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By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS (AP Business Writer)
NEW YORK (AP) — Troubled trucking company Yellow Corp. is shutting down and headed for a bankruptcy, the Teamsters said Monday.
An official bankruptcy filing is expected any day for Yellow, after years of financial struggles and growing debt. Its expected liquidation would mark a significant shift for the U.S. transportation industry and shippers nationwide.
“Today’s news is unfortunate but not surprising. Yellow has historically proven that it could not manage itself despite billions of dollars in worker concessions and hundreds of millions in bailout funding from the federal government,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry.”
Yellow did not immediately respond to The Associated Press’ requests for comment on Sunday and Monday. As of midday Monday, no bankruptcy filings from the company could be found on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website, but the union confirmed that it had been served legal notice.
The company’s collapse arrives just three years after Yellow, formerly known as YRC Worldwide Inc., received $700 million in pandemic-era loans from the federal government. But the company was in financial trouble long before that — with industry analysts pointing to poor management and strategic decisions dating back decades.
Former Yellow customers and shippers will face higher prices as they take their business to competitors, including FedEx or ABF Freight, experts say — noting that Yellow historically offered the cheapest price points in the industry.
Yellow is one of the nation’s largest less-than-truckload carriers. The closure of the 99-year-old Nashville, Tennessee-based company risks a loss of 30,000 jobs.
Safety vests that appeared to belong to former Yellow workers were zip-tied to the fence of a closed YRC Freight terminal in St. Louis, Missouri on Monday. Names and years worked at the company were written on them.
“Ron Fisher 2017-2023 was here,” one vest read.
Reports of Yellow preparing for bankruptcy emerged last week — as the Nashville, Tennessee-based trucker saw customers leave in large numbers, per The Wall Street Journal and FreightWaves. And the company reportedly stopped freight pickups earlier in the week.
Yellow shut down operations on Sunday, according to The Journal, following the layoffs of hundreds of nonunion employees on Friday.
The bankruptcy preparation reports arrived just days after Yellow averted a strike from the Teamsters, which represents Yellow’s 22,000 unionized workers, amid heated contract negotiations. On July 23, a pension fund agreed to extend health benefits for workers at two Yellow Corp. operating companies, avoiding a planned walkout. The fund gave Yellow “30 days to pay its bills,” notably $50 million that Yellow failed to pay the Central States Health and Welfare Fund earlier in the month.
Yellow has racked up hefty bills over the years. As of late March, Yellow had an outstanding debt of about $1.5 billion. Of that, $729.2 million was owed to the federal government.
In 2020, under the Trump administration, the Treasury Department granted the company a $700 million pandemic-era loan on national security grounds. Last month, a congressional probe concluded that the Treasury and Defense departments “made missteps” in this decision — and noted that Yellow’s “precarious financial position at the time of the loan, and continued struggles, expose taxpayers to a significant risk of loss.”
The government loan is due in September 2024. As of March, Yellow had made $54.8 million in interest payments and repaid just $230 million of the principal owed, according to government documents.
The current financial chaos at Yellow “is probably two decades in the making,” said Stifel research director Bruce Chan, pointing to poor management and strategic decisions dating back to the early 2000s. “At this point, after each party has bailed them out so many times, there is a limited appetite to do that anymore.”
A Wednesday investors note from financial service firm Stephens estimated that Yellow was burning daily amounts of $9 million to $10 million in recent days.
Yellow handled an average of 49,000 shipments per day in 2022 according to Satish Jindel, president of transportation and logistics firm SJ Consulting. On Friday, he estimated that number was down to between 10,000 and 15,000 daily shipments.
Yellow’s prices have historically been the cheapest compared to other carriers, Jindel said. “That’s why they obviously were not making money,” he added. “And while there is capacity with the other LTL carriers to handle the diversions from Yellow, it will come at a high price for (current shippers and customers) of Yellow.”
—-
AP Business Writer Matt Ott contributed to this report.
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https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/07/31/teamsters-say-trucking-giant-yellow-corp-is-ceasing-operations-filing-for-bankruptcy/
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VATICAN CITY (AP) — When Pope Francis made the first foreign trip of his papacy, to Rio de Janeiro for World Youth Day in 2013, he urged young people to make a “mess” in their local churches, to shake things up even if it ruffled the feathers of their bishops.
As he embarks this week on another edition of World Youth Day, in Lisbon, Portugal, Francis in many ways has taken his own advice to heart. After 10 years as pope, Francis is accelerating his reform agenda and making revolutionary changes in personnel and policy that are definitely shaking things up.
Unencumbered by the shadow of Pope Benedict XVI, who died seven months ago, and despite recovering from a second intestinal surgery in as many years, the 86-year-old Francis is opening a frenetic second half of the year with his Portugal visit. He seems aware that he has a limited sweet spot of time to solidify the changes he believes are necessary for the 21st century church, and is looking to the next generation of faithful and leaders to execute them.
“The sense I get is that this is the consolidation phase of the pontificate,” said papal biographer Austen Ivereigh. “He’s laying the basis now, laying the ground, for the future.”
And no better place to put it on display than at a World Youth Day. The international rally, which St. John Paul II launched in 1986 to galvanize young Catholics in their faith, is expected to draw up to 1 million people for the first post-pandemic event of its kind. Francis’ perennial social justice concerns about climate change, social inequality and fraternity, as well as Russia’s war in Ukraine, are expected to be major themes.
Beyond Portugal, though, Francis’ multifold strategy for laying the groundwork for the future is coming together and will hit significant marks in the coming months.
His global canvassing of rank-and-file Catholics about their vision for the future comes to fruition this October with a big synod at the Vatican. The meeting is intended to give direction on such hot-button issues as the place of LGBTQ+ Catholics and women in the church, and for the first time will feature women and young people voting on proposals alongside bishops.
“I really think that for Pope Francis, he felt that ‘OK, now it’s mature’ and it would be good really to involve all the members, all the people in the synod as members” with the right to vote, said Sister Nathalie Becquart, who is one of the key synod organizers.
To then implement the vision that emerges from the synod, Francis has been naming a slew of unusually young bishops for key archdioceses — in his native Buenos Aires, Madrid and Brussels, among others. At the same time, he’s elevated several cardinals in their 50s — and in some cases their 40s — including the auxiliary bishop of Lisbon who is organizing World Youth Day.
Putting such young clerics in such important positions ensures a generation’s worth of likeminded leadership in the Vatican and archdioceses around the world. While not all are cookie-cutter proteges of Francis, many are seen as similarly pastorally minded and thus more game to implement his reforms, especially as the older generation of bishops and cardinals dies out.
After Francis is gone, the youngest of these new cardinals will have some three decades’ worth of local leadership and conclave votes to select future popes, suggesting a generational and ideological shift in the church leadership is very much underway.
Francis’ most important young “legacy” appointment was that of the Vatican’s new doctrinal czar, Argentine Cardinal-elect Victor Manuel Fernandez, 61. Francis’ theological ghostwriter ran into Vatican problems in the past over questions about his doctrinal orthodoxy, and his appointment sent shockwaves through the conservative and traditionalist wings of the church.
Fernandez sees his appointment as part of Francis’ longer-term agenda. “He is proposing a more inclusive church, more respectful of different ways of living, even of thinking,” Fernandez said in an interview.
Portuguese Cardinal-elect Americo Aguiar, who is in charge of World Youth Day, is another young churchman who also understands his appointment as part of a generational turning point for the Catholic hierarchy.
At age 49 he will become the second-youngest member of the College of Cardinals when he is installed Sept. 30. He is just six months older than the current youngest cardinal, whom Francis elevated this time last year: Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, head of the church in Mongolia where Francis will travel at the end of August.
“My reading of it is that this has to do with young people, it has to do with youth, it has to do with Portugal, it has to do with World Youth Day, it has to do with all of that,” Aguiar said in an interview. “I think that his objective and his underlining was exactly to send a signal to the young people, to every young person who is preparing the day, whether in Portugal or in the world, to feel identified with this decision.”
Francis said as much in his monthly prayer intentions for August, this time dedicated to the Lisbon event.
“In Lisbon, I would like to see a seed for the world’s future,” Francis said. “A world where love is at the center, where we can sense that we are sisters and brothers.”
His wish in many ways echoed his words at the 2013 World Youth Day in Rio, which now seem prescient in outlining many of the key pastoral messages Francis has emphasized over the past decade. Delivering a spontaneous, off-the-cuff exhortation to a gathering of Argentine pilgrims that was organized at the last minute, Francis urged the young to get out into the streets, spread their faith and “make a mess.”
“I want to see the church get closer to the people,” Francis said then, speaking in his native Spanish. “I want to get rid of clericalism, the mundane, this closing ourselves off within ourselves, in our parishes, schools or structures.”
Realizing the radical nature of his message, Francis apologized to the bishops for what was about to come, even though in the 10 years since, he has only gone further than anyone could have imagined at the time.
“The true reform of the church, you know, is not a revolution bringing something completely from outside,” said Becquart, the French nun, as she reflected on Francis’ agenda. “It’s a path of change that is a way to unfold tradition, but in a very dynamic way.”
___
AP reporters Helena Alvez in Lisbon, Portugal, and Almudena Calatrava in Buenos Aires contributed.
___
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
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https://pix11.com/ap-international/ap-as-the-pope-heads-to-portugal-he-is-laying-the-groundwork-for-the-churchs-future-and-his-legacy/
| 2023-07-31T18:56:20
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https://pix11.com/ap-international/ap-as-the-pope-heads-to-portugal-he-is-laying-the-groundwork-for-the-churchs-future-and-his-legacy/
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| 2023-07-31T18:56:23
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Erin McCarthy | The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS)
Ashley Battista Ridolfi had been saving her spa gift card for the final weeks of her pregnancy.
Her husband gave it for her birthday in February, knowing she’d enjoy a premium massage — valued around $150 — at Toppers Spa, a place she’d patronized several times in the past five years.
Ridolfi, 37, of Eagleville, Pennsylvania, thought of the unused gift card immediately when she saw an article last week about the regional chain filing for bankruptcy and closing all its locations.
“I had not had the opportunity to use it yet, and I was planning on using it in the next six weeks or so,” she said Thursday.
Ridolfi, a sales and marketing director, said she hasn’t been able to find contact information for the company online. She took to a Facebook group of Toppers customers, a forum where other users wrote that they had hundreds to thousands of dollars in unused gift cards or account credits, and asked if anyone had heard what to do with unused gift cards.
“Nobody had any recommendations for me,” she said.
Turns out, even consumer advocates don’t have 100%-success-guaranteed solutions for consumers left with unredeemed gift cards to places like Toppers Spa, Bed Bath & Beyond, and other businesses that shutter suddenly.
“If you receive a gift card, you should try to use it right away,” said Chuck Bell, financial policy advocate at Consumer Reports. “Once you have it and they’ve gone out of business, you don’t have a lot of options. Now what’s going to happen often in the bankruptcy process, they’ll allow you to file a claim, but you’ll get behind a long line of other creditors,” including landlords and employees with unpaid wages
Often in those cases, he said, consumers don’t get any of their money back.
“There is nothing under federal law that protects consumers if they have gift cards to a business that goes out of business,” said Teresa Murray, consumer watchdog with the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. “That being said, there are things people can do.”
Try the company and its competitors
See if you can find any contact information online for the business, its corporate office, or a parent company if it has one, and reach out to them directly about your situation.
The Inquirer could not find contact information for Toppers officials, and an attorney representing the company did not return a request for comment.
Consumer experts also recommend calling around to nearby competitors. Ask if they’d honor your gift card.
“Sometimes competitors will honor gift cards just to be nice,” Murray said. “And they figure they’ll develop some new loyalty.”
Contact state consumer protection officials
Experts recommend submitting a complaint with the consumer protection division of your state’s attorney general’s office.
In Pennsylvania, residents can do this online . They can also email scams@attorneygeneral.gov or call 1-800-441-2555.
“Depending on the nature of how the business is winding down, we may be able to mediate, and if not, we can provide some helpful information and retain their records for our files for any future use,” said Brett Hambright, spokesperson for Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry.
Sometimes, he said, the office can direct you to other vendors who have agreed to honor the gift cards, or get the original business to refund your money. Other times, he added, they can work with your credit card company to issue a chargeback.
New Jerseyans can reach their state’s Division of Consumer Affairs by filing a complaint online , calling 973-504-6200, or emailing askconsumeraffairs@dca.lps.state.nj.us.
Every year, the division receives “numerous” complaints about gift cards, said Lisa Coryell, a spokesperson for Attorney General Matthew Platkin.
But “once a store enters bankruptcy, the division is unable to get consumers refunds for unused gift cards,” she said. “Consumers who do not use their gift cards before a store’s closure or their established deadline may be able to file a claim with the bankruptcy estate for the value of the card, but it is difficult to know whether or how much they might recover from such a claim.”
Ask about a credit card refund
If you are close with the person who bought the gift card, or you bought it yourself, the purchaser may be able to get their money back, Murray said.
“If you bought with a credit card within 60 days of the statement that transaction appeared on, you can get your money refunded,” she said. “That is always guaranteed by law if you bought it in that time frame.”
Take note for the future
To avoid being left with unused gift cards, experts recommend using your gift cards as soon as possible.
“It’s nice to save gift cards for a special occasion or something you really want to buy. Don’t hold onto it too long,” Murray said. “Figure out a good time to go out to eat. … Think of something you wanted to buy.”
If you know you haven’t used a gift card yet, keep your eyes and ears open for signs that a business may be struggling. If there are fewer cars than usual in the parking lot of a restaurant or a store is reducing its hours, you may want to use a gift card there quickly, Murray said.
Companies often, though not always, announce they’re closing stores a month or so in advance, Bell said, and provide at least a brief window in which customers can still use gift cards. Bed Bath & Beyond, for example, gave people a couple weeks to use gift cards.
When buying gift cards for others, keep these tips in mind, too.
Large national chains are sometimes safer than niche local businesses, Bell said, though “we’ve seen some pretty big failures of companies in recent years.”
If you want to eliminate all gift-card-giving anxiety, Bell said with a laugh, remember this saying: “Nothing says ‘I love you’ like cold, hard cash.”
“Cash doesn’t expire,” he said. “It’s good anywhere.”
“The problem culturally is people feel like cash shows a lack of imagination,” he added. “I think it shows a certain amount of thoughtfulness. You’re giving something that gives the user a tremendous amount of flexibility.”
©2023 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC. Visit at inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/07/31/unused-gift-cards-can-feel-like-wasted-money-heres-what-to-do-if-you-have-them-after-a-store-goes-out-of-business/
| 2023-07-31T18:56:23
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KHAR, Pakistan (AP) — A suicide bomber blew himself up at a political rally in a former stronghold of militants in northwest Pakistan bordering Afghanistan on Sunday, killing at least 44 people and wounding nearly 200 in an attack that a senior leader said was meant to weaken Pakistani Islamists.
The Bajur district near the Afghan border was a stronghold of the Pakistani Taliban — a close ally of Afghanistan’s Taliban government — before the Pakistani army drove the militants out of the area. Supporters of hard-line Pakistani cleric and political party leader Fazlur Rehman, whose Jamiat Ulema Islam generally supports regional Islamists, were meeting in Bajur in a hall close to a market outside the district capital. Party officials said Rehman was not at the rally but organizers added tents because so many supporters showed up, and party volunteers with batons were helping control the crowd.
Officials were announcing the arrival of Abdul Rasheed, a leader of the Jamiat Ulema Islam party, when the bomb went off in one of Pakistan’s bloodiest attacks in recent years.
Provincial police said in a statement that the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber who detonated his explosives vest close to the stage where several senior leaders of the party were sitting. It said initial investigations suggested the Islamic State group — which operates in Afghanistan and is an enemy of the Afghan Taliban — could be behind the attack, and officers were still investigating.
“There was dust and smoke around, and I was under some injured people from where I could hardly stand up, only to see chaos and some scattered limbs,” said Adam Khan, 45, who was knocked to the ground by the blast around 4 p.m. and hit by splinters in his leg and both hands.
The Pakistan Taliban, or TTP, said in a statement sent to The Associated Press that the bombing was aimed at setting Islamists against each other. Zabiullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Afghan Taliban, said on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that “such crimes cannot be justified in any way.”
The Afghan Taliban’s seizure of power in Afghanistan in mid-August 2021 emboldened the TTP. They unilaterally ended a cease-fire agreement with the Pakistani government in November, and have stepped up attacks across the country.
The bombing came hours before the arrival of Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Islamabad, where he was to participate in an event to mark a decade of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, or CPEC, a sprawling package under which Beijing has invested billions of dollars in Pakistan.
In recent months, China has helped Pakistan avoid a default on sovereign payments. However, some Chinese nationals have also been targeted by militants in northwestern Pakistan and elsewhere.
Feroz Jamal, the provincial information minister, told The Associated Press that so far 44 people had been “martyred” and nearly 200 wounded in the bombing.
The bombing was one of the four worst attacks in the northwest since 2014, when 147 people, mostly schoolchildren, were killed in a Taliban attack on an army-run school in Peshawar. In January, 74 people were killed in a bombing at a mosque in Peshawar. n February, more than 100 people, mostly policemen, died in a bombing at a mosque inside a high-security compound housing Peshawar police headquarters.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Arif Alvi condemned the attack and asked officials to provide all possible assistance to the wounded and the bereaved families. Sharif later, in a phone call to Rehman, the head of the JUI, conveyed his condolences to him and assured him that those who orchestrated the attack would be punished.
The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad also condemned the attack. In a post on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, it expressed its condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims killed in the attack..
Maulana Ziaullah, the local chief of Rehman’s party, was among the dead. JUI leaders Rasheed and former lawmaker Maulana Jamaluddin were also on the stage but escaped unhurt.
Rasheed, the regional chief of the party, said the attack was an attempt to remove JUI from the field before parliamentary elections in November, but he said such tactics would not work. The bombing drew nationwide condemnation, with the ruling and opposition parties extending condolences to the families of those who died in the attack.
Rehman is considered to be a pro-Taliban cleric and his political party is part of the coalition government in Islamabad. Meetings are being organized across the country to mobilize supporters for the upcoming elections.
“Many of our fellows lost their lives and many more wounded in this incident. I will ask the federal and provincial administrations to fully investigate this incident and provide due compensation and medical facilities to the affected ones,” Rasheed said.
Mohammad Wali, another attendant at the rally, said he was listening to a speaker address the crowd when the huge explosion temporarily deafened him.
“I was near the water dispenser to fetch a glass of water when the bomb exploded, throwing me to the ground,” he said. “We came to the meeting with enthusiasm but ended up at the hospital seeing crying, wounded people and sobbing relatives taking the bodies of their loved ones.”
___
Riaz Khan reported from Peshawar. Associated Press writer Munir Ahmad contributed from Islamabad.
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https://www.wivb.com/news/world/ap-a-bomb-at-a-political-rally-in-northwest-pakistan-kills-10-people-and-wounds-more-than-50/
| 2023-07-31T18:56:24
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WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will travel to Arizona, New Mexico and Utah next week and is expected to talk about his administration's efforts to combat climate change as the region endures a brutally hot summer with soaring temperatures, the White House said Monday.
Biden is expected to discuss the Inflation Reduction Act, America's most significant response to climate change, and the push toward more clean energy manufacturing. The act aims to spur clean energy on a scale that will bend the arc of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.
July has been the hottest month ever recorded. Biden last week announced new steps to protect workers in extreme heat, including measures to improve weather forecasts and make drinking water more accessible.
Members of Biden's administration also are fanning out over the next few weeks around the anniversary of the landmark climate change and health care legislation to extol the administration's successes as the Democratic president seeks reelection in 2024.
Vice President Kamala Harris heads to Wisconsin this week with Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to talk about broadband infrastructure investments. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack goes to Oregon to highlight wildfire defense grants, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will go to Illinois and Texas, and Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona heads to Maryland to talk about career and technical education programs.
The Inflation Reduction Act included roughly $375 billion over a decade to combat climate change and capped the cost of a month’s supply of insulin at $35 for older Americans and other Medicare beneficiaries. It also helps an estimated 13 million Americans pay for health care insurance by extending subsidies provided during the coronavirus pandemic.
The measure is paid for by new taxes on large companies and stepped-up IRS enforcement of wealthy individuals and entities, with additional funds going to reduce the federal deficit.
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https://www.kens5.com/article/news/nation-world/biden-west-trip-climate-change/507-831081fb-7876-4dd5-8ae9-6cb6c3e1afd4
| 2023-07-31T18:56:26
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https://www.kens5.com/article/news/nation-world/biden-west-trip-climate-change/507-831081fb-7876-4dd5-8ae9-6cb6c3e1afd4
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BEIJING (AP) — China imposed restrictions Monday on exports of long-range civilian drones, citing Russia’s war in Ukraine and concern that drones might be converted to military use.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government is friendly with Moscow but says it is neutral in the 17-month-old war. It has been stung by reports that both sides might be using Chinese-made drones for reconnaissance and possibly attacks.
Export controls will take effect Tuesday to prevent use of drones for “non-peaceful purposes,” the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement. It said some drone exports still will be allowed.
China is a leading developer and exporter of drones. DJI Technology Co., one of the global industry’s top competitors, announced in April 2022 it was pulling out of Russia and Ukraine to prevent its drones from being used in combat.
“The risk of some high specification and high-performance civilian unmanned aerial vehicles being converted to military use is constantly increasing,” the Ministry of Commerce said.
Restrictions will apply to drones that can fly beyond the natural sight distance of operators or stay aloft more than 30 minutes, have attachments that can throw objects and weigh more than 7 kilograms (15½ pounds), according to the ministry.
“Since the crisis in Ukraine, some Chinese civilian drone companies have voluntarily suspended their operations in conflict areas,” the Ministry of Commerce said. It accused the United States and Western media of spreading “false information” about Chinese drone exports.
The government on Friday defended its dealings with Russia as “normal economic and trade cooperation” after a U.S. intelligence report said Beijing possibly provided equipment used in Ukraine that might have military applications.
The report cited Russian customs data that showed Chinese state-owned military contractors supplied drones, navigation equipment, fighter jet parts and other goods.
The Biden administration has warned Beijing of unspecified consequences if it supports the Kremlin’s war effort. Last week’s report didn’t say whether any of the trade cited might trigger U.S. retaliation.
Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin declared before the February 2022 invasion that their governments had a “no-limits” friendship. Beijing has blocked efforts to censure Moscow in the United Nations and has repeated Russian justifications for the attack.
China has “always opposed the use of civilian drones for military purposes,” the Ministry of Commerce said. “The moderate expansion of drone control by China this time is an important measure to demonstrate the responsibility of a responsible major country.”
The Ukrainian government appealed to DJI in March 2022 to stop selling drones it said the Russian ministry was using to target missile attacks. DJI rejected claims it leaked data on Ukraine’s military positions to Russia.
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| 2023-07-31T18:56:27
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John Clark sits down with Hall of Fame wide receiver, Randy Moss, to discuss:
0:22 - Is there a better combo of WRs in the NFL besides Devonta Smith and AJ Brown
1:22 - What Moss is impressed with AJ Brown the most
3:46 - How difficult is it to get back to the Super Bowl the following year after losing it?
4:50 - Are the Eagles the best team in the NFC?
5:50 - Impressed with DeVonta Smith's toughness
7:40 - Difference of training camp now vs. when Randy was playing
8:17 - Randy on investing in Chick-A-Boom
10:49 - John tries a Chick-A-Boom sandwich!
12:47 - Randy on playing in Philadelphia
14:02 - Randy gives his opinion on who the best WR of all time is
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Apple Podcasts | Youtube Music | Spotify | Stitcher | Art19 | RSS | Watch on YouTube
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https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/eagles-news/hall-of-fame-wide-receiver-randy-moss-believes-eagles-have-best-wr-duo-in-the-nfl/530513/
| 2023-07-31T18:56:29
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https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/eagles-news/hall-of-fame-wide-receiver-randy-moss-believes-eagles-have-best-wr-duo-in-the-nfl/530513/
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VATICAN CITY (AP) — When Pope Francis made the first foreign trip of his papacy, to Rio de Janeiro for World Youth Day in 2013, he urged young people to make a “mess” in their local churches, to shake things up even if it ruffled the feathers of their bishops.
As he embarks this week on another edition of World Youth Day, in Lisbon, Portugal, Francis in many ways has taken his own advice to heart. After 10 years as pope, Francis is accelerating his reform agenda and making revolutionary changes in personnel and policy that are definitely shaking things up.
Unencumbered by the shadow of Pope Benedict XVI, who died seven months ago, and despite recovering from a second intestinal surgery in as many years, the 86-year-old Francis is opening a frenetic second half of the year with his Portugal visit. He seems aware that he has a limited sweet spot of time to solidify the changes he believes are necessary for the 21st century church, and is looking to the next generation of faithful and leaders to execute them.
“The sense I get is that this is the consolidation phase of the pontificate,” said papal biographer Austen Ivereigh. “He’s laying the basis now, laying the ground, for the future.”
And no better place to put it on display than at a World Youth Day. The international rally, which St. John Paul II launched in 1986 to galvanize young Catholics in their faith, is expected to draw up to 1 million people for the first post-pandemic event of its kind. Francis’ perennial social justice concerns about climate change, social inequality and fraternity, as well as Russia’s war in Ukraine, are expected to be major themes.
Beyond Portugal, though, Francis’ multifold strategy for laying the groundwork for the future is coming together and will hit significant marks in the coming months.
His global canvassing of rank-and-file Catholics about their vision for the future comes to fruition this October with a big synod at the Vatican. The meeting is intended to give direction on such hot-button issues as the place of LGBTQ+ Catholics and women in the church, and for the first time will feature women and young people voting on proposals alongside bishops.
“I really think that for Pope Francis, he felt that ‘OK, now it’s mature’ and it would be good really to involve all the members, all the people in the synod as members” with the right to vote, said Sister Nathalie Becquart, who is one of the key synod organizers.
To then implement the vision that emerges from the synod, Francis has been naming a slew of unusually young bishops for key archdioceses — in his native Buenos Aires, Madrid and Brussels, among others. At the same time, he’s elevated several cardinals in their 50s — and in some cases their 40s — including the auxiliary bishop of Lisbon who is organizing World Youth Day.
Putting such young clerics in such important positions ensures a generation’s worth of likeminded leadership in the Vatican and archdioceses around the world. While not all are cookie-cutter proteges of Francis, many are seen as similarly pastorally minded and thus more game to implement his reforms, especially as the older generation of bishops and cardinals dies out.
After Francis is gone, the youngest of these new cardinals will have some three decades’ worth of local leadership and conclave votes to select future popes, suggesting a generational and ideological shift in the church leadership is very much underway.
Francis’ most important young “legacy” appointment was that of the Vatican’s new doctrinal czar, Argentine Cardinal-elect Victor Manuel Fernandez, 61. Francis’ theological ghostwriter ran into Vatican problems in the past over questions about his doctrinal orthodoxy, and his appointment sent shockwaves through the conservative and traditionalist wings of the church.
Fernandez sees his appointment as part of Francis’ longer-term agenda. “He is proposing a more inclusive church, more respectful of different ways of living, even of thinking,” Fernandez said in an interview.
Portuguese Cardinal-elect Americo Aguiar, who is in charge of World Youth Day, is another young churchman who also understands his appointment as part of a generational turning point for the Catholic hierarchy.
At age 49 he will become the second-youngest member of the College of Cardinals when he is installed Sept. 30. He is just six months older than the current youngest cardinal, whom Francis elevated this time last year: Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, head of the church in Mongolia where Francis will travel at the end of August.
“My reading of it is that this has to do with young people, it has to do with youth, it has to do with Portugal, it has to do with World Youth Day, it has to do with all of that,” Aguiar said in an interview. “I think that his objective and his underlining was exactly to send a signal to the young people, to every young person who is preparing the day, whether in Portugal or in the world, to feel identified with this decision.”
Francis said as much in his monthly prayer intentions for August, this time dedicated to the Lisbon event.
“In Lisbon, I would like to see a seed for the world’s future,” Francis said. “A world where love is at the center, where we can sense that we are sisters and brothers.”
His wish in many ways echoed his words at the 2013 World Youth Day in Rio, which now seem prescient in outlining many of the key pastoral messages Francis has emphasized over the past decade. Delivering a spontaneous, off-the-cuff exhortation to a gathering of Argentine pilgrims that was organized at the last minute, Francis urged the young to get out into the streets, spread their faith and “make a mess.”
“I want to see the church get closer to the people,” Francis said then, speaking in his native Spanish. “I want to get rid of clericalism, the mundane, this closing ourselves off within ourselves, in our parishes, schools or structures.”
Realizing the radical nature of his message, Francis apologized to the bishops for what was about to come, even though in the 10 years since, he has only gone further than anyone could have imagined at the time.
“The true reform of the church, you know, is not a revolution bringing something completely from outside,” said Becquart, the French nun, as she reflected on Francis’ agenda. “It’s a path of change that is a way to unfold tradition, but in a very dynamic way.”
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AP reporters Helena Alvez in Lisbon, Portugal, and Almudena Calatrava in Buenos Aires contributed.
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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
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| 2023-07-31T18:56:31
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ROCHESTER, N.H. — In a new policy plan unveiled Monday, Republican presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis is taking aim at China with a “Declaration of Economic Independence” that also targets taxes, regulations, spending and education.
Speaking in a New Hampshire warehouse, the Florida governor promised to boost the economy and fight for the middle class.
“We will take back control of our destiny — and ensure that our future is as proud, independent and free as our past,” he said at Prep Partners Group, which coordinates warehousing, distribution and other logistics for other companies.
DeSantis said he would wrest economic control from China by ending the nation’s preferential trade status, banning imports of goods made from stolen intellectual property and preventing companies from sharing critical technologies with China.
The 10-point economic plan is the third major policy proposal put forth by DeSantis, whose campaign has struggled in recent weeks. Although long seen as the top rival to former President Donald Trump, DeSantis shed more than one-third of his staff as federal filings showed his campaign was burning through cash at an unsustainable rate.
On Monday, he focused on the federal government's reckless spending, however. His plan describes him as a “new sheriff in town” who will veto wasteful spending and mandate work requirements for welfare programs. He also claimed he could achieve 3% annual economic growth by keeping taxes low, eliminating bureaucracy and incentivizing investment.
On the education front, DeSantis said he will stop incentivizing “useless degrees” by making universities responsible for the loans their students accrue. His plan also would promote vocational and apprenticeship programs that educate “artisans and engineers” instead of “politicized administrators and bureaucrats.”
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| 2023-07-31T18:56:33
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HONG KONG (AP) — The discovery of a whale carcass in Hong Kong waters Monday sparked an outpouring of grief on social media, with many comments blaming the mammal’s death on sightseers.
Many residents speculated that the dead mammal was the same whale that had been attracting groups of sightseers since it was first spotted in the city’s waters in mid-July.
Compass Chan, scientific officer of Ocean Park Conservation Foundation Hong Kong, didn’t confirm whether it was the same whale. But he said an initial check of the dead whale found a new wound on its back, in addition to two old wounds.
“It’s a pity,” Chan said at a media briefing. “I think it’s a good opportunity for everyone to think seriously about how we should get along with other species in nature.”
The whale’s cause of death would have to be confirmed by a necropsy, he said.
The carcass was in found in the waters in Sai Kung — a district known for its hiking trails, beaches and islands. Many residents blamed the death on sightseers who have flocked to those waters since a whale was spotted there about two weeks ago. Some posted a Canto-pop song whose title translates as “Whale Eater.”
The foundation had released a statement last week saying that crowds of people had been seen approaching the animal, which was believed to be a Bryde’s whale of about seven meters (23 feet) long. The foundation said at the time that the whale had propeller wounds and that nearby human activity could cause it stress and have life-threatening consequences.
The government said Monday night that the necropsy might take several days and that its results could help shape future policy for how to deal with whales in Hong Kong waters.
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| 2023-07-31T18:56:34
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BEIJING (AP) — China imposed restrictions Monday on exports of long-range civilian drones, citing Russia’s war in Ukraine and concern that drones might be converted to military use.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government is friendly with Moscow but says it is neutral in the 17-month-old war. It has been stung by reports that both sides might be using Chinese-made drones for reconnaissance and possibly attacks.
Export controls will take effect Tuesday to prevent use of drones for “non-peaceful purposes,” the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement. It said some drone exports still will be allowed.
China is a leading developer and exporter of drones. DJI Technology Co., one of the global industry’s top competitors, announced in April 2022 it was pulling out of Russia and Ukraine to prevent its drones from being used in combat.
“The risk of some high specification and high-performance civilian unmanned aerial vehicles being converted to military use is constantly increasing,” the Ministry of Commerce said.
Restrictions will apply to drones that can fly beyond the natural sight distance of operators or stay aloft more than 30 minutes, have attachments that can throw objects and weigh more than 7 kilograms (15½ pounds), according to the ministry.
“Since the crisis in Ukraine, some Chinese civilian drone companies have voluntarily suspended their operations in conflict areas,” the Ministry of Commerce said. It accused the United States and Western media of spreading “false information” about Chinese drone exports.
The government on Friday defended its dealings with Russia as “normal economic and trade cooperation” after a U.S. intelligence report said Beijing possibly provided equipment used in Ukraine that might have military applications.
The report cited Russian customs data that showed Chinese state-owned military contractors supplied drones, navigation equipment, fighter jet parts and other goods.
The Biden administration has warned Beijing of unspecified consequences if it supports the Kremlin’s war effort. Last week’s report didn’t say whether any of the trade cited might trigger U.S. retaliation.
Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin declared before the February 2022 invasion that their governments had a “no-limits” friendship. Beijing has blocked efforts to censure Moscow in the United Nations and has repeated Russian justifications for the attack.
China has “always opposed the use of civilian drones for military purposes,” the Ministry of Commerce said. “The moderate expansion of drone control by China this time is an important measure to demonstrate the responsibility of a responsible major country.”
The Ukrainian government appealed to DJI in March 2022 to stop selling drones it said the Russian ministry was using to target missile attacks. DJI rejected claims it leaked data on Ukraine’s military positions to Russia.
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| 2023-07-31T18:56:37
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WASHINGTON D.C., DC — Hunter Biden's former business partner appeared Monday for closed-door testimony on Capitol Hill, with Republicans planning to question him about claims that President Joe Biden was directly involved in his younger son's financial dealings.
The Republican-led House Oversight Committee was conducting a transcribed interview with Devon Archer as part of its expanding congressional inquiry into the Biden family businesses as the GOP explores a potential impeachment inquiry into the president.
Archer, who served with Hunter Biden on the board of the Ukrainian gas company Burisma, has been seen by Republicans as a key witness in their so-far fruitless search to directly connect the president to his son's various international business transactions.
Rep. James Comer, the GOP chairman of Oversight Committee, issued a subpoena to Archer in June, saying he “played a significant role in the Biden family’s business deals abroad, including but not limited to China, Russia, and Ukraine." He said Archer's testimony would be critical to the committee's investigation.
Republicans have focused much attention on an unverified tip to the FBI that alleged a bribery scheme involving Joe Biden when he was vice president. The claim, which first emerged in 2019, was that Biden pressured Ukraine to fire its top prosecutor in order to stop an investigation into Burisma, an oil-and-gas company where Hunter Biden was on the board. GOP lawmakers and staff present at Monday's interview were also expected to question Archer about several business meetings and conversations Hunter Biden had during which he is said to have invoked his father's name.
Democrats on the committee, including Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, the ranking minority member, have reiterated that the Justice Department investigated the Burisma claim when Donald Trump was president and closed the matter after eight months, finding “insufficient evidence” that it was true. Democrats have also highlighted the transcript of an interview with Mykola Zlochevsky, Burisma’s co-founder, in which he denied having any contact with Joe Biden while Hunter Biden worked for the company.
“Mr. Zlochevsky’s statements are just one of the many that have debunked the corruption allegations,” Raskin said.
On top of his relationship with Hunter Biden, who is currently facing federal tax charges, Archer has his own legal troubles stemming from a 2018 felony conviction for his role in a conspiracy to defraud a Native American tribe. That conviction was overturned later that year, but then the court of appeals in New York reinstated it in 2020. His sentencing in the case has been repeatedly delayed by appeals.
Archer's appearance before lawmakers had been scheduled and canceled several times since June. Republicans suggested it was about to be delayed again after the Justice Department over the weekend asked a judge to schedule a date for Archer to surrender to prison and begin serving out his one-year sentence in the unrelated fraud case.
Republicans — led by Comer — criticized that delay, calling it an effort by the Justice Department to intimidate a witness. But the Justice Department in a follow-up memo to the court noted Archer's surrender was not imminent and asked a judge to ensure that he testified to Congress before reporting to prison.
“Mr. Archer will do what he has planned to do all along, which is to show up this morning and to honestly answer the questions that are put to him by the congressional investigators,” said Archer’s attorney, Matthew Schwartz, who is a managing partner at New York-based firm Boies Schiller Flexner.
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| 2023-07-31T18:56:40
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BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar’s military-controlled government has extended the state of emergency it imposed when the army seized power from an elected government 2 1/2 years ago, state-run media said Monday, forcing a further delay in elections it promised when it took over.
MRTV television said the National Defense and Security Council met Monday in the capital, Naypyitaw, and extended the state of emergency for another six months starting Tuesday because time is needed to prepare for the elections. The NDSC is nominally a constitutional government body, but in practice is controlled by the military.
The announcement amounted to an admission that the army does not exercise enough control to stage the polls and has failed to subdue widespread opposition to military rule, which includes increasingly challenging armed resistance as well as nonviolent protests and civil disobedience, despite the army having a huge advantage in manpower and weapons.
The state of emergency was declared when troops arrested Aung San Suu Kyi and top officials from her government and members of her National League for Democracy party on Feb. 1, 2021. The takeover reversed years of progress toward democracy after five decades of military rule in Myanmar.
The military said it seized power because of fraud in the last general election held in November 2020, in which Suu Kyi’s party won a landslide victory while the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development party did poorly. Independent election observers said they did not find any major irregularities.
The army takeover was met with widespread peaceful protests that security forces suppressed with lethal force, triggering armed resistance that U.N. experts have described as a civil war.
As of Monday, 3,857 people have been killed by the security forces since the takeover, according to a tally kept by the independent Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.
The army-enacted 2008 constitution allows the military to rule the country under a state of emergency for one year, with two possible six-month extensions if preparations are not yet completed for new polls, meaning that the time limit expired on Jan. 31 this year.
However, the NDSC allowed the military government to extend emergency rule for another six months in February, saying the country remained in an abnormal situation. The announcement on Monday is the fourth extension.
The state of emergency allows the military to assume all government functions, giving the head of the ruling military council, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, legislative, judicial and executive powers.
Nay Phone Latt, a spokesperson for the National Unity Government, an underground group that calls itself the country’s legitimate government and serves as an opposition umbrella group, said the extension of emergency rule was expected because the military government hasn’t been able to annihilate the pro-democracy forces.
“The junta extended the state of emergency because the generals have a lust for power and don’t want to lose it. As for the revolutionary groups, we will continue to try to speed up our current revolutionary activities,” Nay Phone Latt said in a message Monday.
The military government labels the NUG and its armed wing, the People’s Defense Forces, as “terrorists.”
Monday’s report did not specify when the polls might be held, saying only that they would occur after the goals of the state of emergency are accomplished.
According to the constitution, the military must transfer government functions to the president, who heads the NDSC, six months before the polls. That would mean Acting President Myint Swe, a retired general.
The military originally announced that new polls would be held a year after its takeover and later said they would take place in August 2023. But the extension of the emergency in February made that timing impossible.
The MRTV report said Myint Swe told members of the NDSC that the government needs to do more to achieve stability and the rule of law to prepare for the election.
Critics say the polls will be neither free nor fair under the military-controlled government, which has shut independent media and arrested most of the leaders of Suu Kyi’s party.
Her party was dissolved along with 39 other parties by the election commission in March for failing to re-apply under a political party registration law enacted by the military government early this year. The law makes it difficult for opposition groups to mount a serious challenge to army-backed candidates.
Suu Kyi, 78, is serving prison sentences totaling 33 years after being convicted in a series of politically tainted cases brought mostly by the military government.
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NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — A Cyprus court on Monday sentenced a British man who killed his ailing wife in their retirement home to two years in prison, rejecting a defense request to hand down a suspended sentence after convicting him earlier of manslaughter.
State prosecutor Andreas Hadjikyrou said the three-judge bench imposed the prison term as a “deterrent,” although the judges had earlier ruled that David Hunter’s decision to suffocate his wife Janice in December 2021 was made on the spur of the moment because he could no longer stand seeing her weeping in pain.
Hadjikyrou told The Associated Press the court took into account that Hunter, 76, acted “out of love” to save his wife, who was suffering from a blood ailment when he closed her mouth and nose with his hands as she sat in a recliner in their Paphos home.
It also took into consideration Hunter’s advanced age and that he had no previous criminal record.
Justice Abroad, a group that defends Britons facing legal troubles in foreign countries, said in a statement that Hunter could be released by Aug. 18 after already having spent more than 18 months in custody.
“This has been a tragic case and difficult for all of those involved with it, but today’s decision was the right one and allows David and his family to grieve together,” said Michael Polak from Justice Abroad.
Hunter had faced a charge of premeditated murder, but the court found in its July 21 ruling that the prosecution didn’t prove beyond a reasonable doubt that there was premeditation in his actions.
The court had accepted witness testimony that Janice feared her blood ailment would develop into full-blown leukemia and had repeatedly pleaded with her husband to take her life because she didn’t want to share the fate of her sister, who died of the disease.
Hunter attempted to take his own life by consuming a large amount of pills after suffocating his wife, but medical staff saved his life.
The court cited expert testimony that Janice Hunter suffered from myelodysplastic syndrome, a type of blood cancer which “to a large degree” — as much as 45% — could turn into leukemia, although there was no proof that she had indeed developed the disease because no definitive tests were conducted.
But the court said both husband and wife believed that Janice would develop it because of her sister’s fate.
David Hunter’s earlier assurances to Janice that he would help her fulfill her wish to end her life and not suffer anymore didn’t indicate any premeditation, the court said.
Hadjikyrou said defense lawyers had rejected a plea deal in December 2022 for the defendant to plead guilty to manslaughter because they insisted the facts of the case include an agreement Hunter and his wife allegedly made for him to take her life.
The state prosecutor said the court didn’t accept that such an agreement had indeed been made. He said the Cyprus attorney-general has 10 days to decide whether to appeal the sentence.
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| 2023-07-31T18:56:44
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ST ANTHONY, Idaho — Idaho mother Lori Vallow Daybell has been sentenced to life in prison without parole Monday in the murders of her two youngest children and a romantic rival.
The case has included bizarre claims that her son and daughter were zombies and that she was a goddess sent to usher in the Biblical apocalypse.
Vallow Daybell was found guilty in May of killing her two youngest children, ages 7 and 16, as well as conspiring to kill Tammy Daybell, who was previously married to Vallow Daybell’s fifth husband.
The judge heard testimony from several representatives of the victims, including Vallow Daybell’s only surviving son.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.
Idaho mother Lori Vallow Daybell faces up to life in prison without parole Monday as she is sentenced in the murders of her two youngest children and a romantic rival in a case that included bizarre claims that her son and daughter were zombies and that she was a goddess sent to usher in the Biblical apocalypse.
Vallow Daybell was found guilty in May of killing her two youngest children, 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan, as well as conspiring to kill Tammy Daybell, her fifth husband’s previous wife.
The husband, Chad Daybell, is awaiting trial on the same murder charges. Vallow Daybell also faces two other cases in Arizona — one on a charge of conspiring with her brother to kill her fourth husband, Charles Vallow, and one of conspiring to kill her niece's ex-husband. Charles Vallow was shot and killed in 2019, but her niece's ex survived an attempt later that year.
Monday's sentencing will take place at the Fremont County Courthouse in St. Anthony, Idaho. Judge Steven W. Boyce is expected to hear testimony from several representatives of the victims, including Vallow Daybell's only surviving son, Colby Ryan.
The case began in July 2019, when Vallow Daybell’s brother, Alex Cox, shot and killed her estranged husband, Charles Vallow, in a suburban Phoenix home. Cox told police he acted in self-defense. He was never charged in the case and died later that year of what authorities determined were natural causes.
Vallow Daybell was already in a relationship with Chad Daybell, a self-published author who wrote doomsday-focused fiction loosely based on Mormon teachings. She moved to Idaho with her kids and brother to be closer to him.
The children were last seen alive in September 2019. Police discovered they were missing a month later after an extended family member became worried. Their bodies were found buried in Chad Daybell's yard the following summer.
Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow married in November 2019, about two weeks after Daybell's previous wife, Tammy, was killed. Tammy Daybell initially was described as having died of natural causes, but an autopsy later showed she had been asphyxiated, authorities said.
Defense attorney Jim Archibald argued during the trial that there was no evidence tying Vallow Daybell to the killings, but plenty showing she was a loving, protective mother whose life took a sharp turn when she met Chad Daybell and fell for his “weird” apocalyptic religious claims. He suggested that Daybell and Vallow Daybell’s brother, Alex Cox, were responsible for the deaths.
Daybell told her they had been married in several previous lives and she was a “sexual goddess” who was supposed to help him save the world by gathering 144,000 followers so Jesus could return, Archibald said.
Vallow Daybell’s former friend Melanie Gibb testified during the trial that Vallow Daybell believed people in her life had been taken over by evil spirits and turned into “zombies,” including JJ and Tylee.
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KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian ballistic missiles slammed into an apartment complex and a university building in President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s hometown Monday, killing six people and wounding 75 others as the blasts trapped residents beneath rubble, Ukrainian officials said.
One of the two missiles that hit the central city of Kryvyi Rih destroyed part of an apartment building between the fourth and ninth floors, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said. Video showed black smoke billowing from corner units and burned out or damaged cars on a tree-lined street.
The dead included a 10-year-old girl and her mother, according to Zelenskyy. More than 350 people were involved in the rescue operation, he said in a Telegram post.
The morning attack also destroyed part of a four-story university building.
The strike on Zelenskyy’s hometown, which has been hit in the past, happened a day after the Ukrainian president seemed to warn of more attacks inside Russia.
“Gradually, the war is returning to the territory of Russia — to its symbolic centers and military bases, and this is an inevitable, natural and absolutely fair process,” Zelenskyy said Sunday in his nightly video address.
It was not clear whether the missile strikes were in retaliation for his comments.
Meanwhile, a Ukrainian artillery strike on the partially occupied Donetsk province killed two people and wounded six others in the regional capital, according to Denis Pushilin, the Moscow-installed leader of the illegally annexed province.
A bus was also hit as Ukrainian forces shelled the city of Donetsk multiple times Monday, Pushilin said.
Neither side’s claims could be independently verified.
A recent Ukrainian counteroffensive, deploying weaponry supplied by Kyiv’s Western allies and aimed at driving Russian forces out of occupied areas, intensified last week. At the same time, Ukraine has sought to take the war deep into Russia, reportedly using drones to hit targets as far away as Moscow.
Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia and Moscow-annexed territory, especially Crimea, have become more frequent. The latest strike, on Sunday, damaged two office buildings a few miles (kilometers) from the Kremlin. Ukrainian officials did not acknowledge the attack.
Russia tightened security in the aftermath of that attack, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday, describing the assault as an “act of desperation.”
“The Kyiv regime is in a very, very difficult situation,” Peskov said, “as the counteroffensive is not working out as planned.”
“It’s obvious that the multibillion-dollar resources that have been transferred by NATO countries to the Kyiv regime are actually being spent inefficiently,” Peskov said.
“This raises big questions in Western capitals and great discomfort among taxpayers in Western countries.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin, analysts say, is wagering that Western support for Kyiv will wane as the war drags on and costs mount.
Another Ukrainian drone targeted a district police department early Monday in Russia’s Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine, but there were no casualties, the local governor said.
Bombarding populated areas with missiles, artillery and drones has been a hallmark of Moscow’s military strategy throughout the war, and that approach has continued during the Ukrainian counteroffensive that started in June.
Russian officials insist they take aim only at legitimate military targets, but Ukraine and its supporters say mass civilian deaths during previous attacks are evidence of war crimes.
“In recent days, the enemy has been stubbornly attacking cities, city centers, shelling civilian objects and housing,” Zelenskyy said. “But this terror will not frighten us or break us.”
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Monday that his forces have increased the intensity of attacks on Ukrainian military facilities.
It was not immediately clear which military facilities he was referring to, as Russia’s recent missile strikes have hit civilian infrastructure.
In the southern city of Odesa, Russian strikes in recent weeks targeted port infrastructure and grain silos, after Moscow broke off an export agreement for Ukrainian grain. The Ukrainian foreign ministry estimated Monday that about 180,000 metric tons of grain have been destroyed by Russia in the past nine days.
Russian shelling Monday also killed four civilians and wounded 17 in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson. A 70-year-old woman was killed by shelling in her home in a Kharkiv province village near Izyum, authorities said.
In eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk province, one person was reported killed and seven people were injured after Russia shelled 12 cities and villages, according to Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko.
In other developments Monday, China introduced restrictions on the export of long-range civilian drones. Authorities cited the war in Ukraine and concern that drones could be converted for military purposes.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government is friendly with Moscow, but says it’s neutral in the war. It has been stung by reports that both sides might be using Chinese-made drones for reconnaissance and possibly attacks.
Meanwhile, Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin said Monday that his Wagner Group is not currently recruiting fighters.
In an audio message published on a Telegram channel associated with the Wagner chief, Prigozhin said the company had suspended recruitment as there is currently “no shortage of personnel.”
Prigozhin previously agreed with Western estimates that he lost more than 20,000 men in the long battle for the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.
Prigozhin last month led a short-lived mutiny against Moscow, demanding a leadership change in the Russian military. In an attempt to control him, Russian authorities insisted that Wagner fighters can only return to Ukraine if they join Russia’s regular army.
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Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
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LOS ANGELES -- Get ready to say goodbye to the Worsley family. Season four of the FX series "Breeders" will be its last.
On The Red Carpet interviewed stars Martin Freeman and Daisy Haggard prior to the current SAG-AFTRA strike and they gave us some clues on where we stand as the show shifted ahead five years.
"So we left Paul and Ally on the verge of splitting up," Freeman said. "We see at the beginning of season four that they are still together, they got through it somehow."
And in season four, they'll need each other's support to get through the current family situations, including their teen daughter coming out and their 18-year-old son announcing his girlfriend is pregnant.
"It's about navigating stormy waters whilst trying to stay on the same ship. And I think it's really fun to play for us because obviously there's loads of humor in that and there's loads of heart in that. And there's quite a lot of drama," Haggard said. "It's the thing I've always loved about the show. It manages to flip between these things quite elegantly."
Freeman, who is a co-creator of "Breeders" said the experiences while making the series were the direct result of his own experience as a parent.
"It's very, very personal. Every actor knows that either the insult or the backhanded compliment of 'oh you're just playing yourself,' you always rebel against that and say 'I'm not just playing myself,'" Freeman said. "But if there was ever a time where people, someone could go 'this is quite like you isn't it!' Yeah, this is the time."
Freeman also said he hopes it won't be the last time he works with Haggard. They joked to On The Red Carpet they'd like to try something new, though, perhaps playing a duo of assassins!
Haggard said the entire experience, especially teaming up with Freeman, was exceptional.
"It's just been lovely, such a lovely experience. And then also there's such a warmth and intelligence in the room when you're working and you don't always get that. So, yeah. I'm gonna miss it very much and it's meant a lot to me."
The final season of "Breeders" premieres July 31 on FX and streams the next day on Hulu.
The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of FX and this ABC station.
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https://abc7ny.com/breeders-martin-freeman-daisy-haggard-fx/13578168/
| 2023-07-31T18:56:51
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https://abc7ny.com/breeders-martin-freeman-daisy-haggard-fx/13578168/
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HONG KONG (AP) — The discovery of a whale carcass in Hong Kong waters Monday sparked an outpouring of grief on social media, with many comments blaming the mammal’s death on sightseers.
Many residents speculated that the dead mammal was the same whale that had been attracting groups of sightseers since it was first spotted in the city’s waters in mid-July.
Compass Chan, scientific officer of Ocean Park Conservation Foundation Hong Kong, didn’t confirm whether it was the same whale. But he said an initial check of the dead whale found a new wound on its back, in addition to two old wounds.
“It’s a pity,” Chan said at a media briefing. “I think it’s a good opportunity for everyone to think seriously about how we should get along with other species in nature.”
The whale’s cause of death would have to be confirmed by a necropsy, he said.
The carcass was in found in the waters in Sai Kung — a district known for its hiking trails, beaches and islands. Many residents blamed the death on sightseers who have flocked to those waters since a whale was spotted there about two weeks ago. Some posted a Canto-pop song whose title translates as “Whale Eater.”
The foundation had released a statement last week saying that crowds of people had been seen approaching the animal, which was believed to be a Bryde’s whale of about seven meters (23 feet) long. The foundation said at the time that the whale had propeller wounds and that nearby human activity could cause it stress and have life-threatening consequences.
The government said Monday night that the necropsy might take several days and that its results could help shape future policy for how to deal with whales in Hong Kong waters.
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https://www.wivb.com/news/world/ap-discovery-of-whale-carcass-in-hong-kong-sparks-anger-over-the-potential-damage-done-by-sightseers/
| 2023-07-31T18:56:51
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https://www.wivb.com/news/world/ap-discovery-of-whale-carcass-in-hong-kong-sparks-anger-over-the-potential-damage-done-by-sightseers/
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LOS ANGELES — Paul Reubens, the actor and comedian whose character Pee-wee Herman became a cultural phenomenon through films and TV shows, has died.
Reubens died Sunday night after a six-year struggle with cancer that he did not make public, his publicist said in a statement.
“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years,” Reubens said in a statement released with the announcement of his death. “I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you.”
The character with his too-tight gray suit, white chunky loafers and red bow tie was best known for the film “Pee-wee's Big Adventure” and the TV series “Pee-wee's Playhouse.”
Herman created Pee-wee when he was part of the Los Angeles improv group The Groundlings in the late 1970s. The live “Pee-wee Herman Show” debuted at a Los Angeles theater in 1981 and was a success with both kids during matinees and adults at a midnight show. HBO would air the show as a special.
Reubens took Pee-wee to the big screen in 1985’s “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure.” The film, in which Pee-wee’s cherished bike is stolen, was said to be loosely based on Vittorio De Sica’s Italian neo-realist classic, “The Bicycle Thief.” The film, directed by Tim Burton and co-written by Phil Hartman of “Saturday Night Live,” sent Pee-wee on a nationwide escapade. The movie was a success, grossing $40 million, and continued to spawn a cult following for its oddball whimsy.
A sequel followed three years later in the less well-received “Big Top Pee-wee,” in which Pee-wee seeks to join a circus. Reubens’ character wouldn’t get another movie starring role until 2016’s Pee-wee’s Big Holiday,” for Netflix. Judd Apatow produced Pee-wee’s big-screen revival.
His television series, “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” ran for five seasons, earned 22 Emmys and attracted not only children but adults to Saturday-morning TV.
Both silly and subversive and championing nonconformity, the Pee-wee universe was a trippy place, populated by things such as a talking armchair and a friendly pterodactyl. The host, who is fond of secret words and loves fruit salad so much he once married it, is prone to lines like, “I know you are, but what am I?” and “Why don’t you take a picture; it’ll last longer?” The act was a hit because it worked on multiple levels, even though Reubens insists that wasn’t the plan.
“It’s for kids,” Reubens told The Associated Press in 2010. “People have tried to get me for years to go, ‘It wasn’t really for kids, right?’ Even the original show was for kids. I always censored myself to have it be kid-friendly.
“The whole thing has been just a gut feeling from the beginning," Reubens told the AP. "That’s all it ever is and I think always ever be. Much as people want me to dissect it and explain it, I can’t. One, I don’t know, and two, I don’t want to know, and three, I feel like I’ll hex myself if I know.”
The actor's death was met with an immediate response from fans and fellow entertainers on social media.
"Paul Reubens was like no one else - a brilliant and original comedian who made kids and their parents laugh at the same time," wrote television host and comedian Jimmy Kimmel. "He never forgot a birthday and shared his genuine delight for silliness with everyone he met. My family and I will miss him."
"Love you so much, Paul," wrote actress Natasha Lyonne. "One in all time. Thank you for my career & your forever friendship all these years & for teaching us what a true original is."
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https://www.kens5.com/article/news/nation-world/pee-wee-herman-actor-paul-reubens-has-died/507-5aabe911-4a9a-428f-a97c-ff3099d3c5fc
| 2023-07-31T18:56:52
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https://www.kens5.com/article/news/nation-world/pee-wee-herman-actor-paul-reubens-has-died/507-5aabe911-4a9a-428f-a97c-ff3099d3c5fc
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LOS ANGELES -- Get ready to say goodbye to the Worsley family. Season four of the FX series "Breeders" will be its last.
On The Red Carpet interviewed stars Martin Freeman and Daisy Haggard prior to the current SAG-AFTRA strike and they gave us some clues on where we stand as the show shifted ahead five years.
"So we left Paul and Ally on the verge of splitting up," Freeman said. "We see at the beginning of season four that they are still together, they got through it somehow."
And in season four, they'll need each other's support to get through the current family situations, including their teen daughter coming out and their 18-year-old son announcing his girlfriend is pregnant.
"It's about navigating stormy waters whilst trying to stay on the same ship. And I think it's really fun to play for us because obviously there's loads of humor in that and there's loads of heart in that. And there's quite a lot of drama," Haggard said. "It's the thing I've always loved about the show. It manages to flip between these things quite elegantly."
Freeman, who is a co-creator of "Breeders" said the experiences while making the series were the direct result of his own experience as a parent.
"It's very, very personal. Every actor knows that either the insult or the backhanded compliment of 'oh you're just playing yourself,' you always rebel against that and say 'I'm not just playing myself,'" Freeman said. "But if there was ever a time where people, someone could go 'this is quite like you isn't it!' Yeah, this is the time."
Freeman also said he hopes it won't be the last time he works with Haggard. They joked to On The Red Carpet they'd like to try something new, though, perhaps playing a duo of assassins!
Haggard said the entire experience, especially teaming up with Freeman, was exceptional.
"It's just been lovely, such a lovely experience. And then also there's such a warmth and intelligence in the room when you're working and you don't always get that. So, yeah. I'm gonna miss it very much and it's meant a lot to me."
The final season of "Breeders" premieres July 31 on FX and streams the next day on Hulu.
The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of FX and this ABC station.
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https://abc30.com/breeders-martin-freeman-daisy-haggard-fx/13578168/
| 2023-07-31T18:56:54
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https://abc30.com/breeders-martin-freeman-daisy-haggard-fx/13578168/
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Dreamtown: The Story of Adelanto is a true-story, Coen brothers-esque caper about a California desert town that tried to revive its economy by turning to legal cannabis sales.
Copyright 2023 Fresh Air
Dreamtown: The Story of Adelanto is a true-story, Coen brothers-esque caper about a California desert town that tried to revive its economy by turning to legal cannabis sales.
Copyright 2023 Fresh Air
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https://www.kunm.org/npr-news/2023-07-31/dreamtown-podcast-examines-how-legal-marijuana-transformed-one-small-town
| 2023-07-31T18:56:54
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https://www.kunm.org/npr-news/2023-07-31/dreamtown-podcast-examines-how-legal-marijuana-transformed-one-small-town
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ROCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — In a new policy plan unveiled Monday, Republican presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis took aim at China with a “Declaration of Economic Independence” that also targets taxes, regulations and “elites” he blames for the nation’s decline.
Speaking in a New Hampshire warehouse, the Florida governor promised to diversify and expand the economy by fighting for the middle class.
“Revitalizing economic freedom and opportunity will require building an economy where the concerns of average citizens are elevated over those deemed too big to fail,” he said at Prep Partners Group, which coordinates warehousing, distribution and other logistics for other companies.
“We are a nation with an economy, not the other way around,” DeSantis said. “We are citizens of a republic. We are not cogs in a global economic empire.”
DeSantis said his top priority would be wresting economic control from China by ending the nation’s preferential trade status, banning imports of goods made from stolen intellectual property and preventing companies from sharing critical technologies with China. Current polices, he said, have created an “abusive relationship” between the two countries.
“The elites sold us a bill of goods when it came to China. They were wrong, and we need to get it right,” he said.
The 10-point economic plan is the third major policy proposal put forth by DeSantis, who remains a distant second to former President Donald Trump in most polls and is fighting for momentum in the midst of a campaign reset. He recently shed more than one-third of his staff as federal filings showed his campaign was burning through cash at an unsustainable rate.
But on Monday, his focus was on reckless federal government spending. His plan describes him as a “new sheriff in town” who will veto wasteful spending and mandate work requirements for welfare programs. He also claimed he could achieve 3% annual economic growth by keeping taxes low, eliminating bureaucracy and incentivizing investment.
On the education front, DeSantis said he will stop incentivizing “useless degrees” by making universities responsible for the loans their students accrue.
“It’s wrong to say that a truck driver should have to pay off the debt of somebody who got a degree in gender studies,” he said.
After the speech, in what was billed as a news conference, DeSantis sidestepped a question about Trump’s mounting legal fees. That’s even as the DeSantis campaign has been attacking Trump for devoting much of his political fundraising to his legal entanglements.
“We’re here to talk about restoring this economy. We’re here to talk about uplifting the middle class,” DeSantis said. “To me, if you ask voters, are they more interested in hearing about that or the process stories about politics? I think that they want to hear about the country’s future so that’s what we’re going to talk about.”
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https://pix11.com/ap-political/ap-desantis-unveils-new-economic-policy-that-targets-china-taxes-and-regulations/
| 2023-07-31T18:56:55
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https://pix11.com/ap-political/ap-desantis-unveils-new-economic-policy-that-targets-china-taxes-and-regulations/
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HONG KONG (AP) — A French man is believed to have fallen to his death from a high-rise residential building in Hong Kong last week, police said on Monday, with local media outlets identifying him as daredevil Remi Lucidi.
Police said a 30-year-old man’s body was found on a patio in the city’s upscale Mid-Levels area. He was believed to have engaged in extreme sports, police said, without identifying him.
Officers conducted an initial investigation and said he apparently fell from a rooftop. No suicide note was found at the scene, they said. The cause of his death would have to be verified by an autopsy, they added.
Local media, including the South China Morning Post, said the man was Lucidi, 30. The Post cited an unnamed source saying he was last seen alive knocking on a penthouse window on the 68th floor of a residential tower on Thursday evening. The Associated Press has not been able to verify his identity.
Lucidi, who used the name “Remi Enigma” on social media, last posted a photo of Hong Kong’s night view a week ago on Instagram and tagged the location as Times Square in shopping district Causeway Bay. The photo appeared to be taken from above.
Supporters mourned him on social media.
Lucidi posted to Instagram as he climbed various tall structures around the world and took selfies, including one he captioned, “Above the Sky, 425m” and tagged Dubai as the location.
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https://www.wivb.com/news/world/ap-french-daredevil-who-climbed-towers-around-world-believed-to-have-fallen-to-his-death-in-hong-kong/
| 2023-07-31T18:56:58
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https://www.wivb.com/news/world/ap-french-daredevil-who-climbed-towers-around-world-believed-to-have-fallen-to-his-death-in-hong-kong/
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The U.S. Department of Energy is banning the sale of energy inefficient light bulbs beginning Aug. 1, 2023. Given that incandescent and halogen light bulbs are far less energy efficient than LED light bulbs, many people are treating this as a ban on incandescent and halogen bulbs.
Incandescent and halogen lights have a wire within the bulb that heats up and produces light, while LED bulbs do not.
But light bulbs aren’t just used in floor lamps and ceiling fans. People in various online communities have asked how the light bulb ban affects them — including a question about halogen headlights in a Ram trucks subreddit, multiple questions about heat lamps in communities for reptile pet owners and a question about how the law affects lava lamps.
THE QUESTION
Is the U.S. government banning all incandescent and halogen light bulbs?
THE SOURCES
THE ANSWER
No, the U.S. government is not banning all incandescent and halogen light bulbs.
WHAT WE FOUND
The new rule bans the manufacture and sale of inefficient “general service lamps,” which largely refers to the standard kinds of light bulbs you’d use to illuminate your home. Most incandescent and halogen light bulbs fail to meet these new energy efficiency standards, and are therefore banned by the rule.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has carved out exceptions for many different kinds of light bulbs in its ban on the manufacturing and sale of energy inefficient light bulbs.
“It does not ban the sale or manufacture of ALL incandescent bulbs, just those common household incandescent (and other) bulbs that are not energy-efficient,” the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says of the new ban. “Many bulbs, including specialty bulbs, three-way bulbs, chandelier bulbs, refrigerator bulbs, plant grow lights and others, are exempt from the law's requirements.”
The reason incandescent and halogen bulbs are less energy efficient than LED bulbs is because the incandescent and halogen bulbs create light by passing an electrical current through a tungsten filament, which also creates heat, General Electric says. The heat that’s released is usually wasted energy, although it can sometimes be useful for things like heat lamps.
The ban is a rule that has been in the making since 2007, when Congress passed and former President George W. Bush signed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. The law required the Secretary of Energy to determine if there should be a rule with a “minimum standard of 45 lumens per watt for general service lamps.”
In Jan. 2017, the DOE adopted this rule, and planned to begin enforcing it in 2020. DOE withdrew this rule in Sept. 2019 and didn’t adopt it again until May 2022, regulations.gov says. Therefore, the enforcement date was moved to Aug. 1, 2023, a DOE document says.
According to the 2007 law, the rule only makes changes to the “Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products Other Than Automobiles” within the U.S. code, meaning the ban does not apply to car lights, including headlights.
Additionally, the 2007 law required the rule to exempt a number of various bulbs from the ban. These include:
Appliance lamps (such as refrigerator lights)
Heat lamps, plant lights and bug lamps
Colored lights and black lights
Reflector lamps
Chandelier bulbs, Christmas lights and decorative bulbs of 40 watts or less
The EPA notes that the rule does not ban the use or purchase of incandescent or halogen lightbulbs, just the manufacture and sale of the bulbs. Therefore, individuals will not be penalized for continuing to use incandescent bulbs in their homes.
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https://www.kens5.com/article/news/verify/government-verify/incandescent-halogen-light-bulb-lamp-ban-phase-out/536-4cc9c8bb-bd10-4ca1-900e-e74df93f0ed8
| 2023-07-31T18:56:58
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https://www.kens5.com/article/news/verify/government-verify/incandescent-halogen-light-bulb-lamp-ban-phase-out/536-4cc9c8bb-bd10-4ca1-900e-e74df93f0ed8
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BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s embattled central bank governor stepped down on Monday under a cloud of investigation and blame for his country’s economic crisis as several European countries are probing his alleged financial crimes.
Riad Salameh, 73, ended his 30-year tenure as tearful employees took photos and a band played celebratory music with drums and trumpets as he left the building.
His four vice governors, led by incoming interim governor Wassim Mansouri, quickly pivoted to urge fiscal reforms for the cash-strapped country.
“We are at a crossroads,” Mansouri said at a news conference. “There is no choice, if we continue previous policy … the funds in the Central Bank will eventually dry up.”
Salameh kicked off his tenure as governor in 1993, three years after Lebanon’s 15-year civil war came to an end. It was a time when reconstruction loans and aid was pouring into the country, and Salameh was widely celebrated for his role in Lebanon’s recovery.
Now, he leaves his post a wanted man in Europe, accused by many in Lebanon of being responsible for the country’s financial downfall since late 2019.
It was a steep fall for a leader whose policies were once hailed for keeping the currency stable. Later, many financial experts saw him as setting up a house of cards that crumbled as the country’s supply of dollars dried up on top of decades of rampant and corruption and mismanagement from Lebanon’s ruling parties.
The crisis has pulverized the Lebanese pound and wiped out the savings of many Lebanese, as the banks ran dry of hard currency.
With the country’s banks crippled and public sector in ruins, Lebanon for years has run on a cash-based economy and relied primarily on tourism and remittances from millions in the diaspora.
Mansouri said previous policies that permitted the central bank to spend large sums on money to prop up the Lebanese state is no longer feasible. He cited years of spending billions of dollars to subsidize fuel, medicine, wheat and more to keep the value of the Lebanese pound stable.
He proposed a six-month reform plan that included passing long awaited reforms such as capital controls, a bank restructuring law, and the 2023 state budget.
“The country cannot continue without passing these laws,” Mansouri explained. “We don’t have time, and we paid a heavy price that we cannot pay anymore.”
The reforms Mansouri mentioned are among those the International Monetary Fund set as conditions on Lebanon in April 2022 for a bailout plan, though he did not mention the IMF. None have been passed.
France, Germany, and Luxembourg are investigating Salameh and his associates over myriad financial crimes, including illicit enrichment and the laundering of $330 million. Paris and Berlin issued Interpol notices to the central bank chief in May, though Lebanon does not hand over its citizens to foreign countries.
Salameh has repeatedly denied the allegations and insisted that his wealth comes from his previous job as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch, inherited properties, and investments. He has criticized the probe and said it was part of a media and political campaign to scapegoat him.
In his final interview as governor, Salameh said on Lebanese television that the responsibility for reforms lies with the government.
“Everything I did for the past 30 years was to try to serve Lebanon and the Lebanese,” he said. “Some — the majority —- were grateful, even if they don’t want to say so. And there are other people, well, may God forgive them.”
Salameh’s departure adds another gap in crisis-hit Lebanon’s withering and paralyzed institutions. The tiny Mediterranean country has been without a president for nine months, while its government has been running in a limited caretaker capacity for a year. Lebanon has also been without a top spy chief to head its General Security Directorate since March.
Lebanese officials in recent months were divided over whether Salameh should stay in his post or whether he should step down immediately in the remaining months of his tenure.
Caretaker Economy Minister Amin Salam wanted an immediate stepdown, given that the central bank chief had a “legal question mark.”
“I cannot explain anyone holding on to a person while a nation is failing unless there is something wrong or hidden,” Salam told The Associated Press.
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https://www.wivb.com/news/world/ap-lebanons-central-bank-governor-ends-30-year-tenure-under-investigation-during-dire-economic-crisis/
| 2023-07-31T18:57:04
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https://www.wivb.com/news/world/ap-lebanons-central-bank-governor-ends-30-year-tenure-under-investigation-during-dire-economic-crisis/
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MIAMI (AP) — The property manager of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate made his first court appearance on Monday on charges in the classified documents case against the former president but did not enter a plea because he has not found a Florida-based attorney to represent him.
Carlos De Oliveira is accused of scheming with Trump to try to delete security footage sought by investigators probing the former president’s hoarding of classified documents at his Palm Beach club. De Oliveira was added last week to the indictment with Trump and the ex-president’s valet, Walt Nauta, and faces charges including conspiracy to obstruct justice and lying to investigators.
De Oliveira, wearing a blue suit and tie, answered questions from a magistrate judge during a brief hearing in Miami federal court. He was ordered to turn over his passport and sign an agreement to pay $100,000 if he doesn’t return to court. He was represented by Washington, D.C.-based attorney John Irving, but under court rules he needs local counsel to proceed with his arraignment, which was scheduled for Aug. 10 in Fort Pierce.
Irving told reporters after the hearing that he looks forward to seeing what potential evidence the Justice Department has. He declined to comment about whether De Oliveira has been asked to testify against Trump.
De Oliveira’s court appearance comes as Trump braces for possible charges stemming from investigations into his efforts to cling to power after he lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden.
Trump, the early front-runner in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, has been informed he’s a target of special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and Trump’s lawyers met with Smith’s team last week. A Georgia prosecutor is also expected to seek a grand jury indictment in the coming weeks in her investigation into efforts by Trump and his allies to subvert his election loss there.
Trump, who pleaded not guilty in June, has denied any wrongdoing. He posted on his Truth Social platform last week that the Mar-a-Lago security tapes were voluntarily handed over to investigators and that he was told the tapes were not “deleted in any way, shape or form.”
Prosecutors have not alleged that security footage was actually deleted or kept from investigators.
Nauta has also pleaded not guilty. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon had previously scheduled the trial of Trump and Nauta to begin in May, and it’s unclear whether the addition of De Oliveira to the case may impact the case’s timeline.
The latest indictment, unsealed on Thursday, alleges that Trump tried to have security footage deleted after investigators visited in June 2022 to collect classified documents the former president took with him after he left the White House.
Trump was already facing dozens of felony counts — including willful retention of national defense information — stemming from allegations that he mishandled government secrets that as commander-in-chief he was entrusted to protect. Experts have said the new allegations bolster the special counsel’s case and deepen the former president’s legal jeopardy.
Video from Mar-a-Lago would ultimately become vital to the government’s case because, prosecutors said, it shows Nauta moving boxes in and out of a storage room — an act alleged to have been done at Trump’s direction and in effort to hide records not only only from investigators but also from Trump’s own lawyers.
Days after the Justice Department sent a subpoena for video footage at Mar-a-Lago to the Trump Organization in June 2022, prosecutors say, De Oliveira asked an information technology staffer how long the server retained footage and told the employee “the boss” wanted it deleted. When the employee said he didn’t believe he was able to do that, De Oliveira insisted the “boss” wanted it done, asking, “What are we going to do?”
Shortly after the FBI searched Mar-a-Lago and found classified records in the storage room and Trump’s office, prosecutors say, Nauta called a Trump employee and said words to the effect of “someone just wants to make sure Carlos is good.” The indictment says the employee responded that De Oliveira was loyal and wouldn’t do anything to affect his relationship with Trump. That day, the indictment alleges, Trump called De Oliveira directly to say that he would get De Oliveira an attorney.
Prosecutors allege that De Oliveira later lied in interviews with investigators, falsely claiming that he hadn’t even seen boxes moved into Mar-a-Lago after Trump left the White House.
___
Richer reported from Boston. Associated Press journalist Daniel Kozin in Miami contributed.
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https://pix11.com/ap-political/ap-mar-a-lago-worker-charged-in-trumps-classified-documents-case-to-make-first-court-appearance/
| 2023-07-31T18:57:03
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https://pix11.com/ap-political/ap-mar-a-lago-worker-charged-in-trumps-classified-documents-case-to-make-first-court-appearance/
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SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama is among the more heralded NBA prospects in recent memory and is already discussed as one of the most game-changing talents in basketball.
In a Friday episode of the Locked On NBA podcast, hosts Wes Goldberg and Adam Mares debated whether that could mean Wembanyama is a candidate for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award as soon as his rookie season.
“The thing in today’s NBA with voting … is it’s not just overall impact, they want to see versatility," Mares said.
Wembanyama has the 11th-best odds to win the award on the FanDuel Sportsbook, the official sports betting partner of the Locked On Podcast Network. That may seem high, but throughout his young pro career, he has been an elite rim protector and game-changer on defense.
“The thing that was underrated about his performance at Summer League is that his defensive impact actually was real, but we also saw that he very much was a young player who doesn’t know the game yet," Mares added. "He still has a lot to learn.”
Still, even if he's elite blocking shots for a rookie, the reality remains that he is seeing the speed, physicality and skill of the NBA game for the first time.
“It’s so hard to be a rim protector as a rookie in the NBA. It’s harder than it’s ever been," Goldberg said. "That being said, if he does lead the league in blocks, (voters will consider him).”
In the past, the only two rookies to finish in the top five of Rookie of the Year were Tim Duncan and Manute Bol, two of the best defensive players in NBA history.
“If Wembanyama wins it this year, he might just get 15 of these," Mares said. "They might just have to get rid of it.”
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https://www.kens5.com/article/sports/locked-on/lo-national/locked-on-nba/could-victor-wembanyama-win-nba-dpoy-rookie/535-67e79b8c-00f0-43ac-a16a-14a0b78667e4
| 2023-07-31T18:57:04
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BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar’s military-controlled government has extended the state of emergency it imposed when the army seized power from an elected government 2 1/2 years ago, state-run media said Monday, forcing a further delay in elections it promised when it took over.
MRTV television said the National Defense and Security Council met Monday in the capital, Naypyitaw, and extended the state of emergency for another six months starting Tuesday because time is needed to prepare for the elections. The NDSC is nominally a constitutional government body, but in practice is controlled by the military.
The announcement amounted to an admission that the army does not exercise enough control to stage the polls and has failed to subdue widespread opposition to military rule, which includes increasingly challenging armed resistance as well as nonviolent protests and civil disobedience, despite the army having a huge advantage in manpower and weapons.
The state of emergency was declared when troops arrested Aung San Suu Kyi and top officials from her government and members of her National League for Democracy party on Feb. 1, 2021. The takeover reversed years of progress toward democracy after five decades of military rule in Myanmar.
The military said it seized power because of fraud in the last general election held in November 2020, in which Suu Kyi’s party won a landslide victory while the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development party did poorly. Independent election observers said they did not find any major irregularities.
The army takeover was met with widespread peaceful protests that security forces suppressed with lethal force, triggering armed resistance that U.N. experts have described as a civil war.
As of Monday, 3,857 people have been killed by the security forces since the takeover, according to a tally kept by the independent Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.
The army-enacted 2008 constitution allows the military to rule the country under a state of emergency for one year, with two possible six-month extensions if preparations are not yet completed for new polls, meaning that the time limit expired on Jan. 31 this year.
However, the NDSC allowed the military government to extend emergency rule for another six months in February, saying the country remained in an abnormal situation. The announcement on Monday is the fourth extension.
The state of emergency allows the military to assume all government functions, giving the head of the ruling military council, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, legislative, judicial and executive powers.
Nay Phone Latt, a spokesperson for the National Unity Government, an underground group that calls itself the country’s legitimate government and serves as an opposition umbrella group, said the extension of emergency rule was expected because the military government hasn’t been able to annihilate the pro-democracy forces.
“The junta extended the state of emergency because the generals have a lust for power and don’t want to lose it. As for the revolutionary groups, we will continue to try to speed up our current revolutionary activities,” Nay Phone Latt said in a message Monday.
The military government labels the NUG and its armed wing, the People’s Defense Forces, as “terrorists.”
Monday’s report did not specify when the polls might be held, saying only that they would occur after the goals of the state of emergency are accomplished.
According to the constitution, the military must transfer government functions to the president, who heads the NDSC, six months before the polls. That would mean Acting President Myint Swe, a retired general.
The military originally announced that new polls would be held a year after its takeover and later said they would take place in August 2023. But the extension of the emergency in February made that timing impossible.
The MRTV report said Myint Swe told members of the NDSC that the government needs to do more to achieve stability and the rule of law to prepare for the election.
Critics say the polls will be neither free nor fair under the military-controlled government, which has shut independent media and arrested most of the leaders of Suu Kyi’s party.
Her party was dissolved along with 39 other parties by the election commission in March for failing to re-apply under a political party registration law enacted by the military government early this year. The law makes it difficult for opposition groups to mount a serious challenge to army-backed candidates.
Suu Kyi, 78, is serving prison sentences totaling 33 years after being convicted in a series of politically tainted cases brought mostly by the military government.
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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The San Francisco prosecutor’s office began laying out its case Monday against a tech consultant charged with murder in the stabbing death of Cash App founder Bob Lee, who was found bleeding on a deserted city street in April.
In the preliminary hearing, a judge will decide if there’s enough evidence to go to trial.
Prosecutors have provided no motive and released little information in a case that has drawn outsized media attention, partly due to Lee’s status in the tech world. Lee created Cash App, a mobile payment service, and was the chief product officer of the cryptocurrency MobileCoin.
Nima Momeni, 38, has been in jail since his arrest April 13. He has pleaded not guilty, and he faces 26 years to life if convicted.
That came more than a week after Lee, 43, was found bleeding in a deserted part of downtown San Francisco early April 4. Lee was rushed to a hospital, where he died.
In making a motion to keep Momeni detained in jail without bail, prosecutors argued that he planned the attack, drove Lee to a secluded spot and stabbed him three times after a dispute related to Momeni’s younger sister.
Assistant District Attorney Omid Talai said at a May hearing that Momeni used a knife that was part of a unique kitchen set belonging to his sister. Analysis showed Momeni’s DNA on the weapon’s handle and Lee’s DNA on the bloody blade, Talai said.
Police recovered a knife with a 4-inch (10-centimeter) blade at the scene.
Momeni has hired two new lawyers, Saam Zangeneh and Bradford Cohen, both based in Florida. His first attorney, Paula Canny, withdrew in late May, citing a conflict of interest that she declined to disclose.
In arguing for bail, Canny said that Momeni was not a flight risk and would not leave the two people he loves most, his sister and mother. She said Momeni needs to fight the charges or face deportation to Iran, a country that his mother fled when the children were younger to escape a violent husband.
An unnamed friend of Lee told homicide investigators they had been hanging out and drinking with Momeni’s sister the day before the stabbing, prosecutors said in their motion to deny bail.
The friend said Momeni later questioned Lee about whether his sister was doing drugs or otherwise engaging in inappropriate behavior and Lee said she had not.
Surveillance video showed Lee later entering the posh Millennium Tower downtown, where Momeni’s sister Khazar lives with her husband, prominent San Francisco plastic surgeon Dino Elyassnia. Video footage then showed Lee and Momeni leaving the building together shortly after 2 a.m. and driving off in Momeni’s car.
Lee was found shortly after 2:30 a.m. in the Rincon Hill neighborhood, which has tech offices and condominiums but little activity in the early morning hours.
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NEW YORK — While the Las Vegas Aces are the class of the WNBA so far this season, their dominance may actually hurt them in final awards ballots.
Locked On Women's Basketball hosts Natalie Heavren and Em Adler discussed their WNBA awards ballots at the midway point of the season on the latest episode of the podcast, starting with likely runaway MVP Breanna Stewart, producing at an elite level in her first season in Brooklyn.
“I think if Stewie puts up a few more 40-point games … that’s probably a turning point," Adler said. "If New York cleans (clutch performance) up, then I think it will sort of be the difference in wins and losses that will convince a lot of people.”
Coming in second on the hosts' MVP ballots was Alyssa Thomas, the standout forward for the Connecticut Sun playing at her peak at age 30.
“I wasn’t necessarily expecting Alyssa Thomas to be so close to Breanna Stewart," Adler explained. "It could go either way, I think Alyssa Thomas is certainly deserving of that recognition, especially with how much she has led the team lately.”
Thomas was the hosts' pick to win Defensive Player of the Year.
Perhaps the most clear-cut winner of any WNBA award this season will be Aliyah Boston of the Indiana Fever, a shoo-in for Rookie of the Year.
“Aliyah Boston is obviously going to be Rookie of the Year," Adler said. "She is the one player consistently getting doubled from Indiana … it’s really hard to stop her one on one.”
The hosts also listed Chicago Sky reserve forward Alanna Smith as their Most Improved Player and went through the top coach and executive in the WNBA as well as how the race could evolve in the back half of the year.
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BEIJING (AP) — A zoo in eastern China is denying suggestions some of its bears might be people in costumes after photos of the animals standing like humans circulated online.
The sun bears from Malaysia are smaller than other bears and look different but are the real thing, the Hangzhou Zoo said Monday on its social media account.
“Some people think I stand like a person,” said the posting, written from the bear’s point of view. “It seems you don’t understand me very well.”
An employee who answered the phone at the zoo declined to talk about the bears but said visits were being arranged for reporters Monday to see them.
Internet users questioned whether the zoo’s bears were real after photos circulated showing one standing upright on slender hind legs.
“Because of the way they stand, some people online question whether they are ‘humans in disguise,’” the newspaper Hangzhou Daily said.
Sun bears are the size of large dogs, standing at most 1.3 meters (50 inches) tall on their hind legs, compared with up to 2.8 meters (9 feet) for grizzlies and other species, according to the zoo.
Other Chinese zoos have been accused of trying to pass off dogs dyed to look like wolves or African cats, and donkeys painted to look like zebras.
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DETROIT (AP) — Michigan residents who were catastrophically injured in car wrecks before the summer of 2019 can’t have insurance benefits reduced while they continue to get long-term care, the state Supreme Court said Monday in a decision that provides critical relief for thousands of people.
For decades, crash survivors were entitled to lifetime payment for “all reasonable charges” related to care and rehabilitation. But a new state law set a fee schedule and a cap on reimbursements. Suddenly, 18,000 people already receiving benefits were forced to scramble as some health providers dropped out.
But in a 5-2 opinion, the Supreme Court said a “vested contractual right” to ongoing benefits “cannot be stripped away or diminished,” especially when lawmakers failed to declare an intent to do so when they changed the law.
The decision was written by Justice Elizabeth Welch, a Democrat, and joined by other Democratic justices and Chief Justice Elizabeth Clement, a Republican.
In an effort to lower Michigan’s insurance rates, which were among the highest in the U.S., the Republican-controlled Legislature and Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer agreed to sweeping changes in 2019. Drivers can save money by choosing certain injury-coverage options.
The catastrophically injured include hockey star Vladimir Konstantinov, a former member of the Detroit Red Wings, who requires 24/7 care. He suffered severe brain damage in 1997 when a drunken limousine driver crashed the car he was traveling in, following the team’s championship.
Another person who has frequently talked publicly about the law’s drastic impact on his long-term care died Monday, according to CPAN, a coalition of medical organizations and consumer groups speaking for accident victims.
Brian Woodward suffered devastating spinal injuries in a 1980s crash but was able to get in-home care and even hold a job. When the law changed, and care rates were reduced, he said he lost caregivers and was shuttled from facility to facility.
“It resulted in the spiritual, emotional and physical decline of many people, including Brian,” said Tim Hoste, president of CPAN. “If you don’t have appropriate care, your condition will decline rapidly. That’s what happened.”
An industry trade group, the Insurance Alliance of Michigan, said the Supreme Court decision will open the door to overcharging for medical care. The lower reimbursement schedule, however, remains intact for injuries since the law was overhauled.
In a dissent, Justice David Viviano said the Supreme Court majority crafted an opinion based on “vague and disputed concepts” to provide cover for those who simply believe it would be unfair to reduce future benefits for the long-term injured.
“As a result, the efforts of the Legislature and the governor to reduce costs and make insurance more affordable for all the residents of our state will not come to fruition for many decades,” said Viviano, who was joined by fellow Republican Justice Brian Zahra.
“If courts cannot be trusted to faithfully interpret and apply the laws, especially those involving such significant and contested topics, then the democratic process is in peril,” Viviano said.
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Follow Ed White at http://twitter.com/edwritez
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PYEONGTAEK, South Korea (AP) — The dogs bark and stare as Kim Jong-kil approaches the rusty cages housing the large, short-haired animals he sells for their meat. Kim opens a door and pets one dog’s neck and chest.
Kim says he’s proud of the dog meat farm that has supported his family for 27 years, but is upset over growing attempts by politicians and activists to outlaw the business, which he is turning over to his children.
“It’s more than just feeling bad. I absolutely oppose these moves, and we’ll mobilize all our means to resist it,” Kim, 57, said in an interview at his farm in Pyeongtaek city, just south of Seoul.
Dog meat consumption is a centuries-old practice on the Korean Peninsula and has long been viewed as a source of stamina on hot summer days. It’s neither explicitly banned nor legalized in South Korea, but more and more people want it prohibited. There’s increasing public awareness of animal rights and worries about South Korea’s international image.
The anti-dog meat campaign recently received a big boost when the country’s first lady expressed her support for a ban and two lawmakers submitted bills to eliminate the dog meat trade.
“Foreigners think South Korea is a cultural powerhouse. But the more K-culture increases its international standing, the bigger shock foreigners experience over our dog meat consumption,” said Han Jeoungae, an opposition lawmaker who submitted legislation to outlaw the dog meat industry last month.
Prospects for passage of an anti-dog meat law are unclear because of protests by farmers, restaurant owners and others involved in the dog meat industry. Surveys suggest that one in three South Koreans opposes such a ban, though most people don’t eat dog meat anymore.
Dogs are also eaten in China, Vietnam, Indonesia, North Korea and some African countries, including Ghana, Cameroon, Congo and Nigeria.
Earlier this month, Indonesian authorities announced the end of dog and cat slaughter at an animal market on the island of Sulawesi following a yearslong campaign by local activists and world celebrities. The Tomohon Extreme Market will become the first such market in Indonesia to go dog and cat meat-free, according to the anti-animal cruelty group Humane Society International.
South Korea’s dog meat industry receives more international attention because of its reputation as a wealthy, ultra-modern democracy. It is also the only nation with industrial-scale farms. Most farms in South Korea have more than 500 dogs, according to a dog farmers’ association.
During a recent visit, Kim’s farm, one of the country’s largest with 7,000 dogs, appeared relatively clean but there was a strong stench in some areas. All dogs are kept in elevated cages and are fed with food waste and ground chicken. They are rarely released for exercise and typically are sold for meat one year after they are born.
Kim said two of his children, age 29 and 31, are running the farm with him, and that business has been going pretty well. He said the dogs bred for their meat are different from pets, an idea opposed by activists.
It’s difficult now to find dog meat restaurants in Seoul’s bustling downtown, though many still exit in the countryside.
“I only earn one-third of the money I used to make. Young people don’t come here. Only ailing old people come for lunch,” said Yoon Chu-wol, 77, the owner of a dog meat restaurant in Seoul’s Kyungdong traditional market. “I tell my elderly customers to come and eat my food more frequently before it’s banned.”
Farmers also face growing scrutiny from officials and increasingly negative public opinion. They complain that officials visit them repeatedly in response to complaints filed by activists and citizens over alleged animal abuse and other wrongdoing. Kim said more than 90 such petitions were filed against his farm during a recent four-month span.
Son Won Hak, general secretary of the dog farmers’ association, said many farms have collapsed in recent years because of falling dog meat prices and weaker demand. He thinks that’s a result of activist campaigns and unfair media reports focusing on farms with inferior conditions. Some observers, however, say consumption of dog meat was already declining, with younger people staying away from it.
“Quite honestly, I’d like to quit my job (as a farmer) tomorrow. We can’t confidently tell our children that we’re raising dogs,” Son said. “When my friends called me, they said ‘Hey, are you still running a dog meat farm? Isn’t it illegal?’”
The number of farms across South Korea has dropped by half from a few years ago to about 3,000 to 4,000, and about 700,000 to 1 million dogs are slaughtered each year, a decline from several million 10 to 20 years ago, according to the dog farmers’ association. Some activists argue that the farmers’ estimates are an exaggeration meant to show their industry is too big to destroy.
In late 2021, South Korea launched a government-civilian task force to consider outlawing dog meat at the suggestion of then-President Moon Jae-in, a pet lover. The committee, whose members include farmers and animal rights activists, has met more than 20 times but hasn’t reached any agreement, apparently because of disputes over compensation issues.
Agriculture officials refused to disclose the discussions in the closed-door meetings. They said the government wants to end dog meat consumption based on a public consensus.
In April, first lady Kim Keon Hee, the wife of current President Yoon Suk Yeol, said in a meeting with activists that she hopes for an end to dog meat consumption. Famers responded with rallies and formal complaints against Kim for allegedly hurting their livelihoods.
Han, the lawmaker, said she “highly positively appraises” influential figures speaking out against dog meat consumption.
Han said her bill offers support programs for farmers who agree to close their farms. They would be entitled to money to dismantle their facilities, vocational training, employment assistance and other benefits, she said.
Ju Yeongbong, an official of the farmers’ association, said farmers want to continue for about 20 more years until older people, their main customers, die, allowing the industry to naturally disappear. Observers say most farmers are also in their 60s to 70s.
Borami Seo, a director of the South Korea office of the Humane Society International, said she opposes the continued killing of millions of dogs for such a prolonged period. “Letting this silent cruelty to (dogs) be committed in South Korea doesn’t make sense,” Seo said.
“(Dog meat consumption) is too anachronistic, has elements of cruelty to animals and hinders our national growth,” said Cheon JinKyung, head of Korea Animal Rights Advocates in Seoul.
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NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are drifting Monday as Wall Street rolls toward the end of another winning month.
The S&P 500 was mostly unchanged in afternoon trading, on track for a fifth straight month of gains, which would be its longest winning streak in nearly two years. The index is near a 16-month high after rallying on hopes cooling inflation will mean the economy can avoid a long-predicted recession.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 45 points, or 0.1%, at 35,506 as of 1:43 p.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.1% higher.
To be sure, critics have been saying Wall Street’s seemingly growing consensus for a soft landing for the economy has come too quickly. Several reports this upcoming week could poke holes in the theory that inflation will keep coming down enough for the Federal Reserve to not only stop hiking interest rates but to begin cutting them by early next year.
Big names in the market, such as Rob Arnott at Research Affiliates, are warning not to be “overly hasty in popping the champagne corks.” Arnott sees the possibility of inflation rebounding again later this year, even though it’s cooled considerably recently.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell himself has pointed to Friday’s upcoming report on the overall U.S. job market as an important datapoint. Growth needs to be strong enough to keep a lid on worries about a possible recession. But a reading that’s too hot could also mean upward pressure on inflation, which could push the Fed to get more aggressive about rates.
High rates undercut inflation by slowing the overall economy and dragging on prices for stocks and other investments. The Fed has already hiked its main rate to its highest level in more than two decades, a jolting shock after the rate began last year at virtually zero.
Two of Wall Street’s most influential stocks are also set to report their earnings for the spring. Amazon and Apple are both scheduled to release their latest quarterly results on Thursday. Because they’re two of the most massive stocks on Wall Street, their stock movements pack much more punch for the S&P 500 and other indexes than other stocks.
Both stocks have soared this year, in part on expectations for strong continued growth, and they’ll need to deliver to justify the big moves. Both Apple and Amazon are up more than 50% so far this year.
Roughly halfway through the earnings reporting season, more companies than usual have topped analysts’ profit expectations, according to FactSet. Companies also seem to be more optimistic about their upcoming results, giving better-than-expected profit forecasts more often than usual, according to strategists at Bank of America.
“While economic uncertainty remains, we believe the profit cycle is inflecting higher,” the strategists wrote in a BofA Global Research report.
ON Semiconductor rose 3% for one of the larger gains in the S&P 500 after reporting stronger profit for the latest quarter than expected. The company, known as onsemi, also gave a forecast for profit in the current quarter that topped analysts’ expectations.
On the losing end was Tempur Sealy International. The mattress company said it discovered a cybersecurity event last week, which pushed it to shut down some of its technology systems. It has resumed operations after what it called a temporary interruption and is working to determine the incident’s full impact. Its stock fell 4%.
In stock markets abroad, indexes in Europe were a bit higher higher after data showed Europe’s economy has grown modestly after months of stagnation.
In Asia, stocks rose in Hong Kong and Shanghai amid hopes Beijing will deliver more stimulus for the sluggish Chinese economy.
In the bond market, U.S. Treasury yields slipped after a report suggested manufacturing in the Chicago region is weakening a bit more than economists expected. Manufacturing has been one of the hardest-hit areas in the economy by high interest rates, which work with a notoriously long lag effect.
The yield on the 10-year Treasury slipped to 3.94% from 3.96% late Friday.
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AP Business Writers Matt Ott, Elaine Kurtenbach and Joe McDonald contributed.
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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A state-run oil giant in the United Arab Emirates said Monday it has moved up its target for achieving net zero emissions in its operations to 2045, as the country prepares to host U.N. climate talks later this year.
The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, known as ADNOC, said it is also committed to acheiving zero methane emissions by 2030. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide in the short term.
Earlier this year, ADNOC earmarked $15 billion for an array of green initiatives, including the development of hydrogen power, carbon capture facilities and the planting of mangroves.
The company had previously committed to net zero — the balancing of greenhouse gas emissions to the point that the amount removed from the atmosphere is equal to the amount emitted — by 2050.
The UAE, an OPEC member that produces over 3 million barrels of crude oil a day, will host the global climate talks known as COP28 from Nov. 30 to Dec. 12 in Dubai. It has appointed Sultan al-Jaber, the head of ADNOC, to chair the meeting, a move that drew criticism from some environmentalists.
Al-Jaber has emphasized the need to cut emissions, rather than end fossil fuel use itself. It’s prompted fears that he might seek loopholes for untested carbon-capture technologies and so-called offsets that experts say distract from the need to end the release of greenhouse gases.
Governments agreed eight years ago in Paris to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) — ideally no more than 1.5C (2.7F). With average global temperatures already about 1.2C (2.2F) above pre-industrial levels, experts say the window to meet the more ambitious target is closing fast and even the less stringent goal would be missed if emissions aren’t slashed sharply soon.
The UAE, a global hub for business and tourism, has pledged to be carbon neutral by 2050 — a target that remains difficult to assess and one that authorities haven’t fully explained how they’ll reach. Analysts believe the Emirates is trying to maximize its profits as the world turns to renewables.
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| 2023-07-31T18:57:33
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Senegal opposition leader in custody on insurrection charges
Senegalese opposition leader Ousmane Sonko was charged with plotting insurrection, criminal conspiracy and other offenses, his lawyers said on Monday.
Sonko was arrested on Friday following a scuffle with security forces outside his home.
Prosecutors said the charges stemmed from comments he has made, rallies he has held and other incidents since 2021, including the scuffle at his home on Friday that preceded his arrest.
On Monday, Sonko, a fierce critic of President Macky Sall, continued a hunger strike he had begun a day earlier.
Senegal's interior minister said Sonko's Pastef party had been dissolved for having "frequently" called for insurrection, leading to widespread damage and deaths.
Sonko's legal woes
In June, Sonko was acquitted on charges of raping a woman who worked at a massage parlor and of making death threats against her.
But he was convicted on separate charges of "corrupting youth" and sentenced to two years in prison.
The conviction in June brought Dakar to a standstill, with at least nine people killed as a result of violent clashes between the police and Sonko's supporters.
They believe the charges were politically motivated and aimed at barring him from the presidential elections in 2024.
Uncertainty over whether Sall would run for a third term, despite a constitutional ban on seeking more than two terms, had already created a tense climate in the country.
Sonko had repeatedly called on Sall to publicly announce that he wouldn't seek a third term, an announcement that came in early July.
Senegal restricts internet
Senegal also restricted access to mobile internet on Monday, citing "hateful and subversive" messages on social media, as Sonko's supporters called for protests following his arrest at the weekend.
"Due to the dissemination of hateful and subversive messages on social networks ... mobile data internet is being temporarily suspended during certain hours from Monday July 31", the telecommunications and digital economy minister for said in a statement.
Senegal had also cut internet access during the clashes in June.
rm/lo (AFP, Reuters)
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NEW YORK (AP) — Troubled trucking company Yellow Corp. is shutting down and headed for a bankruptcy, the Teamsters said Monday.
An official bankruptcy filing is expected any day for Yellow, after years of financial struggles and growing debt. Its expected liquidation would mark a significant shift for the U.S. transportation industry and shippers nationwide.
“Today’s news is unfortunate but not surprising. Yellow has historically proven that it could not manage itself despite billions of dollars in worker concessions and hundreds of millions in bailout funding from the federal government,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “This is a sad day for workers and the American freight industry.”
Yellow did not immediately respond to The Associated Press’ requests for comment on Sunday and Monday. As of midday Monday, no bankruptcy filings from the company could be found on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website, but the union confirmed that it had been served legal notice.
The company’s collapse arrives just three years after Yellow, formerly known as YRC Worldwide Inc., received $700 million in pandemic-era loans from the federal government. But the company was in financial trouble long before that — with industry analysts pointing to poor management and strategic decisions dating back decades.
Former Yellow customers and shippers will face higher prices as they take their business to competitors, including FedEx or ABF Freight, experts say — noting that Yellow historically offered the cheapest price points in the industry.
Yellow is one of the nation’s largest less-than-truckload carriers. The closure of the 99-year-old Nashville, Tennessee-based company risks a loss of 30,000 jobs.
Safety vests that appeared to belong to former Yellow workers were zip-tied to the fence of a closed YRC Freight terminal in St. Louis, Missouri on Monday. Names and years worked at the company were written on them.
“Ron Fisher 2017-2023 was here,” one vest read.
Reports of Yellow preparing for bankruptcy emerged last week — as the Nashville, Tennessee-based trucker saw customers leave in large numbers, per The Wall Street Journal and FreightWaves. And the company reportedly stopped freight pickups earlier in the week.
Yellow shut down operations on Sunday, according to The Journal, following the layoffs of hundreds of nonunion employees on Friday.
The bankruptcy preparation reports arrived just days after Yellow averted a strike from the Teamsters, which represents Yellow’s 22,000 unionized workers, amid heated contract negotiations. On July 23, a pension fund agreed to extend health benefits for workers at two Yellow Corp. operating companies, avoiding a planned walkout. The fund gave Yellow “30 days to pay its bills,” notably $50 million that Yellow failed to pay the Central States Health and Welfare Fund earlier in the month.
Yellow has racked up hefty bills over the years. As of late March, Yellow had an outstanding debt of about $1.5 billion. Of that, $729.2 million was owed to the federal government.
In 2020, under the Trump administration, the Treasury Department granted the company a $700 million pandemic-era loan on national security grounds. Last month, a congressional probe concluded that the Treasury and Defense departments “made missteps” in this decision — and noted that Yellow’s “precarious financial position at the time of the loan, and continued struggles, expose taxpayers to a significant risk of loss.”
The government loan is due in September 2024. As of March, Yellow had made $54.8 million in interest payments and repaid just $230 million of the principal owed, according to government documents.
The current financial chaos at Yellow “is probably two decades in the making,” said Stifel research director Bruce Chan, pointing to poor management and strategic decisions dating back to the early 2000s. “At this point, after each party has bailed them out so many times, there is a limited appetite to do that anymore.”
A Wednesday investors note from financial service firm Stephens estimated that Yellow was burning daily amounts of $9 million to $10 million in recent days.
Yellow handled an average of 49,000 shipments per day in 2022 according to Satish Jindel, president of transportation and logistics firm SJ Consulting. On Friday, he estimated that number was down to between 10,000 and 15,000 daily shipments.
Yellow’s prices have historically been the cheapest compared to other carriers, Jindel said. “That’s why they obviously were not making money,” he added. “And while there is capacity with the other LTL carriers to handle the diversions from Yellow, it will come at a high price for (current shippers and customers) of Yellow.”
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AP Business Writer Matt Ott contributed to this report.
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| 2023-07-31T18:57:35
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KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian ballistic missiles slammed into an apartment complex and a university building in President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s hometown Monday, killing six people and wounding 75 others as the blasts trapped residents beneath rubble, Ukrainian officials said.
One of the two missiles that hit the central city of Kryvyi Rih destroyed part of an apartment building between the fourth and ninth floors, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said. Video showed black smoke billowing from corner units and burned out or damaged cars on a tree-lined street.
The dead included a 10-year-old girl and her mother, according to Zelenskyy. More than 350 people were involved in the rescue operation, he said in a Telegram post.
The morning attack also destroyed part of a four-story university building.
The strike on Zelenskyy’s hometown, which has been hit in the past, happened a day after the Ukrainian president seemed to warn of more attacks inside Russia.
“Gradually, the war is returning to the territory of Russia — to its symbolic centers and military bases, and this is an inevitable, natural and absolutely fair process,” Zelenskyy said Sunday in his nightly video address.
It was not clear whether the missile strikes were in retaliation for his comments.
Meanwhile, a Ukrainian artillery strike on the partially occupied Donetsk province killed two people and wounded six others in the regional capital, according to Denis Pushilin, the Moscow-installed leader of the illegally annexed province.
A bus was also hit as Ukrainian forces shelled the city of Donetsk multiple times Monday, Pushilin said.
Neither side’s claims could be independently verified.
A recent Ukrainian counteroffensive, deploying weaponry supplied by Kyiv’s Western allies and aimed at driving Russian forces out of occupied areas, intensified last week. At the same time, Ukraine has sought to take the war deep into Russia, reportedly using drones to hit targets as far away as Moscow.
Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia and Moscow-annexed territory, especially Crimea, have become more frequent. The latest strike, on Sunday, damaged two office buildings a few miles (kilometers) from the Kremlin. Ukrainian officials did not acknowledge the attack.
Russia tightened security in the aftermath of that attack, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday, describing the assault as an “act of desperation.”
“The Kyiv regime is in a very, very difficult situation,” Peskov said, “as the counteroffensive is not working out as planned.”
“It’s obvious that the multibillion-dollar resources that have been transferred by NATO countries to the Kyiv regime are actually being spent inefficiently,” Peskov said.
“This raises big questions in Western capitals and great discomfort among taxpayers in Western countries.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin, analysts say, is wagering that Western support for Kyiv will wane as the war drags on and costs mount.
Another Ukrainian drone targeted a district police department early Monday in Russia’s Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine, but there were no casualties, the local governor said.
Bombarding populated areas with missiles, artillery and drones has been a hallmark of Moscow’s military strategy throughout the war, and that approach has continued during the Ukrainian counteroffensive that started in June.
Russian officials insist they take aim only at legitimate military targets, but Ukraine and its supporters say mass civilian deaths during previous attacks are evidence of war crimes.
“In recent days, the enemy has been stubbornly attacking cities, city centers, shelling civilian objects and housing,” Zelenskyy said. “But this terror will not frighten us or break us.”
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Monday that his forces have increased the intensity of attacks on Ukrainian military facilities.
It was not immediately clear which military facilities he was referring to, as Russia’s recent missile strikes have hit civilian infrastructure.
In the southern city of Odesa, Russian strikes in recent weeks targeted port infrastructure and grain silos, after Moscow broke off an export agreement for Ukrainian grain. The Ukrainian foreign ministry estimated Monday that about 180,000 metric tons of grain have been destroyed by Russia in the past nine days.
Russian shelling Monday also killed four civilians and wounded 17 in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson. A 70-year-old woman was killed by shelling in her home in a Kharkiv province village near Izyum, authorities said.
In eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk province, one person was reported killed and seven people were injured after Russia shelled 12 cities and villages, according to Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko.
In other developments Monday, China introduced restrictions on the export of long-range civilian drones. Authorities cited the war in Ukraine and concern that drones could be converted for military purposes.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government is friendly with Moscow, but says it’s neutral in the war. It has been stung by reports that both sides might be using Chinese-made drones for reconnaissance and possibly attacks.
Meanwhile, Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin said Monday that his Wagner Group is not currently recruiting fighters.
In an audio message published on a Telegram channel associated with the Wagner chief, Prigozhin said the company had suspended recruitment as there is currently “no shortage of personnel.”
Prigozhin previously agreed with Western estimates that he lost more than 20,000 men in the long battle for the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.
Prigozhin last month led a short-lived mutiny against Moscow, demanding a leadership change in the Russian military. In an attempt to control him, Russian authorities insisted that Wagner fighters can only return to Ukraine if they join Russia’s regular army.
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Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
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Trump manager appears at court in classified documents case
Carlos De Oliveira, the property manager at former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, made his first appearance in federal court Monday for charges related to the classified documents case against the Republican politician.
De Oliveira, who has not found a Florida-based attorney to represent him, did not enter a plea.
He was added to the indictment against Trump and valet Walt Nauta last week in what is known as a superseding indictment, indicating that the government's case against Trump is widening.
De Oliveira's appearance is tied to one of several federal cases against Trump, this one alleging a plot to illegally retain top-secret classified documents at Trump's estate in Palm Beach, Florida, as well as to block government efforts to retrieve them. In the documents case alone, the former president faces 37 criminal counts.
US Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres read De Oliveira the charges against him, ordered him to hand over his passport, not speak to the other defendants in the case, and sign an agreement to pay $100,000 if he fails to appear in court for his arraignment, which is scheduled for August 10.
De Oliveira faces charges including conspiracy to obstruct justice and lying to investigators.
Trump has already appeared before a Miami magistrate judge, pleading not guilty in the case brought by Department of Justice-appointed Special Counsel Jack Smith.
Government case against De Oliveira could prove Trump criminal intent
At issue are recent revelations that Trump reportedly asked De Oliveira to destroy potentially compromising surveillance video related to the retention and hiding of thousands of classified documents pertaining to a number of top-secret national security matters.
Presidents are strictly forbidden from retaining any documents — even personal — when they leave office. At that time they are legally required to be turned over to the National Archives.
Trump — whom the National Archives and federal investigators say unlawfully retained records, lied about possessing them and misled government agencies charged with retrieving them — has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.
In this latest twist, the former president and current favorite to win the Republican nomination in next year's presidential election, says the Mar-a-Lago security tapes were voluntarily handed over to investigators.
Trump claimed the tapes were not, "deleted in any way, shape or form" on his Truth Social platform last week. Federal prosecutors have not claimed the tapes were destroyed. However, if able to prove Trump sought to destroy them it could bolster government prosecutors' case by showing criminal intent.
In June 2022, De Oliveira reportedly told another Mar-a-Lago employee that "the boss" wanted security video deleted after the federal government subpoenaed them. He is also accused of lying to investigators about his role in moving boxes of documents on the property.
US District Judge Aileen Cannon had previously scheduled the trial of Trump and Nauta for next May. It is unclear whether the addition of De Oliveira will affect that timeline. Trump and Nauta have pleaded not guilty.
Trump's sprawling legal defense chewing through tens of millions of dollars
Trump's refusal to hand over documents after repeated requests led FBI investigators to raid Mar-a-Lago in August 2022, at which time they found more than 300 top-secret documents in a trove of roughly 11,000 government papers stored in insecure spaces such as bathrooms and a ballroom.
Monday's news comes as Trump faces possible charges in another federal investigation into his efforts to undermine the vote in the state of Georgia in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election.
Last week, Trump's lawyers met with Special Counsel Smith's team to discuss a grand jury investigation into whether the former president will be charged for seeking to overturn election results in the southern state. Fulton Country District Attorney Fani Willis is expected to announce whether Trump or anyone else will be charged in the matter in August.
US media reports suggest Trump's political action committee has spent nearly $40 million (€36.3 million) on legal fees defending him and associates against numerous criminal charges so far in 2023.
In April, Trump became the first US president ever to be charged with a federal crime in a case before the Manhattan District Court in New York focussed on financial records falsifications carried out in order to cover up hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
js/lo (AP, Reuters)
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| 2023-07-31T18:57:40
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HONG KONG (AP) — Fans of singer and songwriter Coco Lee, who was known for her powerful voice and live performances, gathered with flowers to pay their respects to their idol at her funeral in Hong Kong on Monday.
The memorial service was attended by her family and friends, including singers Elva Hsiao and Jenny Tseng, as well as other supporters. Lee died July 5 at age 48.
She was born in Hong Kong and attended school in San Francisco before releasing her first album in 1994 at age 19. She began her career as a Mandopop singer but branched out to release albums in Cantonese and English.
She was the first Chinese singer to break into the American market, and her English song “Do You Want My Love” climbed to #4 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Breakouts chart in December 1999. In 2001, she sang “A Love Before Time” from Ang Lee’s movie “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” at the Academy Awards, becoming the first Chinese American to perform at the Oscars.
Lee was also the voice of heroine Fa Mulan in the Mandarin version of Disney’s “Mulan,” and sang the Mandarin version of the movie’s theme song “Reflection.”
Lee was married to Bruce Rockowitz, former CEO of Hong Kong supply chain company Li & Fung. She had two stepdaughters.
Her death had shocked fans. Her siblings posted on Facebook that she had depression for years and had attempted suicide at home on July 2. She died a few days later.
On Monday afternoon, more than 100 fans dressed in black were waiting outside the funeral home.
Lin Jing, a fan from Fujian province in the southeast, said she admired Lee’s smile and appearance, adding: “She was really talented. She always tried to improve and she inspired women to feel independent.”
Inside the funeral hall, three pink hearts made of flowers and other floral decorations were displayed below Lee’s photo.
Her close friend, Hsiao, said during the ceremony that she remembered watching Lee’s performances as a student and thinking of her as a perfect idol. After they became friends in the entertainment industry, Lee encouraged Hsiao when she was lost and treated her as “a little sister.”
“She brightened my life with her happiness and bravery. I will keep preserving her spirit,” Hsiao said in a quavering voice.
In a video for the memorial service, actors and singers from Hong Kong, mainland China and Taiwan recalled their memories with Lee and mourned her death.
Action star Jackie Chan said in the video that everyone was proud of her when she sang at the Oscars.
“To friends like us, Coco was a passionate and kind friend who showed care to us. She was really a good person. That’s why we are so reluctant to accept she has left us,” he said.
Award-winning director Ang Lee recalled his exchanges with the late singer before the Oscars and said it was a pity she died so young. “We miss her very much. Coco, rest in peace,” he said in the video.
Coco Lee had sounded notes of positivity in social media posts during the months before her death. In March, she posted about recuperating from surgery for an old leg injury.
“Successful surgery. Even though I’m in a lot of pain and I have to re-learn how to walk again, I know I can do it,” she wrote in a Facebook post. “Yes I can and I will!”
___
Associated Press video journalist Alice Fung and news assistant Annie Cheung contributed to this report.
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| 2023-07-31T18:57:42
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Let’s get building
Building sandcastles is the quintessential beach activity for kids of all ages and a cherished pastime for many adults. Kids run back and forth from the water to the beach, gathering their beach toys and dumping buckets of sand. It’s fun to watch the little ones attempt their masterpiece, but nothing’s better than them asking for help building the ultimate sandcastle.
Most adults have years of experience building sandcastles with a realistic tower and maybe even a moat. These skills honed from your own childhood and the right supplies are sure to impress the kids in your household today.
Shop this article: Hape Beach Essential Sand Toy Set, Matty’s Toy Stop 16.5″ Wooden Mini Sand Shovels and Top Race Collapsible Bucket.
Design your masterpiece
If you have a bit of a drive to get to the beach, start designing your sandcastle. Ask everyone about their favorite part of a castle and try to incorporate each element. Figure out if it will be a single structure or multiple buildings. Does everyone have their own job, or is everyone helping with all the components? Once you iron out the details, you can get started as soon as you arrive.
Find the perfect location
There’s nothing worse than a wave knocking down your nearly-finished sandcastle, so be sure to pick the perfect location. Find somewhere far enough away from the waves but close enough that you’re not transporting water too far. Also, keep the weather in mind. If it’s too hot and sunny, set up a beach tent or beach umbrella to avoid sunburns.
Create the foundation
The foundation, or base, of your sandcastle is the most crucial component since it supports the entire structure. To build a solid foundation, build up a mound of sand as tall as you want your castle. The key is to ensure your sand is saturated with water and that it’s tightly packed. So, add sand, dump water, pack it down and repeat until you reach your desired height.
Start from the top
Now it’s time to start carving out your basic structure with a plastic knife or putty knife. The key to this step is to start from the top since the sand will fall on everything below. A paintbrush makes a great tool if sand falls on a tight area. Also, carve away the sand in thin layers. You can always take away more sand, but it’s hard to add.
Add details
Once you have the main structure, start adding details such as stairs, a tower roof, windows or a brick pattern. During this final step, opt for smaller tools such as a tiny paintbrush or the thinnest putty knife.
Products you need to build next-level sandcastles
Hape Beach Essential Sand Toy Set
This set includes a smoother tool, a shaper tool and a digging paw. All pieces use high-quality plastic free of bisphenol A, polyvinyl chloride and phthalates. With an included mesh carrying bag, it’s a breeze to carry to the beach and clean up after a day of building.
Sold by Amazon
Matty’s Toy Stop 16.5″ Wooden Mini Sand Shovels
Sand is the most important part of a sandcastle, and these shovels help you gather more sand faster. It has four shovels in unique colors, so there’s no fighting over sharing. The 16.5-inch length is perfect for the beach, and the wooden handle is durable enough to handle big building jobs.
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Kids can’t haul huge buckets of water back and forth. These half-gallon pails are perfect for letting the little one enjoy the sandcastle building. They are collapsible and foldable into three unique sizes or to about 1 inch thick for storage. They’re also dishwasher-safe.
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Building sandcastles is about having fun and getting dirty, and this hand digger is the perfect way for kids to enjoy themselves. The deep scoop is great for digging deep holes or transporting water and is usable by kids as young as 1 year old. It’s made of child-safe materials and a nontoxic finish.
Sold by Amazon
If you’ve ever seen a professional sandcastle competition, you’ve probably noticed an array of supplies. This includes a paintbrush, which is a versatile and ideal tool for brushing off extra sand or adding a smooth finish to your castle. This set comes in five sizes to tackle any job.
Sold by Amazon
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Bre Richey writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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https://www.wivb.com/reviews/br/baby-kids-br/activity-br/5-best-items-for-building-next-level-sandcastles-with-your-kids/
| 2023-07-31T18:57:45
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BAYREUTH, Germany (AP) — Two years after the debut of the Bayreuth Festival’s first female conductor, Nathalie Stutzmann became the second to lead a Richard Wagner opera in the Festpielhaus’ famous covered pit.
The 58-year-old former contralto, fresh off her first season as Atlanta Symphony Orchestra music director, drew a luminous performance of “Tannhäuser” on Friday night in a revival of the Tobias Kratzer 2019 production — the one featuring the title character in a clown suit and a murder in a Burger King parking lot.
“It’s good news to be second,” Stutzmann said. “It proves that things are moving.”
Launched by Richard Wagner in 1876 and currently run by great-granddaughter Katharina Wagner, the festival broke its conductor gender barrier when Oksana Lyniv led a new staging of “Der Fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman)” in 2021. The 45-year-old returned this summer to preside over the Dmitri Tcherniakov production for the third straight year.
“They are very highly accepted,” Katharina Wagner said. “I hope that this question would disappear with time, that we are just talking about good conductors and not female and male conductors anymore.”
Stutzmann’s year so far has also included debuts with the New York Philharmonic and the Metropolitan Opera, where she provoked the orchestra when she alleged in a New York Times interview that musicians were bored playing while not being able to see onstage activity. The orchestra criticized her in a statement, prompting Stutzmann to apologize.
At Bayreuth, conductors must adjust to a pit Richard Wagner designed to keep the orchestra hidden from the audience, arranged in nine rows that descend toward the stage: violins in the first two, followed by violas, cellos, double basses, woodwinds, brass and percussion. The instrumental sound mixes with voices before traveling out to 30 rows of seats and three tiers of boxes.
“I had done a lot of research, so I knew the experience would be new and unexpected and tricky,” Stutzmann said in a response to an emailed question. “We hear the sound completely different from what the audience hears, that’s why we have to rely on our assistants. … You hardly hear the singers on stage and they sound always late even when we are perfectly together!”
Stutzmann’s performance, using the original Dresden score, featured unusual clarity when the overture slowed and the volume lowered during a pilgrims’ chorus repeat in the overture. She was greeted with boisterous applause and foot-stomping during 14 minutes of curtain calls.
Stutzmann has been invited back to conduct the 2024 revival of the sold-out “Tannhäuser” staging, notorious for the director adding the drag queen Le Gateau Chocolat and dwarf actor Manni Laudenbach, who combine with the title character and the goddess Venus to form a counterculture clique Richard Wagner never could have envisioned for a work that premiered in 1845.
During an interview in New York before heading to Germany, Stutzmann said “Tannhäuser” was the perfect vehicle for her Bayreuth debut, given her quarter-century as a contralto and the opera’s full title, which translates to “Tannhäuser and the Minstrels’ Contest at Wartburg.”
She winked.
“It’s a singer competition, after all,” she said with a laugh.
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| 2023-07-31T18:57:49
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A new school year is stressful but shopping for it shouldn’t be
The long summer break is a great time for kids to get their minds off the coming school year. But whether they stayed home or went to summer camp, there comes a time when you must start to plan ahead.
While they might be more concerned about a new wardrobe, parents know that they won’t pass the new year with just a bright smile. They’re going to need supplies, and it might seem like a daunting task if you don’t know where to start. Take the unnecessary stress out of back-to-school shopping by getting a supply kit packed with everything they’ll need.
Shop this article: Moda West 52-Piece Back to School Supply Kit for K-12, School Supply Boxes 32-Piece Back To School Supply Box Grades K-5 and School Supply Bundle Pack for High School, Middle School or College
Essential ingredients for a successful start
Being thoroughly prepared is an excellent way to start a new grade. Of course, different grades need different items in their kits, but some universal objects are great from kindergarten to senior high.
For basic note-taking and studying, it’s essential to have a few pens, a pencil, an eraser and a ruler. Some paperclips, file dividers or a pencil sharpener will also come in handy. All these items need to be stored somewhere, and a sturdy pencil case is the best for that.
To nail art projects or presentations, a couple of Sharpies, colored highlighters, scissors and a glue stick will do wonders. But naturally, you can’t expect your child to walk around school carrying their art supplies and pencil case by hand. Put everything into a sturdy backpack or shoulder bag, ensuring that it is big enough for their textbooks, too.
Age-appropriate supply kits
Generally, back-to-school supply kits are made up of items used by kindergarten, elementary or middle school students. But if you want to put your own kit together, you must ensure that the items are age-appropriate.
For example, for younger students, you should avoid sharp scissors in favor of blunt, safety scissors. High school students probably won’t use a glue stick but might prefer a contact adhesive for paper or cardboard. You’ll also get strange looks if you throw in a box of crayons, so rather include some durable highlighters or markers.
Don’t forget to review your kid’s recommended items for the upcoming year. You might be covering the essentials with a supply kit, but there could be other objects that they need, such as a protractor, a sturdy lunch box, different colored pens or a stapler.
Best back-to-school supply kits
Moda West 52-Piece Back to School Supply Kit for K-12
This massive selection of 52 pieces comes pre-packaged and has everything a child needs. It includes notebooks, folders, pens and pencils, highlighters, an eraser and a clear pencil case. For art projects, it includes a 5-inch scissor, two glue sticks and an 8-inch ruler.
Sold by Amazon
Trail Maker 20-Piece School Supplies for K-12
Suitable for all grades, this supply kit includes a spiral notebook, a pocket folder, a ruler, three ballpoint pens and two pencils. You can store everything in the canvas pencil case. While it doesn’t include scissors, there is a glue stick and crayons for projects.
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Trail Maker 45-Piece School Essentials
This 45-piece bulk pack of school supplies is perfect for students up to elementary school. In addition to the two spiral notebooks and four pocket folders, the supply kit includes several pens, pencils, highlighters and two glue sticks. There is also a box of crayons, a ruler and scissors.
Sold by Amazon
School Supply Boxes 32-Piece Back To School Supply Box Grades K-5
Perfect for elementary school students, this supply box comes with a clear plastic pencil case, 12 colored pencils and a 10-pack of regular pencils. For creative projects, there is a 10-pack of Crayola markers, a 24-pack of Crayola crayons, glue sticks and scissors.
Sold by Amazon
Moda West 17-Inch Backpacks with 52-Piece School Supply Kit
If there are a lot of kids in the neighborhood or the family, this bundle is an excellent choice. The kit includes eight 17-inch backpacks, each with its own 52-piece school supplies. This comprises two notebooks, several pens and pencils, highlighters and pocket folders.
Sold by Amazon
Bundles Galore Mega Back to School Supply Kit Bundle
This bundle is perfect for all grades and includes everything a student might need. The more than 90 pieces include 10 pocket folders, five notebooks, four glue sticks, several pens and pencils and five Sharpie chisel tip highlighters. And since returning to school is tough, it includes a 2-inch stress ball.
Sold by Amazon
Sharpie Expo Paper Mate Back 2 School Essentials 37-Piece Kit
Back to school is made easy with this bundle from Sharpie. The 37-piece kit includes a host of items for late-night studying, such as six mechanical pencils, six regular lead pencils, two fine-point Sharpie markers, and five highlighters. There are also two erasers, two glue sticks and a ruler.
Sold by Amazon
School Supply Bundle Pack for High School, Middle School or College
This bundle includes a ring binder, two spiral notebooks, a pack of dividers, five mechanical pencils and index cards. Perfect for middle school students through college.
Sold by Amazon
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Charlie Fripp writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers.
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| 2023-07-31T18:57:52
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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Paul Reubens, the actor and comedian whose character Pee-wee Herman became a cultural phenomenon through films and TV shows, has died. He was 70.
Reubens died Sunday night after a six-year struggle with cancer that he did not make public, his publicist said in a statement.
“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years,” Reubens said in a statement released Monday with the announcement of his death. “I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you.”
The character with his too-tight gray suit, white chunky loafers and red bow tie was best known for the film “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” and the television series “Pee-wee’s Playhouse.”
The Pee-wee character would become a cultural constant for much of the 1980s, though an indecent exposure arrest in 1991 would send him into entertainment exile for years.
Herman created Pee-wee when he was part of the Los Angeles improv group The Groundlings in the late 1970s. The live “Pee-wee Herman Show” debuted at a Los Angeles theater in 1981 and was a success with both kids during matinees and adults at a midnight show.
The show closely resembled the format the Saturday morning TV “Pee-wee’s Playhouse” would follow years later, with Herman living in a wild and wacky home with a series of stock-character visitors, including one, Captain Karl, played by the late “Saturday Night Live” star Phil Hartman. In the plot, Pee-wee secretly wishes to fly.
HBO would air the show as a special.
“Pee Wee got his wish to fly,” Steve Martin tweeted after his death. “Thanks Paul Reubens for the brilliant off the wall comedy.”
Reubens took Pee-wee to the big screen in 1985’s “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure.” The film, in which Pee-wee’s cherished bike is stolen, was said to be loosely based on Vittorio De Sica’s Italian neo-realist classic, “The Bicycle Thief.” The film, directed by Tim Burton and co-written by Phil Hartman of “Saturday Night Live,” sent Pee-wee on a nationwide escapade. The movie was a success, grossing $40 million, and continued to spawn a cult following for its oddball whimsy.
A sequel followed three years later in the less well-received “Big Top Pee-wee,” in which Pee-wee seeks to join a circus. Reubens’ character wouldn’t get another movie starring role until 2016’s Pee-wee’s Big Holiday,” for Netflix. Judd Apatow produced Pee-wee’s big-screen revival.
His television series, “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” ran for five seasons, earned 22 Emmys and attracted not only children but adults to Saturday-morning TV.
Both silly and subversive and championing nonconformity, the Pee-wee universe was a trippy place, populated by things like a talking armchair and a friendly pterodactyl. The host, who is fond of secret words and loves fruit salad so much he once married it, is prone to lines like, “I know you are, but what am I?” and “Why don’t you take a picture; it’ll last longer?” The act was a hit because it worked on multiple levels, even though Reubens insists that wasn’t the plan.
“It’s for kids,” Reubens told The Associated Press in 2010. “People have tried to get me for years to go, ‘It wasn’t really for kids, right?’ Even the original show was for kids. I always censored myself to have it be kid-friendly.
“The whole thing has been just a gut feeling from the beginning,” Reubens told the AP. “That’s all it ever is and I think always ever be. Much as people want me to dissect it and explain it, I can’t. One, I don’t know, and two, I don’t want to know, and three, I feel like I’ll hex myself if I know.”
Jimmy Kimmel posted on Instagram that “Paul Reubens was like no one else — a brilliant and original comedian who made kids and their parents laugh at the same time. He never forgot a birthday and shared his genuine delight for silliness with everyone he met.”
Reubens’ career was derailed when he was arrested for indecent exposure in an adult movie theater in Sarasota, Florida, where he grew up. He was handed a small fine but the damage to the character was incalculable.
He became the frequent butt of late-night talk show jokes and the perception of Reubens immediately changed.
“The moment that I realized my name was going to be said in the same sentence as children and sex, that’s really intense,” Reubens told NBC in 2004. “That’s something I knew from that very moment, whatever happens past that point, something’s out there in the air that is really bad.”
Reubens said he got plenty of offers to work, but told the AP that most of them wanted to take “advantage of the luridness of my situation”,” and he didn’t want to do them.
“It just changed,” he said. “Everything changed.”
In 2001, Reubens was arrested and charged with misdemeanor possession of child pornography after police seized images from his computer and photography collection, but the allegation was reduced to an obscenity charge and he was given three years probation.
Born Paul Rubenfield in Peekskill, New York, Reubens, the eldest of three children, grew up primarily in Sarasota before going to Boston University and the California Institute of the Arts.
Reubens would also act as non-Pee-wee characters including in Burton’s 1992 movie “Batman Returns,” the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” film and a guest-star run on the TV series “Murphy Brown.”
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Associated Press Writer Alicia Rancilio and Film Writer Jake Coyle contributed to this report.
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Smart back-to-school shopping strategies
With inflation still rising, it is vital to have a shopping strategy mapped out to purchase back-to-school supplies this year. Especially for your high schooler, because they need more items. And those items tend to carry a higher price tag.
Buying school supplies, however, is a little different than shopping for other items. In most cases, you will have several lists created by each of your student’s teachers. Some items may be very specific, such as the exact model of a TI calculator, while others may be generic, such as a three-ring binder.
Getting the correct supplies at the best price requires time and planning. This guide will help you make smart purchasing decisions. It covers basic back-to-school shopping strategies and lists 12 products that will help prepare your kid for high school.
Shop this article: Hydro Flask Stainless Steel Reusable Water Bottle, JanSport Cool Student Backpack and Texas Instruments TI-84 Plus CE
What school supplies does a high school student need?
While it is essential that you first consider the lists that your student’s teachers provide, there are a few general categories for you to consider.
Essentials
These are the items that your student will use every day. You will find most of these on your student’s supply lists that they get from their teachers. They will include pens, pencils, erasers, markers, notebook paper, binders, composition books and more.
Organizational supplies
Organizational supplies are anything your student uses to organize, hold or transport the items they use every day. These products may include a pencil case, a backpack, an assignment book, a calendar or binder dividers.
Tech and tools
This category includes anything your student requires to complete their assignments or to solve a problem they might run into during the day, such as a torn notebook sheet. It can be a specific calculator, a tablet, a compass, a ruler, a protractor, hole reinforcements, tape or even white out.
Study supplies
If your child wants to spend a little extra time learning, you’ll need items to help them study. These could be post-it notes, page markers, index cards and highlighters.
Clothing
High school students are still growing. What fit last year might not fit this year. You may need comfortable shoes, casual clothing, clothing that displays school spirit, athletic wear for PE, sneakers, jackets, coats, specific gear for co-curricular activities and more.
Accessories
One category that students and parents may forget is the accessories that are essential to getting through each day. These will vary from student to student but may include a water bottle, a lunch bag, a case for glasses, contacts, combination locks for lockers, charging devices, towels, shower supplies for after PE, medications, an EpiPen and more.
Tips for back-to-school shopping
Strategy is the key when it comes time for back-to-school shopping. These tips can help you get everything you need for that first day.
Shop early
Even if the country wasn’t being plagued with supply chain issues, back-to-school products typically become unavailable by the end of summer. Do your shopping early so that your student has everything they need to start the school year off right.
Use school lists
Teachers make classroom lists for a reason: these are the items your student will need to succeed in the subject. The teacher’s supplies list is your starting point. Get those essentials first.
Don’t forget items that aren’t on the list
Classroom lists don’t always include products that will make your student’s life easier. After you check off all the items from their teachers’ lists, ensure you get the personal items they need daily.
Consider what you already have
If you have more than one student, the older child may already have what your younger child needs. Before buying a new item, check the items you already have at home.
Spend less on clothing
Clothing is important, but so is that expensive calculator. If it comes down to getting a $200 pair of sneaks or a $100 calculator, remember that the calculator will last longer.
Purchase quality items
School supplies need to be rugged. Notebooks are used daily, tossed in a backpack, thrown in a locker and mistreated. If you have a choice between getting a cheap budget item from a dollar store and paying a little more for a quality name-brand item, it is usually worth spending a little more on an item that will last the entire school year or longer.
Pay attention to sales
Back-to-school sales are a great way to get people to spend money on a specific retailer. Many stores will have deep discounts on a couple of key items that get you to their site. Take advantage of these sales, but consider if the other items that the retailer has on sale are worth it. If not, wait till the next sale or purchase from a different retailer to get the best deal.
It is also a good idea to download and install retailer apps, so you can track specific items and know when the best time to buy is.
Consider environmentally kind products
While this might not help you save money, it will help you save the earth. Always consider products that have been or can be recycled and purchased from companies with environmentally friendly manufacturing and business practices.
Budget-friendly products for your high schooler
Hydro Flask Stainless Steel Reusable Water Bottle
Hydration is essential to learning. It helps your student focus and feel revitalized. Sending your high schooler off for the day with 32 ounces of water in this vacuum-insulated option will help them stay hydrated throughout the day. Hydro Flask water bottles have a leakproof lid and a lifetime guarantee.
Sold by Amazon
JanSport Cool Student Backpack
Your high schooler needs to bring many items to and from school each day. A well-constructed backpack is the ideal tool to carry all of these. JanSport’s Cool Student Backpack is durable, washable and has many color options. It is designed with ergonomic shoulder straps and zippered compartments for organization and comes with a lifetime guarantee.
Sold by Amazon
Five Star Reinforced College Ruled Filler Paper
Reinforced notebook paper is a game-changer in the life of a student. This pack of 100 sheets of notebook paper is reinforced around the holes to resist tearing. It will prevent lost schoolwork and help keep all of your student’s pages organized.
Sold by Amazon
Gildan Heavy Blend Unisex Hooded Sweatshirt
A hoodie is essential school wear. This affordable offering from Gildan is made of 50% cotton and 50% polyester. It features a zipper closure and anti-pilling air jet yarn. The ribbed cuffs and waistband have spandex to help provide a more secure fit.
Sold by Amazon
Adidas Squad Insulated Lunch Bag
Teenagers need to refuel throughout the long day. Bringing lunch from home lets your student choose what they want to eat while saving you money. This durable lunch bag can keep their food at the perfect temperature and prevent it from getting broken or squished in transit.
Sold by Amazon
Texas Instruments TI-84 Plus CE
Graphing calculators are required by high school science and math teachers. Texas Instruments make a quality product that can accompany your teenager throughout their entire high school career, and possibly into college. This popular model has a 10-digit LCD display and 12 software applications. The graphic functions can handle polar, sequence, cobweb plot, zoom, parametric plot, histogram, scatter plot, and more.
Sold by Amazon
Belkin Boost Charge Wireless Charging Pad
Between classes, activities and part-time jobs, your high schooler may have a longer workday than you. To get through that day, they need a fully charged phone. Belkin is a trusted name in charging technology. This portable wireless charging pad is compatible with newer Android smartphones and iPhones.
Sold by Amazon
Oxford Color Coded Ruled Index Cards
Flash cards are a classic tool used for studying and improving memory. These cards are lined to allow for neatness, while the color-coded bar at the top lets the student organize the cards by subject or category.
Sold by Amazon
Prismacolor Premier Col-Erase Colored Pencils
A student can still use colored pencils at the high school level. Not only are they great for art class and doodling, but a student can use them for marking maps in history class, creating diagrams in science class and more.
Sold by Amazon
This set contains 10 essential tools often needed for geometry and drawing classes. Besides the typical items, such as a ruler and a protractor, you get a lettering guide, a pencil sharpener and more. The compass and divider have a short point for safety, and the set comes with a sturdy tin for organization.
Sold by Amazon
Avery Flexi-View 1-Inch 3-Ring View Binder
Avery’s flex binder has a clear window in the front, which is a handy place to store a class syllabus. It can hold 175 sheets of paper and has a flexible spine. The durable polypropylene cover means that you can use this binder over multiple school years.
Sold by Amazon
C-Line Top-Load Sheet Protector
Sheet protectors keep your student’s reference material unwrinkled and stain-free. The 50 standard-thickness polypropylene protectors are sealed on three sides. They are designed so students can add and remove materials while the protector remains secured in the binder.
Sold by Amazon
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Allen Foster writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
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LOS ANGELES (AP) — If you believe Janelle Monae ’s hyper-sexual expression is a front, think again.
These days, Monae is unapologetically living her truth in a bold manner while trying to avoid negativity. The star, once known for sporting custom-made suits, has shed that attire (at least for now) to nearly bare all, like on the cover of her latest studio album, “The Age of Pleasure,” where she’s seen swimming topless in a pool. It’s her first release since 2018’s “Dirty Computer,” which was nominated for album of the year at the Grammys.
In recent months, Monae hasn’t been afraid of risque looks and nudity. She revealed herself during an event celebrating the release of her single “Lipstick Lover” and again onstage at an Essence Music Festival set — which drew some social media criticism including from singer India Arie and rapper Uncle Luke. She also attended the 2023 Met Gala in a barely-there outfit.
For Monae, this is her time to be free.
Monae spoke recently with The Associated Press about her supportive mother, side-stepping criticism and teasing her upcoming North American tour, which kicks off Aug. 30 in Seattle. Other tour stops include New York and Nashville and she’ll wrap in Los Angeles in mid-October.
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AP: Since you haven’t toured since 2019, was your recent Essence Festival performance a tune up for your upcoming tour?
MONAE: Yeah, we’re testing out the songs. You‘re getting them in your body. Right now, we don’t have a lot of muscle memory with the new songs. We haven’t toured them. I know if you come into the show, you’ll love the songs. But hearing them live is a different experience, especially when you’re putting them with songs from previous work. We’re basically just putting a show together based on what we feel is good. Sometimes you just don’t know until you get on stage.
AP: What do you want people to take away from your show?
MONAE: Tap into your free (expletive) energy. That’s rooted in self-love — not arrogance. Tap into that space and then take care of each other. That’s what I hope. With the shows that I do, and when I look out, it’s an experience. It’s like our own church. You want to take care of each other.
Even if your freedom doesn’t look like that person’s freedom, you understand that we’re fighting against something much bigger than us. We’re systemically fighting against something much bigger than us, so we got to band together, we got to stick together. We have to make sure that we’re showing up for each other. If we have privilege in certain areas, making sure that we’re lending a hand, lending a voice, amplifying a message.
AP: How has it been to walk in your truth while facing criticism about your racy performances from people like Arie and Uncle Luke?
MONAE: That has absolutely nothing to do with me. I love everybody. I’m in the age of pleasure.
AP: When did you feel comfortable with living life the way you want without caring about others’ opinions?
MONAE: It’s not like I don’t care what people think. I care what some people think. I don’t care what everybody thinks. That’s the same when it comes to music. When you make a new song, I can’t go soliciting everybody’s opinions about the song. By the time I get back to the second pass of it, it’s all over the place. Everybody’s going to have an opinion. For me, it’s like, whose voice do I trust? Who do I know that loves me, cares about me, whose taste do I like, who actually is evolved enough to even understand what it is that I’m doing? Who understands nuance?
You shouldn’t care what anybody has to say. You just care what the right people have to say and everything else is muted.
AP: Who are those right people for you?
MONAE: Family. Close friends.
AP: In your journey, your mother has been a huge supporter. Whenever you have fallen under certain criticisms, how has she helped you navigate the critics?
MONAE: My mom is like ride or die. I have to tell her like “Mom, you don’t need to defend me. You don’t need to defend my life or my decisions.” For her, I’m her baby. Like any mama bear, you might get punched in the eye if you say something. You might. But I’ve calmed her down over the years. For the most part, we mostly respond to love. It’s a lot of people that love where I am and who I am and what I’m doing, and they feel really empowered and inspired by it, and that makes my mom proud, and it makes me happy.
AP: How do you avoid the naysayers?
MONAE: I’m too busy living life to be distracted. The positive things are always amazing too, but I also don’t go fishing for that. One of the things about being in the age of pleasure is being present and making sure that I’m dipping in on social media, saying what I need to say, showing love, saying “thank you,” putting up my art and leaving, going to go create more things and make more memories and more experiences.
I’m in the middle of putting together a tour for North America. We haven’t been on tour since 2019. For me, I have a lot of things that keep me busy. I’m practicing guitar. I’m having the best sex of my life. I’m happy. Even in the middle of all that’s going on in this world, I’m finding time to steal joy and to center joy and to stay surrounded by the people that bring me joy and that I can bring joy too.
AP: How did “Age of Pleasure” define where you are in life?
MONAE: I wanted to create a soundtrack to our lifestyle. I think this album like all my albums reflect exactly where I am at that time. Each album will let you know where I was in my evolution process, what things I had to unlearn, what things I learned. I love that. I love that you can always look at an artist working, sort of see what they were on at that time.
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Brandon football aiming for state title after falling short in ‘21 and ‘22
The Bulldogs lost the 6A state championship to Madison Central in 2021 and Starkville in 2022
BRANDON, Miss. (WLBT) - The Brandon Bulldogs were on the practice field before the sun was Monday morning.
“Over 100 kids showed up, they were out here at around 5:45, out here ready to roll,” said head coach Sam Williams. “I think it’s just the culture that we built around here; hard work, accountability, and trust with all the guys the leadership. I think it just shows when you watch practice, how they move around, and how they play hard for each other.”
Williams said players are up and texting each other as early as 4:15 in the morning, making sure they’re awake and ready for practice. The early practices in preseason will instill habits that the players will rely on throughout the year.
“People have to be responsible, go to sleep, wake up early, come out here and compete,” said senior linebacker Jaeden Calender. “It doesn’t get any better than that; even though you don’t want to do it, you’ve got to get it done.”
Williams has only been the head coach of the Bulldogs for two seasons, but in those two years, the team has made it to the 6A state championship. However, both year, the Bulldogs lost in the final game of the season, in 2021 to Madison Central, and in 2022 to Starkville.
“To come up short in that last game, it’s part of [our motivation],” Williams said. “It was fun to get up there, it’s fun to have those opportunities, but we’re making sure we’re getting back to give ourselves another chance.”
The Bulldogs are using the lessons they’ve learned over the last two seasons to fuel their drive towards a state championship.
“You can’t go back and change anything,” Williams said. “You learn from the procedural mistakes you made, the administrative things you did, leading into it as a coach, and try to make sure you put your kids in a better position this year.”
“Our main goal this year is to finish and follow up strong, give it everything we’ve got” Calender said. “This is my last year, so last ride, everything I’ve got.”
This year, for the first time, MHSAA will have a 7A classification, and Brandon will play in it. The Bulldogs are confident in their ability to win the first ever 7A state championship.
“I feel like this team is going to be able to do it,” said senior running back Nate Blount. “We’ve got the guys that are bought in, get up every day, like you see today, getting up early and getting after it.”
“We just come out here. Whoever steps on the field is going to get beat,” Calender said.
However, Williams is not focusing on the ability to win the first 7A championship, but instead just the ability to win Brandon’s first championship.
“We’ve got to have found a way to finish one,” he said. “Doesn’t matter if it’s 4A, 5A, 6A, 20A. I don’t care, we’ve just got to go win one.”
The Bulldogs will be at home to open their season. They host Picayune on August 25.
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$1.05 billion Mega Millions jackpot is among a surge in huge payouts due to more than just luck
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Another day, another billion-dollar lottery jackpot.
At least, that’s how it seems ahead of Tuesday night’s Mega Millions drawing for an estimated $1.05 billion top prize.
It’s a huge sum of money, but such giant jackpots have become far more common, with five prizes topping $1 billion since 2021 — and one jackpot reaching $2.04 billion in 2022.
The massive prizes are due in part to chance, but it’s not all happenstance. Rising interest rates coupled with changes to the odds of winning are also big reasons the prizes grow so large.
HOW DO INTEREST RATES INCREASE JACKPOTS?
Nearly all jackpot winners opt for a lump sum payout, which for Tuesday night’s drawing would be an estimated $527.9 million. The lump sum is the cash that a winner has actually won. The highlighted $1.05 billion prize is for a sole winner who is paid through an annuity, which is funded by that lump sum and will be doled out annually over 30 years.
That’s where the higher interest rate becomes a factor, because the higher the interest rate, the larger the annuity can grow over three decades. The U.S. is in the midst of a remarkable run of interest rate increases, with the Federal Reserve raising a key rate 11 times in 17 months, and that higher rate enables a roughly $500 million lump sum prize to be advertised as a jackpot of about twice that size.
HOW DOES THE ANNUITY WORK?
A winner who chooses the annuity option would receive an initial payment and then 29 annual payments that rise by 5% each year. Opting for an annuity has some tax advantages, as less of the winnings would be taxed at the top federal income tax rate of 37%. It also could be an option for winners who don’t trust themselves to manage so much money all at once.
If lottery winners die before 30 years, the future payments would go to their beneficiaries.
WHY DO WINNERS SNUB THE ANNUITY OPTION?
The annuities pay out big money, but not nearly as big as taking the lump sum.
For example, a sole winner of Tuesday night’s Mega Millions could choose a lump sum of an estimated $527.9 million or an initial annuity payment of about $15.8 million. Of course, those annuity payments would continue for decades and gradually increase until the final check paid about $65.1 million, according to lottery officials.
In both cases, the winnings would be subject to federal taxes, and many states also tax lottery winnings.
Given all that, nearly all jackpot winners think they could make more money by investing the money themselves, or they simply want the biggest initial payout possible.
WHAT ABOUT THE ODDS OF WINNING?
That’s another factor that has created so many huge prizes for those who match all six numbers.
In 2015, the Powerball odds were changed from 1 in 175.2 million to 1 in 292.2 million. Mega Millions took a similar action in 2019 by lengthening the game’s odds from 1 in 258.9 million to 1 in 302.6 million.
For lottery officials, the hope was that by making it harder to win jackpots, the prizes would roll over for weeks and create truly massive pots of money that would in turn generate higher sales.
The result is that all of the billion dollar jackpots have come after the changes in the odds.
HOW LONG UNTIL THERE IS A WINNER?
Luck remains a big factor, as the odds of any ticket being a winner never changes. However, the more people who play Mega Millions, the more of the potential 302.6 million number combinations are covered.
For the last Mega Millions drawing on Friday night, 20.1% of possible number combinations were purchased. Typically, the larger the jackpot grows, the more people buy tickets and the more potential combinations are covered.
Tuesday night’s drawing will be the 30th since the last jackpot winner. That is inching closer to the longest Mega Millions jackpot drought, which reached 37 drawings from Sept. 18, 2020, to Jan. 22, 2021.
The longest jackpot run was for a Powerball prize that stretched over 41 drawings and ended with a record $2.04 billion prize on Nov. 7, 2022.
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The top federal tax bracket has been corrected to 37%.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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Comparing the iRobot Roomba j7+ and s9+ models
Roomba is probably the first name that comes to mind when you think about robot vacuums — and for good reason. iRobot’s line of vacuums, around for more than 20 years, has certainly paved the way with innovative, intelligent designs. The Roomba j7+ and Roomba s9+ are the brand’s two most premium models, offering plenty of advanced features to make cleaning a snap, so choosing between the two robots isn’t easy.
In the BestReviews Testing Lab, we found that, while they are roughly the same size, have similar mapping abilities and both feature a convenient self-emptying base, the j7+ and s9+ differ in a few key areas. The j7+ offers superior obstacle avoidance, while the s9+ features significantly stronger suction power and more thorough corner and edge cleaning.
Ultimately, the j7+ is the best choice for pet owners who want a vacuum with above-average suction power that can avoid obstacles around the house, including pet waste. But if you want the most powerful robot vacuum to take care of nearly all the vacuuming in your home, look no further than the s9+.
Roomba j7+ vs. Roomba s9+ specs
The specs for the j7+ and s9+ are similar. However, some key difference between the two can affect their performance on hardwood and carpeting and in corners.
Roomba j7+ specs
Testing team checks the effectiveness of the Roomba j7+ as it navigates around furniture.
Product specifications
Battery life: 97 minutes | Dimensions: 13.3” L x 13.3” W x 3.4” H | Dustbin capacity: 0.4 L | Weight: 7.49 lb | Mapping: Yes | Self-emptying: Yes | Voice commands: Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri | Scheduling: Yes
The j7+ is a full inch wider than the s9+ and other Roomba models, but its profile is a tiny bit lower, which may allow it to fit beneath more furniture. With a battery that lasted nearly 100 minutes in our testing, it falls right in the middle of the pack with other robot vacuums. And while its dustbin is 100 milliliters smaller than the s9+’s, it is self-emptying, which means you don’t have to worry about it stopping in the middle of cleaning. If its bin is full, the j7+ automatically returns to its base to empty itself.
Like the s9+ and other advanced robot vacuums, the j7+ uses smart mapping and camera-based navigation to learn your home. It can identify specific rooms and zones, so you can send the robot to clean a certain area. It can even learn objects in your home and clean around furniture. It also supports Keep-Out Zones if there are areas in your home where you don’t want the robot to clean.
Released two years after the s9+, which came out in 2019, the j7+ is compatible with home assistants like Alexa and Siri, so you can use voice commands to control its cleaning. That makes it easy to clean messes as they happen because you can ask the j7+ to clean under your kitchen table when the kids get crumbs on the floor or vacuum the living room where your pets have been playing. Additionally, you can schedule regular vacuuming with the iRobot Home app. You can choose the day and time the j7+ vacuums and customize its cleaning preferences to ensure your floors are as pristine as possible.
Roomba s9+ specs
The testing team determines the battery life of the Roomba s9+.
Product specifications
Battery life: 107 minutes | Dimensions: 12.25” L x 12.25” W x 3.5” H | Dustbin capacity: 0.5 L | Weight: 8.15 lb | Mapping: Yes | Self-emptying: Yes | Voice commands: Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri | Scheduling: Yes
What stands out immediately about the s9+ is its unique D-shape design, which allows it to reach into corners far better than the average circular robot vacuum. Among the heavier options at 8.15 pounds, it has a medium-sized dustbin, but it’s self-emptying like the j7+, so it won’t stop in the middle of cleaning when it’s full. It also has a fairly long battery life, running for over 100 minutes on a single charge during our testing. If you want to empty the bin manually, it releases from the robot’s top and comes out easily. The bin itself opens from the bottom, too, so all of the debris inside falls out without any shaking.
Like the j7+, the s9+ creates smart maps of your home to learn rooms, zones and objects. That allows you to vacuum specific rooms or around certain furniture. For example, you can send the robot out to clean in front of the kitchen counter. It also allows you to create Keep-Out Zones to prevent the s9+ from cleaning in a certain area, such as where you keep your pet’s bowls.
You can use voice commands to control the s9+ via a home assistant, such as Alexa or Google Assistant. For more regular cleaning, you can use the iRobot Home app to create a cleaning schedule. Each scheduled cleaning session lets you select a day and time, as well as cleaning preferences, like the number of passes and suction power.
Suction comparison
The Roomba j7+ and s9+ are both advanced models, offering strong suction. However, the s9+ stands out for its superior power. While the j7+ has 10 times the suction power as the Roomba 600 series, the s9+ provides 40 times the suction for truly impressive performance on all types of flooring.
This top-notch suction power comes at a price, though — the s9+ is noticeably noisier than other robot vacuums, including the j7+. The j7+ tops out at about 64 decibels, while the s9+ can hit more than 74 decibels at maximum power.
Carpet comparison
Both the Roomba j7+ and s9+ performed well on carpeting. In fact, they were two of the top-performing models among those we tested. However, the s9+ did have the edge, offering suction power that came as close to a standard vacuum cleaner as any of the Roombas we tested.
On medium-pile carpet, the s9+ removed coarse kosher salt, cereal and kitty litter without leaving noticeable debris behind. When it missed a few particles of salt and kitty litter, it captured the remaining debris on its second pass. It pulled pet hair from the carpet without a single strand left behind, too. On low-pile area rugs and runners, we also found that it picked up all the debris in its path on these surfaces without any particles left behind.
During testing, the j7+ successfully handled most debris on medium-pile carpeting, but it wasn’t as impressive as the s9+. It missed several particles of kosher salt and crushed a piece of cereal into the carpet. However, it removed nearly all the remaining cereal crumbs when it did a second pass. It captured nearly all the kitty litter we placed in its path except a single piece and cleaned 100% of the pet hair in a single pass. Like the s9+, the j7+ handled debris on low-pile area rugs and runners with even greater success, so we didn’t observe any debris when it was done cleaning.
Hardwood comparison
The Roomba j7+ and s9+ offered even better suction on hardwood during testing. However, they both occasionally encountered the same problem that many robot vacuums do on hard flooring: Because the surface is usually smooth and slick, it’s easy for the robot to blow some particles of larger debris out of its path. Both the j7+ and s9+ did this in some cases, but the s9+ did it less frequently because of its superior suction power.
Both models cleaned pet hair from hardwood without any issues. The s9+ removed all the coarse kosher salt we placed in its path except for a granule or two, while the j7+ left behind just a few particles. Both successfully captured cereal on hardwood, though they did blow a couple of pieces out of their path. The s9+ picked up these pieces from the edge of the room, while the j7+ didn’t. We also found that both had success removing kitty litter from hardwood, but it took more than one pass to capture all of the particles.
Navigation comparison
The j7+ and s9+ both use a camera to aid their navigation. However, the j7+ has a front-facing camera, while the s9+ has a top-mounted camera. The j7+’s navigation sensor is also located at the front of the robot. Why does this matter? The placement of the cameras and sensors plays a significant role in how well they can navigate a space.
In particular, the front-facing camera and sensor mean the j7+ has obstacle avoidance, allowing it to move around objects without running over or bumping into them. In fact, iRobot is so confident in the j7’s ability to avoid obstacles that it’s backed by P.O.O.P., or the Pet Owner Official Promise, which affirms that you can count on the j7+ to avoid pet accidents and waste, or iRobot will replace your robot for free.
During our testing, the j7+ did an excellent job avoiding items in its path. We placed a handbag, a shoe and a stuffed pet toy in its way, and in all three cases, the robot seemed to sense the object and swerve around it.
On the other hand, the s9+ wasn’t as adept at avoiding items. It ran right over a book we placed in its path and bumped into a stuffed pet toy before moving around it. When we set a shoe in its path, it first tried to travel over it but then stopped and backed up to move around it.
When we stood in front of each robot, their reactions were also different. The j7+ pivoted away before touching us, while the s9+ lightly tapped our foot before moving away.
The advanced obstacle avoidance not only makes the j7+ an ideal model for a home with pets but also an excellent fit for a cluttered home. If you have children who leave toys scattered around, it can clean around the items without getting stuck. You might have less luck with the s9+.
Features comparison
Both the j7+ and s9+ have rubber brush rolls designed to loosen dirt and deal with hair more successfully than traditional bristle brushes. These rubber brushes are flexible, making them less likely to get tangled with hair. However, the s9+ features slightly wider brushes, which allow it to clean more efficiently than the j7+. During our testing, we were impressed by how quickly it worked — it cleaned 240 square feet in just 37 minutes. On the other hand, the j7+ needed 55 minutes to clean 260 square feet.
While the j7+ features the classic round shape that most robot vacuums have, the s9+ has a D-shaped frame — and this makes a big difference. Our testing found that the s9+’s flat edge allowed it to clean more thoroughly along walls. We placed kosher salt in corners with carpeting and hardwood, and it removed nearly all of the particles in a single pass on both surfaces. On the other hand, when we tested the j7+ in a carpeted corner, it only removed about three-quarters of the salt, leaving a noticeable line behind. It removed most of the salt on hardwood but blew several pieces away from the corner without picking them up.
Both the j7+ and s9+ come with a Clean Base that allows for self-emptying. However, the bases aren’t the same size. While they are roughly the same width, the s9+’s base is 19 inches tall, just over 3 inches taller than the j7+’s 15.8-inch tall base. We didn’t have trouble finding a spot for the s9+ in our testing area, but the j7+ can likely squeeze into more locations. Both bases can hold up to 60 days’ worth of dirt, and the j7+ even has a space in the top to hold an extra dirt-disposal bag.
If you don’t necessarily need a self-emptying robot, you can opt for non-emptying models of j7+ and s9+ that cost considerably less. The j7 and s9 are the same vacuums as the Plus models but don’t come with a Clean Base.
Cleaning and maintenance
The j7+ and s9+ require similar cleaning and maintenance to keep them running at peak performance. Even though the models are self-emptying, it’s a good idea to manually empty the dustbin once every week or so to remove any debris that the Clean Base didn’t remove. You can also rinse the bin with warm water, but let it dry thoroughly before returning it to the robot.
You also need to empty the Clean Base when you get a notification from the iRobot app that its bag is full. The bags are disposable, so you can toss a full one in the trash and replace it.
The area that requires the most care for these models is the brush roll since hair and other debris can accumulate around them. You can easily pop out the brushes by pressing the tab on the robot’s underside. When we cleaned these vacuums during testing, we found we could remove hair and other debris with just our fingers. You can also wipe the brush rollers down with a clean, dry cloth if you notice visible dirt.
The high-efficiency filter, edge-sweeping brush and brush rollers for the j7+ and s9+ also require periodic replacement. It’s simple to check their status in the iRobot app under the Product Health tab. There, you can see how many hours until the components require replacement.
Price
The Roomba j7+ regularly costs $799.99. It’s available on Amazon. The Roomba s9+ typically retails for $999.99. You can also find it on Amazon.
How we tested
To see just how well the Roomba j7+ and s9+ perform in real-world conditions, we not only sent them out to do regular cleaning but also put them through specific tests.
First, we measured stats like battery life, charging time, how long they could clean until their dustbins were full and how long they took to clean a given area. Next, we placed different types of debris, including kosher salt, kitty litter, cereal and pet hair, on both carpeting and hardwood and evaluated how well they handled the mess. We also tested how well each model cleaned in corners and around furniture.
Finally, we examined how well the iRobot app works with each model for scheduling, mapping and Keep-Out Zones and used voice commands to see how responsive both were.
Bottom line
It’s hard to go wrong with either the Roomba j7+ or the s9+ because they’re both advanced models that work well on carpeting and hard floors and offer many convenient features. But if you want the most powerful model that can eliminate the need for a standard vacuum, the s9+ gets the edge. It can handle all types of debris, including pet hair, on both carpeting and hard flooring, and its unique D-shape allows it to get into corners without leaving a mess behind.
However, if you have pets, you’ll prefer the j7+. It handles pet hair well, even on carpeting, and also avoids obstacles, so it won’t run into your pet’s waste and track it all over the house. The obstacle avoidance feature also makes it a good fit for cluttered homes.
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Jennifer Blair writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wivb.com/reviews/br/home-br/vacuums-br/roomba-j7-vs-s9-which-is-best-for-you/
| 2023-07-31T18:58:04
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$1.05 billion Mega Millions jackpot is among a surge in huge payouts due to more than just luck
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Another day, another billion-dollar lottery jackpot.
At least, that’s how it seems ahead of Tuesday night’s Mega Millions drawing for an estimated $1.05 billion top prize.
It’s a huge sum of money, but such giant jackpots have become far more common, with five prizes topping $1 billion since 2021 — and one jackpot reaching $2.04 billion in 2022.
The massive prizes are due in part to chance, but it’s not all happenstance. Rising interest rates coupled with changes to the odds of winning are also big reasons the prizes grow so large.
HOW DO INTEREST RATES INCREASE JACKPOTS?
Nearly all jackpot winners opt for a lump sum payout, which for Tuesday night’s drawing would be an estimated $527.9 million. The lump sum is the cash that a winner has actually won. The highlighted $1.05 billion prize is for a sole winner who is paid through an annuity, which is funded by that lump sum and will be doled out annually over 30 years.
That’s where the higher interest rate becomes a factor, because the higher the interest rate, the larger the annuity can grow over three decades. The U.S. is in the midst of a remarkable run of interest rate increases, with the Federal Reserve raising a key rate 11 times in 17 months, and that higher rate enables a roughly $500 million lump sum prize to be advertised as a jackpot of about twice that size.
HOW DOES THE ANNUITY WORK?
A winner who chooses the annuity option would receive an initial payment and then 29 annual payments that rise by 5% each year. Opting for an annuity has some tax advantages, as less of the winnings would be taxed at the top federal income tax rate of 37%. It also could be an option for winners who don’t trust themselves to manage so much money all at once.
If lottery winners die before 30 years, the future payments would go to their beneficiaries.
WHY DO WINNERS SNUB THE ANNUITY OPTION?
The annuities pay out big money, but not nearly as big as taking the lump sum.
For example, a sole winner of Tuesday night’s Mega Millions could choose a lump sum of an estimated $527.9 million or an initial annuity payment of about $15.8 million. Of course, those annuity payments would continue for decades and gradually increase until the final check paid about $65.1 million, according to lottery officials.
In both cases, the winnings would be subject to federal taxes, and many states also tax lottery winnings.
Given all that, nearly all jackpot winners think they could make more money by investing the money themselves, or they simply want the biggest initial payout possible.
WHAT ABOUT THE ODDS OF WINNING?
That’s another factor that has created so many huge prizes for those who match all six numbers.
In 2015, the Powerball odds were changed from 1 in 175.2 million to 1 in 292.2 million. Mega Millions took a similar action in 2019 by lengthening the game’s odds from 1 in 258.9 million to 1 in 302.6 million.
For lottery officials, the hope was that by making it harder to win jackpots, the prizes would roll over for weeks and create truly massive pots of money that would in turn generate higher sales.
The result is that all of the billion dollar jackpots have come after the changes in the odds.
HOW LONG UNTIL THERE IS A WINNER?
Luck remains a big factor, as the odds of any ticket being a winner never changes. However, the more people who play Mega Millions, the more of the potential 302.6 million number combinations are covered.
For the last Mega Millions drawing on Friday night, 20.1% of possible number combinations were purchased. Typically, the larger the jackpot grows, the more people buy tickets and the more potential combinations are covered.
Tuesday night’s drawing will be the 30th since the last jackpot winner. That is inching closer to the longest Mega Millions jackpot drought, which reached 37 drawings from Sept. 18, 2020, to Jan. 22, 2021.
The longest jackpot run was for a Powerball prize that stretched over 41 drawings and ended with a record $2.04 billion prize on Nov. 7, 2022.
___
The top federal tax bracket has been corrected to 37%.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2023/07/31/105-billion-mega-millions-jackpot-is-among-surge-huge-payouts-due-more-than-just-luck/
| 2023-07-31T18:58:04
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) rolled out his economic policy plan at a campaign stop in New Hampshire on Monday, dubbing the plan “a declaration of economic independence.”
“We will declare our economic independence from the failed elites that have orchestrated American decline, from the reckless federal spending that has inflated prices and plunged this nation to the brink of bankruptcy,” DeSantis told a crowd in Rochester, N.H., at Prep Partners Group, which handles logistics, including warehousing and distribution for companies.
The plan particularly takes aim at China by putting an end to the country’s preferential trade status and banning import goods made by stolen intellectual property.
The 10-part economic plan includes getting to 3 percent growth, making America energy independent, reining in the Federal Reserve, pushing back on “wasteful federal spending” and reforming the education system for working-class Americans.
The Democratic National Committee was quick to attack DeSantis over the plan, dubbing it “extreme.”
“It remains a mystery why DeSantis would try to reboot his dumpster fire of a campaign by promising to bring his failures as governor nationwide, but by all means, we welcome Republicans to continue reminding the American people how catastrophic the MAGA agenda is for the economy,” said Ammar Moussa, a spokesperson for the DNC.
Last week DeSantis’s campaign declared a “reset” in a memo to donors, noting that the themes of its “Great American Comeback” message will be the economy, border, China and culture.
However, polling still shows DeSantis in second place behind former President Trump, with a new New York Times/Siena College survey showing the former president leading the Florida governor by 37 points.
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https://pix11.com/hill-politics/desantis-rolls-out-economic-plan-in-new-hampshire/
| 2023-07-31T18:58:08
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https://pix11.com/hill-politics/desantis-rolls-out-economic-plan-in-new-hampshire/
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Firefighter dies from injuries after crash with cow while responding to call, department says
Published: Jul. 31, 2023 at 1:48 PM CDT|Updated: 9 minutes ago
PLANO, Texas (KXII/Gray News) – A firefighter injured in the line of duty earlier this month died Sunday morning.
Volunteer firefighter Evan Brown was in a crash July 9 and had been in intensive care at Medical City Hospital in Plano, Texas.
According to the Honey Grove Fire Department, Brown was responding to another crash call when he hit a cow on the road in his personal vehicle.
His vehicle rolled, ejecting Brown and causing severe injuries.
The Honey Grove Fire Department is arranging for first responders to stand watch by Evan at the funeral home.
The department set up a GoFundMe to help Brown’s family with medical bills and funeral costs.
Copyright 2023 KXII via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wlbt.com/2023/07/31/firefighter-dies-injuries-after-crash-with-cow-while-responding-call-department-says/
| 2023-07-31T18:58:08
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Firefighter dies from injuries after crash with cow while responding to call, department says
Published: Jul. 31, 2023 at 2:48 PM EDT|Updated: 8 minutes ago
PLANO, Texas (KXII/Gray News) – A firefighter injured in the line of duty earlier this month died Sunday morning.
Volunteer firefighter Evan Brown was in a crash July 9 and had been in intensive care at Medical City Hospital in Plano, Texas.
According to the Honey Grove Fire Department, Brown was responding to another crash call when he hit a cow on the road in his personal vehicle.
His vehicle rolled, ejecting Brown and causing severe injuries.
The Honey Grove Fire Department is arranging for first responders to stand watch by Evan at the funeral home.
The department set up a GoFundMe to help Brown’s family with medical bills and funeral costs.
Copyright 2023 KXII via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wagmtv.com/2023/07/31/firefighter-dies-injuries-after-crash-with-cow-while-responding-call-department-says/
| 2023-07-31T18:58:08
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Whether you’re a fan of Food Network or someone who loves to spend time in the kitchen, you know Le Creuset. The French-made cookware brand is known for many things, coming in a wide range of colors. It’s got thick, heavy, enamel-coated cast iron and a lifetime warranty that has turned Le Creuset pieces into heirlooms.
There’s only one thing that’s stopping most of us from having a whole kitchen full of this stuff: the price tag. But now for the good news. We’re in the final week of Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale, so you still have a few more days to snag up to 45% off select Le Creuset pieces. And yes, that includes some of the iconic Dutch ovens.
Super-high quality … and prices to match (usually)
While the lifetime warranty means that a Le Creuset piece may very well be the last piece in its size and shape you ever need to buy, the prices also reflect that. A single Dutch oven will typically run you several hundred dollars.
However, people love them so much that the quality is worth the price. Celebrity chefs even belove Le Creuset pieces. Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa herself, once advised a fan who asked for a Le Creuset recommendation, “I use the Le Creuset #26 Dutch oven more often than everything else. It’s great for soups, stews and braising.” As further proof that you can’t beat the classics, Julia Child was also known to love her Le Creuset cookware.
5 Le Creuset deals you won’t want to miss at Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale
Le Creuset 4.5-Quart Oval Dutch Oven
Let’s start with a classic. This medium-sized Dutch oven is perfect for a family and can handle most main dishes and sides easily. It’s designed to go from the stovetop to the oven, and its oval shape makes it adaptable for larger cuts of meat, like leg of lamb. You can find it at Nordstrom in seven classic colors.
Sold by Nordstrom
Le Creuset Signature 2.75-Quart Enamel Dutch Oven
This smaller Dutch oven is great for singles, couples or those who need a second vessel for their sides and casseroles. It’s also great for baking and comes in eight colors to suit your kitchen’s aesthetic.
Sold by Nordstrom
Le Creuset 9-Inch Enamel Cast Iron Skillet
This versatile skillet can sear, saute and fry — and it can go from the stove to an oven up to 500 degrees. It comes pre-seasoned and is dishwasher-safe, making it a perfect choice for busy families who need a versatile staple to add to their kitchen.
Sold by Nordstrom
Le Creuset Signature 1.75-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Saucepan
This smaller pot is perfect for poaching eggs and fruit, making sauces and more. Its rounded base and curved interior make it easy to stir whatever’s inside and ensure nothing sticks — making cleanup a breeze.
Sold by Nordstrom
Le Creuset Heritage Rectangle Baking Dishes, Set of Three
For the baker in your family, this set of rectangle dishes — in 7.5, 10 and 12.5 inches — can accommodate any casserole, quiche or baked good. They can be used safely under the broiler or in the microwave, and you can even put them in the freezer.
Sold by Nordstrom
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Christina Marfice writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wivb.com/reviews/br/kitchen-br/cookware-br/nordstrom-is-practically-giving-le-creuset-cookware-away-during-its-anniversary-sale/
| 2023-07-31T18:58:10
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Firefighter dies from injuries after crash with cow while responding to call, department says
Published: Jul. 31, 2023 at 1:48 PM CDT|Updated: 7 minutes ago
PLANO, Texas (KXII/Gray News) – A firefighter injured in the line of duty earlier this month died Sunday morning.
Volunteer firefighter Evan Brown was in a crash July 9 and had been in intensive care at Medical City Hospital in Plano, Texas.
According to the Honey Grove Fire Department, Brown was responding to another crash call when he hit a cow on the road in his personal vehicle.
His vehicle rolled, ejecting Brown and causing severe injuries.
The Honey Grove Fire Department is arranging for first responders to stand watch by Evan at the funeral home.
The department set up a GoFundMe to help Brown’s family with medical bills and funeral costs.
Copyright 2023 KXII via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2023/07/31/firefighter-dies-injuries-after-crash-with-cow-while-responding-call-department-says/
| 2023-07-31T18:58:11
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https://www.kalb.com/2023/07/31/firefighter-dies-injuries-after-crash-with-cow-while-responding-call-department-says/
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Former Hunter Biden business associate Devon Archer said during closed door testimony that Hunter Biden included President Biden on a number of phone calls that presumably included business associates, according to one lawmaker’s account of the testimony, a revelation that is likely to fuel Republican attempts to link the president to his son’s business dealings.
But the Democratic lawmaker said that Archer’s testimony to the House Oversight Committee did not show that the president was involved in Hunter Biden’s business dealings.
“The witness indicated that Hunter spoke to his father every day, and approximately 20 times over the course of 10 year relationship, Hunter may have put his father on the phone with any number of different people, and they never once spoke about any business dealings,” Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) said.
“As he described it, it was all casual conversation, niceties, the weather, ‘What’s going on?’” Goldman said, adding that. “There wasn’t a single conversation about any of the business dealings that Hunter had.”
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who was also in the interview, told reporters that Archer had revealed new information, but declined to elaborate further.
The readout of the testimony appears to partially back up House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer’s (R-Ky.) statement to the New York Post last week that he expected Archer to discuss the times he “has witnessed Joe Biden meeting with Hunter Biden’s overseas business partners when he was vice president, including on speakerphone.”
Asked last week about allegations that the president had communicated directly with his son’s foreign business associates, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that the president “was never in business with his son.”
The interview follows a letter from the Department of Justice over the weekend, regarding Archer’s sentencing for an unrelated matter, that is adding to GOP claims of government obstruction of their investigation into the Biden family’s business dealings — even as Archer’s attorney beat down the speculation.
The Justice Department (DOJ) in its letter requested that a judge set a date for Archer to start his one-year prison sentence for his conviction for defrauding a Native American tribe, despite Archer’s counsel saying it was “premature” to do so because of an anticipated appeal and an “error” in sentencing.
That set off alarm bells in the GOP.
“I don’t know if this a coincidence, or if this is another example of the weaponization of the Department of Justice,” House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) said Sunday on Fox News.
Other Republicans went further, accusing the DOJ of explicit interference in the GOP-led investigation. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) said lawmakers should return from an August recess for emergency hearings if Archer did not show up.
But Archer’s attorney stressed the letter would not impact his planned interview, which had been rescheduled multiple times since Comer subpoenaed him in June.
“We are aware of speculation that the Department of Justice’s weekend request to have Mr. Archer report to prison is an attempt by the Biden administration to intimidate him in advance of his meeting with the House Oversight Committee on Monday,” Acher’s lawyer Matthew Schwartz said in a Sunday statement, first provided to Politico. “To be clear, Mr. Archer does not agree with that speculation. In any case, Mr. Archer will do what he has planned to do all along, which is to show up on Monday and to honestly answer the questions that are put to him by the Congressional investigators.”
The DOJ said in a subsequent letter that it was not requesting that Archer surrender before his expected congressional testimony.
His appearance went on as scheduled. A smiling Archer did not answer shouted questions as he arrived at the interview with his lawyer Monday morning.
The interview will consist of four hours of questioning divided evenly between Republicans and Democrats, and is expected to end mid-afternoon. In addition to Jordan and Goldman, Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) attended the Archer interview.
“I believe he can tell us things we haven’t heard before,” Biggs said.
Goldman cast doubt on the GOP attempts to link the president to his son’s business dealings.
“We’re all waiting for any pin, whether it be a linchpin or other pin, to figure out how this is connected at all to President Biden,” Goldman said.
Updated at 2:02 p.m.
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https://pix11.com/hill-politics/hunter-biden-associate-devon-archer-gives-closed-door-interview/
| 2023-07-31T18:58:14
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Braves vs. Angels Predictions & Picks: Odds, Moneyline, Spread - July 31
Monday's game between the Atlanta Braves (67-36) and Los Angeles Angels (55-51) going head-to-head at Truist Park has a projected final score of 5-4 (based on our computer prediction) in favor of the Braves, who is listed as a slight favorite by our model. The game will begin at 7:20 PM ET on July 31.
The probable pitchers are Charlie Morton (10-8) for the Braves and Griffin Canning (6-4) for the Angels.
Braves vs. Angels Game Info & Odds
- When: Monday, July 31, 2023 at 7:20 PM ET
- Where: Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia
- How to Watch on TV: BSSO
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
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Braves vs. Angels Score Prediction
Our pick for this contest is Braves 5, Angels 4.
Total Prediction for Braves vs. Angels
- Total Prediction: Under 9.5 runs
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Read More About This Game
Braves Performance Insights
- The Braves have played as the favorite in 10 of their past 10 games and won six of those contests.
- In its last 10 games with a total, Atlanta and its opponents have failed to hit the over five times.
- The Braves have not played a game with a spread over their last 10 outings.
- This season, the Braves have been favored 90 times and won 59, or 65.6%, of those games.
- Atlanta has entered 25 games this season favored by -225 or more and is 18-7 in those contests.
- The moneyline for this contest implies a 69.2% chance of a victory for the Braves.
- Atlanta has scored 583 runs this season, which ranks second in MLB.
- The Braves' 3.89 team ERA ranks eighth across all league pitching staffs.
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Braves Schedule
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved.
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Nine state residents and the Oklahoma Parent Legislative Action Committee filed a lawsuit Monday to stop the nation’s first openly religious charter school from operating.
Oklahoma’s Statewide Virtual Charter School Board had voted 3-2 last month to approve the application of the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School.
The plaintiffs, represented by organizations including Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the American Civil Liberties Union, are arguing the board violated the Oklahoma Constitution, the Oklahoma Charter Schools Act and several of its own regulations when it approved St. Isidore.
Among the reasons the lawsuit says the school is unlawful are policies that could deny students admissions for sexual orientation or a difference in beliefs. It says St. Isidore will provide a religious education “and indoctrinate its students in Catholic religious beliefs.”
“A school that claims to be simultaneously public and religious would be a sea change for American democracy. It’s hard to think of a clearer violation of the religious freedom of Oklahoma taxpayers and public-school families than the state establishing a public school that is run as a religious school,” said Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
“We’re witnessing a full-on assault on church-state separation and public education – and religious public charter schools are the next frontier. America needs a national recommitment to church-state separation,” Laser added.
The residents filed in the District Court of Oklahoma County to stop funding to St. Isidore and block the charter school board from doing business with the school.
The Hill has reached out to St. Isidore for comment.
The lawsuit had been expected as the proposed school caused quite a stir when it was approved, even among other charter school advocates.
“This decision runs afoul of state law and the U.S. Constitution. All charter schools are public schools, and as such must be non-sectarian. Charter schools were conceived as, and have always been, innovative public schools that provide an alternative for families who want a public school option other than the one dictated by their ZIP code,” Nina Rees, president of the National Alliance of Public Charter Schools, said after the board voted.
St. Isidore went through a months-long process to get approved, with its application originally rejected by the charter school board. The school has already indicated it is ready to take a lawsuit all the way to the Supreme Court.
“We’re not surprised by the threat of a suit, but we will be preparing if they choose to file one,” Brett Farley, the executive director of the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma, said back in June. “This is a question that ultimately needs to be answered by the courts, perhaps by the US Supreme Court.”
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Man drowns after being thrown from boat on lake during storm, officials say
ANDERSON, S.C. (WHNS/Gray News) - A man in South Carolina died after he was thrown off a boat while on a lake during a storm Saturday night.
WHNS reports the man, later identified as 69-year-old Darrell Hewett, was on his boat on Lake Hartwell trying to return to the dock when he was caught in the storm. Rough waters were stirred up because of the storm, causing Hewett to be thrown from his boat as he stood up, according to authorities.
First responders were called to Providence Point at around 8 p.m. in response to the drowning.
Officials said they learned that bystanders were also trying to get to the dock because of the storm and pulled Hewett from the water.
According to authorities, Hewett was not wearing a life jacket. His death was ruled as an accidental drowning.
Copyright 2023 WHNS via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Which kids bento boxes are best?
Bento boxes are of Japanese origin and have been used for centuries by adults and kids alike. They are becoming a popular choice for kids lunch boxes across the country due to their simplicity, aesthetic and convenience. You can definitely pack your kid a smile-inducing lunch consisting of all their favorite foods if you swap them over to one. We tested our top pick, the Bentgo Kids Lunch Box, and have all the insights you need below.
Shop this article: Bentgo Kids Lunch Box, Munchkin Bento Box and Kinsho Bento Box for Kids.
Kids bento boxes vs. bento boxes for adults
Like traditional lunch boxes, bento boxes for kids come in a variety of fun styles and colors. They are great for inspiring a sense of wonder or style in your child. Plus, kids’ bento boxes are extra convenient for parents because the compartments are smaller to help gauge food portions. Kids bento boxes are also often easier to clean and dishwasher-safe.
Number of compartments
When picking any bento box, look out for how many compartments it contains. Depending on how much food your child normally eats, you can pick a bento box with fewer or more compartments. Be on the lookout for bento boxes with versatile compartments too, such as a compartment for soup. A more versatile bento box can lead to a happier kid, as you can accommodate their favorite foods.
What to look for in a quality kids bento box
- Durability: As with buying anything for a child, make sure the bento box is durable. Most boxes for kids are drop-proof and come with rubber padding around the exterior.
- Leakproof: Most pack their kid’s bento box in a school bag. To do this without worrying, find a leakproof bento box. No matter what type of food you pack for your child’s lunch, a leakproof lid and a tight seal give you peace of mind.
- Separate compartments: Many kids are picky eaters that don’t appreciate their foods mingling together. Bento boxes, by nature, contain several compartments meant to keep food fresh and separate. However, some boxes have a bit of space between the walls of the compartments and the lid. This can allow food to slosh around a bit.
- Easy to clean: Kids are notoriously messy eaters, so you want a bento box that’s easy to clean. Most are dishwasher-safe, but some plastic bento boxes can stain and retain residual odors over time, or warp in the dishwasher.
- Cost: Kids bento boxes can range from $20-$35.
Kids bento box FAQ
Do kids bento boxes keep food warm?
A. Most bento boxes for kids don’t retain heat. If you want to ensure that your child has a warm lunch, consider buying a stainless steel bento box from a trusted bento brand such as Zojirushi.
Are kids bento boxes dishwasher-safe?
A. Most are, but check the manufacturer’s instructions before putting one in the dishwasher. Some are only top-rack safe. Others have attached parts that aren’t machine washable.
Best kids bento box
What you need to know: We tested this product and found it the top choice for parents of younger kids.
What you’ll love: Our tester found the seal to be strong enough to stay closed but not so strong that a toddler can’t get it opened. It has five compartments of varying sizes and our tester’s child loved the designs. It’s dishwasher-safe.
What you should consider: Our tester found some slight leakage when only water was inside. But, it’s leakproof against thicker liquids such as sauces.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Best kids bento box for the money
What you need to know: This plastic bento from Munchkin is great for kids aged 6-8.
What you’ll love: This bento box is durable and comes in a few different color options.
What you should consider: Some parents have said that this box is too heavy for younger toddlers to use.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: This bento box from Kinsho is a solid option for kids of all ages thanks to its handy, leakproof lid.
What you’ll love: This set includes two stackable bento boxes with three compartments each, so a grand total of six compartments for food. They are durable and the leakproof lid works well.
What you should consider: These are marketed as dishwasher safe, but should be hand washed. The lid’s seal is strong and may be difficult for younger kids to open on their own.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Addison Hoggard writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.
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How to Watch the Braves vs. Angels Game: Streaming & TV Channel Info for July 31
The Atlanta Braves and Matt Olson will take on the Los Angeles Angels and Hunter Renfroe at Truist Park on Monday, with the first pitch at 7:20 PM ET.
Sign up for Fubo to watch this matchup and make sure you don't miss any of the action all season long!
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Braves vs. Angels Live Stream, TV Channel and Game Info:
- Date: Monday, July 31, 2023
- Time: 7:20 PM ET
- TV Channel: BSSO
- Location: Atlanta, Georgia
- Venue: Truist Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
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Explore More About This Game
Braves Batting & Pitching Performance
- The Atlanta Braves lead the league with 199 total home runs, averaging 1.9 per game.
- Atlanta is the top slugging team in baseball this season with a .497 slugging percentage.
- The Braves' .271 batting average is second-best in the majors.
- Atlanta scores the second-most runs in baseball (583 total, 5.7 per game).
- The Braves rank second in baseball with an on-base percentage of .339.
- The Braves strike out 8.2 times per game, the sixth-best average in MLB.
- The pitching staff for Atlanta has a collective 9.4 K/9, the fifth-best in MLB.
- Atlanta's 3.89 team ERA ranks eighth across all MLB pitching staffs.
- The Braves average MLB's 15th-ranked WHIP (1.275).
Braves Probable Starting Pitcher
- Charlie Morton gets the start for the Braves, his 21st of the season. He is 10-8 with a 3.57 ERA and 120 strikeouts in 113 1/3 innings pitched.
- His last time out came on Tuesday against the Boston Red Sox, when the right-hander went 3 2/3 innings, surrendering four earned runs while giving up six hits.
- Morton has eight quality starts under his belt this year.
- Morton is looking to pick up his 19th start of five or more innings this year in this game.
- He has held his opponents without an earned run in four of his 20 appearances this season.
Braves Schedule
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved.
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Former President Trump predicted Monday that he would be indicted “any day now” as part of special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into his conduct after the 2020 election.
“I assume that an Indictment from Deranged Jack Smith and his highly partisan gang of Thugs, pertaining to my ‘PEACEFULLY & PATRIOTICALLY Speech, will be coming out any day now, as yet another attempt to cover up all of the bad news about bribes, payoffs, and extortion, coming from the Biden ‘camp,’” Trump posted on Truth Social. “This seems to be the way they do it. ELECTION INTERFERENCE! PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT!”
Smith is investigating Trump’s attempts to remain in power after losing the 2020 election, which culminated with Trump delivering a speech Jan. 6, 2021, in which he repeated false claims about the election being rigged. Trump supporters then violently stormed and ransacked the Capitol in a bid to halt the certification of the election results.
Anticipation over a potential indictment of Trump has been building for weeks after the former president shared that he had received a letter from the Justice Department notifying him he was a target of their investigation.
Target letters typically indicate prosecutors believe they have enough evidence to bring charges against an individual.
In addition, a handful of former Trump officials have reportedly testified in recent weeks as part of Smith’s investigation into the former president’s actions after the 2020 election. Prosecutors are said to have been interested in whether Trump acknowledged that he lost the election despite his public claims that it was fraudulent and could be overturned.
Trump pursued a multi-pronged plan to remain in office following the 2020 election, turning to the DOJ, state officials and even his own supporters, who violently ransacked the Capitol after then-Vice President Mike Pence refused Trump’s request to overturn the results.
The former president’s attorneys met last week with officials from Smith’s office. Trump called it a “productive” meeting, and he indicated his representatives sought to make the case against bringing charges.
A federal grand jury hearing evidence in the case meets Tuesdays and Thursdays.
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NAPLES, Fla., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Bramshill Investments, an award-winning alternative asset management firm, releases its Monthly Insights: A Closer Look at Office Commercial Real Estate & Investment Opportunities within Securitized Products.
Office properties in the U.S. Commercial Real Estate ("CRE") Market have been garnering much of the attention from the markets and media, especially after the fallout from the regional banking crisis that was largely stemmed earlier in 2023. We wanted to delve deeper into the subject to discuss our thoughts and the potential opportunities within the sector. To begin, we want to discuss the size of the sector and related sub sectors. Below is an overview of how the property types of the U.S. CRE market breaks down across the approximate $10.9 trillion market value. As shown below, Offices represent approximately one quarter of the market as of the end of 2022…
Click here to read the article.
Contact me today to learn more about our report. Bramshill's team of experts is available to answer your questions.
Media Contact:
Danielle Van Calcar
1-646-993-1648
danielle@bramshillinvestments.com
About Bramshill Investments
Bramshill Investments, LLC, is a fixed income investment manager with over $4.4 billion in assets under management (as of (6/30/2023) The firm was co-founded in 2012 by former GLG portfolio manager, Arthur DeGaetano. The team's core investment strategy has an established combined track record of over fourteen years with an absolute return objective that can be accessed through various vehicles. Bramshill also offers other alternative investment strategies. Bramshill is an investment adviser registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Registration as an investment advisor with the SEC does not imply a certain level of skill or training of Bramshill or its employees. References to awards should not be construed as testimonials for our advisory services. For more information, please visit: https://bramshillinvestments.com.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Bramshill Investments, LLC
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ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels reacquired slugger C.J. Cron and outfielder Randal Grichuk in a trade with the Colorado Rockies on Sunday, bolstering their injury-plagued roster with more veteran depth as they fight for a playoff spot.
Los Angeles sent minor league pitchers Mason Albright and Jake Madden to the Rockies in the deal that brought two former Angels first-round draft picks back to the team. Colorado also is sending $3,701,613 along with Cron and Grichuk, who are in the final years of their contracts before free agency. Cron is owed $2,540,323 in remaining salary and Grichuk $3,161,290, leaving the Angels in effect responsible for $2 million.
The Angels (55-51) are desperate to end their MLB-worst streaks of seven consecutive losing seasons and eight consecutive non-playoff seasons, but their efforts have been endangered by injuries that have seriously compromised their big league depth.
Los Angeles has a major league-leading 17 players on its injured lists after outfielder Taylor Ward joined the group Sunday before an extra-inning victory in Toronto. Ward was moved to the 60-day injured list later in the day, effectively ending his regular season, with facial fractures after Toronto’s Alek Manoah hit him in the face with a fastball on Saturday.
The 33-year-old Cron spent his first four major league seasons with Los Angeles, hitting 59 of his 186 career homers before getting traded to Tampa Bay in early 2018 for prospect Luis Rengifo, who is still a valuable contributor to the Angels. Cron is batting .260 with 11 homers and 32 RBIs this season for the Rockies as their power-hitting first baseman.
Grichuk was selected by the Angels one pick before Mike Trout in the 2009 draft. Los Angeles traded him to St. Louis before he reached the majors and began a 10-year career with the Cardinals, Toronto and Colorado.
Grichuk is batting .308 with an .861 OPS in 64 games this season for the Rockies. His positional flexibility in the outfield will be valuable for the Angels in the injury absences of Trout, Ward and Jo Adell, leaving Mickey Moniak and Hunter Renfroe as the only healthy outfielders on Los Angeles’ 40-man roster.
Grichuk is making just over $10.3 million this season, while Cron is earning $7.25 million. The moves continue the Rockies’ teardown for the final two months of what’s almost certain to be their fifth consecutive losing season.
The 20-year-old Albright is 11-8 with a 5.36 ERA in three seasons in the low minors. The 21-year-old Madden, a fourth-round pick in 2022, is 2-6 with a 5.46 ERA in 14 starts for Low-A Inland Empire this season.
The Angels have traded a significant amount of minor league talent in recent weeks in their determined effort to make the playoffs during the final season of Shohei Ohtani’s contract.
Los Angeles has acquired six veteran major leaguers — slugger Mike Moustakas, right-handed starter Lucas Giolito, reliever Reynaldo López and infielder Eduardo Escobar along with Cron and Grichuk — in four separate trades since late June.
Trout has been out since July 3 with a broken hand, and third baseman Anthony Rendon was sidelined one day later with a bone bruise after fouling a ball off his shin. Trout and Rendon are making roughly $75 million combined this season.
Ward and veteran infielder Gio Urshela are likely out for the season, while infielder Brandon Drury, rookie catcher Logan O’Hoppe and rookie shortstop Zach Neto have all missed significant time.
Los Angeles is in third place in the AL West, five games behind Texas. The Angels are four games behind Toronto for the final AL wild card, but the Red Sox and Yankees are also between them.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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| 2023-07-31T18:58:22
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Churchill Downs will implement safety measures for its September meet including new track surface maintenance equipment and additional monitoring and equine care following 12 horse deaths before and after the Kentucky Derby that spurred suspension of its spring meet.
Racing is scheduled to resume Sept. 14 and run through Oct. 1 at the historic track, which paused racing operations on June 7 to conduct an internal safety review following the spate of horse deaths from racing or training injuries. Seven died in the days leading up to the 149th Derby on May 6, including two in races preceding the premier event.
The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority recommended suspending the remainder of the meet, which moved to Ellis Park in western Kentucky. Training continued at Churchill Downs during the investigation, and a release on Monday stated that while industry experts found no issues with the racing surfaces, the track invested in new maintenance equipment. It will also double the frequency of surface testing among infrastructure upgrades.
Churchill Downs Inc. CEO Bill Carstanjen said the track’s commitment to safety “remains paramount” in the release and added, “our participants, fans and the public can be assured that we will continue to investigate, evaluate and improve upon every policy and protocol.”
The announcement comes days after Carstanjen said racing would resume this fall with no changes and called the deaths “a series of unfortunate circumstances” in an earnings call with CDI investors.
Churchill Downs veterinarians will receive additional resources for specialized horse care and to assist in pre-race inspections and entry screening, the release added. The track will work with HISA and industry experts to predict at-risk horses through advanced analytic techniques.
A safety management committee including horsemen, track employees and veterinarians will also be created.
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AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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MLB Games Tonight: How to Watch on TV, Streaming & Odds - Monday, July 31
The MLB lineup today, which includes the Los Angeles Angels versus the Atlanta Braves, is sure to please.
Here you will find info on how to watch all of today's MLB action.
Watch MLB games and tons of other live sports without cable! Use our link to get a free trial to Fubo..
How to Watch Today's MLB Games
The Miami Marlins (57-49) play host to the Philadelphia Phillies (56-49)
The Phillies hope to get a road victory at LoanDepot park against the Marlins on Monday at 6:40 PM ET.
How to Watch
Hitters to Watch
- MIA Key Player: Luis Arraez (.377 AVG, 3 HR, 51 RBI)
- PHI Key Player: Bryson Stott (.306 AVG, 9 HR, 37 RBI)
Check out the latest odds and place your bets with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
The Washington Nationals (44-62) take on the Milwaukee Brewers (57-49)
The Brewers will take to the field at Nationals Park versus the Nationals on Monday at 7:05 PM ET.
How to Watch
Hitters to Watch
- WSH Key Player: Lane Thomas (.285 AVG, 16 HR, 55 RBI)
- MIL Key Player: Christian Yelich (.286 AVG, 16 HR, 60 RBI)
Check out the latest odds and place your bets with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
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The New York Yankees (55-50) take on the Tampa Bay Rays (64-44)
The Rays hope to get a road victory at Yankee Stadium against the Yankees on Monday at 7:05 PM ET.
How to Watch
- TV Channel: MLB Network
- Stream Live: Fubo (regional restrictions may apply)
- Game Time: 7:05 PM ET
Hitters to Watch
- NYY Key Player: Gleyber Torres (.258 AVG, 16 HR, 44 RBI)
- TB Key Player: Wander Franco (.267 AVG, 12 HR, 49 RBI)
Check out the latest odds and place your bets with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
The Toronto Blue Jays (59-47) take on the Baltimore Orioles (64-41)
The Orioles will hit the field at Rogers Centre against the Blue Jays on Monday at 7:07 PM ET.
How to Watch
- TV Channel: MLB Network
- Stream Live: Fubo (regional restrictions may apply)
- Game Time: 7:07 PM ET
Hitters to Watch
- TOR Key Player: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (.270 AVG, 17 HR, 66 RBI)
- BAL Key Player: Adley Rutschman (.272 AVG, 14 HR, 47 RBI)
Check out the latest odds and place your bets with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
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The Atlanta Braves (67-36) host the Los Angeles Angels (55-51)
The Angels will look to pick up a road win at Truist Park against the Braves on Monday at 7:20 PM ET.
How to Watch
Hitters to Watch
- ATL Key Player: Ronald Acuña Jr. (.335 AVG, 24 HR, 61 RBI)
- LAA Key Player: Shohei Ohtani (.302 AVG, 39 HR, 81 RBI)
Check out the latest odds and place your bets with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
The Chicago Cubs (53-52) play host to the Cincinnati Reds (58-49)
The Reds will look to pick up a road win at Wrigley Field versus the Cubs on Monday at 8:05 PM ET.
How to Watch
Hitters to Watch
- CHC Key Player: Nico Hoerner (.276 AVG, 7 HR, 57 RBI)
- CIN Key Player: Spencer Steer (.272 AVG, 15 HR, 58 RBI)
Check out the latest odds and place your bets with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
The Houston Astros (59-47) take on the Cleveland Guardians (53-53)
The Guardians will hit the field at Minute Maid Park against the Astros on Monday at 8:10 PM ET.
How to Watch
- TV Channel: SportsNet SW
- Stream Live: Fubo (regional restrictions may apply)
- Game Time: 8:10 PM ET
Hitters to Watch
- HOU Key Player: Kyle Tucker (.299 AVG, 18 HR, 70 RBI)
- CLE Key Player: José Ramírez (.290 AVG, 18 HR, 63 RBI)
Check out the latest odds and place your bets with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
The Colorado Rockies (41-64) play the San Diego Padres (52-54)
The Padres will hit the field at Coors Field versus the Rockies on Monday at 8:40 PM ET.
How to Watch
- TV Channel: SportsNet RM
- Stream Live: Fubo (regional restrictions may apply)
- Game Time: 8:40 PM ET
Hitters to Watch
- COL Key Player: Ryan McMahon (.257 AVG, 16 HR, 50 RBI)
- SD Key Player: Juan Soto (.268 AVG, 20 HR, 64 RBI)
Check out the latest odds and place your bets with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
The Seattle Mariners (54-51) host the Boston Red Sox (56-49)
The Red Sox will take to the field at T-Mobile Park versus the Mariners on Monday at 9:40 PM ET.
How to Watch
- TV Channel: ROOT Sports NW
- Stream Live: Fubo (regional restrictions may apply)
- Game Time: 9:40 PM ET
Hitters to Watch
- SEA Key Player: Julio Rodríguez (.251 AVG, 17 HR, 55 RBI)
- BOS Key Player: Justin Turner (.287 AVG, 17 HR, 70 RBI)
Check out the latest odds and place your bets with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
The San Francisco Giants (58-48) play host to the Arizona Diamondbacks (56-50)
The Diamondbacks will hit the field at Oracle Park against the Giants on Monday at 9:45 PM ET.
How to Watch
Hitters to Watch
- SF Key Player: LaMonte Wade Jr (.268 AVG, 9 HR, 29 RBI)
- ARI Key Player: Corbin Carroll (.285 AVG, 21 HR, 57 RBI)
Check out the latest odds and place your bets with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved.
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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Broncos wide receiver Tim Patrick was carted off the field Monday with a left leg injury almost a year after he tore his right ACL at training camp.
There was no immediate word on the nature or extent of Patrick’s injury, but it appeared to be a serious setback for the 29-year-old who was embarking on a comeback after missing all of last season.
Patrick was participating in a 7-on-7 drill with the Broncos in full pads for the first time and his left leg buckled as he pushed off to run a route. He yelled out in pain and threw his helmet as coach Sean Payton, quarterback Russell Wilson and receiver Courtland Sutton were among the first to rush over to him.
He was helped onto a cart and taken inside the team’s headquarters as the crowd of some 3,000 fans fell silent.
Patrick was the team’s No. 1 receiver going into last season when he tore his right ACL in a noncontact drill on Aug. 2.
He was a projected starter again this summer even in a crowded wide receiver room that also features Jerry Jeudy, Sutton, rookie Marvin Mims Jr., Brandon Johnson, Marquez Callaway and Lil’Jordan Humphrey, among others.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
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| 2023-07-31T18:58:28
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DALLAS, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Virgin Hotels Dallas, the 260 room luxury lifestyle hotel located in the Dallas Design District, is proud to announce that it has been honored with the Equity Leadership award presented by D CEO at their annual Nonprofit & Corporate Citizenship award ceremony. The Equity Leadership award is given each year to a corporation in the Dallas community that supports efforts that advance diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Since the hotel opened in 2019, Virgin Hotels Dallas has supported local organizations that champion diversity and equity such as Cafe Momentum, Unlock Potential, and My Possibilities. Through these initiatives, the hotel has been able to provide mentorship and employment opportunities to justice-involved youth as well as adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
"It is an honor for Virgin Hotels Dallas to be recognized as a leader in diversity within the Dallas community," says Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Group. "Creating an inclusive environment where our guests and teammates always feel welcomed to be who they are has always been our priority at Virgin."
Looking ahead, Virgin Hotels Dallas is dedicated to continuing to evolve their diversity program with new partnerships, teammate training, and more. The Dallas Design District boutique hotel is committed to being Autism Double Checked by the end of 2024. According to the online autism training company, over 20 million people are parents to one or more children with autism. Due to the current landscape and lack of autism-friendly travel experiences, 87% of parents of autistic children currently do not travel or take family vacations. However, 93% of parents with autistic children said they would travel if autistic-friendly travel experiences were available.
With the certification, teammates at Virgin Hotels Dallas will undergo neurodiversity training and guests with special needs will receive a detailed visitors guide ahead of their stay that highlights potential sensory issues such as crowds, temperature, noise, body awareness and more.
In addition to the property's Autism Double Checked commitment, Virgin Hotels Dallas will also implement a new policy with Hidden Disabilities that will allow teammates and guests to wear a sunflower lanyard that indicates that they have a non-visible disability and may need more time, assistance, etc.
The brand's commitment to diversity goes beyond external partnerships. Internally, Virgin Hotels strives to hire individuals that are reflective of the world and encompass a variety of racial backgrounds, genders, etc. In an effort to be the most inclusive employer in the hotel industry, Virgin Hotels launched the J.E.D.I program which stands for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. The idea behind this people-focused approach is to implement new guidelines for community partners, recruitment, and training in a phased approach. Currently, the brand is in its third phase which involves a complete demographic analysis to identify gaps in our workforce. Future phases will include J.E.D.I committees at each hotel, unconscious bias training, and more.
"I am so proud of the team at Virgin Hotels Dallas for leading the charge in diversity within the Dallas community and hospitality industry as a whole," says James Bermingham, Chief Executive Officer of Virgin Hotels Collection. "Their efforts are a testament to the brand's purpose of 'everyone leaves feeling better'. We are so thankful to have an amazing team that prioritizes our dedication to being an inclusive and comfortable environment."
For more information on Virgin Hotels diversity & inclusivity commitment, visit https://virginhotels.com/diversity-and-inclusivity/.
About Virgin Hotels Dallas
Virgin Hotels Dallas is the second property from Virgin Hotels - the lifestyle hospitality brand that combines heartfelt service, straightforward value and a seamless, personalized hotel experience with the track record of innovation and smart disruption that Sir Richard Branson's global Virgin Group has pioneered for 50 years. The property intermixes a passion for food and beverage with music and culture that fuses with the local landscape, providing an inclusive environment for travelers and locals alike. Located in the Dallas Design District on 1445 Turtle Creek Blvd, the hotel features 260 Chambers (rooms) and two Penthouse Suites. Dining and drinking outlets include Commons Club the brand's flagship restaurant and bar, Funny Library Coffee Shop and The Pool Club. Reservations accepted and can be made directly on the hotel's website, www.virginhotels.com/dallas or by calling 469.359.7003.
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https://www.wagmtv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/breaking-barriers-virgin-hotels-dallas-honored-diversity-efforts-amp-announces-new-inclusive-initiatives/
| 2023-07-31T18:58:28
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LONDON, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- CosmosAI, the global smart computing power network project, is making significant strides through negotiations to acquire prominent Nasdaq-listed companies. The discussions focus on acquiring platforms and businesses in diverse sectors like sports betting AI services, smart retail, and intelligent security solutions. These strategic acquisitions are set to accelerate CosmosAI's growth and provide capitalization opportunities for investors.
These ongoing negotiations emphasize CosmosAI's commitment to becoming a transformative force in smart computing networks. Leveraging the expertise and market presence of Nasdaq-listed companies, CosmosAI aims to drive innovation and expand its intelligent connectivity solutions.
In the sports betting AI services industry, the potential acquisition promises to enhance user experiences and streamline betting operations. A Nasdaq-listed sports betting platform would enable CosmosAI to offer cutting-edge solutions for sports enthusiasts and industry stakeholders.
Similarly, in the smart retail sector, the integration of smart computing power can revolutionize the shopping experience. By acquiring a Nasdaq-listed smart retail company, CosmosAI envisions driving advancements in personalized shopping, inventory management, and customer analytics.
Addressing the importance of security, CosmosAI recognizes smart computing's role in safeguarding individuals, businesses, and public spaces. The potential acquisition of a Nasdaq-listed intelligent security firm would enhance CosmosAI's ability to deliver cutting-edge solutions for video analytics, facial recognition, and smart surveillance.
Aligned with its vision of a smarter and connected society, CosmosAI accelerates its development with Nasdaq-listed companies' expertise and resources. Investors can expect enhanced value and returns as CosmosAI expands into new sectors and markets, unlocking significant shareholder value.
CosmosAI remains dedicated to realizing a future of intelligent connectivity and shaping a smart society. The potential acquisitions strengthen CosmosAI's market position and fulfill its mission of revolutionizing global computational resource sharing.
About CosmosAI:
CosmosAI is a global smart computing network project dedicated to building the future of intelligent connectivity. By integrating computing devices worldwide, CosmosAI provides strong and fair computing support for AI development, promoting digitization on a global scale. For more information, please visit the official website: https://ai-cosmo.com
Media Contact:
Nadine Hwu
Email: info@ai-cosmo.com
+1 (937) 551-5555
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2166180/CosmosAI.jpg
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| 2023-07-31T18:58:34
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Man drowns after being thrown from boat on lake during storm, officials say
ANDERSON, S.C. (WHNS/Gray News) - A man in South Carolina died after he was thrown off a boat while on a lake during a storm Saturday night.
WHNS reports the man, later identified as 69-year-old Darrell Hewett, was on his boat on Lake Hartwell trying to return to the dock when he was caught in the storm. Rough waters were stirred up because of the storm, causing Hewett to be thrown from his boat as he stood up, according to authorities.
First responders were called to Providence Point at around 8 p.m. in response to the drowning.
Officials said they learned that bystanders were also trying to get to the dock because of the storm and pulled Hewett from the water.
According to authorities, Hewett was not wearing a life jacket. His death was ruled as an accidental drowning.
Copyright 2023 WHNS via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2023/07/31/man-drowns-after-being-thrown-boat-lake-during-storm-officials-say/
| 2023-07-31T18:58:40
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Nat Central’s 3-star OL Joseph Cryer commits to LSU
NATCHITOCHES, La. (KALB) - When Natchitoches Central’s offensive lineman Joseph Cryer opened back up his recruitment, it seemed destined that he would end up in Baton Rouge to play for his home state LSU Tigers.
On Monday, July 31, Cryer made that announcement official.
Cryer originally committed to Ole MIss earlier in the summer, but after receiving an offer from Brian Kelly and the Tigers a week ago and visiting Baton Rouge, the three-star offensive lineman decommitted from the Rebels. A day after decommitting, Cryer announced his new destination.
Coach Kelly has put an emphasis on locking down Louisiana and grabbing the best recruits in the state. Just a few weeks ago, LSU gained a commitment from Cryer’s former teammate at Many High School, four-star linebacker/defensive back Tylen Singleton.
According to 24/7 Sports, Cryer is ranked as the 33rd highest-rated player in Louisiana for the Class of 2024.
This is the second straight year Natchitoches Central has had an offensive lineman committed to an SEC school. Former four-star lineman, Tyler Johnson, enrolled at Auburn University this summer.
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Copyright 2023 KALB. All rights reserved.
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| 2023-07-31T18:58:41
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How to Watch the Astros vs. Guardians Game: Streaming & TV Channel Info for July 31
Jose Ramirez will lead the Cleveland Guardians into a matchup with Alex Bregman and the Houston Astros on Monday at 8:10 PM ET, in the first game of a three-game series at Minute Maid Park.
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Astros vs. Guardians Live Stream, TV Channel and Game Info:
- Date: Monday, July 31, 2023
- Time: 8:10 PM ET
- TV Channel: SportsNet SW
- Location: Houston, Texas
- Venue: Minute Maid Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
Bet on this matchup with BetMGM Sportsbook and use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
Explore More About This Game
Astros Batting & Pitching Performance
- The Astros rank ninth in MLB action with 135 home runs. They average 1.3 per game.
- Houston's .416 slugging percentage ranks 11th in baseball.
- The Astros' .250 batting average ranks 16th in the majors.
- Houston ranks 11th in runs scored with 506 (4.8 per game).
- The Astros are 15th in baseball with an on-base percentage of .319.
- Astros hitters strike out 7.8 times per game, the fifth-lowest average in MLB.
- Houston's pitching staff is sixth in MLB with a collective 9.3 strikeouts per nine innings.
- Houston has the fourth-ranked team ERA across all MLB pitching staffs (3.82).
- The Astros average MLB's 16th-ranked WHIP (1.276).
Astros Probable Starting Pitcher
- J.P. France makes the start for the Astros, his 15th of the season. He is 6-3 with a 2.87 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 84 2/3 innings pitched.
- His most recent appearance was on Wednesday against the Texas Rangers, when the righty went seven innings, surrendering no earned runs while giving up five hits.
- France is looking for his third quality start in a row.
- France will try to build upon a three-game streak of lasting five or more innings (he's averaging six frames per outing).
- He has made three appearances this season in which he did not give up an earned run.
Astros Schedule
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved.
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| 2023-07-31T18:58:43
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida coach Billy Napier opened fall practice talking to his team about expectations — internal ones, anyway.
The once-mighty Gators are mostly an afterthought in the Southeastern Conference these days. Coming off consecutive 6-7 seasons — one in former coach Dan Mullen’s final season and the other in Napier’s inaugural campaign — Florida was picked to finish fifth in the Eastern Division in the league’s annual preseason media poll.
That’s one spot above last.
It was the lowest preseason prognostication for the Gators since also coming in fifth in 2015, former coach Jim McElwain’s first season. Florida responding by winning the East that year. Could it happen again? It would be an unbelievable long shot considering Napier pretty much has an overhauled roster after losing quarterback Anthony Richardson and 14 other starters.
“I really feel like we’re going to shock a lot of people this year as far as the standard is so low right now,” cornerback Jaydon Hill said. “It blows my mind a little bit. But then again, we’ve just got to win games. It just comes down to winning.”
Florida hasn’t won nearly enough for a fanbase that grew accustomed to it under legends Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer. Although the Gators have enjoyed pockets of success since, they have yet to put it all together in terms of recruiting talent, developing players and building a consistent contender.
Napier had a detailed plan when he took over in November 2021, but it didn’t account for having to navigate a burgeoning transfer portal or a constantly changing name, image and likeness landscape.
So Napier sounds more like a coach entering their first year rather than one expecting the kind of second-year jumps that helped vault Spurrier and Meyer to stardom. He’s implemented several team-building exercises, including moving players into on-campus dorms for the opening week of training camp and rooming them with guys from other position groups.
They’ll eat every meal in an old-school dining hall — no phones allowed — and work on developing leadership as much as perfecting concepts, formations and plays.
“I think it’s important that we connect and try to create crossover relationships in all parts of what we do,” Napier said. “It’s absolutely important to what we do.”
Adding another layer to his unification efforts, Napier has a get-to-know-your-teammate initiative that requires players to be able to provide names and hometowns on the spot for 10 colleagues pictured.
“It’s one thing to know the guy’s first name, but it’s another thing to know his first and last name, where he’s from, part of his story, and I think with time we’ll get to that place,” Napier said. “But it’s about agreeing that there’s an expectation, and then, ‘Hey, if you can do better, you can do better.’ I think that’s the key to the drill. That’s where we’re at as a team.”
It’s a far cry from having to tamp down expectations of making the College Football Playoff or winning championships. No one’s ruled those out in Gainesville, but most would agree they seem more plausible down the road.
Florida returns seven starters from last year’s team and has a number of transfers to work into the mix. Quite possibly the main reason for Florida’s humble preseason forecast is because the team appears locked into starting former Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz, who completed 60% of his passes for 5,405 yards, with 38 touchdowns and 26 interceptions, in four years with the Badgers.
Florida lost four-star QB recruit Jaden Rashada in a failed NIL deal in January, leaving Mertz and former Ohio State backup Jack Miller to compete for the starting job. All signs point to Mertz taking the first snap when the Gators open the season at Utah on Aug. 31.
Although Napier appears to have Florida on the path back to national relevancy; the team’s 2024 recruiting class is ranked third behind Georgia and Ohio State, according to 247sports.com. In the meantime, the only expectations he’s focused on are the internal ones.
“The expectation we’re going to establish for each other … should be much higher than any outside narrative or outside opinion,” Napier said. “If I’m walking around the building each day, if I’m living life and I’m most concerned with not letting the people down that are going to be in this team meeting in a couple hours, that’s the most important piece.”
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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap_top25. Sign up for the AP Top 25 newsletter here: https://link.apnews.com/join/6nr/morning-wire-newsletter-footer-internal-ads
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https://www.wivb.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-florida-enters-year-2-under-billy-napier-amid-lowest-expectations-in-nearly-a-decade/
| 2023-07-31T18:58:54
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BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho mother Lori Vallow Daybell has been sentenced to life in prison without parole Monday in the murders of her two youngest children and a romantic rival in a case that included bizarre claims that her son and daughter were zombies and that she was a goddess sent to usher in the Biblical apocalypse.
Vallow Daybell was found guilty in May of killing her two youngest children, 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan, as well as conspiring to kill Tammy Daybell, her fifth husband’s previous wife. Vallow Daybell will serve three life sentences one after the other, the judge said.
The husband, Chad Daybell, is awaiting trial on the same murder charges. Vallow Daybell also faces two other cases in Arizona — one on a charge of conspiring with her brother to kill her fourth husband, Charles Vallow, and one of conspiring to kill her niece’s ex-husband. Charles Vallow was shot and killed in 2019, but her niece’s ex survived an attempt later that year.
At the Fremont County Courthouse in St. Anthony, Idaho, Judge Steven W. Boyce heard testimony from several representatives of the victims, including Vallow Daybell’s only surviving son, Colby Ryan.
“Tylee will never have the opportunity to become a mother, wife or have the career she was destined to have. JJ will never be able to grow and spread his light with the world the way he did,” Ryan wrote in a statement read by prosecuting attorney Rob Wood. “My siblings and father deserve so much more than this. I want them to be remembered for who they were, not just a spectacle.”
Ryan also wrote about his own grief.
“I’ve lost the opportunity to share life with the people I love the most. I have lost my sister, father, brother and my mother,” he wrote. “I pray for healing for everyone involved, including those who took the lives of everyone we loved.”
The murder scheme and Tammy Daybell’s death left a deep rift in her family, Tammy’s sister Samantha Gwilliam told the court.
“Why? Why plan something so heinous? You are not exalted beings, and your behavior makes you ineligible to be one,” Gwilliam said, referring to the unusual religious claims. “Because of the choices you made, my family lost a beloved mother, sister and daughter.”
Tammy Daybell’s mother was fighting cancer, and spent the last months of her life watching the murder trial, Gwilliam said. The family has also been hounded by media and others drawn by “all of the salacious scandal you stirred up,” Gwilliam told Vallow Daybell, who looked down as she sat between her defense attorneys.
“I miss my sister every day. I will grieve her, and the loss of my mother, every single day of my life,” Gwilliam said. “As for you, I choose to forget you and as I leave the courtroom here today, I choose to never think of you again.”
Wood pointed to the two Arizona cases as well as the three murders in six weeks in Idaho.
“A defendant who is willing to murder her own children is willing to murder anyone,” Wood said. “Society can only be protected from this defendant by a sentence of life in prison without parole.”
Vallow Daybell was committed multiple times for treatment to make her mentally competent for the court proceedings. But Wood said there is no evidence that her crimes were impacted by her “alleged mental illness” — which includes delusional disorder with grandiose features, according to reports referenced in court.
“The evidence is overwhelming that she did know right from wrong,” Wood said, noting testimony from several people who said she lied to them about the deaths.
In July 2019, Vallow Daybell’s brother, Alex Cox, shot and killed her estranged husband, Charles Vallow, in a suburban Phoenix home. Cox told police he acted in self-defense. He was never charged and later died of what authorities determined were natural causes.
Vallow Daybell was already in a relationship with Chad Daybell, a self-published writer of doomsday-focused fiction loosely based on Mormon teachings. She moved to Idaho with her kids and brother to be closer to him.
The children were last seen alive in September 2019. Police discovered they were missing a month later after an extended family member became worried. Their bodies were found buried in Chad Daybell’s yard the following summer.
During the trial, experts said Tylee appeared to have been stabbed and her body burned before it was buried in a pet cemetery, Wood said.
JJ’s head was wrapped in tape and plastic, asphyxiating him, Wood said, speculating that his last thoughts must have “been filled with fear and betrayal.”
Tammy Daybell’s body was bruised, suggesting she fought back as she was asphyxiated in her bed, Wood said.
Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow married in November 2019, about two weeks after Daybell’s previous wife, Tammy, was killed. Tammy Daybell initially was described as having died of natural causes, but an autopsy later showed she had been asphyxiated, authorities said.
Defense attorney Jim Archibald argued during the trial that there was no evidence tying Vallow Daybell to the killings, but plenty showing she was a loving, protective mother whose life took a sharp turn when she met Chad Daybell and fell for his “weird” apocalyptic religious claims. He suggested that Daybell and Vallow Daybell’s brother, Alex Cox, were responsible for the deaths.
Daybell told her they had been married in several previous lives and she was a “sexual goddess” who was supposed to help him save the world by gathering 144,000 followers so Jesus could return, Archibald said.
Vallow Daybell’s former friend Melanie Gibb testified during the trial that Vallow Daybell believed people in her life had been taken over by evil spirits and turned into “zombies,” including JJ and Tylee.
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https://pix11.com/news/ap-general/ap-idaho-mom-lori-vallow-daybell-faces-sentencing-in-deaths-of-2-children-and-her-romantic-rival/
| 2023-07-31T18:58:55
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The nights before games were always the toughest times for Darrelle Revis.
One of the NFL’s most dominant cornerbacks would lie in bed thinking about what he needed to accomplish the next day on the field. Revis would go over the game plan, the notes from his film studies, the receivers’ routes and their tendencies.
Over and over until he’d fall asleep.
He’d wake up mentally prepared — and that brief anxiety would be replaced by supreme confidence.
“Restless nights, I’d say to start with,” Revis said. “Covering some of the greatest wide receivers in the game and future Hall of Famers at that time, I was probably the most nervous out of anybody on the field if I had that assignment.
“For me, it’s kind of looking at yourself in the mirror and saying to yourself, ‘It’s either me or him. I just have to stand up to the challenge.’ For me, I just took on the responsibility to take that assignment and try to shut him down.”
Revis did exactly that for most of his brilliant 11-year NFL career, including eight seasons over two stints with the New York Jets.
So much so, he earned the popular “Revis Island” nickname, a fitting tribute to how he’d single-handedly make many receivers disappear — lost on an island — from opponents’ game plans.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime type corner,” former Jets coach Rex Ryan once said. “And that’s a fact.”
Tough to argue, and voters for the Pro Football Hall of Fame made Revis a first-ballot inductee following a career during which he routinely locked down one side of the field with his air-tight coverage.
He also gave plenty of opposing offensive coordinators plenty of restless nights of their own.
“I just felt I had the ability and skill set and the coaching staff who believed in me that I had the ability to shut them down,” Revis said.
That was perhaps most evident during the 2009 season, when Revis had arguably the greatest year at his position.
Ever.
Randy Moss, Chad Johnson, Andre Johnson, Steve Smith, Terrell Owens, Reggie Wayne and Roddy White were all non-factors against the Jets that season — because they couldn’t shake Revis.
“I shouldn’t have even suited up,” Wayne said after having just a 1-yard catch in Indianapolis’ playoff loss to New York that season.
Green Bay cornerback Charles Woodson won the AP Defensive Player of the Year award that year, but Ryan insisted Revis should’ve been the choice after having “the best year a corner has ever had.”
Revis had six interceptions and set an NFL record that still stands with 31 passes defensed that season. He never really came close to matching those marks in any season the rest of his career — because teams simply stopped throwing his way.
That was the ultimate sign of respect.
“It was a very comforting thing as a player that we’d have a guy that can take away the greatest weapon of the other team’s offensive players,” former Jets center and long-time teammate Nick Mangold said. “So it was very much like a security blanket, like, we’ve got him, so we’re good.”
Revis was drafted by the Jets out of the University of Pittsburgh with the 14th overall pick in 2007 when they traded up 11 spots to add a player they believed could change their defense. And he certainly delivered, making an instant impact under coach Eric Mangini before thriving as the heart of Ryan’s defense.
“One of the highlights for me is just being drafted,” Revis said. “Just fulfilling that dream. Just the hills I had to run at an incline, the abs, the pushups, the overtime, just put into everything to try to even dare myself to be one of the best or one of the greatest or amount to be somewhat of the next Deion Sanders, in a way.”
The comparisons quickly became a regular thing for Revis, whose abilities were often measured up against the likes of Sanders, Woodson, Rod Woodson, Ty Law, Champ Bailey and Mel Blount.
Until the debates began about whether Revis was actually the best cornerback ever.
That’s subjective, of course, with some pointing out Revis’ relatively short period of greatness. A knee injury wiped out his 2012 season and a contract dispute — he had a few of those, helping set the market for cornerbacks — ended with him being traded to Tampa Bay the following offseason.
Revis won a Super Bowl the next year with New England, irking Jets fans, but he returned to New York in 2015 and played two more seasons for his original team. After a short stint with Kansas City in 2017, Revis retired. He was inducted into the Jets’ ring of honor last year.
His playing legacy came with his performance in games, but he built a reputation for striving to be great with his intense approach during practice. Revis would get on teammates who weren’t giving their all, and his goal was to not give up a catch to anyone.
And if he did, Revis would be ticked off. About catches that didn’t even count — to everyone other than Revis.
“Every practice, to him, was a game,” Mangold said. “So he was going out there and no one was going to catch a ball on him. It was the result of his competitive nature. He was always working to win.”
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
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| 2023-07-31T18:59:00
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Astros vs. Guardians: Odds, spread, over/under - July 31
When the Houston Astros (59-47) and Cleveland Guardians (53-53) meet at Minute Maid Park on Monday, July 31, J.P. France will get the nod for the Astros, while the Guardians will send Noah Syndergaard to the mound. The game will begin at 8:10 PM ET.
Oddsmakers list the Astros as -175 favorites on the moneyline, while giving the underdog Guardians +145 moneyline odds to win. The over/under for the game has been set at 9 runs.
Astros vs. Guardians Time and TV Channel
- Date: Monday, July 31, 2023
- Time: 8:10 PM ET
- TV: SportsNet SW
- Location: Houston, Texas
- Venue: Minute Maid Park
- Probable Pitchers: France - HOU (6-3, 2.87 ERA) vs Syndergaard - CLE (1-4, 7.16 ERA)
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Astros vs. Guardians Betting Odds, Run Line and Total
Check out the odds, run line and over/under for this matchup available at individual sportsbooks.
Looking to bet on the Astros versus Guardians game but don't know where to start? Consider some of the most common betting types, such as the moneyline, run line, and total. A moneyline bet, such as the Astros (-175) in this matchup, means that you think the Astros will win, simple as that! And if they do, and you bet $10, you'd get $15.71 back.
Plus, there are lots of other ways to bet, like player props (will Kyle Tucker get a hit?), parlays (combining picks from multiple games to multiply your winnings), and more. For more details on the many different ways you can play, check out the BetMGM website and app.
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Discover More About This Game
Astros vs. Guardians Betting Trends and Insights
- The Astros have entered the game as favorites 69 times this season and won 40, or 58%, of those games.
- The Astros have gone 20-10 (winning 66.7% of their games) when playing as moneyline favorites of -175 or shorter.
- Houston has a 63.6% chance to win this game based on the implied probability of the moneyline.
- The Astros played as the moneyline favorite for eight of their last 10 games, and went 5-3 in those matchups.
- Over its last 10 matchups (all 10 of them had set totals), Houston and its opponents combined to go over the run total five times.
- The Guardians have won in 17, or 41.5%, of the 41 contests they have been named as odds-on underdogs this year.
- This season, the Guardians have been a moneyline underdog of -175 or longer three times, losing every contest.
- In three games over the last 10 matchups when set as underdogs by sportsbooks, the Guardians had a record of 2-1.
- In the last 10 games with a total, Cleveland and its opponents have combined to hit the over four times.
Astros vs. Guardians Player Props
Check out all the player prop markets available for this game, including betting on players to get a hit, go deep, or pick up a bunch of strikeouts. Head to BetMGM for the latest odds available for the , and place your bets. New depositors can use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
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Astros Futures Odds
Think the Astros can win it all? Check out the latest futures odds for Houston and place your bets with BetMGM Sportsbook! Be sure to use our link and enter the bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers.
Not all offers available in all states, please visit sportsbook websites for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
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JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s Supreme Court said Monday that a full panel of 15 justices would hear petitions in September against a contentious law that was passed last week by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and which has spurred mass protests.
The law was one of a series of proposed changes to Israel’s judiciary put forward by Netanyahu’s government earlier this year that seek to curb the power of the Supreme Court. The judicial overhaul plan has been met with months of sustained mass protest against the legislation and drawn criticism from the White House.
Critics of the overhaul say that the package of laws would concentrate power in the hands of the ruling coalition and erode the system of checks and balances between branches of government. Proponents say the measures are necessary to limit the power of unelected judges who they say are overly activist.
Netanyahu and his allies passed a law last week that removes the high court’s ability to annul government decisions considered “unreasonable.” The “reasonableness standard” was implemented by the Supreme Court earlier this year to thwart the appointment of a Netanyahu ally as interior minister after he had recently pleaded guilty to tax offenses.
The court said the hearing concerning the law striking down the “reasonableness standard” would take place on Sept. 12 with a full bench of 15 justices. The Supreme Court typically hears cases with smaller panels of justices, but appears to have opted for a full complement of judges because of the highly delicate nature of the matter.
The Netanyahu administration’s push to overhaul the judiciary has deeply divided an already highly polarized country and sparked the longest sustained protests in the country’s history.
Netanyahu and his allies took office in December after the country’s fifth election in under four years, most of them referendums on the longtime leader’s fitness to serve while on trial for corruption.
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NEW YORK, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Deerpath Capital Management, LP ("Deerpath"), one of the largest private credit managers in the U.S. lower-middle market, has announced the reset and upsize of Deerpath CLO 2020-1, a $403.3 million collateralized loan obligation (CLO).
The CLO was originally sized at $330 million and priced in March 2020. This upsize and repricing represents the eighth CLO issued by Deerpath since 2018 and brings the firm's total CLO assets under management to approximately $2.4 billion.
This is Deerpath's second CLO issuance in 2023, having closed Deerpath CLO 2023-1 at $504 million in March. Like all of the firm's existing CLOs, Deerpath CLO 2020-1 is secured by a portfolio of senior secured loans to middle market, private equity-backed companies, which have been primarily directly originated by the firm.
Deerpath sold securities rated from AAA through BBB- to third-party institutional investors, including insurance companies, pension funds, banks, and asset managers. Deerpath's managed funds purchased 100 percent of the subordinated notes issued by the CLO. The transaction is set to close on July 31, 2023 and the reinvestment period is four (4) years.
Derek Dubois, Managing Director and Treasurer said, "Deerpath has continued to access the CLO market during 2023, despite the ongoing volatility in the broader markets. This is our second CLO transaction of 2023. We are very excited to have locked in attractive long term portfolio financing for our fund investors."
GreensLedge Capital Markets LLC served as Lead Placement Agent, Structuring Agent and Bookrunner. NatWest Markets served as Co-Placement Agent.
About Deerpath Capital Management, LP
Founded in 2007, Deerpath Capital Management, LP is one of the largest providers of customized, cash-flow based senior debt financing to lower-middle market companies across diverse industries. The firm currently manages approximately $6 billion of assets under management. For more information, please visit www.deerpathcapital.com.
Media:
Aidan O'Connor
Prosek Partners (On behalf of Deerpath Capital)
(646) 818-9283
aoconnor@prosek.com
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The New York Mets are paying Texas $35.51 million over the next 14 months as part of the Max Scherzer trade, leaving the Rangers in effect responsible for $22.5 million owed to the three-time Cy Young Award winner, according to details of the deal obtained by The Associated Press.
New York, just 50-55 despite a record-high payroll, has cut costs by nearly $26 million in pay and luxury tax this year by getting rid of Scherzer and reliever David Robertson ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline. The Mets have offloaded just over $13.5 million in salary, resulting in an additional tax saving of about $12.15 million.
Texas acquired Scherzer on Sunday for minor league infielder Luisangel Acuña, a brother of Atlanta All-Star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. Scherzer’s cost to the Rangers is $10 million this year and $12.5 million in 2024.
The Rangers assumed responsibility for the 39-year-old right-hander’s salary on Monday, when he was owed $58.01 million for the remainder of a $130 million, three-year contract he agreed to before the 2022 season.
Of the $14.67 million left of Scherzer’s $43.33 million salary for this season’s final 64 days, the Mets will pay Texas $4.67 million in four installments of $1.16 million on Aug. 15 and 31 and Sept. 15 and 30.
Scherzer gets a $43.33 million salary next season in the final year of the deal. The Mets will pay the Rangers $30.83 million in 12 installments of $2.56 million on the 15th and final day of each month from April 2024 through September 2024.
New York’s payroll rose to a projected $365 million after it acquired reliever Trevor Gott from Seattle on July 3, and the Mets’ luxury tax payroll increased to about $385 million. That was on track for a tax of about $95 million.
When the Mets traded Robertson to Miami last week, the Marlins assumed $3.54 million remaining of Robertson’s $10 million salary.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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Astros vs. Guardians Probable Starting Pitchers Today - July 31
The Houston Astros (59-47) and Cleveland Guardians (53-53) clash on Monday at 8:10 PM ET, beginning a three-game series at Minute Maid Park.
The probable starters are J.P. France (6-3) for the Astros and Noah Syndergaard (1-4) for the Guardians.
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Astros vs. Guardians Pitcher Matchup Info
- Date: Monday, July 31, 2023
- Time: 8:10 PM ET
- TV: SportsNet SW
- Location: Houston, Texas
- Venue: Minute Maid Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Probable Pitchers: France - HOU (6-3, 2.87 ERA) vs Syndergaard - CLE (1-4, 7.16 ERA)
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Astros Probable Starting Pitcher Tonight: J.P. France
- The Astros will send France (6-3) to the mound for his 15th start this season.
- The right-hander gave up no earned runs and allowed five hits in seven innings pitched against the Texas Rangers on Wednesday.
- The 28-year-old has an ERA of 2.87, a 2.42 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a WHIP of 1.217 in 14 games this season.
- He's looking to extend his two-game quality start streak.
- France will look to finish five or more innings for the third start in a row.
- In 14 appearances this season, he has finished three without allowing an earned run.
J.P. France vs. Guardians
- The Guardians have scored 441 runs this season, which ranks 24th in MLB. They are batting .252 for the campaign with 82 home runs, 30th in the league.
- The right-hander has faced the Guardians one time this season, allowing them to go 7-for-23 with a double and three RBI in 6 2/3 innings.
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Guardians Probable Starting Pitcher Tonight: Noah Syndergaard
- Syndergaard (1-4 with a 7.16 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 55 1/3 innings pitched) gets the start for the Guardians, his 13th of the season.
- The right-hander last pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday, June 7, when he tossed three innings against the Cincinnati Reds, allowing six earned runs while giving up seven hits.
- In 12 games this season, the 30-year-old has a 7.16 ERA and 6.2 strikeouts per nine innings, while giving up a batting average of .313 to his opponents.
- Syndergaard has registered three quality starts this season.
- Syndergaard has put up seven starts this year where he pitched five or more innings.
- In one of his 12 total appearances this season he has not allowed an earned run.
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KHAR, Pakistan (AP) — The Islamic State group on Monday claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in Pakistan that killed at least 54 people including five children at a pro-Taliban cleric’s rally in one of the worst attacks in the country in recent years.
IS, known as the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, made the claim in a statement posted on its Amaq website. The statement said the attack was part of the group’s continuing war against forms of democracy it deems to be against Islam.
Hours earlier, hundreds of mourners in the northwestern town of Bajur carried caskets draped in colorful cloths to burial sites following the previous day’s attack at an election rally for a pro-Taliban cleric.
Officials said Sunday’s bombing killed 54 people, including at least five children, and wounded nearly 200.
The attack appeared to reflect divisions between Islamist groups, which have a strong presence in the district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan. It targeted the Jamiat Ulema Islam party, which has ties to the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban.
At least 1,000 people were crowded into a tent near a market for the rally ahead of fall elections, according to police.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.
Hundreds of mourners in northwestern Pakistan carried caskets draped in colorful cloths to burial sites in the hills Monday after a suicide bombing killed at least 54 people at an election rally for a pro-Taliban cleric.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for Sunday’s bombing in Bajur that killed at least five children and wounded nearly 200 people.
The attack appeared to reflect divisions between Islamist groups, which have a strong presence in the district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan. It targeted the Jamiat Ulema Islam party, which has ties to the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban.
At least 1,000 people, according to police, were crowded into a tent near a market for the rally ahead of fall elections.
“People were chanting God is Great as the leaders arrived,” said Khan Mohammad, a local resident who said he was standing outside the tent, “and that was when I heard the deafening sound of the bomb.”
Mohammad said he heard people crying for help, and minutes later ambulances arrived and began taking the wounded away.
Police said their initial investigation suggested that the Islamic State group’s regional affiliate, a rival of the Taliban, could be responsible, while a Pakistan security analyst pointed to breakaway factions of the Pakistani Taliban as possible suspects.
The Pakistani military spent years fighting the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, in Bajur before declaring the district clear of militants in 2016. But the Jamiat Ulema Islam party, headed by hard-line cleric and politician Fazlur Rehman, has remained a potent political force.
On Monday, police recorded statements from some of the wounded at a hospital in Khar, the district’s principal town.
The Islamic State in Khorasan Province, which police identified as a suspect in the attack, is based in neighboring Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province and is a rival of the Afghan Taliban and al-Qaida.
Pakistani security analyst Mahmood Shah said some TTP members have been known to disobey their top leadership to carry out attacks, as have breakaway factions of the group.
Shah said such factions could have perpetrated the attack to cause “confusion, instability and unrest ahead of the elections.”
On Monday, female relatives and children wailed and beat their chests at family homes as the dead were taken for funerals, following local customs. Hundreds of men followed the caskets to mosques and open areas for special funeral prayers and then into the hills for burial.
As condolences continued to pour in from across the country, dozens of people who had lesser injuries were discharged from hospital, while the critically wounded were taken to the provincial capital of Peshawar by army helicopters. The death toll continued to rise as some critically wounded people died in hospital, physician Gul Naseeb said.
Gul Akbar, the father of an 11-year-old boy who was wounded in the attack, told The Associated Press that his entire family was in a state of shock after hearing about the bombing Sunday. He said he first went to the scene of the attack, and later found his son Taslim Khan being treated in a hospital in Khar.
“What would I have done if he had also been martyred? Five children died in this barbaric attack, and we want to know what our children did wrong,” he said.
Rehman’s party is preparing to contest elections, which are expected in October or November. Abdul Rasheed, one of the party’s senior leaders, said the bombing was aimed at weakening the party but that “such attacks cannot deter our resolve.”
Rehman’s party is part of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s coalition government, which came to power in April 2022 by ousting former Prime Minister Imran Khan through a no-confidence vote in the legislature.
Sharif called Rehman to express his condolences and assure the cleric that those who orchestrated the attack would be punished. Khan condemned the bombing Sunday, as did the U.S. and Russian embassies in Islamabad.
The Pakistani Taliban also distanced themselves from the bombing, saying that it was intended to set Islamists against each other. Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman for the Afghan Taliban, wrote in a tweet that “such crimes cannot be justified in any way.”
The bombing came hours before Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng arrived in Islamabad, where he signed new agreements to boost trade and economic ties to mark a decade of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a sprawling package under which China has invested $10 billion in Pakistan over 10 years, according to Sharif.
“We will not tolerate any obstacles in the way of friendship with China,” Sharif said, as he stood next to He.
But the government canceled a cultural event that had been arranged in honor of He, according to Sharif, while the nation mourns.
Some Chinese nationals have also been targeted by militants in northwestern Pakistan and elsewhere.
Rehman, who has long supported Afghanistan’s Taliban government, survived at least two known bomb attacks in 2011 and 2014, when bombings damaged his car at rallies.
Sunday’s bombing was one of the worst in northwestern Pakistan in the last decade. In 2014, 147 people, mostly schoolchildren, were killed in a Taliban attack on an army-run school in Peshawar.
In January, 74 people were killed in a bombing at a mosque in Peshawar. And in February, more than 100 people, mostly policemen, died in a bombing at a mosque inside a high-security compound housing Peshawar police headquarters.
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Associated Press writer Munir Ahmed contributed to this story from Islamabad.
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Cannestra recognized again on the 100-person list, representing the most influential leaders of the corporate venture capital community
SOUTHFIELD, Mich., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Corporate Venturing (GCV), a prominent industry association, has named Tony Cannestra of DENSO to its 2023 Powerlist. Cannestra, who is the director of Corporate Ventures at the leading mobility supplier, has now earned the honor several times, reflecting his many contributions to the corporate venture capital community throughout his 20-plus year career.
GCV releases its powerlist annually to highlight 100 corporate venturing professionals who are, as the association says, "at the top of their profession," out of more than 6,000 corporate venturing units operating globally.
"While I'm grateful for the recognition, DENSO's corporate venturing success stems from the deep collaboration between our internal teams and portfolio companies," said Cannestra. "This approach is especially important as we prioritize early-stage startups. In our work together, we strive to quickly build trust, establish a shared vision and accelerate the development of technology that contributes to a green, safe and more seamless world."
Cannestra has led DENSO's Corporate Venture Capital team for nearly 10 years from the company's Silicon Valley Innovation Center in San Jose, California. During his tenure, he's led the acquisition of a startup and invested in over 25 more.
Though DENSO actively invests in many focus areas – including electrification, connectivity and robotics – Cannestra is particularly interested in the following categories: computer vision technologies, such as advanced radar and LiDAR; next-generation semiconductor technologies; additive manufacturing; and automotive cybersecurity.
He also serves as a board director for a number of DENSO portfolio companies, including Blaize, Canatu, Dellfer, MetaWave and Quadric.
If you want to learn more about DENSO's approach to corporate ventures, or how to get in touch with its team, go here.
For those interested in working at an innovation leader committed to bettering the world through in-house R&D and unique collaborations while offering fulfilling paths to success, visit densocareers.com.
GCV provides the global corporate venturing community and their ecosystem partners with the information, insights and access needed to drive impactful open innovation. Across its services – News & Analysis, Community & Events, and the GCV Institute – the association creates a network-rich environment for global innovation and capital to meet and thrive.
About DENSO
Globally headquartered in Kariya, Japan, DENSO is a $47.9 billion leading mobility supplier that develops advanced technology and components for nearly every vehicle make and model on the road today. With manufacturing at its core, DENSO invests in around 200 facilities worldwide to produce cutting-edge electrification, powertrain, thermal and mobility electronics products, among others, that change how the world moves. In developing such solutions, the company's 165,000 global employees pursue rewarding careers while paving the way to a mobility future that improves lives, eliminates traffic accidents and preserves the environment. DENSO spent around 9.0 percent of its global consolidated sales on research and development in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023. For more information about DENSO's operations worldwide, visit https://www.denso.com/global.
In North America, DENSO is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, and employs 27,000+ engineers, researchers, and skilled workers across nearly 50 sites in the U.S, Canada and Mexico. In the United States alone, DENSO employs 17,500+ employees across 14 states (and the District of Columbia) at 41 sites. In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023, DENSO in North America generated $11.3 billion in consolidated sales. DENSO is committed to advancing diversity and inclusion inside the company and beyond – a principle that brings together unique perspectives, bolsters innovation and pushes DENSO forward. To learn more about DENSO operations in the region and to review current career opportunities, please visit https://www.denso.com/us-ca/en/.
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SYDNEY (AP) — The Women’s World Cup is taking shape with shocks and highlights as it nears the end of the group stage.
Some players have established themselves as ones to watch, like Colombia star Linda Caicedo, who has made her team one of the tournament surprises. Colombia picked up an upset win over Germany, and Nigeria upset co-host Australia — just two of the games that showed the gap has closed at top level women’s soccer.
But co-host New Zealand was eliminated, and other big teams are in danger of not advancing headed into the final few days of group play.
The Associated Press takes a look at some of the highlights and lowlights so far:
GOAL OF THE TOURNAMENT
There have been a number of contenders and Bia Zaneratto’s strike against Panama after a sweeping move from Brazil stands out as the most complete goal so far.
Ireland’s Katie McCabe scored directly from a corner kick against Canada, and England’s Lauren James curled in a long range effort against Denmark.
Even so, Caicedo’s solo goal in Colombia’s dramatic 2-1 win against Germany is the pick of the bunch. With a flash of skill, she beat two German players in the box before lashing a shot into the top corner as the Sydney crowd dominated by Colombia fans went wild.
MOMENT OF THE TOURNAMENT
It has to be Manuela Vanegas’ late winner for Colombia against Germany. Alexandra Popp seemed to position two-time champion Germany for a draw with an 89th-minute penalty.
But Vanegas’ header in the 97th minute gave Colombia a World Cup upset.
COMEBACK
Norway looked down and out after an opening game loss to co-host New Zealand and a goalless draw against Switzerland. With star player Ada Hegerberg injured, the odds were beginning to stack up against the Norwegians going into their final Group A match against the Philippines.
But three goals within 31 minutes set up a 6-0 rout that saw Norway advance to the knockout rounds in second place. The Norway win knocked New Zealand out of the tournament, making the Football Ferns the first host to be eliminated in group play in tournament history.
EMERGING STARS
Caicedo’s standout performances aren’t a surprise to those who have followed her career. The Real Madrid forward has long-been tipped to be one of the biggest stars in women’s soccer.
She hasn’t disappointed in her first World Cup and has inspired Colombia to back-to-back wins with goals in each game.
England coach Sarina Wiegman unleashed Chelsea forward James from the start in the Lionesses’ second game against Denmark, and she made a quick impression. Collecting the ball outside the area after six minutes, she swept a curling effort past Lene Christensen.
Haiti’s Melchie Dumornay has shown flashes of the talent that earned her a move to French powerhouse Lyon, while 19-year-old Aoba Fujino has become the youngest player to score at a World Cup for Japan’s men’s or women’s teams.
Casey Phair, a 16 year old, became the youngest-ever player to appear in a senior soccer World Cup when she was a second-half substitute for South Korea against Colombia.
DISAPPOINTMENTS
While youngsters have capitalized on their chance to shine, some of the established names have yet to make their mark.
There have been differing reasons for that.
Sam Kerr’s calf injury robbed Australia of its star striker for its opening two games, while Hegerberg’s groin injury has cut her playing time for Norway.
Alex Morgan, who was the co-leading scorer at the last World Cup, is still finding her footing in the United States’ new look attack.
Record international scorer Christine Sinclair was benched for Canada’s second game and is still waiting for her first goal of the tournament, while Brazil great Marta has also been used sparingly.
SURPRISES
New Zealand kicked the tournament off with a 1-0 win against Norway, but couldn’t keep up its momentum and went on to lose by the same score to the Philippines to set up the co-host’s early exit.
Jamaica’s 0-0 draw with fifth-ranked France was described by its coach Lorne Donaldson as the country’s greatest soccer result, for men or women. But the biggest surprise could be yet to come if Jamaica can avoid defeat against Brazil to advance to the round of 16.
Colombia’s dramatic late winner against Germany, meanwhile, was one of the great upsets.
ENTERTAINERS
The goals have been flowing for Spain and Japan, teams that both advanced from the group stage with a game to spare. Both teams secured 5-0 wins against Zambia and both have produced technically excellent displays.
Germany was on a high after its 6-0 rout of Morocco, but was humbled by Colombia.
Sweden routed Italy 5-0, while Norway found its scoring touch just in time against the Philippines.
ONES TO WATCH
Some of the favorites have made underwhelming starts. The two-time defending champion United States, England, Germany and France have not been totally convincing in group play and the tournament still looks wide open.
Colombia looks legitimate, and with Kerr back in action, Australia could become a contender.
The Netherlands look like serious contenders, while Spain and Japan have impressed. Brazil has shown flashes, but faces a fight to advance from the group stage.
Nigeria has shown it is dangerous, and Sweden has picked up back-to-back wins.
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James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
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More AP Women’s World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup
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MLB Games Tonight: How to Watch on TV, Streaming & Odds - Monday, July 31
The MLB lineup today, which includes the Los Angeles Angels versus the Atlanta Braves, is sure to please.
Here you will find info on how to watch all of today's MLB action.
Watch MLB games and tons of other live sports without cable! Use our link to get a free trial to Fubo..
How to Watch Today's MLB Games
The Miami Marlins (57-49) play host to the Philadelphia Phillies (56-49)
The Phillies hope to get a road victory at LoanDepot park against the Marlins on Monday at 6:40 PM ET.
How to Watch
Hitters to Watch
- MIA Key Player: Luis Arraez (.377 AVG, 3 HR, 51 RBI)
- PHI Key Player: Bryson Stott (.306 AVG, 9 HR, 37 RBI)
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The Washington Nationals (44-62) take on the Milwaukee Brewers (57-49)
The Brewers will take to the field at Nationals Park versus the Nationals on Monday at 7:05 PM ET.
How to Watch
Hitters to Watch
- WSH Key Player: Lane Thomas (.285 AVG, 16 HR, 55 RBI)
- MIL Key Player: Christian Yelich (.286 AVG, 16 HR, 60 RBI)
Check out the latest odds and place your bets with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
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The New York Yankees (55-50) take on the Tampa Bay Rays (64-44)
The Rays hope to get a road victory at Yankee Stadium against the Yankees on Monday at 7:05 PM ET.
How to Watch
- TV Channel: MLB Network
- Stream Live: Fubo (regional restrictions may apply)
- Game Time: 7:05 PM ET
Hitters to Watch
- NYY Key Player: Gleyber Torres (.258 AVG, 16 HR, 44 RBI)
- TB Key Player: Wander Franco (.267 AVG, 12 HR, 49 RBI)
Check out the latest odds and place your bets with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
The Toronto Blue Jays (59-47) take on the Baltimore Orioles (64-41)
The Orioles will hit the field at Rogers Centre against the Blue Jays on Monday at 7:07 PM ET.
How to Watch
- TV Channel: MLB Network
- Stream Live: Fubo (regional restrictions may apply)
- Game Time: 7:07 PM ET
Hitters to Watch
- TOR Key Player: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (.270 AVG, 17 HR, 66 RBI)
- BAL Key Player: Adley Rutschman (.272 AVG, 14 HR, 47 RBI)
Check out the latest odds and place your bets with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
Buy gear from your favorite teams and players NOW at Fanatics!
The Atlanta Braves (67-36) host the Los Angeles Angels (55-51)
The Angels will look to pick up a road win at Truist Park against the Braves on Monday at 7:20 PM ET.
How to Watch
Hitters to Watch
- ATL Key Player: Ronald Acuña Jr. (.335 AVG, 24 HR, 61 RBI)
- LAA Key Player: Shohei Ohtani (.302 AVG, 39 HR, 81 RBI)
Check out the latest odds and place your bets with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
The Chicago Cubs (53-52) play host to the Cincinnati Reds (58-49)
The Reds will look to pick up a road win at Wrigley Field versus the Cubs on Monday at 8:05 PM ET.
How to Watch
Hitters to Watch
- CHC Key Player: Nico Hoerner (.276 AVG, 7 HR, 57 RBI)
- CIN Key Player: Spencer Steer (.272 AVG, 15 HR, 58 RBI)
Check out the latest odds and place your bets with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
The Houston Astros (59-47) take on the Cleveland Guardians (53-53)
The Guardians will hit the field at Minute Maid Park against the Astros on Monday at 8:10 PM ET.
How to Watch
- TV Channel: SportsNet SW
- Stream Live: Fubo (regional restrictions may apply)
- Game Time: 8:10 PM ET
Hitters to Watch
- HOU Key Player: Kyle Tucker (.299 AVG, 18 HR, 70 RBI)
- CLE Key Player: José Ramírez (.290 AVG, 18 HR, 63 RBI)
Check out the latest odds and place your bets with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
The Colorado Rockies (41-64) play the San Diego Padres (52-54)
The Padres will hit the field at Coors Field versus the Rockies on Monday at 8:40 PM ET.
How to Watch
- TV Channel: SportsNet RM
- Stream Live: Fubo (regional restrictions may apply)
- Game Time: 8:40 PM ET
Hitters to Watch
- COL Key Player: Ryan McMahon (.257 AVG, 16 HR, 50 RBI)
- SD Key Player: Juan Soto (.268 AVG, 20 HR, 64 RBI)
Check out the latest odds and place your bets with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
The Seattle Mariners (54-51) host the Boston Red Sox (56-49)
The Red Sox will take to the field at T-Mobile Park versus the Mariners on Monday at 9:40 PM ET.
How to Watch
- TV Channel: ROOT Sports NW
- Stream Live: Fubo (regional restrictions may apply)
- Game Time: 9:40 PM ET
Hitters to Watch
- SEA Key Player: Julio Rodríguez (.251 AVG, 17 HR, 55 RBI)
- BOS Key Player: Justin Turner (.287 AVG, 17 HR, 70 RBI)
Check out the latest odds and place your bets with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
The San Francisco Giants (58-48) play host to the Arizona Diamondbacks (56-50)
The Diamondbacks will hit the field at Oracle Park against the Giants on Monday at 9:45 PM ET.
How to Watch
Hitters to Watch
- SF Key Player: LaMonte Wade Jr (.268 AVG, 9 HR, 29 RBI)
- ARI Key Player: Corbin Carroll (.285 AVG, 21 HR, 57 RBI)
Check out the latest odds and place your bets with BetMGM Sportsbook. Use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved.
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| 2023-07-31T18:59:13
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NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — Economic sanctions could severely hurt one of the world’s poorest nations after a coup unseated one of the West’s last democratic partners against Islamic extremists in West Africa’s Sahel region.
Niger’s neighbors are also threatening armed intervention against the junta run by the head of the presidential guard, although analysts say there is only a slim chance of the regional body successfully sending troops.
Both the United States and France have sent forces and hundreds of millions of military and humanitarian aid in recent years to Niger, which was a French colony until 1960. The French and the US train Nigerien forces, and the French military carries out joint operations in the north.
Since the coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, people have been toting Russian flags and praising that country in pro-junta demonstrations.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Niger in March to strengthen ties and announce $150 million in direct assistance, calling the country “a model of democracy.” France pulled out of Mali last year and has some 1,500 troops in Niger.
The West African regional body known as ECOWAS announced travel and economic sanctions against Niger on Sunday over the coup and said they would use force if the coup leaders don’t reinstate him within one week.
Since the 1990s, the 15-nation bloc has unsuccessfully tried to protect democracies against the the threat of coups, with mixed success.
Niger relies heavily on foreign aid and sanctions could further impoverish its more than 25 million people. ECOWAS suspended all commercial and financial transactions between its member states and Niger, as well as freezing Nigerien assets held in regional central banks.
The sanctions could be disastrous and Niger needs to find a solution to avoid them, the country’s Prime Minister Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou told French media outlet Radio France Internationale on Sunday.
“When people say there’s an embargo, land borders are closed, air borders are closed, it’s extremely difficult for people … Niger is a country that relies heavily on the international community,” he said.
Four nations are run by military governments in West and Central Africa, where there have been nine successful or attempted coups since 2020.
In the 1990s, ECOWAS intervened in Liberia during its civil war, one of the bloodiest conflicts in Africa and one that left many wary of intervening in internal conflicts. In 2017, ECOWAS intervened in The Gambia to prevent the new president’s predecessor, Yahya Jammeh, from disrupting the handover of power. Around 7,000 troops from Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal entered the country, according to the Global Observatory, which provides analysis on peace and security issues. The intervention was largely seen as accomplishing its mission.
If the regional bloc uses force, it could trigger violence not only between Niger and ECOWAS forces but also between civilians supporting the coup and those against it, Niger analysts say.
“While this remains to be a threat and unlikely action, the consequences on civilians of such an approach if putschists chose confrontation would be catastrophic,” said Rida Lyammouri, senior fellow at the Policy Center for the New South, a Morocco-based think tank.
Lyammouri also said he does not see a “military intervention happening because of the violence that could trigger.”
Blinken on Sunday commended the resolve of the ECOWAS leadership to “defend constitutional order in Niger” after the sanctions announcement, and joined the bloc in calling for the immediate release of Bazoum and his family.
The military junta, which seized power on Wednesday when members of the presidential guard surrounded Bazoum’s house and detained him, is already cracking down on the government and civil liberties.
On Sunday evening it arrested four government officials, including Mahamane Sani Mahamadou, the minister of petroleum and son of former President Mahamadou Issoufou; Kassoum Moctar, minister of education; Ousseini Hadizatou Yacouba, the minister of mines, and Foumakoye Gado, the president of the ruling party. That’s according to someone close to the president, who was not authorized to speak about the situation, and a Nigerien analyst who did not want to be named for fear of reprisal.
The same night, junta spokesman Col. Maj. Amadou Abdramane said on state television that all government cars must be returned by midday Monday and banned the use of social media to put out messages he describe as harmful to state security. He also claimed that Bazoum’s government had authorized the French to carry out strikes to free Bazoum, allegations that were not confirmed.
Bazoum has yet to resign. He is still being detained and believed to be in his house in the capital, Niamey. The first photos of him since the coup appeared Sunday evening, sitting on a couch smiling beside Chad’s President Mahamat Deby, who had flown in to mediate between the government and the junta.
In anticipation of the ECOWAS decision Sunday, thousands of pro-junta supporters took to the streets in Niamey, denouncing France, waving Russian flags and telling the international community to stay away.
Demonstrators in Niger are openly resentful of France, and Russia is seen by some as a powerful alternative. The nature of Moscow’s involvement in the rallies, if any, isn’t clear, but some protesters have carried Russian flags, along with signs reading “Down with France” and supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“The situation of this country is not good … It’s time for change, and change has arrived,” said Moussa Seydou, a protester. “What we want from the putschists — all they have to do is improve social conditions so that Nigeriens can live better in this country and bring peace,” he said.
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| 2023-07-31T18:59:13
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Leading HBCU scholarship program to provide 132 incoming college freshmen $40,000 awards
WASHINGTON, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Representatives of The Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI) today welcomed 132 new scholarship recipients from 26 states across the nation. The students will begin school at 26 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) this Fall and will major in more than a dozen science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. They join nearly 300 current FOSSI scholarship recipients.
Established in 2020 to help reduce financial barriers to higher education and enhance workforce diversity in the chemical sector, FOSSI provides $40,000 scholarships to students pursuing preferred STEM degrees. Scholarship recipients are individually matched with one of more than 70 corporate sponsors committed to helping them achieve their goals and receive skills training, mentorship, and internship opportunities. Notably, this robust support has led to an approximately 95% student retention rate since FOSSI welcomed its first class in 2021, with those scholars scheduled to graduate in 2025.
FOSSI has an ambitious goal of supporting 1,000 students through 2025 and has raised nearly $30 million to support 595 students to date.
Program leaders welcomed the new scholars during a virtual celebration featuring keynotes from Congresswoman Alma Adams (D-NC) and Dr. Dietra Trent, Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through HBCUs.
FOSSI Advisory Board Chair Jim Fitterling, chair and chief executive officer of Dow, shared, "I am proud to welcome these 132 talented and ambitious scholars to the FOSSI family. From their academic performance to the contributions they have made to their schools and communities, these scholars have distinguished themselves as some of the best and brightest across the nation. We can't wait to see what they accomplish in their chosen fields."
Applications for the Fall of 2024 will open September 22, 2024. To learn more about FOSSI, visit www.FutureOfSTEMScholars.org.
About the Future of STEM Scholars Initiative
The Future of STEM Scholars Initiative was founded in 2020 by the American Chemistry Council, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), The Chemours Company, and the HBCU Week Foundation. FOSSI is a national chemical industry-wide program which provides scholarships to students pursuing degrees in relevant science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), helping to eliminate financial barriers for historically under-represented groups. Sponsored by chemical manufacturers and related industry stakeholders, FOSSI provides scholarship recipients $10,000 per year for four years and connects these students to leadership development, mentoring and internship opportunities at participating companies. Learn more at FutureofSTEMscholars.org.
View original content:
SOURCE American Chemistry Council
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https://www.wagmtv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/future-stem-scholars-initiative-announces-2023-hbcu-scholarship-recipients/
| 2023-07-31T18:59:15
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AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — The United States arrived at the Women’s World Cup as the favorites to win an unprecedented third consecutive title. But after an underwhelming draw against the Netherlands, there’s a real chance the Americans can be eliminated in group play for the first time in tournament history.
The U.S. plays Portugal in the third and final match of Group E play, and if Portugal pulls off an upset Tuesday at Eden Park in Auckland, the Americans could be in big trouble.
The United States needs to either win or draw against Portugal, one of eight teams playing in its first World Cup, to ensure the Americans continue to play in this tournament.
“I think we feel like we have to win everything all the time,” said American star Megan Rapinoe. “That’s the expectation for ourselves. That’s the expectation playing for U.S. national team. It’s just kind of like, ‘Why would you come into the World Cup if you don’t think that you should win it, and if you don’t think that you can win it?’”
The United States sits atop the group after a 3-0 victory over Vietnam in the tournament opener, and a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands last Thursday in Wellington. The Dutch are tied with the U.S. on points, but the Americans have the tie-breaker on goals scored.
Portugal lost to the Dutch in its opener but then beat Vietnam 2-0. So if the Portuguese beat the United States, they’ll move on, and the Americans would then need Vietnam to beat the Dutch in Dunedin — while keeping their advantage on goal differential — to advance.
“One thing is for sure, that we have a job to do and that’s first and foremost to take care of our game, so our main focus right now it our performance, our team, and Portugal,” said U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski. “What happens on the other side is something we can’t control. We have to stay focused on the things we can control.”
Portugal could use a swarming defense to try to prevent the United States from scoring the way Vietnam — unsuccessfully — played the Americans in the opener.
Portugal defender Ana Borges said her team will be prepared.
“This is the stage where we want to be. It’s against these teams that we want to play because we’re going to learn and grow from them,” Borges said. “Not saying anything about the other team, but if we weren’t prepared for this challenge, we wouldn’t be playing football.”
CHINA-ENGLAND
England is in very good shape headed into its Group D finale against China, needing only a draw Tuesday night in Adelaide, Australia to win the group and advance to the round of 16.
Even a loss would be OK and push England through as group winners so long as Denmark doesn’t beat Haiti. If Denmark won and England lost, the group winner would be decided by FIFA tiebreakers.
England edged out a 1-0 victory over Haiti to open the tournament, then beat Denmark by the same score.
China lost 1-0 to Denmark in the opener but rebounded with a 1-0 win over Haiti and is now trying to keep its streak intact of advancing out of group play in all eight of its World Cup appearances.
It will be a tough task: China can advance to the round of 16 if the Chinese beat England. But if Denmark beats Haiti, coupled with a China win, then FIFA tiebreakers would come into a play. A loss would mean China’s only chance at advancing would be if Haiti beat Denmark.
England and China meet for just the fifth time, but first since a 2-1 China victory in 2015.
England has scored in each of its last 15 matches at the Women’s World Cup for a tally of 25 goals since 2015. A goal against China would make England the first team to score in 16 consecutive matches in the tournament.
China is looking to win consecutive World Cup games for the first time since 1999.
VIETNAM-NETHERLANDS
The Netherlands want to win every match in the Women’s World Cup but none more so than Tuesday’s game against Vietnam.
At stake: avoiding Sweden in the knockout round.
The Dutch, the tournament runner-up in 2019, need only a win or a draw in the Group E match played in Dunedin, New Zealand. And even a loss would be OK so long as the United States beats Portugal in a game being played simultaneously.
But the Netherlands has mapped out the tournament and wants no part of Sweden anytime soon.
“The first aim is always to win and get to the last 16 and then after that if we can score goals we will, of course,” said Dutch coach Andries Jonker. “But looking at our colleagues from the U.S. and Portugal, we’ve noticed it’s not all that easy. We’ve never shown any kind of arrogance, but if we get chances to score goals we will. We would prefer to play against the number two in this group and not Sweden.”
The Netherlands are tied with the United States for the top spot in the group after playing to a 1-1 draw against the Americans and a 1-0 win over Portugal.
Vietnam has already been eliminated from its first Women’s World Cup following losses to the United States and Portugal. Vietnam has lost its last five internationals by a combined score of 18-1.
“The Netherlands tries to have as many goals as possible, and I have to say we are at a low level,” said Vietnam coach Mai Duc Chung. “If we compare with Asia, we’re still at a low level. So if we compare with the world, we are still quite behind. It is a success for us already. In the past two matches we have tried our best. Great effort already.”
HAITI-DENMARK
First-time Women’s World Cup participant Haiti would like to stick around a bit longer but needs a miracle against in the Group D finale against Denmark to have any shot to advance.
Haiti needs to beat Denmark in the Tuesday match played in Perth, Australia, and hope England beats China. If both those things happen, Haiti’s only chance would still come down to FIFA’s tiebreaker system.
It’s very long odds for Haiti, which has played better in this tournament than its 0-2 record shows. Haiti held both England and China to one goal each in the first two matches.
Haiti is on a six-game losing streak headed into what is probably its final game of this tournament.
Denmark, meanwhile, is trying to advance to the group stage for the first time since 1995. Denmark was a 1-0 winner over China to start the tournament, then lost 1-0 to England and heads into the game tied for second in the group with China with three points each.
A win over Haiti pushes Denmark through to the next round so long as England doesn’t lose to China. That scenario would put tiebreakers into play.
The Danes, in the tournament for the first time since 2007, can also get through with a draw, but again, only if England beats China.
Denmark has won five of its last seven international matches.
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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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| 2023-07-31T18:59:18
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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Another day, another billion dollar lottery jackpot.
At least, that’s how it seems ahead of Tuesday night’s Mega Millions drawing for an estimated $1.05 billion top prize.
It’s a huge sum of money, but such giant jackpots have become far more common, with five prizes topping $1 billion since 2021 — and one jackpot reaching $2.04 billion in 2022.
The massive prizes are due in part to chance, but it’s not all happenstance. Rising interest rates coupled with changes to the odds of winning are also big reasons the prizes grow so large.
HOW DO INTEREST RATES INCREASE JACKPOTS?
Nearly all jackpot winners opt for a lump sum payout, which for Tuesday night’s drawing would be an estimated $527.9 million. The lump sum is the cash that a winner has actually won. The highlighted $1.05 billion prize is for a sole winner who is paid through an annuity, which is funded by that lump sum and will be doled out annually over 30 years.
That’s where the higher interest rate becomes a factor, because the higher the interest rate, the larger the annuity can grow over three decades. The U.S. is in the midst of a remarkable run of interest rate increases, with the Federal Reserve raising a key rate 11 times in 17 months, and that higher rate enables a roughly $500 million lump sum prize to be advertised as a jackpot of about twice that size.
HOW DOES THE ANNUITY WORK?
A winner who chooses the annuity option would receive an initial payment and then 29 annual payments that rise by 5% each year. Opting for an annuity has some tax advantages, as less of the winnings would be taxed at the top federal income tax rate of 37%. It also could be an option for winners who don’t trust themselves to manage so much money all at once.
If lottery winners die before 30 years, the future payments would go to their beneficiaries.
WHY DO WINNERS SNUB THE ANNUITY OPTION?
The annuities pay out big money, but not nearly as big as taking the lump sum.
For example, a sole winner of Tuesday night’s Mega Millions could choose a lump sum of an estimated $527.9 million or an initial annuity payment of about $15.8 million. Of course, those annuity payments would continue for decades and gradually increase until the final check paid about $65.1 million, according to lottery officials.
In both cases, the winnings would be subject to federal taxes, and many states also tax lottery winnings.
Given all that, nearly all jackpot winners think they could make more money by investing the money themselves, or they simply want the biggest initial payout possible.
WHAT ABOUT THE ODDS OF WINNING?
That’s another factor that has created so many huge prizes for those who match all six numbers.
In 2015, the Powerball odds were changed from 1 in 175.2 million to 1 in 292.2 million. Mega Millions took a similar action in 2019 by lengthening the game’s odds from 1 in 258.9 million to 1 in 302.6 million.
For lottery officials, the hope was that by making it harder to win jackpots, the prizes would roll over for weeks and create truly massive pots of money that would in turn generate higher sales.
The result is that all of the billion dollar jackpots have come after the changes in the odds.
HOW LONG UNTIL THERE IS A WINNER?
Luck remains a big factor, as the odds of any ticket being a winner never changes. However, the more people who play Mega Millions, the more of the potential 302.6 million number combinations are covered.
For the last Mega Millions drawing on Friday night, 20.1% of possible number combinations were purchased. Typically, the larger the jackpot grows, the more people buy tickets and the more potential combinations are covered.
Tuesday night’s drawing will be the 30th since the last jackpot winner. That is inching closer to the longest Mega Millions jackpot drought, which reached 37 drawings from Sept. 18, 2020, to Jan. 22, 2021.
The longest jackpot run was for a Powerball prize that stretched over 41 drawings and ended with a record $2.04 billion prize on Nov. 7, 2022.
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The top federal tax bracket has been corrected to 37%.
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| 2023-07-31T18:59:20
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Growing Mobile Storage Brand Looks to Build Off Impressive Start to 2023 with Continued National Expansion
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Go Mini's - the portable storage franchise that offers containers for moving, storage, renovation, and restoration needs - has seen consistent growth throughout the first half of 2023 as the brand looks to continue the momentum for the remainder of the year. With six new Go Mini's territories awarded in 2023 already, the brand looks to further expand and bring portable storage solution to communities across the nation. In the second half of the year, Go Mini's expects to sign more franchise deals, further expanding the brands footprint, as well as further execute and implement the brands new long distance moving service, Go MINI's Miles. In addition, the brand is looking to further invest in their growing franchisee network by expanding and investing in robust advertising strategies to increase consumer traffic.
"What we have accomplished as a brand up to this point has been remarkable," said Go Mini's CEO and President, Chris Walls. "The conceptualization and gradual implementation of Go MINI's Miles was a turning point for our brand this year as we aim to further expand throughout the nation and service more customers with their moving and portable storage needs. I am tremendously proud of everyone within our network for their commitment and determination to making Go Mini's a growing national brand that continues to get stronger."
To further its development and success into 2024, the brand is looking at new ways in which they can utilize the existing trucks and containers to innovate with the industry. With the addition of new and robust marketing strategies, Go Mini's looks to cement themselves as a leader within the moving and portable storage industry.
Go Mini's offers a complete support system for their franchisees who have everything they need to hit the ground running, including a proprietary operating system. Each territory is protected with no need for a warehouse or retail space due to the product's superior construction and durability in all outdoor conditions. The business model requires minimal staffing with a simple concept, and the corporate office works closely with owners to analyze and fully understand their market's potential to maximize profits. Go Mini's is one of the few franchised portable storage concepts where franchisees benefit from a scalable opportunity to operate as a locally owned company with deep ties to the communities they serve.
"Today, with the ever-changing housing market and continued economic uncertainty, portable storage services remain in-demand," continued Walls. "As the industry grows, Go Mini's has the necessary infrastructure and systems to keep pace and provide customers with the best experience possible. Our continued success is dependent on our franchisee's success, so we have created a business model that is designed to thrive in any market. We are looking forward to the second half of the year and hope to end just as successfully as we began."
Go Mini's currently has 114 locations throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico with additional available territories. For more information on franchising with Go Mini's, visit: https://www.gominisfranchise.com/
About Go Mini's:
Founded in 2002, Go Mini's® has become one of the fastest-growing portable storage and moving companies in North America with locations in 41 states in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. In 2012, the brand converted into a franchise model and now has 114 locations within the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Go Mini's is proud to have been recognized by Franchise Business Review as a Top Franchise in 2017, as well as being ranked 16th by Entrepreneur Magazine in their list of 2017's Top New Franchises. Go Mini's Franchising LLC. was recently named a Top Franchise for 2023 by Franchise Business Review. Got a Project? Get a Mini. For more information, please go to https://www.gominis.com/.
Contact: Hunter Devereux, Franchise Elevator PR, (914) 486-0330, hdevereux@franchiseelevator.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Go Mini's
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https://www.wagmtv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/go-minis-sees-impressive-growth-through-first-half-2023/
| 2023-07-31T18:59:22
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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The San Francisco prosecutor’s office began laying out its case Monday against a tech consultant charged with murder in the stabbing death of Cash App founder Bob Lee, who was found bleeding on a deserted city street in April.
In the preliminary hearing, a judge will decide if there’s enough evidence to go to trial.
Prosecutors have provided no motive and released little information in a case that has drawn outsized media attention, partly due to Lee’s status in the tech world. Lee created Cash App, a mobile payment service, and was the chief product officer of the cryptocurrency MobileCoin.
Nima Momeni, 38, has been in jail since his arrest April 13. He has pleaded not guilty, and he faces 26 years to life if convicted.
That came more than a week after Lee, 43, was found bleeding in a deserted part of downtown San Francisco early April 4. Lee was rushed to a hospital, where he died.
In making a motion to keep Momeni detained in jail without bail, prosecutors argued that he planned the attack, drove Lee to a secluded spot and stabbed him three times after a dispute related to Momeni’s younger sister.
Assistant District Attorney Omid Talai said at a May hearing that Momeni used a knife that was part of a unique kitchen set belonging to his sister. Analysis showed Momeni’s DNA on the weapon’s handle and Lee’s DNA on the bloody blade, Talai said.
Police recovered a knife with a 4-inch (10-centimeter) blade at the scene.
Momeni has hired two new lawyers, Saam Zangeneh and Bradford Cohen, both based in Florida. His first attorney, Paula Canny, withdrew in late May, citing a conflict of interest that she declined to disclose.
In arguing for bail, Canny said that Momeni was not a flight risk and would not leave the two people he loves most, his sister and mother. She said Momeni needs to fight the charges or face deportation to Iran, a country that his mother fled when the children were younger to escape a violent husband.
An unnamed friend of Lee told homicide investigators they had been hanging out and drinking with Momeni’s sister the day before the stabbing, prosecutors said in their motion to deny bail.
The friend said Momeni later questioned Lee about whether his sister was doing drugs or otherwise engaging in inappropriate behavior and Lee said she had not.
Surveillance video showed Lee later entering the posh Millennium Tower downtown, where Momeni’s sister Khazar lives with her husband, prominent San Francisco plastic surgeon Dino Elyassnia. Video footage then showed Lee and Momeni leaving the building together shortly after 2 a.m. and driving off in Momeni’s car.
Lee was found shortly after 2:30 a.m. in the Rincon Hill neighborhood, which has tech offices and condominiums but little activity in the early morning hours.
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| 2023-07-31T18:59:25
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ATLANTA (AP) — The first new U.S. nuclear reactor to be built from scratch in decades is sending electricity reliably to the grid, but the cost of the Georgia power plant could make it a dead end instead of a path to a carbon-free future.
Georgia Power Co. announced Monday that Unit 3 at Plant Vogtle, southeast of Augusta, has completed testing and is now in commercial operation, seven years late and $17 billion over budget.
At its full output of 1,100 megawatts of electricity, Unit 3 can power 500,000 homes and businesses. A number of other utilities in Georgia, Florida and Alabama are receiving the electricity, in addition to the 2.7 million customers of Southern Co. subsidiary Georgia Power.
“This hadn’t been done in this country from start to finish in some 30-plus years,” Chris Womack, CEO of Atlanta-based Southern Co. said Monday in a telephone interview. “So to do this, to get this done, to get this done right, is a wonderful accomplishment for our company, for the state and for the customers here in Georgia.”
A fourth reactor is also nearing completion at the site, where two earlier reactors have been generating electricity for decades. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Friday said radioactive fuel could be loaded into Unit 4, a step expected to take place before the end of September. Unit 4 is scheduled to enter commercial operation by March.
The third and fourth reactors were originally supposed to cost $14 billion, but are now on track to cost their owners $31 billion. That doesn’t include $3.7 billion that original contractor Westinghouse paid to the owners to walk away from the project. That brings total spending to almost $35 billion.
The third reactor was supposed to start generating power in 2016 when construction began in 2009.
Vogtle is important because government officials and some utilities are again looking to nuclear power to alleviate climate change by generating electricity without burning natural gas, coal and oil. But most focus in the U.S. currently is on smaller nuclear reactors, which advocates hope can be built without the cost and schedule overruns that have plagued Vogtle. For its part, Womack said Southern Co. isn’t looking to add any more reactors to its fleet.
“In terms of us making additional investments, at this time is not something that we’re going to do, but I do think others in this country should move in that direction,” Womack said.
In Georgia, almost every electric customer will pay for Vogtle. Georgia Power currently owns 45.7% of the reactors. Smaller shares are owned by Oglethorpe Power Corp., which provides electricity to member-owned cooperatives, the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia and the city of Dalton. Oglethorpe and MEAG plan to sell power to cooperatives and municipal utilities across Georgia, as well in Jacksonville, Florida, and parts of Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.
Georgia Power’s residential customers are projected to pay more than $926 apiece as part of an ongoing finance charge and elected public service commissioners have approved a monthly rate increase of more than $4 a month for residential customers as soon as the third unit begins generating power. That could hit bills in August, two months after residential customers saw a $16-a-month increase to pay for higher fuel costs.
The high construction costs have wiped out any future benefit from low nuclear fuel costs in the future, experts have repeatedly testified before commissioners.
“The cost increases and schedule delays have completely eliminated any benefit on a life-cycle cost basis,” Tom Newsome, director of utility finance for the commission, testified Thursday in a Georgia Public Service Commission hearing examining spending.
The utility will face a fight from longtime opponents of the plant, many of whom note that power generated from solar and wind would be cheaper. They say letting Georgia Power make ratepayers pay for mistakes will unfairly bolster the utility’s profits.
“While capital-intensive and expensive projects may benefit Georgia Power’s shareholders who have enjoyed record profits throughout Vogtle’s beleaguered construction, they are not the least-cost option for Georgians who are feeling the sting of repeated bill increases,” Southern Environmental Law Center staff attorney Bob Sherrier said in a statement.
Commissioners will decide later who pays for the remainder of the costs of Vogtle, including the fourth reactor. Customers will pay for the share of spending that commissioners determine was prudent, while the company and its shareholders will have to pay for spending commissioners decide was wasteful.
Georgia Power CEO Kim Greene said the company hasn’t decided how much it will ask customers to pay.
“That will be determined as we move closer and closer to our prudence filing, but we have not made a final determination,” Greene said.
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| 2023-07-31T18:59:26
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All sales help support Certified B Corp Best for the World™ company's effort to plant 4,000 avocado trees in El Salvador.
LOS ANGELES, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of National Avocado Day, Avocado Green — makers of certified organic and eco-luxury products — launched an epic sale, with up to $400 off mattresses, as well as savings on reclaimed wood bed frames, adjustable bed frames, organic certified linen sheets and pillows, certified organic towels, luxurious loungewear, and clean skin + body products.
As part of Avocado's Giving initiative, through which they donate 1% of all revenue to nonprofits through 1% For the Planet, all sales during the Avocado Day sale will support the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation's effort to plant 4,000 fruit trees in the central region of El Salvador.
For today only, customers can save up to $400 on Avocado's top-rated GOTS-certified organic Green and Vegan Mattress. Shoppers will also save 20% on all bedding, including Avocado's exceptionally soft, naturally breathable, GOTS-certified organic sheets, duvet covers, pillowcases, and protectors. Avocado's Supercharged Reishi Body Melt and Alpaca Sweater Collection are 30% off and their Fleece Lounge Collection and GOTS-certified (CU863637) Organic Cotton Collection — sustainable, cozy layering pieces — are 50% off.
Over the five years Avocado has supported the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation for National Avocado Day, they've planted more than 14,000 fruit trees together, primarily in Latin America, where demand for sustainable livelihoods for farmers and low-income households is greater than ever.
"Working with Avocado has been a joy, allowing our shared visions of a greener and fairer future to come to fruition," said Lizzy Rainey, Development Manager for FTPF. "Food-producing trees, including avocados, are a simple yet very effective way to address environmental, economic, and nutritional injustices all at once."
As a Climate Neutral Certified brand — and one of B Corp's "Best for the World™" brands — Avocado reduces its footprint, invests in climate change solutions to compensate for its cradle-to-consumer emissions, and advocates for legislation that will help mitigate the climate crisis.
From the beginning, Avocado just wanted a new kind of mattress. One that was greener — better for people and the planet — affordable, and comfortable. It was a simple idea rooted in a much bigger vision. Five years later, Avocado continues to expand — from bedding, to furniture, to their skin + bath collection, and their line of responsible loungewear. As the company grows, Avocado continues to redefine what it means to be a sustainable, ethical brand. The company is a Certified B Corporation, a Climate Neutral® Certified business, and a member of 1% For the Planet, remaining true to its original purpose: to be one of the most sustainable companies on Earth. Learn more at AvocadoGreen.com.
If you would like more information, please contact Jessica Hann at jessica@avocadomattress.com.
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https://www.wagmtv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/31/happy-national-avocado-day-celebrate-with-avocado-greens-sitewide-sale/
| 2023-07-31T18:59:28
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WASHINGTON (AP) — X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has threatened to sue a group of independent researchers whose research documented an increase in hate speech on the site since it was purchased last year by Elon Musk.
An attorney representing the social media site wrote to the Center for Countering Digital Hate on July 20 threatening legal action over the nonprofit’s research into hate speech and content moderation. The letter alleged that CCDH’s research publications seem intended “to harm Twitter’s business by driving advertisers away from the platform with incendiary claims.”
Musk is a self-professed free speech absolutist who has welcomed back white supremacists and election deniers to the platform, which he renamed X earlier this month. But the billionaire has at times proven sensitive about critical speech directed at him or his companies.
The center is a nonprofit with offices in the U.S. and United Kingdom. It regularly publishes reports on hate speech, extremism or harmful behavior on social media platforms like X, TikTok or Facebook.
The organization has published several reports critical of Musk’s leadership, detailing an increase in anti-LGBTQ hate speech as well as climate misinformation since his purchase. The letter from X’s attorney cited one specific report from June that found the platform failed to remove neo-Nazi and anti-LGBTQ content from verified users that violated the platform’s rules.
In the letter, attorney Alex Spiro questioned the expertise of the researchers and accused the center of trying to harm X’s reputation. The letter also suggested, without evidence, that the center received funds from some of X’s competitors, even though the center has also published critical reports about TikTok, Facebook and other large platforms.
“CCDH intends to harm Twitter’s business by driving advertisers away from the platform with incendiary claims,” Spiro wrote, using the platform’s former name.
Imran Ahmed, the center’s founder and CEO, told the AP on Monday that his group has never received a similar response from any tech company, despite a history of studying the relationship between social media, hate speech and extremism. He said that typically, the targets of the center’s criticism have responded by defending their work or promising to address any problems that have been identified.
Ahmed said he worried X’s response to the center’s work could have a chilling effect if it frightens other researchers away from studying the platform. He said he also worried that other industries could take note of the strategy.
“This is an unprecedented escalation by a social media company against independent researchers. Musk has just declared open war,” Ahmed told the Associated Press. “If Musk succeeds in silencing us other researchers will be next in line.”
Messages left with Spiro and X were not immediately returned Monday.
It’s not the first time that Musk has fired back at critics. Last year, he suspended the accounts of several journalists who covered his takeover of Twitter. Another user was permanently banned for using publicly available flight data to track Musk’s private plane; Musk had initially pledged to keep the user on the platform but later changed his mind, citing his personal safety. He also threatened to sue the user.
He initially had promised that he would allow any speech on his platform that wasn’t illegal. “I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means,” Musk wrote in a tweet last year.
X’s recent threat of a lawsuit prompted concern from U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who said the billionaire was trying to use the threat of legal action to punish a nonprofit group trying to hold a powerful social media platform accountable.
“Instead of attacking them, he should be attacking the increasingly disturbing content on Twitter,” Schiff said in a statement.
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| 2023-07-31T18:59:33
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#1 Lottery App's* New Feature Allows Users to Enter Exclusive Giveaways
NEW YORK, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Jackpocket, America's #1 lottery app*, is turning 10! To celebrate, Jackpocket is giving fans the chance to win an all-inclusive trip to attend the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada on Friday, September 22 and Saturday, September 23, 2023.
Jackpocket and iHeartRadio are teaming up to send one lucky winner and a guest to watch iconic performances at the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Festival at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The full lineup can be viewed here. The prize package includes:
- 2 VIP tickets to both nights of the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Festival
- 2 round-trip flights to Las Vegas, Nevada
- 2 nights' stay at New York-New York Hotel & Casino
- Ground transportation to and from Las Vegas airport
- $500 gift card for food, beverage, and other expenses
To enter, visit the Giveaways section of the app by tapping the Gold Ticket on the Jackpocket home screen and activate the iHeartRadio Vegas Getaway. This new app feature allows users to earn an entry for every $1 spent on Jackpocket lottery ticket orders—up to 100 entries per day. The number on the Gold Ticket counter is personalized to the user, showing them their total number of entries for all their activated Giveaways. No purchase is necessary to enter.
"It's amazing to see how much Jackpocket has grown and innovated over the past 10 years to bring lottery fans a convenient and accessible way to participate in their favorite games," said Peter Sullivan, Jackpocket founder and CEO. "Our new Giveaways feature lets Jackpocket users enter to win prizes and experiences like never before. Even if your Powerball ticket doesn't win a lottery prize, it could still win you a trip to Vegas, VIP sports tickets, and more. It's all part of our goal to give lottery fans the very best user experience possible."
The winner of the iHeartRadio Vegas Getaway will be randomly selected on or about August 31, 2023 and announced in September. For more information, including free entry methods and complete Official Rules, visit: https://jackpocket.com/sweepstakes/iheartradio-vegas-getaway/.
Founded in 2013, Jackpocket is the first-licensed lottery courier app in the United States. Now available in 17 states, Jackpocket provides an easy, secure way to order official state lottery tickets. Over $300 million in total lottery prizes have been won by Jackpocket users to date. In July, an Ohio Powerball winner became the 30th person to win a lottery prize worth $1 million or more using the Jackpocket app.
*According to data from AppFollow.
**ABBREVIATED RULES. No purchase necessary. A purchase does not increase your odds of winning. Must be 18+ (21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE) and physically present in AR, AZ, CO, ID, MA, MN, MT, NE, NH, NM, NJ, NY, OH, OR, TX, WV or D.C. to enter. Void where prohibited. Entries require a valid Jackpocket account and accounts are subject to the full terms of service at jackpocket.com/tos. Registering for a Jackpocket account is free. See Official Rules for details. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, residents of NY call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369); residents of MA call 1-800-327-5050; residents of OR call 1-877-MYLIMIT; all others, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
About Jackpocket
Jackpocket is on a mission to create a more convenient, fun, and responsible way to take part in the lottery. The first licensed third-party lottery courier app in the United States, Jackpocket provides an easy, secure way to order official state lottery tickets. Jackpocket is currently available in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Washington D.C., and West Virginia, and is expanding to many new markets. Download the app on iOS and Android or participate via desktop. Follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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| 2023-07-31T18:59:35
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A New Hampshire nurse, who has reportedly been kidnapped in Haiti, has described Haitians as “resilient people” in a video about her work for a nonprofit Christian ministry in the country.
“They’re full of joy, and life and love. I’m so blessed to know so many amazing Haitians,” Alix Dorsainil says in a video on the website of the ministry she works for, El Roi Haiti.
Dorsainvil and her daughter were kidnapped Thursday, the organization said in a statement over the weekend. El Roi Haiti, which runs a school and ministry in Port au Prince, said the two were taken from campus. Dorsainvil is the wife of the program’s director, Sandro Dorsainvil.
That happened the same day that the U.S. State Department issued a “do not travel advisory” in the country and ordered nonemergency personnel to leave there amid growing security concerns.
“Alix is a deeply compassionate and loving person who considers Haiti her home and the Haitian people her friends and family,” El Roi president and co-founder Jason Brown said in the statement. “Alix has worked tirelessly as our school and community nurse to bring relief to those who are suffering as she loves and serves the people of Haiti in the name of Jesus.”
A State Department spokesperson said in a statement Saturday is it “aware of reports of the kidnapping of two U.S. citizens in Haiti,” adding, “We are in regular contact with Haitian authorities and will continue to work with them and our U.S. government interagency partners.”
The department has not issued any updates since then. Alix Dorainvil’s father, Steven Comeau, reached in New Hampshire, said he could not talk.
Dorsainvil graduated from Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts, which has a program to support nursing education in Haiti. Before that, she went to Cornerstone Christian Academy in Ossipee, New Hampshire.
“Pray that God would keep her safe, be with her through this trial, and deliver her from her captors,” the school posted on its Facebook page.
In its advisory Thursday, the State Department said that “kidnapping is widespread, and victims regularly include U.S. citizens.”
It said kidnappings often involve ransom negotiations and U.S. citizen victims have been physically harmed.
Earlier this month, the National Human Rights Defense Network issued a report warning about an upsurge in killings and kidnappings and the U.N. Security Council met to discuss Haiti’s worsening situation.
In December 2021, an unidentified person paid a ransom that freed three missionaries kidnapped by a gang in Haiti under an agreement that was supposed to have led to the release of all 15 remaining captives, t heir Ohio-based organization confirmed.
The person who made the payment was not affiliated with Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries, and the workers say they don’t know who the individual is or how much was paid to the gang, which initially demanded $1 million per person. Internal conflicts in the gang, they say, led it to renege on a pledge to release all the hostages, freeing just three of them instead on Dec. 5.
The accounts from former hostages and other Christian Aid Ministries staffers, in recent recorded talks to church groups and others, were the first public acknowledgement from the organization that ransom was paid at any point following the Oct. 16 kidnapping of 16 Americans and a Canadian affiliated with CAM.
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| 2023-07-31T18:59:39
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CANTON, Ohio, July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Liberty HealthShare® is blessed to be an exhibitor at the Assemblies of God 60th General Council to be held July 31 through August 4 in Columbus, Ohio.
Ministers, church delegates and college presidents from across the country are expected to attend the Pentecostal Christian church's biennial gathering to worship, vote in legislative sessions and attend workshops.
"We are excited to have the opportunity to take part in the Assemblies of God General Council and be in fellowship with people of faith, sharing information about the biblical values of our ministry and how Liberty HealthShare might help them choose more-affordable healthcare options," said Pastor Wes Humble, Liberty HealthShare's executive director of Ministry, Community Relations and Events.
Liberty HealthShare is a non-profit 501(c) (3) charitable Christian medical cost-sharing ministry focused on members helping each other in times of need. The faith-based program, which facilitates healthsharing for its members, is a caring community of health-conscious individuals and families who choose to support one another and agree to the Christian values of stewardship to make healthcare affordable for all.
As it is not insurance, Liberty HealthShare enrollment is available year-round with no requirement for special life events to qualify. For more information about its healthcare sharing programs visit libertyhealthshare.org or call (855) 585-4237.
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SOURCE Liberty HealthShare
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| 2023-07-31T18:59:41
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WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – Two United States senators had issues last week that’s prompting conversations about whether they are mentally and physically fit to serve and is leading some politicians to suggest the idea of mental competency tests.
During a committee yes or no vote, Senator Dianne Feinstein gave a wandering speech instead and Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell froze mid-sentence and had to be escorted away from a press conference.
Democratic Senator Chris Coons says McConnell appears to be okay for now but both McConnell and Feinstein have had prior health scares.
“I feel like he’s going to be the Republican leader through the rest of this Congress, and what happens after that, I don’t know,” Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) said.
Republican Presidential Candidate Nikki Haley is suggesting testing to ensure people are fit to serve.
“We need to have term limits in Congress, and we need to have mental competency tests for anyone over the age of 75,” Haley said.
Members of Congress aren’t the only one’s she’s concerned about.
“When you go and you look at Biden, he was in the week before and he can’t say it,” Haley added. “When you go and see him falling asleep with leaders, that’s concerning. And I know when I was at the United Nations, leaders watch the health status of other leaders.”
But Asa Hutchinson, another Republican presidential candidate, dismissed the idea of mental competency tests outright.
“The tests are not constitutional. And so, it’s really something that’s a throwaway line that catches people’s attention,” Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson also said that determining whether politicians are fit to serve is up to the voters.
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| 2023-07-31T18:59:45
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Award Recognizes Exemplary Commitment to Transportation Safety
BRUSLY, La., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM), a national organization whose members include the most senior fire officials in the United States, is delighted to honor ExxonMobil with the esteemed Norman Y. Mineta Excellence in Transportation Safety Award.
The ExxonMobil organization is recognized for having one of the safest years in Exxon Mobil Pipeline Company's (EMPCo) history and their industry-leading safety preparations for the upcoming buildout of a network of CO2 and H2 pipelines. By empowering personnel to identify and strengthen critical safeguards to mitigate risk in potential consequence areas, ExxonMobil takes on the challenge of emerging fuels pipelines and storage facilities while maintaining exceptional safety standards.
The Norman Y. Mineta Excellence in Transportation Safety Award is an honor awarded to individuals or organizations who have shown a significant and lasting contribution to product, material and human safety. Named after its first recipient, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta, the award recognizes achievements in transportation safety standards that exceed the minimum requirements.
"The way ExxonMobil engages with fire fighters is a great example of how companies and first responders should work together to yield the highest level of public safety and awareness," said Chief Butch Browning, NASFM Executive Director.
"It is an honor to receive this award on behalf of ExxonMobil. We are proud that our focus on safety and operational excellence is recognized by one of our most important stakeholders, first responders," said Steve Yatauro, ExxonMobil Pipeline Company President.
Since 2005, 11 organizations or individuals have received the Norman Y. Mineta Excellence in Transportation Safety Award. ExxonMobil's recognition marks the first award since Former NASFM Presidents and State Fire Marshal Bill Degnan in 2016.
The award was presented to EMPCo VP of Operations Saul Flota at the NASFM Annual Conference on July 31, 2023, in Wilmington, North Carolina.
For more information, visit the NASFM website at firemarshals.org.
About the National Association of State Fire Marshalls:
The principal membership of NASFM comprises the senior fire officials in the United States and their top deputies. The primary mission of NASFM is to protect human life, property and the environment from fire and related hazards. A secondary mission of NASFM is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of State Fire Marshals' operations.
CONTACT:
Philip Oakes
Chief of Operations and Training
phil@browning.red
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SOURCE National Association of State Fire Marshals
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BELEN, N.M. (KRQE) — A 6-year-old boy’s lemonade stand was robbed last week in Belen, New Mexico, while he was trying to raise money for a good cause. After news spread about the theft, the community stepped up and rallied around him.
Connor Brock had a goal: raise $250 to donate to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as part of their “Lemonade Stand in July” challenge.
His parents were also raising money for Connor’s benefit: “Connor has autism level two, and we’ve used the lemonade stand not only to benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital but also to teach Connor responsibility, to recognize the one dollar bill, the president on it, how to count money,” said Abbegale Brock, Connor’s mother. She wanted to teach him about things like empathy and compassion.
That all came to a halt when thieves stole the money Connor raised and cleared out his lemonade stand.
“I was just dumbfounded because we weren’t gone long. Went to get something to eat, and it didn’t make any sense. It was items that you wouldn’t even think anyone would take,” Brock recalled.
Brock said she had to explain to Connor what had happened: “I just told him somebody else must have needed it more than we did.”
This weekend, Connor found himself back in business when two motorcycle groups rallied dozens of bikers Saturday and Sunday to help out.
“We heard the unfortunate situation that happened to him last week, and we just wanted to stand behind him and come show some support and just let him know that we’re here, and we got his back,” said Marcos Jaramillo, president of Moose Riders Belen 1680.
Cup after cup, from Saturday to Sunday, donations came pouring in.
“I contacted all my folks, and we put it out there four days ago. Four days ago, we put this out there, and I believe we had over 56 bikes show up this morning,” said Andrew Witham, with Rogue Biker Life, “If you’re not a part of the solution, you’re definitely a part of the problem, and if we can help in any way shape or form, we’re going to.”
“As a biker community, what we’re saying as bikers is, we’re going to be there,” explained Toby Gutierrez, owner of Rogue Biker, “If you’re going to come out and do this, you can expect to see us.”
An anonymous donation of lemonade jars for Connor was also dropped off at the Belen Police Department, and Brock said the New Mexico Gas Company donated money and built him a new lemonade stand to use.
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