion will include the addition of a second nanofiltration train, along with the associated pre and post treatment unit operations, to provide a total capacity of 1,100 m /day (0.29 MGD). The southwestern part of Ontario, Canada, is also seeing the addition of a project. A new municipal wastewater treatment facility for a rapidly growing community will be implemented. The system will be a three train membrane bioreactor (MBR) using an enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) process to treat up to 886 m3/day (0.23 MDG). In an innovative delivery model, H O Innovation will be supplying the biological and membrane tanks along with prefabricated buildings with all industrial mechanical equipment pre-installed, plumbed and wired to minimize on site installation and overall project cost as well as shorten the overall schedule. In Cheltenham, Maryland, a packaged membrane bioreactor (MBR) wastewater treatment system with the Maryland Environmental Service (MES) was confirmed. The system is designed to meet very stringent nutrient limits on the effluent for both nitrogen and phosphorus. A ceramic-based membrane solution was selected and will be implemented to treat the phase 1 flow of 11,500 m3/day (3.04 MGD). Finally, a new project in the United States will see the Corporation provide its third facility to a battery recycling company. The new 3-train, 4,900 m3/day (1.29 MGD) reverse osmosis (RO) project will complement the existing ones and is part of a wider partnership where the Corporation is also renting one of its mobile ultrafiltration-based FlexBox unit to this same client. “I am incredibly proud of our team for their relentless pursuit of excellence. Securing these projects is a significant milestone for us, reflecting our collective effort to innovate and lead in our industry. These new projects open exciting opportunities for us to enhance our offerings and better serve our clients. We are eager to leverage our expertise to drive success in these initiatives,” Innovation is in our name, and it is what drives the organization. H O Innovation is a water solutions company focused on providing best-in-class technologies and services to its customers. The Corporation’s activities rely on five pillars: (i) Water Technologies & Services (WTS) applies membrane technologies and engineering expertise to deliver equipment and services to municipal and industrial water, wastewater, and water reuse customers, (ii) Specialty Products (SP) is a set of businesses that manufacture and supply a complete line of specialty chemicals, consumables, and engineered products for the global water treatment industry, (iii) Operation & Maintenance (O&M) provides contract operations and associated services for water and wastewater treatment systems; (iv) Water Infrastructure Development (WID) is developing WaterHubs, through performance financing, our turn-key projects can be designed, built and operated at no upfront capital expense to our clients, and (v) Maple and Agri-food, offering a complete line of equipment dedicated to maple syrup production and the agri-food industry. Through innovation, we strive to simplify water. For more information, visit . H O Innovation Inc. Communication Department +1 418-688-0170

Sheriff's office receives $300,000 from AG's officeInside the Gaetz ethics report, a trove of new details alleging payments for sex and drug use

NoneAs President-elect Donald Trump assembles the key players to drive his new administration's agenda, Elon Musk is rarely far away. From meetings at Mar-a-Lago in Florida to a weekend UFC match in New York, Musk has been in recent months. The Tesla CEO spent at least $119 million supporting the president-elect's 2024 campaign. Musk is poised to be a high-profile player in Trump's second term. He's expected to serve as a co-lead of the forthcoming alongside onetime GOP presidential contender Vivek Ramaswamy. There seems, however, at least for now, some limit to Musk's influence on Trump. Trump tapped hedge fund manager , the founder and chief executive of Key Square Group, to be his next Treasury secretary on Friday. Bessent, a Wall Street veteran and a top economic advisor to Trump, emerged as a favorite of the president-elect while on the campaign trail this year. Last Saturday, however, before Trump decided, Musk shared his thoughts about the Treasury job, writing in a post on X that Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick would be a stronger choice. "My view fwiw is that Bessent is a business-as-usual choice, whereas @howardlutnick will actually enact change," Musk wrote at the time. "Business-as-usual is driving America bankrupt, so we need change one way or another." Days later, Trump nominated . If confirmed by the Senate, the veteran businessman — who the president-elect's campaign — is set to drive the administration's trade policy. That Trump went his own way in selecting Bessent for what is seen as the top economic role in any presidential administration may be an early sign of the limitations of Musk's relationship with the president-elect. The Wall Street Journal reported that from Wall Street leaders for the Treasury spot, and his advisors told him that analysts would view Bessent as a stabilizing figure. Bessent's economic worldview has largely mirrored Trump's. Shortly after the election, the hedge fund manager argued in an op-ed that the country's competitiveness "has been weakened by destructive energy policies and the channeling of investment toward a quixotic energy transition." "Allowing the private sector rather than the government to allocate capital is crucial to growth," he wrote. "Overhauling the regulatory and supervisory environment will encourage more lending and reinvigorate banks." It's the sort of message that Trump touted as he campaigned for a second term. And, in his announcement of Bessent's nomination, he continued in that same vein, remarking that Bessent will "help me usher in a new Golden Age for the United States." Musk did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. Read the original article on

Friday, December 20, 2024 Facebook Instagram Twitter WhatsApp Youtube Personal Finance Education Entertainment Jobs Alert Sports Hindi Technology Complaint Redressal. Fact-Checking Policy Correction policy Authors and Team DNPA Code of Ethics Onwership and Funding Cookie Policy Terms of Service Disclaimer Contact US About Us More Search Home Personal Finance Ration Card News: Now no need for ration card, ration will be... Personal Finance Ration Card News: Now no need for ration card, ration will be available through Mera Ration 2.0 app By Shyamu Maurya December 20, 2024 0 12 Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Telegram Ration Card News: Now no need for ration card, ration will be available through Mera Ration 2.0 app Now the Government of India has abolished the need to show ration card. Mera Ration 2.0 app can be used to get ration, through which ration will be available without ration card. Mera Ration App: The Government of India has made a big change in the rules for getting ration. Now there will be no need to show ration card at the ration depot. Instead, people can use the Mera Ration 2.0 app. This change will make it even easier for the needy to get ration. What is Mera Ration 2.0 app? The Government of India has launched the Mera Ration 2.0 app, which will help ration card holders to get ration even without a card. Earlier, people had to take their ration card to the depot to get ration. Now through this app, people can get ration online by entering their Aadhaar card number. How to use the app? This app can be downloaded from Google Play Store and Apple App Store. After downloading, the user has to login with OTP by entering his Aadhaar card number. Once logged in, the ration card will open on the app, by showing which people can take ration. Ration will be available without ration card Now, ration card holders will not need to go to the depot and show the ration card. With the help of Mera Ration 2.0 app, they can get ration even without ration card. This step is an important change taken by the Government of India, whose main objective is to make the facility of ration even more convenient. What has changed? Under the government’s National Food Security Act, the scheme of providing ration at a low price was earlier available only to ration card holders. Now the government has made this process easier through the Mera Ration 2.0 app. With the end of the need for ration card, now the needy people will not have to face any problem. How will you get the benefit of facilities? The biggest facility from this new change is that people can use the Mera Ration 2.0 app from home or from anywhere. This step will be beneficial for those who always forget their ration card or are unable to carry it with them. Join Informal Newz Tags Ration Card news Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Telegram Previous article New expressway: Delhi-Dehradun new expressway will be ready in this much time, Nitin Gadkari has announced Shyamu Maurya Shyamu has done Degree in Fine Arts and has knowledge about bollywood industry. He started writing in 2018. Since then he has been associated with Informalnewz. In case of any complain or feedback, please contact me @informalnewz@gmail.com RELATED ARTICLES India New expressway: Delhi-Dehradun new expressway will be ready in this much time, Nitin Gadkari has announced December 19, 2024 Personal Finance UPI Wrong Payment: Money sent to wrong account through UPI, complain here, money will be returned within 48 hours December 19, 2024 Personal Finance EPFO New System: From ATM withdrawal to emergency fund, these facilities will be available from March 2025 – Details December 19, 2024 - Advertisment - Most Popular New expressway: Delhi-Dehradun new expressway will be ready in this much time, Nitin Gadkari has announced December 19, 2024 UPI Wrong Payment: Money sent to wrong account through UPI, complain here, money will be returned within 48 hours December 19, 2024 EPFO New System: From ATM withdrawal to emergency fund, these facilities will be available from March 2025 – Details December 19, 2024 School Holiday: Schools will remain closed for this many days in 2025, see the complete list here December 19, 2024 Load more Recent Comments Gul Mohiudin on Kavita sister-in-law wore a sari without a blouse, seeing the pictures you will also be... 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Inside the Gaetz ethics report, a trove of new details alleging payments for sex and drug use

Educational benefits of gaming simulators. Gaming simulation plays an essential role in the educational sector. Both the formal and informal educational sectors use gaming simulators to enhance knowledge. Simultaneously, they make learning easier and more accessible and encourage inclusivity. Gaming simulation has contributed immensely to skill acquisition and training processes. It helps impact skills in a controlled environment, from professional training to cognitive skills training and enhanced real-world application. Professionals like pilots and surgeons use these simulating games to learn complex procedures without endangering lives and properties. Gaming simulators also enhance problem-solving and decision-making skills. Players face real-life situations where they must analyze, make action plans, and adapt to changing scenarios. These simulations are close to real-world situations, making it easy to validate their effectiveness in real-life situations. Gaming simulators are contributing to enhanced learning experiences. It provides an active learning environment that enhances immersion and knowledge retention. Gaming simulators bridge the space between theory and practicality without the hazards of real-life situations. The practicality enhances knowledge retention because players do not only learn but also try out what they learn, making it easy to retain and remember. Simulation is bridging the gaps created by different situations, thereby enhancing inclusivity. For instance, special needs and remote learning are becoming more accessible and manageable. These simulators provide people with disabilities and special needs with motor and cognitive skills that compensate for their inabilities. Similarly, remote learning is becoming more popular and enhanced with these simulators. Gone are the days when students felt separated from their teachers. Instead, simulation bridges the distance and makes remote learning easier. Simulators do not only offer technical expertise but also enhance soft skill development. Teamwork, communication, leadership and crisis management are top skills that game simulators enhance. From practicalizing, players need these skills to ensure success, making them develop and train them along the way. Simulators are mainly games. Even when they exist for learning purposes, they are usually adapted in a gamified structure. As such, gaming simulators can serve as a leisure/entertainment tool. The pressures of everyday life can easily wear us down, making game simulators welcome developments. They provide havens for relaxation and escape from life pressures. Game simulators enable people to unwind and focus, creating soothing avenues. They can also reduce anxiety and improve mindfulness and emotional regulation. Game simulators are making considerable strides in entertainment and recreation. As outlined in this guide , they provide diverse and personalized entertainment experiences. Many gaming simulations enhance recreation because they are customizable and replayable. For instance, players can tailor their games to suit their preferences by choosing avatars, equipment, and environments . Also, many simulations ensure differences in each session. Since no two sessions are the same, the replayability is high, enhancing their long-term appeal. Gaming simulations incorporate feedback from earlier gaming platforms, focusing on gamification and social relationships. They enable local and global social connectivity among players. Many simulation games have multiplayer features that allow users to connect worldwide. This creates opportunities for teamwork and friendly competition. Gaming simulation also enhances community building, where players can share experiences and foster friendships. It is no gainsaying that gaming simulation contributes immensely to various aspects. However, this does not cancel the fact that gaming simulations have drawbacks . Gaming simulation challenges are mainly because of how novel they are. Similarly, gaming simulators experience challenges related to use and ethical concerns. Below are considerable limitations of this innovation: Simulators have become more accessible and affordable. However, there are still divides, making it remain expensive. The high cost has made gaming simulation inaccessible to the vast majority. For instance, while corporations and professionals continue to adopt it, individual uses are still rare because of its cost. Another primary concern about gaming simulation is its overuse and the effects of the overuse. This is not peculiar to gaming simulators alone. Several other technological innovations also pose this challenge. People find it difficult to manage their screen time when using gaming simulations. This poses health and addiction risks, including dependency. Overuse and addiction can also affect productivity, mental health, and health issues. Gaming simulations have advanced rapidly, enhancing realism. However, there are discussions regarding how they cannot fully replicate real-world scenarios. Game simulations are believed not properly to replicate factors like audience response and environmental variables. As such, there are concerns about the inability to adapt to real-world situations due to overdependence on gaming simulators. Gaming simulators are becoming mainstream. With their popularization, they will not only become accessible but also make more of an impact. Consumer trends, innovations, and environmental factors also affect them, defining a future for gaming simulators. The factors below paint a picture of such a future. Technology is rapidly advancing and significantly affects gaming simulators. As discussed earlier, some aspects of their popularization are due to technologies like AR/VR . The industry can expect an upscale shift as these technologies and others grow. For instance, AI and Machine learning will improve adaptability and custom experiences. AR/VR will influence the hardware and software, making the simulations more realistic and immersive. Many gaming simulators also include other technologies, like biometrics, to integrate players’ data seamlessly into the simulation. Gaming is becoming popular and still has prospects to find applications across usages and disciplines. Beyond gaming, simulation is finding a feat in education, health care, corporate development, and entertainment. Its prospects in this discipline involve moving from minor aspects to being integral to these disciplines. Also, there is the prospect for cross-discipline applications of simulation gaming, just like in hybrid simulators discussed earlier. Gaming simulators are going global and have the potential to bridge the gap between education and entertainment. This innovation will continue to bring lessons to people in immersive and engaging ways. It can also potentially bring education to people in underserved areas. Gaming simulation reduces the need for physical resources, making it a sustainable option. Gaming simulations have moved beyond military and aircraft training. They are now becoming an integral part of society with immeasurable future impacts. Gaming simulations replicate real-life situations in virtual environments. As such, people can experience real-life situations, learn from them, and develop without going through the hazards involved in real-life situations. Simulators are invaluable tools in modern society. In education, they enhance easy learning and skill development, bridge gaps, and to improve retention. Leisurely impacts of gaming simulation include relaxation, stress relief, entertainment, and social connectivity . Despite its challenges and criticism, gaming simulation is used in our environment to enhance societal dynamics. ¿Quieres acceder a todo el contenido de calidad sin límites? ¡SUSCRÍBETE AQUÍ!, /PRNewswire/ -- (APC), a leader in flexible packaging solutions, announced another expansion of APC's RETM Sustainable Packaging portfolio, with the addition of new high performance, paper-based packaging technologies that are targeted for curbside recyclability, while providing excellent product protection levels that extend shelf life, protect product flavor, and maintain product freshness. In repulping tests conducted by , over 85% of APC's high performance paper packaging is recovered. This recycle-ready technology is targeted to offer a positive end-of-life alternative for conventional, non-recyclable packaging structures such as Paper/PE/Foil/PE laminate structures and can be used in both heat seal and cold seal packaging formats. APC's high performance paper provides both sustainable and eco-friendly benefits offering greater than 30% reduction in carbon footprint. The technology offers several features and benefits, including PVDC-free, grease and aroma resistant, and high MVTR and OTR barriers. These performance attributes make APC's recycle ready, high performance paper packaging suitable for stand up pouches and flat pouches especially for dry goods such as seasonings, spices, coffee, powdered drinks and drink enhancements, cookies, crackers, cereal bars and baking mixes. APC's new designed for recycle, high performance paper technology was unveiled at Pack Expo Chicago 2024 at APC's Lounge & Learn event. For more information about APC's recycle ready, high performance paper packaging and samples, please contact American Packaging at or 515-733-1406. Founded in 1902, American Packaging Corporation is a recognized leader in the flexible packaging industry. Family-owned, APC distinguishes itself by investing in state-of-the-art facilities and capabilities, delivering packaging innovation, promoting sustainable products and practices, and focusing customer delight. Today, APC operates six Centers of Excellence in and employs approximately 1,300 talented, motivated professionals. For more information, please visit , Director of Corporate Marketing American Packaging Corporation E-mail: View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE American Packaging CorporationUCF will attempt to shake off a dreadful offensive performance when it collides with LSU on Sunday afternoon in the third-place game of the Greenbrier Tip-Off in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. The Knights (4-1) couldn't get anything going against No. 19 Wisconsin on Friday, going 21-for-62 from the field (33.9 percent) and just 2-for-17 from 3-point range (11.8 percent) en route to an 86-70 loss. Jordan Ivy-Curry finished with 13 points while Keyshawn Hall and Dior Johnson added 11 apiece for UCF, which never led and fell behind by as many as 23. Knights coach Johnny Dawkins is hoping that his team's struggles don't carry over into the meeting with the Tigers (4-1). "We have to do better offensively," Dawkins said. "We have to space the floor better. We have to balance our offense between our perimeter and our bigs. Those are things that we didn't do consistently (on Friday)." LSU also needs to clean things up after committing 15 turnovers in a 74-63 setback against Pitt on Friday. Tigers forward Jalen Reed doesn't believe giving the ball away will be a lingering issue. "I feel like a lot of our turnovers were more on us than them," Reed said. "I feel like a lot of the turnovers were careless, but we're a better team than that and I feel like we'll take care of the ball better moving forward." Reed and Vyctorius Miller each posted 14 points in the loss to the Panthers, with Reed also hauling in seven rebounds. Cam Carter chipped in 11 points. Carter is putting up a team-leading 16.4 points per game. Jordan Sears (12.0 points per game), Reed (11.0) and Miller (10.2) also have scoring averages in double figures. Ivy-Curry (16.8 points per game), Hall (16.2) and Darius Johnson (13.0) have been leading the way for UCF. Sunday marks the first-ever meeting between the Knights and Tigers. --Field Level Media

West Vancouver Indigenous charity makes lunch to raise funds for youth programsBy MARC LEVY HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democratic Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania conceded his reelection bid to Republican David McCormick on Thursday, as a statewide recount showed no signs of closing the gap and his campaign suffered repeated blows in court in its effort to get potentially favorable ballots counted. Casey’s concession comes more than two weeks after Election Day, as a grindingly slow ballot-counting process became a spectacle of hours-long election board meetings, social media outrage, lawsuits and accusations that some county officials were openly flouting the law. Republicans had been claiming that Democrats were trying to steal McCormick’s seat by counting “illegal votes.” Casey’s campaign had accused of Republicans of trying to block enough votes to prevent him from pulling ahead and winning. In a statement, Casey said he had just called McCormick to congratulate him. “As the first count of ballots is completed, Pennsylvanians can move forward with the knowledge that their voices were heard, whether their vote was the first to be counted or the last,” Casey said. The Associated Press called the race for McCormick on Nov. 7, concluding that not enough ballots remained to be counted in areas Casey was winning for him to take the lead. As of Thursday, McCormick led by about 16,000 votes out of almost 7 million ballots counted. That was well within the 0.5% margin threshold to trigger an automatic statewide recount under Pennsylvania law. But no election official expected a recount to change more than a couple hundred votes or so, and Pennsylvania’s highest court dealt him a blow when it refused entreaties to allow counties to count mail-in ballots that lacked a correct handwritten date on the return envelope. Republicans will have a 53-47 majority next year in the U.S. Senate. Follow Marc Levy at twitter.com/timelywriterSnoop Dogg's daughter Cori Broadus is becoming a mom! The 25-year-old daughter of the rapper and says he is overjoyed at the news that his is on the way — except for one thing. “My mom and dad were so excited, their baby girl is having a baby,” Broadus told in a story published on Dec. 23. “My dad was hoping for a grandson, though.” Broadus and her fiancé, Wayne Duece, shared on on Dec. 23 that they are having a baby girl. "Girl dad 💗 can’t wait to meet you baby girl," Duece captioned a photo of his hand on Broadus' stomach. Broadus and Duece are reality stars who were the focus of the E! special "Snoop's Fatherhood: Cori and Wayne's Story." Cori is the youngest of Snoop Dogg's three children with wife and his only daughter. The rapper did not mention his daughter's pregnancy specifically but posted a general message of gratitude for the "gift of life" on on Dec. 24. "I don't need anything for Christmas," he wrote. "I have no requests, no complaints, and no worries. I just want to thank God for the gift of life. Amen." Broadus shared a series of photos and messages about her pregnancy on her on Dec. 23. She wrote over one photo that she learned she was pregnant on Oct. 28. "Omg I still feel like i’m dreaming," she wrote. In another slide of a throwback photo of her from when she was a little girl, she wrote that she "can't wait to have a mini me." "Yooo I posted this on my story and the next day I was pregnant crazy," she wrote. "Like really about to have a mini me crazy." Broadus also shared a photo of a sonogram, writing that her child has a strong heartbeat. The pregnancy news comes less than a year after Broadus said she at 24 years old. Broadus was also diagnosed with lupus, an autoimmune disease, as a child. “I’m high-risk pregnancy and doctors were very concerned for me and the baby, but God has his hands on me, and me and the baby are doing perfectly fine," she told E! News. She also wrote in her Instagram stories on Dec. 23 that her OB-GYN doesn't have any concerns about the baby's health at this time. "God don’t play about me none!!" she wrote. In addition, Broadus shared scenes from a gender reveal party, and that the baby is due on June 13. "I was 99% sureee I was having a boy omg lolll," she wrote. Broadus also shared a sweet throwback photo of a young Snoop with Cori as a toddler. "Unreal can’t wait to meet my twin," she wrote. Broadus is looking forward to becoming a first-time mom. "I'm just excited to love on my baby girl and make her feel like she's the prettiest in the world," she told E! News. "Growing up, I wasn't the most confident and never felt like I fit in, so just to instill all the beautiful things in her head at a young age." Scott Stump is a trending reporter and the writer of the daily newsletter This is TODAY (which you should ) that brings the day's news, health tips, parenting stories, recipes and a daily delight right to your inbox. He has been a regular contributor for TODAY.com since 2011, producing features and news for pop culture, parents, politics, health, style, food and pretty much everything else.None