A National Book Award winner, Pulitzer-Prize nominee, Guggenheim fellow, and winner of a MacArthur "genius" grant, Colson Whitehead's new book, The Underground Railroad, was one of the most anticipated works of fiction this year. Virginia caught up with him backstage at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord, New Hampshire before a reading with novelist Ben Winters hosted of Gibson’s Bookstore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ohio State women's basketball team is having a great season. The Buckeyes are ranked seventh in the country ,, they just routed Big Ten power Purdue, and they take on rival Michigan Thursday night. For WOSU's sports show After the Score , Steve Brown and Thomas Bradley spoke with head coach Kevin McGuff.

Brackets are busted. Hopes are high. Cinderella's are born. This is March Madness.

This week on After The Score, Thomas Bradley talks to a reporter with Columbus Business First about Cooper Stadium and the Smart City grant. How are the two related? How can they both help shape the future of transportation?

Ohio State prepares for its second game this week against Tulsa.

After a bye week, the Ohio State Buckeyes are back in business. Ohio State took care of Oklahoma in a big matchup on the road. Now it's time for the Buckeyes to avoid a mishap against Rutgers on Homecoming.

Autism: study published in "Nature" reveals that it is possible to reverse symptoms of the disease in adulthood - A team of American scientists and a Portuguese, Patricia Monteiro, investigated the SHANK3 gene, a gene implicated in autism, an incurable disease that affects about 70 million people worldwide. A study in which participated the Neurosciences and Cellular Biology Center (CNC), University of Coimbra (UC), published last week in the prestigious "Nature" *, reveals that it is possible to reverse some of the behaviors associated with autism in adulthood. SHANK3 gene under study A team of American scientists and a Portuguese, Patricia Monteiro, investigated the SHANK3 gene, a gene implicated in autism, an incurable disease that affects about 70 million people worldwide. In Portugal it is estimated that the prevalence of 1 case per 1,000 children of school age. In the USA, there has been a tenfold increase in the last 40 years.

459 infections and 178 deaths is the latest information coming out of Angola, where an outbreak of Yellow Fever was first reported in the capital city, Luanda, in December 2015, the first outbreak of the disease in three decades, and has now spread out to ten of the country's eighteen provinces. Worse, the outbreak is reaching neighboring countries, with cases reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia and Namibia. Other cases in Kenya and the People's Republic of China have been described as travel-related cases with links to Angola. A massive vaccination campaign was launched by the health authorities and the National Response Plan saw 87 per cent of the targeted 6.4 million people at risk vaccinated, as 7.3 million doses of the vaccine were made available with help from countries such as Brazil, the World Health Organization and the International Coordinating Group for yellow fever vaccine provision.

Kent McLellan, a 32-year-old American neo-Nazi who fought in the Donbass as part of the Nazi Right Sector* movement, who then joined Azov Battalion* after Russia launched the special operation in Ukraine, returned to Florida and started sharing his experience with media outlets. Some of his interviews do not fit into the framework of what American propaganda says about the Ukrainian conflict. In a conversation with Juan Sinmiedo, Ken "Boneface" McLellan busted myths about the coup on the Maidan, about today's Ukraine, and about how many neo-fascists Ukraine has actually sheltered.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of private military company Wagner, was killed in a plane crash on August 23. His Embraer ERJ-135BJ Legacy 600 plane crashed in the Tver region. Prigozhin was 62. Prigozhin was born in 1961 in Leningrad. He lost his father in his early childhood, and was raised by his mother and stepfather. Yevgeny Prigozhin received his first criminal record when he was 18, the second and third one followed soon afterwards. After he was released from prison, Prigozhin decided to open his own business. He and his stepfather started selling hotdogs in Leningrad.

Russian people will be able to learn more about the vehicles used by top officials of the country. A new book titled "First Persons' Cars" is to be released under the auspices of the Federal Guard Service (FSO). According to the author of the foreword, FSO Director, Lieutenant-General Dmitry Kochnev, readers will learn exclusive details not just about cars, but also about most protected vehicles that the Soviet Union and Russia have ever seen. It stands the reason that the vehicles that top officials use for their work play a very important role in the security of the state leader. The cars that are used today for officials taking top positions in the country were developed on the basis of decades of experience. The book is illustrated with pictures taken in the Kremlin, in the Dacha of Joseph Stalin and other prominent locations. The authors wanted to place every vehicle in the entourage for which it was created. However, the FSO director believes, all the cars that one can see in the book have one common feature: they look majestic.

The Chernobyl nuclear explosion was undoubtedly one of the biggest tragedies that the Soviet Union had seen. Few in the world know that there were other major disasters in the USSR, the scale of which was just as mortifying. The Kyshtym accidentIt is also known as Chelyabinsk-40 accident. Today, this town is called Ozersk; it used to be a secret settlement during the times of the Soviet Union. It was the first man-made disaster that the USSR had seen. In 1957, an explosion of tanks with radioactive waste occurred at Mayak chemical factory. No one was injured as a result of the explosion. However, there were about 270,000 people living in the affected area. The military were evacuated first - they were attracted to liquidation works. Civilian people were evacuated two weeks later.A reserve called East-Ural Radioactive Trace was created on the site of the accident many years afterwards. The site is still closed to the public - the level of radiation there is still high.Krasnoye SormovoThe radioactive accident in Red Sormovo (Krasnoye Sormovo) occurred 16 years before the Chernobyl disaster - in 1970. The accident took place during hydraulic tests on a new nuclear submarine at the plant in the Nizhny Novgorod region. The reactor started up accidentally, and the Krasnoye Sormovo workshop was filled with radioactive vapors immediately. Twelve people were killed on the spot, about 200 others received a huge dose of radiation. The workshop was isolated from external environment, which made it possible to avoid the danger of radioactive contamination of the area. The work to liquidate the consequences of the accident took four months.Only 200 out of 1,000 employees of the factory had stayed alive by January 2012. All of them became first- and second-degree disabled individuals. Explosion at Baikonur CosmodromeMore than 100 people were killed as a result of the explosion that took place on Baikonur Cosmodrome in 1960.Shortly before the accident, Soviet engineers were developing a new intercontinental ballistic missile at the facility. Marshal Nedelin was supervising the tests as the chief commander of missile forces of the USSR. Many safety rules were violated as the team was in a rush to have the report ready for the anniversary of the October Revolution. At one point, the engine of the missile was launched earlier than expected, which caused fuel to explode. The information about this tragedy has long been classified.Kurenyovskaya tragedyThis tragedy took place in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1961. The causes of the accident started forming ten years earlier. The Kiev authorities decided to build a landfill of liquid waste from nearest factories and plants in Babi Yar. In 1961, the dam, which was holding the dump, burst, sending an avalanche of dirt 14 meters high and 20 meters wide. The avalanche turned as many as 81 buildings into ruins. Sixty-eight of those buildings were residential. About 1,500 people became homeless as a result of the disaster, about 200 were killed. The authorities decided not to distribute the information about the accident. The victims were buried quickly. Kiev disconnected itself from international communication the day when the tragedy occurred not to leak any information. These are just a few disasters that the USSR had seen in its history, but there were more.

June 30, 1971, was the day when the largest tragedy in the history of Soviet cosmonautics took place. It was the day, when the entire crew of the Soyuz-11 spacecraft was killed during the return mission: Georgy Dobrovolsky, Vladislav Volkov and Viktor Patsaev. When returning to Earth, the crew of the Soyuz-11 spacecraft - Vladislav Volkov, Georgy Dobrovolsky and Viktor Patsaev - were killed as a result of the depressurization of the descent vehicle. The cosmonauts were buried underneath the Kremlin wall. This was the second and the last disaster in the history of manned space flight for both the USSR and Russia. Soyuz comes to replace Gagarin's Vostok Soyuz is a family of disposable manned transport spacecraft, which was designed and built by Design Bureau OKB-1 (currently known as Energia Rocket and Space Corporation named after Korolev). 

Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully in Scotland on September 8. The crown passed to her son, Prince Charles, who took the throne name Charles III. His name is translated into Russian as Karl III, which is due to historic peculiarities of name translations. Elizabeth II and Boris Yeltsin Despite the fact that Elizabeth II ascended the throne back in 1952, the Queen was in no hurry to pay an official visit to the Soviet Union and then Russia. Her historical trip to Russia took place only after the collapse of the USSR. On October 17, 1994, Elizabeth II landed in Moscow. First deputy chairman of the government, Oleg Soskovets, welcomed the Queen. Directly from the airport, they went to the Kremlin in a royal Rolls-Royce, where Russian President Boris Yeltsin was waiting for them.

Regarding my choice for the first part of my titular line, it is what it is: The weather. Nothing more. All else, is buell sheet. Let us leave it at that. Besides, have not we all had enough of the progressive Wokies and Fake News Media the world over waxing on ad hominem about it already? Climate hysteria has been going on for decades now. Even with their newest iteration, ‘The Green New Deal’ this climate hoax still comes up smelling of  well, sulfur. It really stinks. What is the adage again? Right: Lipstick on a pig… It does not hide the fact that a real pig, still resides behind the shiny lip-gloss. Climatologist progressives As of this writing, the dog whistling climatologist progressives are attending their annual gas lighting meeting in Scotland. As usual Sweet Child of Sweden, Great Thunberg is there. No surprise either that the pudgy yute girl, now teenager, is leading the “How dare you!’ vanguard charge. No big surprise either, that the world’s billionaire oligarchs attended. All, without exception arrived in their own private Lear jets; leaving their biggest carbon footprints in their wake. As many of you know, that is the wealth mongers’ signature move.

This serious medical and social problem is growing exponentially but is not receiving adequate attention Recent studies indicate that babies with some form of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) will constitute as many as one in every 100 births, showing a markedly growing trend. What are the causes? The Autism Center is organising the XI International Annual Conference – Autism. Challenges and Solutions – in Abu Dhabi, UAE (April 28 to 30) which aims to share discoveries and results of investigation carried out over the last decade.  Described as “a serious medical and social problem” by the Autism Centre, this spectrum of disorders does not receive the attention it deserves in many countries around the world, in the words of the Center, “most countries”.

Chechnya should send volunteers to the zone of the special military operation in Ukraine more frequently, Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov said. Kadyrov made this announcement after a Ukrainian drone struck the building of the University of Special Forces in Gudermes. "I urge real men to volunteer to fight to defend our land, our state and our people. We need to show that you can't play around with Chechnya and its people," Ramzan Kadyrov said. Airplanes with volunteers should be sent to the front lines every day, not just once a week, as is happening now, he added.

The Americans are using the experience they are currently gaining in Ukraine to be able to go to war with China in the future. The knowledge they have gained will be used to defend Taiwan, The NYT said. "The U. S. Army transforms itself, and its hundreds of thousands of young men and women, for yet another war, this one a potential conflict with China," the newspaper wrote. The upcoming conflict between such major nuclear powers as China and the US will be many times more dangerous. It may therefore lead to huge losses for both sides.

Putin's Annual Address to the Federal Assembly is scheduled for September 30. Kremlin sources say it will become even more historic and globally important than the 2014 address for the return of Crimea. Mass media and experts make their own suggestions about the content of Putin's speech that he is going to deliver to the Federal Assembly on September 30. There are a number of versions:

On October 19, Putin signed a decree to implement martial law in four regions of Russia. He explained this by the fact that Ukrainian forces continue shelling the new Russian regions and committing acts of sabotage. According to the Russian authorities, the terrorist attack on the Crimean Bridge was carried out by the special services of Ukraine, he also said. "In this regard, let me remind you that in the Donetsk People's Republic, the Luhansk People's Republic, as well as in the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, before they joined Russia, martial law regime was already in effect. Now we need to formalize this regime within the framework of Russian legislation,” Putin said. Martial law shall be introduced starting from October 20 midnight. The government, as well as the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Federal Security Service and the National Guard, must submit proposals on measures that are planned to be applied in the territories where martial law has been declared within three days.

The West has prepared a "Russia after Putin" plan and already chose its actors in the face of Garry Kasparov* and Mikhail Khodorkovsky*, who suddenly developed an affection for the Russian people. They are waiting for the "window of opportunity" to open. The anti-Russian "Action Committee" published an article in Foreign Affairs magazine under the telling title Don't Fear Putin's Demise. This committee is represented by two good old chaps who were recognised as foreign agents in the Russian Federation. They are Garry Kasparov* and Mikhail Khodorkovsky*. The article in Foreign Affairs says that the West needs to continue to supply Ukraine with modern weapons until Russia's military defeat and the collapse of the Putin regime. The committee also declared its readiness to take the reins of power in its hands afterwards.

On Thursday, February 29, Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered his annual Address to the Federal Assembly. In the beginning of the speech, he touched on the topics of the special military operation in Ukraine, relations with the West, strategic stability, and later proceeded to announce a number of new national projects, changes in economic and social sphere. About special military operation Putin recalled that 2024 marks the tenth anniversary of the "legendary Russian Spring.” "The love that the people living in Crimea and new regions share for their homeland evokes pride," Vladimir Putin said.

El Departamento de Seguros de Texas (TDI, por su nombre y siglas en inglés) anunció a Dan Paschal como el Comisionado Adjunto de la recién creada división de Relaciones Externas. Esta división incluirá Comunicaciones (actualmente Asuntos Públicos) y Relaciones Gubernamentales (actualmente Asuntos de la Agencia).

The case was led by Texas Department of Insurance investigators and prosecutors working with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.

El caso fue dirigido por los investigadores del Departamento de Seguros de Texas (TDI por su nombre y siglas en inglés) y los fiscales trabajando con la Oficina del Fiscal del condado Harris.

This week, a Travis County district court judge convicted HSC International Ltd. of second-degree felony in a scheme to defraud Texas Mutual Insurance Company.

The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) announces its chief deputy commissioner and new leadership for its Administrative Operations, Life and Health, and General Counsel divisions.

If your home was damaged by the severe weather that hit Southeast Texas this week, contact your insurance company to file a claim as soon as possible.

Si su casa sufrió daños por el severo estado del tiempo que impactó el sureste de Texas esta semana, contacte a su compañía de seguros para presentar una reclamación lo antes posible.

El exjugador de la NFL Corey Bradford se declaró culpable por presentar reclamaciones fraudulentas para reembolso de salud después de una investigación realizada por la Unidad de Fraude del Departamento de Seguros de Texas (TDI por su nombre y siglas en inglés).

A Texas public insurance adjuster accused of stealing more than $268,000 in insurance claims from multiple victims has been indicted by a grand jury in Kimble County.

Un ajustador de seguros público de Texas acusado de robar más de $268,000 en reclamaciones de seguros a múltiples víctimas ha sido acusado por un gran jurado del condado Kimble.

Following an investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO), a Jasper County grand jury indicted a fire safety equipment installer on two counts of tampering with a government document.

Tras una investigación de la Oficina del jefe estatal de bomberos (State Fire Marshal’s Office, SFMO, por su nombre y siglas en inglés), un gran jurado del condado Jasper acusó a un instalador de equipos de seguridad contra incendios de dos cargos de manipulación de un documento gubernamental.

James Adkisson, el exjugador de la NFL se declaró culpable por presentar reclamaciones fraudulentas de más de $33,000 para reembolso de salud después de una investigación realizada por la Unidad de Fraude del Departamento de Seguros de Texas (Texas Department of Insurance, TDI, por su nombre y siglas en inglés).

Barry Jay Glenn, the founder and CEO of Houston-based Salvasen Health, surrendered to authorities in Harris County Tuesday. Glenn is facing charges of unauthorized insurance for collecting premiums and selling health plans without a license or authorization from the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI).

Barry Jay Glenn, fundador y director ejecutivo de Salvasen Health, radicada en Houston, se entregó el martes a las autoridades del condado Harris. Glenn se enfrenta a cargos de seguro no autorizado por cobrar primas y vender planes de salud sin licencia, ni la autorización del Departamento de Seguros de Texas (Texas Department of Insurance, TDI, por su nombre y siglas en inglés).

A Luling individual is facing three criminal felony charges after a State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) investigation of a fire at a local business led to the discovery of contraband on the scene.

Septiembre se considera la etapa cumbre de la actividad ciclónica, pero es importante recordar que la temporada de huracanes se extiende hasta noviembre.

Russia, when signing documents for the sale of Alaska to the United States, was realizing her objective benefit, deputy director of the Historical and Documentary Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Doctor of Historical Sciences Artyom Rudnitsky said.According to him, the deal between Russia and the United States on selling Alaska was fair and aligning with international norms of that time.Rudnitsky noted during the Russian-American international conference "Dialogue of Fort Ross - Meeting in Russia" that the sale of Alaska by Russia was due to several reasons, including the fact that the colony was unprofitable. There were objective difficulties in protecting it in the event of an attack, he added. At the same time, Russia expected to make $5 million from the sale, but managed to obtain more $7 million in the end, which was considered a great achievement for that historical period. Moreover, the Alaska deal became an expression of relations between Russia and the United States. Strengthening relations with the US was important for the Russian Empire, which was in international isolation after the lost Crimean War."Do you think Russia would concede part of its territory to a country that was aggressive and hostile agains it? They treated the Americans well back then and believed that this would in no way infringe upon Russia's interests," concluded Rudnitsky. Also read: If US wants Crimea returned to Ukraine, Russi wants Alaska backPravda.Ru Read article in Russian

US pilots told a story about Soviet pilots of MiG aircraft that took off to intercept enemy aircraft at the height of the Cold War. Soviet pilots were making jokes during the operations, Theaviationgeekclub website wrote with reference to a collection of stories dedicated to the Douglas F3D Skyknight air missions. "The first time we were intercepted, they reported that we were taking pictures of them, as we were carrying 35 mm hand-held cameras. Normally, it would be on the pilot's side where the interceptors were, and the ECMO would lean across and snap some pictures of them. And the Russians would report, "They're taking pictures of us. What should we do?” One of the Russian controllers had a sense of humour and said "Smile”. Who would have thought the Russians had any sense of humour at all?" Skyknight pilot Chuck Houseman said. The book also said that US pilots, who were collecting reconnaissance data near the Soviet borders in the Far East, thought of Soviet pilots as friendly individuals compared to pilots from other communist countries. According to the author of the book and aviation expert Joe Copalman, the midair encounters had always been quiet as the United States had not violated state borders and performed its tasks within international space.

Admiral Vyacheslav Popov, the former commander of the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy, said that the Kursk submarine (nuclear submarine K-141 Kursk) sank in 2000 as a result of the collision with a NATO submarine. The name of the Western submarine is known almost for sure, Popov said in an interview with RIA Novosti. The ex-commander-in-chief of the Northern Fleet suggested that the submarine that collided with the Kursk was tracking the sub. The Western submarine could not ensure the required level of safety under the conditions of the sea and other circumstances, so it came too close to the Kursk. According to the admiral, the sub was later found off the coast of Norway. Popov added that the manoeuvre of the Russian nuclear submarine could also lead to the "loss of contact." According to the admiral, he can reveal the name of the NATO submarine with almost 100 percent certainty, but said that he would not do it for a number of reasons.

Alexei Zheleznyakov, who is part of the team of Russian figure skating coach Eteri Tutberidze, responded to recent reports about a suspicious doping test that one of the skaters of the Russian national team had at the Beijing Olympics. Zheleznyakov said that he did not believe that anyone from the Russian team could violate anti-doping rules. "The guys took samples before the Games, most likely when they arrived and after their performances. We were staying at the hotel without getting out, but now they suddenly found something, and it happened right after the gold medal,” Alexei Zheleznyakov, who choreographs the Russian figure skaters in Beijing wrote on his Facebook account.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has announced its stance  on the case of Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva. The text is available on the website of the agency. WADA believes that the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which allowed 15-year-old Valiyeva to participate in the individual tournament at the Beijing Olympics, was made contrary to the Code of the agency. This will have consequences and may lead to the recurrence of similar cases in the future, WADA said.  The WADA statement stressed out that CAS had rewritten the Code of the agency, when it decided to allow Valieva to participate in the individual tournament. 

Formula 1 (F1) has been striving to become more environmentally friendly in recent years while still remaining relevant beyond the race track. The series has included more technology that is seen in street cars, such as small-displacement engines with turbos and hybridization. However, F1's CEO, Stefano Domenicali, has said in an interview with an Italian paper that the series will "never go electric." F1 sees synthetic fuels, also known as e-fuels, as the future of the series. These lab-created fuels are already in limited production but come with an extreme cost. However, this is not a problem for motorsport. F1's goal is to have e-fuels powering the grid by 2026 and then working towards finding a way to use them in passenger cars as combustion bans start to take effect in nations in the 2030s, just as F1 hopes to become carbon neutral.

According to Al Arabiya, frequent use of wireless headphones may lead to oncology. Prolonged use of Bluetooth headphones increases the risk of developing tumors in the body and may also contribute to miscarriages in women. In this regard, experts recommend limiting the use of wireless headphones while exercising, watching TV, and in other situations. However, it is worth noting that specialists also emphasized that smartphones and X-ray radiation can cause greater harm to the human body.

14-year-old figure skater Maria Simonova was rushed to hospital after she fell on ice hard during a tournament in Moscow. Male skater dropped Simonova while holding her on support. The girl fell hard on ice and hit her head. After the fall, she was able to get up and finish the programme. She did not come to the traditional kiss-and-cry room after the performance and asked for help.

What is wrong with Real Madrid? Every two to three years, or so, the team collapses. They don't run on the ball, they certainly don't run off the ball, they look miserable, they seem to have problems in the boot room. When you are paid that sort of salary, you eat the grass every single match. Not Real Madrid. I present this year the latest updates in four competitions: the National Championships, the Champions and Europa Leagues and the Qualifiers for UEFA 2016 in France, as well as all the matches played for our readers to follow the evolution of the competitions. UEFA National Championships 2014-2015

Russian federal TV channels may refuse to broadcast the 2018 Winter Olympics from South Korean Pyeongchang should the Russian delegation be suspended, the Vedomosti newspaper wrote. For the time being, Russia's three major TV channels - Channel One, Rossiya-1 (part of VGTRK) and Match TV (part of Gazprom Media) plan to broadcast Winter Olympics from South Korea. Yet, if the Russian national team is excluded from the Games, Channel One and Rossiya-1 will most likely refuse to broadcast the Olympics. Naturally, Russian people watch Olympic Games to support Russian athletes in the first place. If no Russian athletes take part in the Games, the audience of the major sports event of this winter will decease sharply, representatives of the above-mentioned channels say. It makes no sense for major channels to pay millions of dollars for the rights to broadcast the Games, if they make no money from advertising because of low ratings.

What if it was WADA employees who opened sample bottles of Russian athletes and then arranged a major provocation against Russia in cooperation with the International Olympic Committee? This could be possible, taking into consideration the fact that the US Justice Department announced the beginning of investigation into cases of corruption inside the IOC immediately after Federal Security Bureau and Foreign Intelligence Service officers visited the United States. Representatives of the US Justice Department announced the beginning of investigation into corruption in such international sports organizations as the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Football Federation (FIFA), the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), and the National Olympic Committee of the United States, The New York Times newspaper wrote. Soon afterwards, the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne made a positive decision regarding 28 appeals from 39 Russian athletes, whom the IOC had suspended from from the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. It looks like the anti-doping campaign against Russia could be a major a political operation, the goal of which was to discredit Russia and its president in front of the whole world.