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Barbie’s Malibu DreamHouse is back on Airbnb, and you can win a free stay
Published: Jun. 27, 2023 at 1:07 PM CDT|Updated: 19 minutes ago
MALIBU, Calif. (CNN) – Barbie fans have a chance to stay at a life-size Barbie Malibu DreamHouse for free to mark the release of the new Barbie movie.
Warner Brothers and Airbnb teamed up for the promotion.
Ken is taking over the house, spelling his name with floaties in the pool and putting some of his own touches on the place.
Two winners will get an overnight stay on July 21 and 22. Each winner can bring a friend.
This is the same Barbie DreamHouse that Airbnb listed in 2019 for $60 a night in honor of Barbie’s 60th anniversary.
The mansion has since had a makeover.
Starting July 17, you can go to airbnb.com/kendreamhouse to take your chance at one of the bookings.
Copyright 2023 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | 2023-06-27T18:28:21+00:00 | newschannel10.com | https://www.newschannel10.com/2023/06/27/barbies-malibu-dreamhouse-is-back-airbnb-you-can-win-free-stay/ |
Harvard Medical School morgue manager, 4 others indicted in theft, sale of human remains
SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) — A manager at the Harvard Medical School morgue, his wife and three other people have been indicted in connection with the theft and sale of human body parts, federal prosecutors in Pennsylvania announced Wednesday.
Cedric Lodge, 55, of Goffstown, New Hampshire, stole dissected portions of cadavers that were donated to the school in the scheme that stretched from 2018 to early 2023, according to court documents. The body parts were taken without the school’s knowledge or permission, authorities said, adding that the school has cooperated with the investigation.
Lodge sometimes took the body parts — which included heads, brains, skin and bones — back to his home where he lived with his wife, Denise, 63, and some remains were sent to buyers through the mail, authorities said. Lodge also allegedly allowed buyers to come to the morgue to pick what remains they wanted to buy.
Bodies donated to Harvard Medical School are used for education, teaching or research purposes. Once they are no longer needed, the cadavers are usually cremated and the ashes are returned to the donor’s family or buried in a cemetery.
The indictment charges the Lodges and three others — Katrina Maclean, 44, of Salem, Massachusetts; Joshua Taylor, 46, of West Lawn, Pennsylvania; and Mathew Lampi, 52, of East Bethel, Minnesota — with conspiracy and interstate transport of stolen goods. It was not known Wednesday if any of the defendants has retained a lawyer who could comment on their behalf.
According to prosecutors, the defendants were part of a nationwide network of people who bought and sold remains stolen from the school and an Arkansas mortuary. The Lodges allegedly sold remains to Maclean, Taylor, and others in arrangements made through telephone calls and social media websites.
Taylor sometimes transported stolen remains back to Pennsylvania, authorities said, while other times the Lodges would mail remains to him and others. Maclean and Taylor resold the stolen remains for profit, authorities said.
Two other people have previously been charged in the case.
Jeremy Pauley, age 41, of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, allegedly bought some remains from Candace Chapman Scott, of Little Rock, Arkansas, who allegedly stole them from a mortuary where she worked. Authorities have said Scott stole body parts from cadavers she was supposed to have cremated, noting many of the bodies had been donated to and used for research and educational purposes by a medical school in Arkansas.
Pauley allegedly sold many of the stolen remains to other people, including individuals, including Lampi. Pauley and Lampi bought and sold from each other over an extended period of time and exchanged more than $100,000 in online payments, authorities said.
Scott and Pauley have both pleaded not guilty.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | 2023-06-14T19:23:28+00:00 | kaaltv.com | https://www.kaaltv.com/news/us-world-news/harvard-medical-school-morgue-manager-4-others-indicted-in-theft-sale-of-human-remains/ |
PORTLAND, Ore. – An Oregon judge on Tuesday extended an order blocking a key part of a tough new voter-approved gun law intended to curtail mass shootings, but did not immediately rule on its most controversial part — a ban on the sale and transfer of high-capacity magazines.
Harney County Judge Robert Raschio let stand an earlier temporary restraining order that blocks the permit-to-purchase provision of the law narrowly approved by voters in Oregon in November. He also temporarily blocked another provision that prevents the sale of a gun until the results of a background check come back. Under federal law, a gun sale can proceed by default if the background check takes longer than three business days — the so-called Charleston loophole, because it allowed the assailant to purchase the gun used in a 2015 South Carolina mass shooting.
But after a full day of oral arguments, the judge did not rule on a motion to freeze a ban on gun magazines containing more than 10 rounds while the courts debate the law's constitutionality. Raschio has until Friday to issue a ruling.
The lawsuit, filed by Gun Owners of America Inc., the Gun Owners Foundation and several individual gun owners, seeks to have the entire law placed on hold while it works its way through a spate of legal challenges. Unlike other lawsuits filed against Measure 114, this one specifically makes the claims under the Oregon Constitution, not the U.S. Constitution. Burns, the Harney County town where the hearing took place, is more than 280 miles (450 kilometers) southeast of Portland in a rural and sparsely populated corner of the state.
Prior to Tuesday’s hearing, the state had agreed to delay the permit-to-purchase portion of the law until Feb. 8 because of a lack of certified law enforcement to oversee the in-person gun handling training class that would be required.
“I’m going to continue the temporary restraining order with regards to the permit-to-purchase because I’m convinced that there’s irreparable harm to the right to bear arms,” Raschio said. The order will remain in effect “until I receive notice from defendants that they’re prepared to deploy a permit-to-purchase” system, he added.
Measure 114 requires a permit, criminal background check, fingerprinting and a hands-on training course for new firearms buyers that includes firing the gun with dry or live rounds. It also bans the sale, transfer or import of gun magazines over 10 rounds unless they are owned by law enforcement or a military member or were owned before the measure’s passage. Those who already own high-capacity magazines can only possess them in their homes or use them at a firing range, in shooting competitions or for hunting as allowed by state law after the measure takes effect.
Gun sales and requests for background checks soared in the weeks since the measure was approved because of fears the new law would prevent or significantly delay the purchase of new firearms under the permitting system.
Multiple gun rights groups, local sheriffs and gun store owners have sued, saying the law violates Americans’ constitutional right to bear arms and legal wrangling is likely to continue for months — or years — in this case and the others.
The law’s fate is being carefully watched by both gun rights advocates and those who want stricter limits on gun ownership. It would be one of the first to take effect after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June that struck down a New York law that placed limits on carrying guns outside the home.
The June ruling signaled a shift in the way the nation’s high court will evaluate Second Amendment infringement claims, with the Supreme Court’s conservative majority finding judges should no longer consider whether the law serves public interests like enhancing public safety.
Instead, judges should only weigh whether the law is “consistent with the Second Amendment’s text and historical understanding.”
The legal focus Tuesday in state court was focused on the historical context when Oregon’s constitution was enacted, and on the firearms landscape at that time. The Oregon Constitution was enacted in 1859, nearly 70 years after the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution was ratified.
Plaintiff expert witnesses testified that guns with a multi-shot capacity — pre-cursors of today's high-capacity magazine weapons — were common when the Oregon Constitution was adopted and would have been familiar to its drafters.
But the state Attorney General's office called witnesses who refuted that firearms with high-capacity magazines were common at that time and would have been “curiosities or exotic weapons" making up about 0.2% of all gun ownership.
Expert witnesses also addressed how the new law would impact gun sales and availability in the state.
The owner of a gun store testified that, based on his experience, 90% of guns would be illegal in the state if Measure 114 takes effect because most guns have magazine bases that can be removed and extenders that can be added to increase the number of rounds fired.
Numerous gun manufacturers are already refusing to ship such guns to his store because of the law, said Ben Callaway, who owns Spent Cartridge in Burns, Oregon.
“They just won’t let you put it in the cart,” he said of online shopping for guns. “The only firearms I could currently purchase from them is a firearm that ships without a magazine.”
Expert for the state James Yurgealitis testified that guns with magazines limited to 10 rounds are commercially available from “basically every major firearm manufacturer” because of similar capacity limits in other states. Manufacturers make “compliant" firearms for states with magazine capacity limits including California, Connecticut, New Jersey, Hawaii, Massachusetts and New York, the state argued.
Last week, a federal judge in Portland hearing a different challenge to the law under the U.S. Constitution allowed the ban on the sale and transfer of new high-capacity magazines to take effect. The Dec. 6 ruling also granted a 30-day delay before the law’s permit-to-purchase mandate takes effect, but much of the law was to take effect Dec. 8.
But Raschio's subsequent order later that same day placing all of Measure 114 on hold pending further court argument threw its implementation into limbo.
On Tuesday, Senior Assistant Attorney General Brian Marshall objected to Raschio's block on the background check provision, saying that part of the law had never been challenged in the Harney County lawsuit filed by the plaintiffs.
Raschio set a Dec. 23 hearing on that question. A hearing on the permit-to-purchase provision will also be scheduled.
___
Follow Gillian Flaccus here. | 2022-12-14T02:18:33+00:00 | local10.com | https://www.local10.com/news/national/2022/12/13/oregons-new-high-capacity-magazine-ban-still-in-court-limbo/ |
Cycling has become a leisure lifestyle, and the market has ushered in new opportunities
WILMINGTON, Del., July 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- COVID-19 has made cycling more and more popular around the world. Cycling has changed from niche sports and daily commuting to a popular leisure lifestyle. It has returned to the public eye with a new look and has gradually become people's new favorite. Actress Kat Graham's Jelenew Cannes Red Carpet Look pushes pro cycling culture again on the red carpet at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. She wore Jelenew professional cycling pants and Stephane Rolland Haute Couture mix and match on the closing red carpet, showing the infinite possibilities of creation to the fashion and sports technology industries and interpreting the multi-faceted nature of Jelenew professional cycling pants. And take advantage of the trend of professional cycling pants entering the fashion scene and promoting the popularity of the cycling craze. Under this wave of enthusiasm, cycling clothing has a different value expression, both as a professional and functional representative and as an expression of self-expression and trend-setting culture. According to the data released by Technovia, from 2021 to 2025, the market size of cycling clothing is expected to grow to 3.21 billion US dollars and grow at a compound annual growth rate of 7.16%. Jelenew, Assos, Rapha, and other cycling brands usher in new opportunities. More and more stylish women and cycling enthusiasts are wearing trendy, professional cycling clothes in their daily lives, using cycling as a relaxing way to get close to nature or explore the corners of the city.
Jelenew is an American avant-garde cycling brand born for women and the world's first haute couture professional cycling brand. It is the first to introduce haute couture into the R&D and design of professional cycling apparel, creating apparel that combines athletic performance and haute couture aesthetics. As the world's first high-definition professional cycling brand, Jelenew's products are not inferior to other market leaders in sports performance and technical performance. The blessing of high-definition tailoring skills and haute couture aesthetics makes cycling clothing more suitable. It fits the rider's body shape, thereby reducing the wind resistance during riding, and is stylish and beautiful.
Based on this, Jelenew strives to launch cycling apparel in different scenarios through co-creation with athletes, couture tailoring, and sports performance research. Including high-performance Racing collection, Comfort collection that make cycling more every day and more convenient, try to make more women fall in love with cycling. It also encourages women to be born to be different and to stick to themselves.
Jelenew said that cycling culture has a long history in the United States. Today, the riding craze of the 1970s is back.
The latest statistics released by Statista show that there are about 52.73 million people (6 years old and above) participating in cycling in the United States alone, of which about 21% ride an average of no less than three times a week, and about 8% of people ride at least once a day.
Cycling is no longer defined only as a tool for competitive sports and daily commuting but as a way of life that leads the trend of culture. Operational and sustainable sports concepts can not only satisfy cycling enthusiasts' yearning for a modern environmental protection lifestyle but also become a spiritual healing method for more and more people.
"I think cycling is the easiest access point to those experiences without a downside. Running is great, but for many, it is very hard. Walking is too easy on average. Hiking is walking but hard. Finally, I think that riding a bike allows us to move to the perfect place for humans to experience newness without being so fast (car) we can't take it in." A cycling enthusiast shared his reasons for liking cycling on social platforms.
Matching it, not only the cycling population is developing towards two levels, but the demand for cycling apparel is also developing toward two polarizations. Professional cyclists continue to challenge themselves through competition. They pay more attention to the performance of clothing and sports, while enthusiasts regard cycling as a relaxing way to get close to nature or explore the corners of the city and pay more attention to the health, comfort, and fashion of clothing. And the trends brought about by the changes here have also brought a wave of new opportunities and challenges to the significant cycling apparel.
Taking Jelenew as an example, Jelenew's The Racing collection primarily fuses haute couture design and functionality, preserving the materials and functionality of cycling gear to deliver durable cycling apparel with haute couture aesthetics based on long-lasting endurance riding. The method mainly aims to solve the cyclists' needs for sports performance. Using couture skills is incredibly quick-drying with new technical fabrics, helping female riders break through themselves and exert their best strength.
The comfort collection is for ordinary women who love cycling. Jelenew said people live busy lives and are constantly asked to make compromises, which means constraints. Working, exercising, exercising, and living a life that does not require constant changing clothes due to scenes and situations. We retain the functionality and practicality of sportswear, combined with haute couture aesthetics, to bring cycling enthusiasts clothing that can respond to various scenarios anytime, anywhere. Cycling is a healthy outdoor sports lifestyle. It is also a sense of life ritual they admire and the wonderful life they look forward to. The comfort collection is designed to allow ordinary women to easily enjoy the joy of the cycling lifestyle in their daily life and at their own pace. It can also make it easy for beginners to adapt to the transition to the professional race. Therefore, Jelenew has developed entry-level equipment for beginners, allowing beginners to get through the running-in between the body and the riding seat, learn to avoid confrontational injuries during riding, and freely shuttle between life and riding scenes.
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SOURCE Jelenew | 2022-07-17T15:09:19+00:00 | kalb.com | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2022/07/17/cycling-culture-has-become-hot-sports-trend-cycling-boom-cycling-brands-such-jelenew-assos-usher-new-opportunities/ |
HERZOGENAURACH, Germany, Sept. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sports company PUMA has unveiled its first ever metaverse website experience, called Black Station, which features exclusive NFTs with limited edition redeemable physical sneakers, as part of its 'FUTROGRADE' show during New York Fashion Week.
PUMA Black Station has been imagined as an immersive and interactive place to experience the future of the brand. As a blank and ever-evolving 3D canvas, Black Station will become a dynamic destination to visit, connecting consumers with various web3 activations emerging over the course of the next year and beyond.
"Twenty years ago, Black Station was PUMA's home for our most innovative designs in fashion," said Adam Petrick, PUMA's Chief Brand Officer. "Given the boundaries we are pushing from a product design and digital standpoint, we found it fitting to bring Black Station back as a new portal for digital exploration across fashion, sport performance, our heritage classics, and innovation."
The experience begins with visitors entering a hyper-realistic digital lobby space with three separate portals. The first two portals, accessible beginning September 7th, will unveil exclusive never-seen-before Nitro NFRNO and Nitro Fastroid sneakers linked to PUMA's recent NFT Nitropass mint.
Those who minted a Nitropass can receive two NFTs – one tied to physical products and one that unlocks a customized experience linked to their chosen shoe. Following the Futrograde show, minters can claim their physical sneakers by burning their product-claimed NFT. This marks unchartered territory for the brand in the web3 space, establishing its first PUMA-owned NFT that links digital design with in-real-life physical products for consumers.
For the digital product design, PUMA encouraged their in-house designers to push the creative boundaries to envision what a 3D digital sneaker could look like. "Our team of designers took a lot of liberties when envisioning these footwear styles. We told them the sky is the limit. As a result, we were able to harness their creativity without the typical confines and limitations of our shoe production process," said Heiko Desens, Global Creative Director and Head of Innovation. "What is just as impressive as the actual designs is the fact that we were actually able to work with development to bring these stunning designs to life."
The sneakers recontextualize iconic PUMA features through bold, innovative designs. Fastroid takes a performance tech silhouette to the extreme with exaggerated volumes of Nitro foam in gradient high-impact hues. With "sport is art" as the guiding ambition, NFRNO appears like a hybrid collision of the past and future, drawing inspiration from obscure archive styles to arrive at a multi-part molded construction.
The third portal of Black Station will function as the entry to the digital NYFW metaverse fashion show. Visitors will be immersed into an interactive space abstracted with point cloud style effects. They will journey through a digital adaptation of the show, where visitors can interact with the collection's pieces.
The Black Station metaverse, developed by creative ventures company FTR, has been built with Unreal Engine 5 to produce cutting-edge graphics.
David Stamatis, Executive Creative Director and Partner at FTR explains, "We're dedicated to bringing great creative ideas to life through immersive experience, technology, and community. This project, and our partner in PUMA, gave us agency and trust to push into the unknown and test how these creative components can be put together to innovate in the storytelling around product, fashion, and brand. Creating a truly phygital experience has opened our eyes to the immense opportunity for brands in the future."
Visitors can enter PUMA's Black Station experience at blackstation.puma.com. A limited quantity of NFTs and subsequently exclusive sneakers exist. Visit PUMA's discord page to learn more about the project.
PUMA
PUMA is one of the world's leading sports brands, designing, developing, selling and marketing footwear, apparel and accessories. For more than 70 years, PUMA has relentlessly pushed sport and culture forward by creating fast products for the world's fastest athletes. PUMA offers performance and sport-inspired lifestyle products in categories such as Football, Running and Training, Basketball, Golf, and Motorsports. It collaborates with renowned designers and brands to bring sport influences into street culture and fashion. The PUMA Group owns the brands PUMA, Cobra Golf and stichd. The company distributes its products in more than 120 countries, employs about 16,000 people worldwide, and is headquartered in Herzogenaurach/Germany.
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SOURCE PUMA | 2022-09-07T05:16:14+00:00 | kcrg.com | https://www.kcrg.com/prnewswire/2022/09/07/black-station-puma-reveals-first-ever-metaverse-experience-with-exclusive-nfts-new-york-fashion-week/ |
Voters in Florida head to the polls Tuesday. Ukrainian workers man a nuclear power plant under the eyes of occupying Russian soldiers. More states are poised to enact abortion trigger bans this week.
Copyright 2022 NPR
Voters in Florida head to the polls Tuesday. Ukrainian workers man a nuclear power plant under the eyes of occupying Russian soldiers. More states are poised to enact abortion trigger bans this week.
Copyright 2022 NPR | 2022-08-23T11:31:26+00:00 | klcc.org | https://www.klcc.org/2022-08-23/news-brief-florida-primary-ukraine-nuclear-power-plant-worker-abortion-laws |
PINELLAS PARK, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida camp powered by solar panels and a generator is home to about a dozen sex offenders who claim they were sent there by probation officers, but there is no indication the public was alerted.
Land records indicate the tents that sit under a structure made from branches are on land owned by the Florida Department of Transportation. An FDOT spokesperson said they were “not aware of this.”
Several sources, including a defense attorney, told Nexstar’s WFLA that anyone on probation is still “under sentence,” and they said that telling them to live outdoors violates state administrative code.
A DOC spokesperson denied offenders are told where to live by probation officers.
Several of the camp residents agreed to discuss their living conditions but asked to hide their identities to avoid possible retribution from the state employees they claim sent them there.
“Yes,” one of them said when asked if his probation officer told him to live there. “They actually brought me out here.”
“They told me there’s a spot that you need to go to,” another offender said. “So, I drove around for a while trying to find this place, and eventually, I did.”
The sex offender registration law was put on the books to let the public know where these types of offenders live.
But the registry website lists an intersection for the people who live in the camp — an intersection about a mile away from the tents.
“Exactly,” one offender said. “There’s no address.”
The camp is within walking distance of schools, homes and businesses. But it does not appear to violate the state law that restricts sex offenders from living within “1,000 feet of a school, child care facility, park, playground, or other place where children regularly congregate.”
Camp residents said their makeshift homes are well hidden from the public.
“They don’t even know we’re here,” one said. “They’re hiding us from society.”
All the offenders in the camp are wearing electronic monitoring devices, but they said they were not told how to charge them to avoid violating terms of their probation.
This prompted them to buy a solar-powered charging station and a generator, they say.
Department of Corrections spokesman Paul Walker denied the offenders were told to live in the woods.
“For purpose of your story, FDC does not assign residence locations,” Walker said in an email. “The FDC aims to protect the community by supervising offenders and reporting non-compliance to the sentencing court or sentencing authority.”
The camp is in House District 60, which is served by State Rep. Lindsay Cross.
“I think the first thing is being aware of the situation,” Cross said. “I think it’s very irresponsible to direct people to an open area and not alert the residents of that community.”
Cross said she plans on talking with other lawmakers about finding a way to avoid using the outdoors as housing for offenders on probation.
“We need to go back to the safety of the residents,” Cross said. “It’s also inhumane to have anyone live without running water, electricity, housing.”
Denise Rock, founder of inmate advocacy non-profit Florida Cares, said the state has to do more to find housing for offenders to ensure their safety and to protect the public.
Rock said several former inmates from other parts of the state have made similar claims about being sent to live in wooded areas by probation officers.
“I remember one case where they said they were told to go to an area behind a [fast-food restaurant],” said Rock. “The address on the registry was for the [restaurant.]” | 2023-07-28T13:47:16+00:00 | wwlp.com | https://www.wwlp.com/news/sex-offender-camp-growing-in-florida-woods-public-apparently-not-warned/ |
We know what the calendar says, but we are taking a summer break in our innovative Cleveland’s Promise story that you’ve been reading in serialized form since September.
Pausing at this point in the storytelling makes sense because the children have just completed fourth grade. In February, we’ll take you back to school, picking up the story as the students begin fifth grade.
This series has been a wonder. We set out more than a year ago to illustrate the challenges of educating children in a city beset by poverty and how the Cleveland Public Schools tackle those challenges.
Reporters Hannah Drown and Cameron Fields have been embedded in Almira Elementary school since the fall of 2021, immersed daily in the lives of the students, teachers, counselors, parents and others. They’ve told stories of crushing situations these students faced, including the arrests of parents and housing crises. They’ve also shared stories of joy and wonder.
I’m not aware of anyone trying to tell the story of education this way, and we’ve appreciated the great many kind comments we’ve received about it from readers. Dedicating two reporters full-time for two school years is a sacrifice for us, but this is the kind of story for which we gladly make sacrifices.
We’ve published dozens of chapters since September, but we’ve always seen this as a single story with multiple plotlines and characters. We serialized it to make it digestible. From the start we planned to assemble the chapters into the single story it is, for those who might wish to read it that way or catch up on any chapters they missed.
The fourth-grade story is now available. You can read it two ways. Subscribers to The Plain Dealer should be able to find it as a supplement in the digital edition of the newspaper, if all went as planned. You can read it in the e-edition or download it to your device. And for visitors to cleveland.com, you can read the supplement -- and download it -- at the bottom of this column.
With everything assembled in one place, we think you’ll be struck by the depth of the work, which has been beautifully illustrated by artist Andrea Levy.
Then, in February, come back to Almira with us as the fifth-grade story begins. We will follow some of the students you’ve gotten to know and we’ll introduce new children to you. Hannah and Cameron are in two classrooms this year, working with two teachers. We’ll serialize fifth grade like we did fourth grade, and we’ll aim to put the entire fifth-grade story into a supplement as summer approaches.
Since the inception of this project, we intended to last at least two years. We thought at the inception it might go three, but that is iffy. Cleveland schools CEO Eric Gordon has been a chief facilitator of this work, and he is leaving the district next summer. The possibility exists that his successor would support this work, but most leaders I’ve dealt with over the years have big egos. They want attention paid to their deeds and accomplishments, not the work of a predecessor. Eric is that rare leader who does not have such an ego. Despite all of his successes in Cleveland, he remains a humble educator. And Northeast Ohio owes him thanks for providing the access we needed to tell this story.
And I thank Hannah, Cameron, Andrea and project editor Leila Atassi for giving this project their all. I also thank Jeff Glick, Skip Hall and the others who design our newspaper pages for taking time during a busy holiday season to put together this section. It’s special.
If you can’t see the document below, please use this link. | 2022-12-31T15:20:31+00:00 | cleveland.com | https://www.cleveland.com/news/2022/12/were-taking-our-summer-break-in-january-but-heres-the-complete-clevelands-promise-story-to-date-letter-from-the-editor.html |
Request unsuccessful. Incapsula incident ID: 1525000400040745811-58894644657064461 | 2023-02-23T20:09:07+00:00 | bizjournals.com | https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2023/02/23/baycare-marks-opening-of-wesley-chapel-hospital.html |
POTASHNYA, Ukraine (AP) — In 100 days of war in Ukraine, countless lives have been forever shattered, ripped apart, upended. For tens of thousands, life has been brutally ended. Those who have survived sometimes barely know how to begin picking up the pieces.
When a house symbolizing a lifetime of labor and memories is destroyed, how does one rebuild?
Nila Zelinska and her husband, Eduard, returned for the first time this week to what used to be their home in a village outside Kyiv. It was in ruins, reduced to charred walls with no roof by shelling in the days after Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine.
“Rex! Rex!” she yelled, calling for the black Labrador they’d been forced to leave behind. Only later did the faithful hound finally reappear, tail wagging under its owner’s loving caresses.
But Rex aside, nothing was as it had been.
Instead of a home, their broken house is now a symbol of their broken lives.
Nila Zelinska recalled the terror of the bombardments that forced them to leave. They scooped up her 82-year-old mother and then escaped the flames and explosions by fleeing with her through their garden.
“Everything was on fire,” she said. ”I didn’t think I could get her out of there, because she is very old. But we grabbed her by the arms and began to run.”
Much of what happened next is a hazy memory. The family evacuated westward, well away from the fighting that engulfed the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital and other cities to the north and east.
Repelled by Ukrainian defenders from capturing Kyiv, Russia has since redirected its troops and concentrated its attacks on the eastern industrial Donbas region, where the fighting is still fierce.
Reaching the 100-day milestone of war is both a tragedy for Ukraine but also an indication of how fiercely it has resisted: Some analysts thought its troops might quickly crumble against Russia’s larger and better-equipped military.
Nila Zelinska sobbed in the ruins of her home when she and her husband returned to their village, Potashnya. From the rubble, she recovered a doll that belonged to one of her grandchildren. She held it tightly, as though it was a real child.
Her husband gingerly picked his way through the piles of bricks and shattered glass.
“There is no place to live. If there was housing, we would return and plant a garden for ourselves, as we always did,” she said. “We had a garden here. Potatoes, cucumbers and tomatoes grew here. Everything was from the garden.”
Neither of them know right now what the future holds, but Nila knows what she wants.
“May there be peace on earth, peace so that our people are not suffering so much,” she said.
___
Follow all AP stories on the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine. | 2022-06-02T23:44:07+00:00 | siouxlandproud.com | https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/international/in-ukraine-broken-lives-in-a-broken-house-just-one-of-many/ |
NEW YORK, Aug. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Levi & Korsinsky, LLP notifies investors in Tupperware Brands Corporation ("Tupperware" or the "Company") (NYSE: TUP) of a class action securities lawsuit.
CLASS DEFINITION: The lawsuit seeks to recover losses on behalf of Tupperware investors who were adversely affected by alleged securities fraud between November 3, 2021 and May 3, 2022. Follow the link below to get more information and be contacted by a member of our team:
TUP 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: (i) Tupperware was facing significant challenges in maintaining its earnings and sales performance; (ii) accordingly, Tupperware's full-year 2022 guidance was unrealistic and/or unsustainable; (iii) all the foregoing, once revealed, was likely to have a material negative impact on Tupperware's financial condition; and (iv) 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 Tupperware during the relevant time frame, you have until August 15, 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
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SOURCE Levi & Korsinsky, LLP | 2022-08-04T10:47:40+00:00 | wcjb.com | https://www.wcjb.com/prnewswire/2022/08/04/tup-lawsuit-alert-levi-amp-korsinsky-notifies-tupperware-brands-corporation-investors-class-action-lawsuit-upcoming-deadline/ |
NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of the securities of Azure Power Global Limited (NYSE: AZRE) between June 15, 2021 and August 26, 2022, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important October 31, 2022 lead plaintiff deadline.
SO WHAT: If you purchased Azure Power securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.
WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Azure Power class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=8433 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. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than October 31, 2022. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.
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 handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. 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.
DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose material adverse facts about Azure Power's business operations and prospects. Specifically, defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (1) there were procedural irregularities, including deviations from safety and quality standards, at one of Azure Power's plants; (2) certain project data was manipulated; (3) as a result of the foregoing, Azure Power's internal controls and procedures were not effective; (4) Azure Power had received a credible whistleblower report alleging such misconduct; and (5) as a result of the foregoing, defendants' positive statements about Azure Power's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.
To join the Azure Power class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=8433 mailto: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.
No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.
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
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SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A. | 2022-09-09T01:42:40+00:00 | uppermichiganssource.com | https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/prnewswire/2022/09/09/azre-notice-rosen-top-ranked-national-investor-attorneys-encourages-azure-power-global-limited-investors-secure-counsel-before-important-deadline-securities-class-action-azre/ |
California church must pay $1.2 million for breaking COVID rules
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — A California church that defied safety regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic by holding large, unmasked religious services must pay $1.2 million in fines, a judge has ruled.
Calvary Chapel in San Jose was fined last week for ignoring Santa Clara County’s mask-wearing rules between November 2020 and June 2021.
The church will appeal, attorney Mariah Gondeiro told the San Jose Mercury News.
Calvary was one of several large California evangelical churches that flouted state and local mask-wearing and social distancing rules designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 during its deadliest period.
That has led to a tangled web of court rulings and challenges.
Calvary Chapel sued the county, arguing the health orders violated its religious freedom. Various courts have ruled either in favor the church or the county.
The church and its pastors were previously held in contempt of court and fined for violating limits on indoor public gatherings. But a state appellate court reversed those decisions last year, saying that the restrictions on indoor worship services were stricter than for secular activities such as going to grocery stores.
The county continued to seek fines for violations of mask-wearing regulations.
“It should appear clear to all — regardless of religious affiliation — that wearing a mask while worshiping one’s god and communing with other congregants is a simple, unobtrusive, giving way to protect others while still exercising your right to religious freedom,” Superior Court Judge Evette D. Pennypacker wrote in the April 7 ruling imposing the fines.
The church, she said, flouted public health orders “and urged others to do so ‘who cares what the cost,’ including death.”
County Counsel James Williams said the ruling showed the court “once again saw through Calvary’s unsupported claims and found them meritless.”
“The county’s response to the pandemic, including the health officer’s public health orders and enforcement against entities that refused to follow the law, saved thousands of lives and resulted in one of the lowest death rates of any community in the United States,” Williams said.
More than 101,000 Californians have died from COVID-19, according to state public health figures. Death and infection rates have fallen since the height of the virus’ spread, and Gov. Gavin Newsom officially ended the state’s coronavirus emergency several months ago.
Last week, the California Department of Public Health ended masking and coronavirus vaccination requirements in high-risk settings, including health care facilities and prisons.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2023-04-14T07:43:01+00:00 | wsfa.com | https://www.wsfa.com/2023/04/14/california-church-must-pay-12-million-breaking-covid-rules/ |
New tensions between Moscow and the West are rising after Lithuania decided to halt the transport of some goods through its territory to the Russian region of Kaliningrad as part of European Union sanctions on the Kremlin.
The Kremlin warns it will retaliate against the sanctions, stemming from its invasion of Ukraine, in a way that will have a “significant negative impact” on the Lithuanian people, raising fears of a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO.
A look at why tensions are rising over Kaliningrad, a part of Russia on the Baltic Sea that is separated from the rest of the country:
RUSSIA’S WESTERNMOST TERRITORY
The Kaliningrad region once was part of the German province of East Prussia, which was taken over by the Soviet Union after World War II in line with the 1945 Potsdam agreement among the Allied powers. East Prussia’s capital of Konigsberg was renamed Kaliningrad, for Mikhail Kalinin, a Bolshevik leader.
An estimated 2 million of Germans fled the territory in the final months of World War II, and those who stayed were forcibly expelled after hostilities ended.
The Soviet authorities developed Kaliningrad as a major ice-free port and a key center of fishing, encouraging people from other regions to move into the territory. Since the Cold War era, Kaliningrad also has served as a major base of Russia’s Baltic fleet.
But since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the independence of the Baltic countries, Kaliningrad finds itself separated from the rest of Russia by Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, now all NATO members. To the south is Poland, another NATO member.
MILITARY BASTION
As Russia’s relations with the West have soured, Kaliningrad’s military role has grown. Its location has put it in the forefront of Moscow’s efforts to counter what it described as NATO’s hostile policies.
The Kremlin has methodically bolstered its military forces there, arming them with state-of-the-art weapons, including precision-guided Iskander missiles and an array of air defense systems.
As the region’s military significance has grown, its dependence on goods coming through Poland and Lithuania has made it particularly vulnerable.
TRANSIT HALTED
Lithuania emphasized that the ban on the movement of sanctioned goods was part of the fourth package of EU sanctions against Russia, noting it only applies to steel and ferrous metals starting on June 17.
The government in Vilnius rejected Russia’s description of the move as a blockade, stressing that unsanctioned goods and rail passengers can still move through Lithuania.
In line with the EU decision, coal will be banned in August and shipments of oil and oil products will be halted in December.
MOSCOW MULLS A RESPONSE
Moscow formally protested the halt of shipments to Kaliningrad as a violation of Russia-EU agreements on free transit of goods to the region.
Kaliningrad Gov. Anton Alikhanov said the ban will affect up to half of all items brought into the region, including cement and other construction materials.
Nikolai Patrushev, the powerful secretary of Russia’s Security Council and a close confidant of President Vladimir Putin, visited Kaliningrad on Tuesday to meet with local officials. He described the restrictions as “hostile actions” and warned that Moscow will respond with unspecified measures that “will have a significant negative impact on the population of Lithuania.”
Patrushev didn’t elaborate, but Alikhanov suggested that the Russian response could include shutting the flow of cargo via the ports of Lithuania and other Baltic nations.
However, Lithuania has significantly reduced its economic and energy dependence on Russia, recently becoming the first EU country to stop using Russian gas. It no longer imports Russian oil and has suspended imports of Russian electricity. The transport of most Russian transit via Lithuanian ports already has been halted under EU sanctions, but Moscow could move to restrict transit for cargo from third countries through Lithuania.
Putin will decide Russia’s respond after receiving Patrushev’s report.
Russia’s standoff with Lithuania is part of their rocky relationship that dates back to Moscow’s annexation of the country, along with Estonia and Latvia, in 1940. The three pressed their move toward independence under former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and regained it when the USSR collapsed in 1991.
FEARS OF ESCALATION
Some in the West long have feared that Russia could be eyeing military action to secure a land corridor between its ally Belarus and the Kaliningrad region via the so-called Suwalki Gap, a 65-kilometer (40-mile) strip of land in Poland along the border with Lithuania.
The rhetoric on Russian state TV has risen to a high pitch, with commentator Vladimir Solovyov accusing the West of brinkmanship that has set the clock ticking toward World War III.
Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas warned Wednesday of the danger of Russian provocations amid the Kaliningrad tensions. “When you have a military force and they are ruled by the half-witted — I apologize for the expression — of course you can expect everything,” he said, adding that Lithuania feels confident and relies on its NATO allies.
With the bulk of Russia’s military bogged down in Ukraine, any use of force in the Baltics could be beyond Moscow’s conventional weapons capability.
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said she doesn’t think there is a military threat to Lithuania, adding that Russia was trying to raise pressure on the EU to ease the sanctions.
“Russia is very good in playing on our fears so that we would, you know, step back from our decisions,” Kallas said in an interview with The Associated Press.
A Russian attempt to use force against Poland or Lithuania would trigger a direct conflict with NATO, which is obliged to protect any of its members under its charter’s mutual defense clause known as Article 5.
On Tuesday, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price emphasized Washington’s “ironclad” commitment to that clause, which he described as NATO’s “bedrock” principle.
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov responded by warning the EU and NATO against “dangerous rhetorical games” over Kaliningrad. “Certain influential and powerful forces in the West are doing all they can to further exacerbate tensions in relations with Russia,” he said, adding that “some simply have no limits in inventing scenarios when a military confrontation with us would look inevitable.”
__
Liudas Dapkus in Vilnius, Lithuania, contributed. | 2022-06-23T03:27:44+00:00 | ourquadcities.com | https://www.ourquadcities.com/news/ap-top-headlines/explainer-why-russia-lithuania-tensions-are-rising/ |
WFO LOS ANGELES Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, January 25, 2023
_____
WIND ADVISORY
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
329 AM PST Wed Jan 25 2023
...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 PM PST
THURSDAY...
* WHAT...Northeast winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 60 mph
expected.
* WHERE...Ventura County Mountains (mainly the southeast portion)
and Santa Clarita Valley.
* WHEN...From 7 PM this evening to 6 PM PST Thursday.
* IMPACTS...Damaging winds will blow down large objects such as
trees and power lines. Power outages are expected. Travel will
be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
People should avoid being outside in forested areas and around
trees and branches. If possible, remain in the lower levels of
your home during the windstorm, and avoid windows. Use caution if
you must drive.
...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 PM
PST THURSDAY...
* WHAT...Northeast winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph
* WHERE...Central Ventura County Valleys, Southeastern Ventura
County Valleys and Los Angeles County San Fernando Valley.
* IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects and
make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles.
Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may
result.
Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high
profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects.
...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 PM PST
* WHAT...Northeast winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 55 mph
* WHERE...Antelope Valley (almost entirely the foothill areas).
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 2 PM PST
* WHAT...Northeast winds 25 to 30 mph with gusts up to 35 mph
* WHERE...Catalina Island.
* WHEN...From midnight tonight to 2 PM PST Thursday.
* IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. The
winds may affect the harbor.
...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 2 PM
* WHAT...Northeast winds 20 to 35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph
* WHERE...Ventura County Beaches, Ventura County Inland Coast
and Malibu Coast.
...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 PM
* WHAT...Northeast winds 35 to 45 mph with gusts up to 70 mph
* WHERE...Los Angeles County Mountains and Santa Monica Mountains
(mainly the western half).
* WHEN...From 7 PM this evening to 10 PM PST Thursday.
...FROST ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM PST THIS MORNING...
* WHAT...Temperatures as low as 32 degrees will result in frost
formation.
* WHERE...San Luis Obispo County Inland Central Coast, Santa
Barbara County Central Coast Beaches, Santa Barbara County
Inland Central Coast and Ojai Valley.
* WHEN...Until 9 AM PST this morning.
* IMPACTS...Frost can damage sensitive plants and harm pets if
left unprotected.
Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.
_____
Copyright 2023 AccuWeather | 2023-01-25T11:51:37+00:00 | expressnews.com | https://www.expressnews.com/weather/article/ca-wfo-los-angeles-warnings-watches-and-17740491.php |
WIMBLEDON – The Latest from Wimbledon (all times local):
___
11:45 a.m.
The first rain delay at Wimbledon came about 40 minutes into the opening day of the tournament.
A light rain began to fall at the All England Club at about 11:40 a.m. and play on 15 courts was suspended.
Centre Court and No. 1 Court at Wimbledon both have a retractable roof, but play doesn't start in those stadiums until later in the day.
___
10:40 a.m.
Defending champion Novak Djokovic will take the traditional spot in the first match at Centre Court on the opening day of Wimbledon.
The six-time champion, who has won the last three men's singles titles at the All England Club, will face 81st-ranked Kwon Soon-woo in the first round.
A victory would be Djokovic’s 80th at the All England Club, which would make him the first man or woman to have won at least that many matches at each of the four major tournaments.
Two locals will fill the other slots in the main stadium.
Emma Raducanu, who won the U.S. Open at the age of 18 last September, will be next on Centre Court, facing Alison Van Utyvanck of Belgium. Then comes Andy Murray, a three-time major champion who won the Wimbledon title in both 2013 and 2016. He will play James Duckworth of Australia.
Other former Grand Slam champions slated to play on Day 1 include Angelique Kerber, Stan Wawrinka and Jelena Ostapenko.
___
More AP Wimbledon coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/wimbledon and https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2022-06-27T10:54:31+00:00 | wsls.com | https://www.wsls.com/sports/2022/06/27/wimbledon-updates-novak-djokovic-1st-up-on-centre-court/ |
BEIJING, July 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- WiMi Hologram Cloud Inc. (NASDAQ: WIMI) ("WiMi" or the "Company"), a leading global Hologram Augmented Reality ("AR") Technology provider, today announced its development of a humanoid robot control system based on a head-mounted display (HMD) controlled by a brain-computer interface (BCI). This system via steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEP) and allows interaction with the environment and humans. The technology provides real-time feedback through the robot's embedded camera, which integrates stimulus feedback into the HMD display.
WiMi's researchers took control of the robot and tested its performance by using this new interaction in an experiment. Testers were asked to navigate the robot to a specific location to perform a task. This test was based on visual SLAM feedback, which provides navigation instructions through images of the environment captured by a camera.
Steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEP) are used as control signals, and the user's EEG signals are captured by an EEG signal acquisition device, and real-time feedback from the robot is displayed using a head-mounted display. For navigation instructions, the researchers embedded an embedded camera in the robot and combined its real-time feedback with the SSVEP signals on the head-mounted display to form a form of interaction. The researchers used a visual SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) algorithm to implement the navigation instructions.
The control system of the head-mounted display BCI consists of several components: signal acquisition device, head-mounted display, humanoid robot, embedded camera, control algorithm, etc. The steps and results of WiMi's BCI control system implementation are as follows:
EEG signal acquisition and processing:
The WiMi researchers first used a set of EEG signal interaction platforms for capturing the user's EEG signals and processing those signals. The platform consists of a multi-channel amplifier, electrode caps, and data acquisition software to capture and store the user's EEG signals in real-time. In processing the EEG signals, an efficient method is used, which is the extraction of SSVEP by frequency analysis of the signals. This method presents light flashes of a specific frequency to the user, and the user's EEG signal will resonate at this frequency, thus enabling the extraction of control signals.
The researchers used an EEG signal acquisition device to capture the user's EEG signals, a head-mounted display to show real-time feedback from the robot, and an embedded camera to provide navigation instructions. The control algorithm uses a visual SLAM algorithm to implement the navigation instructions, which models the environment and implements the navigation instructions from images of the environment captured by the robot's camera.
Head-mounted display applications:
To provide feedback on the control signals, the researchers used a head-mounted display, which shows real-time images and states displayed through a built-in monitor. The head-mounted display utilizes high-resolution display technology to provide a more realistic experience of the virtual environment.
In addition, to better provide feedback on control signals, the researchers combined the display with the robot's built-in camera. With the robot's camera capturing images of the environment and displaying them on the head-mounted display, users can visualize the robot's state and environmental information more intuitively. Specifically, the user is required to gaze at a specific frequency of light stimuli on the head-mounted display, which causes the user's brain to emit a specific SSVEP signal. Once the signal is captured and processed, a control algorithm can determine the user's intent based on the frequency and amplitude of the signal, such as moving the robot to turn left or right. The embedded camera captures the viewpoint of the robot in real-time, providing an image of the environment as well as feedback on the current position of the robot.
Navigation implementation:
Using the SLAM algorithm, an image of the robot's environment is captured by the robot's built-in camera and converted into a model of the robot's environment. The algorithm is also able to estimate the robot's position and provide navigation instructions to the user. The user can control the direction of the robot's movement through SSVEP signals, while the head-mounted display shows the robot's status and environmental information to provide more intuitive feedback to the user.
In addition, the researchers conducted an experimental evaluation of the control system to assess its performance in terms of control accuracy and interaction experience. The experimental results show that the control system can provide precise control signals as well as an immersive interactive experience, providing users with a novel way to control their robots.
Experimental evaluation:
To evaluate the performance of the system, the researchers conducted a series of experiments. The experiments included a user using the system for a robot navigation task and a control experiment using a traditional remote control for the task. The results of the experiments showed that users were able to perform navigation tasks more accurately and get better interaction when using the system.
The researchers conducted experiments to evaluate the control system, including performance in terms of control accuracy and interaction experience. In the experiment, participants were required to control the robot to walk to a specific location to complete a task in a simulated environment. The experimental results show that the control system can provide precise control signals with an average control accuracy of 98.1%. Meanwhile, users evaluated the system as a very good interaction experience, and considered it a very natural and intuitive way of interaction.
WiMi's head-mounted display (HMD) for robot control via a brain-computer interface (BCI) demonstrates a new way of interaction, providing a more natural and intuitive way of control. Experimental results show that the control system can provide precise control signals. This control method has the potential to be used in many scenarios that require precise control, such as medical, educational, and entertainment fields. Subsequently, the control system can be combined with other sensor technologies, such as voice and gesture, to provide more diverse control. This navigation-assisted scheme provides users with a novel interaction method, which can improve the robot's operation efficiency and interaction experience.
About WIMI Hologram Cloud
WIMI Hologram Cloud, Inc. (NASDAQ:WIMI) is a holographic cloud comprehensive technical solution provider that focuses on professional areas including holographic AR automotive HUD software, 3D holographic pulse LiDAR, head-mounted light field holographic equipment, holographic semiconductor, holographic cloud software, holographic car navigation and others. Its services and holographic AR technologies include holographic AR automotive application, 3D holographic pulse LiDAR technology, holographic vision semiconductor technology, holographic software development, holographic AR advertising technology, holographic AR entertainment technology, holographic ARSDK payment, interactive holographic communication and other holographic AR technologies.
Safe Harbor Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," and similar statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Among other things, the business outlook and quotations from management in this press release and the Company's strategic and operational plans contain forward−looking statements. The Company may also make written or oral forward−looking statements in its periodic reports to the US Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on Forms 20−F and 6−K, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases, and other written materials, and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Several factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward−looking statement, including but not limited to the following: the Company's goals and strategies; the Company's future business development, financial condition, and results of operations; the expected growth of the AR holographic industry; and the Company's expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of its products and services.
Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company's annual report on Form 20-F and the current report on Form 6-K and other documents filed with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement except as required under applicable laws.
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SOURCE WiMi Hologram Cloud Inc. | 2023-07-21T12:31:39+00:00 | kwch.com | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2023/07/21/wimi-developed-an-hmd-based-control-system-humanoid-robots-controlled-by-bci/ |
This recap of House of the Dragon's third episode contains spoilers for ... well, for House of the Dragon's third episode. That's pretty much what a recap is. Proceed accordingly.
If you're just joining us, here are recaps of episode one and episode two and a glossary of people and places you may have forgotten.
That's a bit more like it.
Don't get me wrong: House of the Dragon remains as listlessly talky as ever, and is still telegraphing its each and every narrative punch by having different characters make the same point over and over, for our putative benefit. But you can't deny that the pace is quickening, the plot is thickening, and a third dragon gets added to the slooowly growing roster, with a fiery and efficient debut.
Woo, say I. A qualified woo.
We'll get to it all, but first: A word about those deeply snazzy opening credits. (Didn't mention them last week because the episode that was screened for press didn't have 'em, but this one did.)
We're back to an elaborate clockwork apparatus, like O.G. Game of Thrones. But instead of one that looks out at the wider world, this one looks inward — and to the past. Which is to say: These credits very much represent what House of the Dragon is all about, neatly teeing up the central conflicts that drive it. Good job on that, show.
The first symbol we see is the Doom of Valyria, the volcanic cataclysm that destroyed the ancestral home of the Targaryens and Velaryons (both Houses only survived because they'd relocated to Westeros years before).
Blood flows in rivulets through the machine, gathering in pools around pairs of sigils, then branching off again. The cool thing: Each of these sigils represents a different member of the royal family — so what the camera's really up to, of course, is following the literal bloodline(s) — get it? — of House Targaryen.
You'll notice a couple of times when two different bloodlines branch off from one pair of sigils and then kinda ... go back and pair up themselves. Yep: this represents siblings marrying siblings, a grand, gross, Targaryen family tradition: For richer, for poorer, in sickness, and incest.
GoT's opening credits gave viewers a heads-up as to which geographic locations would feature in a given week's episode. I venture to say that the HotD credits will change from week to week as well, to reflect the growth of the Targaryen dynasty — more members, more marriages, more blood from other Houses (or, you know, the same old House) entering the machine.
Crabs feed, kings breed
Three years have passed since the last episode. King Viserys has married his teen bride Alicent and they've had a son named Aegon, after the founder of the Targaryen Dynasty. Alicent is expecting a second child, as well.
Meanwhile, Daemon and Corlys, without seeking the permission of the king, have been attempting to take the Stepstones back from the Triarchy admiral known as the Crabfeeder.
It's, uh. Not going great.
First, Daemon rides his dragon Caraxes into battle, chasing the Crabfeeder and his men into the caves on the island of Bloodstone, where they dig in for a siege. In the process, Daemon plays Godzilla to one of his own soldier's Bambi, because dragons are many things, but dainty is not one of them.
Back in King's Landing, Ser Tyland Lannister nervously reports to Viserys that Daemon and Corlys are losing the Stepstones, and begs the king to intervene. But Viserys dismisses him, too preoccupied with his son Aegon's upcoming second birthday, and the royal hunt that has been arranged in his honor.
This hunt, you'll note, takes place in the Kingswood, a forest south of King's Landing that contains a private hunting area for the occupant of the Iron Throne. (It's in this same wood that King Robert I will later be mortally wounded by a boar, kicking off the events of Game of Thrones.)
Rhaenyra, between Casterly Rock and a hard place
Rhaenyra is reading up on history while getting dutifully serenaded by a minstrel named Samwell. Alicent comes to invite her to join the royal hunt, but conditions are frosty indeed between the two former pals. Rhaenyra feels overlooked and disregarded by the king and ... pretty much everyone else.
She's wrong about the king, who still wants her to inherit the Iron Throne, but she's right about the "everyone else" part, as various lords spend this episode whispering in Viserys' ear that his firstborn male son should be named the heir.
At the elaborate campsite — glampsite, really — of the royal hunt, there is feasting and gossip, the two-stroke engine of courtly life. Ladies Redwyne and Lannister urge Rhaenyra to get her father to do something about the Crabfeeder (drink!) and we meet Larys Strong, who'd rather sit with the ladies than the men. (Keep an eye on this Larys fella, he's got a role to play in what's coming.)
The oafish and overconfident Jason Lannister — the identical twin of nervous Tyland Lannister (whom we met earlier, played by the same actor) — attempts to flirt with Rhaenyra. This sets her fuming, and she confronts the king, accusing him of pawning her off for political gain. (Last week, with Rhaenys, she acted as if she understood she might get overlooked for the Iron Throne; this week, we see that was clearly acting, on her part.) (Or maybe she's made her peace with that, it's the "being forced to marry" thing that's truly bothering her?)
That Rhaenyra confronts him in such a public place is bad form on her part, but the king escalates things, in the very same, very public place, by fuming at her about her need to marry. Everyone notices, which can't be good.
Rhaenyra storms off on her horse, followed by her bodyguard Ser Criston Cole. She cools down a bit, and suggests they go for a walk through the Kingswood because "It's a beautiful day."
It's not, particularly — it's overcast and the woods are beige and very, very buggy. But they do, and Criston gently reminds her of her privilege.
And we were never being boar-ing
Back at glamp, there are reports of a white stag in the forest — a rare and noble beast that the king's advisors see as a sign, given that it was spotted during young Aegon's birthday celebration. The king looks troubled by this.
He's troubled, also, by Jason Lannister's offer of a spear with which to kill the beast, as well as his offering himself up as Rhaenyra Suitor Number 1. Otto makes things worse by stepping up to instead suggest a match "closer to home" — young Aegon as Rhaenyra Suitor Number 2.
That's right, her own two-year-old brother. (Let's stipulate that this pairing is not so much "closer to home" as "the calls are coming from inside the House!")
Still another lord suggests Ser Laenor Velaryon, the son of Corlys and Rhaenys, as Rhaenyra Suitor Number 3. (Don't worry, we haven't met him yet, but we will, before the episode is over.) You'll remember that awkward walk the king took last week with the 12-year-old? Yeah. Laenor is her older brother.
Think you need a scorecard now? Hang in there, there's more coming.
Night. Rhaenyra and Ser Criston have made their own camp. They're attacked by a boar that Criston skewers, but Rhaenrya makes shredded pork out of. That'll do, pig.
The king drunkenly, weepily confides in Alicent. He had a vision when Rhaenyra was young: He dreamed that he'd have a male son. It grew into an obsession, which drove him to sacrifice his first wife's life in favor of her infant son, who died. He thought naming Rhaenyra his heir would ameliorate his grief and regret. But all this political jockeying around him has got him second-guessing himself.
This scene is a big emotional breakthrough for Viserys — yes, he's drunk, but he's clearly been putting in the work on himself, processing, self-actualizing, filling out the workbooks — but Alicent just sort of ... stands there. I get that she's torn — she's still on Rhaenyra's side, but she also wouldn't hate seeing her son on the Iron Throne. So what are we to make of this utterly blank affect she's serving us — is this character inscrutable, or simply underwritten?
Hart-breaker, don't you mess around with me
The next morning, a profoundly hungover Viserys gets some good news and bad: They've captured a hart, but it's just your basic, Kingswood-variety brown stag, not the White Hart of Symbolic Importance to the Future of the Seven KingdomsTM.
He kills the animal in an effectively ugly and pathetic manner. The crowd applauds.
High on a ridge overlooking this sad scene, the true White Hart of Yeah No For Real You Are the True Heir to the Iron Throne, GurlTM appears to Rhaenyra and Ser Criston. This right here is the gods of Westeros (or at least the showrunners of House of the Dragon) making it official: They're Team Rhaenyra, and so should we be.
Back in King's Landing, Ser Otto Hightower urges his daughter Alicent — the Queen, let's remember! — to convince the king that Aegon should be named heir. Alicent is still on Team Rhaenyra, but she's vacillating. Otto presses his case, thusly:
It is Aegon that's being robbed. He's the firstborn son of the king! To deny that he is heir to the throne is to assail the laws of gods and men!
Yeah well. More the latter than the former, there, Sparky.
When Alicent sees the king, who is nursing a cup of Westerosi Alka-Seltzer, she doesn't press widdle Aegon's case. Yet.
She does urge him to respond to a plea for aid from Vaemond Velaryon.
Ping! A new character has entered the chat!
Vaemond is the younger brother of Corlys, and he's gone behind his and Daemon's back because they remain too proud to ask the king for help, even though they're losing the Stepstones.
And send aid he does. He also seems to have shaken off his earlier self-doubt, and assures Rhaenyra that she is still the one and only heir to the Iron Throne, and nothing will ever change that.
Cut to: Something that will probably change that.
A crab boil without Old Bay seasoning?
In the Stepstones, Daemon and Corlys are doing their best, but the Crabfeeder and his men are still hunkered down in the caves of Bloodstone, and firing on passing ships.
Corlys, his son Laenor (Remember him? Rhaenyra Suitor Number 3?) and Corlys' brother Vaemond (he of the secret S.O.S.) are standing over a very artsy-craftsy tactical map of the Stepstones on which — man, again with the tchotchkes, on this show! — House Velaryon is represented by cool-ass metal seahorse tokens, House Targaryen by jawbones that look like dragon wings, and the Crabfeeder by crab claws.
There are ... still a whole lot of crab claws on the map. Just need some wooden mallets, coleslaw, cornbread and a few tubs of butter and you got yourself a great summer Saturday afternoon in Annapolis.
Which is why they're worried. They're running out of food and determination, and the dragons aren't making headway, because the Crabfeeder's men just retreat back into their caves.
Their ... caves.
Their ... dungeness, you might say. No, you shut up.
What's needed, they decide, is a volunteer to head over to Bloodstone, the island they're holed up on, and draw them out. But who?
Here's who: Daemon. When a poor, hot messenger from King's Landing informs him that Viserys' help is on the way, he attacks the self-same poor, hot messenger, because the show wishes to remind us at this juncture that Daemon has a fiery temper and remains a jerk.
Daemon rows, rows, rows his boat over to Bloodstone, and promptly starts turning a really surprising number of the enemy into lump crabmeat. But then the archers pin him down, and get a few good shots in.
By this point, a lot of the Crabfeeder's soldiers have been drawn out of the caves, which leaves them open to attack from Corlys' men, not to mention ...
Laenor Velaryon, astride his dragon Seasmoke!
(Were you surprised by this? Did you think only Targaryens could ride dragons? Remember who Laenor's mother is. He carries the dragon-riding gene down deep in his ol' endoplasmic reticulum. As do — clip and save for later — his siblings.)
Seasmoke takes out the archers, and Corlys' men tie up the Crabfeeder's, leaving a wounded but unbowed Daemon to chase the Crabfeeder into his hole and make short work of him.
... Offscreen.
Oh, sure, we see the aftermath: Daemon dragging the top one-third of the Crabfeeder's corpse out of the cave for all to see. But we didn't get to actually see Daemon slicing the Crabfeeder on the bias, giving him a fashionable, kicky, off-the-shoulder kind of death.
Parting Thoughts:
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2022-09-05T14:08:09+00:00 | upr.org | https://www.upr.org/npr-news/npr-news/2022-09-04/house-of-the-dragon-episode-3-the-king-and-the-show-go-hunting-for-validation |
NEW YORK, July 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Forter, the Trust Platform for digital commerce, today announced Dany Naigeboren, head of risk and analytics in APAC, and Galit Shani-Michel, vice president of payments, have been appointed to the Merchant Risk Council's (MRC) Regional Advisory Boards in APAC and Europe, respectively.
The MRC, a global non‐profit membership association, brings together eCommerce payments and fraud prevention professionals from global merchants, solution providers and law enforcement agencies to share fraud and risk mitigation strategies in the ongoing fight against fraud. In addition to Forter, new board members represent international brands, including Adidas, Netflix, Mastercard, Sony, Stripe, Spotify and Lenovo.
"Each of these new Board members will add tremendous value to the organization and bring expertise unique to their region on compliance and fraud techniques," said Julie Fergerson, Merchant Risk Council CEO. "Our board members are an integral part of the organization as their ideas, direction, and contributions provide guidance and support to the MRC."
As Forter's head of risk and analytics for APAC, Naigeboren leads the region's fraud and risk strategy across a diverse portfolio of merchants, payment methods and product offerings. A former fraud analyst, he uniquely relates to MRC's community, providing practical insights and real-world learnings from his decade-plus fighting fraud.
"I'm thrilled to be appointed to the MRC's Regional Advisory Board in APAC. The organization continues to push our industry forward and its members are an influential force of progress and innovation across digital commerce," said Naigeboren.
Shani-Michel serves as Forter's vice president of payments where she guides the company's innovations in payment optimization, PSD2/3 and intelligent 3DS. She is a long-time payments expert whose experience spans both solution providers and merchants, helping countless companies strike a balance between payments, regulation, risk and revenue.
"Payments is my passion – I've devoted my career to helping companies navigate the complexities of payments, regulation, fraud and customer experience," said Shani-Michel. "I'm excited and thankful to continue that work as part of MRC's Regional Advisory Board in Europe."
About Forter
Forter is the Trust Platform for digital commerce. We make accurate, instant assessments of trustworthiness across every step of the buying journey. Our ability to isolate fraud and protect consumers is why Nordstrom, Instacart, Adobe, Priceline, and leaders across industries have trusted us to process more than $500 billion in transactions. Our deep understanding of identity and use of automation helps businesses prevent fraud, maximize revenue and deliver superior experiences for their consumers. Learn more at www.forter.com.
Media Contact
Mission North for Forter
(516) 978-0005
forter@missionnorth.com
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SOURCE Forter | 2023-07-20T17:25:57+00:00 | wsfa.com | https://www.wsfa.com/prnewswire/2023/07/20/merchant-risk-council-appoints-forter-leaders-its-advisory-boards-apac-europe/ |
Writer says Trump rape trial fuels new attacks against her
NEW YORK (AP) — A writer who accused Donald Trump of raping her in a luxury department store in the 1990s testified for a second day Thursday at a civil trial, saying a fresh onslaught of insults on social media did nothing to diminish her pride to be in court.
The testimony in Manhattan federal court came a day after columnist E. Jean Carroll bluntly told the jury she came to court “because Donald Trump raped me, and when I wrote about it, he said it didn’t happen.”
Carroll, 79, said social media users lobbed new attacks against her as people labeled her a “liar, slut, ugly, old.”
“But I couldn’t be more proud to be here,” she testified.
A day earlier, she told how a chance encounter with Trump at a Bergdorf Goodman store in late 1995 or early 1996 turned from flirtatious frivolity in the desolate lingerie section into a violent sexual attack inside a dressing room. Carroll said Trump slammed her against a wall, yanked down her tights and raped her before she kneed him and fled.
Her lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and a retraction of Trump’s allegedly defamatory comments. She never pursued criminal charges.
Trump, 76, is not expected to appear at the trial. He has repeatedly claimed the encounter never happened, that he doesn’t know Carroll and that she’s not his “type.” He launched a counterattack Wednesday against the trial on social media, telling followers on his Truth Social platform that the case was “a made up SCAM” and that her lawyer is a political operative.
The outburst drew a rebuke and a warning from Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, who called it “entirely inappropriate.”
“What seems to be the case is that your client is basically endeavoring certainly to speak to his ‘public,’ but, more troublesome, to the jury in this case about stuff that has no business being spoken about,” the judge observed.
After Trump’s attorney, Joe Tacopina, promised to speak with Trump and ask him not to make further posts, Kaplan warned: “We are getting into an area, conceivably, in which your client may or may not be tampering with a new source of potential liability.”
Later in the day, Kaplan warned Tacopina again to speak with Trump after the ex-president’s son Eric tweeted criticism of funding Carroll’s lawyer received from a wealthy Democratic contributor.
The trial results from a lawsuit Carroll filed in November after the state of New York enacted a law allowing adult victims of sexual assault to sue their attackers even if the assault occurred decades earlier.
The lawsuit contains one claim related directly to the alleged rape and a second claim stemming from remarks Trump made about Carroll’s claims last October.
Carroll testified that writing about her encounter with Trump in a 2019 memoir led to her firing from Elle magazine, where she had worked as an advice columnist for 27 years, and even brought her death threats, leading her to buy bullets for a gun she possessed.
The Associated Press typically does not name people who say they have been sexually assaulted unless they come forward publicly, as Carroll has done.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2023-04-27T16:09:32+00:00 | wymt.com | https://www.wymt.com/2023/04/27/writer-says-trump-rape-trial-fuels-new-attacks-against-her/ |
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We've placed cookies on your device to improve your browsing experience. They're safe and don't contain sensitive information. | 2022-10-19T23:18:37+00:00 | tj.news | https://tj.news/miramichi-leader/101990812 |
VIENNA (AP) — OPEC+ alliance makes big cut to world oil production to boost sagging prices, which could mean rising costs at the pump.
- Frustration, anger as Disney vloggers posted hurricane content
- Bay Area startup lays off 100 employees, closes 3 locations
- 44-year-old location of Bay Area burger chain to make big move
- Smoke bomb protester bloodied by Rams LB after running on field
- Horoscope for Tuesday, 10/04/22 by Christopher Renstrom
- Joe Buck mocks asinine 49ers graphic during MNF
- Police: Man killed at scene of Oakland catalytic converter theft
- House of Prime Rib's biggest fan has the tattoo to prove it
- Sinkhole, water main break close several blocks in San Francisco
- Horoscope for Wednesday, 10/05/22 by Christopher Renstrom
- 49ers players caught poking fun at Rams missed tackle
- Legendary political rock band cancels Bay Area reunion shows | 2022-10-05T15:03:22+00:00 | sfgate.com | https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Alert-OPEC-alliance-makes-big-cut-to-world-oil-17488528.php |
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Journalists with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram newspaper continued their strike Tuesday, claiming they’ve been pushed to the brink and that parent company McClatchy has refused to bargain in good faith over a new contract.
Union workers with the Fort Worth NewsGuild announced the strike Monday. The union said McClatchy, owned by hedge fund Chatham Asset Management, then revoked workers’ health care benefits, said it would post their jobs online and encouraged other workers to cross the picket line.
The union is seeking a minimum wage of $57,500 for workers living in Fort Worth. The NewsGuild alleges McClatchy countered with $45,000.
“Low wages, hostile working conditions and a hemorrhaging industry have pushed journalists to the brink, including senior reporters with deep knowledge and connections in the community,” the union said in the strike announcement Monday.
In a story published Monday, Star-Telegram President and Editor Steve Coffman said the paper would continue “covering the news that matters to Tarrant County and North Texas.”
“We look forward to reaching an agreement with our valued employees,” Coffman said.
Coffman and union representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Associated Press.
It was not immediately clear how many workers were on strike. The union has said more than 90% of its members voted to approve a strike.
The Star-Telegram strike comes as the newspaper industry continues to shrink after two decades of job losses and newspaper closures. Union journalists at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette have been on strike for several weeks in the first newspaper strike in the United States in decades. | 2022-11-29T23:01:51+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/business/union-journalists-strike-at-fort-worth-star-telegram/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world |
SALT LAKE CITY, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- We are pleased to announce that Provet® has partnered with SentrxTM Animal Care as the exclusive distributor representing the patented crosslinked Hyaluronic Acid BioHAnce® brand of products in in Australia.
Effective September 28, 2022 Sentrx ophthalmology products: Ocunovis™ BioHAnce™ Gel Eye Drops, Oculenis™ BioHAnce™ Ocular Barrier Gel will be available through Provet® to all authorized veterinary customers.
All Sentrx products feature patented and clinically proven BioHAnce technology of which millions of doses have been sold globally to veterinarians*. This partnership allows veterinarians in Australia to prescribe the first and only formulation with cross-linked hyaluronic acid (HA). The cross-linking of BioHAnce provides the longest lasting ocular lubrication on the market. That promotes consistency of the tear film and enhances the eye's ability to maintain hydration.
"The benefits of topical hyaluronic acid (HA) use are well known within the global veterinary ophthalmology community, so it is exciting to be launching the first HA-based eye drops for companion animals in Australia", said Brian Segebrecht, Chief Executive Officer of Sentrx. "However, doing so with BioHAnce is even more exciting. The patented cross-linking of BioHAnce™ only elevates the benefits of HA, and Sentrx continues to generate more and more exciting clinical data supporting these benefits."
Sentrx Animal Care is committed to the well-being of companion animals with novel ocular products that provide exceptional comfort. Additionally, Sentrx is dedicated to increased ophthalmologic education and research that helps serve the needs of the veterinary profession.
*Represents the various eye and wound care products under various brands globally that incorporated the corresponding version of the patented BioHAnce technology.
Related Information
Learn more about these products and support for Australia:
Provet, a subsidiary of Covetrus, is the leading animal health distribution company in Australasia. Established in 1982 by a small group of veterinarians, Provet has helped build the industry through commitment, initiative, and experience.
SentrX is a veterinary medical device company that develops and manufactures veterinary wound care and ophthalmic products for companion animals. SentrX transforms complex biotechnologies into easy-to-use care solutions that promote the long-term well-being of animals.
SentrX was founded on technology from the University of Utah and collaborates with a variety of veterinary academic institutions and practicing veterinarians. The company's unique combination of medicinal chemistry, bioengineering, and product manufacturing capabilities allow it to deliver cutting-edge animal care solutions.
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SOURCE Sentrx Animal Care | 2022-09-29T20:18:34+00:00 | wsfa.com | https://www.wsfa.com/prnewswire/2022/09/29/sentrx-animal-care-partners-with-provet-launch-first-crosslinked-hyaluronic-acid-eye-lubricant-dogs-cats-australia/ |
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Client data from Medibank, Australia’s largest health insurer, was released by an extortionist on Wednesday, including details of HIV diagnoses and drug abuse treatments, after the company refused to pay a ransom for the personal records of almost 10 million current and former customers.
The material released on the dark web appeared to be a sample of the data that Medibank has determined was stolen last month, the company said. Medibank expects the thief will continue releasing data.
“This is a criminal act designed to harm our customers and cause distress,” Medibank CEO David Koczkar said in a statement that reiterated a previous apology to customers.
“We take seriously our responsibility to safeguard our customers and we stand ready to support them,” he added.
The data included what the thief called a “naughty list” of more than 100 names. Among them were patients who had contracted HIV and others who were treated for addictions to drugs and alcohol and for mental health problems.
One of the exposed customers contacted by Nine News television responded with anger toward Medibank.
“Letting customers discover their most sensitive information imaginable has been published and hearing it on the news, Medibank’s response has been pathetic,” the unidentified man, whose image was not broadcast, told Nine.
Cybersecurity Minister Clare O’Neil, who is a Medibank customer and has had personal data stolen, urged social and traditional media companies to prevent their platforms from being used to share people’s stolen medical histories.
“If you do so, you will be aiding and abetting the scumbags who are at the heart of these criminal acts and I know that you would not do that to your own country and your own citizens,” O’Neil told Parliament.
She said the number of people whose medical information has been released was “small at this stage.”
“But I want the Australian people to understand that that is likely to change, and we are going through a difficult period now that may last for weeks, possibly months, not days and hours,” O’Neil added.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who is also a Medibank customer, welcomed the company’s refusal to pay the hacker to have the records returned.
“This is really tough for people. I’m a Medibank Private customer as well and it will be of concern that some of this information has been put out there,” Albanese told reporters, referring to a Medibank brand.
“The company has followed the guidelines effectively, the advice, which is to not engage in a ransom payment. If you go down this road, then you end up with more difficulties potentially across a wider range,” Albanese said.
The thieves had reportedly threatened to expose the diagnoses and treatments of high-profile customers unless a ransom of an undisclosed amount was paid, but Medibank decided there was “only a limited chance” that a payment would prevent the data from being published.
A blogger using the name “Extortion Gang” posted Monday night on the dark web that “data will be publish in 24 hours.”
Medibank this week updated its estimate of the number of people whose personal information was stolen from 4 million two weeks ago to 9.7 million. The stolen data includes health claims of almost 500,000 people including diagnoses and treatments, the company said.
The theft of the personal records of 9.8 million customers of Optus, Australia’s second-largest wireless telecommunications carrier, that was discovered on Sept. 21 prompted the government to promise heftier penalties for corporations that fail to protect private data.
The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed an urgent bill that would increase penalties for serious breaches of the Privacy Act from 2.2 million Australian dollars ($1.4 million) to AU$50 million ($32 million) or more.
The government hopes the bill will be passed by the Senate and become law this month. | 2022-11-09T16:25:21+00:00 | fox59.com | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-hacker-publishes-australian-health-insurers-customer-data/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge showed growing impatience Thursday with FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried's use of the internet, suggesting that incarceration might eventually be the most effective way to prevent him from violating his bail conditions by communicating on electronic devices in ways that can't be traced.
Judge Lewis A. Kaplan did not immediately change a $250 million bail package that lets Bankman-Fried live with his parents in Palo Alto, California, while preparing for trial on charges that he cheated investors and looted customer deposits at FTX, his cryptocurrency trading platform.
But he raised the possibility for the first time that jail might be the only way to ensure Bankman-Fried won't outfox the government with ways to use electronic devices in ways that can't be tracked.
"There is a solution, but it's not one anybody's proposed yet," Kaplan said as Bankman-Fried sat passively at the defense table. He then noted that there may be many devices in Bankman-Fried's family home that the government will not be tracking, even with any new rules imposed on his bail conditions.
"Why am I being asked to set him loose in this garden of electronic devices?" he asked prosecutors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Roos said a more "drastic alternative" would be to ban Bankman-Fried's use of all electronic devices, but he added that it would be difficult for him to prepare for a trial tentatively set for October if that were to occur.
The judge noted that Bankman-Fried, according to prosecutors, "has done things that suggests to me that maybe he has committed or attempted to commit a federal felony while on release."
Kaplan was alluding to a claim by prosecutors that Bankman-Fried sent an encrypted message over the Signal texting app on Jan. 15 to the general counsel of FTX US.
According to prosecutors, the message said: "I would really love to reconnect and see if there's a way for us to have a constructive relationship, use each other as resources when possible, or at least vet things with each other. I'd love to get on a phone call sometime soon and chat."
Federal prosecutors have told Kaplan that Bankman-Fried's communications indicate he may be trying to influence a witness with incriminating evidence against him.
On Thursday, prosecutors asked Kaplan to more severely limit Bankman-Fried's use of electronic devices and the internet, including banning him from messaging applications and requiring the installation of a device monitoring program on his cellphone and computer.
A day earlier, they wrote in court papers that his "behavior shows that the existing conditions leave too much room for circumvention of restrictions aimed at preventing inappropriate conduct, including contacting witnesses and accessing cryptocurrency assets."
They described him as "a technologically sophisticated person with both the ability and the inclination to seek workarounds of more narrowly drawn bail conditions."
Mark Cohen, Bankman-Fried lawyer, called the proposals by prosecutors "draconian" requests that would make it hard for lawyers and the defendant to prepare for trial. But he soon found himself on the defensive as Kaplan noted his client's apparent bail violations, including accessing an encrypted internet site to watch the Super Bowl.
The judge mocked Bankman-Fried's use of an encrypted method to watch the game, noting that it was on any television. Cohen responded that there wasn't a TV in the house.
"I think we understand your comments today, your honor, that there is no margin for error," Cohen said. "That if there are any violations, we will be at a very different proceeding."
Of the eventual bail restrictions, the judge said: "I want this to be tight, not just tight in characterization, but tight in fact."
Bankman-Fried has been confined with electronic monitoring to his parents' home since his December arrest on charges that he cheated investors and that diverted their deposits, in part to finance political donations and make risky trades at Alameda Research. He has pleaded not guilty. | 2023-02-16T22:59:03+00:00 | abc15.com | https://www.abc15.com/news/national/judge-suggests-jail-to-limit-ftx-founders-communications |
Phoenix to host 2024 WNBA All-Star Game, with US Olympians vs select team format expected
PHOENIX - The 2024 WNBA All-Star Game is headed to Phoenix, setting up as a home game for Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi and a sendoff to the U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced Saturday that the event would be hosted by the Phoenix Mercury.
"Since I’ve been in the league, they’ve done so much," Engelbert said. "They are so great to work with under the new ownership with Mat Ishbia."
Ishbia, who took ownership of the Mercury and the Suns in February, was thrilled to have a chance to host the game that’s being played this weekend in Las Vegas. The All-Star skills competition and 3-point contest that was held on Friday saw a record performance from Sabrina Ionescu, who hit 25 of 27 3-pointers, including 20 straight at one point.
"It’s a real big deal for our franchise, elevating us and continuing to make it a franchise that has events like this," Ishbia said in a phone interview. "It’s big for our community and we’re looking to put on a great show for our fans, community and the whole country, and continue to elevate the women’s game."
The game is expected to be similar to the 2021 version that featured the U.S. Olympic team playing against players not selected for that team. The All-Star squad beat the U.S. team that year 93-83.
The exhibition contest would give the Olympians a marquee event on home soil before heading to Paris.
"It’s challenging because it’s an Olympic year, but I was adamant that we needed to have an All-Star Game because the players need to say they are an All-Star in that Olympic year," Engelbert said.
Taurasi has said she hopes to play in Paris and lead the U.S. to an eighth consecutive gold medal and earn her sixth. Taurasi is signed with the Mercury through next season, which would be her 20th in the league.
"Having Diana potentially playing in her last one next year in her hometown is a big deal," Ishbia said.
Playing in Phoenix, which also hosted the All-Star Game in 2000 and 2014, would give Griner a chance to play in front of the Mercury fans as well. Griner, who is a nine-time All-Star, said she would love to play in the Paris Olympics if asked.
"I mean, it’s the highest you can get playing with the USA," said Griner, who helped the U.S. win gold medals at the 2016 and 2020 Olympics.
Engelbert said that Taurasi’s potential finale and Griner’s return weren’t big reasons in awarding the game to Phoenix.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 05: Diana Taurasi #3 of the Phoenix Mercuryis guarded by Jonquel Jones #35 of the New York Liberty during the third quarter of the game at Barclays Center on July 05, 2023 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly ackno
"Those weren’t factors, but those are nice to have as part of the storyline next year with it being an Olympic year," she said.
The league started taking bids from franchises to host late last year and knew by December that there were three major contenders. Engelbert said the league hopes to announce the site of the 2025 All-Star Game a year ahead again.
"We’ll be talking to different cities, but we have a good idea because we already had seen the interest from this year’s bids," she said. "We have a great footprint (in 2025) because there’s no FIBA World Cup and no Olympics." | 2023-07-16T12:08:47+00:00 | fox29.com | https://www.fox29.com/sports/phoenix-host-2024-wnba-all-star-game-us-olympians-select-team-format-expected |
Auburn hires Liberty’s Hugh Freeze, who’s coming back to SEC
Auburn is hiring Liberty coach Hugh Freeze to take over the football program, more than five years after his resignation from SEC Western Division rival Mississippi amid both personal and NCAA scandals.
A person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press on Monday that Freeze has signed a memorandum of understanding with the school. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because final details of the contract were still being worked out and approved.
Sports Illustrated was first to report that Auburn was finalizing a deal with Freeze.
Freeze went 34-15 in four seasons at Liberty. He replaces Bryan Harsin, who was fired on Oct. 31 after going 9-12 in less than two seasons at a proud program that has fallen on hard times.
Freeze took over at Liberty in December 2018 and the Flames became the second program to win a bowl game during each of its first three seasons in FBS.
His 2020 team finished 10-1 and ranked No. 17. Liberty (8-4) was upset by New Mexico State 49-14 on Saturday in its regular-season finale, losing three straight after knocking off Arkansas.
Freeze is 68-44 in 11 seasons as a head coach.
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Copyright 2022 WLBT. All rights reserved. | 2022-11-28T22:43:42+00:00 | wlbt.com | https://www.wlbt.com/2022/11/28/auburn-hires-libertys-hugh-freeze-whos-coming-back-sec/ |
LAS VEGAS, Feb. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Amos Sweets, the inventor of 3D-shaped gummies, has relaunched its star item, 4D(3D+Delicious)Gummy Blocks, in a brand-new design to better represent the value of #BuildYummyFun with stackable gummy blocks.
Amos 4D Gummy Blocks is more than just gummy candy. It is a play toy, a tool for learning. Since its initial launch in 2017, Amos 4D Gummy Blocks has been loved and adored by children and parents in over 40 countries, including the USA, Canada, Japan, China, South East Asia, and some European countries.
The new package design takes on a lighter blue background with a block-shaped motif and features colorful and fun gummy-built figures, which visualize the key values of the product, Fun & Play, filled with fruit juice. This new design was first launched in Japan and then in China. It has gained substantial popularity and is expanding to the global market. In the United States, it's available online, including on Amazon, Walmart.com, and Amossweets.com. It can also be found in brick-and-mortar stores such as Ross, Dollar Tree, and Burlington and will enter Albertsons and Michaels in May.
The standard package comes in a resealable on-the-go bag with four fruit flavors, blueberry, strawberry, lemon, and apple. Consumers can also create new mixed flavors by stacking two or more flavors together. The 3D shapes of the gummy blocks make it possible for the gummies to stack upon each other and allow people to build edible animals, vehicles, buildings, or anything they can with their creative hands. Playing with sweets will enable people to see, smell, feel, and of course, taste. The more senses are involved, the more people can learn and retain.
The series offers a standard 3.53 Oz bag, 5 Oz bag, 7 Oz bag, 12 Oz bag, and 3.53 Oz theatre box to adapt to every day and seasonal needs. Smaller packaging is great for a quick on-the-go snack at any time of the day. While bigger-sized packages are perfect for gatherings with family and friends or themed parties. Building gummy creations with stackable gummy blocks is a fun and festive way to enjoy quality time with loved ones. With Amos 3D technology, the detailed shapes of gummies are perfect for baking decoration, crafting or mixed candy dishes during holidays.
Amos Sweets wants to create a world where people can have a moment of smile anytime, anywhere, filled with innovative sweets that embody "Fun and Play". Amos offers more than a sweet indulgence, but a play toy, a tool for learning, and a way to express yourself and embody your sense of fun, spontaneity, and youthfulness. In addition to the 4D Gummy Series, Amos also has TastySounds, an audio Lollipop product line that is a fusion of bone conduction technology and candy, allowing you to listen to music through your mouth. And for every moment of celebration, Amos seasonal candy lines provide a wide array of holiday traditions and customized crazy sweets for everyone. For more information about Amos Sweets, follow us on Facebook and Instagram or visit www.amossweets.com
ABOUT AMOS SWEETS
Amos Sweets, the world's candy innovator, has specialized in producing and marketing innovative candies since 2004, owning three manufacturing centers with BRC-A, ISO22000, HACCP, Halal, and Kosher certifications and achieving international quality and dietary standards. It has been listed as one of the 2023 Global Top 100 Candy companies and won the Best Novelty of Buyer's Choice Award 2022 by Candy Industry in the USA.
As the inventor of 3D-shaped gummies, Amos has revolutionized traditional gummy candy and brought it to a new level with the signature 4D(3D+Delicious) Gummy series. Accumulating more varieties covering Fun & Creative, Indulgence, Every day, and Seasonal, Amos candies are sold in over 50 countries, including the United States, Japan, Canada, Germany, etc., and supplied to major retailers such as Walmart, Sam's Club, Costco, 7-11, FamilyMart and among others. For more information, visit www.amossweets.com
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SOURCE Amos Sweets | 2023-02-23T11:50:11+00:00 | wsfa.com | https://www.wsfa.com/prnewswire/2023/02/23/amos-sweets-releases-4d-gummy-blocks-brand-new-design-more-yummy-fun/ |
UPDATES FISCAL 2023 SALES & EARNINGS GUIDANCE
BERWYN, Pa., Aug. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Triumph Group, Inc. (NYSE: TGI) ("TRIUMPH" or the "Company") today reported financial results for its first quarter of fiscal 2023, which ended June 30, 2022.
First Quarter Fiscal 2023
- Net sales of $349.4 million
- Operating income of $14.7 million with operating margin of 4%; adjusted operating income of $32.6 million with adjusted operating margin of 9%
- Net loss of $10.3 million, or ($0.16) per share; adjusted net income of $7.5 million, or $0.12 per diluted share
- Cash flow used in operations of $93.0 million; core cash used in operations of $72.0 million
Fiscal 2023 Guidance
- Net sales of approximately $1.3 billion
- GAAP earnings per diluted share of between $1.51 - $1.71
- Adjusted earnings per diluted share of between $0.28 - $0.48, down $0.12 due to a reduction in non-cash pension income
- Cash used in operations of ($30.0) million to ($40.0) million, includes core cash flow from operations of between $30.0 million - $45.0 million
"TRIUMPH generated organic sales growth in our continuing operations driven by improving commercial OEM and MRO demand." said Dan Crowley, TRIUMPH's chairman, president and chief executive officer. "Our actions to mitigate supply chain constraints and work with our customers and suppliers to ensure continuity and affordability continue to differentiate TRIUMPH. With a growing and profitable backlog, TRIUMPH is well positioned to benefit from continued strength across nearly all of our end markets."
Mr. Crowley continued, "Consistent with our strategic plan, TRIUMPH recently completed the divestiture of its last remaining large structures operation. Our first quarter results keep us on track to achieve our full year objectives, and with our goal to double profitability over fiscal years 2022 to 2025, driven by improved OEM production rates, expanded MRO volumes, enhanced pricing from recent contract extensions and a lower cost structure. We remain focused on investing in our people, operations, and products for the benefit of all stakeholders."
First Quarter Fiscal 2023 Overview
Excluding divestitures and exited programs, sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2023 were up 1% organically from the prior year period as increases in commercial narrow-body production offset decreased military rotorcraft volume.
First quarter operating income of $14.7 million includes $0.7 million of restructuring costs related to our structures facility exits and $17.2 million reduction of revenue for consideration payable to customer related to the Stuart divestiture. Cost of sales benefited from the Aviation Manufacturing Jobs Protection Program by $5.0 million in the quarter. Net loss for the first quarter of fiscal 2023 was $10.3 million, or ($0.16) per share primarily due to the items noted above. On an adjusted basis, net income was $7.5 million, or $0.12 per diluted share.
TRIUMPH's results included the following:
The number of shares used in computing diluted earnings per share for the first quarter of 2023 was 65.3 million.
Adjusting for the impact of the Stuart divestiture, backlog, which represents the next 24 months of actual purchase orders with firm delivery dates or contract requirements, was $1.53 billion, up 7% from the prior year, primarily on commercial narrow body platforms.
For the first quarter of fiscal 2023, cash flow used in operations was $93.0 million.
Outlook
The Company's outlook reflects adjustments detailed in the attached tables.
Based on expected aircraft production rates, and the resulting demand on each of our facilities, the Company expects net sales for fiscal 2023 will be approximately $1.3 billion.
The Company expects GAAP fiscal 2023 earnings per diluted share of $1.51 to $1.71, up $1.11 from prior guidance due to impacts of the Stuart divestiture and our interim pension re-measurement. The Company expects adjusted earnings per diluted share of $0.28 - $0.48, down $0.12 due to a reduction in non-cash pension income.
The Company expects fiscal 2023 cash used in operations of ($30.0) million to ($40.0) million, including core cash flow from operations of approximately $30.0 million to $45.0 million and core free cash flow of approximately break-even to $15.0 million.
Conference Call
TRIUMPH will hold a conference call today, August 3rd, at 8:30 a.m. (ET) to discuss the first quarter of fiscal 2023 results. The conference call will be available live and archived on the Company's website at http://www.triumphgroup.com. A slide presentation will be included with the audio portion of the webcast, and the presentation has been posted on the Company's website at http://ir.triumphgroup.com/QuarterlyResults. An audio replay will be available from August 3rd to August 10th by calling (877) 344-7529 (Domestic) or (412) 317-0088 (International), passcode #8597845.
About TRIUMPH
TRIUMPH, headquartered in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, designs, engineers, manufactures, repairs and overhauls a broad portfolio of aerospace and defense systems, components and structures. The company serves the global aviation industry, including original equipment manufacturers and the full spectrum of military and commercial aircraft operators.
More information about TRIUMPH can be found on the Company's website at www.triumphgroup.com.
Forward Looking Statements
Statements in this release which are not historical facts are forward-looking statements under the provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements of expectations of or assumptions about financial and operational performance, revenues, earnings per share, cash flow or use, cost savings and operational efficiencies and organizational restructurings. All forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties which could affect the Company's actual results and could cause its actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, the Company. Further information regarding the important factors that could cause actual results to differ from projected results can be found in Triumph Group's reports filed with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022.
FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED) ON FOLLOWING PAGES
FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED)
TRIUMPH GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
(dollars in thousands)
Non-GAAP Financial Measure Disclosures
We prepare and publicly release quarterly unaudited financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. In accordance with Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") guidance on Compliance and Disclosure Interpretations, we also disclose and discuss certain non-GAAP financial measures in our public releases. Currently, the non-GAAP financial measure that we disclose is Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDAP, which is our net income before interest, income taxes, amortization of acquired contract liabilities, curtailments, settlements and special termination benefits, legal settlements, loss on divestitures, share-based compensation expense, depreciation and amortization and Adjusted EBITDA, less pension & other postretirement benefits. We disclose Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDAP on a consolidated and Adjusted EBITDAP an operating segment basis in our earnings releases, investor conference calls and filings with the SEC. The non-GAAP financial measures that we use may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies. Also, in the future, we may disclose different non-GAAP financial measures in order to help our investors more meaningfully evaluate and compare our future results of operations to our previously reported results of operations.
We view Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDAP as operating performance measure and as such we believe that the GAAP financial measure most directly comparable to it is net income. In calculating Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDAP, we exclude from net income the financial items that we believe should be separately identified to provide additional analysis of the financial components of the day-to-day operation of our business. We have outlined below the type and scope of these exclusions and the material limitations on the use of these non-GAAP financial measures as a result of these exclusions. Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDAP are not measurements of financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered as a measure of liquidity, as an alternative to net income (loss), income from continuing operations, or as an indicator of any other measure of performance derived in accordance with GAAP. Investors and potential investors in our securities should not rely on Adjusted EBITDA or Adjusted EBITDAP as substitutes for any GAAP financial measure, including net income (loss) or income from continuing operations. In addition, we urge investors and potential investors in our securities to carefully review the reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDAP to net income set forth below, in our earnings releases and in other filings with the SEC and to carefully review the GAAP financial information included as part of our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and our Annual Reports on Form 10-K that are filed with the SEC, as well as our quarterly earnings releases, and compare the GAAP financial information with our Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDAP.
Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDAP is used by management to internally measure our operating and management performance and by investors as a supplemental financial measure to evaluate the performance of our business that, when viewed with our GAAP results and the accompanying reconciliation, we believe provides additional information that is useful to gain an understanding of the factors and trends affecting our business. We have spent more than 25 years expanding our product and service capabilities partially through acquisitions of complementary businesses. Due to the expansion of our operations, which included acquisitions, our net income has included significant charges for depreciation and amortization. Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDAP exclude these charges and provide meaningful information about the operating performance of our business, apart from charges for depreciation and amortization. We believe the disclosure of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDAP helps investors meaningfully evaluate and compare our performance from quarter to quarter and from year to year. We also believe Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDAP is a measure of our ongoing operating performance because the isolation of non-cash income and expenses, such as amortization of acquired contract liabilities, depreciation and amortization, share-based compensation and non-operating items, such as interest and income taxes, provides additional information about our cost structure, and, over time, helps track our operating progress. In addition, investors, securities analysts and others have regularly relied on Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDAP to provide a financial measure by which to compare our operating performance against that of other companies in our industry.
FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED)
TRIUMPH GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
(dollars in thousands)
Set forth below are descriptions of the financial items that have been excluded from our net income to calculate Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDAP and the material limitations associated with using this non-GAAP financial measure as compared to net income:
- Divestitures may be useful for investors to consider because they reflect gains or losses from sale of operating units. We do not believe these earnings necessarily reflect the current and ongoing cash earnings related to our operations.
- Consideration payable to a customer related to a divestiture may be useful for investors to consider because it reflects consideration paid to facilitate the ultimate sale of operating units. We do not believe these charges necessarily reflect the current and ongoing cash earnings related to our operations.
- Non-service defined benefit income (inclusive of certain pension related transactions such as curtailments, settlements, early retirement or other incentives) may be useful to investors to consider because they represent the cost of post-retirement benefits to plan participants, net of the assumption of returns on the plan's assets and are not indicative of the cash paid for such benefits. We do not believe these earnings (expenses) necessarily reflect the current and ongoing cash earnings related to our operations.
- Amortization of acquired contract liabilities may be useful for investors to consider because it represents the non-cash earnings on the fair value of below market contracts acquired through acquisitions. We do not believe these earnings necessarily reflect the current and ongoing cash earnings related to our operations.
- Amortization expense and nonrecurring asset impairments (including goodwill, intangible asset impairments, and nonrecurring rotable inventory impairments) may be useful for investors to consider because it represents the estimated attrition of our acquired customer base and the diminishing value of tradenames, product rights, licenses, or, in the case of goodwill, other assets that are not individually identified and separately recognized under U.S. GAAP, or, in the case of nonrecurring asset impairments, the impact of unusual and nonrecurring events affecting the estimated recoverability of existing assets. We do not believe these charges necessarily reflect the current and ongoing cash charges related to our operating cost structure,
- Share-based compensation may be useful for investors to consider because it represents a portion of the total compensation to management and the board of directors. We do not believe these charges necessarily reflect the current and ongoing cash charges related to our operating cost structure.
- Depreciation may be useful for investors to consider because they generally represent the wear and tear on our property and equipment used in our operations. We do not believe these charges necessarily reflect the current and ongoing cash charges related to our operating cost structure.
- The amount of interest expense and other we incur may be useful for investors to consider and may result in current cash inflows or outflows. However, we do not consider the amount of interest expense and other to be a representative component of the day-to-day operating performance of our business.
- Income tax expense may be useful for investors to consider because it generally represents the taxes which may be payable for the period and the change in deferred income taxes during the period and may reduce the amount of funds otherwise available for use in our business. However, we do not consider the amount of income tax expense to be a representative component of the day-to-day operating performance of our business.
Management compensates for the above-described limitations of using non-GAAP measures by using a non-GAAP measure only to supplement our GAAP results and to provide additional information that is useful to gain an understanding of the factors and trends affecting our business.
FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED)
TRIUMPH GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
(dollars in thousands)
Non-GAAP Financial Measure Disclosures (continued)
Adjusted income from continuing operations, before income taxes, adjusted income from continuing operations and adjusted income from continuing operations per diluted share, before non-recurring costs have been provided for consistency and comparability. These measures should not be considered in isolation or as alternatives to income from continuing operations before income taxes, income from continuing operations and income from continuing operations per diluted share presented in accordance with GAAP. The following tables reconcile income from continuing operations before income taxes, income from continuing operations, and income from continuing operations per diluted share, before non-recurring costs.
FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED)
TRIUMPH GROUP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
(dollars in thousands)
Non-GAAP Financial Measure Disclosures (continued)
Adjusted Operating Income is defined as GAAP Operating Income, less expenses/gains associated with the Company's transformation, such as restructuring expenses, gains/losses on divestitures, impairments of goodwill and other assets. Management believes that this is useful in evaluating operating performance, but this measure should not be used in isolation. The following table reconciles our Operating income to Adjusted Operating income as noted above.
Cash provided by operations, is provided for consistency and comparability. We also use free cash flow as a key factor in planning for and consideration of strategic acquisitions and the repayment of debt. This measure should not be considered in isolation, as a measure of residual cash flow available for discretionary purposes, or as an alternative to operating results presented in accordance with GAAP. The following table reconciles cash provided by operations to free cash flow.
Fiscal 2023 outlook includes cash used in operations, core cash from operations and core free cash flow. We use core cash from operations and core free cash flow to measure performance of our continuing operations. The following table reconciles cash used in operations to core cash flow from operations and core free cash flow.
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SOURCE Triumph Group | 2022-08-03T10:58:52+00:00 | kfyrtv.com | https://www.kfyrtv.com/prnewswire/2022/08/03/triumph-reports-first-quarter-fiscal-2023-results/ |
Medical Aesthetics Leader Reports Strong Year Over Year Growth
WESTFORD, Mass., May 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cynosure, LLC, a leader in medical aesthetics systems and technologies, announced today a new investment of $60 million from lead investor Clayton, Dubilier & Rice. The new capital supports the company's plans to continue investing ahead of strong growth to bring innovation to the market and provide comprehensive treatment solutions to its customers that deliver the highest clinical efficacy for patients.
Cynosure, which develops, manufactures, and markets medical aesthetic treatment systems and consumables for dermatologists, plastic surgeons, medical spas, and other healthcare practitioners, saw sales grow by over 45% in 2021 and over 30% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2022, driven by strong growth across all geographies.
"We are pleased that CD&R continues to share our excitement about Cynosure's market, growth trajectory, and potential to accelerate," said Todd Tillemans, Cynosure CEO. "This investment is a strong endorsement that Cynosure is delivering on its mission to be the leader in aesthetics and to help patients across the globe to unleash their beautiful energy from within."
"We have built at Cynosure a diverse and talented team, and I believe the company's strong sales performance is the direct result of the team's exceptional execution against high demand in the market," said Sandi Peterson, CD&R Partner and Chairman of Cynosure's Board of Directors. "We are excited to continue our partnership with the team to support their efforts to drive continued new and future breakthrough product innovation and deliver the best service and solutions to Cynosure's valued customers."
"Medical aesthetics is a large market with strong macro tailwinds that have only gotten stronger across the globe since our initial investment," said Derek Strum, CD&R Partner. "We believe Cynosure is well positioned to build on its momentum and capture both organic and inorganic growth opportunities."
CD&R initially invested in Cynosure in December 2019, facilitating the carve out of the company from Hologic.
About Cynosure
Cynosure develops, manufactures and markets aesthetic treatment systems that enable plastic surgeons, dermatologists and other medical practitioners to perform non-invasive and minimally invasive procedures to remove hair, treat vascular and benign pigmented lesions, remove multi-colored tattoos, revitalize the skin, reduce fat through laser lipolysis, reduce cellulite, clear nails infected by toe fungus, ablate sweat glands and improve women's health. Cynosure's product portfolio is composed of a broad range of energy sources including Alexandrite, diode, Nd: YAG, picosecond, pulse dye, Q-switched lasers, intense pulsed light and RF technology. Cynosure sells its products globally under the Cynosure, Palomar, ConBio and Ellman brand names through a direct sales force in the United States, Canada, France, Morocco, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, Australia, China, Japan and Korea, and through international distributors in approximately 130 other countries. For corporate or product information, visit Cynosure's website at www.cynosure.com.
About Clayton, Dubilier & Rice
Clayton, Dubilier & Rice is a private investment firm with a strategy predicated on building stronger, more profitable businesses primarily in five industry sectors, including Industrials, Healthcare, Consumer, Technology and Financial Services. Since inception, CD&R has managed the investment of more than $40 billion in over 100 companies with an aggregate transaction value of more than $175 billion. The Firm has offices in New York and London with a team of 90 investment professionals and 9 full time Operating Partners and 33 Advisors to CD&R Funds. For more information, please visit www.cdr-inc.com.
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SOURCE Clayton, Dubilier & Rice | 2022-05-17T12:35:01+00:00 | kwtx.com | https://www.kwtx.com/prnewswire/2022/05/17/cynosure-announces-60-million-follow-on-investment-clayton-dubilier-amp-rice-accelerate-growth/ |
Westbound Hwy. 84 in Shallowater closed due to crash
Published: Nov. 30, 2022 at 11:31 AM CST|Updated: 16 minutes ago
SHALLOWATER, Texas (KCBD) - The westbound lanes of Highway 84 are closed at FM 1294 due to a crash involving a semi-truck.
The crash happened around 11:15 a.m.
Initial reports are there is an overturned semi-truck tanker.
Few details have been released at this point.
Motorists are urged to avoid the area until the crash can be cleared.
This is a developing story.
Copyright 2022 KCBD. All rights reserved. | 2022-11-30T18:05:25+00:00 | kcbd.com | https://www.kcbd.com/2022/11/30/westbound-hwy-84-shallowater-closed-due-crash/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic lawmakers have unveiled a stopgap spending measure to finance the federal government through Dec. 16., provide additional support to Ukraine and help communities respond to recent natural disasters.
Both chambers of Congress must approve legislation by the end of Friday, which is the end of the fiscal year, to prevent a partial government shutdown. It represents the last bit of unfinished business for lawmakers before the midterm elections in November. Both sides are eager to wrap up and spend time on the campaign trail, lowering the risk of a federal stoppage.
The bill provides about $12.3 billion in assistance related to Ukraine, including training, equipment, weapons, and direct financial support for the Ukraine government. The assistance would be on top of some $53 billion Congress has already approved through two previous bills.
The measure excludes the White House call for spending $22 billion to respond to COVID-19, and $3.9 billion to fight against an outbreak of the monkeypox virus. Republican lawmakers were overwhelmingly opposed to the health funding. At least 10 Republican senators would have to support the measure for it to overcome procedural hurdles and advance in that chamber.
The legislation also includes Sen. Joe Manchin’s legislation to streamline the permitting process for energy projects and makes it easier for a pipeline project in his home state and Virginia to proceed.
Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat who chairs the Senate Energy Committee, secured a commitment from President Joe Biden and Democratic leaders to have a vote on the permitting package in return for his support of a landmark law to curb climate change. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., had announced he intended to include it in the must-pass continuing resolution.
While Republicans have voiced support for streamlining the permitting process for energy projects, some, including Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, have panned Manchin’s proposal. Sen. Richard Shelby, the ranking Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee, also said he would vote against the continuing resolution if it’s included.
“We have made significant progress toward a Continuing Resolution that is as clean as possible. But, if the Democrats insist on including permitting reform, I will oppose it,” Shelby said.
Top Democratic appropriators also said they were unhappy with the inclusion of Manchin’s proposal, but said keeping the government running took priority.
“I am disappointed that unrelated permitting reform was attached to this bill. This is a controversial matter that should be debated on its own merits,” said Sen. Patrick Leahy, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “However, with four days left in the fiscal year, we cannot risk a government shutdown; we must work to advance this bill.”
The disaster assistance in the bill includes $2.5 billion to help New Mexico communities recover from the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire, the largest wildfire in the state’s history; $2 billion for a block grant program that aids the economic recovery of communities impacted by recent disasters and $20 million for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements previously authorized for Jackson, Mississippi.
The bill would also provide an additional $1 billion for a program that helps low income households afford to heat their homes.
There has been wide, bipartisan support for boosting support for Ukraine. The bill includes $4.5 billion to help Ukraine’s government provide basic citizen services and authorizes the president to drawdown $3.7 billion worth of equipment from U.S. stocks to support Ukraine’s armed forces. There’s also money to replenish U.S. stocks of equipment and munitions sent to Ukraine and to provide Ukraine with intelligence support and training.
“With Russia holding fake elections to annex parts of Ukraine, the Ukrainian people urgently need our support to continue protecting their families and defending global democracy,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the Democratic chair of the House Appropriations Committee. | 2022-09-27T14:05:06+00:00 | kfor.com | https://kfor.com/news/oklahoma-legislature/ap-politics/ap-democrats-unveil-spending-bill-to-finance-govt-aid-ukraine/ |
DUBLIN, May 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Endo International plc (OTC: ENDPQ) today reported financial results for the first-quarter ended March 31, 2023.
FIRST-QUARTER FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE
(in thousands, except per share amounts)
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL RESULTS
Total revenues were $515 million in first-quarter 2023, a decrease of 21% compared to $652 million in first-quarter 2022. This decrease was primarily attributable to decreased revenues from the Sterile Injectables segment, partially offset by increased revenues from the Generic Pharmaceuticals segment.
Reported loss from continuing operations in first-quarter 2023 was $3 million compared to $65 million in first-quarter 2022. Reported diluted net loss per share from continuing operations in first-quarter 2023 was $0.01 compared to $0.28 in first-quarter 2022. These results were primarily due to lower interest expenses as a result of the Chapter 11 filing as well as lower operating expenses, asset impairment and litigation-related charges, partially offset by decreased revenues and increased expenses related to the Chapter 11 reorganization process.
Adjusted income from continuing operations in first-quarter 2023 was $193 million compared to $156 million in first-quarter 2022. Adjusted diluted net income per share from continuing operations in first-quarter 2023 was $0.82 compared to $0.66 in first-quarter 2022. These results were primarily driven by lower interest and adjusted operating expenses, which were partially offset by decreased revenues.
BRANDED PHARMACEUTICALS SEGMENT
First-quarter 2023 Branded Pharmaceuticals segment revenues were $198 million, a decrease of 4% compared to $205 million during first-quarter 2022.
Specialty Products revenues decreased 5% to $142 million in first-quarter 2023 compared to $149 million in first-quarter 2022. This change was primarily due to a decrease in Supprelin® LA mainly driven by lower average net selling price as a result of business mix. First-quarter 2023 XIAFLEX® revenues were $97 million, a 3% decrease compared to first-quarter 2022 driven by channel inventory destocking. XIAFLEX® first-quarter 2023 demand growth was in-line with internal expectations and reflected steady progress in adapting to continuing market dynamics and the ongoing third-party specialty pharmacy provider transition.
Established Products revenues decreased 1% to $55 million in first-quarter 2023 compared to $56 million in first-quarter 2022 due primarily to generic competition.
STERILE INJECTABLES SEGMENT
First-quarter 2023 Sterile Injectables segment revenues were $101 million, a decrease of 58% compared to $240 million during first-quarter 2022. This change was primarily attributable to decreased VASOSTRICT® revenues due to lower price and market share resulting from generic competition and lower overall market volumes.
GENERIC PHARMACEUTICALS SEGMENT
First-quarter 2023 Generic Pharmaceuticals segment revenues were $198 million, an increase of 7% compared to $186 million during first-quarter 2022. This increase was primarily attributable to revenues from dexlansoprazole delayed release capsules, the generic version of Dexilant® which launched during fourth-quarter 2022, and from varenicline tablets, the first generic version of Chantix® which launched during third-quarter 2021, partially offset by competitive pressure on certain generic products. During first-quarter 2023, a generic varenicline competitor entered the market and additional competitors are anticipated in 2023.
INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS SEGMENT
First-quarter 2023 International Pharmaceuticals segment revenues were $18 million, a decrease of 15% compared to $21 million during first-quarter 2022. This decrease was primarily attributable to a 2022 product discontinuation.
FINANCIAL EXPECTATIONS
On February 14, 2023, Endo disclosed that its Board of Directors reviewed the Company's long-term plan, including a presentation prepared by the Company's management. Endo's first-quarter 2023 results exceeded the expectations assumed in the February long-term plan primarily driven by higher varenicline and dexlansoprazole delayed release capsules revenues due to fewer than expected competitors. The below updated financial expectations for the full-year ending December 31, 2023 contemplate a range of potential outcomes reflecting uncertainties in key assumptions for the timing of varenicline and dexlansoprazole competitive entrants and recognition of the Novavax settlement. Endo does not currently anticipate a material impact to its previously provided long-term financial outlook beyond 2023. All financial expectations provided by Endo are forward-looking, and actual results may differ materially from such expectations, as further discussed below under the heading "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements."
CASH, CASH FLOW AND OTHER UPDATES
As of March 31, 2023, the Company had approximately $0.9 billion in unrestricted cash. First-quarter 2023 net cash provided by operating activities was approximately $62 million compared to approximately $201 million provided by operating activities during first-quarter 2022. This decrease was primarily attributable to a decrease in adjusted EBITDA, coupled with increases in net working capital and restructuring-related payments, which were partially offset by reductions in cash interest and litigation related payments.
Dexilant® is a registered trademark of Takeda Pharmaceutical U.S.A., Inc.
Chantix® is a registered trademark of Pfizer Inc.
FINANCIAL SCHEDULES
The following table presents Endo's unaudited Total revenues, net for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 (dollars in thousands):
The following table presents unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations data for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 (in thousands, except per share data):
The following table presents unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet data at March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 (in thousands):
The following table presents unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flow data for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 (in thousands):
SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION
To supplement the financial measures prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), the Company uses certain non-GAAP financial measures. For additional information on the Company's use of such non-GAAP financial measures, refer to Endo's Current Report on Form 8-K furnished today to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which includes an explanation of the Company's reasons for using non-GAAP measures.
The tables below provide reconciliations of certain of the Company's non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP amounts. Refer to the "Notes to the Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP Financial Measures" section below for additional details regarding the adjustments to the non-GAAP financial measures detailed throughout this Supplemental Financial Information section.
Reconciliation of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP)
The following table provides a reconciliation of Net loss (GAAP) to Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 (in thousands):
Reconciliation of Adjusted Income from Continuing Operations (non-GAAP)
The following table provides a reconciliation of the Company's Loss from continuing operations (GAAP) to Adjusted income from continuing operations (non-GAAP) for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 (in thousands):
Reconciliation of Other Adjusted Income Statement Data (non-GAAP)
The following tables provide detailed reconciliations of various other income statement data between the GAAP and non-GAAP amounts for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 (in thousands, except per share data):
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
The Company utilizes certain financial measures that are not prescribed by or prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (GAAP). These non-GAAP financial measures are not, and should not be viewed as, substitutes for GAAP net income and its components and diluted net income per share amounts. Despite the importance of these measures to management in goal setting and performance measurement, the company stresses that these are non-GAAP financial measures that have no standardized meaning prescribed by GAAP and, therefore, have limits in their usefulness to investors. Because of the non-standardized definitions, non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA and non-GAAP adjusted net income from continuing operations and its components (unlike GAAP net income from continuing operations and its components) may not be comparable to the calculation of similar measures of other companies. These non-GAAP financial measures are presented solely to permit investors to more fully understand how management assesses performance.
Investors are encouraged to review the reconciliations of the non-GAAP financial measures used in this press release to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. However, the Company does not provide reconciliations of projected non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP financial measures, nor does it provide comparable projected GAAP financial measures for such projected non-GAAP financial measures. The Company is unable to provide such reconciliations without unreasonable efforts due to the inherent difficulty in forecasting and quantifying certain amounts that are necessary for such reconciliations, including adjustments that could be made for asset impairments, contingent consideration adjustments, legal settlements, gain / loss on extinguishment of debt, adjustments to inventory and other charges reflected in the reconciliation of historic numbers, the amounts of which could be significant.
See Endo's Current Report on Form 8-K furnished today to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for an explanation of Endo's non-GAAP financial measures.
About Endo
Endo (OTC: ENDPQ) is a specialty pharmaceutical company committed to helping everyone we serve live their best life through the delivery of quality, life-enhancing therapies. Our decades of proven success come from passionate team members around the globe collaborating to bring treatments forward. Together, we boldly transform insights into treatments benefiting those who need them, when they need them. Learn more at www.endo.com or connect with us on LinkedIn.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain information in this press release may be considered "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and any applicable Canadian securities legislation, including, but not limited to, statements with respect to financial guidance, expectations or outlook, the restructuring support agreement and the sale transaction, the Chapter 11 proceedings, and any other statements that refer to Endo's expected, estimated or anticipated future results or that do not relate solely to historical facts. Statements including words or phrases such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "plan," "will," "may," "look forward," "guidance," "future," "potential" or similar expressions are forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements in this communication reflect the Company's current views as of the date of this communication about its plans, intentions, expectations, strategies and prospects, which are based on the information currently available to it and on assumptions it has made. Actual results may differ materially and adversely from current expectations based on a number of factors, including, among other things, the following: the timing, impact or results of any pending or future litigation, investigations, proceedings or claims, including opioid, tax and antitrust related matters; actual or contingent liabilities; settlement discussions or negotiations; the Company's liquidity, financial performance, cash position and operations; the Company's strategy; risks and uncertainties associated with Chapter 11 proceedings; the negative impacts on the Company's businesses as a result of filing for and operating under Chapter 11 protection; the time, terms and ability to confirm a sale of the Company's businesses under Section 363 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code; the adequacy of the capital resources of the Company's businesses and the difficulty in forecasting the liquidity requirements of the operations of the Company's businesses; the unpredictability of the Company's financial results while in Chapter 11 proceedings; the Company's ability to discharge claims in Chapter 11 proceedings; negotiations with the holders of the Company's indebtedness and its trade creditors and other significant creditors; risks and uncertainties with performing under the terms of the restructuring support agreement and any other arrangement with lenders or creditors while in Chapter 11 proceedings; the Company's ability to conduct business as usual; the Company's ability to continue to serve customers, suppliers and other business partners at the high level of service and performance they have come to expect from the Company; the Company's ability to continue to pay employees, suppliers and vendors; the ability to control costs during Chapter 11 proceedings; adverse litigation; the risk that the Company's Chapter 11 Cases may be converted to cases under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code; the Company's ability to secure operating capital; the Company's ability to take advantage of opportunities to acquire assets with upside potential; the Company's ability to execute on its strategic plan to pursue, evaluate and close an asset sale of the Company's businesses pursuant to Section 363 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code; the impact of competition; Endo's ability to satisfy judgments or settlements or pursue appeals including bonding requirements; Endo's ability to adjust to changing market conditions; Endo's ability to attract and retain key personnel; supply chain interruptions or difficulties; changes in competitive or market conditions; changes in legislation or regulatory developments; Endo's ability to obtain and maintain adequate protection for Endo's intellectual property rights; the timing and uncertainty of the results of both the research and development and regulatory processes, including regulatory decisions, product recalls, withdrawals and other unusual items; domestic and foreign health care and cost containment reforms, including government pricing, tax and reimbursement policies; technological advances and patents obtained by competitors; the performance, including the approval, introduction, and consumer and physician acceptance of new products and the continuing acceptance of currently marketed products; Endo's ability to integrate any newly acquired products into Endo's portfolio and achieve any financial or commercial expectations; the impact that known and unknown side effects may have on market perception and consumer preference for Endo's products; the effectiveness of advertising and other promotional campaigns; the timely and successful implementation of any strategic initiatives; unfavorable publicity regarding the misuse of opioids; the uncertainty associated with the identification of and successful consummation and execution of external corporate development initiatives and strategic partnering transactions; Endo's ability to advance its strategic priorities, develop its product pipeline and continue to develop the market for XIAFLEX® and other branded and unbranded products; and Endo's ability to obtain and successfully manufacture, maintain and distribute a sufficient supply of products to meet market demand in a timely manner. In addition, U.S. and international economic conditions, including consumer confidence and debt levels, inflation, taxation, changes in interest and currency exchange rates, international relations, capital and credit availability, the status of financial markets and institutions and the impact of continued economic volatility, can materially affect Endo's results. Therefore, the reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. Endo expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required to do so by law.
Additional information concerning risk factors, including those referenced above, can be found in press releases issued by Endo, as well as Endo's public periodic filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and with securities regulators in Canada, including the discussion under the heading "Risk Factors" in Endo's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of Endo's press releases and additional information about Endo are available at www.endo.com or you can contact the Endo Investor Relations Department at relations.investor@endo.com.
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SOURCE Endo International plc | 2023-05-08T12:19:29+00:00 | kwtx.com | https://www.kwtx.com/prnewswire/2023/05/08/endo-reports-first-quarter-2023-financial-results/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Fewer new electric vehicles will qualify for a full $7,500 federal tax credit later this year, and many will get only half that, under rules proposed Friday by the U.S. Treasury Department.
The rules, required under last year’s Inflation Reduction Act, are likely to slow consumer acceptance of electric vehicles and could delay President Joe Biden’s ambitious goal that half of new passenger vehicles sold in the U.S. run on electricity by 2030.
The new rules take effect April 18 and are aimed at reducing U.S. dependence on China and other countries for battery supply chains for electric vehicles.
Electric vehicles now cost an average of more than $58,000, according to Kelley Blue Book, a price that’s beyond the reach of many U.S. households. The tax credits are designed to bring prices down and attract more buyers. But $3,750, half the full credit, may not be enough to entice them away from less-costly gasoline-powered vehicles.
Biden administration officials concede that fewer electric vehicles will be eligible for tax credits in the short term because of the rules, which set standards for where EV battery parts and minerals come from. But they say that, over time, more EVs and parts will be manufactured in the U.S., creating a domestic supply chain and more jobs. The credits and other measures also will end U.S. dependence on China for parts and minerals, officials contend.
The new rules will help consumers save money on EVs “and hundreds of dollars per year on gas, while creating American manufacturing jobs and strengthening our energy and national security,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Friday.
But Sen. Joe Manchin, the West Virginia Democrat who negotiated terms in the new law that require battery sourcing in North America, said the guidance released by the Treasury Department “completely ignores the intent of the Inflation Reduction Act.”
Manchin called it “horrific” that the Biden administration “continues to ignore the purpose of the law, which is to bring manufacturing back to America and ensure we have reliable and secure supply chains.”
Referring to the proposal’s 60-day comment period, Manchin said, “My comment is simple: Stop this now. Just follow the law.”
Drivers looking to buy an EV must move quickly to get the full $7,500 tax credit. The Internal Revenue Service lists more than three dozen electric or plug-in hybrid passenger vehicles made in North America that now are eligible. But some won’t qualify or will get only half once the new Treasury Department rules take effect in less than three weeks.
A Treasury official wouldn’t give an estimate of how many EVs would be eligible under the new rules. The department plans to publish a list on April 18, the official said.
Automakers have to certify that their vehicles meet requirements for full or partial tax credits.
John Bozzella, CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, an industry trade group, said only a few of the 91 EV models now for sale in the U.S. likely will get the full credit, although some will qualify for half.
“We now know the EV tax credit playing field for the next year or so. March 2023 was as good as it gets,” Bozzella said.
The big issue is new rules limiting the percentage of battery parts and minerals that come from countries that don’t have free trade or mineral agreements with the United States.
This year, at least 40% of the value of battery minerals must be mined, processed or recycled in the U.S. or countries with which it has trade deals. That rises 10% every year until it hits 80% after 2026.
Also, at least 50% of the value of battery parts must be manufactured or assembled in North America this year. That requirement rises to 60% next year and in 2025 and jumps 10% each year until it hits 100% after 2028.
Some automakers can meet the battery parts sourcing requirements, but few will be able to comply with the mineral provisions, said Guidehouse Research e-Mobility analyst Sam Abuelsamid. Much of the lithium used in EV batteries now comes from China.
“The minerals requirement is going to be the really challenging one,” Abuelsamid said. “Setting up refining for lithium in other locations is probably going to take the longest.”
General Motors, for instance, says its EVs will only be eligible for $3,750 once the rules are effective. The company is building a U.S. supply chain, and its vehicles should get the full credit by mid-decade, its chief financial officer has said.
The Inflation Reduction Act also places price limits on new electric vehicles, $55,000 for cars and $80,000 for pickups, vans and SUVs. There also are income limits aimed to stop wealthier people from getting credits. Buyers cannot have an adjusted gross annual income above $150,000 if single, $300,000 if filing jointly and $225,000 if head of a household.
In addition, starting in 2025, battery minerals cannot come from a “foreign entity of concern,” mainly China and Russia. Battery parts cannot be sourced in those countries starting in 2024; minerals can’t come from those countries in 2025.
The Biden administration said rules governing that requirement are in the works.
The new rules define principles that countries must meet to be eligible. Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Jordan, Korea, Mexico, Morocco, Nicaragua, Oman, Panama, Peru, Singapore and Japan are on the list. Japan this week reached a deal with the U.S. on trading in critical minerals for EV batteries.
Even though the proposed rules are effective April 18, the Biden administration is taking public comments, and the rules can be modified later, including the addition of countries that negotiate trade agreements with the U.S.
The government says companies have announced at least $45 billion in U.S. investments since the Inflation Reduction Act was passed.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, said he has concerns about the battery material provisions. “Free trade agreements cannot be unilaterally decided by the executive branch,” he said during a recent hearing. “They require consultation and consent from Congress. That includes any agreements on critical minerals.”
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Krisher reported from Detroit. | 2023-03-31T20:00:20+00:00 | nwahomepage.com | https://www.nwahomepage.com/news/business-news/many-electric-vehicles-to-lose-big-tax-credit-with-new-rules/ |
The downturn in offense from the first two weeks of the NFL season hasn’t touched all corners of the league with a handful of players and teams putting up staggering numbers.
Never was that more evident than from Miami’s comeback win at Baltimore last week.
Scoring and passing efficiency are down significantly from recent years and at their lowest level at this point of the season since 2017, with the 21.4 points per game average down from 24.0 last year at this point and the second-lowest since 2011 to the 20.1 points per game in 2017. The 90 passer rating across the league is also the lowest through two weeks since the 87.9 in 2017.
But there was plenty of offense on a record-setting day in Baltimore on Sunday.
Tua Tagovailoa threw for 469 yards and six TDs, becoming the ninth quarterback in NFL history to throw for at least 450 yards and six scores in the same game.
He joined Patrick Mahomes, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, Peyton Manning, Matt Flynn, Joe Montana, Joe Namath and Y.A. Tittle.
He got most of his production throwing to speedsters Tyreek Hill (11 catches for 190 yards and two TDs) and Jaylen Waddle (11 catches for 171 yards and two TDs). They are the first set of teammates to each have at least 170 yards receiving and two touchdowns in the same game.
Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson also had a noteworthy day, becoming the first player in NFL history to have a TD pass and a TD run of at least 75 yards in the same game.
Jackson threw for 318 yards and three scores and ran for 119 yards and a TD. Jackson became the first player in NFL history to have multiple games with at least 100 yards rushing and 300 yards passing, also doing it in a playoff loss to Tennessee in the 2019 season.
The Ravens and Dolphins weren’t alone in putting up some prolific numbers.
Jared Goff and the Lions became the fifth team in the past 10 years to score at least 35 points in each of the first two games joining the 2020 Packers (Aaron Rodgers at QB), the 2020 Seahawks (Russell Wilson), the 2018 Chiefs (Patrick Mahomes) and 2013 Broncos (Peyton Manning).
Second-year receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown has played a big role in the success with 17 catches for 180 yards and three scores. St. Brown has tied an NFL record with eight straight games dating to last season with at least eight catches, joining Antonio Brown (2014) and Michael Thomas (2019).
Buffalo receiver Stefon Diggs had his third career game with at last three TD catches and 140 yards receiving. Only Hall of Famers Jerry Rice (seven) and Randy Moss (four) have more in the Super Bowl era.
Also on Monday night, Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts threw for 333 yards and ran for 57 for his third career game with at least 300 yards through the air and 50 on the ground.
Only Steve Young (eight), Josh Allen (five), Wilson (four), and Mike Vick (four) have more of those games in the Super Bowl era.
DIVISION DOINGS
It was a rough week in the AFC North with all four teams losing on Sunday. This was the ninth time since the start of the eight-division era in 2002 that all four teams in that division all lost in the same week. It last happened in Week 3 of the 2019 season.
The eight weeks with an 0-4 record for the AFC North are the second most for any division in that span, trailing only the 10 for the NFC West. It has happened five times each in the AFC South, NFC East and NFC North, three times in the NFC South, twice in the AFC West and never in the AFC East.
The AFC East was on the other side of the equation with all four teams winning, including three head-to-head matchups against the AFC North.
That was the eighth time all four AFC East teams won in the same week, trailing only the nine times it has happened in the AFC West. It has happened seven times in the NFC West, five times in the NFC South and NFC East, four times in the NFC North and three times in the AFC North and AFC South.
UNDER PRESSURE
The offseason upgrades to the offensive line in Cincinnati haven’t helped keep Joe Burrow clean so far this season.
Burrow has been sacked 13 times in the first two games of the season, tied for the fifth most by a player through two games since the merger. Only David Carr (15 in 2002 for Houston), Jeff George (15 in 1998 for Oakland), Dave Krieg (14 in 1982 for Seattle) and Joe Pisarcik (14 in 1979 for the Giants) had more.
Burrow has now been sacked at least five times in 11 of his 32 career starts including the playoffs. In comparison, Tom Brady has been sacked at least five times in 10 of his 367 starts.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
There hasn’t been much to cheer for when it comes to football in the New York City area the last few years with the Giants and Jets posting the worst records in the NFL since the start of 2017.
That’s what made Sunday so rare. The Jets rallied from 13 points down in the final two minutes for an improbable win at Cleveland and the Giants beat Carolina at home. That marked the fifth time in the past six seasons that the two teams won in the same week.
It also happened in Weeks 4 and 12 last year, Week 16 in 2019 and Week 14 in 2014.
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More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | 2022-09-22T20:13:21+00:00 | qcnews.com | https://www.qcnews.com/sports/ap-early-season-downturn-in-offense-avoids-ravens-dolphins/ |
When hip-hop entertainers make it to a certain point in their career, the obvious next step is to think big by stepping outside of music and developing business in other areas. One of the first routes many go is into the fashion industry, especially given how much style has impacted the genre over time.
Kanye West — a genius to some, egomaniac to others — is one of the most successful artists to make a leap into fashion by collaborating with a who’s-who of today’s top labels — Nike, adidas, A.P.C. and Louis Vuitton are just some of his big-name partnerships.
His latest collaborative effort is with everyday-wear fashion giant Gap, which has been going well under its YEEZY GAP imprint up until recently.
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Ye is currently on one of his soon-to-be-deleted Instagram rants at the moment, where he’s continuing to call out Gap for doing business dealing behind his back amongst other shady moves. “Gap held a meeting about me without me?” the GRAMMY-winning rapper recently posted to his over 16 million followers (seen above), accompanied by a photo that appears to be in a showroom with the controversial new YEEZY GAP Engineered By Balenciaga collection laid out on the floor.
RELATED: A Black Entrepreneur Says Balenciaga Used His Design Without His Permission
Currently, he’s posting a string of IG posts that started with a video of him laying down to Gap execs in Atlanta a passionate argument for ownership and creative freedom. The clip ends with him even threatening to quit if it doesn’t happen. Other videos appear to be what looks like Kanye assembling to go independent, captioning one post by writing, “The monster(‘s) about to come alive again.”
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While we can’t confirm how long any of those IG post will stay up on Kanye’s page, we wish him nothing but the best on his quest to build a global fashion empire on his own terms. It got us thinking about a few other entertainers that had similar aspirations, and how many won versus the few who found themselves in the same “Gap trap” that Ye is currently in.
Take a look below at 8 figures in the hip-hop world that went from music to fashion with varying results:
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The Wins And Fails Of Hip-Hop Clothing Deals was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
1. WIN: Diddy, Sean John
Beyond the undeniable success of Sean John in the late ’90s and throughout the 2000s, the biggest win of Diddy’s namesake label is that he recently bought it back and plans to do a relaunch to cash in on the current Y2K revival.
2. FAIL: Nelly, VOKĀL
Source:GettyAlthough its sister brand, Apple Bottom Jeans, saw more success for Nelly back in the 2000s, VOKĀL unfortunately had little shelf life before it became a discount mainstay at Marshalls.
3. WIN: Jay-Z, Rocawear
Rocawear is probably the biggest pioneer of the rapper clothing line trope, and outside of Diddy himself was the most successful at its peak. You can still find people rocking it for nostalgia’s sake.
4. FAIL: Eve, Fetish
Source:GettyOperating at its peak during the run of her three-season-long titular sitcom on UPN, which she ironically plays a fashion designer on, the line practically disappeared the minute the show went off air. Talk about life imitating art!
5. WIN: Tyler The Creator, GOLF WANG
From successful collaborations with Converse to Lacoste, Tyler is taking the typical T-shirts, hoodies and long-sleeved shirts into a whole new cut-and-sew direction. The results have been amazing so far, and don’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
6. FAIL: Rihanna, FENTY
Source:GettyAlthough a blip on the radar in her billion-dollar empire, Rihanna’s efforts to do a high-end fashion line under LVMH just didn’t take off with the same success as a much more successful collab at the time with PUMA and her Savage x FENTY lingerie.
7. WIN: Drake, OVO
As Drake continues to grow in the industry, his OVO imprint follows. The Yorkdale flagship opening illustrated with much cinematic drama above is only one of many shops October’s Very Own has opened in major cities across the globe.
8. FAIL: Kanye West, Pastelle
Source:GettySadly, Kanye’s current beef with Gap isn’t the first occasion of a fashionable fluke. Many are still salty over his much-anticipated Pastelle line of the late 2000s, easily one of the greatest coulda-shoulda-woulda defunct labels in urban fashion to date. | 2022-09-05T02:25:54+00:00 | hot1009.com | https://hot1009.com/playlist/the-wins-and-fails-of-hip-hop-clothing-deals/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Through seven hearings this summer, the House Jan. 6 panel has maintained two consistent themes: Donald Trump’s stubborn resistance to advisers who told him that Joe Biden won the election, and the former president’s role in inciting the Capitol insurrection.
Each hearing has had a separate focus — this week’s was domestic extremism — but the nine-member panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 attack has not strayed from its central findings: that Trump made historically unprecedented moves to overturn his 2020 election defeat and then turned a blind eye as his supporters beat police and broke into the Capitol to defend him.
A rundown of what we’ve learned so far from the public hearings of the select Jan. 6 committee — and what’s next:
TRUMP IGNORED HIS ADVISERS
At every hearing, the panel has played video testimony from White House aides and Trump associates who said they told Trump that Biden won the election and advised him to drop his false claims of widespread voter fraud. Many were emboldened by former Attorney General Bill Barr’s declaration in early December 2020 that there was no evidence of mass fraud that could change the election outcome.
Among those aides was Ivanka Trump, the president’s daughter, who told the panel that she accepted Barr’s conclusions. Eugene Scalia, Trump’s labor secretary, said he told Trump it was time for him to say Biden had won after states certified the electors on Dec. 14. Barr, who told Trump to his face that the fraud claims were “b——-t,” said he feared the president was becoming “detached from reality.”
But Trump ignored those advisers. Instead he listened to a small group of allies outside the White House who were pushing the fraud claims, sometimes in fantastical ways.
At Tuesday’s hearing, video testimony from White House lawyers described theories pushed by lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell that they thought were “nuts,” including compromised voting machines and thermostats. A Dec. 18 meeting in the White House lasted for six hours and devolved into “screaming” and profanity, several participants said, as the two sides clashed over Trump’s next steps.
Trump’s White House counsel, Pat Cipollone told the committee in a videotaped interview that the lawyers kept asking Powell and Giuliani for evidence, but never received any good answers.
THE PRESIDENT’S CALLS TO ACTION
Rebuffed by many of those closest to him, Trump turned toward a much wider audience on social media. Hours after the Dec. 18 meeting, he tweeted that his supporters should come to a “big protest” on Jan. 6, when Congress would certify Biden’s win.
Trump tweeted: “Be there, will be wild!”
The committee showed a montage of videos and social media posts after the tweet as supporters reacted and planned trips to Washington, some of them using violent rhetoric and talking about killing police officers. Far-right extremist groups like the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers mobilized their members to come to Washington and protest, and members of those groups descended on the Capitol before Trump had even finished his fiery speech outside the White House that morning.
At a hearing last month, former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson testified that Trump knew that some of his supporters gathered for the event were armed because they had been turned away at security checkpoints. But she quoted Trump as directing his staff, in profane terms, to take away the metal-detecting magnetometers if their presence meant fewer people would be at the rally. He then took the stage and urged the entire crowd to march to the Capitol.
Stephen Ayres, who broke into the Capitol on Jan. 6 and pleaded guilty last month to a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct, testified in person at Tuesday’s hearing. He talked about how he believed Trump’s lies as they were amplified on social media, and said he came to Washington at the behest of his president.
His arrest changed his life for the worse, Ayres said, and he’s angry he believed the claims of fraud.
A MISSED MARCH TO THE CAPITOL
The committee has focused in particular on Trump’s efforts to go to the Capitol with his supporters after his speech. Hutchinson said that many of Trump’s aides, and even House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy, were aware of his plan and tried to stop it. She also described Trump’s anger as security officials refused to take him there after his speech.
On Tuesday, the committee revealed more evidence that Trump had planned to call for his supporters to march to the Capitol, and that he would go with them. The panel showed a draft tweet, undated and never sent, that said “Please arrive early, massive crowds expected. March to the Capitol after. Stop the Steal!” The draft tweet was stamped, “president has seen.”
They also showed texts and email exchanges between planners and White House aides about a secret plan for the march.
“This stays only between us, we are having a second stage at the Supreme Court” after Trump’s rally, wrote one of the rally’s organizers, Kylie Kremer, to a Trump confidant. “POTUS is going to have us march there/the Capitol.” People will try to “sabotage” it if they found out, she said.
PRESSURE TO OVERTURN THE ELECTION
The committee’s first few hearings focused on Trump’s pressure campaign to thwart Biden’s victory – aimed at state election officials, at the Justice Department and finally at Vice President Mike Pence. The president’s pressure ramped up as courts rejected dozens of lawsuits and after the states certified the electors in mid-December.
At a hearing with state officials, Georgia’s Republican secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, told of Trump’s phone call in which he asked him to “find 11,780 votes” that could give him a win. Rusty Bowers, Arizona’s GOP House speaker, testified about a call from Trump in which the president proposed that his chamber reject the slate of electors for Biden, who had won the state. Both Raffensperger and Bowers testified in person.
In a separate hearing, Justice Department officials described Trump’s effort to not only have them declare the election “corrupt” but to replace the acting attorney general with an ally of his in the department who sympathized with his false claims.
And Greg Jacob, a lawyer to Pence, testified about scheming within the White House to try and convince Pence to object to the results or delay the certification in his traditional ceremonial role presiding over the count. But Jacob said that as he and Pence reviewed the constitution, the law, “and frankly just common sense,” they confirmed that Pence did not have that authority.
On Jan. 6, hours after Trump’s supporters broke in and interrupted the proceedings, Pence declared Biden the winner.
WHAT’S NEXT
The committee is planning to hold its eighth hearing next week. That hearing is expected to feature the testimony of White House aides and center on what Trump was doing during the hours that his supporters were violently breaking into the Capitol.
Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, a member of the committee, said the hearing “will be a profound moment of reckoning for America.”
Once the hearings are over, the panel is expected to issue a final report. That could come before the November midterm election, said the committee’s chairman, Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, in an interview on Tuesday.
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Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report. | 2022-07-14T21:17:06+00:00 | cbs4indy.com | https://cbs4indy.com/news/politics/ap-politics/jan-6-hearings-what-weve-learned-and-whats-next-4/ |
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States announced at a U.N. conference on Wednesday nearly $524 million in additional humanitarian aid for the Horn of Africa that aims to put a spotlight on the extreme effects of climate change and the worst drought in the region in 40 years — and the need for more than $5 billion.
Near the start of the conference, Germany announced a pledge of 210 million euros ($226 million) and the United Kingdom pledged $119 million for Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya.
The U.N. has appealed for $7 billion and has received just $1.6 billion — far from enough to help the 43.3 million people in need of assistance in the three Horn of Africa countries or even just the 21 million among them who don’t have access to enough food.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told would-be donors at the conference to make an immediate and major injection of funding to prevent the crisis caused by drought, mass displacement after years of conflict and skyrocketing food prices “from turning into catastrophe.”
The United States is the largest provider of humanitarian aid to the region, and Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told the pledging conference that the $524 million in new funds will bring the total U.S. humanitarian contribution to the region to $1.4 billion for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30.
Germany’s U.N. Ambassador Antje Leendertse told the conference the 210 million euros in humanitarian aid for the three countries doesn’t include substantial funding “for development and stabilization” in the Horn of Africa.
UK Minister for Development and Africa Andrew Mitchell said the country’s total pledge on Wednesday also includes $27 million for Sudan, $23 million for South Sudan and $9 million for Uganda, taking it up to $178 million.
When America’s Thomas-Greenfield visited the Somali capital, Mogadishu, in September, she said she heard firsthand “how the drought impacted the food supply and the increased potential for famine” and announced more than $40 million in additional funding for the country.
“Sadly, the humanitarian needs in Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya are now greater than ever with over 23.5 million persons facing acute food insecurity,” she said in a statement. “That’s why the United States is continuing to support the humanitarian response in the Horn with this new funding.”
The U.S. said its new funding will support refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced and stateless people, and millions affected by conflict, drought and food insecurity. It said nearly $108 million of the additional funding is from the Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration and more than $416 million is from the U.S. Agency for International Development.
The humanitarian agency CARE said the crisis in the region resulting from two failed rainy seasons, two locust invasions, conflict and rising commodity prices in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing war has decimated communities and led to the migration of more than 2.5 million people. Raising livestock used to be a key way of earning money for many communities in the region, but CARE said due to the extreme weather more than 13.2 million livestock have died.
In Somalia, where more than 6 million people are going hungry, a famine has yet to be declared, but some humanitarian and climate officials have warned that current trends are worse than in the 2011 famine, in which 250,000 people died.
Parts of Somalia and Ethiopia are experiencing flooding during the ongoing rainy season, and millions of people have been displaced. The affected areas, mostly occupied by herders, had seen prolonged dry seasons that left livestock dead.
Somalia is also grappling with insecurity due to the al-Shabab extremist group, which has ties to al-Qaida and has fought the Somali federal government in Mogadishu for years. The group intensified attacks on military bases in recent months after losing territory in rural areas to government forces.
In Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, nearly all the 6 million people rely on food aid after two years of civil war. Government-imposed restrictions on humanitarian relief had pushed parts of the region to the brink of famine until aid deliveries resumed after the war stopped with a cease-fire in November.
But the U.N. and USAID, the U.S. aid agency, announced earlier this month that they were suspending all food assistance to investigate the theft of humanitarian supplies.
The International Rescue Committee’s president, David Miliband, said U.S. funding “is helping keep famine at bay,” especially in Somalia, and urged other nations to step up contributions and ensure full funding of the appeal.
He also called for “a change in approach to famine response and … (to) prevent catastrophe before it strikes,” pointing to research from the 2011 famine that showed a quarter of a million people died before famine was declared and there was a surge in the international response.
“Effective early warning systems help identify areas that are at risk of famine before the situation becomes critical, such as weather patterns, crop yields, and food prices, and should trigger action for the most at-risk by funneling cash, food and other support before people experience” acute food insecurity let alone famine, he said in a statement.
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Associated Press writer Evelyne Musambi in Nairobi, Kenya, contributed to this report. | 2023-05-24T20:43:42+00:00 | ourquadcities.com | https://www.ourquadcities.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-us-announces-524m-for-horn-of-africa-drought-climate-crisis-while-germany-uk-also-make-pledges/ |
Man arrested after ‘disturbance’ as line to see queen swells
LONDON (AP) — Thousands of people spent London’s coldest night in months huddled in line to view the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, and authorities warned Saturday that arriving mourners face a 24-hour wait.
Police arrested a man after what the force described as a “disturbance” Friday night in Parliament’s Westminster Hall, where the queen’s coffin is lying in state, draped in her Royal Standard and capped with a diamond-studded crown.
Parliamentary authorities said someone got out of the queue and tried to approach the coffin on its platform. The Metropolitan Police force said a man was detained for a suspected public-order offense.
The tide of people wanting to say goodbye to the queen has grown steadily since the public was first admitted to the hall on Wednesday. On Friday, authorities temporarily halted letting more visitors join the end of the line, which snakes around Southwark Park some 5 miles (8 kilometers) from Parliament.
Overnight, volunteers distributed blankets and cups of tea to people in line as the temperature fell to 6 degrees Celsius (43 degrees Fahrenheit).
People had myriad reasons for coming, from affection for the queen to a desire to be part of a historic moment.
Simon Hopkins, who traveled from his home in central England, likened it to “a pilgrimage.”
“(It) is a bit strange, because that kind of goes against my grain,” he said. “I’ve been kind of drawn into it.”
Members of the public kept silently streaming into Westminster Hall even as the queen’s four children — King Charles III, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward — stood vigil around the flag-draped coffin for 15 minutes on Friday evening. A baby’s cry was the only sound.
Before the vigil, Edward said the royal family was “overwhelmed by the tide of emotion that has engulfed us and the sheer number of people who have gone out of their way to express their own love, admiration and respect (for) our dear mama.”
All eight of Queen Elizabeth II’s grandchildren are due to stand vigil beside her coffin on Saturday. Charles’ sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, will attend along with Princess Anne’s children, Zara Tindall and Peter Philips; Prince Andrew’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie; and the two children of Prince Edward – Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn.
William, who after his grandmother’s death is now the heir to the throne, will stand at the head of the coffin and Harry at the foot. Both princes, who are military veterans, will be in uniform.
Most senior royals hold honorary military roles and have worn uniforms to commemorate the queen. Harry, who served in Afghanistan as a British army officer, wore civilian clothes during the procession of the queen’s coffin from Buckingham Palace because he is no longer a working member of the royal family. He and his wife Meghan quit royal duties and moved to the United States in 2020.
The king, however, has requested that both William and Harry wear their military uniforms at the Westminster Hall vigil.
People queuing to see the queen have been of all ages and come from all walks of life. Many bowed before the coffin or made a sign of the cross. Several veterans, their medals shining in the spotlights, offered sharp salutes. Some people wept. Many hugged one another as they stepped away, proud to have spent hours in line to offer a tribute, even if it lasted only a few moments.
On Friday, the mourners included former England soccer captain David Beckham, who lined up for almost 12 hours to pay his respects. Wearing a white shirt and black tie, he bowed briefly to the coffin before moving out of Westminster Hall.
“We have been lucky as a nation to have had someone who has led us the way her majesty has led us, for the amount of time, with kindness, with caring and always reassurance,” Beckham told reporters afterwards.
The lying-in-state is due to continue until Monday morning, when the queen’s coffin will be borne to nearby Westminster Abbey for a state funeral, the finale to 10 days of national mourning for Britain’s longest-reigning monarch. Elizabeth, 96, died at her Balmoral Estate in Scotland on Sept. 8 after 70 years on the throne.
Hundreds of heads of state, royals and political leaders from around the world are flying to London to attend the funeral, including U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako.
After the service at the abbey, the late queen’s coffin will be transported through the historic heart of London on a horse-drawn gun carriage. It will then be taken in a hearse to Windsor, where the queen will be interred alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, who died last year.
Hundreds of troops from the British army, air force and navy took part in an early-morning rehearsal on Saturday for the final procession. As troops lined The Long Walk, a picturesque path leading to Windsor Castle, the thumping of drums echoed into the night as marching bands walked ahead of a hearse.
London police said the funeral will be the largest single policing event the force has ever handled, surpassing even the 2012 Summer Olympics and the Platinum Jubilee in June celebrating the queen’s 70-year rein.
“The range of officers, police staff and all those supporting the operation is truly immense,” said Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy.
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Follow AP coverage of Queen Elizabeth II at https://apnews.com/hub/queen-elizabeth-ii
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2022-09-17T09:59:05+00:00 | kcbd.com | https://www.kcbd.com/2022/09/17/man-arrested-after-disturbance-line-see-queen-swells/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Shortly before setting out for Beijing, Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday emphasized the importance of the U.S. and China establishing better lines of communication. He will be the highest-ranking member of the Biden administration to visit China.
The U.S. wants to make sure “that the competition we have with China doesn’t veer into conflict” due to avoidable misunderstandings, Blinken told reporters in Washington.
Blinken, speaking alongside Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, said his China trip is the outgrowth of a meeting in Bali last year between Presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden. The two agreed that China and the United States, the world’s biggest two economies and increasingly top rivals for global influence, must maintain contacts and and take steps to avoid unintended conflicts.
Blinken’s trip came within a day of happening in February but was delayed by the diplomatic and political tumult brought on by the discovery of what the U.S. says was a Chinese spy balloon flying across the United States.
Biden and Xi had made commitments to improve communications “precisely so that we can make sure we are communicating as clearly as possible to avoid possible misunderstandings and miscommunications,” Blinken said Friday. “The place you start is with communicating.”
U.S. allies and others are signaling that they want the two rivals to “responsibly manage this relationship and look for areas where our cooperation might produce results that benefit not only our own people but people around the world, including in the region,” he said.
Chinese officials have expressed suspicion of U.S. efforts to establish reliable, high-level crisis communications, saying the U.S. wants them so as to dodge repercussions for provocative actions.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, speaking to reporters at the NATO defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels on Friday, said he was confident that he and his Chinese counterpart would meet “at some point in time, but we’re not there yet.”
China rejected his request for a meeting with Li Shangfu at a security forum in Singapore early this month. Although the two did shake hands, they did not have any substantive discussion.
Austin said it was important for the two countries to talk to each other so they can manage potential crises and make sure “things aren’t allowed to unnecessarily spiral out of control.”
Blinken was to leave Washington late Friday for meetings with senior Chinese leaders on Sunday and Monday.
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Associated Press writer Lolita C. Baldor contributed to this story. | 2023-06-17T12:38:15+00:00 | ktalnews.com | https://www.ktalnews.com/news/politics/blinken-stresses-need-for-better-us-chinese-communications-as-he-heads-to-beijing/ |
FALLSTON, Md. (AP) — A Maryland man was taken into custody early Friday, ending a 39-hour manhunt during which he wounded two Baltimore County police officers in separate shootings and holed up in a wooded area behind a suburban shopping center, authorities said.
David Linthicum, 24, was already on the run when he shot the second officer, a detective, and stole his department-issued vehicle Thursday night, police said.
Officers eventually stopped Linthicum about 20 miles away using spike strips. From there, Linthicum fled into the woods but was surrounded by officers from multiple law enforcement agencies, with a helicopter illuminating the scene from above. Eight hours later and without further injury, they had him in handcuffs, authorities said.
The ordeal began when police responded to a call about a person in distress at Linthicum’s Baltimore County home Wednesday afternoon. While officers were interacting with him, he fired multiple rounds and fled the scene, police said. One officer was hit, hospitalized for treatment and released that night.
Meanwhile, federal and state law enforcement joined the manhunt that would continue throughout the following day and night as Linthicum evaded capture.
Around 9:20 p.m. Thursday, authorities warned residents to shelter in place in the area surrounding Linthicum’s home, saying he had been spotted nearby.
In an update Friday afternoon, officials with the Baltimore County Police Department said the detective, who was patrolling the area in connection with the manhunt, saw Linthicum walking along a road near his house.
When the detective tried to engage, Linthicum allegedly raised a rifle and pulled the trigger, striking the officer multiple times, before driving away in the unmarked black pickup truck.
Interim Baltimore County Police Chief Dennis Delp said early Friday that the detective, who had been wearing a ballistic vest, was in stable condition.
“He’s going to need a significant amount of reconstruction,” said Dr. Thomas Scalea, physician in chief at the University of Maryland Medical System’s Shock Trauma Center, who told reporters outside the hospital Thursday night that the detective was on life-support with multiple gunshot wounds to the torso. “He’ll be with us for a while.”
Once Linthicum was surrounded in the woods, officers used several “less lethal” tactics to encourage him to surrender, including flash bangs. He tried to hide in a rocky area, but officers used a helicopter and drones to locate him before he was finally captured at around 5:45 a.m. Friday, Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler said.
“Eventually it culminated in our personnel going hands-on with him and physically, after some resistance, being able to place him into custody,” Gahler said.
Linthicum “sustained no injuries as a result of his arrest,” but he was sent for a medical review “out of an abundance of caution,” the sheriff said.
He was later transferred into Baltimore County Police custody, officials announced Friday afternoon.
“Our community is safer with this individual in custody where he belongs,” Gahler added at a news conference.
Gahler said police found a firearm in the recovered vehicle and Linthicum had ammunition on him when he was arrested. The area was being searched in case he dropped another firearm in the woods.
Harford County schools in the Fallston area were closed Friday. Some Baltimore County schools were also closed Thursday while the manhunt was underway.
Court records show Linthicum pleaded guilty to drug possession with intent to distribute in 2019 and received probation before judgment. Officials said there was no immediate indication drugs were involved in these latest crimes.
When reached by phone Friday morning, a family member of Linthicum declined to comment and quickly hung up.
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Skene reported from Baltimore. | 2023-02-11T15:05:42+00:00 | cbs42.com | https://www.cbs42.com/news/national/ap-gunmans-capture-ends-39-hour-manhunt-with-2-officers-shot/ |
Carjackers arrested after shooting, killing victim trying to escape, police say
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC/Gray News) - A Tennessee man has died days after being shot in an attempted carjacking.
Memphis police said the situation started when two men armed with guns and wearing ski masks crashed a stolen car last weekend.
The men then approached a vehicle with two people inside and attempted to carjack them.
As the driver attempted to drive away, one of the men fired a gun, striking the driver.
Officers said the suspects then ran away and ended up stealing another vehicle nearby before leaving the area.
According to police, the injured driver was transported to the hospital that day in critical condition but died on Friday.
Detectives identified the suspects as 20-year-old Daniel Robinson and 17-year-old Tayshun Wooten.
Memphis police said they were able to track the suspects down and take them into custody.
Robinson and Wooten are facing charges that include carjacking and first-degree murder.
Copyright 2023 WMC via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | 2023-06-24T00:00:38+00:00 | kwch.com | https://www.kwch.com/2023/06/23/carjackers-arrested-after-shooting-killing-victim-trying-escape-police-say/ |
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) — SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) — Douglas Emmett Inc. (DEI) on Tuesday reported a key measure of profitability in its first quarter. The results fell short of Wall Street expectations.
The real estate investment trust, based in Santa Monica, California, said it had funds from operations of $98.6 million, or 47 cents per share, in the period.
The average estimate of six analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for funds from operations of 48 cents per share.
Funds from operations is a closely watched measure in the REIT industry. It takes net income and adds back items such as depreciation and amortization.
The company said it had net income of $18.4 million, or 10 cents per share.
The real estate investment trust, based in Santa Monica, California, posted revenue of $203.4 million in the period, also falling short of Street forecasts. Three analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $251.8 million.
Douglas Emmett expects full-year funds from operations in the range of $1.87 to $1.93 per share.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on DEI at https://www.zacks.com/ap/DEI | 2023-05-02T21:34:20+00:00 | ourmidland.com | https://www.ourmidland.com/business/article/douglas-emmett-q1-earnings-snapshot-18074360.php |
NEW YORK, June 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --
WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces the filing of a class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers of securities of Funko, Inc. (NASDAQ: FNKO) between May 6, 2022 and March 1, 2023, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"). A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than August 1, 2023.
SO WHAT: If you purchased Funko common stock during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.
WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Funko class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=16840 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. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than August 1, 2023. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.
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. 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.
DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants made false and/or misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (1) Funko was experiencing significantly larger delays in implementing its ERP software than it was disclosing to investors; (2) Having moved into a new warehouse without functioning ERP software in place would lead to dramatically higher costs and poorer inventory management practices; and (3) Funko's inability to efficiently operate the new distribution center would have a substantial, undisclosed impact on Funko's EBITDA margin. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.
To join the Funko class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=16840 mailto: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.
No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.
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Contact Information:
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SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A. | 2023-06-06T18:06:24+00:00 | wlox.com | https://www.wlox.com/prnewswire/2023/06/06/fnko-investor-news-rosen-recognized-investor-counsel-encourages-funko-inc-investors-with-losses-excess-100k-secure-counsel-before-important-deadline-securities-class-action-fnko/ |
3 get life sentences for 2014 downing of jet over Ukraine
SCHIPHOL, Netherlands (AP) — A Dutch court on Thursday convicted two Russians and a pro-Moscow Ukrainian separatist in absentia of the murders of 298 people who died in the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over Ukraine and sentenced them to life imprisonment. One Russian was acquitted because of a lack of evidence.
Against the geopolitical upheaval caused by Russia’s full-blown invasion of Ukraine this year, the court also held that Moscow in 2014 had overall control of the separatist Donetsk People’s Republic in eastern Ukraine, from where it said the attack on the plane was launched.
Presiding Judge Hendrik Steenhuis said evidence presented by prosecutors at a trial that lasted more than two years proved that the Boeing 777 flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was brought down by a Buk missile fired by pro-Moscow Ukrainian fighters on July 17, 2014. The crash scattered wreckage and bodies over farmland and fields of sunflowers.
In the courtroom, some families of victims blinked away tears as Steenhuis highlighted how their lives were changed forever on that day.
Steenhuis described the torment of family members who had to wait for the remains of their relatives. “A piece of bone from a hand. A piece of leg or a foot. In two cases, no parts of a loved one returned.”
The three men, who can appeal, did not attend their trial at a tightly guarded courtroom on the edge of Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, from where the doomed plane left. Prosecutors had sought life sentences for all four. Prosecutors and the suspects have two weeks to file an appeal.
Hundreds of family members of people killed on the plane traveled to the court to hear the verdict, bringing them back to the airport their loved ones left on the fateful day that MH17 was shot down. Outside the court, planes could be heard taking off and landing nearby on a cold, gray day.
There had been fears that the weight of evidence was impressive but would not necessarily lead to convictions. Steenhuis, however, cited extremely detailed evidence showing where the Buk was fired from, the burns it left on a field, and how it moved around eastern Ukraine. He also went into deep details on the roles of the suspects.
“There is plentiful evidence” to support theory that the missile was shot from the field in rebel-held territory, Steenhuis said.
“There is no reasonable doubt possible,” he added, dismissing defense arguments that something might have happened to the plane.
The court ruled that the three men – Russians Igor Girkin and Sergey Dubinskiy, and Ukrainian separatist Leonid Kharchenko — worked together to bring the Buk missile system from a Russian military base into Ukraine and bring it into position for its launch.
And even if the shooting down of MH17 might have amounted to a military miscalculation, Steenhuis said “such an error did not change the intent.”
Relatives said the ruling showed who was responsible for all the deaths on the plane.
“The truth on the table — that is the most important thing,” said Anton Kotte, who lost his son, daughter-in-law and his 6-year-old grandson when MH17 was shot down. He said the hearing was a “D-Day” for relatives.
Robbert van Heijningen, who lost his brother, sister-in-law and nephew, called the downing “an act of barbarism” that he could never put behind him, regardless of the verdict.
“I call it a stone in my heart, and stones ... don’t disappear,” he said.
The most senior official convicted was Girkin, a 51-year-old former colonel in Russia’s Federal Security Service, or FSB. At the time of the downing, he was defense minister and commander of the armed forces of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic — the region in Ukraine where the plane was shot down. Girkin reportedly is currently involved in Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Girkin’s subordinates, Dubinskiy and Kharchenko — a Ukrainian who prosecutors say was commander of a pro-Russia rebel combat unit and took orders directly from Dubinskiy — were also convicted and given life sentences.
Russian Oleg Pulatov, the only suspect represented by defense lawyers at the trial, was acquitted.
In a video recording played in court, Pulatov insisted he was innocent and told judges: “What matters to me is that the truth is revealed. It’s important for me that my country is not blamed for this tragedy.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the MH17 court decision was a vital first step in assigning responsibility for the crime but he added that more prosecutions and convictions were needed.
“It is an important decision in the court in The Hague. ... It is necessary that those who ordered it also find themselves in the dock, because impunity leads to new crimes,” he said on Twitter.
A Russian spokesman said Russia was not yet ready to comment on the MH17 convictions.
“We will study this decision. On all of these questions, every nuance has meaning, therefore after studying this judicial document, we will be ready to comment on it,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ivan Nechaev said.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2022-11-17T16:13:29+00:00 | ksla.com | https://www.ksla.com/2022/11/17/mh17-verdicts-2-russians-1-ukrainian-convicted-murders/ |
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., July 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Zones Project in Scottsdale recently announced the appointment of Sarah Kearney as the Executive Director of Blue Zones Project® Scottsdale. Kearney will be responsible for leading the rollout and local implementation of Blue Zones Project.
"I am honored to have been chosen to lead this work ahead as every facet of the community has the opportunity to embark on their own well-being journey with Blue Zones Project Scottsdale. This community led initiative is the catalyst to help make the healthy choice the easy choice. It is an exciting time for Scottsdale as we continue to elevate our community as a special place to live, work, play, and thrive," said Kearney.
Kearney brings over 16 years of leadership experience in tourism and community development to the position and most recently worked as the Director of Partner Development for Experience Scottsdale. During her tenure there, Kearney held multiple leadership positions and specialized in worldwide leisure sales, partner development strategy, membership and community engagement, and program development.
Kearney has also led a wide array of local Scottsdale organizations, including as the Board President of Scottsdale Leadership, Board President of Community Celebrating Diversity, a Board Member for Scottsdale Sister Cities, and the Vice President of Community Outreach at GiGi's Playhouse Phoenix/Scottsdale. She holds a master's degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix and a bachelor's degree in communication from Arizona State University.
Blue Zones Project is a community-led well-being initiative designed to help people live better, longer lives with lower rates of chronic disease by transforming the environments where they live, work, learn, and play. The initiative was launched in Scottsdale in March of 2023 through an innovative partnership between Blue Zones, HonorHealth, Cigna Healthcare, and Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona.
Based on the longevity research and principles developed by National Geographic Fellow and New York Times best-selling author, Dan Buettner, Blue Zones Project makes healthy choices easier through permanent changes to the built environment, food environment, public policy, and social networks.
To learn more about Blue Zones Project Scottsdale, visit bluezones.com/bzpscottsdale.
About Blue Zones Project
Blue Zones Project is a community-led well-being improvement initiative designed to make healthy choices easier through permanent changes to a city's environment, policy, and social networks. Blue Zones Project is based on research by Dan Buettner, a National Geographic Fellow and New York Times best-selling author who identified five cultures of the world—or blue zones —with the highest concentration of people living to 100 years or older. Blue Zones Project incorporates Buettner's findings and works with cities to implement policies and programs that will move a community toward optimal health and well-being. Blue Zones launched the first pilot community in 2009 in Albert Lea, MN with groundbreaking results. Directly and also in partnership with Sharecare, the model has since been applied to more than 75 communities in the United States. Participating communities have experienced double-digit drops in obesity and tobacco use and have saved millions of dollars in healthcare costs. For more information, visit bluezones.com.
CONTACT:
Naomi Imatome-Yun
naomi@bluezones.com
917.952.8534
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SOURCE Blue Zones | 2023-07-24T16:41:14+00:00 | wbrc.com | https://www.wbrc.com/prnewswire/2023/07/24/blue-zones-project-scottsdale-executive-director-announced/ |
ATLANTA – The Georgia House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed a $32.5 billion Fiscal 2024 state budget after a debate over whether to restore full funding to Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship program.
The budget, which passed 167-1 and now moves to the state Senate, would increase spending by $2.2 billion – or 7.4% – over the Fiscal 2023 budget the General Assembly adopted last spring.
The House version of the spending plan prioritizes mental health, adding $51.3 million to the Department of Behavioral Health and Development Disabilities beyond Gov. Brian Kemp’s request, and public safety, providing a $2,000 raise to state law enforcement officers on top of the $2,000 increases earmarked for teachers and most of the state work force.
The budget also provides additional raises to DBHDD employees, state forestry workers and Department of Driver Services personnel, state agencies that have been hit harder than most by turnover.
“In an economy where every business is struggling to find staffing … filling state jobs has become even more difficult,” House Appropriations Committee Chairman Matt Hatchett, R-Dublin, told House lawmakers.
The House approved Kemp’s request for $13.1 billion to fully fund the state’s Quality Basic Education K-12 student funding formula.
However, House budget writers rejected the governor’s plan to restore full funding for HOPE scholarships for the first time since the program was cut in 2011 during the Great Recession.
Instead, the House spending plan would increase HOPE coverage of student tuition from the current 90% to 95% and redirect the remaining 5% to the Zell Miller Scholarship program, the component of HOPE that goes to students with high school grade-point averages of at least 3.5, and to health benefits for public pre-kindergarten teachers.
Rep. Stacey Evans, D-Atlanta, objected to failing to fully fund HOPE. She pointed out that the lottery-funded HOPE program has built up $1.9 billion in reserves, $1.1 billion more than is required by law.
“The lottery is doing great,” she said. “We have the money to return the promise of HOPE to all our HOPE scholars.”
Evans voted for the budget anyway because, as she put it, 95% is better than 90%.
As is the case every year, the House also added some bond-financed construction projects to the list Kemp recommended. The House adds include $14.3 million to design, construct and equip college career academies around the state, $4.1 million for improvements to the Synovus Center for Commerce and Technology at Columbus State University, and $3.3 million to renovate the patient treatment mall at East Central Regional Hospital in Augusta. | 2023-03-11T15:07:07+00:00 | albanyherald.com | https://www.albanyherald.com/news/georgia-house-oks-32-5-billion-fiscal-24-budget/article_bdee4774-c010-11ed-98ba-b33be2ce11c1.html |
After months of hearing evidence in the seditious conspiracy trial against members of the Proud Boys, jurors have begun their deliberations in the landmark case.
Copyright 2023 NPR
After months of hearing evidence in the seditious conspiracy trial against members of the Proud Boys, jurors have begun their deliberations in the landmark case.
Copyright 2023 NPR | 2023-04-26T21:00:25+00:00 | kgou.org | https://www.kgou.org/politics-and-government/politics-and-government/2023-04-26/jurors-deliberates-in-seditious-conspiracy-trial-against-proud-boys-members |
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA) – South Carolina Conference leaders are calling the Local Church Discernment Process a “faithful step forward.”
They are allowing congregations to decide if local United Methodist Churches want to separate from the denomination.
The process is a response to years of debate with LQBTQ policies and same-sex marriage.
According to the conference leaders, there are several steps to decide if a local church can separate from the denomination.
That includes church leaders meeting with the congregation.
Churches must also make sure all financial obligations are paid to the church.
The separation would also have to be voted on by the congregation before the conference would take a final vote.
Leaders said that the vote within the congregation would have to be made before March 1 each year in order to be considered by conference members during their June session.
The Local Church Discernment process can be viewed here. There you can find all steps that must be taken if a local church decides to separate from the denomination.
Conference leaders created a “disaffiliation pathway” in 2019, separate from the Local Church Discernment Process, allowing churches to disaffiliate from the denomination due to the “conflict within The United Methodist Church around issues of human sexuality.” | 2022-12-20T20:56:05+00:00 | wnct.com | https://www.wnct.com/news/southeast-region/new-process-allows-sc-united-methodist-churches-to-separate-based-on-lgbtq-policies/ |
DENVER — San Diego star third baseman Manny Machado sprained his left ankle while taking a tumble running out a grounder and the Colorado Rockies completed a three-game sweep, beating the Padres 8-3 Sunday.
Machado, in the midst of a stellar season, was injured in the first inning and exited the game. The Padres said X-rays were negative.
Randal Grichuk homered to cap a five-run fifth inning and the Rockies beat San Diego for the 10th straight time at Coors Field, their longest home winning streak against the Padres in team history.
Machado was injured after hitting a grounder that slowly rolled toward pitcher Antonio Senzatela. Machado sprinted down the line and stretched his left leg toward first base as the throw arrived, but his cleat appeared to slip across the top of the bag and he fell to the ground, his leg buckling beneath him.
Clearly in pain, Machado, who was out on the play a half-step, grimaced and clasped his hands around his lower left leg as team trainers came on to the field to tend to him.
Machado later sat up but was unable to put weight on the injured ankle and was helped off the field and into the clubhouse for further examination.
Machado entered Sunday’s game batting .329 with 12 home runs and 46 RBIs.
Senzatela (3-3) pitched six strong innings, Elias Diaz also homered and C.J. Cron had three hits for Colorado.
Luke Voit and Austin Nola homered for the Padres.
Voit led off the the second with a home run and the Rockies evened the score in their half of the second on Diaz’s RBI single.
Colorado broke it open with a big fifth.
Garrett Hampson tripled with one out and Yonathan Daza walked, setting up RBI singles by Brendan Rodgers and Cron, finishing Blake Snell (0-4). Steven Wilson relieved and Grichuk hit a three-run drive that put the Rockies up 6-1.
Diaz, who finished with three RBIs, homered leading off the sixth and drew a bases-loaded walk in the seventh.
Nola had a two-run homer in the eighth off Robert Stephenson.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rockies: INF-OF Garrett Hampson has been reinstated from the COVID-19 injured list, returning from a four-day absence. … INF Alan Trejo was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque and RHP Tyley Kinley, who has been sidelined indefinitely by flexor tear in his right elbow, has been transferred to the 60-day injured list.
UP NEXT
Padres: Return home to host Arizona on Monday night with San Diego RHP Yu Darvish (6-3, 3.35 ERA) scheduled to pitch the opener in a three-game series.
Rockies: After an off-day Monday, the Rockies open a three-game series at Miami with Ryan Feltner (1-2, 4.85 ERA) set to pitch Tuesday night’s opener.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Sports | 2022-06-20T00:24:49+00:00 | 9news.com | https://www.9news.com/article/sports/mlb/colorado-rockies/rockies-complete-three-game-series-sweep-of-padres/73-aca47fc4-2aad-44cd-ad40-64a016d69b34 |
Gunman who killed 11 people in a Pittsburgh synagogue found eligible for death penalty
PITTSBURGH - The gunman who killed 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018 is eligible for the death penalty, a federal jury announced Thursday, setting the stage for further evidence and testimony on whether he should be sentenced to death or life in prison.
The government is seeking capital punishment for Robert Bowers, who raged against Jewish people online before storming the Tree of Life synagogue with an AR-15 rifle and other weapons in the nation’s deadliest antisemitic attack. The jury agreed with prosecutors that Bowers — who spent six months planning the attack and has since expressed regret that he didn’t kill more people — had formed the requisite legal intent to kill.
Bowers’ lawyers argued that his ability to form intent was impaired by mental illness and a delusional belief that he could stop a genocide of white people by killing Jews who help immigrants.
Jurors reached the verdict after less than two hours of deliberation. As it was read, Bowers showed little reaction in keeping with his demeanor throughout the trial. In the courtroom gallery, survivors and victims’ relatives heeded the judge’s request to keep their emotions in check.
Testimony is now expected to shift to the impact of Bowers’ crimes on survivors and the victims’ loved ones.
"It has been nearly five years since 11 people were taken from us. They were beloved and valued family members, friends and neighbors. They cannot speak for themselves, and so their family members will speak for them," Maggie Feinstein, director of 10.27 Healing Partnership, a program helping survivors of the rampage and others who were impacted, said in a statement after the verdict.
Jeffrey Finkelstein, president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, said his organization doesn’t have a position on the death penalty, and that survivors and victims' relatives disagree about whether it should be applied. But he dismissed the defense claim that Bowers’ action resulted from a diseased mind.
"This was an act of antisemitism, not an issue of mental illness," said Finkelstein, whose organization coordinates efforts by Jewish organizations and congregations to provide security and fight prejudice.
Bowers, 50, a truck driver from suburban Baldwin, killed members of three congregations who had gathered at the Tree of Life synagogue on Oct. 27, 2018. He also wounded two worshippers and five police officers.
Bowers was convicted last month on 63 criminal counts, including hate crimes resulting in death and obstruction of the free exercise of religion resulting in death. His attorneys offered a guilty plea in return for a life sentence, but prosecutors refused, opting instead to take the case to trial and pursue the death penalty. Most of the victims’ families supported that decision.
If jurors decide Bowers deserves to die, it would be the first federal death sentence imposed during Joe Biden’s presidency. Biden campaigned on a pledge to end capital punishment, but federal prosecutors continue to pursue the death penalty in some cases.
The penalty phase of Bowers’ trial began June 26. Jurors heard weeks of technical testimony about Bowers’ psychological and neurological states, with mental health experts for both sides disagreeing on whether he has schizophrenia, delusions or brain disorders that played a role in the rampage.
Bowers ranted incessantly on social media about his hatred of Jewish people before the 2018 attack and told police at the scene that "all these Jews need to die." He told psychologists who examined him afterward, including as recently as May, that he was pleased with the attack.
The sentencing now shifts to a more emotional stage, with jurors expected to hear about the pain and trauma Bowers inflicted on worshippers in the heart of Pittsburgh’s Jewish community.
The prosecution will also present evidence about other aggravating factors — including that Bowers’ rampage was motivated by religious hatred — while the defense will present mitigating factors that might persuade jurors to spare his life. The defense case could include pleas from his relatives.
To put him on death row, jurors will have to agree unanimously that the aggravating factors outweigh the mitigating ones.
In final arguments Wednesday, prosecution and defense lawyers took turns attacking the findings of the others’ expert witnesses — doctors who testified about Bowers’ mental condition and whether he could form the intent to commit the attack.
Prosecutor Soo Song said Bowers meticulously plotted the attack over a period of months..
"On Oct. 27, 2018, this defendant violated the safe, holy sanctuary that was the Tree of Life synagogue," she said. "He turned it into a killing ground."
But Bowers’ defense lawyer, Michael Burt, cited expert witnesses to bolster the claim that a "delusional belief system took over his thinking," which left him unable to do anything but "following the dictates" of those delusional thoughts.
Burt argued that Bowers’ ability to form intent was also impaired by schizophrenia and epilepsy.
Song denounced the idea that Bowers lacked control of his actions. She noted that Bowers told one of the defense’s own expert medical witnesses that he meticulously planned the attack, considered other potential Jewish targets, and "regrets that he didn’t kill dozens more." Song said Bowers described himself as calm and focused as he shot to kill.
U.S. Attorney Eric Olshan said Bowers wasn’t delusional, but that he "just believes things that are repugnant." | 2023-07-13T17:04:49+00:00 | fox10phoenix.com | https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/gunman-who-killed-11-people-in-a-pittsburgh-synagogue-found-eligible-for-death-penalty |
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The thick plume of smoke rising up from the forested hillsides sent a tinge of panic through northern New Mexico. It was only last year that a record-setting wildfire had ripped across more than 530 square miles, destroying hundreds of homes and livelihoods along the way. And now, firefighters have been racing again to catch a new blaze. The fire was sparked Wednesday on private land and by nightfall, had grown to an estimated 1,000 acres. An unknown number of structures have been burned, and crews were working Thursday to protect more homes. Forecasters are warning of more strong winds and dry conditions.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The thick plume of smoke rising up from the forested hillsides sent a tinge of panic through northern New Mexico. It was dry and and windy — just like last year.
It was April 2022 that a record-setting wildfire sparked by the federal government had ripped across more than 530 square miles (1,373 square kilometers), destroying hundreds of homes and livelihoods along the way.
And now, firefighters were racing again to catch a new blaze.
This one started Wednesday afternoon on private property near the burn scar left by last year's historic wildfire and had grown to an estimated 1,000 acres (405 hectares) by nightfall.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Nervous residents posted photos on social media showing the plume of smoke, as seen from their front porches. Others choked back tears as they left the area in their vehicles, capturing photos and videos of trees along the roadside and homes in the distance engulfed in fire.
Many questioned how there was anything left to burn.
Crews on Thursday worked to keep the flames from reaching more homes while many of the 400 or so residents who had scattered throughout the area remained evacuated. Children were excused from school, roads in the area remained closed and neighboring communities opened temporary shelters.
"State, local and federal resources are responding and fire managers have implemented a full suppression strategy," George Ducker, a spokesperson with the State Forestry Division, said in an update issued Thursday.
Forecasters called for another round of wind and red flag conditions through the evening.
Two elite firefighting crews were getting help Thursday from other hand crews, bulldozers, engines and a helicopter. Officials said more resources that could mount an attack from the air were on order.
Ducker said emergency responders were on the ground assessing damage and trying to tally how many homes and other structures had burned.
While above-average snowpack in the higher elevations of the Rocky Mountain foothills have helped, forecasters say the region is still feeling the effects of a long-term drought — and that there were many pockets of unburned fuel left within the footprint of last year's Hermit's Peak-Calf Canyon Fire.
That fire — the largest in New Mexico's recorded history — started on national forest land when two prescribed burn operations went awry, fueled by relentless spring winds. Private landowners had far more acres burned, with the majority seeing moderate burn levels.
While wildfires are a necessary part of many forest ecosystems, experts with the New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute have said that the scale of damage from the 2022 fire will leave its mark on the area for decades.
It also has left an emotional mark on residents whose families have ties to this landscape going back generations. Many were praying Thursday that the flames could be corralled soon.
Nationally, the fire season is off to a slower start, with about one-third the number of acres burning compared to this same time last year, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. | 2023-05-11T21:44:14+00:00 | kanw.com | https://www.kanw.com/new-mexico-news/2023-05-11/new-mexico-wildfire-reignites-residents-fears-frustrations-from-record-setting-fire-in-2022 |
The Nation's Weather for Sunday, July 10, 2022
_____
NATIONAL SUMMARY
Showers and thunderstorms across the Southeast can produce
flash flooding and gusty winds today. Spotty storms will
also impact portions of Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas,
during the afternoon and evening. A stray shower or
thunderstorm is also possible in New Mexico, Arizona and
Colorado, as moisture continues to funnel into the region.
Severe thunderstorms, capable of producing flash flooding,
damaging winds, hail and even isolated tornadoes, will
impact much of Minnesota, especially in the afternoon and
evening. The Northwest is expected to dry out with mostly
sunny skies and pleasant conditions. The mid-Atlantic and
Northeast will remain mild, with dry air expanding over the
region.
SPECIAL WEATHER
No new information for this time period.
WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS
No new information for this time period.
DAILY EXTREMES
National High Saturday 117 at Death Valley, CA
National Low Saturday 32 at Bodie State Park, CA
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | 2022-07-10T09:34:01+00:00 | sfgate.com | https://www.sfgate.com/weather/article/The-Nation-s-Weather-17295317.php |
Who is he? Joseph Zucchero was the co-founder of Mr. Beef, a staple in Chicago's River North neighborhood that had gained a following for dishing out beloved Italian beef sandwiches. He died unexpectedly on March 1, according to his obituary. He was 69 years old.
Want more journalism on people who made an impact? Listen to the Consider This episode on Colin Kaepernick
What's the big deal? Zucchero's beloved sandwich joint got attention and inspired many far and wide.
What are people saying?
Christopher Zucchero, to WBEZ, on the identity of the Italian beef sandwich:
It's strictly our root food. It really is our food here in Chicago, as opposed to the Philly cheesesteak or a New York — I don't even know if they have a meat type of sandwich in New York.
Joseph Zucchero on Chris Storer, the creator of The Bear, recreating his restaurant for the show:
My son and a young man that he grew up with, Chris Storer, would come down here when they were kids. You know, they were kids, and I let them hang around the restaurant.
They built this [set] inside a building. And they took me to it. They wanted me to see it. And my mouth dropped. I was like, 'Oh, my God' — I mean, from the floor to the ceiling to the countertops to the equipment.
Saddened to hear Joe Zucchero, the founder of Chicago's iconic Mr. Beef, has passed away. I'm thankful I had the opportunity to sit down with Joe back in November.
— Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) March 6, 2023
Sending my condolences to his family and loved ones as they mourn his loss. May he rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/Ngvccz0gK0
35 years ago my wife surprised me on my birthday by having a party in Chicago catered by Mr. Beef. Thus began a friendship that has endured all these years.
— Joe Mantegna (@JoeMantegna) March 3, 2023
R.I.P Joe Zucchero. I’m glad you were around to see the success of @TheBearFX The beat goes on.
So, what now?
Read more:
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | 2023-03-10T16:23:45+00:00 | kgou.org | https://www.kgou.org/business-and-economy/2023-03-09/a-chicago-legend-whose-italian-beef-sandwich-helped-inspire-the-bear-has-died |
Minneapolis police reassure neighbors after chaotic weekend in Dinkytown
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - After a chaotic and violent weekend in Dinkytown, community leaders faced concerned students, parents, and business owners at a public meeting Tuesday.
The meeting hosted by the Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association featured city leaders taking questions from neighbors, the University of Minnesota students, and their parents.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara was among those answering questions, sharing more information about what happened after hours Thursday through Saturday. He said that 35 of the juveniles officers made contact with were from the suburbs, and only eight were from the city.
One of the teens was picked up three nights in a row, cited the first two nights, and finally arrested and booked for attempted auto theft in the third degree.
The chief said they expect he'll be released from jail in the next day or two.
"There's no way we can predict if 75 kids will show up in Prospect Park – we assume that’s not going to happen – but that doesn’t mean we won’t be prepared and be able to move the resources we have to that area to deal with it," said Minneapolis Inspector Sean McGinty.
"Unless we do some deep community building in our city, nothing is going to change," said mother Melissa Runkel.
MPD says while last weekend's events were concerning, overall, crime is down throughout the 2nd Precinct including in Dinkytown. Police say increased patrols will continue, however, as the university continues to invest in increased safety measures. | 2023-05-10T03:46:16+00:00 | fox9.com | https://www.fox9.com/news/minneapolis-police-reassure-neighbors-after-chaotic-weekend-in-dinkytown |
GREENSBORO, N.C. — A Lexington man was killed Monday night by his own vehicle as it rolled down a city street, striking another vehicle, according to Thomasville police.
Shortly after 8:30 p.m., Thomasville police received a call to the 200 block of Church Street in reference to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle.
57-year-old Lester Eugene Bean was killed as a result of the accident, according to police.
Investigators said Bean had parked and exited his 1992 Ford truck on the side of Church Street when it began to roll forward.
Police said Bean attempted to stop the vehicle by opening the driver’s door and re-entering the truck. The truck continued rolling forward, crossing the street and came to a stop after hitting an unoccupied, parked 2010 GMC Yukon, according to police.
Officers said Bean was pinned between the two vehicles and died at the scene.
The Thomasville Traffic Safety Unit is continuing its investigation.
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Amazon Fire TV: Search for WFMY to find the free app to add to your account. You can also add the app directly to your Fire TV through your Amazon account. | 2023-07-12T20:41:41+00:00 | wfmynews2.com | https://www.wfmynews2.com/article/news/local/man-killed-by-his-own-vehicle-in-thomasville/83-fcf92309-d75f-47c5-bfde-5329d52b7e50 |
ATLANTA (AP) — A group of voters who challenged U.S. Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene's eligibility to run for reelection said Monday they have filed an appeal of the Georgia secretary of state's decision that she can appear on the ballot.
The five voters from Greene's district in March filed a complaint with Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. They alleged that the Republican congresswoman played a significant role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol that disrupted Congress’ certification of Biden’s presidential victory. They argued that put her in violation of a seldom-invoked part of the 14th Amendment having to do with insurrection and makes her ineligible to run for reelection.
Georgia Administrative Law Judge Charles Beaudrot last month held a daylong hearing that included arguments from lawyers for the voters and for Greene, as well as extensive questioning of Greene herself. He then sent his decision to Raffensperger May 6.
Beaudrot found that the voters hadn’t produced sufficient evidence to back their claims. Raffensperger affirmed that decision, writing that whether Greene's political statements and actions disqualify her from office “is rightfully a question for the voters of Georgia's 14th Congressional District.”
Under Georgia law, the voters are allowed to appeal that decision in Fulton County Superior Court.
The Georgia Supreme Court has held that the burden of establishing one's eligibility to run for office is on the candidate, the appeal filed Monday says. Beaudrot erred by shifting that burden of proof to the challengers and thwarting the voters' attempts to get evidence from Greene, the appeal argues, adding that Raffensperger's decision was thus “made upon unlawful procedures and affected by other errors of law.”
The petition for judicial review that the voters said they filed Monday asks a judge to reverse Raffensperger's decision and conclude that Greene isn't qualified to be a congressional candidate or to vacate his decision and send the case back to Beaudrot for further proceedings.
The voters are represented by Free Speech for People, a national election and campaign finance reform group, which has filed similar challenges against lawmakers from Arizona and North Carolina. | 2022-05-16T16:22:50+00:00 | seattlepi.com | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Georgia-voters-appeal-decision-on-Rep-Greene-s-17176104.php |
MILWAUKEE, Feb. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Harley-Davidson, Inc. (NYSE: HOG) Board of Directors has approved a cash dividend of $0.165 per share for the first quarter of 2023. The dividend is payable March 20, 2023 to the shareholders of record of the Company's common stock as of March 3, 2023.
Harley-Davidson, Inc. is the parent company of Harley-Davidson Motor Company and Harley-Davidson Financial Services.
### (HOG-DIVIDENDS)
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SOURCE Harley-Davidson, Inc. | 2023-02-18T06:10:35+00:00 | live5news.com | https://www.live5news.com/prnewswire/2023/02/17/harley-davidson-inc-declares-dividend/ |
This marks the fast-growing integrated dental organization's (IDO) seventh acquisition of 2023
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., May 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Espire Dental, a fast-growing, elite, cosmetic and multi-specialty group practice, founded by dentists, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Anderson Family Dental in Colorado Springs, CO.
Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Espire is turning the dental industry upside down with its mission to radically elevate the dental experience for both patients and team members. Its growing footprint of 27 practices are located throughout Colorado, California, Oklahoma, and Wyoming. The addition of this new dental practice strengthens Espire's positioning in southern Colorado, expanding excellent dental care and cosmetic dentistry options to patients in Colorado Springs.
Tim Hill, CEO of Espire Dental, shares the cultural philosophy between Espire and Anderson Family Dental. "Anderson Family Dental has a rich history of providing exceptional dental care to patients in Colorado Springs. Espire is thrilled to continue that family tradition and help take it to the next level. We are proud to be the solution for premier, private-practice dentists who would not typically join a DSO group and are honored that Dr. Anderson chose us to be his partner."
Anderson Family Dental has been providing unmatched patient care in the Colorado Springs community for 57 years. Dr. Erick Anderson said, "Finding a partner that would appreciate the history of our family practice was important to me. When I met the leadership team at Espire, I knew that they would be a great fit for our team and patients."
Espire provides its practices with best-in-class support including practice operations, clinical training, HR, marketing, and accounting. This allows Espire's dentists to focus on patient care, relationships and leading their valued team members. "We're proud of our unique culture and the way it seamlessly integrates with our outstanding support systems. Espire differentiates itself by providing business support to our practices while fostering hospitality-like experiences, which elevates the patient care and provider experience that dental practices should expect from their partner," said Hill.
Espire is actively seeking dental practices that share a commitment to elevated patient experience, high-quality clinical care and employee fulfillment.
About Espire Dental
Espire Dental is a group of practices founded by doctors with a vision to create something extraordinary: a dental group where excellence in dentistry meets inspired hospitality. Espire is pioneering a new practice category: an Integrated Dental Organization (IDO) instead of a DSO, to create a large, top quality and unique group practice operating under one single, trusted brand. With a focus on cosmetic dentistry, elevated clinical care, multi-specialty offerings, and creating exceptional experiences for patients and employees, Espire believes that we will turn the dental industry upside down. Espire is a fast-growing group of 27 practices, looking to build its presence in the Western United States. Learn more at www.espiredental.com.
Contact Espire Dental
Dentists interested in joining Espire Dental may complete an inquiry form: EspireDental.com/practice-transition
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SOURCE Espire Dental | 2023-05-04T14:16:23+00:00 | kcrg.com | https://www.kcrg.com/prnewswire/2023/05/04/espire-dental-acquires-southern-colorado-based-anderson-family-dental/ |
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Phillies slugger Bryce Harper will have surgery Wednesday to repair his broken left thumb and the team hopes the 2021 NL MVP can play again this season.
Manager Rob Thomson did not offer a timetable for Harper’s return.
“It’s tough, but it’s probably the best thing for him. So whatever’s best for him is best for me,” Thomson said Tuesday. “If he’s able to come back, which we plan on, then that’s good under the circumstances.”
Harper’s thumb was broken when he was hit by a 97 mph pitch from San Diego Padres left-hander Blake Snell on Saturday night.
The 29-year-old Harper is hitting .318 with 15 home runs, 48 RBIs and a .985 OPS, and has helped the Phillies recently surge back into playoff contention.
The Phillies opened a three-game series Tuesday night against Atlanta.
“I’ve got to be positive for the guys in here. I know they’ll pick up the slack. I’m just really bummed for the organization, the guys, the city of Philadelphia, the fans. I love running out there and playing every day. Definitely bummed,” Harper said after the injury.
Harper checked his swing as the pitch rode inside and high toward his shoulder before hitting him on the outside of the left hand in the fourth inning. He fell to the ground and was in pain as he held his hand while on his knees for several minutes.
“I think this is probably what’s best for him although it’s a broken bone and that’s bad; he’s not happy about that, not being able to play because he wants to play, “Thomson said. “But he’s looking forward to getting back (near) the end of the year.”
The Atlanta Braves faced a similar situation last season when Ronald Acuña Jr. tore the ACL in his right knee last July 10 and was lost for the season. Acuña was batting .283 with 24 homers and 52 RBIs in 82 games and was an MVP candidate when he went down.
But the Braves went on to win the World Series without their star outfielder.
“How I view it is when somebody goes down like that it’s an opportunity for somebody else to step in and do something really good,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said prior to the game at Philadelphia. “It never fazed our guys one bit all year. These guys keep playing, they keep preparing, they keep doing what they do.”
Snitker expects something similar from the Phillies.
“There’s still a lot of thunder in that lineup,” he said.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2022-06-29T06:57:24+00:00 | kdvr.com | https://kdvr.com/sports/ap-sports/harper-set-for-thumb-surgery-phils-hope-he-plays-this-year/ |
Cal Poly’s annual Open House started Thursday night with ‘Campus Preview Night’ at the downtown SLO Farmers’ Market.
The farmers’ market featured booths from Cal Poly clubs and organizations, and the Cal Poly tractor pull.
School officials say the event gives soon-to-be students a glimpse into the life of living in San Luis Obispo.
“We have over 8,000 visitors to our community coming to downtown San Luis Obispo. They get to see a little bit about Cal Poly and also get to see all the great things this community has to offer between food and our culture,” said Dale Stoker the director of new students in transitions programs at Cal Poly.
The open house continues Friday with ‘Admitted Students Discovery Day’ on campus and the ‘Friday Nite Invite’, where prospective students can interact with each other and current Cal Poly students.
It wraps up Saturday with the ‘Poly Royal Parade’ and ‘Campus Showcase’. | 2023-04-14T06:21:10+00:00 | ksby.com | https://www.ksby.com/news/local-news/cal-poly-campus-preview-night-at-downtown-farmers-market |
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Patrick McCaw has three NBA championship rings from the start of his career with Golden State and Toronto. Norris Cole was part of two title-winning teams in Miami.
And right now, both have the same plan: Take the USA’s call, while awaiting the NBA’s call.
McCaw and Cole are on USA Basketball’s roster for the FIBA AmeriCup tournament that starts Friday in Recife, Brazil. The tournament runs through Sept. 11, or about two weeks before NBA training camps begin, and both McCaw and Cole are hoping that these games lead to two things — a gold medal, and a springboard back to the league.
“I think it’s more about representing the USA for me right now,” McCaw said. “I want to make it back to the NBA. I know that’s a process. And I know one day, whenever, next week, next month, next year, when it’s supposed to happen, it’ll happen. But right now, I’m just focusing on this USA, wearing these three letters, giving my all to this team and representing the United States of America.”
McCaw has appeared in only five NBA games in the last 2 1/2 years, his career largely derailed by a series of injuries that he says are no longer concerns. Cole last played in an NBA game in April 2017 and has spent the last five seasons overseas — with Israel, China, Montenegro, Italy, France and Puerto Rico among some of the places where his passport has been stamped.
“I still have the ability,” Cole said. “God has still blessed me with the ability. I still have the fire, the hunger and I still feel like I have something to prove, things that I would like to accomplish as a player. That feeling of winning a championship, the mission, the goal, the work to try to get to that point again, that’s what drives me as a competitor. And I want that feeling again.”
They are at different points in their careers. McCaw, a 6-foot-7 wing, turns 27 on Oct. 25. Cole, a speedy 6-foot-2 point guard, turns 34 on Oct. 13.
But they have plenty of similarities. Golden State raved about McCaw when he broke into the NBA there and was part of championship teams in 2017 and 2018 with the Warriors; McCaw then was part of the Toronto title the following season, when the Raptors beat Golden State. Cole also won championships in his first two NBA years, during the LeBron James years in Miami.
“We’ve been around winning,” Cole said. “Patrick has that working for him. He knows what winning looks like and anytime you’re around winning it rubs off on you. He has that, he has a fun personality, and I think he definitely deserves another shot. I definitely believe that he deserves to be on an NBA roster.”
AmeriCup is the championship for the teams in the FIBA Americas region. There were 12 nations that made it through qualifying; those 12 are split into three groups of four. The top two finishers in each group, plus the best two third-place teams, make it to the quarterfinals.
McCaw, Cole and Jodie Meeks — also part of that 2019 Raptors team — all bring NBA titles to this roster. The other nine players selected: Zylan Cheatham, Gary Clark Jr., Will Davis II, Anthony Lamb, Frank Mason III, Jeremy Pargo, Elijah Pemberton, Craig Sword and Stephen Zimmerman.
“It’s a good mixture of guys,” said U.S. AmeriCup coach Alex Jensen of the Utah Jazz. “You get the balance. And a big thing is, this sounds simple, but getting guys who enjoy the chance to play. They enjoy playing. So, they come here and it means more to them. And that should help bring us together.”
In training camp at Las Vegas, Cole won just about every sprint he was in and was clearly the on-court quarterback at point guard. And McCaw’s talent was obvious, even in a gym alongside plenty of other highly skilled players. Spine and knee issues, he insists, are behind him, and that means his confidence is returning — which will only help his quest to get back to the NBA.
“I’ve been off the radar,” McCaw said. “I think this is a huge step because people are going to be able to watch these games and see where I’m at now. That’ll help, for sure. It was injuries that set me back. It wasn’t anything else in the way, or life, or me changing the type of person I am. It was injuries. And it was tough dealing with them. But this trip to Brazil, I definitely think it’ll open up some doors again.”
Cole hopes for the same opportunity.
“Just a chance, that’s all I ask,” Cole said. “I have a lot I can bring to a team. I want to continue to show that.”
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2022-09-01T17:31:49+00:00 | keloland.com | https://www.keloland.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-for-mccaw-cole-americup-may-provide-a-road-back-to-nba/ |
(Green Car Reports) — The U.S. Department of Transportation and the Biden administration on Wednesday laid out a set of requirements for charging hardware—and charging network behavior—that any company looking at claiming federal funds in the buildout of the $7.5 billion national EV charging network will need to submit to. Even Tesla.
The final requirements add to the administration’s “Build America, Buy America” approach, and they’re requirements that any of the federally approved, state-designated processes granting companies any of the $5 billion designated as National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) funding will need to comply with.
NEVI is effectively the policy name of the national EV charging network that will eventually include 500,000 chargers, both along highways and within communities. The network is a key piece of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which includes EV charging within its $650 billion investment through 2026 that includes traditional infrastructure as well such as roads, bridges, and mass transit. Of that, the law includes $7.5 billion in EV charging, $10 billion for various clean transportation projects, and more than $7 billion for EV batteries, critical minerals, and associated materials.
This federal network stipulates chargers placed 50 miles apart along designated corridors, with DC fast chargers all on the CCS format most non-Tesla EVs use. These latest rules make sure that all EV chargers purchased through the NEVI program—effective immediately—are U.S.-assembled, while the tighter rules will go into effect by July 1, 2024, assuring that there is at least 55% domestic content (by cost) in these products. To claim NEVI funding, any equipment that doesn’t fully comply with that higher content requirement must be installed before then.
The Biden administration notes EV charger production investments from Tritium, Electrify America, Siemens, Charge Point, FLO, Wallbox, SK Signet, ABB Mobility, and others. Tesla’s Supercharger hardware, for instance, is already made in Buffalo, New York.
Part of different networks
The federally funded buildout will not be on one coordinated network from a consumer standpoint. But to help smooth the level of disjointedness, the rules add clarity to some network and hardware aspects.
One of those is some added clarity on charger uptime. “The final rule also establishes that each charging port must have an average annual uptime greater than 97 percent,” according to DOT language, with decisions to round uptime to the nearest minute rather than hour.
New rules will also apply for reporting power dispensed, real-time port status, real-time customer price, and historical uptime. All such stations must be “physically accessible to the public 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, year-round.”
The rules do not restrict the ability for charging networks can charge lower prices to members, or those with particular models, so that could potentially enable a structure like what Tesla CEO Elon Musk suggested in 2021, allowing the company to charge extra for slower-charging EVs.
Payment methods can’t require a membership for use or “delay, limit, or curtail power flow to vehicles on the basis of payment method or membership.” They also need to comply with data privacy rules,
As part of the announcement, the administration spotlighted a series of EV investments from Tesla, GM, EVgo, Pilot, Hertz, and BP as among those “announcing new commitments to expand their networks by thousands of public charging ports in the next two years.”
Examples include Hertz and BP and its announced intent to roll out charging hubs to serve ride-hailing drivers and car-rental customers; the coast-to-coast 350-kw network from GM and EVgo, at Pilot locations with more than 200 chargers on the way in 2023; Electrify America’s plans to install 1,000 chargers at 200 TravelCenters of America locations over five years; Mercedes-Benz’s network plan for more than 400 charging hubs with 2,500 public fast-charging ports; and the Seattle-Denver fast-charging network from Volvo and Starbucks.
For context, it’s worth noting that most or all of these announced investments have so far been made independent of whether they receive NEVI funds or not.
Reality check on Tesla’s role
According to the administration, Tesla plans to open up “a portion” of its Supercharger and Destination charger network to non-Tesla EVs, making 7,500 chargers available to “all EVs” by the end of 2024.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, Tesla currently has 19,385 ports—roughly equating to what the DOT document considers chargers—when combining the two charger types. So this would be a significant portion of Tesla’s charging network when seen as a whole, but definitely a subset of it.
The federal government says that this number will include at least 3,500 new and existing 250-kw Superchargers along highway corridors.
It also points out Tesla’s plans to double its nationwide network of Superchargers, although it names no specific timeline and this doesn’t appear to be in addition to previously announced Tesla targets for growth—such as Tesla’s October 2021 target to triple the size of the Supercharger network in two years.
Does this mean Tesla will greatly expand its Supercharger network as part of the federal network? Likely not. But it’s conceivable that Tesla could sandbox part of its charging network into a NEVI-compliant portion and a non-NEVI-compliant portion.
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Now, as the rule pretty much spells out, it’s time to build. | 2023-02-19T17:21:50+00:00 | ourquadcities.com | https://www.ourquadcities.com/automotive/biden-ev-charging-network-rules-outlined-even-tesla-must-comply/ |
SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — A pipeline operator has agreed to pay $50 million to thousands of Southern California fishermen, tourism companies and property owners who sued after an offshore oil spill last year near Huntington Beach.
A proposed settlement between Amplify Energy Corp., which owns the pipeline that ruptured, and the businesses and residents was filed Monday in federal court in Santa Ana, court documents show.
Under the proposal, the Houston-based energy company would pay $34 million to commercial fishermen and $9 million to coastal property owners. It also would pay $7 million to waterfront tourism operators, including businesses that provide surf lessons and leisure cruises and shops that sell swimwear and fishing bait.
A federal judge still needs to sign off on the proposal for it to take effect. A hearing is scheduled for Nov. 16.
“This is a really dramatic first step and a dramatic compensation for these victims of this terrible tragedy,” said Wylie Aitken, co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs, whom he estimated number more than 10,000. “Though it may not be 100% it is very substantial and very helpful and a good deal of compensation to them. We’re going to continue to try to get every last penny that they deserve.”
A message seeking comment was sent Tuesday to Amplify.
The agreement, which was initially reached in August, requires Amplify to install a leak detection system and provide spill training to employees, steps that the company also agreed to in a plea deal with federal authorities. It also would require Amplify to increase staffing on an offshore oil platform, court papers show.
The October 2021 pipeline leak spilled about 25,000 gallons (94,600 liters) of oil into the Pacific Ocean. While less severe than initially feared, the spill shuttered beaches in surf-friendly Huntington Beach and nearby communities for a week and fisheries for more than a month and oiled birds and threatened area wetlands.
Earlier this year, Amplify reached a plea deal with federal authorities for negligently discharging crude off the coast. The company, which authorities said failed to respond to leak detection system alarms that should have alerted workers to the spill, also agreed to pay a combined $13 million in fines and expenses incurred by agencies such as the U.S. Coast Guard.
Amplify contends that two commercial shipping vessels damaged its pipeline when they dragged their anchors across it during a January 2021 storm. The proposed settlement doesn’t apply to the operators of those ships or to an organization that helps oversee marine traffic, which has also been brought into the litigation. | 2022-10-18T16:20:12+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/business/pipeline-operator-agrees-to-50m-california-spill-settlement/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world |
Dragging Democracy into the Future
As the Texas Observer survives to muckrake another day, Steven Monacelli highlights the battle for fundamental rights happening in the Lone Star State.
This is part of our coverage of South by South West (SXSW) 2023.
South By Southwest (SXSW) has been described by the scandal-ridden consulting firm McKinsey as a “contradiction” for remaining forward-looking and innovative into its third decade. As a first-time attendee of the massive annual conference, I can’t speak much to how SXSW 2023 compares to the past or whether it’s truly maintained its youthful spirit in spite of its age. But even to my fresh eyes, contradictions presented themselves time and time again during my five-day stint in and around the Austin Convention Center.
Aside from the gap between the high ticket price and the low pay for participating musicians, the most notable incongruity of all was a glaring political contradiction that cast a pall over the festival: Less than a mile away from an event where diversity and inclusion are celebrated, Republican lawmakers at the Capitol discussed a terrifying slate of bills targeting LGBTQ+ people. And some of them are likely to become law.
I easily tuned in to the dissonance on my first day at SXSW, Monday, March 13, as I sat down at a discussion about voting and civil rights featuring Martin Luther King III. Despite the panel occurring in a state where Republicans have filed dozens of laws restricting voting, the room was less than half full. I couldn’t help but worry this was a bad omen.
Later that evening, I stopped for a drink at Hotel Ella during a reception organized by Democracy Forward, a nonpartisan center-left nonprofit group that is currently fighting against anti-LGTBQ+ discrimination in court. Simultaneously, the Texas Senate Committee on State Affairs was discussing a bill that would require collegiate athletes who are transgender to compete on teams that align with their gender assigned at birth. This week, the Texas Senate passed the same bill. It’s now poised to be approved by the House and signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott.
Having driven down from Dallas on Sunday, I arrived late and missed the opening festivities on Friday, March 10, which included the 10th Annual Big Queer Kickoff Party. The night before that party, a Republican member of the Texas House proposed a bill that would give bigots the right to sue anyone who facilitates a “drag performance” in the presence of a minor—even if the minor is in the presence of a parent or guardian—using a similar legal “bounty” mechanism as Texas’ 2021 abortion ban.
Drag shows have been a part of SXSW in the past. But if the drag bounty bill becomes law, 2023 could be the last year where drag performers or transgender musicians will be able to display their talent. Minors above 13 continue to be allowed at most SXSW programming. One March 14 panel, Vanguard: The Drag Revolution, featured a brief lip-sync by drag performers that could easily have been on RuPaul’s Drag Race. There was nothing lewd about the performance, but that may not matter if Republicans get their way: The definitions in the proposed law are vague enough to present a clear threat.
The law defines a “drag performance” as one in which “the performer exhibits a gender that is different than the performer’s gender recorded at birth using clothing, makeup, or other physicalmarkers and sings, lip syncs, dances, or otherwise performs in a lascivious manner before an audience.” Lascivious in turn is defined as “conduct of a sexual nature that is offensive to community standards of decency.” What constitutes community standards, or who constitutes the community, is not defined. Would a cheerleading routine performed in drag or by a transgender person be banned? The line isn’t clear.
“These bounties can easily be turned against trans performers,” wrote transgender rights activist and reporter Erin Reed in response to the bill. “It could ban a trans person singing karaoke. It could ban Pride.”
Despite the ongoing attempts to restrict LGTBQ+ expression in Texas, there were examples of joyous defiance on display at SXSW. Consider the decision by Rey Resendez, a 2Spirit and trans educator, to take their hormone treatment while speaking publicly in front of an audience.
“For me, trans joy means being a public speaker,” Resendez said during a panel about transgender rights and healthcare on Wednesday, March 15. “Doing my shot in front of y’all, I never imagined in a hundred years that I would actually do it. So for me, showing out and showing up for my community gives me the greatest joy.”
As a resident of Dallas, I can say without a doubt that it’s not just in Austin that LGBTQ+ joy is on display. It can be seen in any major city in Texas and even in the suburbs at Pride events, drag shows, and other inclusive events. But as a culture of acceptance has spread, Texas Republicans, who used to pride themselves on being business friendly, have increasingly set their sights on corporations who oppose their cultural agenda. This no doubt has contributed to the inclusion of various events at SXSW 2023 on how business leaders can take steps to affirm trans rights and build trans-inclusive workplaces. Participants on these panels repeatedly emphasized the disinformation spread by right-wing politicians which contradicts the overwhelming consensus among medical experts that gender-affirming care is “necessary, effective, and safe when clinically indicated to alleviate a medical condition known as gender dysphoria.”
Unfortunately, the Texas Senate just approved a bill banning gender-affirming treatment for transgender youth, excluding current patients. This came even after opposing guidance from the federal Department of Health and Human Services aimed at curbing discriminatory actions was highlighted in a March 2 statement from President Joe Biden—a statement that specifically called out attacks on transgender youth and their families by Republican politicians in Texas.
This steady current of anti-LGTBQ+ legislation in Texas and other Republican-controlled states across the nation must be seen for what it is: an existential threat to democracy. “LGBT rights are the canary in the coal mine of democratic backsliding,” wrote Ari Shaw, senior fellow and director of international programs at the Williams Institute at UCLA. “To lead on the promotion of democracy and human rights abroad, we must ensure that democracy and rights—including LGBT rights—are preserved and promoted here at home.”
Over a decade ago, a wave of legislation and state constitutional reforms banning same-sex marriage crashed over red states until such laws were ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in response to a growing social movement and a strategic legal campaign. Which brings me back to how I ended my first night at SXSW at the Democracy Forward reception. Even in a state like Texas, where gerrymandering and a weak Democratic Party has led to Republican dominance, the courts can provide an avenue to push back against attacks on civil rights. While the Supreme Court makeup may be more conservative than a decade ago and there is fear that it could overturn the historic ruling on same-sex marriage, organizations like Democracy Forward still provide a way to fight back.
“Places where there is far-right leadership and no check on that leadership, like Texas and Florida, are incubating a range of anti-democratic policies and practices that are harmful,” Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, told the Texas Observer (Perryman was just named a new member of the Texas Democracy Foundation, the non-profit board that oversees the Observer). “We seek to provide a counterweight through the law using courts and the regulatory process and public education, and to provide a counterweight to unlawful and harmful policies that far-right movements and leaders are pursuing.”
Another crucial avenue for pushing back on threats against democracy is fearless, independent journalism. For better and for worse, the Observer employs me, one of only two journalists focused on extremism in a state that’s home to over 50 hate groups. Which is why the timing couldn’t be worse for the Observer to face an existential crisis. On Monday of last week, the board of the nonprofit that oversees the Observer, the Texas Democracy Foundation, told full-time staff that last Friday would be their final day. But staff would not let the Observer die, and by Wednesday had raised more than $300,000 and convinced the board to rescind the layoffs.
While we may have staved off immediate closure of the Observer, there’s still work to be done. Without reader support, it may prove difficult to continue to track fascist threats against drag shows and LGTBQ+ events in Texas. So, if you’d ever like to read another SXSW dispatch in the Observer, or would not like to see Texas become a fascist state, please consider becoming a sustaining member. Texas needs an Observer. And the Observer needs you.
But don’t take it from me. At the Democracy Forward reception I was able to speak with one of the most successful young progressive activists in Texas who helped raise $2 million for abortion funds.
“The Texas Observer has provided refuge for crucial journalism that’s been lost in the shuffle of Texas extremism and the erosion of civil rights,” Olivia Juliana told the Observer. “We need outlets like this to stay informed.”
Editor’s Note: Although we’ve survived the most recent crisis, the Texas Observer still needs your help. Become a member to sustain our publication into the future, so we can continue to use our journalism to document threats to democracy, and those who fight for something better. | 2023-04-04T08:32:14+00:00 | texasobserver.org | https://www.texasobserver.org/texas-observer-democracy-sxsw/ |
Top Player Prop Bets for White Sox vs. Astros on May 13, 2023
Yordan Alvarez and Andrew Vaughn are among the players with prop bets available when the Houston Astros and the Chicago White Sox meet at Guaranteed Rate Field on Saturday (starting at 7:15 PM ET).
Bet on this matchup or its props with DraftKings!
White Sox vs. Astros Game Info
- When: Saturday, May 13, 2023 at 7:15 PM ET
- Where: Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, Illinois
- How to Watch on TV: FOX
- Live Stream: Watch the MLB on Fubo!
Explore More About This Game
MLB Props Today: Chicago White Sox
Dylan Cease Props
- Strikeouts Prop: Over/Under 6.5 (Over Odds: +115)
Cease Stats
- The White Sox will send Dylan Cease (2-2) to the mound for his ninth start this season.
- He has started eight games this season, earning a quality start (6 or more IP, 3 or fewer ER) in two of them.
- Cease has two starts in a row of five innings or more.
- Among qualified pitchers this campaign, the 27-year-old's 5.58 ERA ranks 66th, 1.512 WHIP ranks 63rd, and 10.9 K/9 ranks 12th.
Cease Recent Games
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Andrew Vaughn Props
- Hits Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: -208)
- Runs Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: +135)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: +550)
- RBI Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: +190)
Vaughn Stats
- Vaughn has 12 doubles, a triple, four home runs, 17 walks and 29 RBI (37 total hits).
- He's slashed .248/.339/.423 on the season.
Vaughn Recent Games
Luis Robert Props
- Hits Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: -196)
- Runs Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: +145)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: +550)
- RBI Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: +190)
Robert Stats
- Luis Robert has 10 doubles, nine home runs, nine walks and 24 RBI (38 total hits). He's also stolen one base.
- He has a slash line of .262/.327/.517 so far this year.
- Robert enters this matchup looking to extend his two-game hit streak. During his last five outings he is batting .278 with a double, two home runs and four RBI.
Robert Recent Games
Bet on player props for Andrew Vaughn, Luis Robert or other White Sox players with DraftKings Sportsbook.
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MLB Props Today: Houston Astros
Yordan Alvarez Props
- Hits Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: -227)
- Runs Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: -125)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: +250)
- RBI Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: +130)
Alvarez Stats
- Alvarez has seven doubles, nine home runs, 17 walks and 35 RBI (33 total hits).
- He's slashing .282/.388/.573 on the season.
- Alvarez will look for his 10th straight game with a hit in this contest. During his last 10 outings he is batting .306 with three doubles, three home runs, four walks and eight RBI.
Alvarez Recent Games
Kyle Tucker Props
- Hits Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: -238)
- Runs Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: +100)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: +350)
- RBI Prop: Over/Under 0.5 (Over Odds: +140)
Tucker Stats
- Kyle Tucker has five doubles, six home runs, 21 walks and 25 RBI (35 total hits). He has swiped six bases.
- He has a .263/.357/.436 slash line so far this year.
- Tucker has picked up a hit in two games in a row. During his last five outings he is batting .167 with a double, two walks and two RBI.
Tucker Recent Games
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | 2023-05-13T17:16:37+00:00 | wlbt.com | https://www.wlbt.com/sports/betting/2023/05/13/white-sox-vs-astros-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
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The Korn Ferry trademark is also a registered trademark, and is used in the Korn Ferry Tour logo with permission. | 2023-02-08T05:02:05+00:00 | pgatour.com | https://www.pgatour.com/latinoamerica/player/54220/franco-scorzato |
NEW YORK (AP) — Michelle Obama waved her arms in the air and yelled, “Let’s go, Foe!”
Down on the U.S. Open court below, Frances Tiafoe was pleased to see he had a new fan.
Mrs. Obama had a seat in the front row behind the baseline to watch the American play Friday night in the semifinals in Arthur Ashe Stadium, giving him a thumbs-up and a shoutout when she was shown on the video screens.
“She sees me and she’s actually excited to see me,” Tiafoe said.
And to think, he feared he’d made a bad first impression on the former first lady.
Not long after he spotted Mrs. Obama, even before she was shown to fans, Tiafoe remembered hitting a particularly bad shot.
“I think I shanked a return,” he said, recalling that he thought “she thinks I’m a bum. Can’t make a return.”
Actually, Tiafoe gave her a good show, taking No. 3 seed Carlos Alcaraz to a fifth set before falling 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-3.
That ended the deepest run by an American man in the U.S. Open since Andy Roddick reached the 2006 final, and left Tiafoe one win shy of becoming the first Black man from the U.S. in a major final since MaliVai Washington was the runner-up at Wimbledon in 1996.
After the match, he got to speak with Mrs. Obama and they walked out through the tunnel from the court together. He said goodbye before meeting up with his supporters that again included Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal.
“Obviously there was a lot of who’s whos in there tonight,” Tiafoe said. “Obviously we all know what she means. Crazy getting to meet her after.
“Unbelievable, unbelievable night.”
___
More AP coverage of U.S. Open tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/us-open-tennis-championships and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | 2022-09-11T16:32:03+00:00 | wivb.com | https://www.wivb.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-michelle-obama-supports-tiafoe-in-us-open-semifinals/ |
Southbound Interstate 5 will shrink to just one lane in Sodo this weekend as workers replace seven expansion joints on the right side of the freeway and repave rough spots.
Transit will lose capacity, too, as Sound Transit will reduce light-rail train frequency to every 20 minutes in South Seattle so workers can replace broken tiles at Columbia City Station.
I-5 lane closures begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday, blocking most southbound lanes until 5 a.m. Monday. Crews will work on the right, so drivers should stay left on the mainline through downtown. The right-side collector-distributor lanes will dead-end, so drivers must exit at Airport Way or earlier.
The I-5 ramps toward Bellevue on eastbound Interstate 90 will remain open, but traffic from westbound I-90 won’t be able to merge onto southbound I-5.
Unlike many summer weekends, no major sports matches will complicate freeway traffic in Sodo.
However, Emerald City Comic Con, which attracted 98,000 visitors over four days in 2019, will fill the Seattle Convention Center downtown all weekend. At Climate Pledge Arena, The Killers rock band will perform Saturday night, followed by a Seattle Storm playoff game Sunday afternoon against the Washington Mystics. The Chinatown International District Block Party runs from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday.
Six more construction weekends are needed, said spokesperson Amy Moreno of the Washington State Department of Transportation, but WSDOT is not planning any work for Labor Day weekend. Total I-5 traffic through Sodo averages about 215,000 vehicles per day.
Over at Sound Transit, contractors will replace cracked yellow tiles on the southbound passenger platform of Columbia City Station, from Friday morning until Sept. 1. People traveling in either direction from the station will need to use the northbound platform, where trains will alternate north and south.
Train capacity in the south end between Sodo and Angle Lake stations, including airport trips, will be reduced by half because of the Columbia City work.
However, light rail travel between Northgate and Stadium stations will remain on its usual timetable of one train every 10 minutes.
In another big project, southbound I-5 will be reduced to one lane Monday night from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday near Kent-Des Moines Road, also known as Highway 516. During the closure, workers will temporarily repaint and change the lane positions to help with interchange construction. | 2022-08-19T13:53:25+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/weekend-i-5-light-rail-pinch-points-in-south-seattle/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
SAGINAW, MI – Turns out TJ Hansen doesn’t need a lot of iron to have an iron will.
The Freeland sophomore claimed his second consecutive Saginaw County Cross Country Championship, taking the boys title in 15 minutes, 55.86 seconds Saturday at Saginaw Valley State University.
He was not the lone back-to-back champion. Frankenmuth junior Mary Richmond defended her County girls title, finishing first in 18:44.77.
For Hansen, the win was a nice reward for a challenging season and a boost going into Friday’s Division 2 regional meet in Shepherd. Hansen, who weighs 122 pounds, has battled an iron deficiency this season, taking supplements to boost his ferritin level.
“I would get a mile into a race, get pale and start to fade,” Hansen said. “We weren’t sure what was happening. When I went to the doctor, the tests came back that my ferritin level was 10. That’s pretty low.”
Ferritin is a blood protein that stores iron. For a male, less than 100 micrograms per liter or 20 percent transferrin saturation (TSAT) indicates an iron deficiency.
Hansen’s sister, Kiera Hansen, is a cross country runner at Eastern Michigan and also faced iron deficiency challenges.
“I don’t know if it’s hereditary, but basically I just need to take supplements to get my iron back up,” Hansen said. “I’ve been feeling better. I feel stronger.”
Hansen spent the summer training in Arizona and in the thin air in Colorado before returning to Michigan to compete in the high school season.
“It’s a big difference training in Colorado,” Hansen said. “You can tell the difference when you get back. It also might add to some of the iron problems.”
Hansen believes he can get his iron to a good level, which only makes him more confident moving forward.
“The doctors say that once my iron levels stabilize at a good level, it could cut 30 to 40 seconds off my time,” Hansen said. “I believe it. Just looking at how I feel when I run, how strong I feel, I can see cutting that much time off when I feel stronger.”
Hansen led a Freeland team victory, with the Falcons beating out Heritage for the boys team title. Freeland finished with 38 points, followed by Heritage (44) and Frankenmuth (71). Heritage junior Kenny Lewis was second in 16:29.11, with Freeland senior Braydon Honsinger third in 16:38.7.
“I think he actually got tested for iron when his sister (Kiera) got tested, but this season you could tell that he just didn’t feel as strong as he should,” Freeland coach George Drown said. “He went to get his lab tests and numbers, and it showed the issue.
“It makes a huge difference in his endurance, his strength, his health, his time. If you say it would cut 30 to 40 seconds off his time, that’s not an exaggeration. He runs generally in the 15:40 area, so if you shave 25 seconds off of that, he’s running 15:15. He can do that. That’s not unthinkable.”
Richmond defended her County title, dominating the girls race. Frankenmuth teammate Natalie Foltz finished second in 20:13.57 seconds, helping the Eagles claim the girls team title with 31 points. Freeland, led by third-place finisher Karie Keefer, was second with 47 points.
Richmond’s 2022 winning time of 18:44.77 marks an improvement over her 2021 County championship time of 18:55.56. Her season-best time is 18:13.5 after finishing second in the 2021 Division 2 girls cross country state meet in 17:56.01.
“There are a lot of really good juniors in Division 2 this season, so it’s going to be tough,” Richmond said. “But I feel good. I’m charging up when I need to charge. I felt good. The times will be there when I need them.
“I haven’t necessarily been running to get the times. I’ve been running so that I can be at my best going into the regionals and states. I didn’t play volleyball this season, which I really love and miss. But I’ve focused on cross country this season. I hope it pays off.”
Richmond and the Eagles will also run in the regional meet Friday at Shepherd, with the goal of qualifying for the state meet Saturday, Nov. 5 at Michigan International Speedway.
Saginaw County Cross Country Champioships
Boys Team
- Freeland 38
- Heritage 44
- Frankenmuth 71
- Birch Run 97
- Chesaning 175
- Hemlock 192
- Swan Valley 196
- Saginaw Nouvel 210
- Arthur Hill 233
- Valley Lutheran 250
Boys Individuals
- TJ Hansen, Freeland 15:55.86
- Kenny Lewis, Heritage 16:29.11
- Braydon Honsinger, Freeland 16:38.70
- Landen Wise, Frankenmuth 16:46.59
- Gabriel Trevino, Heritage 17:02.61
- Bryce Husen, Birch Run 17:19.63
- Braden Klein, Freeland 17:27.50
- Camden McLeod, Freeland 17:28.02
- Brett Magnus, Frankenmuth 17:34.39
- John Blaskowski, Heritage 17:37.67
- Grant Conger, Frankenmuth 17:40.561
- Raine Webley, Heritage 17:49.45
- Jack Rumptz, Birch Run 17:51.27
- Rodney Iamurri, Nouvel 17:54.48
Girls Team
- Frankenmuth 31
- Freeland 47
- Heritage 56
- Birch Run 129
- Swan Valley 149
- Valley Lutheran 150
- St. Charles 171
- Chesaning 210
Girls Individuals
- Mary Richmond, Frankenmuth 18:44.77
- Natalie Foltz, Frankenmuth 20:13.57
- Karie Keefer, Freeland 20:36.37
- Claire Neumann, Valley Lutheran 20:51.54
- Elise Barden, Frankenmuth 20:54.56
- Abby Buchalski, Heritage 20:57.72
- Gabby Cleveland, Frankenmuth 20:58.31
- Paige Kloha, Freeland 21:04.04
- Cessaly Fichtner, Freeland 21:05.40
- Jada Prescott, Freeland 21:19.36
- Molly Basil, Heritage 21:32.17
- McKinley Berry, Heritage 21:36.08
- Keira Kalbfleisch, Heritage 21:41.47
- Asialyn Swayzer, Heritage 22.21.47
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‘Slow day’ nets Frankenmuth’s Mary Richmond 2021 Saginaw County Cross Country title | 2022-10-22T18:31:18+00:00 | mlive.com | https://www.mlive.com/highschoolsports/2022/10/saginaw-county-cross-country-champs-go-back-to-back.html |
The SMArtX and TradePMR Relationship Brings SMArtX's Award-Winning Technology Directly into the Hands of TradePMR Advisors without Any Account Re-Papering
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., May 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- SMArtX Advisory Solutions ("SMArtX"), a leading innovator in unified managed accounts (UMA) technology and architect of the SMArtX turnkey asset management platform ('TAMP'), and TradePMR, a technology and custodial services provider, today announced they have teamed up to help financial advisors manage their managed accounts business more efficiently. The relationship enables TradePMR advisors to access SMArtX's award-winning UMA technology, including their full model marketplace, automated rebalancing, tax harvester, cash management, billing, and Advisor as a PM tools to effectively manage their advisory business at scale.
The relationship gives TradePMR advisors a more cost-effective TAMP solution than the current offering, helping advisors improve profitability and provide better value to their clients. As SMArtX is a sub-advisory technology firm, TradePMR advisors do not have to repaper any accounts to gain access to SMArtX's automated processes, including their billing solution called BillFiX, and all the other benefits of a UMA platform with true sleeve-level accounting.
"We are excited to bring our UMA technology to TradePMR advisors," remarked Evan Rapoport, the Founder and CEO of SMArtX Advisory Solutions. "SMArtX and TradePMR both want to help advisors run their business better and faster in today's marketplace. We aim to do this by reducing the amount of manual work and tasks required to administrate managed accounts and providing them with the necessary tools to make it easier."
"Everything we do at TradePMR starts with a simple goal: helping RIAs work more efficiently," stated Scott Victoria, Chief Operating Officer, TradePMR. "Efficiency can do a lot for advisors. It can help address evolving client expectations, react to a volatile market, and ultimately, we believe, achieve firm growth. With this new relationship with SMArtX, we are arming TradePMR advisors with another resource to help streamline their workflows and expand how they can serve their clients."
About SMArtX Advisory Solutions
SMArtX Advisory Solutions is an award-winning unified managed accounts technology provider and manages SMArtX, a turnkey asset management platform ('TAMP'). SMArtX's API-first, cloud-native technology operates within a modular, micro-services architecture, providing clients a tailored solution catered to their unique specifications. SMArtX is available as an off-the-shelf TAMP for advisors seeking wider selection of investment product and ease of use, while automating the investment processes and simplifying the everyday tasks of managing client accounts. SMArtX also licenses its proprietary technology to enterprise firms looking to create, customize, or upgrade their existing managed accounts technology as a standalone or fully integrated solution. SMArtX is the managed account technology and TAMP platform of choice for multiple RIAs, broker-dealers, and asset managers. Learn more at www.smartxadvisory.com
About TradePMR
For more than two decades, TradePMR has worked with growth-minded independent registered investment advisors (RIAs), providing innovative technology tools and support designed to transform their businesses. The privately-held brokerage and custodian services provider (Member FINRA/SIPC), based in Gainesville, Fla., works to streamline fee-only investment advisors' operations through comprehensive custodial, operational, and trading support. For more information, visit www.TradePMR.com.
Securities are offered through Trade-PMR, Inc.
SMArtX Advisory Solutions and Trade-PMR, Inc. are separate and unaffiliated companies.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE SMArtX Advisory Solutions | 2023-05-31T11:44:01+00:00 | wafb.com | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2023/05/31/smartx-advisory-solutions-teams-up-with-tradepmr-provide-advisors-access-modern-tamp-solutions/ |
NO. 21-4-01103-6
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
SUPERIOR COURT OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR PIERCE COUNTY In the Matter of the Estates of LOVELLA CLAY BREWSTER and DAN JOHN BREWSTER, Deceased
THE Administrator named below has been appointed as Administrator of this estate. Any person having a claim against the decedent must, before the time the claim would be barred by any otherwise applicable statute of limitations, present the claim in the manner as provided in RCW 11.40.070 by serving on or mailing to the Administrator or the Administrator’s attorney at the address stated below a copy of the claim and filing the original of the claim with the court. The claim must be presented within the later of: (1) Thirty days after the Administrator served or mailed notice to the creditor as provided under RCW 11.40.020(3); or (2) four months after the date of first publication of the notice. If the claim is not presented within this time frame, the claim is forever barred, except as otherwise provided in section 11 of this act and RCW 11.40.060. This bar is effective as to claims against both the decedent’s probate and nonprobate assets. DATE OF FIRST PUBLICATION:
August 9, 2022
Administrator: Jean M. Matthews
Attorney for Administrator: JAMES H. BUSH, ESQ. Address for Mailing or service: LAW OFFICES OF JAMES H. BUSH,
PLLC
Attorney for Administrator
3645 North Pearl Street
Tacoma, WA 98407
253-756-0459 IDX-960476
August 9, 16, 23, 2022 | 2022-08-09T14:37:04+00:00 | tacomadailyindex.com | https://www.tacomadailyindex.com/blog/no-21-4-01103-6-notice-to-creditors/2458775/ |
Independence Police respond to burglary
Published: Aug. 19, 2022 at 2:55 PM CDT|Updated: 1 hour ago
INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (KCRG) - Friday morning, Independence Police responded to a report of a burglary at a business in the 1200 block of 3rd Avenue SE.
Investigators say suspects used force to gain entry to the business and remove distinct items.
The investigation is ongoing. Store management is working with law enforcement to provide a comprehensive list of stolen items as well as surveillance video.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Independence Police.
Copyright 2022 KCRG. All rights reserved. | 2022-08-19T21:10:25+00:00 | kcrg.com | https://www.kcrg.com/2022/08/19/independence-police-respond-burglary/ |
Brings broad-based experience in multifamily investment across Western U.S.
GREENSBORO, N.C., Sept. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bell Partners Inc., one of the nation's leading apartment investment and management companies, today announced the appointment of Mark Bates as Senior Vice President, Investments. In this role, Mr. Bates will oversee Bell Partners' multifamily investment activity in the Western U.S. region, including Seattle, the Bay Area, Southern California, Denver and Austin. He will report to Nickolay Bochilo, Bell Partners' Executive Vice President, Investments, and will be based with Mr. Bochilo in the company's San Francisco office.
Mr. Bates has more than 20 years' experience in real estate investing. He joins Bell Partners from real estate firm Holland Partner Group, where he spent more than a decade and most recently served as Executive Managing Director of Investment Management. Previously, he served as the firm's CFO and Vice President of Finance and Corporate Accounting. Mr. Bates began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
"As Bell Partners continues to deepen our footprint in our target Western U.S. markets, Mark will play an integral role in identifying investment opportunities that align with our strategy and continue our track record of outperformance for our investors," said Mr. Bochilo. "His strong background and familiarity with market dynamics in these regions will be valuable as we grow our Western U.S. portfolio. I'm excited to welcome Mark to our team."
Bell Partners invests in multifamily assets in 14 target markets across the United States. In the Western region, the company most recently acquired Bell South City, a 260-unit community in South San Francisco, CA, in May 2022. The company also invests in new development opportunities with regional and national firms.
"I'm thrilled to join Bell Partners as the team continues to expand its Western U.S. portfolio," said Mr. Bates. "The company has a diligent approach to asset selection and portfolio growth, and I'm looking forward to applying my knowledge and expertise to expand Bell's footprint in its target markets."
About Bell Partners Inc.
Established in 1976, Bell Partners Inc. ("Bell Partners" or the "Company") is a privately held, vertically integrated apartment investment and management company focused on high-quality multifamily rental communities throughout the United States. With over 70,000 units under management, Bell Partners is one of the largest apartment operators and renovators in the United States. Including its headquarters in Greensboro, N.C., the Company has over 1,600 associates and twelve offices and offers an extensive and full-service platform containing expertise in acquisitions and dispositions, construction, financing, property operations, accounting, risk management, and all other related support functions. Bell Partners is led by a senior management team with an average of 25 years of industry experience that has invested throughout all phases of the real estate cycle and has helped the Company complete over $22 billion of apartment transactions since 2002. For more information, visit www.bellpartnersinc.com.
Contact:
John Perilli
Prosek Partners for Bell Partners Inc.
(401) 316-3375
jperilli@prosek.com
View original content:
SOURCE Bell Partners Inc. | 2022-09-21T13:36:49+00:00 | live5news.com | https://www.live5news.com/prnewswire/2022/09/21/bell-partners-appoints-mark-bates-lead-western-us-investment-activity/ |
DALLAS — A North Texas man was sentenced Friday to one year and one day in prison for his role in the violent riots on the U.S. Capitol last year.
Nolan Bernard Cooke, 24, recorded videos from a camera strapped around his neck as he broke through a line of Capitol police, according to court documents.
Cooke pleaded guilty in March to a felony charge of civil disorder related to the Jan. 6, 2021, siege. Nearly two dozen North Texans were charged in the riots, spurred on by a false belief that the presidential election was stolen.
Cooke is from Savoy, about 15 miles east of Sherman, where he was arrested on Jan. 21, 2021.
Cooke agreed to be interviewed by officers who executed a search warrant on his home after the siege.
He told law enforcement that he had gone to Washington, D.C., with his girlfriend and a relative because he wanted to be heard, court documents say. Cooke said he took firearms but left them in the vehicle when he was dropped off in front of the Capitol.
In his videos, which he posted online, Cooke is seen grabbing a police officer and is heard yelling “There’s a storm coming,” “We’re coming through,” and “Nothing’s holding us back,” according to court documents.
Cooke also used a flagpole attached to a U.S. flag to bang a window and encouraged others to break the glass, court documents say.
Cooke admitted pushing police but denied going inside the Capitol, according to court records.
After serving his prison sentence, Cooke will be required to remain under supervised release for three years. He also was ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution.
Cooke, who has been out of jail on bond, could have been sentenced to as many as five years in prison. His lawyer asked the judge for probation, and a family friend who wrote a letter of support to the judge said Cooke believed the activity outside the Capitol would be a peaceful protest.
“He is truly remorseful for his actions leading up and during the events that took place,” Cooke’s lawyer, Donald Flanary III, wrote in court documents.
——— | 2022-06-12T00:23:46+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/texas-man-sentenced-to-a-year-and-a-day-for-helping-to-lead-siege-on-u-s-capitol/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world |
WFO NEW YORK CITY Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Friday, August 26, 2022
_____
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service New York NY
551 PM EDT Fri Aug 26 2022
...Showers and thunderstorms will impact portions of Queens, western
Suffolk, Kings and Nassau Counties through 630 PM EDT...
At 549 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking showers and thunderstorms
along a broken line extending from Manhasset to near Coney Island.
Movement was northeast at 35 mph.
HAZARD...Gusty winds up to 30 mph and isolated lightning strikes.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Isolated lightning strikes will pose a danger to those
outdoors.
Locations impacted include...
Jamaica, Levittown, Freeport, Valley Stream, Commack, Long Beach,
Huntington Station, Deer Park, Lindenhurst, Plainview, Coney Island,
Garden City, Massapequa, Lynbrook and Syosset.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
LAT...LON 4056 7395 4056 7401 4058 7401 4085 7368
4095 7330 4092 7322 4093 7318 4098 7317
4099 7312 4098 7306 4060 7344 4057 7360
4057 7376 4053 7393
TIME...MOT...LOC 2149Z 246DEG 30KT 4080 7366 4055 7401
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...<30 MPH
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | 2022-08-26T22:45:36+00:00 | seattlepi.com | https://www.seattlepi.com/weather/article/NY-WFO-NEW-YORK-CITY-Warnings-Watches-and-17401224.php |
Mountain lion climbs over fence of home, found in window cellar
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (KGWN) – Animal encounters are not uncommon in Wyoming, but some can certainly be scarier than others.
On Wednesday morning, homeowners in Cheyenne had a wake-up call of a lifetime. Jennifer and Vince Belmont said they had a mountain lion jump their fence and make her way into their window cellar.
“Had I gone out there when she was out there, I don’t know if the story would be the same,” Jennifer Belmont said.
Alarmed at the sight of the animal, the two made their way back into their home and called the Department of Game and Fish to get the lion out safely.
“I almost had a heart attack but she came to the right house to get relocated,” Jennifer Belmont said. “I am not sure if any of our neighbors would have done the same.”
Fortunately, the lion posed no immediate threat to the family, and authorities are working to get the big cat relocated.
“It shows Wyoming at its finest,” Vince Belmont said. “It can be dangerous but at the same time we have good personnel here to take care of everything.”
Copyright 2022 KGWN via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | 2022-11-01T17:17:41+00:00 | wagmtv.com | https://www.wagmtv.com/2022/11/01/mountain-lion-climbs-over-fence-home-found-window-cellar/ |
Let the Flowers of Youth Bloom
Let the Artistic Creativity Flow
HANGZHOU, China, June 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Brain Garden – The 5th Zhijiang International Youth Art Festival 2023 & CAA Graduation Season kicked off online and offline on June 1. This edition of Youth Art Festival is co-hosted by Zhejiang Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Zhejiang Provincial Department of Education, Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, Publicity Department of the CPC Hangzhou Municipal Committee, China Academy of Art (CAA), and Zhejiang Conservatory of Music under the guidance of the Publicity Department of CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee and Hangzhou Municipal People's Government. The festival features a wide variety of online and offline artistic shows and activities centered on the future and the youth. It is a grand city-wide artistic feast in Hangzhou.
The Youth Art Festival is presented online on CAACOSMOS and West Lake Sky Screen and offline at six venues, namely Zhejiang Exhibition Hall, West Lake Art Museum, Zhejiang Art Museum, World Tourism Museum (1368 Xiangxi Road), Quan Shanshi Art Center, and Yichuang Town, with a total exhibition area of nearly 70,000 square meters. Over 3,000 works from more than 2,500 Class of 2023 graduates (including 1,766 undergraduates, 688 masters, and 97 doctors) are showcased. Over 2,000 young artists, designers, writers, and scholars have gathered online for this youthful art event.
This is a city-wide cross-sectoral youthful creative event as well as a program of public art education for all.
A Self-iterated Youth Art Festival, Inspiring the Young Generation with Art
CAA Graduation Season is dynamic.
CAA was the first to hold a Graduation Season open to all Hangzhou citizens in 2010 and upgraded it to Zhijiang International Youth Art Festival in 2019, a festival celebrated across the whole city. The Youth Art Festival allows the graduation season to be enjoyed by all outside the campus, inspires the public with art, integrates the school into the city's development, and shares learning and teaching results with the public, showing CAA as an "Unwalled Academy". This is exactly the original aspiration or vision of CAA.
Themed Veni, Vidi, We Young, the inaugural Youth Art Festival took place in 2019, presenting young people's interactive worldview as well as their wish to interview the world. The Second Youth Art Festival in 2020, themed Being with You in the World, provoked a rethinking of human lifestyles amidst the pandemic. The Third Youth Art Festival in 2021, themed Prestory, was a rethinking of Being with You in the World. The festival presented a serious dilemma – "everything is interconnected; all beings are alone." We got lost and trapped in a health crisis and were facing new issues and challenges of bioethics in the digital age. With the theme of Vital Force, the fourth edition of the Youth Art Festival in 2022 called on young artists and designers to devote themselves entirely to life in the present, and champion the positivity, tenacity, openness and sensibility of life with artistic creativity and goodness, generating a force to lead a "positive life".
The theme of the new edition of Youth Art Festival is Brain Garden. The garden represents an age of innocence envisioned by humans. On all lands of dreams, be it the Garden of Eden, the Arcadia, Utopia, or Marco Polo's "Xanadu" of Kublai Khan, flowers bloom everywhere, everything goes well, there are neither conflicts nor sufferings, all things live in harmony and people are free and happy. An educational institution is certainly a garden. Learning in an art academy is not an experience of carefree roaming in a garden, but a journey of working with nature and growing with beauty.
In an era where human brains and machine brains simulate each other, and human intelligence competes with artificial intelligence, art has become a "brain garden": pathways diverge, and complexities intertwine, with infinite computing power and boundless creativity... In the post-pandemic era, amidst the turbulence of excessive generation of AIGC, we call on everyone to nurture their own "brain garden" and summon forth the arrival of spring. Let the flowers of youth bloom and let the artistic creativity flow. Every edition of the Youth Art Festival showcases the works of young CAA artists in the city with the expectations of basing artistic creations in reality and comprehending humanity for society's sake.
A Mixed Reality Show Linking the Virtual and Real Worlds
The opening ceremony of Brain Garden – The 5th Zhijiang International Youth Art Festival 2023 began at 19:28 on June 1 at Wulin Square, Hangzhou. In 2023, ChatGPT swept the human world and AI set off a new technology revolution.
As the brain-computer interface technology advances, the boundary between the virtual and real worlds is getting blurred. The opening ceremony started with an AIGC video entitled Oddinary, indicating that humans have stood at a crossroads in a new era of intelligent civilization. At the MR opening ceremony, AI Garden led people into an exploration of a future created amidst the intertwining of human beings and technology in the era of AI, enabling the pursuit of dreams and ideals without constraints. Reading the Topology of Dreams in the midst of reality and virtuality, people explore the virtual world built by humans as true Creators. Audiences have the chance to enjoy the fashion show with hyper-audiovisual scenes at the Metaverse Art Academy (MAA). At the opening ceremony, the guests put on a brainwave device to start Lian Xiang – one of the artworks for the show. When the signal is re-encoded by AI technology, a garden gradually appears in the human brain, turning it into a theater for people to unleash creativity.
Over 80 works from 46 students in Fashion and Apparel Design at the School of Design, CAA are showcased in the fashion show. The designers created their works with an open mindset and expression ways from multiple dimensions, placing emphasis on frontier exploration results in art, philosophy, science and technology while paying attention to topics such as survival crisis, cultural alienation, social care, body language, emotional barriers, and future testing ground. The interaction between virtual and real worlds, exploration of experimental materials, creative knitting texture, and technologies such as 3D printing all have become paths leading designers in a great journey of exploration and design. The processes from identifying clues, making records, carrying out experiments, and making summaries to finally turning ideas into real works have demonstrated the designers' true inquiry into the real world and their imagination of the future world.
CAACOSMOS, an Art Community in the Metaverse
CAACOSMOS, an online art community of CAA, was debuted on April 8, 2023, as part of the academic events commemorating CAA's 95th Anniversary & 2023 CAA Launch Day.
CAACOSMOS is an art community in the Metaverse and an innovative and interactive platform for global artists and designers. It integrates online exhibitions, information, courses, lectures, forums, workshops, livestreaming, digital asset right confirmation and AI tools to help people navigate a digital life, digital interaction, art creation, and value transformation.
A New Journey of Intermedia Creations and Innovative Design Based upon Tradition
Under the sub-theme of "Infinite Thoughts," the School of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy exhibits 303 works of 204 graduates (including undergraduates, postgraduates, and doctoral students) at the World Tourism Museum, including works of 131 graduates majoring in Chinese Figure Painting, Chinese Landscape Painting, Chinese Flowers and Birds Painting, and General Painting at the Department of Chinese Painting and 73 graduates majoring in Calligraphy & Seal Carving and Calligraphy and Education at the Department of Calligraphy. The School of Intermedia Art exhibits more than 200 works of 73 undergraduates and 34 postgraduates. Themed "World Giants", the graduation exhibition presents the profound changes in our relationship with the world and inspires young creators to expand their minds and meditate on their souls and the outer world. Composed of several sections including "The Silence of Currents", "Artificial Art Intelligence", "Across the River and into the Forest", "Creation Continent", "Motivation", and "Into the Sound", the show adopts diverse mediums such as live performances, video installations, power devices, miniatures, and monument installations, depicting diverse themes and presenting a great combination of intermedia art expressions. The School of Design exhibits 208 graduation works of 336 undergraduate students and 71 works of 71 postgraduate and doctoral students. The works from the Department of Visual Communication Design demonstrate the uniqueness and possibilities of graduates in exploring the interplay between tradition and innovation, the integration of humanities and technologies, the solution of social issues and the extension of art expression. The works from the Department of Dyeing, Weaving and Fashion Design are focused on areas of research such as sustainable material design, smart textile design, digital textile design, healing design and oriental design, presenting the designers' true inquiry into the real world and their imagination of the future world. The Department of Industrial Design has worked closely with businesses and co-built the "〇一 Workshop", depicting various future scenarios in respect of life aesthetics, digital interaction, intelligent manufacturing, and smart mobility. The School of Design & Innovation exhibits 192 graduation works. Under the sub-theme of "Cooperator", the designers provoke discussions on the cooperation between art and science, cooperation between AI and humans for co-creation, cooperation in biological evolution, cooperation in social design, as well as cooperation in culture, economy, and history. The school's five institutions, namely the Research Institute of Society & Strategy, Research Institute of Media & Interaction Design, Research Institute of Intelligence & Systematics, Research Institute of Enterprise & Prospect, Research Institute of Science & Creation, explore the human experience and complex systems of art and technology across various domains, showing diverse design practices as a prelude to future graduation exhibitions.
The School of Painting expresses its desire for the blossoming of new life after the three-year pandemic, through paintings on "New Life in the Garden". The School of Sculpture and Public Art channels its reflections on the transformation and evolution of the individual and society and its desire for exploring the unknown through "Nomadic Seeds". The School of Art Administration and Education responds to the idea of "Life Is Education" with "Vital Force 6.0: The Harvesting of Things Invisible" and unveils a path toward self-realization. The School of Arts and Humanities showcases its students' graduation theses in "Visual Paths" and represents textual research as images. The School of Crafts showcases a multi-faceted narrative on the research and learning practices of its young students in "Fire, Hands, Craft", in which it compares the lengthy cultivation of skills in materials, crafts and plastic arts to the repeated tempering of an Erudite Craftsman's character and mind. Wang Shu, the Dean of the School of Architecture believes that the most pertinent challenge of our times is the preservation of diversity. "Championing Diversity" thus forms the core of his school's academic ethos. The School of Film Art explores the contemporary development of poetic cinema through the perspective of youths. The School of Animation and Games aspires to reimagine a new form of perception that bridges the real and virtual worlds as it explores and creates new realities and ways of thinking by harnessing diversity and free play. The EDNA Joint Institute (NACAA) showcases designers' meditations and creations in differing Chinese and French cultural contexts in "Transborder Creation".
CAA's Youth Art Festival has helped to fully unlock the power of art and innovation, inspiring young people with art and facilitating efforts to make the city of Hangzhou, which blends tradition and modernity, a destination and spiritual home for young artists worldwide and a world cradle of cultural innovation in the post-pandemic era.
The Unwalled Academy has started a new journey from Hangzhou.
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SOURCE China Academy of Art | 2023-06-05T03:47:23+00:00 | wsfa.com | https://www.wsfa.com/prnewswire/2023/06/05/brain-garden-5th-zhijiang-international-youth-art-festival-2023-amp-caa-graduation-season-kicks-off/ |
Cellar Master Cédric Jacopin on discovering great Champagne.
NEW YORK, Feb. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- For serious wine drinkers, the conclusion of the end-of-year holiday season hardly means letting the bubbles run dry—in fact, quite the opposite. From classic winter pairings (oysters, seafood towers, gooey cheese dishes, and more) to celebrating the little things, Champagne and winter sipping go hand-in-hand. As many wine drinkers vow to sip more thoughtfully this New Year, we are excited to share the debut of Champagne de Saint-Gall to the US Market. We chatted with Cellar Master Cédric Jacopin and learned tips for discovering great Champagne in 2023.
Branch Out from Bigger Names
Big brands tend to get all the love, though from a quality perspective, most professionals generally set their sights on smaller estates. While there are certainly exceptions, artisanal wine brands often have a closer oversight of the winemaking process, meaning that quality control is generally easier to maintain. To put it simply, Jacopin cites the famous French saying, "Tout ce qui est petit est mignon!" – everything that's small is cute! This year, rather than reaching for familiar names, dive into something smaller—you never know what hidden gems you may find.
Seek Out Terroir-Focused Properties
For those looking for site-specific wines, seeking out terroir-focused estates is key. Jacopin explains that individualized Champagne brands often benefit from a marked terroir effect. "The Champagne de Saint-Gall cuvées have a geographical identity and are very marked by the Premier and Grand Cru origin of their grapes," he says, emphasizing the "exceptional terroir" that makes Champagne de Saint-Gall so unique.
Champagne de Saint-Gall uses an exclusive supply of fruit sourced from Premiers and Grands Crus vineyards from Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims to create its world-class cuvées, which are aged longer than regional minimums (between three and five years on the lees versus 15 months) before release.
Learn the Benefits of Cooperatives
Regardless of size, Jacopin notes there are numerous benefits to working in a cooperative system. "Beyond a small or a large brand, we favor the cooperative system with its societal and sustainable approach," he explains.
According to the Comité Champagne, "sharing knowledge and cooperation are examples of Champagne makers' key guiding values." The committee goes on to state that for many, a community spirit is more important than individual motivations, thus, "this decision to work together is evident throughout the production process, a cooperative venture in which the human dimension is always at the center." In building a model focused on pooled resources and knowledge, the regional cooperative creates social and economic solidarity, while simultaneously offering an alternative outlet to which local growers can sell their fruit.
Be the First to Know!
Staying in the know about new releases and market debuts is key to discovering great wines, and Champagne is no exception. Deemed a "new generation" cooperative, Avize-based Champagne de Saint-Gall is a new-to-market brand that offers a high-quality wine at competitive pricing, perfect for all your 2023 celebration needs.
How to Best Enjoy Champagne de Saint-Gall
Jacopin states that as with non-sparkling wines, the intricacies of vintage and cuvée specifics must also be considered when enjoying Champagne. "The Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru is perfect as an aperitif accompanied by seafood, while the Cuvée Orpale pairs beautifully with poultry – perfect for Thanksgiving!" he explains. Of all de Saint-Gall's cuvées, Jacopin describes the Tradition Premier Cru as the 'guilty pleasure' wine. "It's the easy wine, meant to be opened as soon as you're in good company, no matter the time or day," he says.
Above all, Jacopin shares that in addition to being an enjoyable wine year-round, Champagne remains the wine for special occasions and unforgettable celebrations!
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About Champagne de Saint-Gall
Champagne de Saint-Gall is the flagship Chardonnay-focused label of Union Champagne, a "new-generation" cooperative. Originating from a world-class terroir, de Saint-Gall covers over 1,400 hectares of sought-after Premiers and Grands Crus vineyards. By combining integrated viticulture, a meticulous approach to each plot, and advanced winemaking methods, Champagne de Saint-Gall has reinvented the art of winemaking to achieve a balance between craftsmanship and technology.
Mathilde van Tulder
c/o Champagne de Saint-Gall
www.de-saint-gall.com/en/
mvan-tulder@sopexa.com
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SOURCE Champagne de Saint-Gall | 2023-02-18T06:11:59+00:00 | live5news.com | https://www.live5news.com/prnewswire/2023/02/17/sip-thoughtfully-with-champagne-de-saint-gall/ |
ST. LOUIS (AP) — A 26-year-old man was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison for killing a retired St. Louis police captain as he tried to stop a pawn shop from being looted during racial injustice protests two years ago.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the life term was mandatory after Stephan Cannon, of Glasgow Village, was convicted in July of first-degree murder in the death of 77-year-old David Dorn.
Cannon also was sentenced to an additional 30 years for robbery, burglary and three counts of armed criminal action.
Dorn, who was Black, was a friend of the pawn shop’s owner. He showed up at the north St. Louis business as it was being ransacked on June 2, 2020.
His death drew attention nationwide because it occurred amid protests across the country in response to the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.
Across St. Louis that night, Dorn and four officers were shot, authorities were pelted with rocks and fireworks, and 55 businesses were burglarized or damaged.
“Our father was a good cop, but more importantly, he was a good man,” his daughter, Lisa Dorn, said to the court.
Cannon told the family he was “sorry for their loss” but denied being the shooter. His attorneys said they planned to appeal. | 2022-10-05T20:28:00+00:00 | seattletimes.com | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/life-sentence-for-killer-of-retired-st-louis-police-captain/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is making a fuller reopening to the public following more than two and a half years of closures related to the coronavirus pandemic.
Beginning Dec. 1, the high court will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to the Supreme Court’s website. The high court closed to the public in March 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
In October, the high court began allowing the public to attend arguments in the courtroom again on the approximately six days a month the court hears arguments, but the court building remained closed to visitors at other times.
The high court initially postponed arguments because of the pandemic, then started hearing arguments by phone. The justices began hearing arguments in the courtroom again in October 2021 but without the public present. | 2022-11-28T23:17:41+00:00 | lmtonline.com | https://www.lmtonline.com/news/article/High-court-opening-its-doors-to-public-on-17616671.php |
DEAR AMY: My husband and I own a small family business, but we don’t run the day-to-day operation.
We started the business with one of our sons, and he worked very hard for the first three or so years. But he started slacking off about three years ago, feeling as if he had “earned” the right to work when (and if) he wanted.
The last 18 months he has hardly worked at all. He has done nothing to help the company’s bottom line, even though we’ve struggled financially.
So, after consulting counselors and a lawyer through this ordeal, we have decided that we must let him go.
He will receive his pay and benefits for six months.
I feel horrible that it has come to this, as he is also going through a messy divorce. He is obviously quite taken aback and is distant from us, even though I think he realizes that this is ultimately his own doing.
How do I reach out to him and stay connected and reassure him that we still love him and want a relationship?
There are also grandchildren involved, who need us and the stability we offer, in addition to our love and support.
My heart is torn and aching, but we had the other employees to consider and the viability of our company.
My hope is that we can get past this and find a way to maintain our family bond.
- Distressed Mom
DEAR DISTRESSED: I can imagine that your son might not welcome an in-depth discussion about this decision, because revisiting it is to revisit his own failure. But I think you do need to talk about it - or at least convey that you are willing and available to talk about it.
I suggest that you start by affirming that you are aware that this is a tough time for him. Tell him that you hope he understands the professional choice you made, and say that you are willing to talk about it or answer any questions he might have.
Affirm your love and support and let him know that you are in his corner as he gets through this challenging time. Continue to reach out to him, even if his reaction is subdued. Invite and include your son and grandchildren in family events.
This particular episode might prove to be a wake-up call for him, but it could take time before he realizes it.
***
DEAR AMY: I am a nurse who has worked the night shift for almost 30 years.
I am able to sleep well during the day and function extremely well at work.
My problem? My mother read in a pseudo-scientific (supermarket check-out lane) magazine that night shift workers are at risk for sudden death.
She constantly quizzes me on my work schedule, and then carries on when I admit that I am (STILL) working the night shift.
I have explained to her that I love my job and that I am functional and happy with my schedule.
Is there ANYTHING I can do to convince my mother that I am not only safe but honestly blessed to be able to not only work this schedule, but also reap the extra pay?
- Night Shift Woes
DEAR NIGHT SHIFT: A good friend of mine recently recounted how she copes with her elderly mother’s ruminating on one topic.
The daughter listens, responds to the well-worn topic one time (i.e., “I know how much that bothers you...”), and then bluntly says, “Let’s change the subject and talk about something else.”
Then she asks her mother a question on another topic.
***
DEAR AMY: “Stuck in the Middle” was a prospective bride who was torn about who should walk her down the aisle, because her father is an alcoholic and would likely drink on the day of her wedding.
When my husband and I were married, he and I walked down the aisle together.
My dad was an alcoholic and I would have bet money that he would be drinking.
Besides, as I told those who questioned me, I was not my father’s property to give away.
That is a custom that should be done away with.
Yes, my dad drank the whole time. I’ve never regretted my decision.
- No Regrets
DEAR NO REGRETS: I completely agree with you about the concept of a father “giving his daughter away.” This is a convention that has thoroughly outlived its symbolic meaning.
You made the right choice regarding your own wedding. The very best way to look back on this important event is with “no regrets.”
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)
© 2022 Amy Dickinson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. | 2023-01-12T13:00:45+00:00 | nj.com | https://www.nj.com/advice/2023/01/ask-amy-mother-is-distressed-that-son-must-be-let-go-from-small-family-owned-business.html |
Man in police custody falls to death after breaking hospital window with oxygen tank
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — A man in police custody died Thursday in Northern California after he broke a hospital’s window with a metal oxygen tank and fell off a ledge following an altercation with an officer and a nurse, authorities said.
The man was in custody because he had allegedly violated a court order, according to San Jose police. Officers took him to the hospital for an unspecified pre-existing medical condition.
The man is accused of assaulting an officer and threatening to hit the officer and a nurse with the oxygen tank, police said. They left from the room and called for more help.
The man broke the window with the oxygen tank while he was alone in the hospital room and jumped out onto a ledge, the police department said. The officer and two hospital security guards went back into the room to stop the man’s escape attempt, but he fell 20 feet from the ledge.
The man sustained life-threatening injuries and was pronounced dead at a different hospital. His death in police custody is under investigation.
San Jose is about 20 miles southeast of downtown San Francisco.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | 2023-05-28T22:26:23+00:00 | mysuncoast.com | https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/05/28/man-police-custody-falls-death-after-breaking-hospital-window-with-oxygen-tank/ |
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Rain held off long enough on Saturday to complete the first round of qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 on a soupy day that still produced eye-popping speeds not seen in 26 years at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Rinus VeeKay and Pato O’Ward, a pair of young new stars, posted blistering qualifying averages of over 233 mph in a flex of Chevrolet horsepower. NASCAR star Jimmie Johnson qualified for his first Indy 500 and his Chip Ganassi Racing team showed it might be the strongest organization at Indy right now.
Meanwhile, Andretti Autosport had a terrible day. And Team Penske got bit by the weather when it pulled Scott McLaughlin’s qualifying time late Saturday afternoon and sent him back out to try to crack the top 12. McLaughlin was 15th on the board when his time was forfeited; the New Zealander went even slower and dropped to 26th.
“Well this place just kicked (me) in the privates — ah well,” McLaughlin posted on social media.
Penske teammate Josef Newgarden followed McLaughlin out for his own attempt to make the top 12, but his run was halted when lightning flashed. It was the second lightning stoppage of the day, and the rain followed minutes later. IndyCar called it a day about 70 minutes short of the scheduled completion.
Only spots 13 through 33 were locked in Saturday, and the top 12 return Sunday for a shootout for the pole. The fight for the front row will be VeeKay and O’Ward, who posted the third and fifth fastest four-lap qualifying averages in track history, then Felix Rosenqvist as Chevrolet swept the top three spots.
Reigning IndyCar champion Alex Palou was fourth fastest as Ganassi advanced its entire five-car fleet into Sunday’s action. Tony Kanaan was fifth, Johnson was sixth, Marcus Ericsson was eighth and Scott Dixon was 10th for the Honda-powered team.
Ed Carpenter, who on Saturday morning posted the eighth-fastest lap in track history at 234.410 mph, was sixth fastest in qualifying as he and Will Power (11th) completed the Chevrolet group.
Honda advanced seven drivers to Sunday as the Ganassi group was joined by Romain Grosjean, the only Andretti driver to make the top 12, and two-time winner Takuma Sato.
Sato had an rollercoaster session; he was disqualified following his first qualifying attempt for interfering with Marco Andretti’s lap. When he made his second attempt, Sato scrubbed the wall and still made it into the top 12.
Spots seven through 12 for the May 29 race will be determined in another qualifying round, then following a break, a “Fast Six” shootout will set the first two rows of the 106th running of the Indy 500.
VeeKay for Ed Carpenter Racing put his Chevrolet atop the scoring pylon with a four-lap average speed of 233.655 mph that bumped O’Ward of Arrow McLaren SP to second at 233.037.
Arie Luyendyk set the four-lap qualifying record in 1996 at 236.986, and VeeKay’s average was third fastest of all time behind Luyendyk and Scott Brayton’s mark of 233.718. O’Ward’s average was fifth fastest in history, with Tony Stewart fourth in 1996.
“It’s very, very cool to have two Dutch guys in the top-five fastest of all time,” said VeeKay, who like Luyendyk is from The Netherlands.
Johnson once again showed incredible speed and in an early Saturday morning practice turned a lap at 233.961 mph — 14th fastest in track history.
“I think the speed scared my kids,” Johnson said. “When they saw me, the look in their eyes. They’ve been to plenty of races, but they never looked at me like that.”
The seven-time NASCAR champion has steadily become a legitimate contender to win the Indy 500, which would be his fifth victory on the Indianapolis oval; Johnson won four times in NASCAR.
“There were some quiet moments I had before I rolled off, I was able to look around and really take in the moment,” said Johnson, “and what a special moment it was, I am just so happy to here. Things are looking good for now.”
Not long after Johnson’s morning run, teammate Dixon turned the 13th fastest lap in history at 234.093. Carpenter closed the session as the leader with the fastest lap in Indy 500 practice since Luyendyk set the track record of 237.498 mph in 1996.
Andretti Autosport struggled from the get-go as Marco Andretti had to abort his qualifying run when Sato failed to get off the track following his run moments earlier.
Andretti will start 23rd.
“Don’t count the 98 out to win this race,” he said.
As the team was figuring out what to do about Andretti, Colton Herta’s engine seemed to fail during Herta’s run. Winner on the road course just one week ago, Herta was making his qualifying attempt when his Honda engine suddenly shut off.
He aborted his run and returned to the pits, and later confirmed his engine would be changed.
Then 2016 winner Alexander Rossi had a miserable first run: “We added downforce,” said Rossi, who called the decision “horrible.”
His second attempt was worse and Rossi will start 20th. Devlin DeFrancesco, a rookie, was 24th and Herta will start 25th.
The last row of the Indy 500 will be rookie Christian Lungaard, Jack Harvey and Stefan Wilson, the 33rd entrant. Wilson had a gearbox issue Saturday and needed an engine change and never got on track. | 2022-05-22T00:54:54+00:00 | wnct.com | https://www.wnct.com/sports/indy-500/blistering-speeds-at-fastest-indy-500-qualifying-since-1996/ |
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The Justice Department announced Wednesday that it will review the Memphis Police Department policies on use of force, de-escalation policies and specialized units in response to the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols during an arrest.
The review was requested by the city’s mayor and police chief, the department said. In a separate effort, it will examine the use of specialized units around the country and produce a guide for police chiefs and mayors on their use, according to the announcement.
“In the wake of Tyre Nichols’s tragic death, the Justice Department has heard from police chiefs across the country who are assessing the use of specialized units and, where used, appropriate management, oversight and accountability for such units,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta.
The U.S. Justice Department has previously opened a civil rights investigation into Nichols’ death.
The city on Wednesday also plans to release about 20 hours of video and audio related to the arrest of the 29-year-old motorist who died Jan. 10, three days after his violent arrest. It will add to the already-public footage from police body cameras and a surveillance camera that has given the world a detailed look at the police pummeling Nichols.
Officials have named six officers who have already been fired in the case, and five of them now face second-degree murder charges. Those five officers’ own body cameras recorded them beating Nichols, propping the badly injured Nichols in handcuffs against an unmarked police car, and then ignoring him as he struggled to stay upright. They have pleaded not guilty.
The six officers previously fired for their roles in Nichols’ arrest and beating were members of the Memphis police’s Scorpion unit, an anti-crime task force that residents have accused of violent tactics. Davis initially defended the unit after Nichols’ death but later disbanded it. Officers who were part of the Scorpion unit but were not fired have been moved to other units, Davis has said.
Police said Nichols was suspected of reckless driving when he was arrested on Jan. 7, but no verified evidence of a traffic violation has emerged in public documents or in video footage. Davis has said she has seen no evidence justifying the stop or the officers’ response.
Discipline for those involved in the arrest has extended to the Memphis Fire Department and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, where two deputies have been suspended. The fire department said two of them “failed to conduct an adequate patient assessment of Mr. Nichols,” while the third, a lieutenant, remained in the fire engine with the driver.
The review of Memphis police’s use of force, de-escalation policies and specialized units will be handled by the Justice Department’s Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center, or COPS office. The office has been given more than $20 billion to advance community policing in the U.S., officials said.
The office will issue a public report outlining its findings and recommendations after the review is completed, officials said. | 2023-03-08T16:34:39+00:00 | pahomepage.com | https://www.pahomepage.com/news/national/tyre-nichols-death-spurs-justice-department-police-review/ |
TAIPEI, Dec. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- USERJOY Games announces Antivine has officially launched on December 21st on Steam, which is a puzzle game developed by Regeneration Studio and supports five languages, including Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, English, Japanese and Korean.
Antivine is originally designed by a group of students from Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology. Their concept is to re-connect the relationship between people, and create unique experience based on games. Antivine has earned many domestic awards in Taiwan and the team has received sponsorship from USERJOY Games in 2021.
In its story, human beings have been fighting against the nature, and a negative power between these two keeps growing. There is one day, people start to have strange symptoms on their bodies - branches and vines grow from a certain age. After becoming a Treeman, the person will return to nature. Berries will grow from the branches and be provided to later generation. Senhsu is a unique boy from the village, and at his coming-of-age ceremony there is still no sign on his body. Thus, he has been crowded out by his people and started his journey for seeking the truth. He meets a lost girl Mumei on his way, and they move together for the challenges in front of them.
With this game, players can explore each island during the adventure, which is designed with different gimmicks and delightful background music. The design team also put in lots of work on its scenes, changes in the daytime and nighttime. Players must learn to change the way of thinking to solve the puzzle because there only a way to solve all these. And with its game settings, players can easily experience its story and immerse into the characters. Change the way of thinking, and follow Senhsu the boy to the adventure, players can finally reveal the truth of Treeman.
The development team wants to produce a game that touches its players, recalls the time when everybody is still little, looking at a crystal ball from angles, and leads them to think in different aspects.
Antivine Official Website:
USERJOY Games is both a game developer and distributor located in Taiwan. Look forward to further increase on global markets, USERJOY expands its develop team, and devotes to create great contents for players all over the world.
Official Website:
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SOURCE UserJoy Technology Co., Ltd. | 2022-12-22T04:41:52+00:00 | newschannel10.com | https://www.newschannel10.com/prnewswire/2022/12/22/antivine-is-now-available-steam/ |
BRISTOL, Va. (WJHL) — The City of Bristol, Virginia said the railroad crossing on Spurgeon Lane near Commonwealth Avenue will be closed for reconstruction beginning on Wednesday.
A release from the city said the Norfolk Southern Railway crossing will undergo a reconstruction that requires the closure of that portion of Spurgeon Lane.
The closure begins on Aug. 2 and is estimated to last for at least three days, according to the release.
The city asks drivers to avoid the area and use alternate routes while the work takes place. | 2023-07-31T20:15:43+00:00 | wjhl.com | https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/railroad-crossing-in-bristol-closed-for-reconstruction-starting-wednesday/ |
What are essential kitchen tools for making a fresh summer salad?
While summer is one of the most anticipated times of the year, this exciting season also brings hot and humid weather. Keeping it light is the best way to cool off during those scorching days, including wearing airy fabrics and eating refreshing salads.
With an assortment of seasonal fruits and vegetables available during the summer, it’s time to ensure you have the essential kitchen tools. So, whether you’re planning a summer picnic or enjoying an evening at home, here are the top kitchen tools for making a fresh summer salad.
How to make the perfect summer salad
Wash your produce
Regardless of what you put in your salad, washing all your fresh produce is the most crucial step. Not only does it get rid of germs and bacteria, such as E.coli, but it also removes dirt or small rocks that you don’t want in your salad. Filling your sink or a large bowl with water is the best way to ensure you remove all the bad stuff. And if you don’t want to dry your veggies, be sure to get a salad spinner.
Choose a variety of greens
To really elevate your salad, choose more than one type of greens. Try to get greens with varying textures. For instance, romaine and iceberg have more crunch than arugula or spinach. So, you could choose romaine and arugula for a variety of textures and flavors.
Pick a protein
Protein adds another flavor, texture and helps keep you full longer. Chicken, salmon and even bacon are great options, or you can choose lunch meat, such as turkey or prosciutto. For a meatless salad, substitute tofu, cubed cheese or egg.
Pick a starch
Starches such as beans, grains or potatoes are filling and add more substance. This can include chickpeas, quinoa, sweet potatoes or even croutons if you want some crunch.
Pick fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables might be the most important component of a salad. If you’re aiming for a fresh summer salad, choose colorful vegetables or fruits that are more readily available in the summer. Also, don’t be afraid to mix your fruits and vegetables. If you’re looking to cut or slice your fruits and veggies, using a mandoline can be very valuable.
Tips for making the perfect summer salad
- Make your salad dressing. If you want a summer salad that tastes fresh, a light, homemade dressing is the key. They’re easier to make than you think and come together effortlessly with the help of a salad dressing shaker.
- Season your greens. Even though you have dressing, seasoning the greens with just a touch of salt and pepper will add more flavor and depth.
- Choose a bigger bowl than you think you need. You don’t just need everything to fit — you also need to mix or toss the salad.
- Think about colors. While it may not add to the flavor, a colorful salad will seem more refreshing and fun. So, don’t choose fruits and vegetables that are all green.
Best products for a fresh summer salad
Best salad tools under $12
With just one handle and three replaceable peelers, you can peel vegetable skin, shred cabbage, slice cheese and julienne carrots with ease. Both the plastic handle and stainless steel blades are dishwasher-safe and functional for right and left-handers.
Sold by Amazon
Rachael Ray Stainless Steel Scraper
Never worry about dropping vegetables while carrying them from the cutting board to the bowl again. With this scraper, you can effortlessly scoop and transfer, and it’s sharp enough to slice some vegetables. Plus, it features a ribbed handle to help you grip it securely and is dishwasher-safe.
Sold by Amazon
Not only are these bamboo salad hands adorable, but they’re also the perfect tool for mixing and serving a fresh summer salad. Each salad hand features a knob on the back, so you don’t have to worry about them slipping into the bowl. Also, as one of the most renewable resources, bamboo is easier on the environment than hard woods.
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No refreshing summer salad is complete without a light, homemade dressing. With measurements for eight classic salad dressings featured on the side of the bottle, this 13-ounce glass bottle can measure, mix and serve. As a bonus, the recipe markings won’t ever fade, even in the dishwasher.
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Best salad tools under $25
OXO Good Grips Citrus Squeezer
Whether you need citrus juice as part of your homemade dressing or are squeezing lemon juice right over your salad, this tool is ideal. The nonslip handles are pressure-absorbing, allowing you to effortlessly squeeze your lemons and limes. It’s also dishwasher-safe and strains out the pulp and seeds, leaving you with only the good stuff.
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Amazon Basics 12-Piece Color-Coded Kitchen Knife Set
Sharp knives make cutting fruits or vegetables a breeze. This set includes six knives with an ergonomic grip and coordinating covers, each in a unique color for easy identification. The knives feature a nonstick color coating to prevent food from sticking to the blade and are designed to hold a sharp edge.
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Bentgo Salad Stackable Lunch Container
If you’re taking a fresh summer salad to the office or a picnic, you’ll need a container that keeps it from getting soggy. This bowl features a large bowl and a bento-style tray with three separate compartments and a three-ounce sauce container. Its 54-ounce capacity is large enough to share or keep for yourself and comes with a built-in reusable fork.
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Trudeau Toss and Chop Salad Tongs
If you dislike standing at a cutting board chopping veggies, you’ll love these chopping tongs. The stainless steel blades feature micro-serrated edges that chop lettuce, tomatoes or fruit right in your salad bowl, and the soft handles have a lock to keep them safe while storing. Plus, they never need to be sharpened.
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Best salad tools under $50
OXO Good Grips Large Salad Spinner
One of the most useful tools when making a refreshing salad is a salad spinner, which ensures you never have to tirelessly dry your veggies again. After washing your lettuce, simply push on the pump mechanism with one hand and stop it with the brake button when you’re done. As a bonus, the basket doubles as a colander for other items, and the bowl is elegant enough for serving.
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This vegetable chopper comes with four interchangeable blades that slice, chop, julienne and spiralize vegetables with ease. The 1.2-liter BPA-free container catches and stores all the veggies, so there’s no mess. Also, the blades are rust-resistant, heavy-duty and designed to retain their razor sharpness.
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Lipper International Acacia Wave Serving Bowl
A beautiful bowl is the best way to serve your summer salad, whether you’re enjoying it by yourself or with friends. This bowl is 12 by 7 inches and features a gorgeous wave design. It’s made of acacia and is hand-wash only.
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Rubbermaid Six-piece Produce Saver Containers
Whether you want to meal prep salads or have leftover veggies, these containers are designed to keep your produce fresh. Each container features a filter that regulates airflow to create the optimal environment for your fruits and vegetables. Plus, they’re BPA-free and dishwasher-safe.
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | 2022-06-15T13:31:52+00:00 | krqe.com | https://www.krqe.com/reviews/br/kitchen-br/utensils-gadgets-br/salad-spinners-mandoline-slicers-and-other-tools-for-a-fresh-summer-salad/ |
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Courtroom battle between law firm and SEC raises questions about cyber regulators, out-of-bounds information
Can the government force a private law firm to hand over the names of its clients so it can investigate a major cyberattack?
That’s the question at stake in a courtroom battle between a major U.S. law firm and the Securities and Exchange Commission, which is aggressively probing a 2021 attack on Microsoft email servers.
The SEC says the firm, Covington & Burling, is the only place where it can obtain a list of hundreds of Covington clients that were hacked. The firm is resisting, saying the SEC is fishing for the names of clients whose identity the firm is obligated to protect.
“I don't know what [the] SEC was thinking,” Richard Pierce, a law professor at George Washington University Law School, told The Cybersecurity 202 in an email. “They are demanding access to information that is protected by the core of the attorney client privilege. They will and should fail.”
Gibson Dunn partner Kevin Rosen, who is representing Covington, called the SEC’s actions “a blatant fishing expedition that both targets Covington’s clients without even a whiff of wrongdoing and attempts to coerce Covington’s complicity in that effort.”
The hack
The dispute goes back to a devastating hack of Microsoft’s widely used email servers by Chinese government hackers that Microsoft disclosed in March 2021.
The SEC’s enforcement division quickly opened an investigation into whether federal securities laws had been broken, the regulator said in court filings.
Covington & Burling, a law firm with offices in Washington and a dozen other cities around the world, investigated whether it was a victim — and ultimately found that hackers compromised its software in November 2020.
- It blamed the hack on “state-sponsored” Chinese hackers who focused on a “small group of lawyers and advisors” and tried to gather information on issues of interest to China ahead of the Biden administration, the firm wrote in a letter disclosed by the SEC.
- Around 300 of Covington’s SEC-regulated clients were affected, according to the letter.
- The firm cooperated with the FBI “within days” of discovering the hack, it said in the letter.
The subpoena and court case
The SEC didn’t learn Covington was hacked until early 2022, it said in a court filing. It’s not clear how the regulator found out, and it declined to comment. The FBI also declined to comment.
On March 21, the regulator issued Covington a subpoena, and Covington complied with most of it. But the SEC also demanded that it provide names and other information of Covington’s SEC-regulated clients who were also affected.
Covington’s lawyers pushed back, calling SEC’s demand a “perilous new course” that could chill the relationship between law firms and their clients if the clients can’t be confident their identities will be protected.
Rosen wrote in a letter to the SEC that he couldn’t find a previous time when the SEC sought “to pry open client communications or intrude on the attorney-client relationship where neither the law firm, nor its partners, nor its clients, are suspected of violating any law.”
- The firm also warned that the push could hurt voluntary cooperation by disincentivizing law firms from disclosing potential cyberthreats to the government in the future.
This month, the SEC went to court to try to force Covington to hand over the list of 298 Covington clients affected by the hack. Covington, which says it will contest the subpoena, has argued that ethical rules prevent it from disclosing the names of clients or communications with those clients.
For his part, the commission’s enforcement director, Gurbir S. Grewal, has argued that its request is narrowly tailored and doesn’t seek any information protected by attorney-client privilege. Grewal insisted the SEC needs the list for it to identify the hackers and any violations of securities laws.
It’s not clear whether the SEC voted unanimously to authorize the lawsuit. The commission declined to comment beyond Grewal’s statement. It also pointed to its website listing commission votes, which doesn’t include the Covington vote.
- But Commissioner Mark Uyeda told Law360 that he has “concerns about us doing enforcement actions against law firms where you have potential privileges at stake.”
A cyber-focused SEC
The suit comes as the SEC adopts a more aggressive posture on cyber issues. Last year, the commission proposed new rules for investment funds and publicly traded firms that would require them to disclose major cyber incidents.
Its chairman, Gary Gensler, has also signaled that the SEC should be playing a major role on cybersecurity issues.
Recently, @CISAJen said that “cybersecurity is a team sport.” “Each and every one of us are a member of Team Cyber.”
— Gary Gensler (@GaryGensler) January 24, 2022
Folks from the private sector are on the front lines, and other government entities captain Team Cyber, but I think the SEC has a key role to play. pic.twitter.com/K6ttASbiRy
The keys
Himes named top Democrat of House Intelligence Committee
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday named Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) as the top Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, which is charged with overseeing the nation’s intelligence agencies and their often secret activities.
“I am deeply honored to have been appointed Ranking Member of the Intelligence Committee,” Himes said in a statement. “The threats against our nation are fast evolving, and it is critical that the Intelligence Community keep pace.”
Himes has long been vocal on cybersecurity issues, including by calling for a more intense response to Russian cyberattacks in 2021 after the Biden administration sanctioned 32 entities and individuals linked to the Kremlin.
Himes has also been active in the debate over foreign commercial spyware. He has called on the administration to withhold U.S. tax dollars from nations that have used foreign commercial spyware to eavesdrop on U.S. citizens, to publicly detail any instances of spyware being used against U.S. diplomats and to “reach an understanding to ban the use of foreign commercial spyware.”
GoodRx leaked user health data to Facebook and Google, FTC says
The Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday imposed a fine of $1.5 million on GoodRx, a drug discount app, for leaking millions of users’ sensitive health information to companies like Facebook and Google without consent, Natasha Singer reports for the New York Times.
In its complaint, the FTC said GoodRx’s use of tracking tools and other information-sharing practices to identify users’ social media accounts for targeted medical ad purposes went against a federal regulation that requires health apps to notify consumers of cybersecurity breaches and the unauthorized disclosure of their data to a third party.
“Digital health companies and mobile apps should not cash in on consumers’ extremely sensitive and personally identifiable health information,” Samuel Levine, director of the FTC’s bureau of consumer protection, said in a statement. “The FTC is serving notice that it will use all of its legal authority to protect American consumers’ sensitive data from misuse and illegal exploitation.”
GoodRx, which is used to find lower prices on prescriptions like antidepressants, HIV medications and treatments for sexually transmitted diseases, said that it disagreed with the regulator's accusations dating back to 2017 but agreed to settle the case to avoid litigation.
If the settlement is approved by a judge, GoodRx would be permanently prohibited from disclosing users' health details for advertising purposes. This case marks the first time that the commission has deployed its Health Notification Rule. It comes as the FTC is cracking down on health privacy and security, especially in states that have moved to ban or restrict access to abortions.
Cyberattack at ION impacts financial trading
The financial data group ION’s derivative trading unit was hit by a cyberattack Tuesday, forcing several European banks and brokers to process stock, bond and commodity trades manually, Isis Almeida, Mark Burton and Lydia Beyoud report for Bloomberg News.
The attack, which impacted 42 of the U.K.-based group’s clients, was linked to the Russian ransomware group LockBit, according to internal ION messages obtained by Bloomberg News.
It caused an outage that “is affecting vital processes such as the calculation of margin calls and regulatory reporting on large market positions, according to impacted brokers,” Almeida, Burton and Beyoud write. “Rival trade-processing systems have also been affected due to complications matching off trades routed via ION, and as a workaround some trades are being processed manually, the brokers said.”
In January, the infamous hacking group targeted Royal Mail, which prevented the U.K. postal company from sending mail internationally. LockBit is known for using malicious software to overtake a victim’s computer before demanding large sums of money to unlock it.
Hill happenings
TikTok dealt another hit as Democratic senator joins calls for banning the app (Wall Street Journal)
Global cyberspace
Cyber insecurity
Privacy patch
Government scan
Daybook
- U.S. cyber ambassador Nathaniel Fick speaks at an event hosted by the German Marshall Fund today at 10:30 a.m.
- California’s Privacy Protection Agency Board will meet today to discuss possible action on proposed cybersecurity regulations.
Secure log off
In today’s third @washingtonpost TikTok, students are using AI to do their homework and teachers are trying to figure out ways to stop them. https://t.co/oGh1o0JfcO pic.twitter.com/3F9WMuMrmN
— Dave Jorgenson 📈 (@davejorgenson) February 1, 2023
Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow. | 2023-02-02T12:50:57+00:00 | washingtonpost.com | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/02/02/sec-suit-charts-perilous-new-course-hacked-law-firm-says/ |
DETROIT (AP) — A tax credit of up to $7,500 could be used to defray the cost of an electric vehicle under the Inflation Reduction Act now moving toward final approval in Congress.
But the auto industry is warning that the vast majority of EV purchases won’t qualify for a tax credit that large.
That’s mainly because of the bill’s requirement that, to qualify for the credit, an electric vehicle must contain a battery built in North America with minerals mined or recycled on the continent.
And those rules become more stringent over time — to the point where, in a few years, it’s possible that no EVs would qualify for the tax credit, says John Bozzella, CEO of the Alliance of Automotive Innovation, a key industry trade group. As of now, the alliance estimates that about 50 of the 72 electric, hydrogen or plug-in hybrid models that are sold in the United States wouldn’t meet the requirements.
“The $7,500 credit might exist on paper,” Bozzella said in a statement, “but no vehicles will qualify for this purchase over the next few years.”
The idea behind the requirement is to incentivize domestic manufacturing and mining, build a robust battery supply chain in North America and lessen the industry’s dependence on overseas supply chains that could be subject to disruptions.
Production of lithium and other minerals that are used to produce EV batteries is now dominated by China. And the world’s leading producer of cobalt, another component of the EV batteries, is the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Though electric vehicles are part of a global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, they require metallic elements known as rare earths, found in places like Myanmar, where an Associated Press investigation has found that the push for green energy has led to environmental destruction.
Under the $740 billion economic package, which passed the Senate over the weekend and is nearing approval in the House, the tax credits would take effect next year. For an EV buyer to qualify for the full credit, 40% of the metals used in a vehicle’s battery must come from North America. By 2027, that required threshold would reach 80%.
If the metals requirement isn’t met, the automaker and its buyers would be eligible for half the tax credit, $3,750.
A separate rule would require that half the batteries’ value must be manufactured or assembled in the North America. If not, the rest of the tax credit would be lost. Those requirements also grow stricter each year, eventually reaching 100% in 2029. Still another rule would require that the EV itself be manufactured in North America, thereby excluding from the tax credit any vehicles made overseas.
Automakers generally don’t release where their components come from or how much they cost. But it’s likely that some versions of Tesla’s Model Y SUV and Model 3 car, the Chevrolet Bolt car and SUV and the Ford Mustang Mach E would be eligible for at least part of the credit. All those vehicles are assembled in North America.
The tax credit would be available only to couples with incomes of $300,000 or less or single people with income of $150,000 or less. And any trucks or SUVs with sticker prices above $80,000 or cars above $55,000 wouldn’t be eligible.
There’s also a new $4,000 credit for buyers of used EVs, a provision that could help modest-income households go electric.
The industry says the North American battery supply chain is too small right now to meet the battery component requirements. It has proposed that the measure expand the list of countries whose battery materials would be eligible for the tax credit to nations that maintain defense agreements with the United States, including NATO members.
One component of the bill would require that after 2024, no vehicle would be eligible for the tax credit if its battery components came from China. Most vehicles now have some parts sourced in China, the alliance said.
Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat and a leading ally of Detroit automakers, complained that Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a critical Democratic vote, had opposed any tax credits for EV purchases.
“I went round-and-round with Senator Manchin, who frankly didn’t support any credit of any kind, so this is a compromise,” Stabenow told reporters Monday. “We’ll work through it and make this as good as we can for our automakers.”
Manchin, long a holdout Democrat who negotiated terms of the deal with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, had blocked previous climate and social spending proposals.
Manchin’s office declined to comment. He told reporters last week that he wants automakers to “get aggressive and make sure that we’re extracting in North America, we’re processing in North America and we put a line on China. I don’t believe that we should be building a transportation mode on the backs of foreign supply chains. I’m not going to do it.”
Stabenow asserted that the bill was written by people who don’t understand that manufacturers can’t simply flip a switch and create a North American supply chain, though they are working on it. Numerous automakers, including General Motors, Ford, Stellantis, Toyota and Hyundai-Kia, have announced plans to build EV battery plants in the United States.
Katie Sweeney, executive vice president of the National Mining Association, said that industry leaders “like the requirement that minerals for batteries be sourced close to home rather than from our geopolitical rivals.”
“Doing that,” she said, “directly supports high-paying jobs here in the United States … secures our supply chain and really enhances our global competitiveness.”
Stabenow said she remains hopeful that the Biden administration can offer the tax credits next year while it works on the detailed rules for the battery requirements.
“We will continue to work with the automakers and the administration on getting as much common sense into the regulations as possible,” the senator said.
Messages were left Monday seeking comment from the White House and the Treasury Department, which would administer the credits.
Stabenow says she’s pleased that the measure would restore tax credits for General Motors, Tesla and Toyota, all of which hit caps under a previous bill and can no longer offer them. Ford, too, she said, is closing in on an EV cap.
____
AP Writers Matthew Daly and Fatima Hussein contributed to this report from Washington. | 2022-08-10T10:35:35+00:00 | cbs4indy.com | https://cbs4indy.com/business/ap-business/most-electric-vehicles-wont-qualify-for-federal-tax-credit/ |
Homeownership company expands to Louisville market with partner Finish Line Realty, to offer certainty in the home transaction to buyers and sellers
NEW YORK, July 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ribbon, the homeownership company, has expanded into Kentucky, a move that empowers Kentucky homebuyers to make all-cash offers with RibbonCash and guarantee closing.
Kentucky represents a major milestone of fifteen states of operation for Ribbon. Kentucky is the company's eighth expansion state this year alone - on its way to half of the U.S. by the end of 2022.
Considered a cornerstone of the American Dream, hopes of homeownership have dwindled for many in the face of rising interest rates, on top of increased competition from wealthy investors. At the end of 2021, total home sales skyrocketed to their highest annual level ($6.2 million) since 2006. In January, high prices and the lowest inventory of unsold homes (860,000 units) plagued the nation.
Home sales in Louisville rose 3.5% in June 2022 compared to last year, selling for a median price of $211,000. Homes sat on the market for 15 days - on par for a tight market compared to 16 days a year ago when competition was at its peak. With high mortgage rates causing additional disruption, buyers lean on real estate brokerages to get the most value for their purchase while sellers prioritize certainty in the transaction.
"Buyers in the market are swimming against a current of fluctuating costs, rising rates, and low inventory," said Shaival Shah, co-founder and CEO of Ribbon. "At Ribbon, we advocate for everyday people who want to own a home - not investors. We're leveling the playing field by equipping buyers with the most powerful offer in real estate and working directly with their agent and loan officer of choice. Further, sellers can feel confident that their deal will close, so they can move on to the next chapter."
RibbonCash Offers are guaranteed to close, providing sellers certainty even in the most competitive and volatile markets. And in a time of fluctuating interest rates, buyers utilizing Ribbon can shop around for the best mortgage rates, elevate their home purchase options, and bid with confidence for the home of their dreams using the most powerful offer in real estate.
As the only cash offer company that does not displace the local ecosystem, Ribbon works directly with real estate professionals and lenders who remain key advocates for buyers and sellers.
Ribbon will hold Kentucky-specific webinars on July 26th & 28th at 10am ET.
To ensure the broadest access for consumers, Ribbon is partnering with Finish Line Realty in Louisville, Kentucky. Through this partnership, Finish Line Realty can now provide all-cash, non-contingent offers on homes that pass inspection to its customers - empowering them to more effectively compete with the institutional investors snapping up residential homes and driving up prices beyond actual value.
"Finish Line Realty's goal is to help everyday buyers achieve their home ownership goals in Louisville's challenging housing market," said Scott Hack, Broker/Owner at Finish Line Realty. "Leveraging Ribbon's all-cash offers allows us to make the American Dream, with all its traditions, a reality for more of our clients."
With its growth into Kentucky, Ribbon now operates across the U.S. in 15 states. The company plans to expand to half of the U.S. by the end of 2022. For more information about Ribbon, visit www.ribbonhome.com.
Founded in 2017 in New York and Charlotte, Ribbon is on a mission to make homeownership achievable. Ribbon allows everyday families to compete on a level playing field with high-net-worth individuals and institutional buyers by upgrading their offers to winning RibbonCash Offers. As the leading real estate technology platform, Ribbon empowers agents, brokerages, and lenders to create a world-class experience for home buyers and sellers through powerful financial products and digital workflow software. Visit ribbonhome.com.
Finish Line Realty has been helping buyers and sellers in metro Louisville, Kentucky since 2011. As a tech-forward independent brokerage, the focus remains on offering or partnering with services and tools that give clients an advantage in the constant changing real estate market. The agents of Finish Line Realty strive to offer an experience that creates raving fans and clients for life. Learn more at louisvillerealestate.com.
Media Contact:
Charlie Ozuturk
Go-to-Market Communications Manager, Ribbon
charlie.ozuturk@ribbonhome.com
732.552.5080
Media Contact:
BLASTmedia for Ribbon
ribbon@blastmedia.com
317.806.1900
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SOURCE Ribbon | 2022-07-26T13:44:08+00:00 | kxii.com | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2022/07/26/ribbon-launches-kentucky-reaching-expansion-milestone-15-states/ |
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Over the past 75 years, the United Nations sent more than 2 million peacekeepers to help countries move away from conflict, with successes from Liberia to Cambodia and major failures in former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. Today, it faces new challenges in the dozen hotspots where U.N. peacekeeping has operations, including more violent environments, fake news campaigns and a divided world that is preventing its ultimate goal: successfully restoring stable governments.
The organization is marking the 75th anniversary of U.N. peacekeeping and observing the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers on Thursday. There will be a ceremony honoring the more than 4,200 peacekeepers who have died since 1948, when a historic decision was made by the U.N. Security Council to send military observers to the Middle East to supervise implementation of Israeli-Arab armistice agreements. The current commander of that mission, which became the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization, will be at a Security Council meeting.
In a message, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called peacekeepers “the beating heart of our commitment to a more peaceful world,” pointing to their support for communities rocked by conflict and upheavals across the globe.
U.N. peacekeeping operations have grown dramatically. At the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s, there were 11,000 U.N. peacekeepers. By 2014, there were 130,000 in 16 far-flung peacekeeping operations. Today, 87,000 men and women serve in 12 conflict areas in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
There have been two kinds of successes, U.N. peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix said in an interview Wednesday with The Associated Press. Those are the long list of countries that have returned to a reasonable degree of stability with the support of U.N. peacekeeping, including Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Mozambique, Angola and Cambodia, and the countries where peacekeepers are not only monitoring but preserving cease-fires like in southern Lebanon and Cyprus.
As for failures, he pointed to the failure of U.N. peacekeepers to prevent the 1994 Rwanda genocide that killed at least 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and Hutus and the 1995 massacre of at least 8,000 mostly Muslim men and boys at Srebrenica during the war in Bosnia, Europe’s only acknowledged genocide since the Holocaust during World War II.
The U.N.’s reputation has also been tarnished by numerous allegations that peacekeepers charged with protecting civilians sexually abused women and children, including in Central African Republic and Congo. Another high-profile blunder was the cholera epidemic in Haiti that began in 2010 after U.N. peacekeepers introduced the bacteria into the country’s largest river by sewage runoff from their base.
Despite that, Richard Gowan, the International Crisis Group’s U.N. director, said “U.N. peacekeeping has a surprisingly decent track record.”
While many people understandably focus on the Rwanda and Srebrenica disasters, he said, “the U.N. has done a good job of tamping down crises, protecting civilians and rebuilding broken states in cases from the Suez crisis in the 1950s to Liberia in the 2000s.”
Looking ahead, the U.N.’s Lacroix said the major challenge peacekeeping is facing is the divided international community and especially divisions in the U.N. Security Council, which must approve its missions.
“The result of that is that we’re not able to achieve what I call the ultimate goal of peacekeeping — to be deployed, support a political process that moves forward, and then gradually roll down when that political process is completed,” he said. “We cannot do that because peace processes are not moving, or they’re not going fast enough.”
The result is that “we have to essentially be content with what I call the intermediate goal of peacekeeping — preserving cease-fires, protecting civilians, we protect hundreds of thousands of them … and doing our best, of course, to support political efforts wherever we can,” the undersecretary-general for peace operations said.
Lacroix pointed to other challenges peacekeepers are facing: The environment in which they are operating is more violent and dangerous and attacks are more sophisticated. Fake news and disinformation “is a massive threat to the population and the peacekeepers.” And old and new drivers of conflict — including transnational criminal activities, trafficking, drugs, weapons, the illegal exploitation of natural resources, and the impact of climate change exacerbating competition between herders and farmers — are also having an “absolutely massive influence.”
The U.N. needs to better address all the challenges, he said. And it needs to keep improving the impact of peacekeeping and implement its initiatives on performance, combating fake news, improving safety and security, and recruiting more women to be peacekeepers.
The Crisis Group’s Gowan told AP it’s pretty clear that the U.N. is “trapped” in some countries like Mali and Congo where there aren’t enough peacekeepers to halt recurring cycles of violence. Some African governments, including Mali, are turning to private security providers like Russia’s Wagner Group to fight insurgents, he said.
“I think we should be wary of dumping U.N. operations outright,” Gowan said. “We have learned the hard way in cases like Afghanistan that even heavily armed Western forces cannot impose peace. The U.N.’s track record may not be perfect, but nobody else is much better at building stability in turbulent states.” | 2023-05-25T06:56:04+00:00 | kron4.com | https://www.kron4.com/news/world/ap-international/ap-un-peacekeeping-on-75th-anniversary-successes-failures-and-many-challenges/ |
KYIV, Ukraine — (AP) — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol made a surprise visit to Ukraine on Saturday, offering an apparent show of support for the country in its war with Russia.
Yoon's office said he traveled to Ukraine with his wife, Kim Keon Hee, following trips to Lithuania for a NATO summit and to Poland. It's his first visit since Russia invaded Ukraine almost 17 months ago.
Yoon toured Bucha and Irpin, a pair of small cities near Kyiv where bodies of civilians were found in the streets and mass graves after Russian troops retreated from the capital region last year. He laid flowers at a monument to the country's war dead.
The South Korean leader was scheduled to hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later in the day, Yoon’s senior adviser for press affairs, Kim Eun-hye, said in a statement.
South Korea, a key U.S. ally in Asia, joined international sanctions against Russia and has provided Ukraine with humanitarian and financial support to Ukraine.
But the Asian nation, a growing arms exporter, has not provided weapons to Ukraine Ukraine in line with its long-standing policy of not supplying arms to countries actively engaged in conflict.
Earlier this month, Yoon said in written responses to questions from The Associated Press that supplies of de-mining equipment, ambulances and other non-military materials "are in the works" following a request from Ukraine.
He said South Korea already provided support to replace the Kakhovka Dam, which was destroyed last month. The Russian and Ukrainian governments have accused the other of blowing up the dam, but the evidence suggests Russia had more of a motive to cause deadly flooding, endanger crops and threaten drinking water supplies in a contested part of Ukraine.
“The government of the Republic of Korea is firmly committed to actively joining the United States and other liberal democracies in international efforts to defend the freedom of Ukraine,” Yoon said in written responses to the AP.
During a January visit to South Korea, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called for the country to provide direct military support to Ukraine, saying Kyiv was in urgent need of weapons to fight off the prolonged Russian invasion.
In May, when Yoon met Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska in Seoul, the president said he would expand South Korea's non-lethal aid to Ukraine. Yoon's spokesperson, Lee Do Woon, said at the time that Zelenska made no request for South Korean weapons supplies during her conversation with Yoon.
Since Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, South Korea has reached billions of dollars worth of deals to provide tanks, howitzers, fighter jets and other weapons systems to NATO member Poland.
An American official said in November that the United States had agreed to buy 100,000 artillery rounds from South Korean manufacturers to provide to Ukraine, although South Korean officials have maintained that the munitions were meant to refill depleted U.S. stocks.
Yoon and Zelenskyy met in May on the sidelines of a Group of Seven industrialized nations summit in Hiroshima, Japan. Zelensky thanked South Korea for its humanitarian shipments of medicines, computers and generators and requested additional provisions of non-lethal items, Yoon’s office said at the time.
The two leaders also agreed to work to assist South Korean companies taking part in post-war reconstruction projects in Ukraine, according to Yoon’s office.
Yoon and his wife's visit came two days after Russia launched another barrage of Iranian-made drones at the Kyiv region. Ukrainian officials said their air defenses intercepted the drones but that wreckage fell on four districts of the capital, wounding two people and destroying several homes.
Although Kyiv did not come under attack in the hours before the South Korean president's arrival, Ukrainian forces on Friday and overnight downed 10 Russian drones across the country, the Ukrainian air force reported Saturday.
In a Telegram post, the air force added that Moscow fired six Iranian-made Shahed drones at Ukraine’s south and east during the night, four of which were shot down. It did not immediately give details of any casualties or damage.
In southern Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia province, where Ukraine has been engaged in a counteroffensive to take back occupied territory, there were 45 air and artillery attacks between Friday and Saturday, Gov. Yurii Malashka reported.
Russian forces shelled neighboring Kherson province 70 times over the same period, using mortars, artillery, drones, tanks, aviation and multiple rocket launchers, Gov. Oleksandr Prokudin said Saturday. No civilians were wounded, he said.
Russian shelling over the past day killed one civilian in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk province, Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko reported Saturday. Ukrainain forces have been pressing their counteroffensive in the area, inching their way from Velyka Novosilka down toward the Russian-occupied city of Mariupol.
___
Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | 2023-07-15T10:11:40+00:00 | wsbtv.com | https://www.wsbtv.com/news/world/south-korean/A45AKHTSV5PGYN3FA2D4QTM3EE/ |
Joseph Dituri is spending 100 days living under the ocean to further scientific research.
“I’m so good it’s criminal,” Dituri said.
Clearly, he is ecstatic to be living underwater. It’s a dream that is more than a decade in the making.
“It was December 24 of 2012 and James Cameron’s team had invited me out to his house to go look at his submersible, figure out its intrinsic value,” Dituri said.
While there Dituri said he found something incredible.
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“We had pulled the DNA sample off of one of the things that he found at 35,000 feet, and it was a partial cure for Alzheimer’s. The DNA existing naturally at the depth of 35,000 feet, was a partial cure for Alzheimer’s. At that point, I said, ‘We have Ying, we have Yang, we have disease, we have cure. It’s all here.’ I said, ‘We have to live in the ocean.’”
He said there were some obstacles to getting to where he is today, including the Coronavirus Pandemic. He is now attempting a world record, to spend 100 days underwater at a 100-square-foot habitat located at Jules’ Undersea Lodge in Key Largo.
Since taking the dive he has noticed some physical changes. He said a team even discovered a new organism on the ocean floor near his unique habitat, but what he is really excited about is how his research will help injured veterans and humans on their mission to Mars.
“My master’s (degree) is in astronautical engineering, right? So, I know a little bit about that. And I teach bioastronautics. So when you go through and go to Mars, it’s going to take at least 200 days. So people are like why is the mission 100 days long? Well, it’s 100 days long, because I couldn’t get the funding to go 200 days, but we’re doing everything analogous to space travel.”
He said he is using similar workout equipment to maintain muscle underwater as astronauts do on the International Space Station. He said living a large part of his time underwater in isolation also allows for valuable data to be collected as humans prepare to take the long journey to Mars.
He also said his work can help veterans suffering from brain injuries.
As a veteran that served 28 years in the navy, Dituri said he is honored to have had the opportunity to “go back to school and get a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering” after retirement.
He said this record-breaking attempt parallels the work he does with patients.
“I treat traumatic brain injury at the same pressure that I’m at right now because it increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor and insulin growth factor and all the other things that are involved in fixing traumatic brain injury,” Dituri said.
To make things even better Dituri added he gets to share all of this with young kids, who may want to pursue a career in STEAM like him someday.
“The other day I was here and I had a girl swim down — a little 13-year-old girl — swim down. She’s trying, she’s trying, she’s trying to high-five me. She did not give up. God bless that girl. And she high-fived me right in that window and I was like, I took a selfie right here. I was like, ‘Good for her.’ I sent it to the surface and she saw it and she started crying. And I was like, ‘No, you didn’t give up, good for you.’ Like, everybody’s like, ‘What if you don’t make it to 100 days?’ I’m like, ‘Did you see what we did with the little girl? Like I’m done! We’re good!’”
To learn more about Dituri’s underwater mission and to take a tour of his facility check out Florida’s Fourth Estate. You can download it from wherever you listen to podcasts or watch anytime on News 6+.
You can listen to every episode of Florida’s Fourth Estate in the media player below: | 2023-03-31T23:57:01+00:00 | clickorlando.com | https://www.clickorlando.com/podcasts/2023/03/31/not-spongebob-florida-man-lives-under-the-sea-for-science/ |
Beloved LA Hotspot Makes its Highly Anticipated Debut in The UAE
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Oct. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, The Nice Guy announces the grand opening of its first international outpost in Dubai's Emirates Towers. A joint venture between The h.wood Group and MKIA Hospitality, The Nice Guy Dubai is evocative of the brand's flagship location in West Hollywood, inspired by the same cozy aesthetic that pays homage to the decadent era of Mafia bars and restaurants. In addition to an intimate lounge and restaurant space, the venue will also feature a romantic, lit outdoor patio and terrace that extends the palpable atmosphere beyond its walls. The Nice Guy Dubai will follow suit of its predecessor as a highly sought-after, reservations-only destination, complete with a world-class lineup of classic Italian cuisine offerings for lunch and dinner, including signature menu items and crafted cocktails. In true The Nice Guy fashion, dining hours will seamlessly transition into a nightlife backdrop with regularly programmed live entertainment and DJ sets.
"The emergence of The Nice Guy in the region has been nearly 3 years in the making," says Co-Founder of The h.wood Group, John Terzian. "The original concept from when we were opening in LA was our first venture into a hybrid restaurant/lounge. Having explored the F&B scene in Dubai, we felt strongly that The Nice Guy experience would be a breath of fresh air for our clientele in the Middle East. The Nice Guy Dubai also marks the first step into organic construction for The h.wood Group, which is juxtaposed with a fun and upscale lounge atmosphere, ideal for the Dubai nightlife and dining scene."
"We approached The h.wood Group team after spending years following their success and the power behind the name 'The Nice Guy.' Not to sound cliché but there was something about the name that instantly clicked, and I knew it was exactly the venue that Dubai needed. My main goal working with the team in LA is to maintain the vision of The Nice Guy brand," says managing Partner and Co-Founder of MKIA Hospitality, Mohammad Irshaid. "Therefore, when it came to creating the Dubai venue, we have worked to keep the same layout and design elements from the establishment in LA."
A nod to the original West Hollywood venue designed by John Sofio of Built, Inc., upon entry, guests will be greeted by a vintage marble and brass bar. Its size, scale and shape invites patrons to step into a uniquely intimate social atmosphere that simultaneously encourages conversation and a sense of camaraderie. The booths that line the exterior wall offer a private dining setting for guests, while the larger booths flanking the room stimulate the elevated nightlife scene that vibrates throughout the evening. The decor found throughout the Nice Guy Dubai also mirrors the custom inlaid carpets paired along with classic lighting fixtures that add warmth and comfort to the space, showcasing its signature decadent, yet inviting feel. With a commitment to sustainability, the interiors are constructed with a variety of organic materials that can be found in the custom cedar walls, enriched tones, and reimagined ceiling design.
Culinary Operations Director of The h.wood Group, Michael Teich comments, "We have revamped the menu especially for Dubai but will keep the essence of The Nice Guy LA by bringing fan favorites from overseas for our exclusive guests at The Nice Guy Dubai to experience. Historically, our menu takes guests back to a time when gathering to eat and drink was the foundation for a great night on the town. So, we curate the menu by turning classic foods on its head. Expect the unexpected at The Nice Guy."
The Nice Guy Dubai's menu reinforces the restaurant's culinary excellence and aptitude offering the beloved classic Italian dishes featured on the West Hollywood menu. Diners can expect distinctly Italian plates with a unique LA spin such as Lobster Pizza, Kale Salad, Cacio e Pepe, and Margherita Pizza. A special late-night menu is sure to please the after-hours crowd with Truffle Fries, Shrimp Scampi and the NICE GUY Burger, all of which can be paired with indulgent-meets-iconic craft cocktails such as The Jojo, The Spicy Siena, and Drake's Spritze. Menu items unique to the Dubai outpost include Burrata with candy cherry tomatoes and fire roasted black grapes, Saffron Arancini and a vegan-friendly twist on a classic, the Meatball Pizza. The dessert selection is equally distinctive, featuring The Nice Guy favorites such as the Warm Chocolate Chip Cookie served with cold milk, and the classic Tiramisu, as well a lineup of dishes unique to Dubai including the Lemon Tart and the Vanilla Panna Cotta with a basil twist.
The Nice Guy Dubai joins the impressive portfolio of luxury restaurant and nightlife brands created by Los Angeles-based hospitality and lifestyle marketing masterminds, The h.wood Group. The vision of longtime friends John Terzian and Brian Toll as a way for the consummate hosts and entrepreneurs to bring their high-end, thoughtful concepts and passion for service to life, The h.wood Group's is responsible for some of the most iconic brands in the world including the world-renowned supper club, Delilah in Los Angeles, the Wynn Las Vegas and soon to open Miami outpost; Sant'olina at The Beverly Hilton; Bootsy Bellows and Poppy; The Peppermint Club; SHOREbar; Texas-meets-LA barbeque joint SLAB; the forthcoming The Nice Guy Aspen and Harriet's Rooftop at 1 Hotel West Hollywood, Brooklyn & Toronto.
The Nice Guy Dubai
@theniceguydubai
Location: Ground Floor, Emirates Towers Blvd.
Hours: Thursday to Sunday | 12:00 PM - 3:00 AM; Monday to Wednesday | 12:00 PM - 1:00 AM
Reservation: Call (04) 276 9888, message via Whatsapp (0)528630254 or email at reservations@theniceguydubai.ae
About The Nice Guy
The Nice Guy is an intimate restaurant and lounge, complete with world-class culinary offerings. A step above a restaurant, but not quite a club, the venue is a cozy, reservations-only destination for h.wood friends and family. Its aesthetic evokes the decadent lore of mafia bars and restaurants, where the owners and their friends could enjoy an evening together. Whether grabbing an early dinner or mingling into the early morning hours, the space cultivates a feeling of camaraderie among its clientele, which keeps guests coming back night after night.
About The h.wood Group
The h.wood Group is a Los Angeles based, hospitality and lifestyle marketing company with an iconic portfolio of luxury nightlife and restaurant venues. The vision of longtime friends John Terzian and Brian Toll, The h.wood Group was founded in 2008 as a way for the consummate hosts and entrepreneurs to bring their high-end, thoughtful concepts and passion for service to life. From Delilah and The Nice Guy, to Bootsy Bellows and Harriet's, The h.wood Group is responsible for some of the most iconic brands in the world. With eleven venues in Los Angeles, three across the country and six new ones on the horizon, The h.wood Group is rapidly expanding thanks to its multi-concept portfolio uniquely positioned to cater to different markets. This growth is guided by the brand's core values - distinct design, exceptional service and palpable atmosphere - which combine to create extraordinary moments for every guest. The h.wood Group experience is known well beyond the walls of their brick-and-mortar locations, through its work as one of the most reputable event producers in the world. With passions for art, fashion, sports and entertainment, The h.wood Group's signature approach to service and storytelling unites brands, consumers and talent at some of the world's most iconic cultural events including Coachella, F1, Cannes, Art Basel and more. The h.wood Group offers corporate branding, catering, event production and marketing services at both private events and international pop-ups, reflecting and shaping popular culture on both local and global scales.
For more information, please visit: www.hwoodgroup.com.
About MKIA Hospitality
MKIA Hospitality is a full-service advisory, development and operations management firm based in Dubai, formed by Managing Partner and Co-Founder Mohammad Irshaid, who has over 10 years' experience in F&B industry. Along with his partners, MKIA branches out to its first licensed nightlife spot, The Nice Guy. With a team of world-class talent, MKIA delivers world class expertise in curating & bringing international brands to the region and will soon expand its portfolio further. The key to the group's success is ensuring that the brands in its portfolio uphold the coherence and integrity of their original concepts while offering customers an experience that highlights the elements that are fundamental to the brand.
For Media Inquiries on The Nice Guy Dubai:
Kathryn Wingrove: kathryn@z7communications.com
Ola Zachara: ola@z7communications.com
For Media Inquiries on The h.wood Group:
Tracey Manner: tmanner@sequel-inc.com
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SOURCE The h.wood Group | 2022-10-14T14:18:11+00:00 | kcbd.com | https://www.kcbd.com/prnewswire/2022/10/14/nice-guy-dubai-is-now-open/ |
FREMONT, Calif., Feb. 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Lam Research Corp. (NASDAQ: LRCX) today announced a series of changes to its management structure across operations, innovation, product groups and sales, which together are intended to further position the company to capitalize on strong future growth opportunities in the semiconductor industry. Effective March 1, 2023, new leadership appointments include Pat Lord moving into the newly created position of executive vice president and chief operating officer (COO). Vahid Vahedi will take on the role of senior vice president and chief technology officer (CTO) – succeeding Rick Gottscho, who begins a new executive leadership position at the company focused on the innovation ecosystem. In addition, Sesha Varadarajan will oversee the newly combined etch and deposition business unit, Global Products Group, and Neil Fernandes becomes senior vice president, global customer operations. Lord, Vahedi, Gottscho, Varadarajan and Fernandes will report directly to Tim Archer, president and chief executive officer at Lam.
"The criticality of semiconductors has been amplified with the accelerated digitization of the global economy. As an industry leader, Lam is committed to excellence in delivering the cutting-edge technology and operational efficiencies necessary to ensure we are well-positioned for long-term success," said Archer. "Pat, Vahid, Rick, Sesha and Neil exemplify the Lam core values of agility, achievement, and innovation and continuous improvement. This next phase of leadership at Lam will reinforce the company's ability to capitalize on future innovation inflections and support our customers in the 3D era of chipmaking and beyond."
As COO, Lord will be responsible for driving operational effectiveness, productivity and business resilience in support of Lam's long-term growth goals. Previously executive vice president of Lam's Customer Support Business Group (CSBG) and global operations, his role will now expand to include the company's Global Information Systems and Global Resilience, Security, and Transformation groups. This combined oversight will enable tighter integration between global operations and business transformation initiatives, advancing Lam's ability to nimbly adapt to changing market conditions. Lord, who joined Lam in 2012 as part of the company's acquisition of Novellus Systems, has nearly 30 years of management experience across semiconductor technologies and business.
As CTO, Vahedi will focus on driving breakthrough solutions that will define the next generation of semiconductors, ranging from dry resist technology to innovations in etch, deposition, advanced packaging and materials science that will accelerate scaling in the 3D era. Vahedi brings 27 years of technology and business leadership experience to the position. Joining Lam in 1995, Vahedi was most recently the senior vice president and general manager of Lam's etch business where he led the development of the company's dielectric etch, conductor and 3DIC etch innovations, and was responsible for the launch of Sense.i®, Lam's newest and most innovative etch platform to date.
As senior vice president of the Global Products Group, Varadarajan will oversee product design, engineering and business processes to deliver industry-leading etch and deposition solutions at the right cost, quality, volume and reliability for its customers. Varadarajan has 23 years of experience in business and technology leadership at Lam, most recently serving as general manager of the company's deposition product group. Previously, he held a range of other senior leadership positions at the company.
Previously global vice president of customer operations, in his new role, Fernandes will lead sales and customer operations across Lam's global footprint. He joined the company in 2012 following the acquisition of Novellus Systems. Fernandes has over 30 years of experience in semiconductor equipment business and has held a range of leadership positions in sales operations, marketing and technology. Fernandes succeeds Scott Meikle, who after six years at Lam, has decided to retire.
Additional information and biographies of the Lam management team are available at www.lamresearch.com.
About Lam Research
Lam Research Corporation (NASDAQ: LRCX) is a global supplier of innovative wafer fabrication equipment and services to the semiconductor industry. Lam's equipment and services allow customers to build smaller and better performing devices. In fact, today, nearly every advanced chip is built with Lam technology. We combine superior systems engineering, technology leadership, and a strong values-based culture, with an unwavering commitment to our customers. Lam Research is a FORTUNE 500® company headquartered in Fremont, California, with operations around the globe. Learn more at www.lamresearch.com.
Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Statements made in this press release that are not of historical fact are forward-looking statements and are subject to the safe harbor provisions created by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements relate to, but are not limited to: the ability of the new executive appointments to extend our innovation leadership, position us for long-term growth, or position us to capitalize on growth opportunities in the semiconductor industry; the strength of those future growth opportunities; the criticality of semiconductors to the global economy; our commitment to delivering the cutting-edge technology and operational efficiencies; our ability to position ourselves for long-term success; the effects of our leadership changes; our ability to capitalize on future innovation inflections and support our customers; the roles and responsibilities of our executives; our ability to integrate global operations and business transformation initiatives and the effects of such integration on our ability to adapt to changing market conditions; our ability to achieve breakthrough solutions to define the next generation of semiconductors; and our ability to accelerate scaling in the 3D era; our ability to deliver industry leading etch and deposition solutions at the right cost, quality, volume, and reliability for its customers. Some factors that may affect these forward-looking statements include: trade regulations, export controls, trade disputes, and other geopolitical tensions may inhibit our ability to sell our products; business, political and/or regulatory conditions in the consumer electronics industry, the semiconductor industry and the overall economy may deteriorate or change; the actions of our customers and competitors may be inconsistent with our expectations; supply chain cost increases and other inflationary pressures have impacted and are expected to continue to impact our profitability; supply chain disruptions have limited and are expected to continue to limit our ability to meet demand for our products; the severity, magnitude and duration of the COVID–19 pandemic (and the related governmental, public health, business and community responses to it), and their impacts on our business, results of operations and financial condition, are evolving and are highly uncertain and unpredictable; and widespread outbreaks of illness may impact our operations and revenue in affected areas; as well as the other risks and uncertainties that are described in the documents filed or furnished by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including specifically the Risk Factors described in our annual report on Form 10–K for the fiscal year ended June 26, 2022 and our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended December 25, 2022. These uncertainties and changes could materially affect the forward-looking statements and cause actual results to vary from expectations in a material way. The Company undertakes no obligation to update the information or statements made in this release.
Company Contacts
Laura Bakken
Public Relations
(510) 972-5029
publicrelations@lamresearch.com
Ram Ganesh
Investor Relations
(510) 572-1615
investor.relations@lamresearch.com
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SOURCE Lam Research Corp. | 2023-02-22T01:20:45+00:00 | wlbt.com | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2023/02/21/lam-research-announces-new-executive-appointments-extend-innovation-leadership-position-company-long-term-growth/ |
Couple stabbed by son-in-law angry about divorce, authorities say
CRETE, Ill. (WLS) - Authorities say an Illinois couple were stabbed in their home by their son-in-law in what may have been a fit of rage over his divorce from their daughter.
The Will County Sheriff’s Department found a couple – a 66-year-old woman and a 68-year-old man – bleeding profusely with multiple injuries Thursday night inside their home in Crete, Illinois.
“My heart broke. I couldn’t do anything but sob through the neighborhood,” neighbor Betsy Hauenschild said. “It’s so sad. It’s so horribly sad. They didn’t deserve this.”
A 36-year-old man from Wisconsin was also found inside the home with stab wounds. Authorities identified him as the victims’ son-in law and believe he attacked the couple. They said he may have been angry about his divorce from their daughter.
The suspect was due to report to jail Friday for domestic battery.
All three people found in the house were taken to the hospital in critical condition. The woman has been released from the hospital, but her husband and the suspect remain in critical condition.
The husband was expected to survive his injuries, according to law enforcement.
Neighbors say the woman is a retired teacher. They describe the couple as good people, who were seen walking in the neighborhood almost every day.
“I wanted to pray before their house for them because they are a wonderfully sweet and kind couple. I just always enjoyed seeing them always. It was always a pleasure,” Hauenschild said.
Authorities say it appeared a gun may have been fired both inside and outside the home, but it was not clear if anyone had been struck with gunfire.
The investigation remains active and ongoing.
Copyright 2022 WLS via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | 2022-12-04T07:33:46+00:00 | wfsb.com | https://www.wfsb.com/2022/12/04/couple-stabbed-by-son-in-law-angry-about-divorce-authorities-say/ |
Mother of woman allegedly killed by ex-husband says she felt unsafe in their home
MADISON COUNTY, Miss. (WLBT/Gray News) - The grandmother of a woman who was allegedly killed by her bodybuilder ex-husband said she felt she was in danger while in their home.
In September 2022, 39-year-old Katie Baunach’s life was allegedly taken at the hands of her ex-husband, 43-year-old Ian Baunach, who is a bodybuilder and former Marine. After killing her, Ian Baunach was accused of burning her body in an attempt to hide the evidence.
He pleaded not guilty to the accusations.
Carolyn McKinney, Katie Baunach’s mother, said the couple had met on Christian Mingle and she was concerned from the start because he was a total stranger. She said her concern turned to dread when she looked him up online and found “page after page after page” of arrests.
She told WLBT it was “a mother’s worse nightmare.”
McKinney said she asked to meet Ian Baunach face-to-face without her daughter knowing. During this meeting, McKinney said he gave her an explanation for all of his arrests. She said he told her he was a bodybuilder, and women would often take advantage of him and accuse him of doing things he didn’t do. Because of his size compared to the women, police would always take their sides, Ian Baunach claimed.
Despite the many accusations, Ian Baunach was never convicted of a crime. His cases in Indiana were also expunged, according to reports. Ian Baunach’s two ex-wives also said they had reported the bodybuilder’s abuse, but that the authorities never took their claims seriously.
McKinney told WLBT that, despite her misgivings, she knew her daughter was smart and “would not put up with anyone mistreating her or disrespecting her, so I kept pushing my feelings aside.”
The couple eventually had two children, a boy and a girl. They also got married and began to build a life together in Florida.
McKinney said Ian Baunach would ask her to retire early and move in with his family. He told her he was raised by his grandmother and wished for his children to have that experience as well.
McKinney said she was taken by his kindness, but wanted to take time to pray about the decision first. Eventually, she said she decided to take him up on the offer, but as soon as she moved into the home, she said something was off.
McKinney said Ian Baunach’s dog, Zeus, was severely punished after it killed one of the couple’s chickens that had escaped from a chicken coup in the backyard. She said she witnessed Ian Baunach beating Zeus with a piece of wood before tying him to a tree and hitting him with the chicken’s corpse.
KcMinney said she raised these concerns with her daughter, but was told Ian Baunach “was an idiot” and brushed off.
Despite her daughter’s dismissals, McKinney said living at the house always felt tense. She said Ian Baunach would be angry with her every time she left the home to run errands because he had not given her permission to leave.
During one fight, McKinney said she watched her son-in-law “transform into the Hulk.”
“He turned from his regular self to this monster,” she told WLBT.
The grandmother said Ian Baunach began screaming at her, and she said she felt she was in danger and knew she had to leave.
Without saying goodbye to her grandchildren, McKinney said she escaped to Mississippi to live with her brother, a retired U.S. Marshal.
In late 2020, McKinney said she bought a house, got a job, and set up a new life for herself in Canton.
Eventually, McKinney said things devolved between Ian Baunach and her daughter. She said Katie Baunach would call her to tell her about her husband’s erratic mood swings which would see him calm one moment before screaming in her face the next moment.
However, Katie Baunach stayed in the relationship, thinking she could love Ian through this behavior, and that one day he would change, McKinney said.
Katie Baunach would eventually try to leave after the physical abuse started. McKinney said Ian Baunach tried to strangle her daughter in one circumstance. Before she could escape, Ian Baunach allegedly told his wife he had found the Lord, and the charges against him were dropped as the two tried to make things work again.
McKinney said things only got worse from there. She said the couple divorced in January of 2022. Katie Baunach was gone eight months later.
At that time, Katie Baunach was trying to receive a restraining order against her ex-husband. For reasons still unknown, that restraining order was denied.
“I want law enforcement and judges to believe women when they say they are being hurt,” McKinney said.
McKinney said her daughter was funny and talented and that she always went after what she wanted.
“Katie was a wonderful person,” McKinney said. “Other kids, you ask them what they want to be when they grow up, they want to be doctors and firemen and such. She said she wanted to be a mommy.”
McKinney said her daughter was working to become a nurse practitioner, and that she just had her clinicals left before she was murdered.
Between working a full-time job and taking care of her grandchildren, McKinney said she hasn’t had time to grieve the loss of her daughter. She said the two children are also in grief counseling and working to process the loss of their mother.
McKinney said the future for her and her grandchildren is uncertain, and the kids don’t like living in Canton
“This doesn’t feel like home,” McKinney says at one point. “Nothing feels like home anymore.”
Copyright 2023 WLBT via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | 2023-03-07T01:15:34+00:00 | wsfa.com | https://www.wsfa.com/2023/03/07/mother-woman-allegedly-killed-by-ex-husband-says-she-felt-unsafe-their-home/ |
Grammy-winning musician Bonnie Raitt is postponing performances scheduled for next month as she addresses a "medical situation" that requires surgery.
Raitt, 73, will not be performing at Brandi Carlile’s Mothership Weekend in two weeks. Her shows scheduled for May 17 to 23 in Athens, Georgia; Louisville, Kentucky; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, will be performed at a later date.
"The doctors say that in order for her to heal properly, they recommend she not perform for a couple of weeks," a statement posted to Raitt's Twitter account said.
PATRICK SWAYZE'S WIDOW LISA NIEMI RECALLS FIRST SIGNS OF HIS PANCREATIC CANCER: ‘I’M CONTINUING HIS FIGHT'
"We deeply apologize for this delay and inconvenience. It's always upsetting to have to disappoint her fans, band, crew and our promoters, but sometimes unforeseen things just happen," the statement continued.
It is unclear what exactly her medical situation entails.
Her show in Louisville has already been rescheduled for June 30 and her Indianapolis performance has been rescheduled for July 1. The dates for the shows in Athens and Pittsburgh are still to be determined.
COURTENEY COX'S EX-HUSBAND DAVID ARQUETTE ADMITS HE FELT ‘INFERIOR’ DURING THE HEIGHT OF HER ‘FRIENDS’ FAME
"Thankfully, Bonnie’s in great hands. She was so looking forward to these shows, but we’re excited to be able to resume our 2023 tour, now kicking off in Dublin, Ireland, June 1st," the statement read. "Thank you for your well wishes and understanding, and we very much appreciate your respecting her request for privacy at this healing time."
The statement confirmed that tickets for the initial dates will be valid for the rescheduled shows.
The postponed concerts were part of Raitt’s tour called "Just Like That," which began last year in support of her studio album. Prior to this tour, she had not been on tour since 2019.
Raitt was awarded the Song of the Year at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards in February for her album’s title track, "Just Like That." | 2023-04-29T07:41:56+00:00 | foxbangor.com | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/national/musician-bonnie-raitt-postpones-tour-dates-over-medical-situation/article_2413b158-9b79-5bed-8e56-6d0e05eb0bd9.html |
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