NATION BRIEFING
Renowned Texas heart transplant program suspends operations
A Houston hospital has suspended all medical procedures in its renowned heart transplant program after the deaths this year of at least three patients and the departure of several senior physicians.
Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center said Friday that the transplant program will be inactive for 14 days as administrators assess what’s gone awry.
The decision follows reports by the Houston Chronicle and ProPublica revealing a high number of patient deaths in recent years. The program’s inactive status means it will turn away all donor hearts during the suspension.
Lava flow threatens key escape route on Hawaii’s Big Island
Authorities on Hawaii’s Big Island warn that a new eruption of molten rock from a 220-foot-high fountain of lava is channeling its way within 100 yards of a key escape-route intersection on the most threatened part of the island.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported Saturday that a 900-foot-wide band of molten rock had pushed to within 100 yards of the intersection of highways 132 and 137 on the southeast side of the island.
The lava from the erupting Kilauea volcano has burned at least 400 power poles, cutting power to most of the area, according to Hawaii Electric Light Co.
Most Florida nursing homes lack backup power, agency says
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – An agency reports that most Florida nursing homes and assisted-living facilities do not have backup power despite requirements enacted because a dozen people died in a sweltering center after Hurricane Irma.
The state Agency for Health Care Administration says only 48 nursing homes and 91 assisted-living facilities say they have installed equipment and had state inspections as of May 25. New rules that went into effect Friday require all facilities to have backup power for cooling for at least 96 hours.
The agency reports that 348 nursing homes and 343 assisted-living facilities requested extensions to install equipment. They have until Jan. 1, meaning many will not have backup power for
this hurricane season.
Google won’t renew Pentagon contract to use AI, reports say
SAN FRANCISCO – Google won’t renew a contract with the Pentagon that provides the company’s artificially intelligent algorithms to interpret video images and improve the targeting of drone strikes.
That’s according to reports in Gizmodo, Buzzfeed, and The New York Times Friday. Google did not respond to a request for comment.
The reports said Google Cloud business head Diane Greene told employees of the decision not to renew the 18month deal past the end of 2019, when the current contract ends. The so-called Project Maven had riled Google employees.
Kia recalls 106,000 Sedonas for problem with sliding door
WASHINGTON – Kia is recalling 106,428 model year 2015-2018 Sedona minivans because their sliding doors may not automatically reverse if they close on a limb, according to documents filed at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Kia reported receiving 21 complaints, 14 of which alleged an injury. Owners will be notified by mail and can take the minivans to Kia dealerships, where the sliding-door software can be reprogrammed at no charge.
Separately, General Motors is recalling 88,129 model year 2018 GMC Terrain sport-utility vehicles because their air bags may not deploy in a crash, according to NHTSA documents.
2 Vietnamese tourists fatally stabbed in Las Vegas hotel room
LAS VEGAS – Police say two Vietnamese tourists were found fatally stabbed in a Las Vegas Strip hotel room and that the deaths were a double homicide.
The identities of the man and woman found dead Friday in a room at Circus Circus were not released.
Police Lt. Ray Spencer said both victims were stabbed multiple times and that police had not made an immediate arrest.
He said the victims were in a tour group that arrived Thursday night.