text stringlengths 80 124k | date_download stringdate 2022-04-02 20:48:07 2023-07-31 23:59:06 | source_domain stringclasses 387
values | url stringlengths 21 528 |
|---|---|---|---|
LAKEWOOD, Ohio -- On the day I wrote this column, I voted “yes” on Issue 1, and I did so with enthusiasm.
For all of my adult life, I have taught, studied, and written about the United States Constitution. It is the oldest republican Constitution in the world, and it is revered by peoples everywhere. So I found out when I taught about it in Poland, Italy, Germany, Greece, the Czech Republic, and for over four decades, here at what was then called the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.
What makes the American Constitution so admired by so many peoples? It is because the Framers understood that for a constitution to last for the ages, it must have a clear structure, and a firm guarantee of rights. A structure, like the separation of powers, limits the government. A Bill of Rights protects the people.
Policies, on the other hand, are for Congress, or, in some cases, for the president, or for administrative agencies. Laws tell us how to conduct a business, or who can receive benefits, for example. If laws are found not to be working well, they should be quickly changed. But changes to a constitution’s structure or rights guarantees should only come about by a broad agreement among the people. To ratify an amendment to the federal Constitution, for example, it takes three-fourths of the state legislatures to agree. That is how a people show respect for their constitutional order.
We Americans made a mistake and learned our lesson with Prohibition. In the 18th Amendment, we put a policy against alcohol consumption into the U.S. Constitution, our fundamental charter. But our country soon corrected that error in its repeal in the 21st Amendment. Other amendments properly modified the structure of our Constitution, or expanded rights: e.g., popular election of the Senate, the Reconstruction Amendments, votes for women, lowering the voting age. These amendments made our country better because they had the support of a wide cross-section of the people.
Unfortunately, our Ohio Constitution is not the object of much admiration. Yes, it has structure and rights. But mostly, it is festooned by dozens of policies often pushed by self-seeking special interests.
The United States Constitution has 7,591 words. The Ohio Constitution has over 67,000 words -- more than many great novels like “Treasure Island” or “Brave New World.” Really, do we need to have the location of gambling casinos as part of our Constitution?
That is why, to protect constitutions from special interests, supermajorities are built in to make sure that there is a broad consensus on changing our fundamental charter. That is also true in other instances. The Ohio Democratic Party, for example, requires that any candidates seeking its official endorsement before the primaries must receive the backing of at least 60% of the executive committee. It also requires that 60% of its delegates vote in favor of any changes to the organization’s constitution. Those are good rules. They protect against a faction from gaining power over the rest of the party faithful.
Of course, in Ohio, special interests can still gain their way through a majority of the legislature, but that law can be changed if the people make their desires clear for the next General Assembly, or even, by changing a law through a 50% vote in a special election. Issue 1 does not change that option for the people. But locking in a special interest’s program in the Constitution robs the people of an easy way to change a bad policy, and it distorts the Constitution from its true purpose.
Issue 1 will make it more difficult for special interests to claim a privileged place in our society. And for those of us who may want to change our government’s structure, or to create new rights, all well and good, but for something that important, let us make sure we have a broader consensus among the people. Otherwise, do it the old-fashioned democratic way: Pass a law.
David F. Forte is Emeritus Professor of Law at Cleveland State University and is senior editor of “The Heritage Guide to the Constitution,” a clause-by-clause analysis of the United States Constitution.
Have something to say about this topic?
* Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication.
* Email general questions about our opinion content or comments or corrections on this guest column to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com | 2023-07-30T10:14:19+00:00 | cleveland.com | https://www.cleveland.com/opinion/2023/07/yes-on-issue-1-festooning-ohio-constitution-with-all-manner-of-special-interest-provisions-needs-to-stop-david-f-forte.html |
SMITH WEST CHAPEL
THREET – T. Joe, 72, Huntley. Memorial service 1 p.m. Fri., May 19, at First Baptist Church, corner of 3rd Ave N and Division St. (19)
KITE – Sharon L., 66, Billings. Memorial service 10 a.m., Fri., May 19 at Smith West Chapel, 304 34th St. W. (19)
DARLING – Helene Marie, 97, Billings. Graveside service 2 p.m. Fri., May 19 at Smith West Chapel, 304 34th St. West. Reception to follow at Smith West Chapel. (19)
SMITH DOWNTOWN CHAPEL
925 S. 27th 245-6427
COOPER – Joseph Lyle, 52, Billings. Funeral service 3 p.m. Thurs., May 18, at Smith Downtown Chapel, 925 S. 27th St. (18)
WALTER – Galen Charles, 73, Billings. Graveside service 12 p.m. Fri., May 19 at Yellowstone National Cemetery. (19)
SMITH FUNERAL CHAPEL LAUREL
315 E. 3rd. 628-6858
FRANK - Samuel W. 97 of Laurel. Memorial service on Thurs., May 18 at 0930 St. John's Lutheran Church Laurel. Burial at Yellowstone National Cemetery at 11 with military honors. Full obit at www.smithfuneralchapels.com. (19)
SMITH OLCOTT CHAPEL RED LODGE
201 N. Broadway 446-1121
No Services Planned
SMITH FUNERAL CHAPEL COLUMBUS
35 N. Diamond St. 628-6858
No Services Planned | 2023-05-18T06:43:15+00:00 | billingsgazette.com | https://billingsgazette.com/announcements/other/obit-directory-051823-smith-funeral-chapel/article_fcc53aa4-608e-548d-8e92-2b39af73e6ec.html |
CHICAGO and WARSAW, Poland, Sept. 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Prosoma Digital Therapeutics, innovators in reinventing healthcare for oncology patients, has partnered with EVERSANA®, a pioneer of next-generation commercial services to the global life sciences industry, to support the expected launch and commercialisation for Prosoma's digital therapy to support the mental health of cancer patients.
The digital therapy, Living Well, is the company's proprietary application designed to improve the quality of life and reduce stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms related to cancer diagnosis and treatment.EVERSANA's leading experts in launching and commercialising digital therapeutic solutions will help Prosoma navigate regulatory pathways and plan for commercialisation.
"As we looked to navigate the complexity of commercialising our digital solutions in the United States, it became clear we need a partner with the infrastructure and experience to help us move quickly," said Andrzej Jonczyk, Chief Executive Officer, Prosoma U.S. "As we spoke with partners across Europe and the world, one name continued to rise to the top and that was EVERSANA. Their integrated platform and deep experience in digital therapeutics make them the perfect partner to help bring our important therapies to patients."
"The future of healthcare continues to evolve as innovative solutions improve the patient journey," said Jim Lang, CEO, EVERSANA. "EVERSANA was built with this in mind. By helping Prosoma, we will provide critical mental health support for cancer patients and caregivers through this novel approach to digital therapy."
EVERSANA and Prosoma Digital Therapeutics will attend and be available to discuss the partnership at the 5th annual DTx East Conference, September 27-29 in Boston, Massachusetts.
As a global leader in Digital Therapeutics for oncology, Prosoma provides patients with comprehensive solutions that are fully tailored to their medical conditions. The company created a portfolio of medical software products by combining world-leading expertise in medicine and technology and covering cancer patients' entire behavioural support needs. The company's flagship product, Living Well App, leads the patient from the moment of diagnosis towards regaining control over their wellbeing. It helps patients deal with their emotions and stress, build healthy habits and support them through their recovery process. The Living Well App is already reimbursed by healthcare insurance companies in Germany, and Prosoma is also aiming to have the costs of its products covered by healthcare systems in the US, the UK, and Poland. To learn more about Promosa, visit http://www.prosoma.com or connect through LinkedIn
EVERSANA™ is the leading independent provider of global services to the life sciences industry. The company's integrated solutions are rooted in the patient experience and span all stages of the product life cycle to deliver long-term, sustainable value for patients, prescribers, channel partners and payers. The company serves more than 500 organizations, including innovative start-ups and established pharmaceutical companies, to advance life sciences solutions for a healthier world. To learn more about EVERSANA, visit eversana.com or connect through LinkedIn and Twitter.
Media:
EVERSANA
Matt Braun
Director, Corporate Communications
matt.braun@eversana.com
+1 414-434-4830
Prosoma Digital Therapeutics
Jordan Borkowski
Head of Marketing
Jordan.borkowski@prosoma.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE EVERSANA | 2022-09-26T23:57:56+00:00 | uppermichiganssource.com | https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/prnewswire/2022/09/26/prosoma-digital-therapeutics-eversana-announce-commercialisation-partnership-new-therapeutic-supporting-mental-health-behavioural-needs-cancer-patients/ |
China doesn’t want a trade war with the US but will retaliate against further curbs, ambassador says
By SIMINA MISTREANU
Associated Press
China’s ambassador to the United States says it does not want a trade war but will retaliate against any further U.S. restrictions on technology and trade. Ambassador Xie Feng criticized U.S. curbs on the sale of microchips and chipmaking equipment to China imposed last year by the Biden administration. Beijing has described the measure as part of an effort to “contain” China. Xie told a security forum in Colorado that “China does not shy away from competition, but the definition of competition by the U.S. side I think is not fair.” Earlier this month, China imposed export curbs on two key metals used in computer chips and solar cells, a measure widely seen as retaliation for the U.S. restrictions on microchips. | 2023-07-20T10:58:55+00:00 | krdo.com | https://krdo.com/news/2023/07/20/china-doesnt-want-a-trade-war-with-the-us-but-will-retaliate-against-further-curbs-ambassador-says/ |
-
-
David Lipsky shoots Even-par 70 in round two of the Travelers Championship
-
June 24, 2022
By PGATOUR.COM
-
June 24, 2022
David Lipsky hit 14 of 18 greens in regulation during his second round at the Travelers Championship, finishing at even for the tournament. Lipsky finished his round tied for 78th at even par; Patrick Cantlay is in 1st at 10 under; Harris English, Rory McIlroy, J.T. Poston, K.H. Lee, and Nick Hardy are tied for 2nd at 8 under; and Seamus Power, Xander Schauffele, Lee Hodges, and Martin Laird are tied for 7th at 7 under.
On the 434-yard par-4 first hole, Lipsky reached the green in 2 and sunk a 18-foot putt for birdie. This moved Lipsky to 1 under for the round.
After a drive to the left side of the fairway on the 406-yard par-4 ninth hole, Lipsky had a 131 yard approach shot, setting himself up for the birdie. This moved Lipsky to 2 under for the round.
At the 462-yard par-4 10th, Lipsky got on in 2 and missed his par putt from 6 feet, finishing with a 3-putt bogey. This moved Lipsky to 1 under for the round.
On the 523-yard par-5 13th, Lipsky had a birdie after hitting the green in 2 and two putting. This moved Lipsky to 2 under for the round.
On the par-4 14th, Lipsky's 86 yard approach to 0 feet set himself up for the birdie on the hole. This moved Lipsky to 3 under for the round.
On the 296-yard par-4 15th, Lipsky had a double bogey after hitting the green in 5 and one putting, moving Lipsky to 1 under for the round.
On the 171-yard par-3 16th, Lipsky's tee shot went 186 yards to the right intermediate rough and his chip went 22 yards to the green where he rolled a two-putt for bogey. This moved him to even for the round.
-
-
Don’t miss anything from the PGA TOUR & its partners
Connect to get special offers and updates
Please enter a valid email address. | 2022-06-24T17:00:52+00:00 | pgatour.com | https://www.pgatour.com/roundrecap/2022/travelers-championship/round-2/david-lipsky.html |
(KTLA) – Disneyland Resort announced Monday that it would resume sales of its Magic Key annual passes on April 11. All pass types, including the Enchanted Key, will be available for purchase.
The passes will go on sale no earlier than 9 a.m. PT and Disney fans can join the online queue to purchase a magic key on the Disneyland website.
Current pass holders can upgrade their passes at ticket booths at the theme park.
The resort offers four tiers of annual passes:
Inspire Key
- Price: $1,599
- Benefits: Free standard parking, 20% off select merchandise, 15% off select food and drinks, Unlimited Disney Photo Pass digital downloads, and 20% off Disney Genie+.
Believe Key
- Price: $1,099
- Benefits: 50% off standard parking, 10% off select merchandise, 10% off select food and drinks, Unlimited Disney Photo Pass digital downloads, and 20% off Disney Genie+
Enchanted Key
- Price: $699
- Benefits: 25% off parking at the Toy Story Lot, 20% off purchase of Disney Genie+, 10% off select merchandise, 10% off select dining
Imagine Key (Southern California residents only)
- Price: $449
- Benefits: 25% off parking at the Toy Story Lot, 10% off select merchandise, 10% off select food and drinks, and 20% off Disney Genie+.
Magic Key passes are subject to availability based on the pass type. Disneyland says some passes may be unavailable occasionally as they balance the number of passes they sell and manage crowds.
Disneyland launched the Magic Key program in August 2021 after retiring the popular annual passports during a yearlong shutdown of Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The keys give park guests access to the parks on select dates, depending on availability and pass type, along with select discounts on food, merchandise and Genie+, the park’s paid line-skipping service that replaced the Fast Pass program.
Annual passes for Walt Disney World will be available later this month after sales were abruptly halted last year. | 2023-04-10T22:49:20+00:00 | wwlp.com | https://www.wwlp.com/news/national/disneyland-to-resume-magic-key-annual-pass-sales/ |
Business and Economy Morning news brief By Sacha Pfeiffer, Leila Fadel Published March 13, 2023 at 4:06 AM CDT Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Listen • 11:16 Federal officials seek to restore public confidence in the banking system after Silicon Valley Bank collapses. The Oscars were handed out Sunday night. Former President Trump will campaign in Iowa. Copyright 2023 NPR | 2023-03-13T10:41:52+00:00 | kgou.org | https://www.kgou.org/business-and-economy/business-and-economy/2023-03-13/morning-news-brief |
MACAO (AP) — Only a few tourists crisscrossed the wavy black and white paving of Macao’s historic Senado Square on a recent weekday and many of the shops were shuttered.
The gaming hub on China’s south coast near Hong Kong has endured some of the world’s strictest anti-virus controls for nearly three years, and a loosening of border restrictions after China rolled back its “zero-COVID” strategy in early December is widely expected to boost its tourism-driven economy.
But for now, China’s worst wave of infections so far is keeping away the hoards of high rollers who usually fill its casinos. From Dec. 23-27, the city saw a daily average of only 8,300 arrivals, according to police data. That’s just 68% of November’s level. The scene improved on New Year’s Eve with 28,100 visitors entering the city that day, but that’s only 66% of the level a year ago. The daily average was 108,000 in 2019, before the pandemic.
Last week, China announced it would resume issuing passports for tourism, potentially setting up a flood of Chinese going abroad, but also spicing up competition for Macao.
Businesses are hoping the Lunar New Year holidays in late January will bring better luck for the territory of 672,000 people, a former Portuguese colony and the only place in China where casinos are legal.
“Tourists just come here to have a walk instead of shopping,” said Antony Chau, who sells roasted chestnuts on the square known for the European-style buildings that recall its history as a former Portuguese colony. ”They’re just wandering.”
When the coronavirus hit in 2020, the city’s gambling revenue collapsed 80% to just $7.5 billion from a year earlier. In 2021, the figure recovered to $10.8 billion, but that’s still down 75% from a peak of $45 billion in 2013. Gambling revenues last year was halved to $5.3 billion.
A rebound could not come a moment too soon for souvenir shop owner Lee Hong-soi.
He said his business has been even quieter recently than before entry rules were relaxed. Since entry into Macao requires a negative PCR test result before departure, many in mainland China could not visit because they were infected, he said. And now Macao and other parts of China are battling outbreaks.
“I am running out of strength after enduring for three years,” he said.
Several hundred meters away, visitors were enjoying an unusual degree of tranquility at the Ruins of St. Paul’s, originally the 17th century Church of Mater Dei.
Rain Lee, 29, visiting from Hong Kong with her husband, said she was happy not to deal with crowds, but disappointed so many businesses were shuttered.
“Many shops are gone,” said Lee, a property manager. “I wish it could be like the pre-pandemic days when all stores were open, with many people walking in the streets. It was more vibrant back then.”
Beijing visitor Xylia Zhang, 36, taking her first trip outside the mainland since the pandemic began, was looking forward to trying her luck in the casinos.
“It’s quite exciting because I may lose the several hundred dollars (in Chinese yuan) that I budgeted,” she said. “I have been to casinos in Seoul and Las Vegas. But I haven’t experienced that in Chinese-speaking places.”
The surge of cases in China has prompted some people to go to Macao to get shots of the mRNA-based Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which is not available in the mainland, the Chinese business news website Caixin reported last month. Macao’s University Hospital, which provides the service, did not reply to an emailed request for comment and its phone rang unanswered Friday.
But there has been no sign of a rush of customers, especially not in the casinos.
Gambling floors at two major casinos were half-empty Wednesday, with just a few small groups of Chinese visitors sitting around slot machines and craps tables, dealers visibly bored with the lack of activity.
It will take a while for Macao to regain its pre-pandemic pizzazz, said Glenn McCartney, associate professor in integrated resort and tourism management at the University of Macao.
“(For) tourism, you can’t sort of snap your fingers, and things start to move,” McCartney said.
But he said Macao’s tourism officials have staged road shows in China during the pandemic, leveraging the scenic city’s location just across the border.
The Lunar New Year will bring a sense of the potential for a longer term rebound in tourism, he said.
“That could be the cue.” | 2023-01-02T23:08:12+00:00 | kdvr.com | https://kdvr.com/news/nationalworld-news/ap-international/ap-macao-eases-covid-rules-but-tourism-casinos-yet-to-rebound/ |
Drug Take Back Day at Mayo Clinic
ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – Save lives and help protect your family by safely getting rid of unused medications.
On Saturday, April 22, Mayo Clinic is hosting drug take back take day.
Partnering with the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, Olmsted Medical Center, Zumbro Valley Medical Society, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Mayo wants to make it easier and safer to dispose of unused or expired medications.
Between 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., you can drop off your unused medications at Mayo Clinic’s Gonda Building at the west entrance drop-off circle on 3rd Ave. SW. By properly disposing of these medications, you can help prevent drug abuse and theft. Additionally, safe removal of unused medications protects family members and the environment.
Medications accepted for safe disposal include:
- Prescription drugs
- Over-the-counter medications
- Ointments, patches, creams, inhalers, and vials
- Pet medications
- Nonaerosol medications
Liquid medications need to be in the original container. Vape pens and other e-cigarette devices are also accepted, with the batteries removed.
Unused prescription drugs thrown in the trash can be stolen, abused, or illegally sold. If medications are improperly disposed of by flushing them down the the toilet, they can cause a potential health and environmental hazard.
Copyright 2023 KTTC. All rights reserved. | 2023-04-20T14:57:54+00:00 | kttc.com | https://www.kttc.com/2023/04/20/drug-take-back-day-mayo-clinic/ |
KYIV, Ukraine — The first blasts of the day hit at a central intersection during the downtown morning rush hour, killing a police officer driving to work, and leaving several cars mangled and in flames near a historic university complex and the country’s education ministry.
Later, there was an explosion next to a pedestrian and bicycle bridge beloved by tourists. A huge orange fireball followed by a cloud of white and black smoke briefly enveloped but did not destroy the glass-bottomed walkway, which provides views of the city and the Dnieper River.
The wave of Russian airstrikes that rocked Kyiv on Monday morning shattered months of calm, thrusting the city back into the center of the nearly eight-month-old war.
Many of the city’s normal rhythms had resumed after Russia’s effort to invade the capital and topple the Ukrainian government failed last spring.
And across the city on Monday, Ukrainians expressed anger and fear over the strikes that slammed into civilian sites in retaliation for a blast on Saturday that damaged the Crimean Bridge, a highly strategic link between mainland Russia and the illegally-annexed Crimea region on Saturday.
The bridge is a key logistical conduit for the Russian military and of huge symbolic value to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukraine has not taken official responsibility for the bridge attack but Putin has accused Ukraine’s special services of organizing it.
Many Kyiv residents also voiced defiance in the face of the likelihood of continued attacks, which Putin threatened as he boasted of a “massive strike” on Ukraine in retaliation for the bridge attack.
In central Kyiv, Ekateryna Puzanova was unloading morning deliveries at the grocery store where she works when a giant explosion shook the building, throwing colleagues onto the floor and jolting her so hard that the contents of her pockets spilled onto the floor.
Some colleagues ran into a windowless kitchen; others were thrown onto the ground.
Puzanova, 46, had fled to Kyiv early in the war from the eastern Donetsk region, an area that Russia illegally annexed last month. Puzanova, growing emotional as she thought of her husband and son, was resolute: she would stay.
“I’ve already left my place once,” she said. “Kyiv is home for us now.”
Across Kyiv, residents said they were better prepared after the initial months of the war, more accustomed to the wartime routine of sheltering, cleaning up, and moving on with their lives.
After Putin’s Feb. 24 invasion, much of the city slept in shelters or subway stations for weeks as residential areas regularly took incoming Russian fire, until the invading forces were finally forced to retreat after their failed assault on the capital.
But Monday’s attack appeared to cross previous boundaries set by Russia, as the missile strike for the first time hit in the very heart of Kyiv, near government ministries, pedestrian streets and commercial zones.
Kyiv residents who for months had shrugged off air raid sirens rushed into basements, protected rooms or hallways and especially deep underground subway stations, seen as the safest place to wait out the attacks.
The Vokzalna subway station, adjacent to Kyiv’s central passenger railroad station, was crowded with hundreds of people in the hours after the first blasts hit Kyiv, some of them carrying suitcases or pets in small carriers.
Olesya Rogatynska, 39, had just arrived in Kyiv by train on Monday morning after seven months in Georgia, where she and her family had sought shelter from the war. With Kyiv apparently peaceful for months, Rogatynska made the decision to return with her 61-year-old mother and 4-year-old son. But as soon as her train pulled into Kyiv, they were rushed into the metro station.
Tears spilled from Rogatynska’s eyes as she spoke. “I feel terrified now. I really couldn’t stay any longer in another country, but now it’s to risky stay in Kyiv again,” she said. “I have no idea what to do next.”
Rogatynska raised her hands with uncertainty thinking about her choices ahead. She said her family would wait at her home in Kyiv and see what the night would bring. If more strikes occur, she said, “I will just jump into the car with my son and drive to Poland.”
At a bike shop in central Kyiv, Oleksiy Milkovskiy was among those cleaning up the wreckage caused by a strike that, as Putin suggested, appeared to target a major power station across the road.
The blast blew out windows of adjacent apartment blocks and offices.
A tall office building nearby was badly damaged, with nearly an entire facade of windows blown out, and the interior of offices and building materials dangling in the open air. Emergency service workers and military personnel quickly sealed off the area.
Milkovskiy, 27, said the morning’s attacks gave him flashbacks to February, but said that he would not consider leaving. His face hardened when he asked whether the Crimean Bridge explosion was worthwhile considering the price Kyiv was paying now.
He said he did not think the Ukrainian government had carried out the attack — some Ukrainian officials assert that it was done by Russia itself. For his part, Milkovskiy said he believed Russia was set on destruction no matter what.
“Actually it doesn’t matter,” he said. “No matter what we Ukrainians do here or at the front line, they are just terrorists, attacking civilians with missiles.” | 2022-10-10T18:12:15+00:00 | washingtonpost.com | https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/10/10/kyiv-scene-missile-strike-capital/ |
NEW YORK, Dec. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Levi & Korsinsky, LLP notifies investors in U.S. Bancorp ("U.S. Bancorp" or the "Company") (NYSE: USB) of a class action securities lawsuit.
CLASS DEFINITION: The lawsuit seeks to recover losses on behalf of U.S. Bancorp investors who were adversely affected by alleged securities fraud between August 1, 2019 and July 28, 2022. Follow the link below to get more information and be contacted by a member of our team:
USB investors may also contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. via email at jlevi@levikorsinsky.com or by telephone at (212) 363-7500.
CASE DETAILS: The filed complaint alleges that defendants made false statements and/or concealed that: (a) U.S. Bank created sales pressure on its employees that led them to open credit cards, lines of credit, and deposit accounts without consumers' knowledge and consent; (b) since at least 2015, U.S. Bank and by extension, U.S. Bancorp, was aware of such unauthorized conduct and that it was violating relevant regulations and laws aimed at protecting its consumers; (c) U.S. Bancorp failed to properly monitor its employees from engaging in such unlawful conduct, detect and stop the misconduct, and identify and remediate harmed consumers; (d) all the foregoing subjected the Company to a foreseeable risk of heightened regulatory scrutiny or investigation; (e) U.S. Bancorp's revenues were in part the product of unlawful conduct and thus unsustainable; and (f) as a result, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.
WHAT'S NEXT? If you suffered a loss in U.S. Bancorp during the relevant time frame, you have until December 27, 2022 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.
NO COST TO YOU: If you are a class member, you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out-of-pocket costs or fees. There is no cost or obligation to participate.
WHY LEVI & KORSINSKY: Over the past 20 years, the team at Levi & Korsinsky has secured hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders and built a track record of winning high-stakes cases. Our firm has extensive expertise representing investors in complex securities litigation and a team of over 70 employees to serve our clients. For seven years in a row, Levi & Korsinsky has ranked in ISS Securities Class Action Services' Top 50 Report as one of the top securities litigation firms in the United States.
CONTACT:
Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
Joseph E. Levi, Esq.
Ed Korsinsky, Esq.
55 Broadway, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10006
jlevi@levikorsinsky.com
Tel: (212) 363-7500
Fax: (212) 363-7171
www.zlk.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Levi & Korsinsky, LLP | 2022-12-15T11:38:35+00:00 | wsfa.com | https://www.wsfa.com/prnewswire/2022/12/15/usb-lawsuit-alert-levi-amp-korsinsky-notifies-us-bancorp-investors-class-action-lawsuit-upcoming-deadline/ |
BERWYN, Pa., Jan. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- RM LAW, P.C. announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of all persons or entities that purchased Tattooed Chef, Inc. ("Tattooed Chef" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: TTCF) securities during the period from March 20, 2021 through October 12, 2022, inclusive (the "Class Period").
Tattooed Chef shareholders may, no later than February 21, 2023, move the Court for appointment as a lead plaintiff of the Class. If you purchased shares of Tattooed Chef and would like to learn more about these claims or if you wish to discuss these matters and have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights, contact Richard A. Maniskas, Esquire toll-free at (844) 291-9299 or to sign up online, click here.
According to the complaint, defendants failed to disclose that Tattooed Chef continuously downplayed its serious issues with internal controls and its financial statements from March 31, 2021 to the present included "certain errors" such as overstating revenue and understating losses. As a result, Tattooed Chef would need to restate its previously filed financial statements for certain periods.
On October 12, 2022, after market hours, the Company announced that it would restate its financial statements from March 31, 2021 to the present and revealed for the first time it had misstated revenue on each quarterly report. The Company also made numerous other changes in financial statements that revealed the extent of internal control weaknesses. Specifically, Tattooed Chef "(a) incorrectly recorded expenses related to a multi-vendor mailer program with a large customer as operating expenses rather than as a reduction of revenue, and (b) incorrectly recorded expenses for advertising placement by a marketing services firm on a straight-line basis over the life of the contract rather than when the services were actually rendered." On this news, Tattooed Chef's share price fell $0.44 per share, or 9.8%, to close at $4.05 per share on October 13, 2022.
If you are a member of the class, you may, no later than February 21, 2023, request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff of the class. A lead plaintiff is a representative party that acts on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. In order to be appointed lead plaintiff, the Court must determine that the class member's claim is typical of the claims of other class members, and that the class member will adequately represent the class. Under certain circumstances, one or more class members may together serve as "lead plaintiff." Your ability to share in any recovery is not, however, affected by the decision whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff. You may retain RM LAW, P.C. or other counsel of your choice, to serve as your counsel in this action.
For more information regarding this, please contact RM LAW, P.C. (Richard A. Maniskas, Esquire) toll-free at (844) 291-9299 or by email at rm@maniskas.com or click here. For more information about class action cases in general or to learn more about RM LAW, P.C. please visit our website by clicking here.
RM LAW, P.C. is a national shareholder litigation firm. RM LAW, P.C. is devoted to protecting the interests of individual and institutional investors in shareholder actions in state and federal courts nationwide.
CONTACT:
RM LAW, P.C.
Richard A. Maniskas, Esquire
1055 Westlakes Dr., Ste. 300
Berwyn, PA 19312
484-324-6800
844-291-9299
rm@maniskas.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE RM LAW, P.C. | 2023-01-20T18:46:08+00:00 | wlox.com | https://www.wlox.com/prnewswire/2023/01/20/rm-law-announces-class-action-lawsuit-against-tattooed-chef-inc/ |
New Zealand is home to 5 million people compared to California's population of 39 million and has a much smaller economy. Ardern said her government will talk with California officials about programs that offer incentives for people to get rid of older, gas-guzzling cars.
New Zealand is heavily focused on reducing emissions from its important agriculture sector.
California is also home to a major farming industry that produces many of the world's fruits and vegetables. The agreement says the two governments may engage in joint projects to expand farming practices that build soil health, reduce methane emissions and boost water efficiency.
The memorandum of cooperation was signed by Jared Blumenfeld, secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency, and Jeremy Clarke-Watson, New Zealand’s consul-general in Los Angeles.
California already has climate-focused agreements with many other nations, including China, Canada, and Mexico.
Former California Gov. Jerry Brown, also a Democrat, helped launch a coalition of 270 subnational governments, aimed at keeping an increase in emissions to below 2 degrees Celsius.
At last year's global climate change conference in Scotland, California signed a brief joint declaration with New Zealand and the Canadian province of Quebec to share information on climate policies including carbon markets.
Because of Ardern's high-profile role in the wake of the 2019 massacre of 51 worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch, the issue of gun control was also expected to come up.
Newsom is pressuring the state Legislature to send him a package of gun reform bills in the wake of this week's killing of 19 children and two teachers at a Texas elementary school.
Less than a month after the Christchurch shootings, New Zealand's parliament voted to outlaw most automatic and semi-automatic weapons.
Newsom and Ardern did not publicly discuss gun control, though Ardern addressed her country's actions on the issue in response to a question about the “shared values” between California and New Zealand.
“It was clear that the New Zealand public expected its politicians to find solutions and quickly," Ardern said. “Now are they the answer to all of our issues as they relate to weapons in New Zealand? No, but they were practical steps that we believe were necessary, and that would make a difference. And so we made them."
Investigators say an 18-year-old gunman who shot and killed 10 shoppers at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, targeting Black people, had researched the racist Christchurch shooting and also livestreamed the attack as the Christchurch shooter did.
Caption California Gov. Gavin Newsom and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern walk together through the San Francisco Botanical Garden at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, Friday, May 27, 2022. Gov. Newsom met with Ardern in Golden Gate Park "to establish a new international partnership tackling climate change." (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Credit: Eric Risberg
Caption California Gov. Gavin Newsom and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern walk together through the San Francisco Botanical Garden at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, Friday, May 27, 2022. Gov. Newsom met with Ardern in Golden Gate Park "to establish a new international partnership tackling climate change." (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Credit: Eric Risberg
Credit: Eric Risberg
Caption California Gov. Gavin Newsom and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern walk together through the San Francisco Botanical Garden at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, Friday, May 27, 2022. Gov. Newsom met with Ardern in Golden Gate Park "to establish a new international partnership tackling climate change." (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Credit: Eric Risberg
Caption California Gov. Gavin Newsom and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern walk together through the San Francisco Botanical Garden at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, Friday, May 27, 2022. Gov. Newsom met with Ardern in Golden Gate Park "to establish a new international partnership tackling climate change." (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Credit: Eric Risberg
Credit: Eric Risberg
Caption California Gov. Gavin Newsom and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern laugh while posing in a group photo after an event at the San Francisco Botanical Garden in San Francisco, Friday, May 27, 2022. Newsom met with Ardern in Golden Gate Park "to establish a new international partnership tackling climate change." At lower left is California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Credit: Eric Risberg
Caption California Gov. Gavin Newsom and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern laugh while posing in a group photo after an event at the San Francisco Botanical Garden in San Francisco, Friday, May 27, 2022. Newsom met with Ardern in Golden Gate Park "to establish a new international partnership tackling climate change." At lower left is California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Credit: Eric Risberg
Credit: Eric Risberg
Caption California Gov. Gavin Newsom and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern pose for pictures by a tree after an event at the San Francisco Botanical Garden in San Francisco, Friday, May 27, 2022. Newsom met with Ardern in Golden Gate Park "to establish a new international partnership tackling climate change." (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Credit: Eric Risberg
Caption California Gov. Gavin Newsom and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern pose for pictures by a tree after an event at the San Francisco Botanical Garden in San Francisco, Friday, May 27, 2022. Newsom met with Ardern in Golden Gate Park "to establish a new international partnership tackling climate change." (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Credit: Eric Risberg
Credit: Eric Risberg
Caption New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern gestures while speaking at the San Francisco Botanical Garden in San Francisco, Friday, May 27, 2022. Newsom met with Ardern in Golden Gate Park "to establish a new international partnership tackling climate change." (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Credit: Eric Risberg
Caption New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern gestures while speaking at the San Francisco Botanical Garden in San Francisco, Friday, May 27, 2022. Newsom met with Ardern in Golden Gate Park "to establish a new international partnership tackling climate change." (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Credit: Eric Risberg
Credit: Eric Risberg
Caption California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during an event at the San Francisco Botanical Garden in San Francisco, Friday, May 27, 2022. Newsom met with Ardern in Golden Gate Park "to establish a new international partnership tackling climate change." (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Credit: Eric Risberg
Caption California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during an event at the San Francisco Botanical Garden in San Francisco, Friday, May 27, 2022. Newsom met with Ardern in Golden Gate Park "to establish a new international partnership tackling climate change." (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Credit: Eric Risberg
Credit: Eric Risberg
Caption California Gov. Gavin Newsom and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern take questions after an event at the San Francisco Botanical Garden in San Francisco, Friday, May 27, 2022. Newsom met with Ardern in Golden Gate Park "to establish a new international partnership tackling climate change." (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Credit: Eric Risberg
Caption California Gov. Gavin Newsom and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern take questions after an event at the San Francisco Botanical Garden in San Francisco, Friday, May 27, 2022. Newsom met with Ardern in Golden Gate Park "to establish a new international partnership tackling climate change." (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Credit: Eric Risberg
Credit: Eric Risberg
Caption New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern gestures toward a tree behind her while speaking at the San Francisco Botanical Garden in San Francisco, Friday, May 27, 2022. Gov. Newsom met with Ardern in Golden Gate Park "to establish a new international partnership tackling climate change." (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Credit: Eric Risberg
Caption New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern gestures toward a tree behind her while speaking at the San Francisco Botanical Garden in San Francisco, Friday, May 27, 2022. Gov. Newsom met with Ardern in Golden Gate Park "to establish a new international partnership tackling climate change." (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Credit: Eric Risberg
Credit: Eric Risberg
Caption California Gov. Gavin Newsom and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern prepare to take questions after an event at the San Francisco Botanical Garden in San Francisco, Friday, May 27, 2022. Gov. Newsom met with Ardern in Golden Gate Park "to establish a new international partnership tackling climate change." (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Credit: Eric Risberg
Caption California Gov. Gavin Newsom and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern prepare to take questions after an event at the San Francisco Botanical Garden in San Francisco, Friday, May 27, 2022. Gov. Newsom met with Ardern in Golden Gate Park "to establish a new international partnership tackling climate change." (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Credit: Eric Risberg
Credit: Eric Risberg | 2022-05-27T21:55:19+00:00 | daytondailynews.com | https://www.daytondailynews.com/nation-world/california-new-zealand-announce-climate-change-partnership/RSE4RZ72AJGDFCCF72O25BKICI/ |
President Biden wants to cut federal gasoline taxes for three months. NPR's Leila Fadel talks to economist Allison Schrager of the Manhattan Institute about alternatives to curbing gas prices.
Copyright 2022 NPR
President Biden wants to cut federal gasoline taxes for three months. NPR's Leila Fadel talks to economist Allison Schrager of the Manhattan Institute about alternatives to curbing gas prices.
Copyright 2022 NPR | 2022-06-23T09:31:12+00:00 | wksu.org | https://www.wksu.org/2022-06-23/some-economists-say-cutting-gas-taxes-would-have-minimal-benefits-for-consumers |
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — A nurse who previously worked at a Florida hospital has been sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison for stealing fentanyl and replacing the powerful pain medication with saline.
Monique Elizabeth Carter, 36, of Middleburg, was sentenced Tuesday in Jacksonville federal court, according to court records. She pleaded guilty in April to tampering with a consumer product.
According to the plea agreement, Carter was working in the neural intensive care unit of Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville last September when a hospital pharmacist examining the ICU wing’s inventory of fentanyl found a syringe missing a tamper-proof cap but with some form of foreign adhesive remaining at the tip. A second fentanyl syringe had a cap that appeared to have been glued back onto the syringe, it said.
Authorities said a pharmacist supervisor reviewing hospital records found a pattern of Carter checking out doses of fentanyl for patients but then canceling the transactions and checking syringes back into the hospital’s inventory. Records showed that Carter did so 24 times over the preceding month.
When confronted with the findings, Carter eventually admitted that she had been stealing fentanyl for personal use for several months, officials said. Carter denied injecting herself with the drug while on duty. Law enforcement officers reported finding needles, saline syringes and adhesive in her bag.
As a registered nurse, Carter knew that her actions likely resulted in critically ill patients receiving diluted fentanyl that was not safe and effective, prosecutors said. Having been deprived of sterile, medically necessary medication, such patients were exposed to possible infection and endured unnecessary pain and suffering, officials said. They said the failure to anesthetize or control pain in intensive care unit patients can also increase the risk of illness or death from respiratory, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal complications. | 2022-07-21T06:22:24+00:00 | krqe.com | https://www.krqe.com/health/nurse-gets-year-in-prison-for-replacing-fentanyl-with-saline/ |
MADISON, Wis., May 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- DataChat, Inc., a software company that's revolutionizing data analytics, announced the release of Ask, their generative AI tool and the latest milestone of their goal to democratize data science.
The large language model (LLM)-based technology enables users to ask freeform questions about their data using a ChatGPT-like interface to produce insights.
DataChat and Ask address three key problems when using AI in data analytics:
- Ensuring data privacy and security.
- Transparency of the steps performed.
- Providing "human-in-the-loop" validation and feedback to improve future outcomes.
Asking questions about data is easy, but ensuring reliable and transparent results can be difficult, especially when using deep learning to generate those results.
"Transparency, interpretability, and reproducibility are the focal points of Ask," said Jignesh Patel, co-founder and CEO at Datachat, "LLMs, despite their impressive abilities, are incapable of always replacing human intelligence and intuition." He continued, "With this in mind, we're taking a human-centric approach to AI in data analytics by providing users with the option to provide feedback, rely solely on the output, or iterate on the analytics recipe with other human experts."
Each Ask output is backed by a recipe that displays each step the platform took in generating findings. Each of these steps can then be edited, replayed, and saved for future use.
"The recipes backing Ask allow users to easily iterate on their results, replicate the analysis on different data, and validate the approach," stated Rogers Jeffrey Leo John, co-founder and Ask lead at DataChat. "In many organizations, this type of self-documentation is critical to validate and audit decisions," he noted.
Human efficiency in finding deeper insights hidden in data is a critical challenge in the analytics industry, as the cost of human capital and the amount of data available in organizations is increasing. Offering an intuitive generative AI tool increases the range of users who can perform sophisticated data analytics is a large step forward that DataChat has taken in simplifying and democratizing data science.
CONTACT: info@datachat.ai
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE DataChat | 2023-05-16T16:50:29+00:00 | live5news.com | https://www.live5news.com/prnewswire/2023/05/16/datachat-releases-generative-ai-tool-help-users-find-insights/ |
At the beginning of the pandemic, the number of people who got antibiotic-resistant infections in the hospital and died went up and wiped out a lot of progress, according to new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.
The agency said those infections were down 27% from 2012 to 2017 but increased 15% from 2019 to 2020. Experts said uncertainty about how to treat COVID-19 in the early days, plus a lack of available treatments, contributed to the rise.
“We discovered fairly soon into the epidemic that it was really the virus and not these other infections,” said Dr. Sameer J. Patel, director of Antimicrobial Stewardship. “So a lot of the antibiotic use we had with the general COVID care was unnecessary.”
A lack of personal protection equipment and staffing shortages may have played a role. Experts said making sure we are better prepared cannot wait until the next pandemic.
“There isn't a one and done with infectious disease threats, whether it's COVID or antibiotic resistance or monkeypox or anything else and that a robust infrastructure of communication and screening and tracking and availability of therapeutics,” Patel said. “Investment in infection control is necessary.” | 2022-07-14T18:02:45+00:00 | news5cleveland.com | https://www.news5cleveland.com/lifestyle/health-and-fitness/antibiotic-resistant-infections-jumped-at-start-of-pandemic-data-finds |
—CM-101 Met Primary Endpoint of Safety and Tolerability and Showed Positive Activity Across Multiple Liver Fibrosis Biomarkers and Physiologic Assessments—
TEL AVIV, Israel, Jan. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Chemomab Therapeutics, Ltd. (Nasdaq: CMMB) (Chemomab), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of innovative therapeutics for fibrotic and inflammatory diseases with high unmet need, today reported top-line results from its Phase 2a trial assessing CM-101, its first-in-class CCL24-neutralizing monoclonal antibody, in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) patients. The trial met its primary endpoint of safety and tolerability, and CM-101 achieved reductions in secondary endpoints that include a range of liver fibrosis biomarkers and physiologic assessments measured at baseline and at week 20.
The randomized, placebo-controlled trial enrolled 23 NASH patients with stage F1c, F2 and F3 disease who were randomized to receive either CM-101 or placebo. Patients received eight doses of 5 mg/kg of CM-101 or placebo, administered by subcutaneous (SC) injection once every two weeks, for a treatment period of 16 weeks. This trial was primarily designed to assess the subcutaneous formulation of CM-101 and to evaluate the drug's impact on liver fibrosis biomarkers relevant to both NASH and the rare fibro-inflammatory conditions that represent the focus for the company, such as primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and systemic sclerosis (SSc).
Dale Pfost, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Chemomab, said, "It is noteworthy that this trial confirmed the safety and tolerability of CM-101 and the pharmacokinetics of our subcutaneous formulation, while providing biomarker data further demonstrating the anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic activity of CM-101. We are especially pleased with these encouraging findings given the small size of the study, the short duration of treatment and the relatively low dose of CM-101 that was administered."
Dr. Pfost continued, "This is the third clinical trial in patients demonstrating the activity of CM-101 as measured by fibro-inflammatory biomarkers and physiological assessments. It confirms similar data we reported in our Phase 1b study in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and in our recently reported investigator study of acute lung injury in COVID patients. Collectively, these data encompassing diverse organs and conditions reinforce our optimism about our ongoing Phase 2 trial in primary sclerosing cholangitis and our Phase 2 trial in systemic sclerosis that is scheduled to begin early this year."
Key findings of the CM-101 Phase 2a trial included the following.
- CM-101 continues to appear safe and was well tolerated when administered subcutaneously. Most reported adverse events observed were mild, with one unrelated serious adverse event reported. No significant injection site reactions were observed and no anti-drug antibodies were detected.
- CM-101 administered subcutaneously demonstrated favorable pharmacokinetics and target engagement profiles as expected; they were similar to what the company has previously reported.
- CM-101-treated patients showed greater improvements than the placebo group in a number of liver fibrosis-related biomarkers, including ProC-3, ProC-4, ProC-18, TIMP-1 and ELF.
- A majority of CM-101-treated patients showed improvements in more than one liver fibrosis-related biomarker—almost 60% of CM-101-treated patients responded in at least three biomarkers at week 20, compared to no patients in the placebo group.
- CM-101-treated patients with higher CCL24 levels at baseline showed greater reductions in fibrosis-related biomarkers than patients with lower CCL24 levels. Patients with higher CCL24 at baseline were also more likely to be responders in multiple fibrosis-related biomarkers than patients with lower CCL24 levels, adding to the growing body of evidence validating the role of CCL24 in the pathophysiology of fibrotic liver disease.
- A higher proportion of patients in the CM-101-treated group showed improvement in a physiologic measure of liver stiffness as compared to placebo (reduction of at least one grade of fibrosis score as assessed by the non-invasive elastography method known as FibroScan®).
- After completion of the study, the unblinded data showed that patients in the CM-101-treated group had higher baseline levels of fibrosis compared to placebo-treated patients. The impact of this difference on the results, if any, is unknown.
Massimo Pinzani, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine, Director of the University College London (UCL) Institute for Liver and Digestive Health and the Sheila Sherlock Chair of Hepatology at UCL, commented, "These encouraging Phase 2a results for CM-101 are a good example of what one is seeking in a successful biomarker study–sets of multiple biomarkers moving together in a positive direction. Based on these early findings, CM-101 may have the potential to interrupt the inflammatory and fibrotic vicious cycle characterizing conditions such as PSC, systemic sclerosis and other fibro-inflammatory diseases, providing the potential for much-needed disease-modifying therapy."
Rifaat Safadi, MD, Professor in Medicine, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem; a Visiting Scholar at the Division of Liver Diseases, Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, and Principal Investigator of the Phase 2a study noted, "The results from this early trial confirm previous clinical and preclinical research suggesting that neutralizing the pro-fibrotic and pro-inflammatory effects of CCL24 may have a therapeutic benefit for patients battling intractable fibro-inflammatory diseases such as PSC and systemic sclerosis, and support the conduct of additional clinical trials to address this unmet medical need. I want to thank the patients who participated in this trial and the team members at the clinical sites who helped make these encouraging results possible."
For more information on Chemomab's Phase 2 SPRING trial In patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis, visit www.chemomab.com/trials/psc/, or click here for information for potential participants.
Chemomab is a clinical stage biotechnology company focusing on the discovery and development of innovative therapeutics for fibrotic and inflammatory diseases with high unmet need. Based on the unique and pivotal role of the soluble protein CCL24 in promoting fibrosis and inflammation, Chemomab developed CM-101, a monoclonal antibody designed to bind and block CCL24 activity. CM-101 has demonstrated the potential to treat multiple severe and life-threatening fibrotic and inflammatory diseases. A Phase 2 liver fibrosis biomarker study in NASH patients was recently completed and a Phase 2 trial in primary sclerosing cholangitis patients is ongoing. Chemomab expects to begin enrolling patients in a Phase 2 trial in systemic sclerosis early in 2023. For more information on Chemomab, visit chemomab.com.
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements regarding the clinical development pathway for CM-101 and the results of the Phase 2a Liver Fibrosis Biomarker trial in NASH patients on future development plans; the future operations of Chemomab and its ability to successfully initiate and complete clinical trials and achieve regulatory milestones; the nature, strategy and focus of Chemomab; the development and commercial potential and potential benefits of any product candidates of Chemomab; and that the product candidates have the potential to address high unmet needs of patients with serious fibrosis-related diseases and conditions. Any statements contained in this communication that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon Chemomab's current expectations. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Because such statements deal with future events and are based on Chemomab's current expectations, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties and actual results, performance or achievements of Chemomab could differ materially from those described in or implied by the statements in this presentation, including: risks related to Chemomab's ability to effectively implement the revised clinical strategy and its ability to achieve the anticipated results; risks related to the projections and associated benefits in pursuing the contemplated changes to the clinical strategy; risks associated with the ongoing transitions of certain of our executive officers, including Chemomab's new Chief Executive Officer; the uncertain and time-consuming regulatory approval process; risks related to Chemomab's ability to correctly manage its operating expenses and its expenses; Chemomab's plans to develop and commercialize its product candidates, focusing on CM-101; the timing of initiation of Chemomab's planned clinical trials; the timing of the availability of data from Chemomab's clinical trials including any potential delays associated with Chemomab's contemplated revised clinical strategy; the timing of any planned investigational new drug application or new drug application; Chemomab's plans to research, develop and commercialize its current and future product candidates; the clinical utility, potential benefits and market acceptance of Chemomab's product candidates; Chemomab's commercialization, marketing and manufacturing capabilities and strategy; Chemomab's ability to protect its intellectual property position; and the requirement for additional capital to continue to advance these product candidates, which may not be available on favorable terms or at all. Additional risks and uncertainties relating to Chemomab's and its business can be found under the caption "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in Chemomab's filings and reports with the SEC. Chemomab expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in Chemomab's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based, except to the extent required by applicable law.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Chemomab Therapeutics, Ltd. | 2023-01-03T12:58:06+00:00 | kswo.com | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/01/03/chemomab-reports-top-line-results-cm-101-phase-2a-liver-fibrosis-biomarker-trial-nash-patients/ |
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Four more ships carrying agricultural cargo held up by the war in Ukraine received authorization Sunday to leave the country’s Black Sea coast as analysts warned that Russia was moving troops and equipment in the direction of the ports to stave off a Ukrainian counteroffensive.
The body overseeing an international deal intended to get some 20 millions of grain out of Ukraine and to feed millions of impoverished people who are going hungry in Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia said the loaded vessels were cleared to depart from Chornomorsk and Odesa.
Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations signed agreements last month to create a sea channel that would allow cargo ships to travel safely out of ports that Russia’s military had blockaded and through waters that Ukraine’s military had mined. Implementation of the deal, which is in effect for four months, has proceeded slowly since the first ship embarked last Monday.
For the last four months of the war, Russia has concentrated on capturing the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, where pro-Moscow separatists have controlled some territory as self-proclaimed republics for eight years. Russian forces have made gradual headway in the region bordering Russia while launching missile and rocket attacks to curtail the movements of Ukrainian fighters elsewhere.
Over the past day, five civilians were killed in Russian and separatist firing on cities in the Donetsk region, the part of Donbas still under Ukrainian control, the regional governor, Serhiy Haidai, reported. He and Ukrainian government officials repeatedly have urged civilians to evacuate the province.
In a weekend analysis, Britain’s Defense Ministry said the Russian invasion that started Feb. 24 “is about to enter a new phase” in which the fighting shifting would shift west and south to a roughly 350-kilometer (217-mile) front line that extends from near the city of Zaporizhzhia to Russian-occupied Kherson.
Kherson, located on the Dnieper River near its mouth with the Black Sea, came under Russian control early in the war and Ukrainian officials have vowed to retake it. Kherson is located 227 kilometers (141 miles) from Odesa, home to Ukraine’s biggest port, so the conflict escalating there could have repercussions for the international grain deal.
The city of Mykolaiv, an important shipbuilding center that comes under daily rocketing from Russian forces, is even closer to Odesa. The Mykolaiv region’s governor, Vitaliy Kim, said an industrial facility on the regional capital’s outskirts came under fire early Sunday.
On Saturday, Russian forces launched airstrikes, fired artillery and redistributed other weaponry as part of attempts to defend their positions in occupied areas, according to the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington think tank.
Citing local Ukrainian officials, the institute said the Russians “are continuing to accumulate large quantities of military equipment” in a town across the Dnieper River from Kherson. The preparations appeared designed to defend logistics routes to the city and to establish defensive positions on the river’s left bank, the think tank said.
Ukrainian officials were initially skeptical of a grain export deal, citing suspicions that Moscow would try to exploit shipping activity to mass troops offshore or to send long-range missiles from the Black Sea, as it has done multiple times during the war. The agreements approved last month call for ships to leave Ukraine under military escort and to undergo inspections.
Under the agreements, ships leaving Ukraine are inspected by teams made up of officials from the three countries and the U.N. to make sure they carry only grain, fertilizer or food and not any other commodities. Inbound vessels are checked to ensure they are not carrying weapons.
The Joint Coordination Center, which is responsible for managing the deal, said three cargo ships that left Friday were expected to pass through Turkey’s Bosporus Strait on Sunday after clearing inspections. The Panama-flagged Navi Star, which is carrying 33,000 tons of grain to Ireland, completed its inspection and was preparing to sail.
The Turkish-flagged Polarnet, which was headed for Turkey, and the Maltese-flagged Rojen, bound for the United Kingdom were waiting to be checked. The ships carried over 25,000 tons of corn between them, were waiting to be checked. T
The Joint Coordination Center said three of the carriers cleared to leave Ukraine on Sunday – the Glory, the Star Helena and the Riva Wind, all flagged in the Marshall Islands – were transporting more than 171,000 tons of corn combined. The Glory is destined for Istanbul, the Star Helena to Nantong in China and the Riva Wind to Turkey’s Iskenderun port on the Mediterranean.
The fourth ship cleared for departure, the Liberia-flagged tanker Mustafa Necati is carrying more than 6,600 tons of sunflower oil to Monopoli, Italy.
The center also authorized the first inbound ship under the agreement, saying the Liberia-flagged Osprey S would head Monday to Ukraine’s Chornomorsk port. Marine traffic tracking sites showed the ship north of the Black Sea entrance to the Bosporus, where ships have waited for inspection teams to board.
___
Andrew Wilks contributed reporting from Istanbul.
___
This version has been corrected to show the four new ships to receive authorization were cleared to depart Sunday, not Monday.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine | 2022-08-07T11:42:41+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/business/shift-in-wars-front-seen-as-ships-cleared-to-leave-ukraine/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_business |
8 teams that could stop USWNT from three-peating at 2023 World Cup
It speaks to the exploding growth of women's soccer around the world that this list is as long as it is.
At the last Women's World Cup in France in 2019, maybe five teams had a realistic shot at stopping the United States from repeating as champions. And while the top-ranked USWNT heads into the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand as the clear favorite to win another title (and become the first men's or women's team to three-peat in the process) the Americans can expect significantly more resistance than ever at this edition of the tournament, the first to include 32 nations.
Here are some of the countries that could prevent the U.S. from making history this summer.
Even without injured star striker Vivianne Miedema, the Dutch have more than enough firepower to make a deep run with former UEFA player of the year Lieke Martens spearheading the attack. There's no doubt the Oranje will be motivated: they'd love nothing more than to pay the U.S. back for beating them in the 2019 final — a chance they'll get on July 26 in Wellington, New Zealand (9 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app).
The USWNT and Netherlands will meet in both sides' second Group E game. Favorites often slip up in group play; at the men's World Cup last year, Argentina dropped its opener to Saudi Arabia before going on to win it all. But a Dutch upset Down Under could dent the Americans title hopes in several ways, as it would almost certainly relegate them to a second-place group finish and a likely matchup against No. 3-ranked Sweden (more on the Swedes below) in the round of 16.
Even if they don't meet until the quarters or semis, the U.S. will probably eventually have to go through Sweden — a foe that has given them nightmares repeatedly on the global stage.
The Swedes tied the U.S. at the 2015 World Cup, then famously knocked the Americans out of the 2016 Olympics. The most recent meeting came in 2021 at the Summer Games in Tokyo, when the Blue and Yellow embarrassed the USWNT 3-0 in the group phase.
Stocked with players employed by some of Europe's biggest clubs, Sweden doesn't fear the U.S. The underdog role suits them well, and they'll look to play spoiler again.
The hardest match for the USWNT at the 2019 World Cup in France wasn't the finale. It wasn't the extra time win over England in the semis or even that unforgettable quarterfinal triumph over the hosts in Paris at a jam-packed Parc des Princes.
No, the trickiest game came in the round of 16 against Spain, which on a scorching day in Reims outplayed the Americans for long stretches of the match before Megan Rapinoe won it with a 75th minute penalty kick.
The message was sent, though. La Roja was a team on the come-up. Four years later Spain is a legit contender, which they proved last October when a squad missing injured Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas and more than a dozen other regulars mired in a dispute with the Spanish Football Federation beat the U.S. 2-0 in a friendly.
With the Spaniards on the same side of the knockout bracket and Putellas and most of the others back on the roster, they'd relish another opportunity to prevent the Americans from even reaching the final.
While that epic 2019 encounter between Les Bleus and Stars and Stripes was worthy of the World Cup final, the schedule-makers didn't see it that way. Not so this year, as the only way France and the U.S. can face off is in the Aug. 20 championship match at Stadium Australia in Sydney.
Led by its towering center back and captain, Wendie Renard, France isn't quite as potent as it was then. It won't have home field advantage this time.
But Les Bleus have a standout coach in recently hired manager Hervé Renard (no relation) and a deep, talented and experienced roster that is capable of winning a one-off match against anyone.
Even before and certainly after England won the 2022 Euros, the Lionesses have been seen as perhaps the greatest threat to the Americans hopes of claiming a third straight title — a sentiment that was only reinforced by the USWNT's 2-1 defeat in a friendly in London last fall.
The feeling has lessened considerably since England lost three key contributors — playmaker Fran Kirby, forward Beth Mead and defender/midfelder Leah Williamson — to injures that will prevent them from participating in this World Cup. But the Lionesses still have Lucy Bronze, captain Millie Bright and most of the rest of the roster that won the country's only trophy, men's or women's, in more than half a century.
England's lack of championship swagger was noticeable in 2019, but the U.S. still needed an Alyssa Naeher penalty save in extra time to eliminate England in the semis. Should they meet in the decisive match Down Under, it won't be.
The Norwegians aren't the powerhouse they were when they won the 1995 World Cup or stunned the U.S. in the final of the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
But 12th ranked Norway will have Ada Hegerberg, the former Ballon d'Or winner who didn't participate at France 2019 because of an equal dispute with the county's governing body, at this World Cup. And the supporting cast around Hegerberg is good enough that it could cause the U.S. problems if the Americans run into them in the knockout stage.
The Matildas are ranked just 10th in the world by FIFA, but don't discount the power of playing on home soil. Australia will be serenaded in raucous stadiums packed with partisan supporters throughout the tournament — an advantage that would be most pronounced at the final in Sydney, when more than 83,000 fans are expected.
And in star goalscorer Sam Kerr, the Aussies have one of the best players on the planet, a striker who can win a match by herself. Though other teams might be more talented from top to bottom, the USWNT would be forgiven for preferring any other opponent should they reach the title game. Should both the U.S. and Matildas make it that far, the Americans will be up against not just the 11 Australians on the field, but the entire country of almost 27 million.
It remains curious that the nation that sits right behind the No. 1 Americans in the FIFA ranking isn't getting talked up nearly as much as the likes of England or France. Not that Germany will care.
Fronted by all-world striker Alexandra Popp, the Germans aren't flashy. But what they lack in style they make up for in substance with a roster filled with women who are as technical, physical and experienced as any in the 32-nation field.
Germany also has a point to prove after losing to England in the final of last summer's European Championship — an event it has won more than every other country on the continent combined. Adding a third World Cup title next month in Australia would more than make up for it.
Doug McIntyre is a soccer writer for FOX Sports. Before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he was a staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports and he has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at multiple FIFA World Cups. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre. | 2023-07-11T22:33:08+00:00 | fox35orlando.com | https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/8-teams-that-could-stop-uswnt-from-three-peating-at-2023-world-cup |
SOUTHLAKE, Texas, Nov. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CR Minerals Company, LLC today announced that they have reached an agreement with Rio Tinto (NYSE: RIO), on the production of pozzolans from waste materials at the U.S. Borax facility in Boron, CA.
CR Minerals intends to use waste tailings present onsite to produce pozzolans that can be used as a cement replacement in concrete. The pozzolans will be manufactured at a new facility to be constructed by CR Minerals on Rio Tinto's property as part of this agreement.
Rio Tinto has had operations in Boron for nearly a century, mining and manufacturing products used in fertilizers, but it is also in other industries such as glass manufacturing, wood protection and insulation fiberglass.
President of CR Minerals, Jeffrey Whidden said "We have been working with Rio Tinto for several years now to bring this concept to life. Taking what was once considered waste streams and turning them into usable products for the construction materials industry is part of the vision of our company. Manufacturing a low carbon alternative to cement will be an exciting venture in the State of California that prides itself on being at the forefront of effecting positive environmental change."
"Rio Tinto continues to demonstrate its leadership in the mining industry through this agreement," said Renny Dillinger, Rio Tinto's General Manager for US Borax. "Our commitment to the environment and leaving a lasting, positive legacy is fundamental to our sustainability goals. Finding new uses for our waste streams and byproducts such as this is a key component to our goal of decarbonization and also to achieving a circular economy."
About CR Minerals Company, LLC: CR Minerals Company is a global leader in pumice products and pozzolanic materials (natural pozzolans and patented, remediated fly ashes) for the construction and oil and gas industries. CR Minerals has operations in various states in the Western USA and is based in Southlake, Texas.
For more information about CR Minerals, visit us at http://www.crminerals.com or follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/cr-minerals-company-llc
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE CR Minerals Company, LLC | 2022-11-08T16:55:20+00:00 | wlbt.com | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2022/11/08/pozzolans-mine-waste-decarbonize-concrete/ |
Virginia teacher on leave after ‘English-only’ comment toward student
RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT/Gray News) - A teacher at Thomas Boushall Middle School in Virginia is on leave following an incident where she allegedly told a student not to speak Spanish in her class and to speak English, WWBT reports.
“I just wanted no other Hispanic kid to go through the same thing that I did,” the student involved in the incident said after attending Monday night’s Richmond School Board meeting.
During the public commenting period, many spoke out against the incident at Boushall Middle School, where a student was allegedly discriminated against for speaking Spanish in her classroom by her teacher.
“I told one of my friends, ‘Oh, you don’t have friends,’ in Spanish because we joke around like that, and that teacher started yelling at me, telling me I couldn’t speak Spanish,” the student said.
A video of the incident has made its way around social media. In a transcript of the video, the teacher allegedly tells the student her mother can come to her classroom and said “I’ll speak English when I see her.”
The teacher later said the student’s mother would need to speak English too and said the student’s mom does not own the world.
The student replied that she didn’t say her mother owned the world.
The teacher told the student in the video, “It’s very ignorant of you to throw up your mom as if it’s going to change my rules in my class.”
The teacher told the student English is spoken in this class, period.
“She just kept saying that it just wasn’t allowed in here. In America, you speak English, and if I wanted to speak Spanish, then to go to wherever that Spanish-speaking country is,” the student said.
In the video, the teacher later told the student she said to the student before that she doesn’t speak Spanish, the school board is aware of that, and that’s why there are Spanish-speaking classes for the kids who need it.
After more back and forth between the student and teacher, the teacher allegedly told the student to “shut up” before telling the student to leave the classroom.
The student involved in the incident said she didn’t know what to tell her mom.
“I told her I was scared, and I didn’t know what to do because I was afraid that that teacher might come back,” the student said.
“Racism, bigotry, and intolerance of any kind will not be tolerated at Richmond Public Schools. The employee is currently on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation by the Employee Relations team. While we can not comment further on personnel matters, please know that RPS happily serves a diverse group of students across many races and nationalities. We will continue to support and advocate for them all,” Richmond Public Schools Chief Wellness Officer Renesha Parks said.
The mother of the student said she is still worried the teacher could come back.
“I just don’t trust to send my student to a school where a teacher is treating my daughter that way,” the mother said.
The student’s family was not the only one speaking out against this incident. Many speakers at Monday night’s meeting said this has been an ongoing problem for ESL students.
Copyright 2023 WWBT via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | 2023-05-02T15:36:48+00:00 | foxcarolina.com | https://www.foxcarolina.com/2023/05/02/virginia-teacher-leave-after-english-only-comment-toward-student/ |
RIO DE JANEIRO — U.S. congressman George Santos has likely resolved at least one of his legal cases, this time in Brazil.
The embattled New York Republican faced charges in a suburb outside Rio de Janeiro on allegations he stole checks to buy clothing and other goods in 2008.
On Thursday, Santos signed a deal with Brazilian prosecutors that he would confess and agree to pay almost $5,000 in fines and restitution in exchange for dropping the charges, The New York Times reported.
Just a day after pleading not guilty to separate charges in the U.S., Santos appeared remotely in a criminal court in the Brazilian suburb of Niterói.
Brazilian prosecutors alleged he used a fake name and a stolen checkbook to buy goods, including tennis shoes, in a store in Niterói. He was formally charged in 2011 but authorities lost track of Santos until he became a U.S. congressman in 2022.
The Brazilian charges were dropped after the congressman's deal and there are no further cases there against him, Santos' lawyer told NPR.
On Wednesday, the 34-year-old freshman Congress member appeared in a court in New York and pleaded not guilty to 13 felony charges in a separate case against him.
The U.S. charges include a wide range of financial crimes, including lying and theft and misappropriating donor money for personal gain. He is also accused of wrongfully claiming unemployment benefits.
He was released from U.S. federal custody on a $500,000 bond while the legal proceedings move forward.
Controversy has followed Santos since he was elected in November. The New York Times revealed he had mislead people about his education and personal background. During his campaign, he variously described himself as a grandson of a Holocaust survivor, a Wall Street financier and a volley ball star.
Santos has described the New York charges against him as a "witch hunt," telling reporters he would fight to clear his name and continue to run for reelection.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2023-05-12T15:48:16+00:00 | kgou.org | https://www.kgou.org/politics-and-government/politics-and-government/2023-05-12/george-santos-confessed-to-stealing-checks-in-brazil-in-a-deal-to-drop-charges |
MORNING KICKOFF
Thursday, Jan. 5
High school boys hockey: Legacy at Bismarck, 7:15 p.m., VFW Sports Center.
High school boys wrestling: Bismarck at St. Mary’s, 7 p.m.; Williston at Legacy, 7 p.m.
High school girls hockey: Mandan at Jamestown, 7 p.m.
High school girls wrestling: Fargo Davies at Legacy, 6 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 6
College hockey: Lindenwood at North Dakota, 7:07 p.m.; U-Mary at Waldorf, 7 p.m.
College men’s basketball: Southwest Minnesota State at U-Mary, 7:30 p.m., McDowell Activity Center.
People are also reading…
College women’s basketball: Southwest Minnesota State at U-Mary, 5:30 p.m., McDowell Activity Center.
College wrestling: U-Mary at NWCA National Duals, 10 a.m., Louisville, Ky.
High school boys basketball: Bismarck at Minot, 7:45 p.m.; Century at St. Mary’s, 7:45 p.m.; Mandan at Legacy, 7:45 p.m.; Fargo Oak Grove at Shiloh Christian.
High school boys hockey: Williston at Mandan, 7:30 p.m., Starion Sports Complex.
High school boys wrestling: Bismarck Rotary Tournament, 10 a.m., Event Center.
High school girls basketball: Century at St. Mary’s, 6 p.m.; Fargo Oak Grove at Shiloh Christian, 6 p.m.
High school girls hockey: Legacy-Bismarck at Devils Lake, 7 p.m.; Century at St. Mary’s, 6 p.m.; Mandan at Legacy, 6 p.m.
High school girls wrestling: Bismarck Rotary Tournament.
High school gymnastics: Fargo Invitational, 5 p.m.
NAHL: Bismarck at North Iowa, 7:10 p.m.
RADIO TODAY
HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL
7 p.m.
KDKT (1410 AM) – Hazen at Beulah
TV TODAY
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
5:30 p.m.
BTN — Maryland at Rutgers
6 p.m.
ESPN2 — SMU at Houston
ESPNU — Bryant at Vermont
FS1 — Purdue at Ohio St.
8 p.m.
ESPN2 — Oregon at Colorado
ESPNU — Cincinnati at Wichita St.
FS1 — Indiana at Iowa
8:30 p.m.
ESPN — USC at UCLA
10 p.m.
ESPN2 — Gonzaga at San Francisco
ESPNU — BYU at Loyola Marymount
FS1 — Washington at Arizona
GOLF
5 p.m.
GOLF — PGA Tour: Tournament of Champions, First Round, Maui, Hawaii
IIHF HOCKEY
1:30 p.m.
NHLN — World Junior Championship: Bronze-Medal Game, Halifax, Nova Scotia
5:30 p.m.
NHLN — World Junior Championship: Gold-Medal Game, Halifax
NBA
6:30 p.m.
TNT — Boston at Dallas
9 p.m.
TNT — L.A. Clippers at Denver
NHL
6 p.m.
ESPN — Washington at Columbus
Playback
10 YEARS AGO (2013): Jared Spooner scored a pair of goals as Bismarck blanked Minot 3-0. Brett Malkmus registered the shutout, stopping all 24 shots he faced for the Demons.
20 YEARS AGO (2003): Scott Monroe and Thomas VerDouw each netted 18 points for St. Mary’s in the Saints’ 72-69 win over Minot. The Magi got a game-best 34 points from Matt Witwer.
50 YEARS AGO (1973): Pablo Ronderos poured in 39 points for Mary College in its 79-72 road victory over Saskatchewan. Bob Nagel added 17 points in the win. Tim Jacobson added 12
TRIVIA ANSWER
Tom Brady, Drew Brees, John Elway, Aaron Rodgers and Fran Tarkenton.
CONTACT US
Dave Selvig, Tribune sports editor, 250-8246 or 888-684-2293 after 3 p.m. (e-mail: david.selvig@bismarcktribune.com)
Josh Dungan, Tribune sportswriter, 355-8389 or 888-684-2293 after 3 p.m. (e-mail: josh.dungan@bismarcktribune.com)
Scott Throlson, Tribune sportswriter, 250-8245 or 888-684-2293 after 3 p.m. (e-mail: scott.throlson@bismarcktribune.com) | 2023-01-04T20:11:36+00:00 | bismarcktribune.com | https://bismarcktribune.com/morning-kickoff-jan-5/article_2ddbdf1e-8c5a-11ed-baaf-e74789c1ce23.html |
SANTA CLARA, Calif., July 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WinWire Technologies, a Data-driven Digital Engineering company, announces the appointment of Katy Brown, VP of Enterprise Sales, Software & Digital Platforms, leading the National High-Tech Industry Vertical at Microsoft, to its Board of Directors.
Katy brings a wealth of industry knowledge, business acumen, and strategic thinking to WinWire's Board. Her extensive leadership experience in managing large-scale organizational transformation and successfully adopting innovative technologies will benefit WinWire.
"I am delighted to welcome Katy to our Board of Directors; her experience and insights will help the company innovate, execute, and grow," said Ashu Goel, CEO of WinWire. "Katy brings great energy, expertise, confidence, and first-hand knowledge of transforming high-performing global businesses. Her experience in driving significant business growth and expertise in building long-term partnerships will be invaluable as we build the story of our future."
Commenting on her recent appointment, Katy Brown said, "I am proud to join the Board of Directors at WinWire, and I look forward to being part of the transformative impact this company continues to drive for its customers and partners."
About WinWire
WinWire Technologies is a Data-driven Digital Engineering company that enables enterprises and software companies across Healthcare, Retail, Hi-Tech, and Manufacturing to navigate their digital transformation journey. WinWire helps its customers drive business growth and gain competitive advantage through innovative software solutions.
WinWire has extensive expertise across a range of digital technologies and delivers innovative solutions on Azure for App Modernization, Data/AI, and Security that helps clients harness business value.
As a Managed Gold-Certified and a global award-winning Microsoft Partner, WinWire is recognized as a cloud expert across the entire Microsoft ecosystem. Our record of leadership in exceptional technology solutions delivery and 'People First' culture makes WinWire your ideal technology service partner.
For more information, please visit www.winwire.com
About Katy Brown
Katy Brown is Vice President for Microsoft's Enterprise Sales - Software and Digital Platforms, leading the National High-Tech Industry Vertical, responsible for directing sales, services, and partner efforts.
A twenty-five-year Microsoft veteran, Katy has a proven track record for delivering strategic initiatives and sales programs to drive overall growth. Before her current role, Katy held the position of Regional Vice President for Northwest Region and previously the General Manager for the NorCal District. She also held the position of General Manager – US National Sales Excellence, where she led a world-class sales team, orchestrating breakthrough development on customer satisfaction, innovation on sales enablement tools, planning and processes, and the overall leadership of the Sales Excellence community.
In her pursuit of sales excellence and customer loyalty, Katy has been recognized with several awards for her sales achievement, management, and leadership.
A native of San Francisco, Katy has a B.S. in Managerial Economics from the University of California, Davis. Her executive education includes IBM Advanced Business Institute and advanced leadership courses at Microsoft.
For more information, press only:
Noor Basha K
Director - Marketing
WinWire Technologies
noor.basha@winwire.com
Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1859213/WinWire_Technologies_Logo.jpg
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE WinWire Technologies | 2022-07-18T17:38:01+00:00 | kcrg.com | https://www.kcrg.com/prnewswire/2022/07/18/winwire-appoints-katy-brown-microsoft-its-board-directors/ |
DETROIT — (AP) — Seven major automakers say they're joining forces to build a North American electric vehicle charging network that would rival Tesla's and nearly double the number of fast-charging plugs in the U.S. and Canada.
General Motors, BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes and Stellantis said Wednesday that they will share in a multi-billion dollar investment to build “high power” charging stations with 30,000 plugs in urban areas and along travel corridors.
The dramatic move is intended to speed the adoption of electric vehicles, allaying fears that chargers won't be available for long distance travel.
The companies wouldn't disclose the exact number of charging stations or financial details of the joint venture they're forming to put the network in place. While they said the first of the chargers will be ready by next summer, they also would not say how long it will take to build the entire network.
The automakers said in a joint statement Wednesday that they want to build the “leading network” of reliable high-powered charging stations in North America.
“The parties have agreed not to disclose specific investment numbers at this time, but the seven founding automakers intend to work as equals to ensure the success of the joint venture,” the companies said in a written statement answering questions from The Associated Press. “As you can imagine, such a high-powered charging network of this scale requires a multibillion dollar investment.”
There are currently just under 8,700 direct-current fast-charging stations in the U.S. and Canada with nearly 36,000 charging plugs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
Fast chargers can get a battery to 80% of its capacity in 20 minutes to one hour, making them optimal for travel corridors and in some cases comparable to a gasoline fill-up. They’re much quicker than 240-volt “Level 2” chargers that can take hours to get a battery to a full charge.
The new network is expected to have 10 to 20 charging plugs per station, meaning there would be a minimum of 1,500 stations and a maximum of about 3,000.
Tesla’s network, with the largest number of fast chargers in North America, has 2,050 stations and more than 22,000 plugs in the U.S. and Canada, the DOE says.
The network formed by the seven automakers would be public and open to all electric vehicle owners. It will have connectors for both Tesla’s North American Charging Standard plugs as well as the Combined Charging System plugs used by other automakers.
The automakers will seek to use U.S. government funds from the bipartisan infrastructure law to help pay for the network.
“This joint venture will be a critical step in accelerating EV adoption across the U.S. and Canada, Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe said in a statement.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | 2023-07-26T15:08:02+00:00 | wsbtv.com | https://www.wsbtv.com/news/major-automakers/XWLR6NJO5T4VWWFKV5TSPGMCKM/ |
Mount St. Mary's vs. Iona at Atlantic City, N.J., 1 p.m.
UNC-Wilmington vs. Hofstra at Towson, Md., 2 p.m.
Rider vs. Niagara at Atlantic City, N.J., 3:30 p.m.
Ark.-Pine Bluff vs. Alabama A&M at Birmingham, Ala., Noon
Charlotte vs. FIU at Frisco, Texas, Noon
SC State vs. Norfolk St. at Norfolk, Va., Noon
Texas A&M Commerce vs. SE Louisiana at Lake Charles, La., Noon
Lamar vs. Texas A&M-CC at Lake Charles, La., 2:30 p.m.
Md.-Eastern Shore vs. Morgan St. at Norfolk, Va., 2:30 p.m.
Grambling St. vs. Jackson St. at Birmingham, Ala., 6:30 p.m.
Austin Peay at Florida Gulf Coast, 7 p.m.
East Carolina vs. Memphis at Fort Worth, Texas, 7 p.m.
Lipscomb at Liberty, 7 p.m.
Buffalo vs. Toledo at Cleveland, 11 a.m.
N. Illinois vs. Kent St. at Cleveland, 1:30 p.m.
E. Michigan vs. Bowling Green at Cleveland, 4 p.m.
Akron vs. Ball St. at Cleveland, 6:30 p.m.
UAB vs. North Texas at Frisco, Texas, 2:30 p.m.
FAU vs. UTSA at Frisco, Texas, 3 p.m.
Sam Houston St. vs. Stephen F. Austin at Las Vegas, 3 p.m.
Wichita St. vs. Houston at Fort Worth, Texas, 5 p.m.
CS Bakersfield vs. UC Irvine at Henderson, Nev., 3 p.m.
Sacramento St. vs. N. Arizona at Boise, Idaho, 5 p.m.
UC Santa Barbara vs. UC Davis at Henderson, Nev., 5:30 p.m.
Utah Tech vs. Cal Baptist at Las Vegas, 5:30 p.m.
New Mexico St. vs. S. Utah at Las Vegas, 9 p.m.
UC Riverside vs. Long Beach St. at Henderson, Nev., 9 p.m.
Wyoming vs. UNLV at Paradise, Nev., 10 p.m.
Cal St.-Fullerton vs. Hawaii at Henderson, Nev., 11:30 p.m.
Seattle vs. Grand Canyon at Las Vegas, 11:30 p.m.
Hampton vs. Delaware at Towson, Md., Noon
Manhattan vs. Quinnipiac at Atlantic City, N.J., 1 p.m.
Fairfield vs. Siena at Atlantic City, N.J., 3:30 p.m.
Coll. of Charleston vs. Monmouth (NJ) at Towson, Md., 5 p.m.
Army at Boston U., 6 p.m.
Lehigh at Holy Cross, 7 p.m.
Merrimack at Sacred Heart, 7 p.m.
St. Francis (NY) at Fairleigh Dickinson, 7 p.m.
Elon vs. Stony Brook at Towson, Md., 7:30 p.m.
Bethune-Cookman vs. Alabama St. at Birmingham, Ala., Noon
Coppin St. vs. NC Central at Norfolk, Va., Noon
Evansville vs. Murray St. at Moline, Ill., 1 p.m.
Delaware St. vs. Howard at Norfolk, Va., 2:30 p.m.
Prairie View vs. Southern U. at Birmingham, Ala., 6:30 p.m.
Bradley vs. Missouri St. at Moline, Ill., 3:30 p.m.
Indiana St. vs. S. Illinois at Moline, Ill., 7 p.m.
TCU vs. Kansas at Kansas City, Mo., 8:30 p.m.
Valparaiso vs. Ill. Chicago at Moline, Ill., 9:30 p.m.
Louisiana Tech vs. UTEP at Frisco, Texas, 12:30 p.m.
Kansas St. vs. Texas Tech at Kansas City, Mo., 6 p.m.
Penn at Princeton, 4:30 p.m.
Albany (NY) at Vermont, 5 p.m.
Harvard vs. Columbia at Princeton, N.J., 7 p.m.
Baylor vs. Iowa St. at Kansas City, Mo., 8:30 p.m.
West Virginia vs. Oklahoma St. at Kansas City, Mo., Noon | 2023-03-08T16:08:51+00:00 | lmtonline.com | https://www.lmtonline.com/sports/article/women-s-college-basketball-schedule-17826727.php |
(NBC) - Nancy Pelosi, the first female speaker of the House, will announce plans for her future in a speech on the House floor Thursday, a spokesman said.
Pelosi's consequential decision — to stay on as Democratic leader after two decades in the job or step aside for a new generation of leaders — comes just a day after NBC News and other news outlets projected that Republicans had flipped control of the House in last week’s midterm election, sending Pelosi and the Democrats back to the minority.
More personally, just weeks ago, her husband of nearly 60 years, Paul Pelosi, survived an assault by a hammer-wielding intruder at the family’s home in San Francisco.
The speaker’s plans are still unclear, but a source told NBC News that she took home two different versions of the speech she plans to deliver. The timing of her speech is also unclear.
Pelosi, 82, has been a central player in passing the most significant laws in recent history, from President Barack Obama’s signature health insurance measure and President Joe Biden’s climate change initiative to President George W. Bush’s Wall Street bailout and President Donald Trump’s Covid-19 rescue programs.
Before the midterm elections, some of her fellow Democrats, including moderate Reps. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, openly called for fresh blood in the ranks of party leadership.
The top three House Democratic leaders — Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland and Majority Whip Jim Clyburn of South Carolina — have led the caucus for nearly two years and are all in their 80s.
The calls continued in the days after the election — even with control of the House undecided.
“Whether we hold the majority or lose it by one to five seats, it’s time for a new generation of leadership. Period,” Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., said shortly after the midterm elections.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. | 2022-11-17T18:54:51+00:00 | wandtv.com | https://www.wandtv.com/nancy-pelosi-to-announce-her-future-plans-thursday-after-democrats-lose-house/article_4179a2ae-668f-11ed-9138-2f14a13403d2.html |
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentine Vice President Cristina Fernández was convicted and sentenced Tuesday to six years in prison and a lifetime ban from holding public office for a fraud scheme that embezzled $1 billion through public works projects during her presidency.
A three-judge panel found the Peronist leader guilty of fraud, but rejected a charge of running a criminal organization, for which the sentence could have been 12 years in prison. It was the first time an Argentine vice president has been convicted of a crime while in office.
Fernández lashed out at the verdict, describing herself as the victim of a “judicial mafia.” But she also later announced that she would not run next year for the presidency, a post she previously held in 2007-2015.
The sentence isn’t firm until appeals are decided, a process that could take years. She will remains immune from arrest meanwhile.
Fernández's supporters vowed to paralyze the country with a nationwide strike. They clogged downtown Buenos Aires and marched on the federal court building, beating drums and shouting as they pressed against police barriers.
Fernández roundly denied all the accusations. Argentina's dominant leader this century, she was accused of improperly granting public works contracts to a construction magnate closely tied to her family.
The verdict is certain to deepen fissures in the South American nation, where politics can be a blood sport and the 69-year-old populist leader is either loved or hated.
President Alberto Fernández, who is not related to his vice president, said on Twitter that she was innocent and that her conviction is “the result of a trial in which the minimum forms of due process were not taken care of.”
Prosecutors said Fernández fraudulently directed 51 public works projects to Lázaro Báez, a construction magnate and early ally of her and her husband Nestor Kirchner, who served as president in 2003-2007 and died suddenly in 2010.
Báez and members of Fernández's 2007-2015 presidential administration were among a dozen others accused in the conspiracy. The panel also sentenced Báez and her public works secretary, José López, to six years. Most of the others got lesser sentences.
Prosecutors Diego Luciani and Sergio Mola said the Báez company was created to embezzle revenues through improperly bid projects that suffered from cost overruns and in many cases were never completed. The company disappeared after the Kirchners' 12 years in power, they said.
In Argentina, judges in such cases customarily pronounce verdicts and sentences first and explain how they reached their decision later. The panel’s full decision is expected in February. After that, the verdict can be appealed up to the Supreme Court, a process that could take years.
Fernández went on her YouTube channel to say she will not seek further office after her vice presidential term expires on Dec. 10, 2023. "I’m not going to be a candidate for anything, not president, not for senator. My name is not going to be on any ballot. I finish on December 10 and go home,” she said.
Politicians and analysts had noted that until her appeal is settled, Fernández would be free to run for any elected office — from a seat in Congress to the presidency — and obtain immunity arrest by being elected.
“Cristina always surprises," pollster Roberto Bacman, director of Argentina's Center for Public Opinion Studies, said of her announcement. But “she will continue fighting,” he added. “She places herself in the center of the fight and says that she is not going to hide.”
He said it remains to be seen if the Peronist sector seesk to push Fernández to reconsider her decision.
Patricio Giusto, director of the consulting firm Diagnóstico Político, predicted Fernández will deepen her “strategy of victimization and equating herself” with Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva, the leftist politician who has just been elected president of Brazil after a court overturned his prison sentence for corruption.
During the judicial process, the vice president called herself a victim of “lawfare” and characterized the Judiciary as a pawn of the opposition media and conservative politician Mauricio Macri, who succeeded her as president in 2015-2019.
Fernández remains the singular leader of the leftist faction of the Peronist movement. Bacman said his surveys show 62% of Argentines want her removed and 38% support her no matter what.
Meanwhile, other cases remain pending against her, including a charge of money-laundering that also involves her son and daughter.
Credit: Rodrigo Abd
Credit: Rodrigo Abd
Credit: Rodrigo Abd
Credit: Rodrigo Abd
Credit: Rodrigo Abd
Credit: Rodrigo Abd
Credit: Matilde Campodonico
Credit: Matilde Campodonico
Credit: Rodrigo Abd
Credit: Rodrigo Abd
Credit: Rodrigo Abd
Credit: Rodrigo Abd
Credit: Rodrigo Abd
Credit: Rodrigo Abd
Credit: Rodrigo Abd
Credit: Rodrigo Abd
Credit: Rodrigo Abd
Credit: Rodrigo Abd | 2022-12-07T00:48:16+00:00 | daytondailynews.com | https://www.daytondailynews.com/nation-world/argentinas-vp-fernandez-guilty-in-1b-fraud-gets-6-years/MA547RZ7JNHLNAF57YQ4D2G6LI/ |
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina police officers who shot and killed a man throwing Molotov cocktails and setting cars on fire near a police station in May won’t face charges, prosecutors announced Monday.
Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman’s office released the results of an investigation into the officers’ use of force. Citing an imminent risk to officers and the public, Freeman's report said “the fatal use of force was not unlawful and that therefore, there is no legal basis for pursuing a criminal prosecution,” news outlets reported.
Reuel Rodriguez-Nuñez, 37, was recorded on video tossing cups filled with a flammable substance at police officers and their vehicles on May 7 in a parking lot next to a district police station in Raleigh, North Carolina. His family said he was having a mental health crisis.
In body camera footage released by police in June, an officer sprints into the parking lot and apparently goads on Rodriguez-Nuñez, who is standing beside several smoldering vehicles. At least three other officers stand farther away.
Master Officer P.W. Coates repeatedly swears and shouts “Do it! Do it!” at Rodriguez-Nuñez, as another officer tells him to put his hands on his head. Coates approaches Rodriguez-Nuñez within the length of a parking space and tells his colleagues, “Give me the go ahead.” At that point, Rodriguez-Nuñez throws a Molotov cocktail at Coates and the four officers open fire.
“Despite what may be unprofessional conduct by one of the officers, there is no ground to move forward with criminal prosecution,” Freeman said. “I would expect the department to look at this from a standpoint of policy violation and determination if disciplinary action is appropriate.”
Rodriguez-Nunez’s family has called for changes to police policy and said officers failed to handle the situation as a mental health crisis.
“This did not have to end like this,” Jasiel Rodriguez-Nuñez said. “My brother ... was just sending a message of his mental illness. It was a way of speaking out in his mind. He was having a breakdown.” | 2022-10-10T22:14:06+00:00 | seattlepi.com | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/No-charges-for-police-who-killed-Molotov-throwing-17500059.php |
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — A powerful drug lord from the Dominican Republic known as “The Abuser” pled guilty to drug trafficking charges in U.S. federal court, authorities said Monday.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Puerto Rico said César Emilio Peralta Adamez was accused of importing cocaine into the United States for a decade.
Authorities said he led a Dominican-based drug-trafficking organization that imported tons of drugs from Colombia and Venezuela to Puerto Rico and the U.S. mainland.
Peralta’s attorney could not be immediately reached for comment.
Authorities said they seized four of his properties in the Dominican Republic, including one called “Al Panino.”
Peralta was indicted by a U.S. federal grand jury in 2018, arrested in Colombia in 2019 and extradited to Puerto Rico in 2021.
He is scheduled to be sentenced in May 2023. | 2022-11-14T20:12:44+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/world/dominican-drug-lord-pleads-guilty-in-us-federal-court/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
MONTEREY, Calif. (AP) — Scott Dixon knows IndyCar’s tightest championship race in nearly 20 years would have probably been long decided if not for a rare gaffe by “The Iceman” in the Indianapolis 500.
Dixon was the dominant car at Indianapolis in May and led 95 laps until a late speeding penalty took the New Zealander out of contention. Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Marcus Ericsson instead won the race and, because the Indy 500 is worth double points, Ericsson was suddenly thrust into the IndyCar championship race.
But if Dixon had not been speeding, he’d have maybe scored the win, or at minimum finished higher than 21st. Ericsson received 109 points for the victory; Dixon earned just 33 in a crushing disappointment that may have ultimate implications on the championship.
Will Power is the points leader headed into Sunday’s season finale, a five-driver battle that is the tightest in IndyCar since 2003 when the series was called “The IRL.” Power leads Dixon and his Team Penske teammate Josef Newgarden by 20 points. Ericsson is 39 points out of the lead, with McLaughlin of Penske in fifth and 41 points out.
Going just a touch slower down pit road way back in May would have likely sent Dixon into Laguna Seca Raceway with a sizeable lead in the standings in pursuit of a record-tying seventh championship.
“Yeah, I think had we finished even in the top-three, this championship would be pretty easy right now,” Dixon told The Associated Press. “But I can’t change that. It’s history. It’s long gone. And you’ve got to move forward.”
Dixon recovered from Indianapolis to win at Toronto, where he tied Mario Andretti for second on IndyCar’s wins list, and win No. 53 moved him past Andretti when he won at Nashville in August. That second win of the season moved him back into title contention, and his drive from 16th to third last week at Portland made him a serious challenger to Power come Sunday.
Should he win that title, it would move Dixon to the mystical number seven, the record mark across the top series in the world. AJ Foyt holds the IndyCar record with seven titles, Richard Petty, the late Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson won seven in NASCAR, and Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton each have seven F1 titles.
Dixon doesn’t even entertain the idea of joining the exclusive club.
“It’s great to talk about after your accomplishments, but I’ve got six, I don’t have seven,” Dixon told AP. “I think I like seven because it is more than six. If you look at the historical side of it, or if you look at motorsports or other sports in general, seven is definitely at the top of the heap and it would of course be very special. But I have six now and that’s the facts.”
Dixon and the Chip Ganassi Racing fleet used their final test of the season at Laguna Seca, while Team Penske used its last test at Portland and went 1-2 in the race with McLaughlin and Power. It has sent two Ganassi drivers and three Penske drivers into the title decider, and the two teams have combined to win 14 of IndyCar’s last 16 championships.
Ganassi is winner of the last two championships and has come out on top in 10 of the title fights, in part because of the Ganassi philosophy to race for the greater organization. They view Team Penske as a three singular efforts with the only team orders being that the best driver wins.
It’s made for some tension in the Penske camp, particularly during a Pebble Beach media event for the contenders, where Newgarden seemed aloof as his rivals enjoyed their morning on the iconic golf course.
Newgarden, who has won a series-high five races this year and overcame an apparent concussion suffered in August, later revealed he’s had some internal struggles this season. He’s had to apologize to his crew at times, and explained it away as “an issue with trying to be a perfectionist in everything that I do.
“The more years you do this, the more you demand that excellence and perfection,” Newgarden said. “(When) it gets derailed, the easier it is to upset you. That’s been the case for me. Because I’m such a perfectionist, the longer I’ve done this, the harder it gets. If you’re a perfectionist and you do this sport long enough, and that starts to turn into an expectation that can frustrate you when it doesn’t transpire, that can be a negative.
“I felt it was a negative the way I was reacting to it, and it was just a buildup of one too many races not going according to plan was really the issue with it.”
Things seem much calmer in the Ganassi camp, even as the team remains divided over reigning IndyCar champion Alex Palou’s decision to leave at the end of the season. Ganassi says he’s got Palou under contract through 2023, but Palou says he’s signed to drive from McLaren. The dispute is winding through both mediation and the court system.
Dixon, who is in his 20th season with Ganassi and the team’s most tenured driver, does not speak to Palou and is unsure if Palou will do anything to assist him in Sunday’s championship race. Ericsson does speak to Palou (as does Jimmie Johnson) and said there is no confusion over the rules of engagement at Ganassi.
“Always from the first day you enter Ganassi, it’s always about the team. You work with your teammates, you win with your teammates, and you lose with your teammates,” Ericsson said. “It’s pretty clear for Chip that we want to win a championship. For me, I want it to be me, but if I can’t, I want (Dixon) to do it. I would help for sure.”
___
More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2022-09-10T02:16:24+00:00 | upmatters.com | https://www.upmatters.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-dixon-still-in-indycar-title-fight-despite-indy-500-gaffe/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — As he considers another White House run, polls show former President Donald Trump is the most popular figure in the Republican Party. But it wasn’t always that way.
Competing at one point against a dozen rivals for the GOP presidential nomination in 2016, Trump won only about a third of the vote in key early states. He even lost the Iowa caucuses, which kick off the nomination process.
But he was able to prevail nonetheless because those in the party who opposed his brand of divisive politics were never able to coalesce around a single rival to confront him. And with Trump mulling another White House bid as soon as this summer, the same dynamic could repeat.
With a growing list of candidates gearing up for their own presidential runs, even a Trump diminished by two impeachments and mounting legal vulnerabilities could hold a commanding position in a fractured, multi-candidate GOP primary.
“I fear it could end up the same way as 2016, which basically was everyone thought everyone else should get out,” said Republican strategist Mike DuHaime, who advised former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s campaign that year. “I think every major candidate realized that he or she would have a better shot against Trump one-on-one. But of course each person thought he or she should be the one to get that shot and nobody got out of the way. … And then it was too late.”
The anxiety is mounting as a growing list of potential rivals take increasingly brazen steps, delivering high-profile speeches, running ads, courting donors and making repeat visits to early voting states.
That group now includes upward of a dozen could-be-candidates, including Trump’s former Vice President, Mike Pence, his former Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, and Sens. Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton, Rick Scot, and Tim Scott, all of whom could run on the former president’s policies. In the anti-Trump lane, figures like Rep. Liz Cheney and Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan are raising their profiles.
Meanwhile, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is increasingly seen as Trump’s heir apparent, even by the former president’s most loyal supporters, and viewed by Trump allies as his most formidable potential challenger.
While some, like former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, have said they will not challenge Trump if he does go forward with a run, others, like Christie, seem to be gunning for the fight, even if they seem to be longshot contenders.
“I’m definitely giving it serious thought. I’m not gonna make any decision probably until the end of the year,” Christie said in a recent interview.
The former governor and 2016 candidate has urged the party to move on from Trump and his ongoing obsession with the 2020 election.
“For me, it’s about the party needing to go in in a new direction from a personality perspective, and to continue to have someone who can bring strong leadership, tough leadership, that the country needs, but doesn’t have all of the other drama that goes along with it,” he said. “I’m hearing the same things from donors that I’m hearing from voters — that they’re very concerned that we can’t put ourselves in a position to have 2024 be about anything but the good of the country.”
Pompeo, who has had a busy travel schedule and plans to return to Iowa this summer, said in a recent interview that he has been spending time reading and listening to former President Ronald Reagan’s speeches as he prepares for a possible run.
“We’re getting ready to stay in the fight,” he said in an interview last month as he courted evangelical Christians at a gathering in Nashville, Tennessee.
He said he and his wife would sit down after the midterm elections and “think our way through it, pray our way through it, and decide where’s best to serve. It could be presenting ourselves for elected office again. We may choose a different path. But we’re not gonna walk away from these things that I’ve been working on for 30 years now. They matter too much.”
In the meantime, he sketched out a possible lane in much the same mold as Trump.
“He was a disruptor that was most necessary in 2016, there’s no doubt about that,” Pompeo said. And now the task is to take those set of understandings, those set of principles, and defend them and build upon them. And it’s gonna take a lot of work to do that, leaders of real fortitude and character to do that.”
The increasingly open talk comes as Trump faces a cascade of escalating legal troubles.
The congressional committee investigating the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection has revealed increasingly damaging information about Trump’s final weeks in office, while the Department of Justice has launched its own sprawling probe. In Georgia, the prosecutor investigating Trump’s potentially illegal meddling in the state’s 2020 election last week ramped up her efforts by subpoenaing members of Trump’s inner circle. And in New York, Trump, his namesake son and his daughter Ivanka have agreed to answer questions under oath beginning next week in the New York attorney general’s civil investigation into his business practices.
Mick Mulvaney, a former South Carolina congressman who served as Trump’s acting White House chief of staff, said the moves suggested potential candidates “might see an opening where none existed two months ago.”
“Trump fatigue might be a real thing,” he said, with voters asking themselves whether, if they vote for another candidate, they “can get the same policies without all the baggage.”
At the same time, Trump has seen some of his endorsed primary candidates falter. Those who have won, including Ohio GOP Senate nominee JD Vance and Pennsylvania GOP Senate nominee Mehmet Oz, have done so with about 30% of the vote, meaning that two-thirds of party voters went against Trump’s picks.
“I don’t think anybody underestimates Trump. There’s a reason he’s the most sought-after endorsement in every single Republican primary,” said GOP strategist Alex Conant. “That said, I think there’s a recognition that a lot of Republican voters are looking to the future and ready for what’s next.”
To what extent remains an open question. During a trip to Iowa this week, Arkansas Sen. Cotton declined to weigh in on Trump’s standing. But he said he hoped to be “an effective national leader, not only for my party but for the American people in my role in the Senate and any other future role I might serve.”
Still, he argued, candidates should embrace Trump’s legacy.
“I know that Donald Trump is very popular among our voters who appreciate the successes he delivered for four years in a very hostile environment. They don’t want Republicans who are running against that legacy, because they view that legacy as a great success,” he said Thursday in Cambridge, Iowa.
Meanwhile, Trump continues to move forward with his own events.
On Friday night, he campaigned in Las Vegas alongside Adam Laxalt, his pick for Nevada Senate. And on Saturday night, he will hold a rally in Anchorage, Alaska, to campaign with Republican Kelly Tshibaka, whom he has endorsed in her race against U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, and others, including former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who is now running for Congress.
Conant said it made sense for candidates to continue testing the waters for now.
“A lot of potential candidates are realizing that 2024 may be their last best chance, regardless of what Trump does,” he said. “There’s a very vulnerable Democrat in the White House, Republicans seem likely to win, and if it’s not Trump, they’re basically sidelined for the next 10 years.”
Still, Conant, who served as communications director to Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s 2016 presidential bid, noted the similarities.
“It looks like it’s increasingly clear there’s going to be a lot of people running for president. And while I think there’s an appetite for something different, the alternative to Trump needs to coalesce around one candidate,” he said. “That never happened in 2016. And it might not happen in 2024.”
__ Associated Press writers Steve Peoples in New York and Tom Beaumont in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this report. | 2022-07-09T05:14:01+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/how-a-crowded-gop-field-could-help-trump-in-2024-campaign/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world |
18-month-old travel startup unlocks new capital to meet increasing customer demand
AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Wander.com announced that it has closed a $100M credit facility with Zürich-based Credit Suisse, a leading global investment bank and financial services firm. With this capital infusion, Wander will invest in expanding its network of smart vacation homes from coast-to-coast to more than double the size of their portfolio in the first half of 2023 –– placing Wander properties within a 3-hour drive of 80% of the U.S. population.
This $100M financing is the first institutional lending facility for the luxury vacation rental market. David Molotsky, VP of Finance at Wander, said, "Having the support of an institution like Credit Suisse is a transformational opportunity for our business. We'll be leveraging the capital to dramatically expand our rental offerings. As the interest in domestic travel continues to compound, we're committed to meeting the demand in the market by scaling our portfolio of vacation homes to incredible new, highly-desired coast-to-coast destinations."
The financing was led by Credit Suisse's award-winning Securitized Products Group, which focuses on asset backed lending and capital markets transactions. Kwaw de Graft-Johnson, a Managing Director in the group, commented, "We were very impressed with Wander's progress and execution to date, and their traction speaks volumes about the expertise of their team. We see an enormous opportunity set in front of the company, as new consumer travel behaviors and remote work continue to accelerate the shift from hotels to vacation rentals."
In addition to the $100M facility for expansion, Wander recently announced the launch of Wander Atlas, the industry's first and only vacation rental REIT. Atlas transforms Wander's customers into partial property owners by enabling them to own a piece of the inspiring network of homes while unlocking the potential to earn high yield-passive income and diversifying their portfolio. In the first 48 hours after launch, Wander saw millions investment interest. Both the Atlas REIT and $100M credit facility from Credit Suisse enable the 18-month-old company to scale efficiently.
Wander was founded in May 2021 with the mission of building the travel experience of the future and helping people find their happy place. Wander is uniquely different from other companies in the travel space because they control 100% of the homes on the platform, which is essential to providing uncompromising high quality, smart technology, and a wide range of unique, inspiring locations for every guest experience, with no surprise fees when booking or tasks upon checkout.
Across 2,000+ nights booked since launching in early 2022, Wander has a 94.6% customer satisfaction rate in their check-out survey amongst customers, who highlight "consistency, quality and excellent service" as top reasons for choosing Wander over traditional travel options. Through the Wander app, consumers can book a smart vacation home with inspiring views, modern workstations, restful beds, hotel-grade cleaning and 24/7 concierge services to have full home control at their fingertips –– from opening the door, to turning on the lights, adjusting the temperature and accessing a Tesla in the garage.
Kyle Tibbitts, Chief Marketing Officer at Wander, said, "We're seeing a tectonic shift in consumer behavior where travelers are demanding the quality of a luxury hotel paired with the comfort and space of a vacation home. This foundational financial infrastructure unlocks a powerful flywheel where invested capital allows us to launch new markets, new markets open up access to new customers and those customers can invest back into our ecosystem to drive more growth."
Wander currently has properties coast-to-coast in incredible locations like Vail, Tahoe, Joshua Tree, Asheville, Hudson Valley and coastal properties in California, Florida, Oregon and South Carolina.
Wander is a network of smart vacation homes in inspiring places that you can control from your phone. Every Wander comes with inspiring views, modern workstations, restful beds, hotel-grade cleaning and 24/7 concierge service. It's a vacation home, but better. Wander has raised $30M+ in funding from QED Investors, Redpoint Ventures, Authentic Ventures, Susa Ventures, Kevin Durant, Packy McCormick, Sahil Bloom, Todd & Rahul's Angel Fund and other top angel investors and operators to build the travel experience of the future. Learn more at wander.com.
CONTACT: press@wander.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Wander | 2022-11-30T18:33:17+00:00 | wcjb.com | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2022/11/30/wandercom-scale-smart-vacation-homes-across-us-with-100m-credit-facility-credit-suisse-launch-atlas-reit/ |
Jimmy Butler is human after all — and he couldn’t have become mortal at a better time for the Celtics.
Thanks to a rare underwhelming performance by Butler, who was on a heater before Games 3 and 4 of this very Eastern Conference Finals series, the Celtics forced a Game 5 with a 116-99 victory on the road in Miami on Tuesday.
The Heat star still finished with 29 points on 9-of-21 shooting from the field, but Miami was outscored by 20 points in his 39 minutes on the floor, and he coughed up two costly turnovers as the Celtics ultimately ran up a double-digit lead and never let go in the second half.
In Game 3, he scored 16 points on 5-of-13 shooting, but that game ended in a blowout victory.
Game 4 was different. Butler didn’t have the same bark or bite. It was the first time Boston looked like a team that belonged in the hunt for the NBA title this series after three embarrassing losses to start the conference finals — including a deflating, 25-point walloping that sunk them into an 0-3 series hole.
No team has ever come back from down 0-3 in an NBA playoff series, but the Celtics now have something going for them: only a third of the teams ever in that predicament have ever forced Game 5 in the first place.
It’s much more difficult than it sounds: Just ask the Los Angeles Lakers, who were also down 0-3 to the Denver Nuggets and led by 15 in the second quarter of Game 4.
That was before the Joker — Nikola Jokic — proved too dominant a force, and LeBron James came up short on the game’s final possession, allowing the Nuggets to sweep the Lakers off the Crypto.com Arena floors.
Unlike the Lakers, the Celtics have life — and leave it to them, a team tied for the NBA’s second-best regular-season record away from home, to find a pulse on the road. It’s now the Heat who face all the pressure in the world.
The Heat, after all, were supposed to handle business at home and dominate the Celtics the same way they’d done the first three games.
Instead, Miami played a reverse Uno card: They forked up 15 turnovers and shot a meager 25% clip from downtown. It’s the Heat who are now in danger of becoming the first team ever to fumble a playoff series up 3-0.
And if Jaylen Brown can find some semblance of confidence on the offensive end, the Celtics just might have a shot at turning this series around.
Jayson Tatum found that confidence in Game 4. He made very strong and decisive scoring attacks that were absent in Games 1 through 3. Tatum has scored 30 or more in three of this series’ first four games, but in Game 4, his 33 points felt more like 40. After shooting just 6-of-18 for 14 points in Game 3, the Celtics star showed why he is in MVP conversations with a 14-of-22 shooting night.
Meanwhile, Brown is having the worst playoff stretch of his career — and while Tatum’s sensational Game 4 powered the Celtics to victory this time, you can bank on the Erik Spoelstra-coached Heat making adjustments that force Boston to get the ball out of the superstar forward’s hands.
And if the ball finds Brown — who is so cold from three, he could freeze time — the Celtics might as well not even show up to Game 5. Tatum’s co-star is shooting just 12.8% from three against the Heat. He has missed 21 of his 24 attempts from downtown, is shooting worse than 40% from the field, and is hitting less than 50% of his free throws.
Brown’s offensive confidence is shot. With a contract extension in the excess of $200 million on the table this summer, and the Celtics in win-or-go-home territory trailing the Heat, 1-3, he must step up for this team to stand a chance.
The Heat, however, have already won in Boston — twice — including the series-opener that stunned the Celtics on their own parquet floors.
Both teams have had a history of playing better on the road this season, but it’s clear, at least for one night, the Celtics have awoken.
And if Brown can finally do the same, we may actually have a series on our hands.
() | 2023-05-28T17:53:20+00:00 | twincities.com | https://www.twincities.com/2023/05/28/jimmy-butler-shows-signs-of-mortality-and-now-the-celtics-have-life-2/ |
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland today accused the Minneapolis Police Department of a pattern of bias and excessive force, the product of a wide-ranging federal investigation into the department following the 2020 killing of George Floyd.
Floyd, who was Black, was killed May 25 by a white Minneapolis police officer while others stood by, touching off months of protests. Today, Garland said the federal investigation revealed long-standing problems existed in the department before that moment.
"The patterns and practices we observed made what happened to George Floyd possible," Garland said.
The DOJ investigation has determined that the MPD has a pattern of four distinct types of violations of civil rights:
With regard to racial bias, Garland says the Department found MPD officers "stopped Black and Native American people nearly six times more often than white people in situations that did not result in arrest or citation, given their shares of the population."
Garland says investigators also found several examples of officers who were not held accountable for racist conduct "until there was a public outcry."
The DOJ found MPD officers had a pattern of being too quick to fire their weapons, as well as an over-reliance on Tasers, even on people who were not being violent.
They also focused on examples of officers pepper-spraying or otherwise "punishing" protestors and journalists, especially during the unrest of 2020 and 2021.
These findings now give the Justice Department leverage to enter into a "consent decree" with Minneapolis — essentially, a reform plan that's controlled by a federal court. Similar arrangements have been in place for years in cities such as Baltimore and Seattle.
Mayor Jacob Frey and Police Chief Brian O'Hara were at Garland's announcement in Minneapolis, and Frey called the DOJ's report "objective" and "thorough."
"We are going to use these findings to better policing in Minneapolis," Frey said. "We understand that change is non-negotiable."
But Frey also stressed that the city has already turned toward reforms. "We haven't let up in the three years since the murder of George Floyd," Frey said, pointing to new violence-prevention programs and the creation of an Office of Community Safety, meant to offer the community alternatives to simply calling for a response from "an officer with a gun."
The city has also entered into a separate, state-level consent decree with Minnesota's Department of Human rights to adress racial bias. Officials said today they would work to ensure the state and upcoming federal oversight plans didn't duplicate efforts.
Attorney General Garland recognized the efforts by Minneapolis so far.
"Some important changes have already been instituted," Garland said. "Those include prohibiting all types of neck restraints, and banning no-knock search warrants."
But he said more work needs to be done, and that the DOJ is "recommending 28 remedial measures that provide a starting framework to improve public safety, build community trust and comply with the Constitution and federal law."
Minneapolis has agreed in principle to negotiate the terms of such a consent decree, but the specifics are not yet settled. Depending on their scope, federal consent decrees can cost cities tens of millions of dollars, and they can drag on for years — usually, they continue until the federal judge in charge is satisfied. In Seattle, for example, the federal judge has kept an 11-year-old consent decree going even though both the city and the DOJ have asked to end it.
In Oakland, a judge recently approved the beginning of the end of the city's nearly two-decade-old consent decree, even as some community activists say the police department still hasn't reformed its "culture" of impunity for violent officers.
Under the Obama administration, consent decrees were a preferred method for pressuring police departments to reform, but that stopped under President Trump. The Biden Administration restored the practice, and is also pursing a consent decree in Louisville, Ky.
Minneapolis officials now negotiating with the DOJ have an incentive to negotiate as limited a decree as possible, before it's submitted to the courts. As the city tries to reform its police, it's also struggling with sharp increases in crime, as well as the lingering effects of the exodus of police officers after 2020.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Bildtsen said negotiations with Minneapolis could take "a number of months, or up to a year or more." Ultimately, if the Feds and the city fail to agree on the terms of the consent decree, the Justice Department would have the option of bringing a civil rights lawsuit against the city.
But at the moment, city officials stress that they want to cooperate with the Justice Department. Garland welcomed that cooperation.
"As I told George Floyd's family this morning, his death has had an irrevocable impact on the Minneapolis community, an on our country and the world," Garland said at the start of the news conference. "George Floyd should be alive today."
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2023-06-16T19:53:28+00:00 | knkx.org | https://www.knkx.org/2023-06-16/doj-report-finds-systemic-patterns-of-abuse-by-the-minneapolis-police-department |
Teen fatally shot in Chanhassen; teenage friend arrested
CHANHASSEN, Minn. (FOX 9) - A teenager was arrested in connection to the fatal shooting of her 17-year-old acquaintance in Chanhassen early Thursday morning.
The Carver County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to a call just before 3 a.m. at Fairview Southdale Hospital on a report of a teenager who had been fatally shot.
Authorities say the 17-year-old boy was shot on the 700 block of Conestoga Trail in Chanhassen and was driven to the Edina hospital by friends. At some point during the drive, Eden Prairie police initiated a pursuit of the vehicle until they arrived at the hospital.
RELATED: Bloomington Police: 3 people found dead in a truck near Smack Shack
Officers looked inside the vehicle and found the 17-year-old suffering from a gunshot wound. The teen ultimately died from his injuries, according to authorities. The sheriff’s office will not be releasing the teen's identity until they notify the next of kin.
Law enforcement arrested an 18-year-old in connection to the fatal shooting. Authorities say they believe she was an acquaintance of the teen but did not say how they believe she was involved in the incident.
The shooting remains under investigation. The teenager has not been officially charged as of Thursday afternoon. | 2023-02-02T21:29:16+00:00 | fox9.com | https://www.fox9.com/news/teen-fatally-shot-in-chanhassen-teenage-girl-arrested |
After several days of classroom lockdowns when violent brawls broke out inside Desert Oasis High School in Las Vegas, Cherish Morgan had had enough.
She began organizing parents and students to pressure the Clark County School District to crack down on expulsions, demanding more security and training for teachers. On the second day of the fighting in early March, Morgan recalls standing outside the school on the sidewalk frantically texting her seventeen-year-old daughter who was trapped inside.
"It's terrifying when you're out here and you're like, I know where she is, I could just go grab her, she would be safer with me if I could just go get her," she said.
In one of the fights that was all over the local news, a father of a Desert Oasis student could be seen right in the middle taking swings.
"Listen, our principal and our teachers should not be jumping on top of a parent to stop him from beating a student," Morgan says. "There's no world where that is OK, there's just not."
In the world of Vegas, violence has long been a problem. The mafia put this town on the map, after all. But since the pandemic, things have been especially tense, with violent threats, harassment, theft, assaults and guns increasingly spilling into places many once thought safe.
Indeed, the trauma at Desert Oasis is hardly an isolated incident in the sprawling Clark County Schools District, the nation's fifth largest, home to some 305,000 students. District officials and police report an uptick in violence ever since returning to in-person learning last fall. There have been roughly 8,300 calls from Clark County schools to police dispatch reporting incidents of violence, up by some 1,300 compared to the entire 2018-2019 school year.
The most shocking attack in April involved a 16-year-old student who authorities say strangled his teacher and allegedly sexually assaulted her in her classroom during a dispute over grades. The student was charged with attempted murder.
Teachers are on edge and learning is being sidelined
While a recent national survey showed an uptick in harassment and violence against teachers, there's evidence it may be worse in Las Vegas. In interviews with staff, students and parents, many pointed to the fact that kids went into virtual learning for a full year and three months during the pandemic, causing a lot of social isolation. Las Vegas's economy has also been hit hard by the pandemic, with mass layoffs and shutdowns in the entertainment industry, so a lot of kids experienced added stress at home.
Many teachers say they don't feel like the district — or the broader community — have their backs. Locally, at least three martial arts studios have even begun offering free or reduced self-defense classes for CCSD teachers.
"When you're constantly having to worry about your safety and your students' safety and what's going on in the hallways, it's very difficult to just focus on teaching and focus on the students' needs in your classroom," says Ariane Prichard, a biology teacher at the city's Bonanza High School.
Prichard, a 14-year public education veteran, thought several times during this stressful school year that she might leave teaching all together. Burnt out and exhausted, she has decided to stay on but not teach summer school for the first time.
CCSD currently has at least 1,000 open teaching positions. At the start of the year, Prichard's classes were 40 deep. Teachers and administrators told NPR class sizes have gotten a little more manageable of late but only because more kids are truant. Still others appear to have dropped off the map all together. The city has long had a transient population.
Violent crime is also up generally in major cities
Sergeant Ben Abarca says he's seeing more truants on patrol in east Las Vegas. Some get into trouble on these streets or become victims themselves. One recent morning, dozens of kids were milling around in the back of one school near some modular classes. Across the road, in a church parking lot, several students were cutting class, hanging out and eating fast food.
"You guys go to Chaparral? Why are you not in class?" Abarca said, rolling his window down from his squad car. "Go on campus."
Abarca is with the CCSD Police Department — the district runs its own law enforcement agency separate from Las Vegas Metropolitan Police. His agency also is facing a shortage of officers since the pandemic, just as the violence has risen in both the schools and the city. In fact, violent crime is up across most major American cities.
"A lot of people like to blame the pandemic but the kids have been in school for over a year now," Abarca says. "I think it's a community issue and I think everybody has to do their own part, including us."
In Vegas, Abarca is seeing a lot more shootings. On patrol, he points out several that had occurred recently within feet of schools, including one elementary school. In black shades, Abarca is a tall hulk of a man, a former Marine who served in Iraq.
He's soft spoken but can look imposing, not the kind of guy you might want to talk back to, still: "I've been spat on, I've had a female pick up a pen and try to stab me with it like two weeks ago. I get punched, kicked. The respect isn't there like it used to be."
Abarca and other officials attribute some of this to a broader societal problem, declining trust in institutions and authority.
On this weekday morning, which he considers slow, there are some 20 active calls across the district. He scrolls through them on his laptop in his squad car: a fight at a middle school, another at a nearby high school, drugs at a middle school, threats made to an elementary school.
Abarca stops to interview a secretary who took that last threat, called in by a mom, who was apparently mad that her daughter was disciplined. She had demanded to know the address of the office and threatened to drive down, allegedly adding that she understood why "schools all get shot up."
Las Vegas schools went virtual longer than most
Sergeant Abarca later said he figured the mother calling in the threat has mental health issues. Nevada ranks last in the nation for mental health access. Its largest school district, Clark County, also frequently ranks near the bottom in education quality rankings. Nearly two thirds of the student population is considered lower-income.
"This is a ripe setting for these types of incidents," says Samuel Song, a school psychology at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.
There were 18 suicides during the one year and three months schools went all virtual.
"Do I think it was too long? We were doing everything we could at that time not knowing, not having a play book," says Jesus Jara, the CCSD superintendent.
Jara announced a slate of new safety measures after the 16-year-old student who attacked his teacher was charged with attempted murder and sexual assault. They include adding panic buttons in classrooms, more security cameras and tougher penalties for scofflaws as well as more mental health services.
Jara said the violence is a nationwide problem and it's not just in schools. So the challenge now is how to refocus students after so much upheaval and make sure they stay focused on learning.
"We can't measure how deep the scars are," he says. "This is why we have invested our extra dollars in mental health support not only for our students but also for adults."
But as the district tries to address the rise in violence, Jara says they also face a $6 billion deficit in maintenance and infrastructure. A new adhoc group of parents and students is calling on Nevada's governor to hold a special legislative session to address the crisis. One candidate for governor has even pledged to "take over" Nevada's schools if elected due to the violence.
Eighteen-year-old student Gianna Archuleta had several family members lose their jobs in area casinos. She says her hometown is on edge. Violence has always been a problem in the schools here, but it's noticeably worse. She has started showing up at school trustee meetings demanding student-led solutions.
"Morale is low, people don't want to be here and it's honestly just incredibly sad to see because there are a lot of people here who could do a lot of good but they don't want to be in this environment anymore because of what's happening," Archuleta says.
Things appear to be calming down, some
The district is using federal Covid relief funds to go toward a $4,000 teacher recruitment package to address the staffing shortage. They've also trying to offer retention bonuses for beleaguered staff. District officials have said the violence tends to be perpetrated by small groups of students. Meanwhile, they say things have quieted down some as the end of the school year approaches.
One afternoon at Valley High School, east of the Las Vegas strip, teachers and support staff are trying to focus on the positives, scheduling fun activities for several straight days marking teacher appreciation week. During a crowded lunch period, mariachi music played for Cinco de Mayo.
"It seems as though students aren't socially interacting with adults or themselves in the way that we saw pre pandemic," says Kim Perry-Carter, the principal. "There's a lot of anger and there's a lot of quick tempers."
But she pointed to some of her most troubled kids who recently returned to school who were out on the cafeteria floor dancing. Some students even dressed in costumes. She says many badly need some sense of normal, some stability.
"We have three social workers on our campus — phenomenal social workers — but those three social workers can't reach 2,800 students. And I will say out of all 2800 students, it's a small group of students that are causing problems," she says.
Still, staff are spread thin, Perry-Carter adds; hers an urgent plea for help in one of the country's largest public school systems.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2022-05-12T10:15:47+00:00 | kgou.org | https://www.kgou.org/politics-and-government/politics-and-government/2022-05-12/las-vegas-struggles-with-rising-violence-in-schools |
Fort Smith Police are investigating a fatal accident
The crash happened late Thursday night.
Advertisement
Fort Smith Police are investigating a fatal accident
The crash happened late Thursday night.
Police in Fort Smith are investigating a fatal vehicle accident that occurred late Thursday night. They were called to the two-vehicle crash around 11:20 p.m. It happened near the area of N. 27th Street and N. Sixth Street.Officers say one vehicle rear-ended another. The driver of the back vehicle was pronounced dead soon after the accident. No identities have been released at this time.
FORT SMITH, Ark. —
Police in Fort Smith are investigating a fatal vehicle accident that occurred late Thursday night.
They were called to the two-vehicle crash around 11:20 p.m. It happened near the area of N. 27th Street and N. Sixth Street.
Advertisement
Officers say one vehicle rear-ended another. The driver of the back vehicle was pronounced dead soon after the accident. No identities have been released at this time. | 2022-12-09T17:02:01+00:00 | 4029tv.com | https://www.4029tv.com/article/fort-smith-police-are-investigating-a-fatal-accident/42197935 |
TSX and OTC: MPVD
TORONTO and NEW YORK, May 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Mountain Province Diamonds Inc. (TSX: MPVD) (OTC: MPVDF) ("Mountain Province", or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Kelly Stark-Anderson to its Board of Directors. Her appointment follows the departure of Dean Chambers, who has chosen the step-down due to other commitments.
An accomplished executive in the Canadian mining industry, Ms. Stark-Anderson has over 25 years experience in the legal, M&A, financing and governance areas, combined with deep experience in Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) matters. Ms. Stark-Anderson is currently the Executive Vice President Corporate Affairs, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary and Corporate Compliance Officer for Dundee Precious Metals Inc. (TSX:DPM) and previously has acted as Vice-President, Legal and Corporate Secretary for SSR Mining Inc. Ms. Stark-Anderson led her own firm providing corporate/commercial, governance and securities compliance services to public, private and crown entities. Ms. Stark-Anderson's deep experience in ESG, legal, financing and M&A will be a valuable addition to the Company's board.
Jonathan Comerford, the Company's Chairman, commented:
"We are extremely happy to have Kelly join our Board of Directors. Her legal expertise and strong ESG experience are areas we were seeking to strengthen on our Board, which together with her extensive governance experience will be extremely beneficial as the Company advances through 2022 and beyond. The recent national award received by the Gahcho Kué mine for a collaborative monitoring program with the indigenous Ní Hadi Xa community is one example of the important work we do, and Kelly will bring a fresh perspective to our ESG approach. I would also like to thank Dean for his considerable contribution to the Board of Mountain Province during a very challenging time for the Company, and wish him well in his future endeavors."
Mountain Province Diamonds is a 49% participant with De Beers Canada in the Gahcho Kué diamond mine located in Canada's Northwest Territories. The Gahcho Kué Joint Venture property consists of several kimberlites that are actively being mined, developed, and explored for future development. The Company also controls 107,373 hectares of highly prospective mineral claims and leases surrounding the Gahcho Kué Mine that include an Indicated mineral resource for the Kelvin kimberlite and Inferred mineral resources for the Faraday kimberlites. Kelvin is estimated to contain 13.62 million carats (Mct) in 8.50 million tonnes (Mt) at a grade of 1.60 carats/tonne and value of US$63/carat. Faraday 2 is estimated to contain 5.45Mct in 2.07Mt at a grade of 2.63 carats/tonne and value of US$140/ct. Faraday 1-3 is estimated to contain 1.90Mct in 1.87Mt at a grade of 1.04 carats/tonne and value of US$75/carat. All resource estimations are based on a 1mm diamond size bottom cut-off.
For further information on Mountain Province Diamonds and to receive news releases by email, visit the Company's website at www.mountainprovince.com.
This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian and United States securities laws concerning the business, operations and financial performance and condition of Mountain Province Diamonds Inc. Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to operational hazards, including possible disruption due to pandemic such as COVID-19, its impact on travel, self-isolation protocols and business and operations, estimated production and mine life of the project of Mountain Province; the realization of mineral reserve estimates; the timing and amount of estimated future production; costs of production; the future price of diamonds; the estimation of mineral reserves and resources; the ability to manage debt; capital expenditures; the ability to obtain permits for operations; liquidity; tax rates; and currency exchange rate fluctuations. Except for statements of historical fact relating to Mountain Province, certain information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "anticipates," "may," "can," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "projects," "targets," "intends," "likely," "will," "should," "to be", "potential" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may", "should" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are based on a number of assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of Mountain Province and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct.
Factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from results anticipated by such forward-looking statements include the development of operation hazards which could arise in relation to COVID-19, including, but not limited to protocols which may be adopted to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and any impact of such protocols on Mountain Province's business and operations, variations in ore grade or recovery rates, changes in market conditions, changes in project parameters, mine sequencing; production rates; cash flow; risks relating to the availability and timeliness of permitting and governmental approvals; supply of, and demand for, diamonds; fluctuating commodity prices and currency exchange rates, the possibility of project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry, failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated.
These factors are discussed in greater detail in Mountain Province's most recent Annual Information Form and in the most recent MD&A filed on SEDAR, which also provide additional general assumptions in connection with these statements. Mountain Province cautions that the foregoing list of important factors is not exhaustive. Investors and others who base themselves on forward-looking statements should carefully consider the above factors as well as the uncertainties they represent and the risk they entail. Mountain Province believes that the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release.
Although Mountain Province has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Mountain Province undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Statements concerning mineral reserve and resource estimates may also be deemed to constitute forward-looking statements to the extent they involve estimates of the mineralization that will be encountered as the property is developed. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability.
Further, Mountain Province may make changes to its business plans that could affect its results. The principal assets of Mountain Province are administered pursuant to a joint venture under which Mountain Province is not the operator. Mountain Province is exposed to actions taken or omissions made by the operator within its prerogative and/or determinations made by the joint venture under its terms. Such actions or omissions may impact the future performance of Mountain Province. Under its current note and revolving credit facilities Mountain Province is subject to certain limitations on its ability to pay dividends on common stock. The declaration of dividends is at the discretion of Mountain Province's Board of Directors, subject to the limitations under the Company's debt facilities, and will depend on Mountain Province's financial results, cash requirements, future prospects, and other factors deemed relevant by the Board.
View original content:
SOURCE Mountain Province Diamonds Inc. | 2022-05-20T22:52:31+00:00 | kcrg.com | https://www.kcrg.com/prnewswire/2022/05/20/mountain-province-diamonds-announces-changes-its-board-directors/ |
PHOENIX (AP) — Led by tough-talking Republican governors weighing presidential runs, Texas and Florida are debating especially strict legislation on border security as the GOP tests federal authority over immigration.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
The moves in the two GOP-controlled statehouses come against a backdrop of polarization in Congress that makes any national immigration legislation seem unlikely as President Joe Biden tries to drive down migrant arrivals at the border while eyeing his own reelection bid.
Republican proposals in Texas build on Gov. Greg Abbott’s $4 billion project Operation Lone Star, with its construction of more barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border and busing of migrants to Democratic-led cities, including Washington, D.C., and New York. Abbott's aides confirm he's considering running for president.
Operation Lone Star already has added more officers along Texas' border with Mexico to detain migrants who trespass on private property. Now, Texas lawmakers have proposed creating a new border police force that could deputize private citizens, as well as making it a state felony to enter the state without authorization, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
“Texas is taking historic action to secure the border and stop guns, drugs, and cartel gangs from assailing our state,” Abbott said in a tweet this week. “As President Biden abandons his constitutional duty, Texas continues to step up.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, considered Donald Trump's strongest possible GOP competitor so far in next year's presidential primary, has proposed making human smuggling in the state a felony punishable by up to five years in prison. Hospitals would be required to collect data on patients' immigration status and people in the U.S. illegally would be denied state government ID cards.
“Texas and Florida are places with politically ambitious governors who are hoping to use immigrants in the furtherance of their agendas,” said attorney Tanya Broder of the National Immigration Law Center, which promotes immigrant rights.
Despite the hardline rhetoric, Broder said advancements in immigrant rights have been quietly made in recent years.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
State-level organization has improved immigrants’ access to health care, higher education, professional licenses and driver’s licenses, according to a recent study Broder co-authored.
The study noted Colorado became the first state to enact an alternative to unemployment insurance for excluded workers. Arizona voters last year approved in-state tuition for all students who attended high school in the state, regardless of their immigration status.
Abbott and DeSantis blame Biden for a big increase last year in illegal crossings into the U.S. But a plunge this year in illegal crossing numbers could throw cold water on the GOP's attacks against Biden's handling of border issues. The sharp drop along the Southwest border followed the Biden administration's announcement of stricter immigration measures.
The U.S. Border Patrol said it encountered migrants 128,877 times trying to cross the border in February between the legal ports of entry, the lowest monthly number since February 2021. Agents detained migrants more than 2.5 million times at the southern border in 2022, including more than 250,000 in December, the highest on record.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
“Florida will not turn a blind eye to the dangers of Biden’s Border Crisis,” DeSantis said in a tweet last month announcing Florida’s legislation. “We are proposing additional steps to protect Floridians from these reckless federal policies, including mandatory E-Verify and prohibiting local government from issuing ID cards to illegal aliens.”
While Texas and Florida officials ballyhoo their border tightening efforts, no major immigration legislation has emerged this year in Arizona, where some of the nation's toughest laws targeting immigrants have been devised.
Arizona's “show me your papers” law, passed in 2010, required law enforcement officers to determine the immigration status of a person stopped or arrested if the officers suspected the person may be in the U.S. unlawfully, a practice detractors said encouraged racial profiling. Courts eventually struck down several of the law's provisions.
Arizona's Republican lawmakers are up against Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, who this year has vetoed a GOP-backed budget and a bill that bans teaching public schoolchildren subject matter its authors describe as “critical race theory.”
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
New Mexico, which also shares a border with Mexico, has since 2021 steadily removed barriers for migrants without legal status to access public benefits, student financial aid and licensure in credentialed professions.
After taking office in 2019, Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham withdrew the majority of National Guard troops her Republican predecessor sent to the border, denouncing a “charade of border fear-mongering.”
New Mexico's Legislature is also controlled by Democrats. Nevertheless, legislators this week rejected a proposal to bar state and local government agencies from contracting with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain immigrants as they seek asylum.
In North Carolina, Republican lawmakers last month launched a new attempt to require sheriffs to cooperate with federal immigration agents interested in picking up certain jail inmates believed to be in the U.S. unlawfully. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper twice vetoed earlier versions of the measure, but Republican majorities in the General Assembly have since increased.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
A similar Idaho effort so far has failed to make it beyond its legislative introduction.
Immigration-related legislation in other states includes:
— A Georgia bill that failed to advance that would give in-state college tuition to immigrant students who arrived in the U.S. as children and who are protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Bills are advancing that would ban companies and some people from certain foreign countries from buying farmland within 25 miles (40 kilometers) of any military base.
— A Colorado bill aimed at allowing immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children and are protected from deportation to own a firearm so they can become law-enforcement officers.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
____
Associated Press writers Acacia Coronado in Austin, Texas; Brendan Farrington in Tallahassee, Florida: Morgan Lee in Santa Fe, New Mexico; Gary D. Robertson in Raleigh, North Carolina; Jeff Amy in Atlanta; Jesse Bedayn in Denver; and Rebecca Boone in Boise, Idaho, contributed to this report. | 2023-03-17T14:20:42+00:00 | seattlepi.com | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/politics/article/texas-florida-push-border-laws-as-governors-eye-17845092.php |
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WIAT) — As the massacre in Charleston, South Carolina, began on June 17, 2015, Jennifer Pinckney did all she could to protect her daughter.
She said she locked the door to her husband’s office, where she and her daughter happened to be when the shots rang out. Then — together — the two hid under former South Carolina Sen. Clementa Pinckney’s desk.
Soon, they’d hear the shooter – a radicalized white supremacist – try to open the door to the office. Jennifer Pinckney called 911 for help. It wouldn’t end the bloodshed soon enough.
Nine people, including Rev. Pinckney, had been murdered, shot to death inside a church they viewed as a place of safety.
Now, Jennifer Pinckney is demanding accountability for the radicalization that she claims led to the Charleston massacre.
On behalf of her teenage daughter, Pinckney is suing Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, and Russian oligarch Yevgeniy Viktorovich Prigozhin over online misinformation and targeting that she said led to the deaths of her husband and eight others inside Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina in 2015.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court on Wednesday, alleges Facebook’s design is “defective and inherently dangerous” because it promotes extremist group content and weaponizes it against users. It goes on to claim that people like Russian oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin then exploited Facebook’s flawed design, using it to radicalize and sow division among Americans. That process of weaponization and radicalization, the lawsuit stated, led to the Charleston massacre.
“Jennifer Pinckney and her teenage daughter bring this action to obtain some degree of justice from these Defendants and to reassure all African Americans living in the United States that they are entitled to the constitutional protections afforded to all of our citizens regardless of race, religion, or ethnicity,” the lawsuit stated.
The radicalization of Dylann Roof, the white supremacist convicted of the Charleston murders, didn’t start with his family, Pinckney’s lawsuit claims.
“Rather, research shows that Roof was radicalized online by white supremacist propaganda that was directed to him by the Defendants,” the suit said.
Over and over again, the suit claims, Roof was subjected to propaganda that taught him “how to hate.”
“By design, Roof was shown so much white supremacist propaganda that he believed the heinous act he ultimately committed at Mother Emanuel was necessary to spark a race war and save the white race,” the suit said. “Roof’s online radicalization led directly to unspeakable offline violence. And it was all entirely foreseeable to Defendants.”
The radicalization of Roof and others like him was no accident, according to Pinckney, but was a targeted attempt by foreign actors, including Yevgeny Prigozhin and his Internet Research Agency, to carry out “a clandestine operation to incite racial hate and racial violence in the United States.”
The Russian defendants were helped in their effort by Facebook’s defective products, the suit claims.
“Their weapon of choice was social media infiltration and exploitation, and their strategy was very successful because of a social media industry led by Meta, which had complete disregard for the health and safety of its users,” according to Pinckney’s complaint.
Pinckney’s lawsuit alleges product defects, negligence, infliction of emotional distress, and that the defendants were engaged in a civil conspiracy in violation of the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871.
“The repercussions of this attack on the social fabric of the United States were dramatic and have caused unimaginable pain and suffering,” the suit said.
Pinckney has asked the court to award both compensatory and punitive damages in the case.
CBS 42 reached out to Meta for comment but has not yet heard back. | 2022-11-04T03:18:53+00:00 | siouxlandproud.com | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/national-news/widow-of-slain-sc-senator-sues-facebook-russian-oligarch-says-online-radicalization-led-to-charleston-massacre/ |
The section of Main Street that had been closed since the 4-alarm fire that claimed the life of Buffalo Firefighter Jason Arno reopened to traffic Thursday.
The block of Main between Tupper and Goodell streets had been closed during the investigation of the fire and demolition work that followed.
A section of the sidewalk and one of the parking lanes in front of 745 Main Street remains fenced off, Buffalo police spokesman Michael J. DeGeorge said.
Washington Street from Tupper to Goodell remains closed to traffic, DeGeorge said.
Businesses in the area are open as demolition continues. | 2023-03-30T20:11:47+00:00 | buffalonews.com | https://buffalonews.com/news/local/main-street-reopens-near-scene-of-fire-that-killed-buffalo-firefighter/article_835f5b2a-cf2e-11ed-8b1f-7fc47f2a7da8.html |
HOUSTON, Sept. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
WHAT
9/11 Remembrance Ceremony
Presented by One Body Networking Inc. in partnership with NAACP Houston Branch
WHEN
Saturday, September 10, 2022 from 9 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.
WHERE
Young Women's College Preparatory Academy, 1906 Cleburne Street, Houston, TX 77004
WHO
- Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner
- U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, 18th District
- U. S. Congressman Al Green, 9th District
- HISD Superintendent Millard House
- Houston Councilwoman Dr. Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, District D
- Metro Police Chief Vera Bumpers
- Assistant HFD Chief Rodney West
- NAACP President Bishop James Dixon
- Janice Weaver, President & Founder, One Body Networking, Inc.
- Students, community leaders, and guests
VISUAL OPPORTUNITIES
Salute to First Responders
Blood Donors Giving Blood
Scholarship Presentation
Live Musical Vocalist Performances
One Body Networking Inc. is 501(c)3 non-profit organization that has built around paying it forward by hosting blood drives. The successful first annual blood drive was held at the Texas Woman Empowerment Center. Since then, One Body Networking, Inc. has continued hosting its official blood drive tour throughout Houston with various non-profit and educational institutions. Our motto is, "It's in your blood to save a life. We are many members, but One Body." For more information, visit https://onebodynetworking.org.
The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Houston Branch is to ensure the political, educational, housing, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination. The Houston Branch is committed to advocating and serving our most vulnerable communities, who experiencing the brunt of food and health insecurities, during this COVID-19 Pandemic. For more information, visit https://naacphouston.org.
View original content:
SOURCE One Body Networking, Inc. | 2022-09-09T18:04:22+00:00 | live5news.com | https://www.live5news.com/prnewswire/2022/09/09/remembering-911-with-blood-drive-save-lives/ |
Ukraine’s leader calls liberation of Kherson ‘beginning of the end’
KHERSON, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a triumphant visit to the newly liberated city of Kherson on Monday, hailing the Russian withdrawal as the “beginning of the end of the war” but also acknowledging the heavy price Ukrainian soldiers are paying in their grinding effort to push back the invading force.
The retaking of Kherson was one of Ukraine’s biggest successes in nearly nine months since the invasion. It served another stinging blow to the Kremlin and could become a springboard for further advances into occupied territory.
Zelenskyy walked the streets of the city Monday, just hours after warning in his nightly video address of booby traps and mines left behind by the Russians before their retreat.
“This is the beginning of the end of the war,” he said. “We are step by step coming to all the temporarily occupied territories.”
The end of Russia’s occupation of the city has sparked days of celebration — but also exposed a humanitarian emergency, with residents living without power and water and short of food and medicines. Russia still controls about 70% of the wider Kherson region.
Zelenskyy has previously appeared unexpectedly in other front-line areas at crucial junctures of the war and his latest visit was both laden with symbolism and the common touch — clearly aimed at boosting the morale of both soldiers and civilians alike.
In video published by a presidential aide, a visibly moved Zelenskyy stood with his right hand on his heart and sang the national anthem, as troops saluted and stood to attention and soldier steadily hauled the yellow-and-blue Ukrainian flag up a flagpole.
Other footage showed Zelenskyy waving to residents who saluted him from an apartment window and yelled: “Glory to Ukraine!” The reply — “Glory to the heroes!” — came back from Zelenskyy’s group, made up of soldiers and others.
The president also distributed medals to Ukrainian soldiers in a central square and posed for selfies with them.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday refused to comment on Zelenskyy’s visit to Kherson, saying only that “you know that it is the territory of the Russian Federation.” The Kremlin illegally annexed the Kherson region and three others earlier this year.
After the Russian retreat, Ukrainian authorities say they are finding evidence of torture and other atrocities.
In his nightly video address on Sunday, Zelenskyy said without giving details that “investigators have already documented more than 400 Russian war crimes, and the bodies of both civilians and military personnel have been found.”
“In the Kherson region, the Russian army left behind the same atrocities as in other regions of our country,” he said. “We will find and bring to justice every murderer. Without a doubt.”
Residents said departing Russian troops plundered the city, carting away loot as they withdrew last week. They also wrecked key infrastructure before retreating across the wide Dnieper River to its east bank.
One Ukrainian official described the situation in Kherson as “a humanitarian catastrophe.”
Reconnecting the electricity supply is the priority, with gas supplies already assured, Kherson regional governor Yaroslav Yanushevych said.
The Russian pullout marked a triumphant milestone in Ukraine’s pushback against Moscow’s invasion almost nine months ago. In the past two months, Ukraine’s military claimed to have retaken dozens of towns and villages north of the city of Kherson.
___
John Leicester in Kyiv, and Hanna Arhirova in Odesa, contributed to this report.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2022-11-14T12:14:49+00:00 | live5news.com | https://www.live5news.com/2022/11/14/ukraines-leader-calls-liberation-kherson-beginning-end/ |
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — A car crash sent a sedan from a side street through a barrier and onto a precarious ledge on the side of an interstate in Richmond, Virginia, on Sunday afternoon.
Virginia State Police said officers attempted to stop a 2018 Acura MDX sedan in the area of St. James Street and W. Baker Street in around 4:30 p.m.
According to police, the driver of the car quickly accelerated, lost control, overcorrected and went through a fence. The car then rolled onto the shoulder of northbound I-95.
The driver, an 18-year-old woman from Richmond, was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. State police said she will be charged with felony eluding a police officer and unauthorized use of a vehicle.
There were two additional teenagers inside the vehicle at the time of the crash who were uninjured. State police said the crash remains under investigation. | 2022-09-05T17:56:32+00:00 | wdtn.com | https://www.wdtn.com/news/u-s-world/woman-charged-after-car-crashes-nearly-falls-onto-interstate/ |
What we know so far on the leaked Pentagon documents
It’s been less than a week since news of highly classified military documents on the Ukraine war surfaced, sending the Pentagon into full-speed damage control to assure allies and assess the scope of the leak.
The information on scores of slides has publicized potential vulnerabilities in Ukraine's air defense capabilities and exposed private assessments by allies on an array of intelligence matters, raising questions about whether the leak will erode allies' trust in sharing information with the U.S. or impact Ukraine's plans to intensify the fight against Russia this spring.
Overall, the leaked documents present a "very serious risk to national security," a top Pentagon spokesman told reporters Monday.
This is a look at what the documents are, what is known about how they surfaced, and their potential impact.
What are they?
The classified documents — which have not been individually authenticated by U.S. officials — range from briefing slides mapping out Ukrainian military positions to assessments of international support for Ukraine and other sensitive topics, including under what circumstances Russian President Vladimir Putin might use nuclear weapons.
There's no clear answer on how many documents were leaked. The Associated Press has viewed approximately 50 documents; some estimates put the total number in the hundreds.
Where did they come from?
No one knows for sure, not even the Pentagon chief.
“They were somewhere in the web, and where exactly, and who had access at that point, we don’t know. We simply don’t know,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said at a press conference Tuesday. “We will continue to investigate and turn over every rock until we find the source of this and the extent of it.”
It's possible the leak may have started on a site called Discord.
Discord is a social media platform popular with people playing online games. The Discord site hosts real-time voice, video and text chats for groups and describes itself as a place “where you can belong to a school club, a gaming group, or a worldwide art community."
In one of those forums, originally created to talk about a range of topics, members would debate the war in Ukraine. According to one member of the chat, an unidentified poster shared documents that the poster claimed were classified, first typing them out with the poster’s own thoughts, then, as of a few months ago, uploading images of folded papers.
The person who said he was a member of the forum told The Associated Press that another person, identified online only as “Lucca,” shared the documents in a different Discord chat. From there, they appear to have been spread until they were picked up by the media.
Many details of the story can't be immediately verified. And top U.S. officials acknowledge publicly that they're still trying to find answers.
What's been revealed
The leaks have highlighted how closely the U.S. monitors how its allies and friends interact with Russia and China. Officials in several countries have denied or rejected allegations from the leaked records.
The AP has reported on U.S. intelligence picking up claims from Russian operatives that they were building a closer relationship with the United Arab Emirates, the oil-rich Middle Eastern nation that hosts important American military installations. The UAE rejected the allegations, calling them “categorically false.”
The Washington Post reported Monday that Egypt's president ordered subordinates to secretly prepare to ship up to 40,000 rockets to Russia as it wages war in Ukraine. A spokesman for the Egyptian foreign ministry said Egypt was maintaining “noninvolvement in this crisis and committing to maintain equal distance with both sides.”
Other leaks have concerned allegations that South Korean leaders were hesitant to ship artillery shells to Ukraine and that Israel's Mossad spy service opposed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's proposed overhaul of the judiciary.
Funded at $90 billion annually, the U.S. intelligence agencies have sweeping powers to tap electronic communications, run spies and monitor with satellites. The results of those powers are rarely seen in public, even in limited form.
U.S. response
The Pentagon has begun an internal review to assess the leak's impact on national security. The review is being led by Milancy D. Harris, the deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence and security, a defense official said in a statement to AP. The team includes representatives from the offices of legislative affairs, public affairs, policy, legal counsel and the joint staff, the official said.
The Pentagon was also quickly taking steps to reduce the number of people who have access to briefings, a second defense official said. Both officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters. Pentagon officials are also closely monitoring where the leaked slides are “being posted and amplified,” said Chris Meagher, assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs.
Separately, the Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into how the slides were obtained and leaked.
CIA Director William Burns on Tuesday called the leak “deeply unfortunate.”
“It’s something that the U.S. government takes extremely seriously," he said in remarks at Rice University. “The Pentagon and the Department of Justice have now launched a quite intense investigation to get to the bottom of this.”
What's the impact?
Senior military leaders have been contacting allies to address the fallout. That includes calls “at a high level to reassure them of our commitment to safeguarding intelligence and fidelity to our security partnerships. Those conversations began over the weekend and are ongoing,” Meagher said.
U.S. officials are likely to face more questions when they travel to Germany next week for the next contact group meeting, where representatives of more than 50 nations gather to coordinate weapons and aid support for Ukraine. But the document leak is not expected to affect that meeting or allies' willingness to continue to provide military assistance to Ukraine, a senior defense official told The Associated Press, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.
“I think a lot of the allies will probably be more curious about why it happened," said Chris Skaluba, director of the Atlantic Council's transatlantic security initiative. Given the high-level security clearance needed to access the information in the first place, the leak raises questions as to who “would have that much of an agenda to put it out there,” and whether the intent was to undermine support for Ukraine, Skaluba said.
Austin on Tuesday contacted his South Korean counterpart, Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup, to discuss the leaked documents, several of which were particularly sensitive to Seoul because they described U.S. surveillance of its ally and detailed South Korean reservations about providing munitions directly to Ukraine.
The two defense chiefs agreed that a “considerable number” of the leaked documents were fabricated, Kim Tae-hyo, a deputy national security director, told reporters. He said the alliance between the two countries wouldn't be affected by the leak and South Korea would seek to further strengthen cooperation with the United States.
And both Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken reached out to their counterparts in Ukraine. Austin suggested Tuesday the leaks would not have much of an impact on Ukraine's plans for a spring offensive.
Ukraine’s strategy will "not be driven by a specific plan. They have a great plan to start and but only President Zelenskyy and his leadership really know the full details of that plan,” Austin said.
For other sensitive issues highlighted in the leaked slides, such as Ukraine's shortage of air defense munitions, the shortage itself has been known and is one of the reasons U.S. military leaders have been pressing allies to supply whatever systems they can, such as the Iris-T systems pledged from Germany and the U.S.-manufactured Hawk air defense systems provided by Spain.
“Publicizing an apparent shortage of anti-aircraft missiles may give comfort to Russia. But if it energizes Ukraine’s partners to accelerate delivery of missiles and other air defense capabilities, Kyiv will be grateful. The bigger ‘known unknown’ is the extent to which these leaks influence U.S. political support for Ukraine,” said Ben Barry, senior fellow for land warfare at the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies. | 2023-04-12T18:05:17+00:00 | wisn.com | https://www.wisn.com/article/what-we-know-so-far-on-the-leaked-pentagon-documents/43578203 |
COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) was included in Forbes magazine's America's Best Employers for Women 2022 list for the third consecutive year.
The list was compiled based on an independent survey of 50,000 U.S. employees, including 30,000 women, working for companies with at least 1,000 employees. Participants were asked to rate their employer based on working conditions, salary and wage, diversity and likelihood to recommend their employer to others. These responses were then reviewed for potential gender gaps, which were then reflected in the company's score. Female respondents were then asked to rate their organization based on parental leave, family support, discrimination and pay equity. Respondents were also asked to rank their employer based on the share of women in executive roles and nominate other companies based on their diversity efforts. The 400 companies that received the highest total scores were named to the list.
"AEP prides itself on attracting and retaining a talented, diverse workforce representative of the communities we serve," said Nicholas K. Akins, AEP chairman, president and chief executive officer. "This award showcases our dedication to building an inclusive, supportive company culture, and we'll continue to develop programs to support our female colleagues."
Learn more about AEP's strategy to build the workforce of the future.
American Electric Power, based in Columbus, Ohio, is powering a cleaner, brighter energy future for its customers and communities. AEP's approximately 16,700 employees operate and maintain the nation's largest electricity transmission system and more than 224,000 miles of distribution lines to safely deliver reliable and affordable power to 5.5 million regulated customers in 11 states. AEP also is one of the nation's largest electricity producers with approximately 31,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including more than 7,100 megawatts of renewable energy. The company's plans include growing its renewable generation portfolio to approximately 50% of total capacity by 2030. AEP is on track to reach an 80% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from 2000 levels by 2030 and has committed to achieving net zero by 2050. AEP is recognized consistently for its focus on sustainability, community engagement, and diversity, equity and inclusion. AEP's family of companies includes utilities AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana, east Texas and the Texas Panhandle). AEP also owns AEP Energy, which provides innovative competitive energy solutions nationwide. For more information, visit aep.com.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE American Electric Power | 2022-07-26T17:02:55+00:00 | kalb.com | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2022/07/26/aep-recognized-one-americas-best-employers-women/ |
UK's top food watchdog: Bringing cake to the office is similar to secondhand smoke
The chair of the United Kingdom's Food Standards Agency suggested this week that bringing cake into an office is similar to putting colleagues at risk with passive smoking.
"We all like to think we’re rational, intelligent, educated people who make informed choices the whole time and we undervalue the impact of the environment," Professor Susan Jebb, Britain’s top food watchdog, said in a personal capacity, according to The Times. "If nobody brought in cakes into the office, I would not eat cakes in the day, but because people do bring cakes in, I eat them. Now, OK, I have made a choice, but people were making a choice to go into a smoky pub."
U.S. CIGARETTE COMPANIES REQUIRED TO DISPLAY SMOKING RISKS IN STORES
Jebb, the professor of diet and population health at the University of Oxford and a member of The Times Health Commission, said that the two issues were not exactly the same, but argued that passive smoking put others at risk "and exactly the same is true of food." The Times Health Commission is a year-long inquiry into the NHS and social care in England.
(Photo: Zhang Rong / iStock via Getty Images)
"With smoking, after a very long time, we have got to a place where we understand that individuals have to make some effort but that we can make their efforts more successful by having a supportive environment," she said. "But we still don’t feel like that about food."
TRUST YOUR GUT WHEN IT COMES TO SUGAR, STUDY SAYS
Jebb added that the advertising of junk food is "undermining people’s free will," and criticized the delay of a junk food advertising ban. Health Secretary Steve Barclay pushed the advertising ban to 2025.
Several people blasted or mocked Jebb's comparison. On Britain's "This Morning," TV personality Vanessa Feltz poked fun at Jebbs' suggestion and offered a few "wise words."
NEW TIKTOK CRAZE ‘THE LION DIET’ HAS TIKTOKERS EATING SALT, MEAT, WATER AND NOTHING ELSE
"Where's the joy in life?" Feltz asked Wednesday. "Someone bring the cake, and it's so great because it can't have any calories if you didn't bring it in yourself."
"Just had to tell the office I will not be making brownies for the foreseeable future. I think I may have upset them all," BBC's Georgina Barnes wrote, making light of the comparison.
Others accused Jebb of sapping the last bit of "joy" from offices.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is not going to ban workers from bringing sweets into their offices, Downing Street said in response to Jebb's controversial comments.
"The Prime Minister believes that personal choice should be baked into our approach," Sunak's official spokesman said, according to the Evening Standard. "We want to encourage healthy lifestyles and are taking action to tackle obesity. However, the way to deal with this issue is not to stop people from occasionally bringing in treats." | 2023-01-20T21:42:28+00:00 | fox29.com | https://www.fox29.com/news/susan-jebb-uk-cake-in-office-secondhand-smoke |
NEW YORK, April 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --
WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of Trinseo PLC (NYSE: TSE) resulting from allegations that Trinseo may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public.
SO WHAT: If you purchased Trinseo securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses.
WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=13711 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.
WHAT IS THIS ABOUT: On March 27, 2023, The Inquirer published an article entitled "Bristol plant that spilled chemicals into Philly's water supply had other mishaps over the last decade." The article reported "a chemical plant in Bristol that authorities said caused a toxic spill, threatening Philadelphia's drinking water, has a long history of mishaps – including at least four recent contamination incidents." In addition, the article stated "over the past decade, the U.S. Coast Guard twice before detected releases of acrylates [commonly used to produce glass-like acrylics] from the Bristol facility into the Delaware. The EPA had separately flagged two other acrylate releases." The article cites, "David Salas-de la Cruz, a Rutgers University associate professor of chemistry, worked at the Bristol plant during its Rohm and Haas days. He said the number of incidents over the past decade was unusual."
On this news, the price of Trinseo's stock fell $1.09, or 5.26%, to close at $19.62 per share on March 27, 2023.
WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.
Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Contact Information:
Laurence Rosen, Esq.
Phillip Kim, Esq.
The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-1060
Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
Fax: (212) 202-3827
lrosen@rosenlegal.com
pkim@rosenlegal.com
cases@rosenlegal.com
www.rosenlegal.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A. | 2023-04-17T01:19:56+00:00 | wymt.com | https://www.wymt.com/prnewswire/2023/04/16/rosen-respected-leading-firm-encourages-trinseo-plc-investors-inquire-about-securities-class-action-investigation-tse/ |
MIAMI (WSVN) - Nearly two dozen people, including children, have been left without a home after a fire broke out in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood.
The flames destroyed seven units inside a two-story house near Southwest 13th Avenue and Sixth Street, Saturday afternoon.
A resident who identified himself as German said he saw smoke and flames coming from the roof.
German said he was able to save some important documents, but his belongings are gone.
“I go into my apartment, it’s a complete disaster,” he said. “All my clothes are burned a little bit, but nothing I can claim back.”
Volunteers with the American Red Cross are helping the 20 people who lived there.
“I hope everybody’s OK, because no one got hurt, and I hope we find a new place,” said German.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Copyright 2023 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | 2023-05-01T04:18:28+00:00 | wsvn.com | https://wsvn.com/news/local/miami-dade/20-displaced-after-fire-sparks-at-2-story-house-in-little-havana/ |
Pope’s envoy is joyfully welcomed by faithful in South Sudan
By DENG MACHOL
Associated Press
JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — Hundreds of people braved a scorching sun Tuesday to welcome Pope Francis’ envoy to South Sudan’s capital, Juba, where many were disappointed last month when the pontiff canceled a trip to this East African country. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, was received by religious leaders, government officials, and residents who sang and danced upon his arrival. Francis had sought to promote peace in South Sudan and Congo — two African countries long wrestling with deadly violence — before he canceled the trip. His envoy, Parolin, this week will visit a remote camp for internally displaced people. He also will meet with South Sudan President Salva Kiir, Vice President Riek Machar and U.N. officials in the country. | 2022-07-05T20:53:11+00:00 | keyt.com | https://keyt.com/news/2022/07/05/popes-envoy-is-joyfully-welcomed-by-faithful-in-south-sudan/ |
BENICIA, Calif. — Han Solo may be a hunk. But "Pan Solo" is a hunk of bread.
That's what a bakery in the San Francisco Bay Area has dubbed its 6-foot bread sculpture of the Star Wars character as he appeared after being frozen in carbonite in The Empire Strikes Back.
Hannalee Pervan and her mother, Catherine Pervan, co-owners of One House Bakery in Benicia, Calif., spent weeks molding, baking and assembling the life-sized sculpture using wood and two types of dough, including a type of yeastless dough with a higher sugar content that will last longer.
The two worked at night, after the day's business was done. The lovingly crafted details show Han Solo's anguished face and his hands straining to reach out.
Hannalee said she might have gotten a bit obsessed.
"Mom made me leave it because I was obsessing over the lips," Hannalee Pervan told the New York Times. "She was like, 'You need to walk away.' "
Creating Pan Solo was particularly meaningful, she told the paper, because she contracted COVID-19 in January 2021 and lost much of her senses of smell and taste.
"So just to find joy in a different part of food is really important," she said.
The sculpture is now on display outside of the bakery, located about a half-hour's drive north of San Francisco.
Pan Solo is the bakery's entry in the annual Downtown Benicia Main Street Scarecrow Contest. The public will get to vote on their favorites from among more than two dozen creations entered by local businesses.
The Pervans, who are big science-fiction and fantasy fans, entered another Star Wars-themed creation in 2020 featuring the Mandalorian and Baby Yoda.
Unfortunately, Pan Solo won't last forever. The dough eventually will be composted, not eaten.
So as a wise Jedi might warn: Don't use the forks, Luke.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2022-10-17T16:58:00+00:00 | kgou.org | https://www.kgou.org/arts-and-entertainment/arts-and-entertainment/2022-10-17/2-california-bakers-create-a-life-size-han-solo-out-of-bread |
(The Hill) — Britney Spears’s memoir now has a release date, with the pop star’s publisher calling “The Woman in Me” a “groundbreaking book.”
The “Toxic” singer’s book will hit shelves on Oct. 24, Simon & Schuster’s Gallery Books announced Tuesday. The news was first reported by People magazine.
The cover art for the memoir showed a black-and-white image of Spears embracing herself as she poses topless.
The book is poised to be published nearly two years after a Los Angeles court ended her conservatorship. The 41-year-old Grammy Award winner had blasted the 13-year legal arrangement as “abusive” in scathing court testimony, drawing national attention to conservatorships and leading to congressional hearings on the topic.
“In June 2021, the whole world was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court,” a promotional page from Gallery Books said. “The impact of sharing her voice — her truth — was undeniable, and it changed the course of her life and the lives of countless others,” said a message on the pre-order website, promising that the book will reveal “for the first time [Spears’s] incredible journey — and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history.”
“Written with remarkable candor and humor, Spears’s groundbreaking book illuminates the enduring power of music and love — and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms, at last,” according to the publisher.
Spears posted a video teasing the memoir on her Instagram page on Tuesday, writing, “It’s coming… My story. On my terms. At last.” | 2023-07-11T18:45:57+00:00 | pix11.com | https://pix11.com/news/us-world-news/britney-spears-memoir-the-woman-in-me-to-hit-shelves-in-october/ |
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — For the first time, the family of the 6-year-old accused of shooting his first-grade teacher at an elementary school in Virginia has issued a statement.
A spokesperson for local attorney James Ellenson confirmed to Nexstar’s WAVY the legitimacy of a letter written on behalf of the 6-year-old’s family. She also confirmed that Ellenson is currently representing the family.
In the letter, the family began the statement by saying that they are praying for the healing of Abby Zwerner, the teacher who was shot on Jan. 6 at Richneck Elementary in Newport News.
“She has worked diligently and compassionately to support our family as we sought the best education and learning environment for our son,” said the family. “We thank her for her courage, grace and sacrifice.”
WAVY reached out to Newport News Police about the letter Thursday. A spokesperson replied, “Unfortunately we are not able to verify whether this statement came from the child’s family.”
In the letter, the family stated that they have been cooperating with local and federal law enforcement. Additionally, the family says that the firearm the 6-year-old accessed was secured.
“Our family has always been committed to responsible gun ownership and keeping firearms out of the reach of children,” reads an excerpt from the letter.
Days after the shooting, Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew confirmed the gun was legally purchased by the child’s mother, but he did not provide details on how the student ended up with the gun at school. The family’s letter does not elaborate further.
The commonwealth’s attorney’s office will determine if the child’s mother will face charges, Chief Drew added.
At this time, no one has been charged.
Per the family’s letter, the student is currently under hospital care and “receiving the treatment he needs.” The family stated that the 6-year-old suffers from an “acute disability and was under a care plan at the school that included his mother or father attending school with him and accompanying him to class every day.”
On the week of the shooting, the family stated that it was the first week they were not with the child.
Richneck Elementary has been closed for nearly two weeks following the shooting.
Zwerner has since been hailed a hero by Newport News police after officials say she made sure her students were out of the classroom even after suffering a gunshot wound.
Zwerner’s twin sister has set up a GoFundMe account to help with her recovery.
The family’s full statement can be viewed below:
Our heart goes out to our son’s teacher and we pray for her healing in the aftermath of such an unimaginable tragedy as she selflessly served our son and the children in the school. She has worked diligently and compassionately to support our family as we sought the best education and learning environment for our son. We thank her for her courage, grace and sacrifice. We grieve alongside all of the other teachers, families and administrators for how this horrific incident has impacted them, our community, and the nation.
We have been cooperating with local and federal law enforcement to understand how this could have happened. We have found there are no easy answers or simple explanations, but we would like to share additional facts previously unknown to the public in hopes that they may ease the dissonance we are all grappling with and prevent something like this from happening again.
Our family has always been committed to responsible gun ownership and keeping firearms out of the reach of children. The firearm our son accessed was secured.
While our son’s privacy interests are important, transparency in this matter is a valid community interest. Our son suffers from an acute disability and was under a care plan at the school that included his mother or father attending school with him and accompanying him to class every day. Additionally, our son has benefitted from an extensive community of care that also includes his grandparents working alongside us and other caregivers to ensure his needs and accommodations are met. The week of the shooting was the first week when we were not in class with him. We will regret our absence on this day for the rest of our lives.
Since this incident, our son has been under hospital care and receiving the treatment he needs. We thank our son’s medical treatment team as well as our family, friends, and all others who have offered support during this difficult time. We continue to pray for his teacher’s full recovery, and for her loved ones who are undoubtedly upset and concerned. At the same time, we love our son and are asking that you please include him and our family in your prayers. | 2023-01-20T04:30:29+00:00 | wnct.com | https://www.wnct.com/news/southeast-region/family-of-6-year-old-who-shot-teacher-at-virginia-school-issues-statement/ |
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida man accused of burglary found himself in an “itchy situation” after authorities said he tried to hide from deputies by burying himself under a pile of insulation.
According to a Facebook post from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called to a home burglary in progress in North Fort Myers on Sunday.
There, deputies learned that a man entered the home but never left. As deputies searched the home, they heard footsteps coming from the attic. Near the attic access, deputies said they found a five-gallon bucket and insulation debris that had fallen to the floor.
After several failed attempts to order the man down, deputies used non-lethal gas to force him out.
“However, the suspect made a rash decision and refused to come down,” the sheriff’s office said in the post.
When that didn’t work, a K-9 unit was sent into the attic where deputies found the man, identified as 44-year-old Bruce Davis, buried in a pile of insulation. Deputies said Davis’ face was against an air duct system so he could breathe fresh air.
A search of the house revealed a broken window, appliances in use, and tools scattered throughout. Davis was charged with burglary and resisting an officer and booked into the Lee County Jail.
Deputies said Davis has a lengthy criminal history which includes theft, and multiple drug charges. | 2023-03-29T23:33:22+00:00 | ksn.com | https://www.ksn.com/news/national-world/florida-man-hides-from-deputies-in-insulation-pile-authorities/ |
Have you ever judged yourself for making a mistake? Do you beat yourself up over things you regret? Has your inner critic told you that you are not smart enough, good looking enough or successful enough?
It’s a bad habit to judge yourself and your shortcomings. Self-judgment leads to negative emotions such as frustration, anger, shame, envy and stress. That is why cultivating self-empathy is so important.
Self-empathy helps you shift your mindset to positive emotions such as grace, compassion, optimism, forgiveness and resiliency. All of these help you better navigate the ups and downs of life.
Here are the steps to embrace self-empathy in your life:
- Become more self-aware regarding when you are judging yourself. You can’t intercept thoughts that you are not aware of so this is an important step. An easy way to do this in the beginning is to track the number of times you judge yourself on a piece of paper. You will be amazed at how often you are critical of yourself.
- Deliberately intercept the judging thought by taking a few breaths. This allows you to pause and disrupt the habitual pattern of your judgmental messaging.
- Replace the judgment with empathetic discernment. Discernment is the fact of the situation without the negative spin. For example, if you made a mistake, when you judge yourself, your messaging may be “What’s wrong with me?” or “How can I be so stupid?” Empathetic discernment would say “I made a mistake and I will be able to fix it.” or “I made a mistake and I will learn from it.”
While this seems like a simple approach, it takes consistent practice. It becomes freeing when you use self-empathy to control your mind versus your judging thoughts controlling you.
Pam Solberg-Tapper is a professional certified coach, business consultant and professional speaker based in Duluth. Contact her at
pam@coachforsuccess.com
or 218-340-3330.
ADVERTISEMENT | 2023-01-10T18:53:15+00:00 | duluthnewstribune.com | https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/business/on-leadership-a-little-self-empathy-goes-long-way-for-leaders |
HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) – July 4th festivities in Holyoke will take place at Holyoke Community College on Friday.
The community is invited to enjoy entertainment, food, vendors, and activities for children beginning at 6 p.m. with the fireworks display at dusk.
Several cities and towns will be celebrating the Fourth of July with fireworks, 22News has compiled a list of local displays. All events are tentative based on weather. It’s best to check with your town or local police department to see if events will still be held if it rains.
Friday, June 24
- Holyoke – HCC: 9:15 p.m.
- Whately – Celebrate 250 years: 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 25
- Chicopee – Szot Park: 930 p.m.
- Easthampton – Thunder in the Valley festival 95 Park Hill Rd at 9:30 p.m.
- Florence – Look Park: 9:15/9:30 p.m.
- Monson – Quarry Hill School: 9:15 p.m.
- Ware: Grenville Park: 9:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 26
- Westfield – South Middle School Field
Friday, July 1
- Amherst – Behind UMass at McGuirk Field: 9 p.m.
- Dalton – Carnival at American Legion: 9:30p.m.
- Greenfield – located at Beacon Field: 9:35 p.m.
Saturday, July 2
- Agawam – Six Flags New England: 9:15 p.m.
- Dalton – Carnival at American Legion: 9:30p.m.
- South Hadley – Michael E. Smith Middle School: 9:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 3
- Agawam – Six Flags New England: 9:15 p.m.
- East Longmeadow – located at the High School: 9:30 p.m.
Monday, July 4
- Agawam – Six Flags New England: 9:15 p.m.
- North Adams – Joe Wolfe Field: 9:30 p.m.
- Springfield – Star Spangled Springfield at Riverfront Park: 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 9
- Otis – Tolland State Forest Beach
Sunday, July 10
- Enfield – Taste of Enfield: 9:45 p.m.
To add a fireworks event to our list, email reportit@wwlp.com. | 2022-06-24T09:33:05+00:00 | wwlp.com | https://www.wwlp.com/news/local-news/holyoke-fireworks-event-with-music-food-and-vendors-begin-at-6pm-friday/ |
DENVER, Dec. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TTEC Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTEC), one of the largest, global customer experience (CX) technology and services innovators for end-to-end digital CX solutions, today announced that VoiceFoundry, a TTEC Digital company, has achieved the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Conversational Artificial Intelligence (AI) Competency. This designation recognizes VoiceFoundry for its expertise in developing high quality, highly effective chatbot, virtual assistant, and interactive voice response (IVR) solutions.
The demand for conversational AI interfaces continues to grow as users prefer to interact with businesses on digital channels. Organizations of all sizes are developing chatbots, voice assistants, and IVR solutions to increase customer satisfaction, reduce operational costs, and streamline business processes.
Achieving the AWS Conversational AI Competency differentiates VoiceFoundry as an AWS Partner Network (APN) member with significant domain expertise in deploying high quality, highly effective conversational-AI solutions to improve customer experiences. Attaining the AWS Conversational AI Competency, demonstrates to our customers that VoiceFoundry has validated expertise in Conversational AI on AWS.
"VoiceFoundry is proud to achieve the AWS Conversational AI Competency," said Cliff Wiser, Vice President of Sales Engineering at VoiceFoundry. "Redefining customer experience through automation and innovations like chatbots enables our clients to reduce workforce overhead and streamline operations. Our business is growing rapidly in this area, as organizations look to our expertise across the customer experience journey."
AWS is enabling scalable, flexible, and cost-effective solutions from startups to global enterprises. To support the seamless integration and deployment of these solutions, AWS established the AWS Competency Program to help customers identify AWS Partners with deep industry experience and expertise.
With a legacy of over 40 years in the contact center environment, VoiceFoundry's expertise is focused on Amazon Connect. Informed by over 400 client engagements, VoiceFoundry's, Automated Chatbot implementation results in a fully customizable bot that automates, streamlines, and helps improve the chat experience for customers and agents. By replacing time-consuming manual chat processes with automated chatbots, the solution provides a fast and easy means of communication for both internal work groups and external customers.
About TTEC
TTEC Holdings, Inc.(NASDAQ:TTEC) is one of the largest global CX (customer experience) technology and services innovators for end-to-end, digital CX solutions. The Company delivers leading CX technology and operational CX orchestration at scale through its proprietary cloud-based CXaaS (Customer Experience as a Service) platform. Serving iconic and disruptive brands, TTEC's outcome-based solutions span the entire enterprise, touch every virtual interaction channel, and improve each step the customer journey. Leveraging next-gen digital and cognitive technology, the Company's Digital business designs, builds, and operates omnichannel contact center technology, conversational messaging, CRM, automation (AI / ML and RPA), and analytics solutions. The Company's Engage business delivers digital customer engagement, customer acquisition & growth, content moderation, fraud prevention, and data annotation solutions. Founded in 1982, the Company's singular obsession with CX excellence has earned it leading client NPS scores across the globe. The Company's nearly 62,000 employees operate on six continents and bring technology and humanity together to deliver happy customers and differentiated business results. To learn more, visit us at www.ttec.com.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE TTEC Holdings, Inc. | 2022-12-01T14:20:18+00:00 | wsfa.com | https://www.wsfa.com/prnewswire/2022/12/01/voicefoundry-achieves-aws-conversational-ai-competency/ |
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)Marques Warrick’s 15 points helped Northern Kentucky defeat IUPUI 55-42 on Saturday.
Warrick also had five assists for the Norse (9-6). Sam Vinson scored 12 points, going 4 of 13 from the floor, including 1 for 5 from distance, and 3 for 5 from the line. Xavier Rhodes finished 4 of 8 from the field to finish with nine points.
The Jaguars (3-11) were led in scoring by Vincent Brady II, who finished with 13 points and two steals. Marlon Taylor added eight points and nine rebounds for IUPUI. In addition, Boston Stanton had seven points and seven rebounds.
NEXT UP
Northern Kentucky plays Friday against Oakland at home, while IUPUI hosts Wright State on Monday.
—
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. | 2023-01-01T14:12:51+00:00 | krqe.com | https://www.krqe.com/sports/ncaa-mens-basketball/warrick-scores-15-as-northern-kentucky-takes-down-iupui/ |
Parent Company of Better-For-You Restaurant Brands Announces New Roles and Promotions to Position its Brands for Future Expansion
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., June 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WOWorks, the parent company of better-for-you restaurant brands, Saladworks, Frutta Bowls, Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, The Simple Greek, Barberitos Southwestern Grille and Cantina and Zoup! Eatery created two new c-level roles to its leadership team to help drive accelerated growth for its brands. WOWorks created two new Chief Brand Officer positions to oversee its two groups of six restaurant brands, as well as handle their day-to-day operations.
Lauriena Borstein was chosen as Chief Brand Officer of Saladworks, Frutta Bowls and Zoup! Eatery. She previously held the position of Senior Vice President at WOWorks and General Brand Manager of Saladworks and Frutta Bowls.
"I am excited to be leading these better-for-you restaurant brands that have demonstrated tremendous growth potential for providing the kind of nutritious, fast casual food guests are seeking - from soups to salads to fruit-based menu items," said Lauriena Borstein, Chief Brand Officer of Saladworks, Frutta Bowls and Zoup! Eatery. "They also lend themselves to a fantastic opportunity for co-branding. I look forward to providing the support system to all franchisees to help them transition to WOWorks, as well as the opportunity of offering two menus at one restaurant."
John Geyerman was selected as Chief Brand Officer for Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, The Simple Greek, and Barberitos Southwestern Grille and Cantina. He previously served as Senior Vice President of Operations for WOWorks and General Brand Manager for Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh and The Simple Greek.
"I am honored to lead three amazing, plant-forward restaurant brands that provide exciting global flavors to our guests," said John Geyerman, Chief Brand Officer of Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, The Simple Greek, and Barberitos Southwestern Grille and Cantina. "As our healthy-halo concepts experience explosive growth across all traditional and non-traditional foodservice venues, from grocery stores and airports to university campuses, it is vitally important all our marketing and operations initiatives are in-sync with all other restaurant brands."
In order to align marketing initiatives and processes of its six brands, WOWorks has also created two new Vice President of Marketing roles. Lori Kern was chosen as Vice President of Marketing for Saladworks, Frutta Bowls and Zoup! Eatery. She previously held the role of Director of Marketing for Saladworks and Frutta Bowls. Mark Kreiner is now Vice President of Marketing for Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, The Simple Greek and Barberitos Southwestern Grille and Cantina. He previously served as Director of Marketing for Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh and The Simple Greek.
"I am thrilled to see WOWorks' corporate infrastructure expand to include these new Chief Brand Officers and Vice Presidents of Marketing, plus 10 additional staff promotions that involve expanded responsibilities and goals," said Kelly Roddy, CEO of WOWorks enterprise, fully owned by Centre Lane Partners, LLC. "In order to improve unit-level economics and drive overall growth for each restaurant brand, we are bringing senior strategic and tactical oversight on every brand. The corporate restructuring will also get these executives more ingrained with each restaurant's brand."
As a result of its recent acquisitions of Barberitos Southwestern Grille and Cantina and Zoup! Eatery, WOWorks expects to end the year with over 400 restaurants and create over 10,000 job opportunities in the restaurant industry. Through shared services and plans to leverage best practices from all six brands, WOWorks will continue to increase their negotiation and purchasing power; use cost efficiencies to fuel growth productivity; and improve vendor support as they grow their portfolio of better-for-you restaurants.
WOWorks was formed in 2020 with a mission to help guests pursue their passions and live their best lives by serving healthy, nutritious and flavorful meals along with its Vow to "WOW!" guest hospitality. Fully owned by Centre Lane Partners, LLC, WOWorks' portfolio, in addition to its newest brands, Barberitos Southwestern Grille and Cantina and Zoup! Eatery, consists of: Saladworks, the nation's leading fast-casual salad brand; Frutta Bowls, a unique restaurant franchise serving a variety of superfood bowls, fresh fruit smoothies, protein bites and more; Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, a popular Mediterranean restaurant concept; The Simple Greek, which offers a fresh and healthy take on traditional Greek recipes in a fast-casual setting. WOWorks seeks to drive explosive growth across all of its brands through a variety of channels, both traditional and non-traditional, including ghost kitchens, food trucks, grocery retail and more.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE WOWorks | 2022-06-07T19:31:19+00:00 | kcbd.com | https://www.kcbd.com/prnewswire/2022/06/07/woworks-adds-new-c-level-roles-drive-accelerated-growth/ |
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Monday called on lawmakers to return to work Sept. 6 for a special legislative session to cut income taxes.
The Republican told reporters gathered in his Capitol office that he wants lawmakers to cut the top income tax rate from 5.3% to 4.8% and increase the standard deduction by $2,000 for single filers and $4,000 for couples.
A single adult caring for two children and making at most $35,000 a year would see income taxes drop by about $140 a year, according to estimates provided by the Governor's Office.
Parson specified that, based on the limits in his special session call, lawmakers cannot cut income taxes so deeply that the state loses more than $700 million per year in revenue.
The governor also recommended cutting income taxes entirely for individuals who make $16,000 or less in a year or for couples filing jointly who make less than $32,000.
Missouri has more money on hand than ever before, thanks partly to a combination of inflation, higher wages and federal funds. The state closed out its 2022 fiscal year with a general revenue balance of nearly $4.9 billion — more than double the previous record set just one year ago.
Parson said some of that money should go back to taxpayers.
“Our plan puts more of Missourians’ hard-earned dollars back in their pockets and aims to make it a little easier for families to put food on the table and gas in the car,” Parson said.
The special session is scheduled weeks before voters in November will decide whether to re-elect current House members and some senators, which puts heavy pressure on Republicans to support the tax cuts.
But Democrats and other skeptics warned that Parson's plan could put the state in financial jeopardy.
Missouri Budget Project President and CEO Amy Blouin credited the huge influx of pandemic-related federal funds for the state's current budget surplus. The Missouri Budget Project analyzes how economic policies impact low-income families.
“Quite simply, relying on the current surplus to fund permanent tax changes isn’t fiscally sustainable, or responsible, and will ultimately require cuts to state services like we saw in Kansas a few years ago," Blouin said.
Under former Republican Gov. Sam Brownback, Kansas enacted a nationally notorious income tax cut experiment in 2012 and 2013. Those cuts were largely repealed in 2017 following massive, persistent budget shortfalls that forced GOP lawmakers to repeatedly cut spending and boost other taxes to keep lower income taxes.
House Democratic Minority Leader Crystal Quade called Parson's tax cut proposal “a textbook example of fiscal irresponsibility.”
Parson proposed the income tax cut as an alternative to lawmakers’ planned one-time tax refund, which he vetoed in June.
Under the bill passed by lawmakers this year, taxpayers would have gotten a one-time tax credit of up to $500 for individuals and $1,000 for couples. The refunds would have gone only to individuals earning less than $150,000 and couples making less than $300,000 annually.
In practice, people would have received a $1 refund for each $1 of tax owed until their tax bill reached the refund limit of $500.
Democratic lawmakers had argued the tax refund would only benefit middle-income families because the poorest workers don’t pay income taxes and that not enough money was set aside to provide the full $500 or $1,000 for everyone who qualified, a concern Parson echoed on Monday.
In his call for a special session, Parson also asked lawmakers to extend a number of tax credit programs aimed at benefiting farmers and ranchers.
Lawmakers passed the agricultural tax credits during their regular legislative session that ended in May, but they only approved the programs for two years. Parson wants the tax credit programs to be in place at least six years before expiring. | 2022-08-22T22:27:44+00:00 | sfgate.com | https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Gov-Parson-calls-for-special-session-to-pass-17390409.php |
-- Baksh to grow TAAV's synthetic DNA manufacturing business and accelerate access to safer adeno-associated virus (AAV) therapeutics --
SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain , Nov. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TAAV Biomanufacturing Solutions, S.L. (TAAV), an independently operated wholly-owned subsidiary of Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio), and a member of the Bayer worldwide group of companies, today announced the appointment of Dolores Baksh, Ph.D. as Chief Executive Officer. Baksh brings a successful 20-year track record of biotechnology R&D, product development and cGMP manufacturing leadership to TAAV, a world-leading synthetic DNA manufacturer.
"Dolores' diverse biotech experience and therapeutic production expertise will immediately contribute to growing TAAV's worldwide synthetic DNA manufacturing business," said Sheila Mikhail, TAAV Board Chair and AskBio Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer. "The Board values her strategic vision and long history of operational execution, which are critical to building product leadership for TAAV-produced doggybone DNA™1 (dbDNA™) as a safe and highly effective alternative to plasmid DNA."
TAAV's modern facility in San Sebastian, Spain, is specifically designed for the manufacture of high quality dbDNA™ for research, preclinical and clinical grade AAV therapeutics. We believe TAAV's synthetic process will lead to high yields at small scales and shorter manufacturing timelines, facilitating quicker production of AAV and increasing safety by eliminating residual bacterial sequences of plasmid DNA.
"This is an exciting time for TAAV and AAV therapeutics. I look forward to working alongside our exceptional and growing team, to establish TAAV as the global standard for synthetic biotechnology," added Baksh. "I believe TAAV will play a transformative role in increasing the safety and accessibility of AAV therapeutics for those in need around the world."
Baksh joins TAAV from Akron Biomanufacturing where she served as the company's Business Unit Head and Vice President of Commercial Biomanufacturing, leading its growth strategy for the production of cGMP plasmids and gene editing nucleases. She also held various leadership positions at GE Healthcare Life Sciences; GE Venture start-up, Vineti, Inc.; Organogenesis; and others. In these roles, Baksh established innovative cell and gene therapy product development strategies through organic and inorganic approaches, brought to market software to scale and digitize cell manufacturing systems and played a leading role in the approval of the first FDA approved allogeneic cell-based product.
Baksh received her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at the University of Toronto. She will split her time between Boston, Massachusetts, and TAAV's manufacturing facility in San Sebastian, Spain.
TAAV Biomanufacturing Solutions, S.L. (TAAV) is a cGMP manufacturer of doggybone DNA™ (dbDNA™), a synthetic DNA material used for adeno associated virus (AAV) gene therapies. The company is an independently operated, wholly owned subsidiary of Asklepios BioPharmaceuticals (AskBio) and, AskBio is an independent, wholly owned subsidiary of Bayer AG. dbDNA™ is manufactured using an enzymatic process and produced under ISO classified production suites following GMP standards for research, clinical and commercial applications of synthetic DNA in AAV therapeutic vectors. Synthetic dbDNA™ is as an alternative to plasmid DNA, commonly used in AAV manufacturing, and leads to higher yields of DNA material. The use of synthetic dbDNA™ material can significantly shorten manufacturing timelines and facilitate faster production of AAV with an increased safety profile by eliminating residual bacterial sequences of plasmid DNA in the AAV product. TAAV was founded in 2019 and became 100% wholly owned by AskBio in 2022. Company headquarters, manufacturing facilities and labs are in San Sebastian, Spain. For more information, go to taav.com.
1doggybone™, doggybone DNA™ and dbDNA are trademarks of Touchlight Genetics Limited. Technology for making dbDNA™ is licensed from Touchlight IP Ltd.
TAAV Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements." Any statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Words such as "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "will," "intends," "potential," "possible" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding TAAV's manufacturing technology and process. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond TAAV's control. Known risks include, among others: TAAV may not be able to execute on its business plans and goals, including meeting its expected or planned regulatory requirements, its reliance on third-parties, clinical development plans, manufacturing processes and plans, and the production of its product, due to a variety of reasons, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, possible limitations of company financial and other resources, manufacturing limitations that may not be anticipated or resolved in a timely manner, potential disagreements or other issues with our third-party collaborators and partners, and regulatory, court or agency feedback or decisions, such as feedback and decisions from the United States Food and Drug Administration or the United States Patent and Trademark Office or European drug authorities. Any of the foregoing risks could materially and adversely affect TAAV business and results of operations. You should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. TAAV or its parent companies do not undertake any obligation to publicly update its forward-looking statements based on events or circumstances after the date hereof.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE TAAV Biomanufacturing Solutions | 2022-11-07T08:30:35+00:00 | mysuncoast.com | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2022/11/07/taav-names-biomanufacturing-innovator-dolores-baksh-chief-executive-officer/ |
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced earlier this week that they were again extending its waiver deadline for those in need of baby formula.
On Wednesday, the agency said the waivers made available through the federal WIC nutrition program would be extended through the end of the year.
The current waivers were set to expire on Sept. 30.
“USDA recognizes the flexibilities provided by these waivers remain necessary as we continue to pull every lever to address infant formula supply issues and provide certainty for families,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a news release. “We will continue to work all hands on deck to ensure families can access infant formula, as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government approach to get more safe formula on store shelves nationwide.”
The waiver program was first introduced in June to deal with the infant formula crisis.
The crisis began in February amid the coronavirus pandemic and then was exacerbated after Abbott announced a voluntary recall and then had to shut its Michigan factory due to contamination, the agency said.
The agency said close to 500 waivers have been issued to WIC state agencies. | 2022-08-25T19:22:09+00:00 | kivitv.com | https://www.kivitv.com/news/national/usda-extends-baby-formula-waivers-through-end-of-year |
ROME (AP) — The New York Yankees and the Los Angeles-based fund that includes LeBron James are investing in AC Milan alongside RedBird Capital Partners, which is nearing a deal to purchase the Italian soccer champion for 1.2 billion euros ($1.2 billion), the Financial Times reported on Tuesday.
Gerry Cardinale, the founder and managing partner of RedBird, announced a preliminary agreement in June to purchase Milan from fellow American firm Elliott Management, with the closing scheduled by September.
Officials close to RedBird would not comment on the latest report when contacted by the Associated Press but said an announcement will be coming in the next couple of days. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the final deal has not been announced yet.
Milan, a seven-time European champion, is coming off its first Italian title in 11 years.
The Yankees, the 27-time World Series champions, are already involved in soccer as co-owners with Manchester City of New York City FC in Major League Soccer. New York City FC plays some of its home games at Yankee Stadium.
Main Street Advisors, the fund supported by James, also counts the rapper Drake among its partners, as well as English Premier League club Liverpool and the Boston Red Sox.
James and Drake will be passive investors in Milan through the fund and have not taken direct stakes, the newspaper reported.
RedBird also has a stake in Fenway Sports Group, which owns Liverpool and the Red Sox. Champions League rules prohibit two clubs in the competition being under the same ownership to protect the integrity of games on the field. UEFA will likely have to make a judgment on the extent of RedBird’s influence on decision-making at Liverpool.
RedBird is set to become Milan’s fourth owner in five years.
Elliott has owned Milan since 2018 after the club’s former Chinese owner failed to repay part of a loan. Former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi controlled Milan for more than 30 years before selling to the Chinese group in 2017.
Inter Milan, Roma, Fiorentina and Bologna are among other foreign-owned teams in Serie A.
Having previously failed to qualify for Europe’s elite competition for seven consecutive years — that included a one-year UEFA ban for breaking financial monitoring rules — Milan is playing in the Champions League for a second consecutive season. That can earn the club about 100 million euros ($100 million) in UEFA prize money and help restore the club’s global brand.
Milan's team includes 40-year-old Zlatan Ibrahimović and fellow striker Olivier Giroud.
___
AP Sports Writer Graham Dunbar in Geneva contributed.
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
___
Andrew Dampf is at https://twitter.com/AndrewDampf
Credit: Luca Bruno
Credit: Luca Bruno | 2022-08-30T14:01:53+00:00 | springfieldnewssun.com | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/report-yankees-la-fund-investing-in-ac-milan-soccer-team/KYDEDULD3VHN7J3KTEASNMMTU4/ |
Town of Paris fatal crash; Mount Pleasant woman dead
TOWN OF PARIS, Wis. - A 26-year-old Mount Pleasant woman is dead following a single vehicle crash in the Town of Paris on Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 31.
The wreck happened just after 12:30 p.m. Wednesday. Officials say it happened on County Highway K just west of 152nd Avenue.
Initial reports indicated that a car driven by the victim was westbound on County Highway K, briefly drifted left of center, and left the roadway into the north ditch line. A witness on the scene stated the vehicle continued traveling in the north ditch before hitting a culvert – which caused the vehicle to roll over and eject the operator.
According to deputies on the scene, the Mount Pleasant woman was not wearing a seatbelt. She was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Kenosha County Medical Examiner’s Office.
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
Officials identified the deceased as Jacquelyn Justice.
The public is encouraged to contact the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department with any information regarding this crash at 262-605-5100. | 2022-09-01T18:08:29+00:00 | fox6now.com | https://www.fox6now.com/news/town-paris-fatal-crash-mount-pleasant-woman-dead |
NEW YORK (AP) — Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Bret Baier are among the stars who both Fox News and the voting machine company suing it for defamation have signaled could testify if the case heads to trial next month.
They are among the names submitted this week as potential witnesses by Fox and Dominion Voting Systems, although it doesn’t guarantee that they will appear in court. It still isn’t certain there will be a trial. Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis is expected to make a summary judgment ruling in favor of either side or to go forward with a trial.
Dominion has accused Fox of airing false allegations that the company was engaged in voter fraud during the 2020 election even though many at the network doubted the claims were true. Fox says it was lawfully reporting on newsworthy developments.
Carlson, Hannity and Baier all worried privately after the election that Fox’s early declaration that Democrat Joe Biden had won the key state of Arizona had damaged the network in the eyes of viewers who supported former President Donald Trump, according to documents revealed as part of the case.
Fox submitted the names of 35 potential live witnesses to the court this week, while Dominion offered 54 names. Dominion’s list included Fox News founder Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan, chief executive officer of Fox Corp. Dominion also has reserved the right to call former House Speaker Paul Ryan, who is on the Fox Corp. board of directors.
Fox has suggested testimony that the 92-year-old Rupert Murdoch has already given in a deposition would suffice.
Davis noted in a court hearing Tuesday that Murdoch had recently become engaged and talked about traveling to his different properties across the country.
“That doesn’t sound like someone who can’t go from New York to Wilmington,” said Davis, who has the authority under Delaware law to compel Murdoch, as a director of Fox Corp., to appear in court.
Matthew Carter, an attorney for the Fox defendants, said they have not argued that Murdoch is infirm or unavailable to travel. Rather, Carter said there is no reason to force him to testify live if he already has spoken under oath for seven hours at his deposition.
Colorado-based Dominion also said it wants former Fox News producer Abby Grossberg to testify. Grossberg has filed suit against Fox, alleging that its lawyers had coached her to give misleading testimony when questioned in a deposition in the Dominion case. Fox has denied that and fired Grossberg last Friday.
In a statement, Fox said Dominion’s “needlessly expansive” witness list “is yet another attempt to generate headlines and distract from the many shortcomings of its case. Ultimately, this case is about the First Amendment protections of the media’s absolute right to cover the news.”
Dominion, in reply, said it believes in the First Amendment but it “does not shield broadcasters that knowingly or recklessly spread lies.”
Also Tuesday, the judge granted a joint request from both sides to allow each to have six preemptory challenges in selecting jurors, instead of the usual three. Davis sided with Fox in ruling there would be six alternate jurors. Dominion wanted 12.
___
Chase reported from Dover, Del. | 2023-03-29T14:40:44+00:00 | kxnet.com | https://www.kxnet.com/entertainment-news/ap-entertainment/carlson-hannity-among-potential-witnesses-at-fox-news-trial/ |
(The Hill) – NASA has suggested an experimental cooling system it is funding could ultimately allow electric vehicle users to charge their cars within five minutes.
The agency said a team led by a Purdue University professor has developed the “subcooled flow boiling” technology for experimentation, with the hope it can control future systems’ temperatures in space.
“A team sponsored by NASA’s Biological and Physical Sciences Division is developing a new technology that will not only achieve orders-of-magnitude improvement in heat transfer to enable these systems to maintain proper temperatures in space, but will also enable significant reductions in size and weight of the hardware,” NASA said in a blog post last week.
“What’s more, this same technology may make owning an electric-powered car here on Earth easier and more feasible,” the post continued.
NASA indicated achieving such a feat of charging electric vehicles within five minutes would require chargers to provide current at 1,400 amperes, far higher than currently available technology.
Most chargers currently available support currents less than 150 amperes, while some of the most advanced chargers on the market deliver currents up to 520 amperes, the post noted.
But NASA said Purdue University’s developmental cable can provide currents of up to 2,400 amperes by removing heat through the new technology, which would deliver charging at 4.6 times the rate of the fastest charger currently available.
“Application of this new technology resulted in unprecedented reduction of the time required to charge a vehicle and may remove one of the key barriers to worldwide adoption of electric vehicles,” NASA wrote.
President Biden has emphasized a shift to electric vehicles as a significant component of his climate initiatives, but the proposals have been met with criticism among some in the GOP, who have portrayed the plans as elitist and boons for the rich.
Questions have also been raised about whether the U.S. electrical grid could even handle a hard shift toward EVs.
The Inflation Reduction Act, a party-line reconciliation package passed over the summer, includes billions in funding for electric-vehicle tax credits and other financial incentives.
It also includes a $7.5 billion investment to build a network of charging stations across the U.S.
“The great American road trip is going to be fully electrified,” Biden said in Detroit last month. “Whether you’re driving coast to coast along I-10 or on I-75 here in Michigan, charging stations will be up and easy to find as gas stations are now.” | 2022-10-13T22:46:36+00:00 | cenlanow.com | https://www.cenlanow.com/hill-politics/nasa-suggests-new-space-cooling-technology-could-charge-electric-cars-in-5-minutes/ |
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s Parliament sat on Tuesday for the first time since May elections with the new prime minister determined to have a greenhouse gas reduction target enshrined in law.
Legislation that would force Australia to reduce its emissions by 43% below 2005 levels by the end of the decade will be introduced Wednesday into the House of Representatives.
While Prime Minster Anthony Albanese’s center-left Labor Party holds a narrow majority in the House, it will need the support of senators from outside government ranks to get the bill through the upper chamber.
If Labor can persuade all 12 senators from the minor Greens party to support the bill, it will only need one more senator from the remaining six available to achieve a majority.
The Greens want Australia to slash its emissions by 75% by 2030.
The conservative coalition that ruled for nine years until the May 21 election won’t budget from its 2015 Paris commitment to reduce emissions by between 26% and 28%.
Albanese said voters and business groups had endorsed the 43% target.
“Our policy is well thought through,” Albanese said. “It was announced, it was campaigned upon, indeed, it received a mandate.”
Labor has agreed to some of the Greens’ demands including that the bill would state that any target was a floor, not a ceiling and that there would be no reduction in the government‘s ambition.
Greens leader Adam Bandt said his party needed more concessions and negotiations would continue.
Bandt said the government must stop approving new coal and gas projects and adopt a more ambitious target than 43%.
“We have been very concerned that the bill might put that weak target into law in a way that would put a handbrake on future governments that might be willing to act according to the science,” Bandt said.
The new government has already officially notified the United Nations of the 43% target.
It wants the target enshrined in law in case a future administration attempts to reduce the target.
Six new Greens lawmakers were sworn in on Tuesday, three to the House and three to the Senate. Bandt described the election result as the party’s best ever.
The major parties both lost seats to candidates who promised more action on climate change.
The conservative Liberal Party lost six House seats that were considered some of their safest to so-called teal independents: a greener shade than the party’s traditional blue color.
The number of lawmakers in the House unaligned to major parties has burgeoned from seven in the last Parliament to 16 in the new Parliament,
It is the largest number of unaligned lawmakers in the 151-seat House since the Liberal Party was formed in 1944.
Some observers say the trend suggests the years of majority government in Australia are numbered.
Australia has only had one minority government since World War II. A Labor minority government was elected in 2010 and lasted for a single three-year term.
Ian McAllister, an Australian National University political scientist who surveys voters after elections, said a substantial number wanted more action on climate change than the major parties were prepared to take.
“We asked about climate change. These days it’s about the second or third most important issue, whereas 10 or 15 years ago it was maybe fifth or sixth and it’s very much associated with younger voters,” McAllister said. | 2022-07-26T13:49:52+00:00 | kxnet.com | https://www.kxnet.com/ap-science/australian-leader-wants-legislated-carbon-reduction-target/ |
January may have delivered lower, if still solid, job growth
WASHINGTON (AP) — The American economy has an unusual problem: The job market looks too strong — at least to the inflation fighters at the Federal Reserve.
Companies are still seeking more workers and are hanging tightly onto the ones they have. Putting aside some high-profile layoffs at big tech companies like Microsoft, Google, Amazon and others, most workers are enjoying an unusual level of job security even at a time when many economists foresee a recession approaching.
Employers have added at least 200,000 jobs every month for 24 straight months — the longest such streak in government records dating to 1939. Economists think the streak ended last month, if just barely: They have forecast that the government will report Friday that the economy added 185,000 jobs in January, according to the data firm FactSet, and that the unemployment rate ticked up to 3.6% from a half-century low of 3.5%.
That would still represent a solid job gain, though decisively below the red-hot pace of the past year. For all of 2022, the economy added a sizzling average of 375,000 jobs a month. That was a pace vigorous enough to have contributed to the painful inflation Americans have endured, the worst in about in 40 years. A tight job market tends to put upward pressure on wages, which, in turn, feed into inflation.
Hence, uneasiness at the Fed. The central bank, hoping to cool the job market and the economy — and, as a consequence, inflation — has raised its benchmark interest rate eight times since March, most recently on Wednesday. Since July, monthly hiring has steadily decelerated even while remaining at historically healthy levels.
Year-over-year measures of consumer inflation have steadily eased since peaking at 9.1% in June. But at 6.5% in December, inflation remains far above the Fed’s 2% target, which is why the central bank’s policymakers have reiterated their intent to keep raising borrowing rates for at least a few more months.
The Fed is aiming to achieve a “soft landing” — a pullback in the economy that is just enough to tame high inflation without triggering a recession. The policymakers hope that employers can slow wage increases and inflationary pressures by reducing job openings but not necessarily by laying off many employees.
But the job market’s resilience isn’t making that hoped-for outcome any easier. On Wednesday, the Labor Department reported that employers posted 11 million job openings in December, an unexpected jump from 10.4 million in November and the largest number since July. There are now about two job vacancies, on average, for every unemployed American.
The Labor Department’s monthly count of layoffs has amounted to fewer than 1.5 million for 21 straight months. Until 2021, that figure had never dropped so low in records dating back two decades.
Yet another sign that workers are benefiting from unusual job security is the weekly number of people who apply for unemployment benefits. That figure is a proxy for layoffs, one that economists monitor for clues about where the job market might be headed. The government said Thursday that the number of jobless claims fell last week to its lowest level since April.
The pace of applications for unemployment aid has remained rock-bottom despite a steady stream of headline-making layoff announcements. Facebook parent Meta is cutting 11,000 jobs, Amazon 18,000, Microsoft 10,000, Google 12,000. Some economists suspect that many laid-off workers might not be showing up at the unemployment line because they can still find new jobs easily.
Economic forecasters will be closely watching Friday’s figure for hourly wage growth in January. According to the FactSet survey, they foresee a 0.3% average pay increase from December to January. Nancy Vanden Houten, lead economist at Oxford Economics, said that figure would translate into annual pay growth of 4.3%, down from a 4.6% year-over-year increase in December.
It would be an improvement, she said, but “still too strong for the Fed to be confident that the moderation is enough to take the heat off inflation.’’
“Layoffs remain low, and demand for workers is still strong, evident in elevated job openings, strong job growth and an unemployment rate that is at a half-decade low,’’ said Rubeela Farooqi, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics. “The labor market has yet to respond meaningfully to a rapid increase in interest rates.’’
____
AP Economics Writer Christopher Rugaber contributed to this report.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2023-02-03T12:04:29+00:00 | kwch.com | https://www.kwch.com/2023/02/03/january-may-have-delivered-lower-if-still-solid-job-growth/ |
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s Prince Charles is facing more questions over his charities after a newspaper reported that one of his funds accepted a 1 million pound ($1.2 million) donation from relatives of Osama bin Laden.
The Sunday Times reported that the Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund received the money in 2013 from Bakr bin Laden, patriarch of the large and wealthy Saudi family, and his brother Shafiq. Both are half-brothers of the former al-Qaida leader, who was killed by U.S. special forces in Pakistan in 2011.
The newspaper said advisers had urged the heir to the throne not to take the donation.
Charles’ Clarence House office disputed that but confirmed the donation had been made. It said the decision to accept the money was taken by the charity’s trustees, not the prince, and “thorough due diligence was undertaken in accepting this donation.”
The fund’s chairman, Ian Cheshire, also said the donation was agreed “wholly” by the five trustees at the time, and “any attempt to suggest otherwise is misleading and inaccurate.”
The Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund was founded in 1979 to “transform lives and build sustainable communities,” and gives grants to a wide variety of projects in Britain and around the world.
Charles, 73, has faced a series of claims about the operation of his charities. Last month the Sunday Times reported he had accepted bags of cash containing $3 million from Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, the former prime minister of Qatar.
London police are currently investigating a separate allegation that people associated with another of the prince’s charities, the Prince’s Foundation, offered to help a Saudi billionaire secure honors and citizenship in return for donations. Clarence House has said Charles had no knowledge of any such offer. | 2022-07-31T10:17:02+00:00 | springfieldnewssun.com | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/report-prince-charles-charity-got-donation-from-bin-ladens/WDRRHA4SKJCUPAZFI7KL7FX6RE/ |
PORTLAND, Ore. — Logan Johnson had 34 points, six rebounds and six assists as No. 15 Saint Mary’s handled Portland 81-64 on the road Saturday.
The Gaels took a 39-38 lead into halftime after a back-and-forth first half. They began the second half on a 16-0 run to blow the game open and never trailed again.
“Sometimes, you’ve got to make shots,” Saint Mary’s head coach Randy Bennett said of the second-half turnaround. “We came out and banged a few threes, separated, gave us a little wiggle room. You don’t feel like every possession is for the game.”
Johnson took advantage of vulnerabilities in the Pilots’ defense to take over on offense, while the Gaels’ defense improved.
“We started playing our brand of basketball,” Johnson said. “Started getting stops, consecutive stops, rebounding, not allowing offensive boards. When we do that, when we play to our strengths, there’s not a lot of teams that can have the capacity to keep going and keep trying to attack that. It gets frustrating and you start to see it on their faces.”
Saint Mary’s was fueled in its run by hot 3-point shooting, going 15 of 32 (46.9%) from beyond the arc and outrebounded Portland 41-22.
UP NEXT:
Saint Mary’s: Visits San Diego on Thursday.
Portland: Hosts Santa Clara on Saturday.
___
AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 | 2023-02-12T02:27:36+00:00 | washingtonpost.com | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/johnson-scores-34-no-15-saint-marys-beats-portland-81-64/2023/02/11/6837d3a6-aa74-11ed-b2a3-edb05ee0e313_story.html |
Magnolia Network films Silos Baking Competition in Waco, welcomes Central Texans to watch and participate
WACO, Texas (KWTX) - The Silos Baking Competition is back for its second season, and Magnolia Network has begun filming episodes of the competition at Magnolia Market where they are welcoming the public to watch the filming and participate in it.
Visitors and Central Texans are enjoying watching the baking competition unfold in-person.
“It was so fun,” an audience member who visited the Silos with her grandma, Anna Lowe, said. “We watched this so long together on TV...When we found out that Joanna was here, we like both were running over here. I think that’s the fastest she’s moved the whole time we’ve been here. It was so fun.”
Not only do they watch the competition from a few feet away, but they also participated and even had an opportunity to be filmed for the series.
At one point during the filming, the film crew will direct the crowd on the actions they need to film, such as applause, laughing or just nodding their heads.
During the time viewers stop by the set, they could see the kickoff, the baking process of the competitors, the judging or even the announcement of the winners.
Viewers are asked to sign a form that says they will not post or disclose the winner of the episode.
One of the judges, Casey Corn, a classically-trained chef and food anthropologist as well as the host of Magnolia Network’s “Recipes Lost and Founds,” said the crowds actually help boost the morale of the entire crew.
“It’s so serious when everything is so quiet, so having all of the people around and cheering everyone on is such a huge part of what makes the show fun and what makes the experience for me fun,” Corn said. “Getting to have the crowd be a part of this makes it even more special, but also takes a little bit of the pressure off right now.”
As a host of her show, she was honored to be a part of judging competitors.
“Getting to be here and judge this amazing competition is such a blast and an honor,” Corn said. “I know, for these contestants, this is a really big deal, so it’s really nice to be a part of their journey and really, most importantly, to eat their delicious food.”
Magnolia Network will be filming Wednesday, Friday and Monday starting around 8:30 a.m. and ending once the winner is announced.
Monday is expected to be the finale where all of the winners from the episodes will compete.
Copyright 2022 KWTX. All rights reserved. | 2022-10-05T18:10:57+00:00 | kwtx.com | https://www.kwtx.com/2022/10/05/magnolia-network-films-silos-baking-competition-waco-welcomes-central-texans-watch-participate/ |
Plymouth man with Parkinson's trades beloved light show for Halloween event
PLYMOUTH, Minn. (FOX 9) - After pulling the plug on his annual holiday light show in Plymouth last year, Mike Justak of PD Shimmers is back with a Halloween projection show to raise awareness and funds for Parkinson's disease – something he's battled for nearly two decades.
Justak, 65, was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson's disease in 2004, when he was 46 years old. A few years later – without any formal training – he created a holiday light show synchronized to music. The show PD Shimmers is named for the shimmer of a light bulb, which Justak says is the equivalent of a Parkinson’s tremor.
Each year, the light show grew, eventually spanning eight homes and featuring 58,000 lights. The show drew people from around the Twin Cities and became a beloved tradition for many families around the holidays.
He started the light show as a way for him to remain active and inspire those with Parkinson's, as well as raise awareness and funds for the disease. But it ended up saving him, becoming his lifeline, as he worked on the show year-round.
RELATED: What to do in Minnesota: 10 things to do this weekend (Oct. 28-30)
As his Parkinson's disease progressed, it made it difficult for Justak to put on the show each night. He contemplated pulling the plug for years, and in 2021, he decided it would be his final year.
But Justak couldn't just stop cold turkey – anyone who knows him is not surprised he's doing something this year – so he's traded his 58,000 bulbs for a projection bulb. He taught himself about projection mapping and settled on Halloween, a time of year that's warmer, so it's easier on his body compared to the winter.
Mike Justak traded his beloved holiday light show for a Halloween projection show as his Parkinson's disease worsened. (Melissa Turtinen/FOX 9)
The Halloween projection show will run from 7-9 p.m. on 10-minute intervals from Oct. 27-30 on his home at 4320 Ithaca Lane North in Plymouth. Justak encourages people to get out of the cars and stand in his yard (staying behind the strand of Christmas lights) to enjoy the show.
The light show is free to attend, but he'll be accepting donations to benefit the Mike Justak Foundation for Parkinson's Disease. You can donate online here or by texting FIGHTPD to 44321. | 2022-10-28T00:48:07+00:00 | fox29.com | https://www.fox29.com/news/plymouth-man-with-parkinsons-trades-beloved-light-show-for-halloween-event |
PARMA HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Following a Northeast Ohio law enforcement trend, the Parma Heights police department recently shifted captains and sergeants from 10 to 12-hour shifts.
Police Chief Steve Scharschmidt said the move has been on his radar for a few years; however, a lack of manpower precluded the department from making the change.
“Certainly you need to be staffed properly to make this 12-hour move successful,” Scharschmidt said. “We were at 29 officers and now we’re at 34. Those five officers make a world of difference.
“When you have deficiencies, you have to cover 12 hours. So if you’re lower on manpower and you have to call off or something like that, certainly that can be problematic to fill that 12 hours.”
Not only did the police department add the handful of officers over the last 16 months, but a new four-year contract with the Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association (OPBA) relating to captains and sergeants allowed for the department to move into 12-hour shifts.
The police chief noted the city is currently in contract negotiations with its patrolmen union. Those officers are currently on eight-hour shifts but are expected to approve a shift to 12-hour shifts in the new contract.
The move to 12-hour shifts is also viewed as a cost-saving measure for the department.
“The thinking was there are two sergeants on each shift, so certainly our sergeant overtime was high,” Scharschmidt said. “At times there were captains that covered the shift as well, which it’s nice to have that supervision but you’re paying for it.
“Now this is nice because we have three sergeants on each shift -- day and night. The current schedule has no overtime listed. Now, there will be some with call-offs but it is a drastic change that’s certainly positive for the city.”
Other benefits of the 12-hour shift include recruitment and retention.
The police chief said he knows for a fact recent recruits expressed interest in joining the Parma Heights police department but were turned off due to the lack of 12-hour shifts.
“It’s good for morale too,” Scharschmidt said. “Studies have shown that it’s good for overall health so we feel positive we’re making a good move for our officers.
“But our business doesn’t change regarding the length of the shift. We’re going to deliver a quality service to our residents.”
Read more news from the Parma Sun Post here. | 2023-01-11T12:57:49+00:00 | cleveland.com | https://www.cleveland.com/community/2023/01/parma-heights-police-department-switches-to-12-hour-shifts.html |
TOKYO (AP) — The next president at Japan’s top automaker Toyota, Koji Sato, introduced a management team Monday that he said will lead an aggressive push on electric vehicles.
Sato stressed that “electrification” is a key theme for his team and promised to develop a totally new, next-generation electric vehicle by 2026.
That will be a Lexus, while Toyota Motor Corp. will also beef up all its EV model offerings, Sato said.
“Lexus will lead the move,” he told reporters at a news conference in Tokyo. “I see myself as the captain of the soccer team.”
In a presentation, Sato listed the various executives, each with different responsibilities, such as carbon neutrality, safety technology, as well as overseeing regions like North America and Asia.
Hiroki Nakajima, who now oversees mid-size vehicles, was named executive vice president overseeing technology. Yoichi Miyazaki, who has been overseeing business operations, was named chief financial officer.
The selection of Sato, now Toyota’s chief branding officer, as the next chief executive was announced last month. The new leadership takes the helm April 1.
Toyota, which makes the Prius hybrid and Camry sedan, has billed the move as an effort to stay abreast of social changes like electrification. At times it has been seen as lagging its rivals in EVs.
The company’s success with hybrids, which have both a battery and a gas engine, and hydrogen fuel cells may be partly behind that perception.
Sato reiterated that view, noting that Toyota is intent on reducing emissions with models that are already widespread. Most vehicles on the roads today run on gas, he noted.
Toyota officials have always said they have BEV technology, which stands for “battery electric vehicles,” or pure EVs. But that market has so far been dominated by the likes of Tesla, Japanese rival Nissan and BYD of China.
“We have been working on developing BEVs, but the perception may not have reflected that as well,” Sato said.
The electric vehicles Toyota offers can’t be just more EVs to keep up with the times, but “must answer the question of what kind of EV Toyota can offer,” he said.
Sato and the other executives said the company’s entire production system must be revamped to make quality EVs. Toyota is also grappling with the high cost of the batteries, although lowering costs is not a goal in itself. Toyota prides itself on its “just in time” production system.
Toyota will also make more intelligent cars that are safer and more fun, Sato said, implying they will link to the net and offer other entertainment features.
With its management reshuffle, Toyota’s chief executive and president, Akio Toyoda, who is grandson of the company’s founder, becomes its chairman. Toyoda did not appear at Monday’s announcement.
Sato has also overseen the Lexus luxury division and Toyota motor racing. The appointments still need shareholders’ approval, scheduled for the company’s next general meeting.
___
Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter https://twitter.com/yurikageyama | 2023-02-13T21:47:31+00:00 | krqe.com | https://www.krqe.com/news/business/ap-toyotas-ceo-to-be-outlines-leadership-team-bullish-on-evs/ |
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met China’s top diplomat to discuss thorny issues as part of efforts to nurture talks on the sidelines of regional diplomatic meetings in Indonesia, whose president called on rival powers Friday to avoid turning the region into a “competition arena.”
Blinken stressed the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and raised concerns by Washington and its allies over China’s actions in his late-Thursday meeting with Wang Yi, who heads the ruling Communist Party’s Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, U.S. officials said.
“The meeting was part of ongoing efforts to maintain open channels of communication to clarify U.S. interests across a wide range of issues and to responsibly manage competition by reducing the risk of misperception and miscalculation,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.
“This is what the world expects of the United States and the PRC,” Miller said, using the acronym for the People’s Republic of China.
Blinken made a two-day trip to Beijing last month to meet Chinese leaders and restore top-level ties in a visit he said then was meant to “address misperceptions, miscalculations and to ensure that competition doesn’t veer into conflict.”
But Washington and Beijing remain deeply suspicious of each other’s actions and intentions.
Blinken used the meeting with Wang in Jakarta “to advance U.S. interests and values, to directly raise concerns shared by the United States and allies and partners regarding PRC actions,” Miller said. “He made clear that the United States, together with our allies and partners, will advance our vision for a free, open, and rules-based international order.”
U.S. officials informed some allies in the region of Blinken’s meeting with Wang Yi ahead of their talks in Jakarta with an assurance that Washington would not waver on its commitment to fight for the rule of law and against coercive actions in the region, a senior Southeast Asian diplomat told The Associated Press.
The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity because of a lack of authority to discuss the issue publicly.
Blinken and Wang, along with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, were attending the Jakarta meetings with counterparts in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a 10-nation regional bloc that is often pinned between competing interests of the two leading world powers over a range of issues, including tensions over Taiwan and the long-seething territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
The three, along with other Western and Asian foreign ministers whose countries regularly engage with ASEAN, paid a call Friday to Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who delivered a pointed message.
“Your presence at the ASEAN foreign ministerial meetings and post-ministerial conference is to find solutions to regional problems, to world problems, not the other way around, let alone exacerbate problems,” Widodo said.
“ASEAN should not be a competition arena and should not be a proxy for any country, and international law must be consistently respected,” the Indonesian leader said.
The recriminations, however, persisted in closed-door meetings.
Following meetings with Wang and some of his ASEAN counterparts, Lavrov told reporters Thursday in Jakarta he had stressed that Russia and China “respect the principles” of ASEAN’s central role in the region. But he accused the United States and its NATO allies of trying to undermine ASEAN, claiming that “they are pushing this idea that the security of the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific regions are indivisible,” and noting that the alliance had invited Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea to participate in recent summits.
“The United States and their allies are trying to replace the ASEAN-centric security architecture here in the eastern Asian region that was built for decades,” he said, speaking through a translator. “They want to replace it with their Indo-Pacific strategy, they want to introduce the NATO bloc into the region.”
Western officials have stressed there are no plans to create an “Asian NATO.”
Blinken hit back at Russia on Friday in a separate meeting with ASEAN ministers. He urged them to help “push for a just and lasting peace to Russia’s war of aggression on Ukraine — a war that violates principles at the heart of ASEAN’s Treaty of Amity and Cooperation and the United Nations Charter.”
“It’s harming not only Ukrainians, but people across this region and around the world by exacerbating food and energy crises,” Blinken said.
Speaking earlier this year after meeting with Japan’s foreign minister, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance was becoming more involved with partners in the region because “what happens in Europe matters for Asia, for the Indo-Pacific, and what happens in Asia and the Indo-Pacific matters for Europe,” calling security a global issue.
In a separate meeting between ASEAN’s foreign ministers and their counterparts from China, Japan and South Korea on Thursday, Wang raised concerns over Japan’s plan to discharge treated radioactive wastewater into the sea from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, which was destroyed by a massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011. Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi played down Wang’s remarks and gave assurances his country was taking all safeguards in relation to the plan, according to the Southeast Asian diplomat who attended the meetings.
Dino Patti Djalal, a former Indonesian ambassador to Washington who now heads a Jakarta-based foreign policy think-tank, said efforts by the U.S. and China to resume direct talks would be a welcome change for ASEAN, which has long feared that the rivalry could veer out of control.
But, he added, there should be no misplaced expectation — “Rivalry still dominates the relationship.”
“I think they’re still a long way from establishing meaningful trust,” Djalal told the AP. He said there was a need for “a great deal of cooperation between the two sides, which we’re not seeing at the moment.”
___
Associated Press journalists Niniek Karmini and Matthew Lee contributed to this report. Rising reported from Bangkok.
___
Find more of AP’s Asia-Pacific coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific | 2023-07-14T14:14:29+00:00 | kdvr.com | https://kdvr.com/news/nationalworld-news/ap-international/ap-blinken-meets-wang-yi-in-indonesia-but-the-region-remains-wary-of-the-us-china-rivalry/ |
Tribune readers in Ohio can now take advantage of an incredible offer by pre-registering with FanDuel and claiming $100 in credits when sports betting goes live New Year’s Day.
Preview a fantastic offer and more about this week’s matchup between the Cleveland Browns and the Washington Commanders.
FanDuel Ohio promo
More on the FanDuel offer
New Ohio customers, in addition to claiming the pre-registration offer, can claim up to $1,000 back with their No Sweat First Bet.
FanDuel has many markets to choose from whether it’s the Cleveland Browns or any of your favorite Ohio teams. Take advantage of the launch offer or FanDuel’s No Sweat First Bet.
- Check out FanDuel’s amazing offer prior to the Ohio launch.
- Find other fantastic offers from other sportsbooks.
- Read about all the facts related to sports betting launching in Ohio.
How to use your FanDuel new customer offer
1. Download the FanDuel Sportsbook app.
2. Sign up, click join now and register your account.
3. Make your deposit of $10 or more.
4. Place your first wager on any side, total or prop bet on any matchup starting New Year’s Day.
5. If your bet wins, you will be paid out in cash.
6. If your bet loses, your wager will be returned in credits.
7. The credits must be used within 14 days of being awarded or they will expire.
Can the Browns revitalize the offense?
After serving his suspension, Deshaun Watson was supposed to bring clarity and identity to the Browns offense. However, they have remained inept even with two star running backs.
As Washington continues to get healthy on defense, it seems unlikely this game will feature offensive fireworks. The Browns have hit the under in the past five games.
The silver lining is the Browns are always involved in close contests and split their games against the Cincinnati Bengals this season.
Consider pairing the under with the Commanders to cover — while the Browns may keep it close the Commanders need the win to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Refer a friend with FanDuel
21+. NY, CO, DC, IA, IN, MI, NJ, NV, PA, TN, WV, IA, VA, WV, WY only. T&Cs apply.
If padding your bankroll without actually placing a bet sounds good to you, then you’re going to want to check out FanDuel’s “refer a friend” bonus.
FanDuel allows users to refer up to 10 friends, and each time that one of your friends signs up, both of you will receive $75 to both the sportsbook and casino.
How it works:
1. Invite your friends using your exclusive referral link.
2. Your friend signs up, creates an account and deposits through your referral link.
3. Next, your friend places a bet of $10 or more on FanDuel Sportsbook to unlock $50 in for both of you.
4. Then your friend wagers $10 or more on any casino game to unlock $25 in casino credit for the both of you.
5. Referral bonuses will be paid out in 72 hours.
5. If your bet wins, you will be paid out in cash.
6. If your bet loses, your wager will be returned in credits.
7. The credits must be used within 14 days of being awarded or they will expire. | 2022-12-28T19:46:28+00:00 | chicagotribune.com | https://www.chicagotribune.com/betting/promo-codes/ct-fanduel-ohio-promo-20221228-qmk45laemfbxbiuiwvb4tkqx3u-story.html |
NEW YORK, Jan. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Tuya Smart ("Tuya" or the "Company") (NYSE: TUYA; HKEX: 2391), a global IoT development platform service provider, hosted "Tuya Day" with leading companies and associations at CES 2023 in the City of Las Vegas, Nevada.
Under the main theme "Be in It" of CES 2023, Tuya established its booth and hosted "Tuya Day" under the theme of "Be in Smart" to demonstrate its consistent effort in improving the production efficiency of global resources and enhancing the product value of global customers to support them with digital and smart transformation by leveraging Tuya's IoT technologies
The event featured leading brands and associations from around the world, including Arm, BARDI, Bluetooth SIG, CLEANLIFE, Connectivity Standard Alliance, Google Home, Hama, ioXt, JOIEEM, Lloyd's, Silicon Labs, and Wi-Fi Alliance. The partner representatives spoke about connectivity protocols, smart solutions and shared joint Tuya case studies.
Alex Yang, Co-Founder and COO of Tuya Smart, hosted the first panel discussion on Matter's ecosystem. Speakers shared how ecosystem players can promote Matter via partnership.
Chris Lapre, Head of Technology of the Connectivity Standards Alliance (the Alliance), said, "The continuous evolution and upgrading of Matter, the expansion of its application scenarios and new markets are contributed from the collaboration of the Alliance members including smart device manufacturers, security certification enterprises and others. Building and maintaining the Matter ecosystem is also key to the development of Matter. Alliance members like Tuya, play an active and crucial role in the promotion and application of Matter. They will attract more customers to join the Matter ecosystem and innovate Matter from customers' feedback through a variety of real-world implementations."
Rob Alexander, Principal Product Manager of Silicon Labs said, "The market for smart, connected devices holds unprecedented opportunity, but challenges remain. Open standards, like Matter, can help everyone in the industry adopt the same protocols without expensive licensing. Tuya's role is important for global developers. Tuya chose Silicon Labs MG24 SoC as one of the chips, jointly enable customers to quickly get mass production of Matter devices and support consumers to mix and match among ecosystems like some of the ones you'll see today including Amazon, Apple, Google, Samsung, and the countless intelligent, connected devices from locks to lightbulbs and beyond."
Kevin Po, Group Product Manager at Google, shared with audiences their recent product updates to support Matter. Now, consumers can use existing Nest devices like the Nest Mini and Nest Hub to control Matter devices, and use Android Fast Pair to setup Matter devices. Moreover, Google will Matter-enable more Nest devices in 2023 and release Google Home App iOS support too. Tuya has been an early access partner with Google Home and will continue working together to grow the Matter vision of interoperability, choice and openness in the home with users and Tuya's partner ecosystem.
"If smart devices are to scale, it's crucial that they are secure, reliable and seamless to use," said Chloe Ma, VP of China GTM, IoT Line of Business at Arm. "Standardization will drive the advancement of IoT and we are working closely with the Alliance and partners such as Tuya, to ensure the Arm ecosystem is ready to support developers in building Matter-compliant devices."
Later in the day, Tina Yu, General Manager of Eurasia and North America of Tuya Smart, hosted the second panel discussion on the commercialization of Matter. Speakers shared their thoughts on the future application scenarios of Matter devices. They also talked about the future of intelligent interconnection of consumer electronics.
Jon Harros, Head of Certification and Testing Programs at the Connectivity Standard Alliance first described the blueprint of Matter in 2023, and said, "People can reach the Alliances' official website, and see there are more than 500 products listed that are either being certified or have been certified by the Alliance. These include a range of products, software components, apps and more. They constitute our 'universe' of Matter applications. As an early participant of Matter, Tuya has been actively promoting the use and implementation of Matter. Its Tuya-enabled hardware ecosystem and development platform will enable more manufacturers to quickly penetrate the smart home and smart device markets, and attract consumers."
Justin Miller, Founder and CEO of CLEANLIFE, said: "Since our collaboration with Tuya in 2017, Tuya continuously supports us with product development, and they always share us with new ideas and opportunities. This mutual partnership has been extremely beneficial in helping us become an industry leader in smart lighting. Now, Matter gives our brand and products more credibility to be able to work with the prominent brands that are a part of the Alliance through shared interoperability and also allow easier integration with mainstream smart device systems such as Apple Home, Samsung Smart Things, etc. And with Tuya's help, we strongly believe that we can easily and quickly pivot our plans to Matter compatible. We expect Matter to help expedite the path to market and enhance user experience for the whole industry and provide a platform for all 220+ brands in the Alliance to succeed together."
Ryan Maurice, CEO of BARDI, said, "Thanks to our collaboration with Tuya, BARDI has grown very fast. We are at equal playing grounds with other Tuya-enabled brands in Indonesia thus being able to focus on competing in quality of product and service. While Matter joined in, it unlocks the pool of opportunity for BARDI as now the competition is not only on our quality of product and service but also competition on the platform supporting us. Compared with other local brands, our Tuya-enabled devices have a faster response time to voice commands than other platform-enabled devices. Moreover, the accuracy and speed that Tuya's engineering team delivered to us are praiseworthy. Thus, I believe that with Matter's adoption, BARDI will gain much more opportunities to penetrate local families. "
Juergen Hirschbeck, Head of Smart Home Product Portfolio Management of Hama, said, "Happily our company will celebrate its 100th anniversary this year. As the No. 1 brand for accessories and becoming the leading brand of retrofit Smart Home in Europe, the adoption of Matter will play a central role in our future. We plan to expand more categories such as home security and climate control, improve the compatibility of our product portfolio, and realize seamless smart scene connection for consumers. The significance of our collaboration with Tuya is that we can quickly realize our approximately 18,000 products to be Matter-capable to meet the expectations of consumers as soon as possible and to place Matter as the One Smart Home Standard of the future in the heads of consumers and trade-partners alike. "
Alessandro Kon, Head of R&D of Lloyd's, said: "Lloyd's has more than 20 years of experience in the electronics and smart house market. We offer our clients a wide range of solutions for their security, lighting, comfort, or energy through our website and our retail partners. Matter is bringing more opportunities to the smart home market, it allows customers to not have to think about compatibility when it comes to making a choice, they can focus on their demands as well as we can also just focus on developing products that cover our customers' needs. Through the Tuya IoT development platform, we developed our App 'Lloyd's smart'. Now, Tuya's latest achievements of Matter make us see the possibility of quickly integrating into the Matter ecosystem. We will continue to deepen our collaboration with Tuya and accelerate Matter application process in the market."
So far, Tuya has launched more than six categories of Matter device solutions, including light bulbs, switches, gateways, sockets, and more. And Tuya has already helped its global customers such as Arlec, BARDI, CALEX, CLEANLIFE, Hama, Intcomex, Laser, LinkJapan, Lloyd's, Mirabella, Positivo, Simon Electric, Tecnolite and many other enterprises to integrate into Matter ecosystem rapidly.
In the future, Tuya will continue fulfilling its commitment to building an open and neutral IoT ecosystem to provide customized, convenient and reliable Matter devices' solutions and all-in-one services for global partners, strengthen its cooperation with Connectivity Standard Alliance members and provide more operational smart scenes for consumers.
View original content:
SOURCE Tuya Smart | 2023-01-07T10:03:38+00:00 | uppermichiganssource.com | https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/prnewswire/2023/01/07/tuya-partners-shared-insights-matter-ecosystem-its-application-scenarios-ces-2023/ |
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. special envoy for Yemen blamed Houthi rebels for the failure to renew a six-month-long truce and called on the warring parties to demonstrate “leadership, compromise and flexibility” and urgently renew and expand the deal that brought the longest period of calm to Yemen since its devastating civil war began in 2014.
Hans Grundberg told the U.N. Security Council that after important recent discussions with regional partners in Abu Dhabi and Oman’s capital Muscat on the way forward he personally believes “there is a possibility for the parties to come to an agreement.”
The initial two-month truce agreed to on April 2 by Yemen’s internationally recognized government and Iranian-backed Houthi rebels was extended twice, until Oct. 2. The failure to renew it, Grundberg said, “has caused new uncertainty for the country and a heightened risk of war.”
The U.N. envoy outlined his proposal for a six-month extension and expansion of the truce, saying the government engaged “positively” with the final revision but the Houthis “came up with additional demands that could not be met.”
The proposal included the continued halt to offensive military operations, a transparent “mechanism” to pay civil servant salaries and pensions, the phased opening of roads in the Houthi-blockaded city of Taiz, a commitment to urgently release detainees, and establishing “structures” to start negotiations toward a cease-fire and end to the conflict.
Grundberg welcomed the restraint shown by both sides since the truce expired, saying there has been no major military escalation, “only sporadic exchanges of artillery and small arms fire in frontline areas in Taiz, Marib, Hodeida and Dhale.”
He said the achievements of the truce “should not be underestimated”: a 60% decrease in casualties, 56 commercial flights transporting almost 27,000 passengers, a three fold rise in the fuel products delivered to Hodeida ports over 2021, and “face-to-face meetings of the parties under U.N. auspices on military de-escalation and road openings in Taiz and other governorates.”
Yemen has been engulfed in civil war since 2014, when the Houthis took Sanaa and much of the northern part of the country, forcing the government to flee to the south, then to Saudi Arabia. A Saudi-led coalition that included the United Arab Emirates and was backed at the time by the United States, entered the war months later, seeking to restore the government to power.
The conflict created one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world while becoming a regional proxy war in recent years. More than 150,000 people have been killed, including over 14,500 civilians.
Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Joyce Msuya told the council in a video briefing from Hodeida that she spent six days traveling in Yemen and has seen clearly “the havoc that this conflict has wreaked on civilians.”
“Land mines and other explosive hazards have continued to be the main cause of civilian casualties,” she said. “In September, 70 civilians were reportedly killed or injured by land mines, improvised explosive devices and unexploded ordnance.”
Msuya said civilians face many other “perils” beyond the conflict, stressing that “the country’s deteriorating economy and collapsing basic services are the main drivers of people’s needs.”
“I saw markets with food and basic goods, but at prices that most people simply cannot afford,” she said. “I visited hospitals and schools that lack basic equipment, and met doctors and teachers who are not being paid enough — if at all.”
On a positive note, she said “some gains have been made in preventing famine.”
According to new estimates to be released Friday, Msuya said, “17 million people will be facing acute food insecurity during the last three months of this year.”
“While this is still an alarmingly high number, it is 2 million people less than earlier projections,” she said. “Moreover, the number of people estimated to be in famine-like conditions is projected to go down from 161,000 people to zero.”
Nonetheless, Msuya said that while the U.N. appeal for Yemen has received $2 billion — more than half from the United States — it is still only 48% funded and urged donors to fill the gap. | 2022-10-13T18:20:54+00:00 | lmtonline.com | https://www.lmtonline.com/news/article/UN-chief-urges-Yemen-s-warring-parties-to-extend-17507137.php |
HOUSTON, Sept. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Talos Energy Inc. ("Talos" or the "Company") (NYSE: TALO) today announced the execution of definitive agreements to acquire EnVen Energy Corporation ("EnVen"), a private operator in the deepwater U.S. Gulf of Mexico, for $1.1 billion1. The strategic transaction expands Talos's Gulf of Mexico operations with high margin, oil-weighted assets, is accretive to Talos shareholders on 2023E Free Cash Flow per Share2 and is immediately de-leveraging.
Consideration for the transaction consists of 43.8 million Talos shares and $212.5 million in cash, plus the assumption of EnVen's net debt upon closing, currently estimated at approximately $50.0 million at year-end 2022. Following the transaction, Talos shareholders will own approximately 66% of the pro forma company and EnVen's equity holders will own the remaining 34%. The transaction has been unanimously approved by each company's Board of Directors. Closing is expected by year end 2022, subject to customary closing conditions.
- Adds ~24 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day ("MBoe/d") of production (>80% oil, >90% operated).
- Increases production by 40% and gross acreage by 35%, significantly increasing operational scale and diversity.
- Doubles Talos's operated deepwater facility footprint, adding key infrastructure in existing Talos operating areas.
- ~$460 million of 2022E Adj. EBITDA (~$630 million unhedged) and ~$170 million of 2022E Free Cash Flow.
- >13% accretive to Talos shareholders on 2023E Free Cash Flow per Share.
- Implied enterprise value representing 2.4x 2022E hedged Adj. EBITDA (1.7x unhedged), a discount to Talos's current metrics.
- Immediately de-leveraging, with estimated year-end pro forma net debt ratio3 of less than 0.8x.
- At least $30 million in expected annual run-rate synergies to be achieved in 2023.
- Reduces Talos's GHG Emissions Intensity with deepwater operating footprint.
- Enhances Board of Directors with 7 fully independent directors plus Talos CEO.
- Talos will introduce a proposal to eliminate its classified election structure such that all directors are elected annually.
Talos President and Chief Executive Officer Timothy S. Duncan commented: "This transaction adds significant scale and diversity to our business through logical, in-basin expansion with an excellent strategic fit. EnVen's high-margin, oil-weighted assets in key deepwater regions, operated infrastructure and significant overlapping acreage footprint will enhance our ability to accelerate shareholder value creation. The acquisition is financially attractive, expanding our operating margins and increasing Free Cash Flow per Share while immediately improving our credit profile before accounting for significant expected cost synergies. The enhanced cash flow profile will provide us with increased capital allocation optionality, including additional high-impact subsea tie-back opportunities, opportunistic acquisitions, accelerating our low-carbon initiatives and positioning Talos for a potential shareholder return of capital program in the future. We are excited for the numerous benefits that this transaction provides and look forward to closing around year end."
- Attractive Asset Base Aligned with Talos Strategy: EnVen currently produces approximately 24 MBoe/d in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico that is more than 80% oil-weighted, more than 90% operated and more than 95% from deepwater regions. EnVen operates numerous platforms, including five major deepwater facilities with significant open capacity and holds an acreage footprint of approximately 420,000 gross acres in core deepwater areas for future infrastructure-led development, exploitation and exploration opportunities. EnVen's infrastructure is backed by >$160 million in restricted cash and receivables reserved against future abandonment obligations.
The transaction is well-aligned with Talos's strategy focused on value creation through the acquisition and development of conventional resources in close proximity to under-utilized infrastructure applying Talos's vast seismic inventory and advanced reprocessing. EnVen's assets add material scale and diversity to Talos's footprint, already a leading public offshore independent in the U.S. On a pro forma basis, Talos expects to be more than 70% oil-weighted, more than 75% operated and more than 80% focused in deepwater regions. - Compelling Financial Metrics and Credit Profile: Consideration implies a valuation of approximately 2.4x 2022 estimated hedged Adjusted EBITDA and the transaction is more than 13% accretive to Talos shareholders on 2023E Free Cash Flow per Share. Talos expects the transaction to be immediately de-leveraging at closing, with year-end 2022 leverage of less than 0.8x. Additionally, Talos will have no near-term maturities. The Company expects to provide 2023 financial guidance after closing.
- Material Synergies: Talos expects to generate at least $30 million in annual run-rate synergies from the transaction, primarily consisting of general and administrative cost reductions. The Company believes run-rate savings can be achieved in 2023 and expects additional synergies from operational cost optimization, capital high-grading and other improvements over time.
- Improved Positioning for Future Growth: With greater scale and diversity, an enhanced cash flow generation profile and improved leverage profile, Talos believes it is well-positioned to accelerate organic, value-creating activities through its Upstream and CCS business segments as well as business development activities going forward. The increased scale and free cash flow generation also allows Talos to continue its evaluation for a potential shareholder return program in the future.
There are no anticipated changes to Talos senior management resulting from the transaction. Tim Duncan will remain Chief Executive Officer and will retain one seat on the expanded Board of Directors, which will include six Talos directors (CEO and five independents) and two independents from the EnVen Board of Directors, Shandell Szabo and Richard Sherrill. The Board of Directors will have no private equity representatives post-closing. Robert Tichio, the appointed Riverstone Holdings representative currently on Talos's Board of Directors, will resign from the Board simultaneous with closing of the transaction. Riverstone Holdings (~10% pro forma ownership) and EnVen's top two equity holders (~20% pro forma combined) will enter lock-up agreements at closing.
Shandell Szabo is currently an independent director of EnVen and previously spent 19 years with Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, most recently as the Vice President of U.S. Exploration. She has technical expertise in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico and other key basins. Richard Sherrill is also currently an independent director of EnVen and is the President of Clean Aire Partners, a private energy transition company. He was previously the Chief Operating Officer of Duke Energy Corporation.
Talos also intends to facilitate a shareholder vote on elimination of the Company's current classified director structure, which would require that all directors be elected every year going forward, as compared to the current staggered 3-year terms.
The transaction, which is expected to close around year end 2022, is subject to customary closing conditions, including the expiration or termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 and the approval of Talos and EnVen shareholders. Riverstone Holdings, which currently owns ~15% of Talos, has executed a Support Agreement in favor of the transaction. A majority of EnVen shareholders have agreed to provide their written consents in favor of the transaction. Both Talos and EnVen Boards of Directors have unanimously approved the transaction.
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC is serving as lead financial advisor to Talos and has provided a fairness opinion. KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc. also served as a financial advisor to Talos. Vinson & Elkins L.L.P is serving as legal advisor to Talos. Intrepid Partners, LLC is serving as financial advisor to EnVen and Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP is serving as legal advisor to EnVen.
Talos will host a conference call, which will be broadcast live over the internet, on Thursday, September 22, 2022 at 9:00 AM Eastern Time (8:00 AM Central Time). Listeners can access the conference call through a webcast link on the Company's website at: https://www.talosenergy.com/investor-relations/events-calendar/. Alternatively, the conference call can be accessed by dialing (888) 348-8927 (U.S. toll free), (855) 669-9657 (Canada toll-free) or (412) 902-4263 (international). Please dial in approximately 15 minutes before the teleconference is scheduled to begin and ask to be joined into the Talos Energy call. A replay of the call will be available one hour after the conclusion of the conference until September 29, 2022 and can be accessed by dialing (877) 344-7529 and using access code 3219304.
Talos Energy (NYSE: TALO) is a technically driven independent exploration and production company focused on safely and efficiently maximizing long-term value through its operations, currently in the United States and offshore Mexico, both through upstream oil and gas exploration and production and the development of carbon capture and sequestration opportunities. As one of the Gulf of Mexico's largest public independent producers, we leverage decades of technical and offshore operational expertise towards the acquisition, exploration and development of assets in key geological trends that are present in many offshore basins around the world. With a focus on environmental stewardship, we are also utilizing our expertise to explore opportunities to reduce industrial emissions through our carbon capture and sequestration initiatives along the U.S. Gulf Coast and Gulf of Mexico. For more information, visit www.talosenergy.com.
Sergio Maiworm
+1.713.328.3008
investor@talosenergy.com
This communication may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included in this communication, regarding the proposed transaction with EnVen, including our ability to satisfy the conditions to closing and the expected timing and benefits of the transaction, our strategy, future operations, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. When used in this communication, the words "will," "could," "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "expect," "project," "forecast," "may," "objective," "plan" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions about future events and are based on currently available information as to the outcome and timing of future events.
We caution you that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. These risks include, but are not limited to, commodity price volatility due to the continued impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 ("COVID-19"), including any new strains or variants, and governmental measures related thereto on global demand for oil and natural gas and on the operations of our business; the ability or willingness of OPEC and other state-controlled oil companies ("OPEC Plus"), such as Saudi Arabia and Russia, to set and maintain oil production levels; the impact of any such actions; the lack of a resolution to the war in Ukraine and its impact on certain commodity markets; lack of transportation and storage capacity as a result of oversupply, government and regulations; lack of availability of drilling and production equipment and services; adverse weather events, including tropical storms, hurricanes and winter storms; cybersecurity threats; sustained inflation and the impact of central bank policy in response thereto; environmental risks; failure to find, acquire or gain access to other discoveries and prospects or to successfully develop and produce from our current discoveries and prospects; geologic risk; drilling and other operating risks; well control risk; regulatory changes; the uncertainty inherent in estimating reserves and in projecting future rates of production; cash flow and access to capital; the timing of development expenditures; potential adverse reactions or competitive responses to our acquisitions and other transactions, including the proposed transaction with EnVen; the possibility that the anticipated benefits of our acquisitions, including the proposed transaction with EnVen, are not realized when expected or at all, including as a result of the impact of, or problems arising from, the integration of acquired assets and operations, our ability to satisfy the conditions to closing to the proposed EnVen transaction and the other risks discussed in Part I, Item 1A. "Risk Factors" of Talos Energy Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on February 25, 2022 and Part II, Item 1A. "Risk Factors" of Talos Energy Inc's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2022, filed with the SEC on August 4, 2022. Should one or more of the risks or uncertainties described herein occur, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results and plans could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements, expressed or implied, included in this communication are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. This cautionary statement should also be considered in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that we or persons acting on our behalf may issue. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, we disclaim any duty to update any forward-looking statements, all of which are expressly qualified by the statements in this section, to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this communication.
Estimates for our future production volumes are based on assumptions of capital expenditure levels and the assumption that market demand and prices for oil and gas will continue at levels that allow for economic production of these products. The production, transportation, marketing and storage of oil and gas are subject to disruption due to transportation, processing and storage availability, mechanical failure, human error, hurricanes and numerous other factors. Our estimates are based on certain other assumptions, such as well performance, which may vary significantly from those assumed. Therefore, we can give no assurance that our future production volumes will be as estimated.
This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval.
In connection with the proposed Merger, Talos will file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") a registration statement on Form S-4, which will include a proxy statement/prospectus of Talos and a consent solicitation statement of EnVen. Talos also plans to file other documents with the SEC regarding the proposed transaction. After the registration statement has been declared effective by the SEC, a definitive proxy statement/prospectus will be mailed to Talos shareholders and a definitive consent solicitation statement will be mailed to EnVen shareholders. INVESTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS OF TALOS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS (INCLUDING ALL AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND OTHER DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE PROPOSED MERGER THAT WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED MERGER. Investors and shareholders will be able to obtain free copies of the proxy statement/prospectus /consent solicitation statement and other documents containing important information about Talos and EnVen once such documents are filed with the SEC, through the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov.
Talos, EnVen and their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Talos shareholders in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about the directors and executive officers of Talos is set forth in Talos's Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A for its 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 6, 2022. Other information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in the proxy statement/prospectus/consent solicitation and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC when they become available.
This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
This communication includes the use of certain measures that have not been calculated in accordance with U.S. generally acceptable accounting principles (GAAP), including Adjusted EBITDA, Net Debt, Free Cash Flow and Leverage. Non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as analytical tools and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP.
This communication contains projections, including production volumes, capital expenditures, Adjusted EBITDA, Free Cash Flow and cost-savings via synergies. Our independent auditors have not audited, reviewed, compiled, or performed any procedures with respect to the projections for the purpose of their inclusion in this communication, and accordingly, have not expressed an opinion or provided any other form of assurance with respect thereto for the purpose of this communication. These projections are for illustrative purposes only and should not be relied upon as being indicative of future results. The assumptions and estimates underlying the projected information are inherently uncertain and are subject to a wide variety of significant business, economic and competitive risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the projected information. Even if our assumptions and estimates are correct, projections are inherently uncertain due to a number of factors outside our control. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the projected results are indicative of our future performance after completion of the transaction or that actual results will not differ materially from those presented in the projected information. Inclusion of the projected information in this communication should not be regarded as a representation by any person that the results contained in the projected information will be achieved.
1 Enterprise Value based on Talos share price as of September 21, 2022 and EnVen estimated capital structure at December 31, 2022.
2 Free Cash Flow per Share presented before changes in working capital; accretion inclusive of $30 million in expected annual synergies.
3 Year-End Net Debt ratio defined as estimated pro forma net debt at December 31, 2022 divided by last twelve months pro forma Adjusted EBITDA.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Talos Energy | 2022-09-22T11:17:30+00:00 | wcjb.com | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2022/09/22/talos-energy-announces-strategic-acquisition-enven-energy-increasing-operational-scale-improving-financial-profile-through-addition-oil-weighted-deepwater-assets-with-significant-infrastructure/ |
Jayland Walker, a 25-year-old Black man who was unarmed at the time he was killed by police in Akron, Ohio, last week, was shot at least 60 times, authorities said over the weekend, when they released body camera footage of the shooting.
The sheer number of bullets that were fired by as many as eight officers involved in the shooting has prompted renewed questions from politicians and activists who are criticizing what they view as excessive use of force by police.
Law enforcement and experts in police law who have viewed body cam footage of the shooting say that the officers' response reflects standard police training.
"Officers are trained to shoot until the threat they perceive, and or reasonably believe is present, has ended," said Lance LoRusso, a lawyer who specializes in use-of-force cases.
But other experts warn that the U.S. police training lags behind other countries when it comes to including the psychological and physiological aspects of use-of force.
Police shoot until the perceived threat no longer exists
Stephen Mylett, the Akron police chief, said as much at Sunday's news conference, when he fielded questions about whether there are police protocols in place for situations in which multiple officers are firing at a suspect and how many bullets should be fired.
While the investigation into the shooting is still ongoing, Mylett said officers independently related that they did perceive such a threat.
What began as a routine traffic stop turned into a public safety issue, police said, when a shot appeared to have been fired from Walker's vehicle during the pursuit. Although authorities said that Walker left his gun behind when exited his car to flee on foot, officers said that — after unsuccessful attempt to use tasers — they feared the suspect was preparing to shoot when they fired their weapons.
Mylett said he didn't know how many shots were fired at Walker, but he said he expected the number would be "high."
Legally, the number of shots doesn't matter in such cases, LoRusso noted. The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed that, under the Fourth Amendment, "if officers are justified in firing at a suspect in order to end a severe threat to public safety, they need not stop shooting until the threat has ended." It's up to courts to decide whether the officers' assessment of the threat was reasonable.
Police are not trained to shoot to wound
A high number of bullets and the deadly outcomes that often result from use-of-force scenarios boils down to marksmanship, says Edward Obayashi, the deputy sheriff of Plumas County, Calif.
"Despite what Hollywood portrays, like Lethal Weapon, Dirty Harry and all these other movies and television shows, there is no cop out there that even comes close to that type of shooting skill," Obayashi said.
Add to that a moving target, poorly lit environments and rapidly evolving circumstances, LoRusso says, "aiming at the largest target available is the safest method to avoid hitting unintended targets."
Legally speaking, the lawyer says, there's no difference between shooting a suspect in the thigh as opposed to the chest.
"The shooting of a person, in any body part, is the same level of force — deadly force — and must be justified under state law," he said, adding that either shot carries the same degree of risk of "serious bodily injury or death," which is the standard to justify the use of deadly force.
Under stress, the human body doesn't know right from wrong
Many officers today are armed with semiautomatic weapons that are able to discharge an entire magazine — usually about 15 or 17 rounds — within seconds, said Obayashi, who also works as a use-of-force consultant to law enforcement agencies.
That means an unwarranted number of bullets may be fired in quick succession by the time an officer realizes it's time to stop firing, he said.
"It's going to take another period of time for your vision to then transmit a signal to the brain saying, 'Oh, OK, the threat is over. I'm going to stop firing.'"
The physiological response cannot be understated, said Maria "Maki" Haberfeld, a professor of police science at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
"Unfortunately, the adrenaline, the stress, they take over and it cannot be just clinically explained in terms of what's right and what's wrong," she said.
One of the physiological effects of the stress is the inability to see properly, she said.
"Peripheral vision is impaired up to 70%," she said, "which basically impacts the perception of how many bullets actually hit the suspect. So they really don't know if they hit the target."
Add multiple officers to the fold, and the number of bullets discharged increases exponentially.
Haberfeld says that, generally speaking, police training in the U.S. is behind some other countries when it comes to addressing the physiological components in use-of-force situations.
While proper use of force can be taught to officers in about 17 weeks, she said, "this is something that requires months upon months of training, and they simply are not getting it."
Haberfeld says she's spent much time studying European police forces, training universities and academies. Finland and Norway, she said, are exemplary models that offer three to four years of trainings that include, "not just the tactical use, it's also the psychological, the emotional aspects of use of force."
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2022-07-04T12:48:44+00:00 | kpcc.org | https://www.kpcc.org/npr-news/2022-07-04/why-officers-shoot-what-might-seem-like-an-excessive-number-of-bullets-at-suspects |
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Iran’s president has begun a rare visit to Africa as his country, which is under heavy U.S. economic sanctions, seeks to deepen partnerships around the world.
President Ebrahim Raisi’s visit to Kenya on Wednesday is the first to the African continent by an Iranian leader in more than a decade. He is also expected to visit Uganda and Zimbabwe and meet with the presidents there.
Africa is a “continent of opportunities” and a great platform for Iranian products, Raisi told journalists in a briefing. He didn’t take questions. “None of us is satisfied with the current volume of trade,” he said.
Iran’s leader specifically mentioned Africa’s mineral resources and Iran’s petrochemical experience, but the five memoranda of understanding signed on Wednesday by the Islamic Republic and Kenya appeared not to address either one. Instead, they addressed information, communication and technology; fisheries; animal health and livestock production and investment promotion.
Kenyan President William Ruto called Iran a “critical strategic partner” and “global innovation powerhouse.” He expressed interest in expanding Kenya’s agricultural exports to Iran and Central Asia well beyond tea.
Iran also intends to set up a manufacturing plant for Iranian vehicles in Kenya’s port city of Mombasa, Ruto said,
Raisi’s Africa visit is meant to “promote economic diplomacy, strengthen political relations with friendly and aligned countries, and diversify the export destinations,” Iran’s foreign ministry said in a statement upon his arrival.
Last month, Iran’s leader made his first visit to Latin America, stopping in Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua.
In March, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to re-establish diplomatic ties in a major diplomatic breakthrough.
Iran is in a growing standoff with Western nations over its nuclear program, which has made major advances in the five years since then-U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew his country from an international agreement that restricted it. Trump also restored sanctions on Iran that have contributed to a severe economic crisis.
The U.S. last month accused Iran of providing Russia with materials to build a drone manufacturing plant as Moscow seeks weaponry for its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Iran has said it provided drones to Russia before the start of the war but not since.
Kenya is East Africa’s economic hub and an ally of the U.S., with President Joe Biden’s wife, Jill, visiting the country early this year. Last year, the U.S. and Kenya signed a memorandum of understanding on “strategic civil nuclear cooperation.” Kenya has expressed interest in using nuclear power for energy production.
Under Ruto, Kenya is struggling with debt and rising cost of living, with more protests expected on Wednesday in the capital, Nairobi, and elsewhere.
Few details have been released about the Iranian leader’s visit to Uganda and Zimbabwe.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, a U.S. ally on security matters, has previously voiced support for Iran’s controversial nuclear program. During a 2010 visit by former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Museveni asserted that all sovereign countries had a right to pursue peaceful nuclear programs even as he urged the eradication of all nuclear arsenals.
Uganda is trying to set up a nuclear power plant that authorities this year said would be generating electricity by 2031. The plant, which is being developed with the technical support of the China National Nuclear Corporation, would exploit the East African country’s substantial deposits of uranium.
Zimbabwe, like Iran, is under U.S. sanctions. A ministerial delegation from Zimbabwe visited Tehran early this year and agreed to deepen cooperation in areas includiung petroleum trade.
___
Associated Press writers Rodney Muhumuza in Kampala, Uganda, and Farai Mutsaka in Harare, Zimbabwe, contributed to this report. | 2023-07-12T13:32:07+00:00 | pahomepage.com | https://www.pahomepage.com/news/international/ap-irans-president-begins-a-rare-visit-to-africa-to-promote-economic-diplomacy/ |
LONDON (AP) — Real Madrid’s pursuit of a 15th European Cup marches on.
Chelsea, meanwhile, does not know when it will compete on this elite stage again.
Madrid’s 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday completed a 4-0 aggregate victory and saw the Spanish giants advance to the Champions League semifinals for the 11th time in 13 seasons.
Rodrygo scored twice in the second half to derail a spirited Chelsea comeback that lasted the best part of an hour, but ultimately ended in a fourth straight loss under interim manager Frank Lampard.
Madrid can continue its quest for more glory in a competition it has won a record 14 times, with either Manchester City or Bayern Munich to come in the next round.
“We are ready to be there and we are ready to fight for the final,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said.
City was leading Bayern 3-0 after the first leg of the quarterfinals, setting up a likely rematch of last year’s semifinals. Madrid scored twice in added time and another in extra time at the Bernabeu last season to win 6-5 on aggregate.
Madrid is already the only team to successfully defend the Champions League in its modern guise – winning it three consecutive times from 2016-18 – and is still in contention to win it back-to-back again.
It is a record that no other team can compete with – and with a forward line of Vinicius Junior, Karim Benzema and Rodrygo in such daunting form, the defending champions will take some stopping.
Chelsea’s miserable campaign, however, is now destined to end without a trophy.
Defeat left Lampard fielding questions about where the 2021 European champion goes after its troubled start to life under new owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.
“People will make a lot about this season for Chelsea because we’ve had so much success,” Lampard said. “The reality is this club is going to be back, but it will take work.”
Chelsea sits 11th in the Premier League and 17 points off the top four despite spending around $630 million on new signings.
A club that won the Champions League twice under former owner Roman Abramovich now appears certain to miss out on the competition next season.
With the battle for the top four increasing in intensity in the light of a resurgent Arsenal, an improving Manchester United and a Saudi-backed Newcastle, Chelsea’s route back to European club soccer’s elite competition may not be straight forward.
“In this moment to try to predict what happens going forward, will it be good, will it be bad, I think is pretty pointless,” Lampard said. “But I do think we can set the building blocks now of where we want to get to.”
Chelsea’s slide has been sudden.
Just two years ago, the London club won the Champions League for a second time in its history, under manager Thomas Tuchel.
The German manager, who was hugely popular among fans, was fired earlier in the season and replaced by Graham Potter, who suffered the same fate at the start of this month.
Lampard’s arrival has not prompted an upturn in form, with his team scoring just once in its four losses since his appointment.
That lack of cutting edge was evident again in the quarterfinals second leg against Madrid as Chelsea missed a host of chances.
N’Golo Kante failed to convert clear openings in each half with the score still 0-0. And former Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois beat away a close-range effort from Marc Cucurella just before the break.
The home team was made to pay for those misses as Madrid struck twice on the break.
Ancelotti admitted his team “suffered a lot” before Rodrygo’s goals.
The Brazil forward opened the scoring in the 58th minute when turning in Vinicius’ cutback. He added a second in the 80th, this time after Federico Valverde’s assist.
He might have had a hat trick if not for a first-half effort hitting the outside of the post.
The home fans headed for the exits in numbers once Rodrygo’s second goal crossed the line.
But those who remained applauded at the end after being given some cause for encouragement as Chelsea pushed Madrid for a large part of the match.
“I think the fans appreciated the performance today,” Lampard said. “Maybe they’ve had moments this season when they are not feeling like that, so we have to latch onto that.”
___
James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2023-04-19T17:05:21+00:00 | ktalnews.com | https://www.ktalnews.com/sports/real-madrid-beats-chelsea-reaches-champions-league-semis/ |
TikTok CEO to tell Congress app is safe, urge against ban
(AP) - TikTok’s CEO plans to tell Congress that the video-sharing app is committed to user safety, data protection and security, and keeping the platform free from Chinese government influence.
Shou Zi Chew is due to answer questions Thursday from U.S. lawmakers concerned about the social media platform’s effects on its young user base and possible national security risks posed by the popular app, which was founded by Chinese entrepreneurs.
Chew is sticking to a familiar script as he urges officials against pursuing an all-out ban on TikTok or for the company to be sold off to new owners.
TikTok’s efforts to ensure the security of its users’ data, including a $1.5 billion project to store the information on Oracle servers in the U.S. and allow outside monitors to inspect its source code, go “above and beyond” what any of its rivals are doing, according to Chew’s prepared remarks released ahead of his appearance before the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
“No other social media company, or entertainment platform like TikTok, provides this level of access and transparency,” he said.
Chew pushed back against fears that TikTok could become a tool of China’s ruling Communist Party because its parent company, ByteDance, is based in Beijing.
“Let me state this unequivocally: ByteDance is not an agent of China or any other country,” Chew said.
He distanced TikTok from its Chinese roots and denied the “inaccurate” belief that TikTok’s corporate structure makes it “beholden to the Chinese government.” ByteDance has evolved into a privately held “global enterprise,” Chew said, with 60% owned by big institutional investors, 20% owned by the Chinese entrepreneurs who founded it and the rest by employees.
It’s “emphatically untrue” that TikTok sends data on its American users to Beijing, he said.
“TikTok has never shared, or received a request to share, U.S. user data with the Chinese government,” Chew said. “Nor would TikTok honor such a request if one were ever made.”
TikTok has come under fire in the U.S., Europe and Asia-Pacific, where a growing number of governments have banned the app from devices used for official business over worries it poses risks to cybersecurity and data privacy or could be used to push pro-Beijing narratives and misinformation.
Chew, a 40-year-old Singaporean who was appointed CEO in 2021, said in a TikTok video this week that the congressional hearing comes at a “pivotal moment” for the company, which now has 150 million American users.
U.S. regulators have reportedly threatened to ban TikTok unless the Chinese owners sell their stake. Lawmakers have introduced measures that would expand the Biden administration’s authority to enact a national ban and called for “structural restrictions” between TikTok’s American operations and ByteDance, including potentially separating the companies.
Chew said TikTok’s data security project, dubbed Project Texas, is the right answer, not a ban or a sale of the company.
The company started deleting the historical protected data of U.S. users from non-Oracle servers this month, Chew said. When that process is completed later this year, all U.S. data will be protected by American law and controlled by a U.S.-led security team.
“Under this structure, there is no way for the Chinese government to access it or compel access to it,” he said.
He said a TikTok ban would hurt the U.S. economy and small American businesses that use the app to sell their products, while reducing competition in an “increasingly concentrated market.” He added that a sale “would not impose any new restrictions on data flows or access.”
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2023-03-22T12:57:56+00:00 | ksla.com | https://www.ksla.com/2023/03/22/tiktok-ceo-tell-congress-app-is-safe-urge-against-ban/ |
It seemed like an easy prediction for ESPN analyst Richard Jefferson to make at the time: neither the Golden State Warriors nor the Boston Celtics would have a player put on one of the greatest Game 4 performances of all time in the NBA Finals on Friday. And yet, he still ended up being wrong thanks to Steph Curry.
Prior to the Warriors’ 107-97 win over the Celtics Friday, ESPN’s “NBA Today” ran a segment featuring the best Game 4 performances of all time. This list was by position and had four Hall of Famers (Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), along with one likely future Hall of Famer (Kawhi Leonard).
Host Malika Andrews then posed the question of whether an all-time Game 4 performance would happen in Friday’s game. Former Celtics center Kendrick Perkins said it would be Jayson Tatum, and ESPN senior writer Zach Lowe said Jaylen Brown. Jefferson was a bit more cynical.
“I don’t think anybody has a chance to join that list… I just looked at that list of Kareem, Charles Barkley, MJ…” Jefferson said before Lowe reminded him Curry was playing. “I don’t think anybody has a chance, we’ll see if I’m wrong.”
Lowe continued to be incredulous about the take and blurted, “So you’re telling me this game’s gonna have Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. No one has a chance at a 30-point, 10-rebound game?”
“Let me say this: not necessarily don’t have a chance, I don’t think it’s gonna happen,” Jefferson retorted.
Lowe then sarcastically replied, “Well what a bold prediction! The greatest Game 4 in the history of basketball won’t happen tonight. We’re just asking if there’s a chance!”
The 30-point, 10-rebound mark Lowe mentioned was in reference to Leonard’s performance against the Warriors in 2019. Leonard finished with 36 points and 12 rebounds. It’s also worth noting that Andrews quietly agreed with Jefferson when he responded with “I don’t think so” for the final time.
Yeah, so about that prediction: Curry went on to put up 43 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists in not only the greatest Finals performance of his career, but one of the greatest Finals performances ever. Not only was Steph's point total was higher than some of the performances ESPN listed, but there’s also the important context of Curry appearing to be the only competent basketball player on the team for most of the game. He dragged the Warriors kicking and screaming to a 2-2 series tie, and did so two days removed from an agonizing foot injury.
This just goes to show the greatness of the Golden State star. Even though Jefferson has been out of the league for some time, and it’s been longer since he and Curry last faced one another on a basketball court, Curry still found a way to beat him in the Finals. How many other players are capable of doing that? | 2022-06-11T17:28:36+00:00 | sfgate.com | https://www.sfgate.com/warriors/article/ESPN-s-Richard-Jefferson-said-no-one-would-have-17235325.php |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten walked out of a California prison Tuesday after serving more than 50 years of a life sentence for her participation in two infamous murders.
Van Houten “was released to parole supervision,” the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said in a statement.
She left the California Institution for Women in Corona, east of Los Angeles, in the early morning hours and was driven to transitional housing, her attorney Nancy Tetreault said.
“She’s still trying to get used to the idea that this real,” Tetreault told The Associated Press.
Days earlier Gov. Gavin Newsom announced he would not fight a state appeals court ruling that Van Houten should be granted parole. He said it was unlikely the state Supreme Court would consider an appeal.
She is expected to spend about a year at a halfway house, learning basic skills such as how to drive a car, go to the grocery store and get a debit card, according to her attorney.
“She has to learn to use to use the internet. She has to learn to buy things without cash,” Tetreault said. “It’s a very different world than when she went in.”
Van Houten, who will likely be on parole for about three years, hopes to get a job as soon as possible, Tetreault said. She earned a bachelors and a masters degree while in prison and worked as a tutor for other incarcerated people.
Van Houten, now in her 70s, received a life sentence for helping Manson’s followers carry out the August 1969 killings of Leno LaBianca, a grocer in Los Angeles, and his wife, Rosemary.
The LaBiancas were killed in their home, and their blood was smeared on the walls afterward. Van Houten later described holding Rosemary LaBianca down with a pillowcase over her head as others stabbed her, before she stabbed the woman more than a dozen times as well.
The slayings happened the day after Manson followers killed actress Sharon Tate and four others. Van Houten, who was 19 at the time, did not participate in the Tate killings.
Van Houten was found suitable for parole after a July 2020 hearing, but her release was blocked by Newsom, who maintained she was still a threat to society. She filed an appeal with a trial court, which rejected it. She then turned to the appellate courts.
The Second District Court of Appeal in May reversed an earlier decision by Newsom, who rejected parole for Van Houten in 2020. She had been recommended for parole five times since 2016. All of those recommendations were rejected by either Newsom or former Gov. Jerry Brown.
Newsom was disappointed by the appeals court decision, his office said.
“More than 50 years after the Manson cult committed these brutal killings, the victims’ families still feel the impact,” the governor’s office said in a July 7 statement.
Manson died in prison in 2017 of natural causes at age 83 after nearly half a century behind bars. | 2023-07-11T23:55:54+00:00 | qcnews.com | https://www.qcnews.com/nexstar-media-wire/manson-follower-leslie-van-houten-released-from-california-prison/ |
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jason Kelce felt the pull of retirement after the Eagles slogged through a miserable 2020 season and a second Super Bowl any time soon seemed like a joke. The Christmas album crooner,honorary Mummer and All-Pro center — how many players have all those titles in their NFL.com bio? — considered walking away at the end of last season. His future was one of the more pressing offseason questions on tap, so Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni shipped the big guy two cases of beer to coax him to stay.
So Kelce stayed.
“I’ve learned now I don’t know when that last game is going to come,” the 35-year-old Kelce said.
Hey, at least Kelce knows for sure when the last game this season is going to come.
Kelce has tried not to consider that the Super Bowl against Kansas City could be his final game as an Eagle. But he’s not the only veteran Eagle and Super Bowl champion with a murky future. Kelce, Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham are the lone holdovers from former coach Andy Reid’s last season with the Eagles in 2012. There’s a chance none of the three will be back for the 2023 season.
“I know them personally and they are tough guys, tough-minded,” Reid said. “They’re good leaders, fun to be around, and they’re good football players. Each one has their own characteristic, but in general I’d tell you that about all of them, great team guys.”
Lane Johnson completes the four veteran anchors and was a rookie in former coach Chip Kelly’s first season in 2013.
The tenured stars — the Core Four — have won a Super Bowl under former coach Doug Pederson and won just four games in 2020. They’ve been hurt and set records. They’ve also raised the standard on what it means to be an Eagle. The best way to do that is go out and win the big one in style.
“Since the day I got here, that’s all they talk about,” defensive tackle Javon Hargrave said. “Tell me how they feel when they went to the Super Bowl and all the memories they had. It’s pretty cool to have people who have done it before.”
Hargrave’s nod to the veterans was interrupted when Graham pulled on his gaudy Super Bowl jacket — with tags dangling from the sleeve — at the neighboring locker. All they need is a new ring to complete the ensemble.
If they beat the Chiefs, some might go out in Philly on top.
This is no ordinary game for Kelce. On the Kansas City side, there’s Reid, the coach who drafted him. Also over there is his brother, tight end Travis Kelce, marking the first time siblings will face off in the Super Bowl. One more thing, Kelce’s wife Kylie is pregnant and the couple is bringing their ob-gyn to Arizona just in case.
Kelce has been as durable as they come, with the Super Bowl putting him at 149 consecutive games.
“He’s out there at practice every day limping around and giving his all to the team,” tight end Dallas Goedert said.
Let’s take a look at some of the foursome’s finer moments:
_____
Jason Kelce. Age 35. Center. Sixth-round pick, 2011. Five-time first-team All-Pro.
The burly, bushy-haired Bird has been a stalwart of the offensive line since he was drafted and as an Iron Man after he missed most of the 2012 season with a partially torn MCL and torn ACL. He’s in the last season of his contract.
He’s a fan favorite and has done it all outside the football field, such as singing the national anthem at a 76ers game, partying with the Phanatic and pounding a beer to a roaring ovation at a Phillies postseason game.
But the moment that endeared him for life to the Philly faithful came at the 2018 Super Bowl parade when he dressed as one of Philadelphia’s famed Mummer’s and the ultimate underdog delivered a fiery, profane speech that whipped the crowd into a frenzy.
“No one likes us! No one likes us! No one likes us! We don’t care,” Kelce exclaimed. “We’re from Philly! (Expletive) Philly. No one likes us! We don’t care!”
___
Brandon Graham. Age 34. Defensive end. First-round pick. 2010. 2020 Pro Bowl.
The most famous moment in Eagles history is the trick play that saw QB Nick Foles catch a touchdown to lead them past the New England Patriots for the franchise’s first Super Bowl victory. Right behind it? Graham’s strip-sack of Tom Brady in the same game with 2:21 left in the fourth quarter. Derek Barnett recovered and the Eagles hung on to win 41-33.
He missed most of last season with a torn Achilles but came back to post a career-high 11 sacks. Graham said he’s not retiring and was excited about testing free-agency for the first time in his career.
“I know I’m not the guy I was early on,” he said. “I do feel like I’m still pass-rushing the same. I’m able to be dominant in the run game. I’m enjoying being the leader for the guys.”
___
Lane Johnson. Age 32. Right tackle. First-round pick. 2013. Two-time first-team All-Pro.
Johnson, signed through 2025, bypassed surgery late in the season and has played through the postseason with a torn adductor in his groin. He did not allow a sack all season. But Johnson has received kudos for his openness in dealing with his mental health. Johnson took a leave during the 2021 season as he battled anxiety and depression and has since shared his story at depression treatment clinics in the area.
“I felt the shame, I felt like it was a crutch,” Johnson said last year.
___
Fletcher Cox. Age 32. Defensive tackle. First-round pick 2012. First-team All-Pro 2018.
Cox added seven sacks this season to give him 65 in his career. Cox was briefly released last season before signing a new deal for essentially one season. He may not be back in Philly next season but he’s not calling it quits.
“I’m still playing at a high level,” Cox said. “That hasn’t crossed my mind once, at all.”
___
AP Super Bowl coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/super-bowl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | 2023-02-04T02:51:17+00:00 | pix11.com | https://pix11.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-from-reid-to-super-bowls-eagles-4-stalwarts-done-it-all/ |
DOVER, Del. (AP) — An administrator at a Delaware prep school whose graduates include U.S. Sen. Chris Coons and television personality Dr. Oz has been charged with dealing child pornography.
Fifty-three-year old William R. Ushler was arrested Tuesday, the same day authorities executed search warrants at his Wilmington home and at Tower Hill School.
Ushler is charged with five counts of dealing in child pornography.
He’s currently in custody with cash bail set at $250,000.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether Ushler has a lawyer.
Tower Hill officials say he’s been fired from his job as director of upper school admissions and barred from campus. | 2022-04-21T19:10:55+00:00 | wishtv.com | https://www.wishtv.com/news/national/prep-school-official-charged-with-dealing-child-pornography/ |
The Ruth’s Chris Steak House chain is being acquired by Darden Restaurants for about $715 million.
The original Chris Steak House was opened on New Orleans’ Broad Street in 1927, and it was acquired by Ruth Fertel in 1965. The company has 154 locations worldwide, including 80 company-owned or -operated restaurants and 74 franchised restaurants.
The company, now based in Winter Park, Florida, suffered as most restaurants did during the pandemic, closing 23 restaurants in early 2020, furloughing workers and announcing that executives were taking less pay.
Shares of Ruth’s Hospitality Group Inc., which owns the restaurants, recovered within a year of the outbreak. Shares were halted before the market opened and jumped more than 30% at the opening bell.
Darden, also based in Florida, is acquiring all outstanding shares of Ruth’s for $21.50 per share, a 34% premium.
“Ruth’s Chris is a strong and distinctive brand in the fine dining segment with an impressive history of delivering elevated dining experiences to their loyal guests,” said Darden CEO Rick Cardenas said in a prepared statement Wednesday.
Darden Restaurants Inc. owns Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Yard House, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, The Capital Grille, Seasons 52, Bahama Breeze and Eddie V’s.
Darden shares were flat Wednesday.
The deal, which was unanimously approved by both companies’ boards, is expected to close next month. | 2023-05-03T16:17:59+00:00 | ourquadcities.com | https://www.ourquadcities.com/news/national-news/olive-garden-owner-buys-ruths-chris-steak-house-for-about-715-million/ |
Anniston Star Sports Writer Joe Medley picks the scores of this week’s high school football games:
Moody 35, Alexandria 21
Anniston Star Sports Writer Joe Medley picks the scores of this week’s high school football games:
Moody 35, Alexandria 21
Sports Writer Joe Medley: 256-235-3576. On Twitter: @jmedley_star. | 2022-08-31T16:59:20+00:00 | annistonstar.com | https://www.annistonstar.com/sports/high_school/prep-football-picks-see-who-joe-medley-says-will-this-weeks-games/article_f2e05ca4-2918-11ed-afbc-73b2f1a1431a.html |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States and Russia will soon hold talks on resuming suspended nuclear arms control inspections that had been put on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic and languished after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the State Department said Tuesday.
State Department spokesman Ned Price said negotiations on the inspections would take place “in the near future” under the terms of the New START treaty and would not include any discussion of the conflict in Ukraine.
He would not give a date or a venue for the talks but other officials suggested they would be held before the end of the year, likely in Egypt.
The meeting of the treaty’s so-called “Bilateral Consultative Commission” will be the first in more than a year, and is intended to show that the two countries remain committed to arms control and keeping lines of communication open despite other differences.
“We believe deeply around the world in the transformative power and the importance of diplomacy and dialogue,” Price told reporters in Washington. He stressed that the Biden administration was “realistic” about what the meeting could accomplish.
“It demonstrates our commitment to risk reduction, to strategic stability, something we remain committed to, something that is profoundly in the bilateral interest, and we hope the upcoming meeting is constructive,” he said.
Inspections of U.S. and Russian military sites under the New START treaty were paused by both sides because of the spread of coronavirus in March 2020. The committee last met in October, 2021, but Russia then unilaterally suspended its cooperation with the treaty’s inspection provisions in August to protest U.S. support for Ukraine.
“We’ve made clear to Russia that measures imposed as a result of Russia’s unprovoked war against Ukraine don’t prevent Russians and Russian inspectors from conducting New START treaty inspections in the United States,” Price said. “So we hope that the meeting of the BCC will allow us to continue with those inspections.” | 2022-11-09T19:06:30+00:00 | wjhl.com | https://www.wjhl.com/news/politics/ap-us-russia-set-to-talk-on-resuming-arms-control-inspections/ |
Which vegan snacks are best?
Whether you’ve been fully vegan for years or you’re just trying to cut back on dairy, eggs and meat, finding delicious plant-based snacks is a great place to start. And the good news is that with the rising trend of vegan eating, there are plenty of crunchy, crispy, sweet and savory vegan snacks to try.
Top vegan snacks
Best cheese puffs
Outstanding Foods Outstanding Cheese Balls – Chedda
These crunchy, airy cheese balls are the stuff of childhood nostalgia, without any dairy. They’ll even turn your fingers orange, but you won’t mind as you dive back into the bag for more. Sold by Amazon
Best veggie crisps
Rhythm Organic Cauliflower Bites
You’ll look forward to eating your veggies when they’re as crisp and addicting as these air-dried cauliflower florets. These are lightly seasoned with sea salt, but if you prefer a bolder flavor, opt for the Buffalo Ranch version. Sold by Amazon
Best snack clusters
Clusterbucks Grain-Free Superfood Clusters
The Snickerdoodle flavor of these crunchy buckwheat clusters is subtly sweet and nicely spiced. This is a great healthy snack that will satisfy your sweet tooth without sending you headed for a sugar crash. The clusters are big, but there are always plenty of smaller pieces in the bottom of the bag that make a great yogurt topping. Sold by Amazon
Best vegan trail mix
Toodaloo Trail Mix Variety Pack
The flavor options and ingredients in these unique trail mixes will upset anything you thought a trail mix could be. They’re spicy, sweet, savory and all made from a one-of-a-kind blend of nuts, seeds, dried fruit and functional ingredients such as lion’s mane and rishi for a feel-good, taste-good snack. Sold by Amazon
Best lupini beans snack
Brami Lupini Beans Variety Pack
If you haven’t tried lupini beans, prepare to fall in love. These soft, nutty beans are marinated in mild spices and come packed with plant-based protein. Each little pouch from Brami has just 60 calories and 7 grams of protein. They’re great on their own or as a salad topper. Sold by Amazon
Best vegan yogurt
The Coconut Cult Mangos N’ Cream Probiotic Coconut Yogurt
This dairy-free yogurt is made with minimal ingredients, most of which are organic, and has a wonderfully tangy, almost effervescent texture and rich, satisfying flavor. You only need a few tablespoons to reap the major probiotic benefits of this fermented breakfast or snack. Sold by Amazon
Best vegan superfood popcorn
Azzizah’s Herbal Green Popcorn – Original Savory Cheddar
Don’t let the green color throw you off: all of that seasoning means tons of flavor. This crunchy corn is covered in a spicy blend of nutritional yeast, curry powder, herbs, cayenne, garlic, and of course, spirulina. Spirulina is derived from algae and not only tastes great, but it’s also full of B vitamins, which can be difficult to incorporate into a vegan diet. Sold by Amazon
Best mushroom jerky
Eat the Change Mushroom Jerky Variety Pack
This is plant-based jerky made for meat lovers. It’s tender, chewy and packed with rich umami flavor. Each of the three flavors (Sea Salt and Cracked Pepper, Maple Mustard and Hickory Smokehouse) is delicious as a portable snack great for hiking. Sold by Amazon
Best crackers
Simple Mills Organic Seed Crackers – Everything
These buttery crackers get their rich flavor and crumbly texture from a blend of gluten-free flours, including sunflower, pumpkin and flax seeds, cassava and tapioca. They’re flavored with a classic everything bagel seasoning for a nice garlicky taste that’s great with anything from a slice of vegan cheese to guacamole. Sold by Amazon
Best spicy vegan jerky
Beyond Meat Plant-Based Jerky – Original and Teriyaki Variety Pack
You’ll love all of the flavors of this meaty, savory plant-based jerky from meat alternative giant Beyond Meat. The protein is made from peas and mung beans and is free of soy, gluten and GMO ingredients. Plus, there are a whopping 10 grams of protein per serving. Sold by Amazon
Best crunchy chickpeas
Saffron Road Organic Crunchy Chickpeas – Korean BBQ
These crispy seasoned chickpeas are great on their own or tossed into a salad. For added protein. They come in a range of flavors, including Buffalo, Chipotle, Sea Salt and Korean BBQ, to suit any taste buds. Sold by Amazon
Best potato chips
Popchips Sea Salt Potato Chips
Get your fill of crispy potatoes without a grease overload. These light, airy chips are just as tasty straight from the bag as they are stuffed into a sandwich. Try the barbecue flavor if you like some heat. Sold by Amazon
Best sweet-savory popcorn
LesserEvil Organic Popcorn, Himalayan Sweetness
This light, healthy popcorn is certified organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and has less fat and more fiber than traditional kettle corn, but all of the sweet-and-savory flavor you crave. If you’re looking for vegan cheesy popcorn, try LesserEvil’s Classic Cheddah. Sold by Amazon
Best vegan queso
This fluffy, smooth cheese-free queso dip is the perfect topping for nachos, tacos and pretty much anything that dips. It has a melty texture that’s great warm or cold, and is flavored with tomatoes, carrots, pepper, and nutritional yeast for a bold, slightly smoky flavor. Sold by Amazon
Best vegan cookie dough
Whoa Dough Edible Cookie Dough Bars Variety Pack
Soft, gooey and with flavors include Brownie Batter, Sugar Sprinkle and Chocolate Chip, it’s hard to beat these cookie dough bars. They’re shelf-stable but hold their soft, chewy texture like homemade dough. Sold by Amazon
Best chocolatey vegan snack
Undercover Quinoa Crisps, Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt
These snacks are made of crispy puffed quinoa cakes coated in rich dark chocolate with a touch of sea salt. Other vegan flavors include dark chocolate and pumpkin spice and dark chocolate with blueberries for extra antioxidants. Sold by Amazon
Best vegan graham crackers
Healing Home Foods Lemon Chia Graham Bites
These cute graham cracker-like bites taste homemade, with a buttery flavor and thick, crunchy texture that’s made for dunking in your favorite plant-based milk. They have a hint of brightness from lemon. Sold by Amazon
Want to shop the best products at the best prices? Check out Daily Deals from BestReviews.
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Lizzy Briskin writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | 2022-07-05T19:00:26+00:00 | kfor.com | https://kfor.com/reviews/br/kitchen-br/food-br/the-17-best-vegan-snacks/ |
A man who pleaded guilty to conspiring to kidnap Michigan’s governor in 2020 was granted a major break Thursday and sentenced to four years in prison.
Kaleb Franks was rewarded for testifying for prosecutors at two trials. His sentence was longer than the term given to another man who was the first to plead guilty but it still carried a significant benefit.
Franks “made the right decision and came clean. That’s encouraging,” U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker said.
Franks was among six anti-government extremists who were charged in federal court with conspiracy and other crimes. Investigators said the group’s goal was to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and incite a U.S. civil war — the “boogaloo” — before the 2020 presidential election.
“I would like to start by saying I’m sorry to the governor and her family,” Franks said in federal court in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
“I understand that this experience had to have been very traumatizing and difficult,” he said. “I’m ashamed and embarrassed of my actions, and I regret every decision that I made.”
The group considered Whitmer, a Democrat, and other elected officials to be tyrants who were infringing on constitutional rights, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when businesses were shut down, people were told to stay home and schools were closed.
Franks, 28, participated in a key step in the conspiracy: a ride on a rainy night to scout Whitmer’s vacation home in northern Michigan. She was not there at the time.
He testified that he had hoped to be killed by police if a kidnapping could be pulled off at some point. The FBI, however, had undercover agents and informants inside the group.
“I was going to be an operator,” Franks said last spring. “I would be one of the people on the front line, so to speak, using my gun.”
Prosecutors said Franks’ cooperation was important because it backed up critical testimony from Ty Garbin, who pleaded guilty a year earlier and was sentenced to just 2 1/2 years in prison.
“It really was invaluable to have the testimony of an insider,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Nils Kessler told the judge, referring to Franks.
When the hearing began, his sentencing guidelines suggested a minimum prison term of 12 years. But Jonker reduced the range at the government’s request and settled on a much lower figure. Franks will get credit for two years in custody.
An email seeking comment was sent to Whitmer’s staff. In August, after the convictions of ringleaders Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr., she said the plot was a “disturbing extension of radicalized domestic terrorism.” Two other men, Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta, were acquitted in April.
“They didn’t just want to kidnap her,” Kessler said in court Thursday. “The plot that Mr. Fox and Mr. Croft really wanted to do was to put (Whitmer) on trial, kill her and begin a second civil war. What’s really frightening about that is just how prevalent those kind of views have become.”
Meanwhile, 120 miles (190 kilometers) away in Jackson, Michigan, a jury heard a second day of testimony in the trial of three members of a paramilitary group who were also arrested in 2020. Joe Morrison, Pete Musico and Paul Bellar are not charged with directly participating in the plot but are accused of assisting Fox and others.
___
White reported from Detroit.
___
Follow Ed White at http://twitter.com/edwritez | 2022-10-07T18:38:51+00:00 | pahomepage.com | https://www.pahomepage.com/news/national/ap-2nd-man-convicted-in-whitmer-plot-gets-4-years-in-prison/ |
House Republican leaders moved to defang an effort from Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) to impeach President Biden, after the unexpected fight exposed sharp divisions within the GOP over how aggressively to confront their adversary in the White House.
The House Rules Committee met on Wednesday evening to craft a rule that will refer Boebert’s resolution to impeach Biden to the House Homeland Security and Judiciary committees. Boebert’s resolution cited Biden’s handling of the U.S.-Mexico border and immigration as grounds for impeachment.
“Speaker McCarthy and House Republicans are committed to fulfilling regular order and undertaking investigations prior to taking up the serious constitutional duty of impeachment,” House Rules Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.) said in the hearing.
A formal vote on the rule to re-refer Boebert’s resolution will occur on Thursday, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) said.
Before GOP leadership moved to craft the new rule, House Democrats had planned to make a motion to table the resolution, essentially killing it. Such a motion would not be in order for the rule, stripping Democrats of the opportunity to defend Biden amid an impeachment threat.
It also protects Republicans from taking a potentially politically tricky vote. Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.) said earlier on Wednesday that Republicans who voted to table the impeachment articles could face attacks based on that vote in primaries.
Boebert’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the rule to refer her resolution to the committees.
Boebert’s privileged motion on Tuesday, forcing action on her impeachment resolution this week, caught GOP leaders by surprise and sparked rare public pushback from Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), as well as immediate rebukes from scores of fellow Republicans.
The critics warned that the formal move to oust Biden is wildly premature, harming the Republicans’ ongoing efforts to investigate the president on a range of issues — from public policy to personal finances — while undermining potential impeachment efforts in the future.
At a closed-door meeting of the House GOP conference on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, McCarthy took the remarkable step of urging his troops to oppose the impeachment resolution when it hits the floor later in the week, a House Republican told The Hill.
“This is one of the most serious things you can do as a member of Congress. I think you’ve got to go through the process. You’ve got to have the investigation,” McCarthy later said. “And throwing something on the floor actually harms the investigation that we’re doing right now.”
McCarthy told reporters he called Boebert on Tuesday and asked her to address the issue at Wednesday’s conference meeting before moving to force a vote. Boebert told McCarthy she would think about it, according to the Speaker, but then she went ahead and made the privileged motion on Tuesday anyway.
At Wednesday’s meeting, the Colorado Republican did not show up.
Boebert instead appeared on former Trump adviser Steve Bannon’s show Wednesday morning, defending her move to force a vote on impeachment despite the opposition from her leadership.
“I would love for committees to do the work, but I haven’t seen the work be done on this particular subject,” Boebert said. She later said there are not enough GOP votes to pass impeachment articles out of committee.
“This, I’m hoping, generates enthusiasm with the base to contact their members of Congress and say, ‘We want something done while you have the majority,’” Boebert said.
Boebert’s move derailed the GOP focus on other Biden-focused criticism. Lawmakers had been eager to keep the spotlight on the president’s son Hunter Biden agreeing to a plea deal involving federal tax and gun charges.
And her GOP critics, while no fans of the president, said the move fractures the GOP at a crucial political moment while jumping ahead of the various probes into Biden’s White House.
“It’s a person thinking about themselves instead of the team,” said Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), who emphasized the importance of conducting hearings before voting on something as momentous as ousting a sitting president. Bacon represents a district Biden carried in 2020.
Republicans spent years hammering Democrats for what they said were a pair of thinly-argued impeachments of Trump, and many warned that Boebert’s impeachment effort — which sidesteps all committee action — follows in the same flawed mold.
“I feel like it was cheapened in the last Congress; we shouldn’t follow the same footprints,” Bacon said.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) said he prefers to see any impeachment effort later go through the House Judiciary Committee, as his panel probes a swath of issues — from Biden’s handling of the U.S.-Mexico border to the foreign business dealings by the president’s family members.
“In five months, I think we’ve produced a lot of information,” Comer said “This is gonna take, you know, many more months, unfortunately. The FBI is fighting us, the DOJ is fighting us, big money lawyers are fighting us. I think we’re going as fast as we can.”
When it comes to border issues, Comer said he is more in favor of starting with building a case against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas first.
Most House Republicans hungry for retribution over the U.S.-Mexico border have focused on Mayorkas rather than Biden. Last week, the House GOP launched an investigation that could serve as the basis of an eventual Mayorkas impeachment.
House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) also said he would prefer impeachments to go through his committee, though was not necessarily opposed to impeaching Biden.
“I think there’s a better way to do it,” Jordan said.
Democrats plan to make a motion to table Boebert’s impeachment resolution, essentially killing it. And many Republicans said they’re ready to support the Democratic measure.
Boebert is one of four members who have led articles of impeachment against Biden this year, with each one pointing to Biden’s handling of the border and immigration issues.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who has had public dust-ups with Boebert in the past, accused Boebert of copying her impeachment push.
“I had already introduced articles of impeachment on Joe Biden for the border, asked her to co-sponsor mine, she didn’t. She basically copied my articles and then introduced them and then changed them to a privileged resolution,” Greene said. “So of course I support ’em because they’re identical to mine.”
“They’re basically a copycat,” she added.
Greene added that GOP members were mad at Boebert because her privileged motion “came out of nowhere.”
More privileged resolutions on impeachment could be coming. Greene said she will convert all her impeachment articles against Biden and top figures in his administration into privileged resolutions to use “when I feel it’s necessary.”
Amid the pushback, some conservatives defended Boebert’s strategy, even though it would circumvent the conventional committee process they demanded of GOP leaders this year.
Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) — the chairman of the conservative Freedom Caucus who was one of several Republicans to push for regular order during the drawn-out Speaker’s race in January — argued that lawmakers were not trying to circumvent the process by bringing up privileged resolutions.
“Regular order also includes individual members being able to represent their districts,” Perry said. “[It] might not be what I do, but if that’s what they see as necessary, then that’s their prerogative.” | 2023-06-22T02:28:11+00:00 | wric.com | https://www.wric.com/hill-politics/gop-leaders-defang-boebert-strong-arming-on-biden-impeachment/ |
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ The winning numbers in Wednesday evening's drawing of the Texas Lottery's "Pick 3 Evening" game were:
4-2-2, FIREBALL: 4
(four, two, two; FIREBALL: four)
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ The winning numbers in Wednesday evening's drawing of the Texas Lottery's "Pick 3 Evening" game were:
4-2-2, FIREBALL: 4
(four, two, two; FIREBALL: four) | 2022-08-18T00:09:35+00:00 | lmtonline.com | https://www.lmtonline.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Pick-3-Evening-game-17380638.php |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon rejected a request from the District of Columbia seeking National Guard assistance in what the mayor has called a “growing humanitarian crisis” prompted by thousands of migrants being bused to the city from two southern states.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin declined to provide Guard personnel and the use of the D.C. Armory to assist with the reception of migrants into the city, according to U.S. defense officials.
One official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a decision not yet made public, said that the Federal Emergency Management Agency's food and shelter program has provided funding for the problem, and has indicated those funds are sufficient.
Muriel Bowser, the district's Democratic mayor, formally asked the White House last month for an open-ended deployment of 150 National Guard members per day as well as a “suitable federal location” for a mass housing and processing center, mentioning the D.C. Armory as a logical candidate.
The crisis began in spring when Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, both Republicans, announced plans to send busloads of migrants to Washington, D.C., in response to President Joe Biden’s decision to lift a pandemic-era emergency health order that restricted migrant entry numbers.
Since then the city estimates that as many as 200 buses have arrived, delivering more than 4,000 migrants to Union Station, often with no resources and no clue what to do next.
A coalition of local charitable groups has been working to feed and shelter the migrants, aided by a $1 million grant from FEMA. But organizers have been warning that both their resources and personnel were nearing exhaustion.
“This reliance on NGOs is not working and is unsustainable — they are overwhelmed and underfunded,” Bowser said in her letter. She has repeatedly stated that the influx is stressing her government’s ability to care for its own homeless residents and now requires a federal response.
Bowser sharply criticized Abbott and Ducey, accusing them of “cruel political gamesmanship” and saying the pair had “decided to use desperate people to score political points.”
The mayor does not have the authority to personally order a National Guard deployment, an issue that has become emotionally charged in recent years as a symbol of the district’s entrenched status as less than a state.
Her limited authority played a role in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump. When it became clear that Capitol Police were overmatched by the crowds, Bowser couldn’t immediately deploy the district guard. Instead, crucial time was lost while the request was considered inside the Pentagon, and protesters rampaged through the building. | 2022-08-05T16:55:26+00:00 | lmtonline.com | https://www.lmtonline.com/news/article/Pentagon-denies-D-C-request-for-National-Guard-17354318.php |
Canceled by …
Oh, irony of ironies. Could we possibly make any of this up? The Disinformation Governance Board was canceled by, drumroll, please … Disinformation!!!
Paul Munger, St. Paul
Same rights under attack
It is hard to imagine it was 50 years ago I wrote my first letter to the editor to the Pioneer Press and now those same rights are under attack again.
It was a brief letter simply stating two points. First, when a woman or man enters a doctor’s office to decide issues of their own mental and physical health, the state or federal government has no place controlling their decisions. Second, why do many of the same people who will not let a woman make her own health-care choices, because they purport to be “pro-life,” refuse to adequately fund children’s health care, children’s nutrition programs, housing programs, education systems, and the list goes on and on. It seems to me these people are unwilling to support the children in this country that need our help.
This group of anti-choice Republicans are willing to pass legislation to interfere with a woman’s right to choose her own medical care, but are unwilling to support children in this country who are living in poverty. They are even less likely to help immigrant infants and children fleeing oppression in their home country. We have millions of children in this world who are living on the brink of starvation, but instead of helping them they are willing to spend millions of dollars on lobbying efforts to control the lives of women. This from the “party of individual freedom,” which it appears is anything but that now.
Gregg Mensing, Roseville
They’ll be OK
I am commenting on the current kerfuffle between the city of St. Paul and local landlords that was ignited by the recent 3% rent-increase ceiling voted in by the citizens of St. Paul, because it seems some local developers and landlords feel that they could not achieve their desired profit levels under the new law.
However, we beg to differ. We at Stafford Properties have enjoyed satisfactory income and profit levels from our rental holdings since 2002. After initially investing in a single rental townhouse in 2002, our real estate holdings have increased by acquiring more rental condominiums in Florida and in Eagan. Our pricing philosophy and policy is to sensibly set our rents to help us maintain and to increase tenant retention occupancy. By that, we mean to keep our rents at reasonable price levels to assure and improve uninterrupted monthly income.
A vacated unit might cause the loss of two months’ rent, plus the cost of painting and repairs. When a tenant leaves, a landlord can lose roughly $3,500 on a typical 2-bedroom unit. We did not increase the rent on our first rental townhouse for nine years and the tenants remained there the entire time.
Like some other investors, our portfolios are diversified with real estate, mutual funds, bonds. IRAs and ROTHs, etc. While working in real estate and banking during the past, from 1984 to 2005, I happened to advise and assist many couples and individuals who became millionaires over time.
I would say to the Minnesota Legislature and St. Paul “not to worry” when developers and landlords threaten to quit the business due to the new 3% rent ceiling, because there will always be other investor/developers standing in the wings to take swift advantage of the abandoned opportunities. Real estate continues as a stable and profitable investment opportunity. Even with the 3% cap, I feel that most landlords will make more money than they need to in order to survive.
Alvin M. Stafford
The writer is owner and manager of Stafford Enterprises, Eagan | 2022-05-22T12:22:13+00:00 | twincities.com | https://www.twincities.com/2022/05/22/letters-the-disinformation-governance-board-was-canceled-by-drum-roll-please/ |
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate
BROWNSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Ford Motor Co. officials on Tuesday pledged to be good neighbors to those in rural west Tennessee who live near the automaker's planned electric truck factory, a project expected to create thousands of jobs and change the face of the region.
More than 200 people attended a panel discussion at a high school in Brownsville, one of many communities that will likely be affected by Ford's $5.6 billion project to build electric F-Series pickups at a 3,600-acre (1,460-hectare) parcel of land known as the Memphis Regional Megasite in Haywood County.
The project, called BlueOval City, is a joint venture with SK Innovation, which will build battery factories at the Tennessee site and in Glendale, Kentucky. In west Tennessee, the project is predicted to boost the economies of several counties. Ford plans to employ about 5,600 workers at the plant, while construction of the factory and the arrival of Ford suppliers will create thousands more jobs.
The project is expected to bring both small and large businesses to the area, including hotels, restaurants, health care facilities and others. Real estate values also could increase. But some residents have expressed concern that those changes could be accompanied by increased road traffic, noise, crime and other issues.
Panelists presented a collective friendly face and discussed subjects ranging from workforce development to environmental issues to philanthropy. Ford officials said they were eager to hear from and work with residents to make the project a source of community enrichment.
“As we embark on the journey together, it is our commitment that Ford will be a good neighbor,” said Dave Nowicki, director of manufacturing, battery and electric vehicles,
Construction on the truck factory is expected to begin later this year, but crews already have started ground leveling operations at the site. Ford has said it plans to start production by 2025.
Entities with ties to the project already have started preparing. The Tennessee Valley Authority is building an electric substation and nearly 10 miles of transmission line to provide power for the site and surrounding area. A board that oversees the Megasite has met to discuss issues related to the environment. And, the Transportation Security Administration will be resuming service to a regional airport in Jackson, about 40 miles away from the site, in anticipation of an increase in travelers.
Ann McCormick, the project's environmental and sustainability manager, said Ford has studied the area's waterways and wetlands, in addition to an aquifer that provides water to homes and business. Ford has developed a pollution prevention plan to protect water resources at the site and “mitigate any impacts that construction could have.”
Since the announcement of the project last year, some residents have wondered if towns such as Brownsville and Stanton, where the factory will be built, are ready for changes it will bring to their normally quiet, rural communities.
Brownsville resident Jim Miller, 75, said he's thought about how the project will affect his town of about 9,800 people.
“I can see it exponentially growing. Whether Brownsville is ready for that, that's the question,” Miller said. “You can't let it overwhelm the culture and history of this area. It's a fine line you got to walk.” | 2022-06-22T03:17:34+00:00 | ourmidland.com | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/Ford-pledges-to-work-with-community-near-future-17256881.php |
Prestigious International Awards Program Recognizes Outstanding Financial Technology Products And Companies
BOULDER, Colo. and NEW YORK, March 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- TIFIN Wealth, the AI-powered wealthtech platform assisting wealth advisory firms with organic growth through advanced data science, today announced that it has been selected as the winner of the 2023 FinTech Breakthrough "Wealth Management Innovation Award." The independent market intelligence organization recognizes the top companies, technologies, and products in the global FinTech market today.
The award recognizes TIFIN Wealth's AI-powered ecosystem of data science and personalized engagement capabilities that identify and drive growth for wealth management firms. The platform embeds the latest technology around data science, machine learning, and AI throughout all components of its experience to deploy algorithms and recommendation engines that work to drive the growth metrics firms care about most: Increasing the number of leads and referrals, converting more prospects and increasing share of wallet with existing clients. Advisors can then convert using client personalization capabilities that create actionable recommendations across investments, content, and giving.
"We want to transform client personalization through data science for wealth intermediaries, including financial advisors, workplaces, and enterprises. Our 'why' is removing frictions advisors may experience in their practices and creating solutions to help them grow their business," said Cor Hoekstra, Chief Revenue Officer at TIFIN Wealth. "This award serves as an impetus to keep developing technologies that are easy to use on the front end and smart on the back end through a combination of AI and data science to drive firm growth at scale."
"For so long, users have had to learn a new language to interact with the world of investments. This has been a huge challenge for some users, especially self-directed consumers. Even wealth and portfolio managers and advisors spend copious amounts of precious time on providing individualized experiences and better outcomes for their prospects and clients," said James Johnson, Managing Director of FinTech Breakthrough. "Whether you are a direct investor seeking advice, an advisor looking for better solutions for your clients, or an asset manager seeking to distribute your product, TIFIN platforms offer a wide range of capabilities to remove frictions and create engaging experiences. Congratulations to the TIFIN team on winning the 'Wealth Management Innovation Award' for 2023."
The FinTech Breakthrough Awards is the premier awards program founded to recognize FinTech innovators, leaders, and visionaries worldwide in various categories, including Digital Banking, Personal Finance, Lending, Payments, Investments, RegTech, InsurTech, and many more. The 2023 FinTech Breakthrough Award program attracted more than 4,000 nominations from across the globe.
To learn more about TIFIN Wealth visit www.tifinwealth.com, or send an email to contact@tifinwealth.com.
Criteria and background information:
FinTech Breakthrough Awards winners are fully analyzed, evaluated and scored by our expert panel of judges, representing a mix of technical, business, academic and marketing expertise within the industry
To learn more visit: https://fintechbreakthrough.com/judging-process/
About TIFIN
TIFIN is an AI and innovation platform for wealth. Founded by Dr. Vinay Nair, a former Wharton Professor and successful entrepreneur, TIFIN was created to build engaging and intelligent wealth experiences for better financial lives.
TIFIN manages Magnifi, a consumer-focused marketplace that delivers investment personalization through next-gen intelligence and an AI investing assistant; TIFIN Wealth, an AI platform that enables client personalization for financial advisors, wealth enterprises, and workplace financial providers; TIFIN AMP, an AI platform to modernize distribution for asset management firms; and TIFIN Studios, an incubation platform for new business creation.
About FinTech Breakthrough
Part of Tech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence and recognition platform for technology innovation and leadership around the globe, the FinTech Breakthrough Awards program is devoted to honoring excellence in Financial Technologies and Services companies and products. The FinTech Breakthrough Awards provide public recognition for the achievements of FinTech companies and products in categories including Payments, Personal Finance, Wealth Management, Fraud Protection, Banking, Lending, RegTech, InsurTech and more. For more information, visit FinTechBreakthrough.com.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE TIFIN | 2023-03-30T13:08:45+00:00 | kmvt.com | https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2023/03/30/tifin-wins-wealth-management-innovation-award-7th-annual-fintech-breakthrough-awards-program/ |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.