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Mississippi medical center closes all clinics after ransomware attack
The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) closed all its clinic locations statewide on Thursday following a ransomware attack.
UMMC has over 10,000 employees and, as one of the largest employers in Mississippi, operates seven hospitals, 35 clinics, and more than 200 telehealth sites statewide. The medical center includes the state’s only children’s hospital, only Level I trauma center, only organ and bone marrow transplant program, and the only Telehealth Center of Excellence, one of two across the United States.
As revealed on Thursday afternoon, the cyberattack took down many of its IT systems and blocked access to the Epic electronic medical records. While UMMC cancelled outpatient and ambulatory surgeries/procedures and imaging appointments, officials said hospital services continue via downtime procedures.
UMMC is now investigating the incident with assistance from the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the FBI.
“We have activated our Emergency Operations Plan and are working with authorities including the FBI and Homeland Security, who are helping us to evaluate this situation and determine next steps,” the UMMC said.
When this article was published, the UMCC’s website was still down, and officials said that the hospital had shut down all IT systems while they assessed the attack’s impact.
“We are still evaluating the extent of systems impacted. As a precaution, we have shut down all our network systems and will conduct risk assessments before bringing anything back online. In-person class schedules remain normal,” they said.
Officials confirm ransomware attack
Hospital officials have also revealed during a press conference on Thursday afternoon that they are communicating with the ransomware operation behind the attack and working with authorities on the next steps, according to The Daily Mississippian.
“The attackers have communicated to us and we are working with the authorities and specialists on next steps. We do not know how long this situation may last,” said LouAnn Woodward, the dean of the school of medicine at UMMC.
“Patients in our hospital and our emergency department are being cared for. Clinical equipment and operations remain functional. We are using our downtime procedures. For our students, in-person classes will continue as scheduled.”
“All of our equipment works. All of our patients are being taken care of safely. There will be no patient impact as a result of this downtime,” Dr. Alan Jones, associate vice chancellor for health affairs at UMMC, told reporters.
No ransomware group has claimed responsibility for this attack, as they’re likely still negotiating with the UMMC and want to pressure it into paying an extortion demand.
However, with ransomware involved, data may have also been stolen and will be used as additional leverage to convince the hospital to pay.
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UK ex-prince leaves police station after arrest related to Epstein files | Police
The UK’s former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was filmed leaving a police station on Thursday night, following his arrest related to the Epstein files.
Published On 20 Feb 2026
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Alzheimer’s risk could increase with air pollution exposure, new study shows
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People with greater exposure to air pollution could face a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study by Emory University in Atlanta.
Air pollution has previously been established as a risk factor for Alzheimer’s, as well as other chronic conditions, like hypertension, stroke and depression, the researchers noted.
Since those other conditions are themselves linked to Alzheimer’s, the researchers said it’s not yet clear whether air pollution harms brain health on its own, or whether it raises dementia risk by first triggering those other health problems.
ALZHEIMER’S DECLINE COULD SLOW DRAMATICALLY WITH ONE SIMPLE DAILY HABIT, STUDY FINDS
The study, which was published in the journal PLOS Medicine, investigated more than 27.8 million U.S. Medicare recipients, 65 years and older, from 2000 to 2018.
The individuals were examined for level of exposure to air pollution and whether they developed Alzheimer’s, with a focus on other chronic conditions.
Air pollution may have a direct correlation to Alzheimer’s diagnoses, a new study found. (iStock)
Greater exposure to air pollution was associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s, which was slightly stronger in people who had experienced a stroke. Hypertension and depression had “little additional impact,” according to the study’s press release.
The authors concluded that air pollution leads to Alzheimer’s mostly through “direct pathways” rather than via other chronic conditions.
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“Our findings suggest that individuals with a history of stroke may be particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of air pollution on brain health, highlighting an important intersection between environmental and vascular risk factors,” the authors wrote in a statement.
These findings suggest that improving air quality could be “an important way to prevent dementia and protect older adults,” the press release concluded.
Air quality could be “an important way to prevent dementia and protect older adults,” the researchers suggested. (iStock)
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel confirmed more studies are revealing that Alzheimer’s is linked to conditions that impact the brain, which can be “sensitive and fragile.”
“Certainly, underlying medical conditions like stroke can lead to this,” Siegel, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
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This latest study “does not show cause and effect,” the doctor noted, but rather shows an “increasing association between air pollution and Alzheimer’s, where the particulate matter appears to increase the inflammation in the brain that helps lead to it.”
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“This is another piece in developing a strategy of prevention, early diagnosis and targeted treatments,” Siegel added.
People with a history of stroke could be more susceptible to air pollution risks, according to the researchers. (iStock)
Ozama Ismail, PhD, director of scientific programs at the Alzheimer’s Association in Chicago, agreed that this study adds to existing research on the impact of air pollution and overall health, especially related to the brain.
“Alzheimer’s is a complex disease, and it is likely that there are a variety of factors … that impact a person’s lifetime risk.”
“This is an area of investigation where more research is vital to helping us better understand the connection between pollution and the various factors that cause or contribute to Alzheimer’s disease,” Ismail, who also did not work on the study, told Fox News Digital.
“Previous studies, including those presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in 2019, 2021 and 2025, have shown evidence for connections between exposure to air pollution and other environmental toxins and risk for Alzheimer’s or other dementias.”
“Avoiding exposure to air pollution is a risk factor that may be easier for some people to change than others,” one expert said. (iStock)
The Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention added exposure to air pollution to its list of known dementia risk factors in 2020, according to Ismail.
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“We know that Alzheimer’s is a complex disease, and it is likely that there are a variety of factors, in combination, that impact a person’s lifetime risk,” he said. “Avoiding exposure to air pollution is a risk factor that may be easier for some people to change than others.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the study authors for comment.
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Ukrainian National Sentenced to 5 Years in North Korea IT Worker Fraud Case
A 29-year-old Ukrainian national has been sentenced to five years in prison in the U.S. for his role in facilitating North Korea’s fraudulent information technology (IT) worker scheme.
In November 2025, Oleksandr “Alexander” Didenko pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft for stealing the identities of U.S. citizens and selling them to IT workers to help them land jobs at 40 U.S. companies and draw regular salaries, which were then funneled back to the regime to support its weapons programs. He was apprehended by Polish authorities in late 2024, and later extradited to the U.S.
Didenko has also been ordered to serve 12 months of supervised release and to pay $46,547.28 in restitution. Last year, Didenko also agreed to forfeit more than $1.4 million, which includes about $181,438 in U.S. dollars and cryptocurrency seized from him and his co-conspirators.
The defendant is said to have run a website named Upworksell[.]com to help overseas IT workers buy or rent stolen or borrowed identities since the start of 2021. The IT workers abused these identities to apply for jobs on freelance work platforms based in California and Pennsylvania. The site was seized by authorities on May 16, 2024.
In addition, Didenko paid individuals in the U.S. to receive and host laptops at their residences in Virginia, Tennessee and California. The idea was to give the impression that the workers were located in the country, when, in reality, they were connecting remotely from countries like China, where they were dispatched to.
As part of the criminal scheme, Didenko managed as many as 871 proxy identities and facilitated the operation of at least three U.S.-based laptop farms. One of the computers was sent to a laptop farm run by Christina Marie Chapman in Arizona. Chapman was arrested in May 2024 and sentenced to 102 months in prison in July 2025 for participating in the scheme.
Furthermore, he enabled his North Korean clients to access the U.S. financial system through Money Service Transmitters instead of having to open an account at a bank within the U.S. These money transfer services were used to move employment income to foreign bank accounts. Officials said Didenko’s clients were paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for their work.
“Defendant Didenko’s scheme funneled money from Americans and U.S. businesses, into the coffers of North Korea, a hostile regime,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “Today, North Korea is not only a threat to the homeland from afar, it is an enemy within.”
“By using stolen and fraudulent identities, North Korean actors are infiltrating American companies, stealing information, licensing, and data that is harmful to any business. But more than that, money paid to these so-called employees goes directly to munitions programs in North Korea.”
Despite continued law enforcement actions, the Hermit Kingdom’s conspiracy shows no signs of stopping. If anything, the operation has continued to evolve with new tactics and techniques to evade detection.
According to a report from threat intelligence firm Security Alliance (SEAL) last week, the IT workers have begun to apply for remote positions using real LinkedIn accounts of individuals they’re impersonating in an effort to make their fraudulent applications look authentic.
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FIFA and Peace Board pledge to help Gaza reconstruction through football | Football News
US President Donald Trump says FIFA alone will seek to raise $75m for football-related projects in Gaza.
Published On 20 Feb 2026
World football’s governing body, FIFA, and the Board of Peace have signed a partnership agreement to attract investment from global leaders and institutions for sustainable development in conflict-affected regions through football.
The Board of Peace, established under United States President Donald Trump, held its first meeting focused on Gaza’s reconstruction fund, aimed at rebuilding the territory once Hamas disarms.
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list of 4 itemsend of listThe disarmament of Hamas fighters and accompanying withdrawal of Israeli troops, the size of the reconstruction fund and the flow of humanitarian aid to the war-torn population are expected to pose significant challenges to the board’s effectiveness in the coming months.
The FIFA collaboration plan includes building 50 mini-pitches near schools and residential areas in Gaza, five full-size pitches across multiple districts, a state-of-the-art FIFA academy and a new 20,000-seat national stadium, FIFA said.
Trump said FIFA will raise $75m for football-related projects in Gaza.
“Today, FIFA and the Board of Peace have signed a landmark partnership agreement that will foster investment into football for the purpose of helping the recovery process in post-conflict areas,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement.
“Together with the support of the Board of Peace, FIFA will drive this partnership, which is built to deliver impact at every stage.”
The programme will also emphasise job creation, youth participation, organised leagues for boys and girls, community engagement and the stimulation of local commercial activities, FIFA said.
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UK Athletics admits causing death of Paralympian hit on head by pole | UK News
UK Athletics has admitted causing the death of a Paralympian who was hit on the head by a metal pole.
Abdullah Hayayei, 36, who represented the United Arab Emirates, was fatally injured at Newham Leisure Centre, east London, while training in 2017.
He was preparing to represent his country in the F34 class discus, javelin and shot put at the World Para Athletics Championships in London when part of a throwing cage fell on him.
Teams and coaches from several nations were present at the time of the tragedy.
The charge said the national governing body for athletics caused the death of Mr Hayayei by “supplying for use… a discus/shot put cage which it used and operated without its base structure and which collapsed” into the Paralympian while he was practising shot putting.
At the Old Bailey on Friday, UK Athletics Ltd admitted corporate manslaughter, having previously denied the charge.
In a statement, the body said it “deeply regrets” the incident, and added: “Our deepest thoughts and sympathy remain with his family, friends, teammates and all those affected by the events of that day.
“As you will appreciate, due to the ongoing court proceedings, UK Athletics is unable to comment any further at this time.”
Keith Davies, who was the head of sport for the 2017 World Paralympics Atheltics Championships, also pleaded guilty to a health and safety charge.
Prosecutor Karen Robinson invited the court to set a two-day sentencing hearing in early June, and he confirmed the prosecution would not seek a trial.
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Colin Gibbs, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said in a statement that Hayayei “was a father-of-five who should have been able to compete on the world stage and return home safely to his family”.
“There can be no doubt that UK Athletics were grossly negligent in their safety management, which caused the death of a talented athlete,” he added.
“They left equipment in a seriously unsafe condition, and Mr Hayayei’s death was wholly avoidable – a fact the organisation has admitted.
“For years there was a failure to inspect, maintain and properly manage basic safety components, leaving a heavy metal structure dangerously unstable.”
The Metropolitan Police added that their investigation required detailed engineering expertise to understand the chain of events that led to the tragedy.
It said that officers had examined more than 1,500 documents, taken around 160 statements, spoken with more than 80 witnesses and collated expert reports.
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School choice Republicans purge anti-school choice lawmakers in Texas
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Texas has experienced a purging of anti-school choice Republicans from the Texas capitol, revealing a new litmus test for the party.
State Rep. Brian Harrison, who represents Texas’ 10th district, told Fox News Digital that he is not aware of any Republicans in the legislature currently opposing school choice and added that Texas has entered a “new paradigm.”
“They’re probably scared to admit that they oppose education freedom,” he said. In 2021, Harrison unseated an incumbent with an anti-school choice platform that represented a rural district.
“I grew up in this area, in Ellis County, which is where my district is. It’s a mostly rural district, south of Dallas,” Harrison told Fox News Digital.
TRUMP WITHHOLDS ENDORSEMENT IN FIERY GOP SENATE PRIMARY AS EARLY VOTING BEGINS IN TEXAS
In 2021, Rep. Brian Harrison unseated an incumbent with an anti-school choice platform and represented a rural district. (Texas State Rep. Brian Harrison )
As early voting began on Tuesday for the Lone Star State’s March 3 primaries, Harrison is being challenged by Matt Authier and Jon Garrett. Harrison slammed Authier as a “fake Republican” for opposing school choice and claiming in 2023 that he “wishes to destroy public schools under the guise of education freedom.” According to Authier’s campaign website, he vows to “get more dollars to the classroom.”
Rural Republicans have typically rejected school choice policies in the past and have even drawn financial support from teachers unions, although they typically favor Democrats who often vote against school choice policies. Rural Republicans in Texas, along with Democrats, argued that vouchers, or education savings accounts, would negatively impact public school funding.
Authier did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Harrison defeated fellow Republican John Wray in a special election runoff in September 2021, unseating a six-year incumbent in the Texas House who he claimed “vehemently opposed school choice.”
“When the first Trump administration ended, and I moved back home to my district, I was basically told to avoid the issue of school choice because I was told this district has never been represented by the Texas legislature,” Harrison said. “Nobody to my knowledge that’s ever held my seat has ever supported school choice.”
Corey DeAngelis, a school choice advocate who closely tracks education policy in the Lone Star State and senior fellow for Americans for Fair Treatment, told Fox News Digital that Texas is now leading the nation in making school choice non-negotiable for conservatives.
“This full purge is a warning to Republicans everywhere: side with the unions, and you’ll face the same fate,” he said.
Much of it could be attributed to Gov. Greg Abbott, who announced that he would get involved in the party’s primaries to help give the boot to any candidates opposing school choice. The governor endorsed and helped raise money for pro-school choice candidates in 2024 after struggling to garner unification among Republicans to support his universal school choice bill.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced in 2024 that he would get involved in the party’s primaries to help give the boot to any candidates opposing school choice. (Antranik Tavitian/Reuters)
American Federation for Children President Tommy Schultz played a critical role in donating to pro-school choice candidates to remove anti-school choice candidates from Republican primaries.
There were 21 Republicans who opposed the education savings accounts program that Schultz and Abbott collaborated on in 2023.
“Then in the 2024 cycle, we wiped out a bunch of them. Five of them retired. And also, the last one just announced that he’s retiring just a few weeks ago. So what that means is that actually none of the 21 Republicans that voted against this in 2023 will be returning to the legislature in 2027 when they go back into session,” Schultz told Fox News Digital.
TURNING POINT ISSUES MAJOR ENDORSEMENT IN CRITICAL SENATE RACE AS TRUMP HINTS AT WEIGHING IN
Of the 21 Republicans that voted against Abbott’s education savings account program in 2023, nine were ousted out of the primaries in the 2024 midterms and six retired.
“Governor Abbott has been clear that parents—not government bureaucrats—should be the primary decision-makers when it comes to their children’s education,” Abbott spokesman Eduardo Leal told Fox News Digital.
Anti-school choice republicans have been purged from the Texas capitol, revealing a new litmus test for the party. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)
Leal said that “Texans overwhelmingly supported school choice during the 2024 primary elections.”
“Republican voters made it clear that empowering parents is a core conservative principle. With applications for Texas Education Freedom Accounts now open, Governor Abbott encourages all eligible Texas families to apply. Just this last week, more than 85,000 Texas families applied. Under Governor Abbott’s leadership, Texas is on track to become the top state in America for educating our kids,” Leal said.
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Ambit Capital sees accounting stress for electronic manufacturers
Global brokerage CLSA has flagged rising risks for the EMS sector amid surging memory chip prices. Photo Credit: Bloomberg
The Electronics manufacturing services (EMS) sector is showing signs of deteriorating accounting quality and weak cash generation despite strong reported earnings growth, according to a report by Ambit Capital. The study found a widening disconnect between profitability and cash flows, with rising working capital needs and aggressive capital expenditure leading to negative cumulative free cash flows across most companies, raising concerns about the sustainability of expansion.
Nuvama Institutional Equities recently noted that the majority of EMS firms posted improved margins yoy in Q3FY26. The sectoral revenue, EBITDA and PAT grew 13 per cent, 31 per cent and 39 per cent, respectively, it added.
Global brokerage CLSA has flagged rising risks for the EMS sector amid surging memory chip prices. It said the global memory industry is entering an early boom phase across DRAM, NAND and specialty memory, driven by AI-led demand and constrained supply growth from manufacturers.
cash crunch
The Ambit Capital report highlighted that accounting quality across EMS companies has weakened in recent years as cash conversion deteriorated and working capital cycles lengthened.
While revenue growth has been buoyed by structural manufacturing tailwinds and supply-chain diversification, increased inventory, receivables, and capital deployment have constrained operational liquidity. The findings suggested that the sector’s headline growth masks underlying pressure on cash generation, making capital efficiency and accounting discipline key variables for investors assessing long-term resilience.
Some of the key players in the segment are Dixon Technologies, Amber Enterprises, Kaynes Technologies, PG Electroplast. Avalon Technologies and Syrma SGS.
Among individual companies, Kaynes Technology drew the highest scrutiny on earnings quality, according to Ambit Capital. The report noted negative pre-tax operating cash flow relative to EBITDA and rising working capital intensity driven by higher receivable and inventory days.
‘Kaynes looks vulnerable’
Kaynes lags due to lower accounting score, low ID score (0), promoter presence in audit committee, auditor appointment practices, low audit fees and notable KMP churn, the report read.
While management initiatives such as bill discounting and supply chain financing are expected to improve collections, Ambit Capital stressed that cash conversion remains a key monitorable.
Ambit Capital viewed Amber Enterprises as the strongest performer on accounting metrics among EMS peers and the only firm within its zone of safety.
Avalon Technologies’ weaker cash conversion in recent years was primarily driven by higher working-capital investment linked to strong revenue growth and a rise in inventory days between FY20 and FY24. As per Ambit, this pressure is easing, with inventory days gradually declining and working-capital levels normalising.
For Dixon, Ambit flagged valuation concerns and risks tied to the expiry of mobile PLI incentives, emphasizing thin margins, but high ROCE, driven by high asset turns and operating leverage. CLSA has downgraded Dixon from outperform to hold at a lower target price of 12,100.
Despite these concerns, the sector continues to benefit from strong demand visibility and manufacturing incentives. However, Ambit Capital cautioned that sustained expansion and ongoing working capital investments are likely to keep free cash flow generation subdued in the near term. Investors need to track accounting quality, governance standards and capital efficiency as key indicators of whether the sector’s rapid growth can be maintained on a durable financial footing.
Published on February 20, 2026
Mohammad Amir prediction for team india: India will not reach the T20 World Cup semi-finals…Pakistanis are burning to ashes, Team India is not seeing continuous wins from Aamir.
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Mohammad Amir prediction for team india: Before the start of the Super-8 stages of T20 World Cup 2026, former Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir has made a prediction which has created a stir in the cricket world. Aamir believes that defending champion Team India will be out of the race for the semi-finals this time. This statement of Aamir has started a new debate among Indian fans and experts.
New Delhi. Former Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Aamir has made a shocking prediction before the Super-8 stage of T20 World Cup 2026. Aamir believes that the Indian team captained by Suryakumar Yadav will not be able to reach the semi-finals. According to him, South Africa and West Indies from Group 1 will make it to the last four. Aamir cited India’s batting weaknesses, especially its struggle against off-spinners in the powerplay, and Abhishek Sharma’s poor form (three ducks) as the main reasons for the defeat. The faltering of the Indian top order despite the win against Netherlands is giving strength to Aamir’s claims. Will Team India be able to save its title by proving this legendary bowler wrong?
While discussing Group-1 (Group A) of Super-8, Mohammad Aamir expressed his frank opinion in the show ‘Harna Mana Hai’. When he was asked the names of the two teams that will reach the semi-finals, he ignored India and named South Africa and West Indies. Aamir argues that the Indian team captained by Suryakumar Yadav may have been invincible in the group stage, but their batting shortcomings can prove costly in big matches. Aamir said, ‘If you look at India’s previous matches, their batting order has faltered in every match except the match against Pakistan. The pressure will increase further in Super-8. The way South Africa and West Indies are playing, they can beat any team.
Batting weaknesses became a matter of concern
By winning the last group match against Netherlands at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India entered the Super-8 by remaining unbeaten, but the path to victory has been thorny. Especially the form of opener Abhishek Sharma remains a headache for the team. Abhishek, who has scored a lot of runs in IPL, has been out on zero (duck) thrice so far in this tournament. He is still struggling to open his account in the tournament.
Off-spinners’ trap: The opposing teams have used off-spinners very well in the powerplay to restrict India’s top order, especially the left-handed batsmen. Even against Netherlands, Aryan Dutt had pushed India on the backfoot by dismissing Abhishek and Ishan Kishan in the powerplay.
Tough challenge of Super-8: South Africa and Markram’s fear
India’s Super-8 group includes teams like South Africa, West Indies and Zimbabwe. Aamir believes that the off-spin bowling of South African captain Aiden Markram can become a threat to India’s top order. India’s first Super-8 match is against South Africa, and it will be interesting to see how the Indian batsmen cope with Markram’s spin. West Indies team is also considered a strong contender for the title due to its home conditions (Caribbean influence) and aggressive cricket. According to Aamir, both these teams have the firepower which can break India’s dream of ‘title defence’.
Will Suryakumar Yadav be able to turn the tables?
Despite Mohammad Aamir’s criticism, it may be a mistake to underestimate the Indian team. India’s performance in the last three ICC events has been consistent. Under the captaincy of Suryakumar Yadav, the team has learned to win from difficult situations. However, the path to the semi-finals will not be easy. If Abhishek Sharma and the middle order do not find their rhythm in time, Aamir’s prediction may prove to be true.
About the Author
Kamlesh RaiChief Sub Editor
Active in journalism for about 15 years. Studied from Delhi University. Interested in sports especially cricket, badminton, boxing and wrestling. Covered IPL, Commonwealth Games and Pro Wrestling League events. From February 2022…read more