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An Ohio man charged with storming the U.S. Capitol and stealing a coat rack testified that he joined thousands of protesters in ransacking the building last year on what he thought were orders from the president, Donald Trump.
Dustin Byron Thompson, 38, of Columbus, Ohio, said Wednesday he took to websites after being laid off from his exterminator job in March 2020 and in his pandemic doldrums fell under Trump’s sway as he bought into conspiracy theories and “went down the rabbit hole on the internet.”
On trial in U.S. District Court in Washington, Thompson testified that the claim that the election was stolen seemed credible to him because it was coming from the president. His defense team is the first to argue that Trump and those connected to him were responsible for the actions of the mob that day.
“It seems like everyone was attacking him (Trump). He needed someone to stand up for him, and I was trying to do that,” Thompson said.
Under questioning by the prosecution, Thompson acknowledged that he ignored signs he shouldn’t be at the Capitol — broken glass, alarms, chemical irritants in the air — and said he stole the coat rack to keep others from using it as a weapon. He also said he witnessed fierce fighting between police and rioters outside the building, and later ran away from officers. He said he realized weeks later that what he had done was wrong and now feels shame for his actions.
Thompson’s jury trial is the third among hundreds of Capitol riot prosecutions. The first two ended with jurors convicting both defendants on all counts. Thompson’s defense team is the first to argue that Trump and those connected to him were responsible for the actions of the mob that day.
“If the president is giving you almost an order to do something, I felt obligated to do that,” Thompson testified.
Thompson’s lawyer sought subpoenas to call Trump and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani as witnesses, but U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton rejected that request. Jurors on Wednesday began listening to recordings of speeches that Trump and Giuliani delivered at a rally before the riot. They were expected to finish listening to recordings Thursday morning and begin deliberations later in the day.
Thompson’s wife, Sarah Thompson, testified that she voted for Democrat Joe Biden, as well as Democratic presidential nominees Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. She said her husband’s views were more moderate then but shifted during the Trump years as he started encountering conspiracy theories. She said she did not share his views but helped arrange his travel to Washington for the “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House because he had a right to protest and she enjoyed having a quiet house.
Much of the prosecution’s case was built around testimony from several Capitol Police officers placing Thompson at the scene, wearing a bulletproof vest that he said he found, and carrying a coat rack he took from the Senate Parliamentarian’s Office.
More than 770 people have been charged with federal crimes arising from the Jan. 6, 2021, riot. Over 250 of them have pleaded guilty, mostly to misdemeanors. Thompson is the fifth person to be tried on riot-related charges.
On Monday, a jury convicted a former Virginia police officer, Thomas Robertson, of storming the Capitol with another off-duty officer to obstruct Congress from certifying Biden’s 2020 electoral victory. Last month, a jury convicted a Texas man, Guy Reffitt, of storming the Capitol with a holstered handgun.
A judge hearing testimony without a jury decided cases against two other Capitol riot defendants at separate bench trials. U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden acquitted one of them of all charges and partially acquitted the other.
Thompson is charged with six counts: obstructing Congress’ joint session to certify the Electoral College vote, theft of government property, entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a Capitol building, and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.
A co-defendant, Robert Lyon, 27, pleaded guilty in March to theft of government property and disorderly conduct. Both counts are misdemeanors punishable by a maximum of one year imprisonment. Walton is scheduled to sentence Lyon on June 3. | https://www.wane.com/news/capitol-riot-defendant-i-was-following-trumps-instructions/ | 2022-04-14T14:24:29 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/capitol-riot-defendant-i-was-following-trumps-instructions/ |
BEIJING (AP) — China on Thursday said it would reject “any pressure or coercion” over its relationship with Russia, in response to a call from U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen for Beijing to use its “special relationship with Russia” to persuade Moscow to end the war in Ukraine.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian defended China’s position on the war, saying it had “made considerable efforts to de-escalate the situation, defuse the crisis and rebuild peace.”
“China is playing a constructive role in the Ukraine issue,” Zhao told reporters at a daily briefing.
China has refused to condemn theinvasion of Ukraine by strategic partner Russia, or even refer to the conflict as a war in deference to Moscow, which uses the term “special military operation.”
“We oppose unfounded accusations and suspicions against China, nor will we accept any pressure or coercion,” Zhao said. “Time will tell that China’s claims are on the right side of history.”
China has also amplified Russian propaganda about the war, including unsupported claims that the U.S. and Ukraine have been developing biological weapons.
It has staunchly opposed economic sanctions against Russia and has abstained or sided with Moscow in U.N. votes following the beginning of the war on Feb. 24, just weeks after Russian leader Vladimir Putin met with China’s Xi Jinping in Beijing.
In a speech Wednesday,Yellen said Beijing “cannot expect the global community to respect its appeals to the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity in the future if it does not respect these principles now.”
“The world’s attitude towards China and its willingness to embrace further economic integration may well be affected by China’s reaction to our call for resolute action on Russia,” she said.
Yellen’s speech at the Atlantic Council, a nonpartisan think tank, came a week before the world’s finance ministers and central bank governors convene in Washington for the International Monetary Fund-World Bank Group Spring Meetings.Her direct appeal to China underscores an increasing frustration that the United States and its allies have with a country that has only deepened its ties with Russia since the invasion of Ukraine.
Making no mention of Russia’s aggression, Zhao reiterated China’s stance that it “maintains that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected and safeguarded,” and that “Ukraine’s sovereignty and security should be preserved, and Russia’s legitimate security concerns should also be respected.” | https://www.wane.com/news/china-rejects-pressure-or-coercion-over-russia-relations/ | 2022-04-14T14:24:35 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/china-rejects-pressure-or-coercion-over-russia-relations/ |
Firefighters scouted the drought-stricken mountainsides around a New Mexico village as they looked for opportunities to slow a wind-driven wildfire that a day earlier had burned at least 150 homes and other structures while displacing thousands of residents and forcing the evacuation of two schools.
Homes were among the structures that had burned, but officials on Wednesday did not have a count of how many were destroyed in the blaze that torched at least 6.4 square miles (16.6 square kilometers) of forest, brush and grass on the east side of the community of Ruidoso, said Laura Rabon, spokesperson for the Lincoln National Forest.
Rabon announced emergency evacuations of a more densely populated area during a briefing Wednesday afternoon as the fire jumped a road where crews were trying to hold the line. She told people to get in their cars and go.
New Mexico State Police released a statement late Wednesday saying two people have been found dead in a residence. Their identities will not be released until the Office of the Medical Examiner can positively identify them.
Strong winds prevented forced a suspension of the aerial attack on the flames and kept authorities from getting a better estimate of how large the fire has grown. But some planes returned to the air as winds subsided late in the day, and seven airtankers and two helicopters have now been assigned to the fire, Forest Service officials said Wednesday evening.
While the cause of the blaze was under investigation, fire officials and forecasters warned Wednesday that persistent dry and windy conditions had prompted red flag warnings for a wide swath that included almost all of New Mexico, half of Texas and parts of Colorado and the Midwest.
Five new large fires were reported Tuesday, and nearly 1,600 wildland firefighters and support personnel were assigned to large fires in the southwestern, southern and Rocky Mountain areas, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
Hotter and drier weather weather coupled with decades of fire suppression have contributed to an increase in the number of acres burned by wildfires, fire scientists say. And the problem is exacerbated by a more than 20-year Western megadrought that studies link to human-caused climate change. The fire season has become year-round given changing conditions that include earlier snowmelt and rain coming later in the fall.
In Ruidoso, officials declared a state of emergency and said school classes were canceled Wednesday as the village — about 140 miles (225 kilometers) northeast of El Paso, Texas — coped with power outages due to down power lines.
The residences that burned were mostly a mix of trailers and single-family homes, and close to 4,000 people were displaced by evacuations that were ordered Tuesday. That number was expected to grow with the latest call for residents to leave.
Village spokeswoman Kerry Gladden said authorities spent part of Wednesday surveying as much damage as possible before the winds kicked up again. Air tankers also were able to drop a few loads of slurry, and more air support was expected Thursday.
“Right now, everybody is just rallying around those who had to be evacuated,” Gladden said. “We’re just trying to reach out to make sure everyone has places to stay.”
Donations were pouring in from other communities in southern New Mexico. State officials said emergency grants have been approved that will provide resources to firefighters and for other emergency efforts.
Ruidoso in 2012 was hit by one of the most destructive wildfires in New Mexico history, when a lightning-sparked blaze destroyed more than 240 homes and burned nearly 70 square miles (181 square kilometers).
Rabon said Wednesday that no precipitation was in the forecast and humidity levels remained in the single digits, which would make stopping the flames more difficult.
“Those extremely dry conditions are not in our favor,” she said.
Another wildfire in the Lincoln National Forest northwest of Ruidoso burned at least 400 acres (1.6 square kilometers) after it was sparked Tuesday by power lines downed by high winds. Crews confirmed Wednesday that 10 structures there were lost.
Elsewhere in New Mexico, wildfires were burning along the Rio Grande south of Albuquerque, in mountains northwest of the community of Las Vegas and in grasslands along the Pecos River near the town of Roswell.
In Colorado, crews were battling wind-whipped grass fires that had destroyed two homes and forced temporary evacuations.
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Montoya Bryan reported from Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Davenport from Phoenix. | https://www.wane.com/news/destructive-wildfires-rage-in-new-mexico-colorado/ | 2022-04-14T14:24:41 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/destructive-wildfires-rage-in-new-mexico-colorado/ |
MOMBASA, Kenya (AP) — Agricultural workers in the east and Horn of Africa are preparing for their most severe drought in forty years, as authorities warn that higher temperatures and less than normal rainfall was recorded by weather agencies in March and April this year.
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development said rains will likely fail for a fourth consecutive year, triggering fears of increased cases of malnutrition, threats to livelihoods and severe risks for 29 million people in the region. Meteorologists are linking the unfolding drought to human-caused climate change which is leading to increased warming in the Indian Ocean, causing more frequent cyclones.
Like most of Africa, the east and the Horn’s economic mainstay is agriculture, which is rain-fed, making it vulnerable to extreme weather events. Mama Charity Kimaru, who practices mixed farming by rearing livestock and planting cereals and vegetables in her 30-acre farm in Nyandarua, some 80 miles (126 kilometers) north of Nairobi, is among the farmers who are preparing for the worst outcomes. Kimaru says that increased temperatures recorded over the past few months have denied her livestock pasture and the crops she had planted in anticipation of the long rains season have failed.
The weather agency previously said in February that the region should prepare for a “wetter than average” long rains season, which normally pours from March to May, but the agency revised its previous forecasts this week.
“The March, April, May rains are crucial for the region and, sadly, we are looking at not just three, but potentially four consecutive failed seasons,” Workneh Gebeyehu, the executive secretary of the intergovernmental agency, said. “This, coupled with other stress factors such as conflicts in both our region and Europe, the impact of COVID-19, and macro-economic challenges, has led to acute levels of food insecurity across the greater Horn of Africa.”
Below average rainfall for 2022 are likely to prolong the already extremely dry conditions which have not been experienced to this degree since 1981. Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia — which will be severely impacted by the reduced rains — are already in the midst of a dire famine.
Lack of rainfall during the short rains season late last year and the ongoing drought during the current long rains season has already led to crop failures and livestock deaths, causing high food prices and intercommunal conflicts over scarce pasture and dwindling water resources.
“Whenever we have intense cyclones in the Southwest Indian Ocean, we always prepare for a long drought season in eastern and the Horn regions,” Evans Mukolwe, the former science director at the U.N., said. “This is because the cyclones suck much of the moisture depriving the region of the much-needed precipitation. It has been the pattern for decades.”
Aid organizations are already concerned about how worsening climate change impacts will affect the region in future decades.
“This is not the Horn’s first drought, nor is it likely to be its last,” said Sean Granville-Ross, the regional director for Africa for the aid agency Mercy Corps. “As the climate emergency worsens, droughts will become more frequent and severe. People affected by climate change cannot wait for one crisis to end before preparing for the next.”
“The international response must prioritize immediate needs while allocating additional resources to long-term, smart interventions that will result in long-term change and assist communities in becoming more drought-resistant.”
The U.N. humanitarian office warned last week that the current drought “risks becoming one of the worst climate induced emergencies in recent history in the Horn of Africa.” It also said that the $1.5 billion drought response appeal required to assist some 5.5 million people in Somali remains seriously underfunded.
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Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | https://www.wane.com/news/east-and-horn-of-africa-prep-for-worst-drought-in-decades/ | 2022-04-14T14:24:47 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/east-and-horn-of-africa-prep-for-worst-drought-in-decades/ |
SANTA TECLA, El Salvador (AP) — A day after the bloodletting — 62 gang killings that convulsed El Salvador — the crackdown began.
Before dawn on Sunday, March 27, just hours after congress approved a state of emergency, heavily armed police and soldiers entered the packed, gang-controlled neighborhood of San Jose El Pino.
Freed from having to explain an arrest or grant access to a lawyer, they went door to door, dragging out young men. They established a perimeter with barbed wire barricades where they controlled who entered and who left, demanding identification and searching everyone.
President Nayib Bukele has responded to the surge in gang killings with mass arrests in poor neighborhoods like San Jose El Pino, each day posting the growing arrest total and photos of tattooed men. The highly publicized roundups are not the result of police investigations into the murders in late March, but propel a tough-on-crime narrative that critics are calling “punitive populism.”
In just over two weeks, more than 10,000 alleged gang members have been arrested — a huge number for a small country of 6.5 million people. They can be held for 15 days without charges, one of the measures decried by international human rights groups and the U.S. government.
“They came in with everything,” said 36-year-old Héctor Fernandez on his way to his factory job on a recent morning. “Whoever didn’t open the door, they knocked it down. They were looking for the guys. I think they took almost all of them, but others managed to get out.”
Critics say the mass arrests are more show than substance. They note that amid all of the chest-thumping rhetoric and slickly produced videos of roughly handled prisoners, authorities are not talking about the investigations or arrests of those suspected of actual involvement in the March 26 killings. But many Salvadorans are pleased to see action against gangs that have long-terrorized their communities.
“It’s for everyone’s safety,” Fernandez said, nervously looking around to see if anyone was watching. He said he minds his own business and hasn’t had trouble with the Mara Salvatrucha, the gang that controls his neighborhood. “I leave, (police and soldiers) search me. I go to work, come back in the evening, they search me. I pass and go home.”
Bukele, a highly popular master of social media, has filled his platforms with photos of handcuffed and bloodied gang members, orders to his security cabinet and attaboys from his supporters. At the same time, he has lashed out at human rights organizations and international agencies critical of some measures.
“If we don’t rid our country of this cancer now, then when will we ever do it?” Bukele said to a parade ground of soldiers — and the world — in a video he released last week. “We will go and find them wherever they are. Regardless of who protests. Regardless of how angry the international community gets.”
Gangs control swaths of territory through brutality and fear. They’ve driven thousands to emigrate to save their own lives or the lives of their children who are forcibly recruited. Their power is strongest in El Salvador’s poorest neighborhoods where the state has long been absent. They are a drain on the economy, extorting money from even the lowest earners and forcing businesses that can’t or won’t pay to close.
The wave of violence at the end of March — it stretched across the country and its victims included a municipal maintenance worker, a taxi driver, a farmer– demanded a government response. Bukele chose a state of emergency provided for in the constitution.
But El Salvador’s security forces and justice system had the legal tools to investigate and prosecute those involved in the killings without the suspension of fundamental rights, critics say. What they did not have was the carte blanche that has yielded the media spectacle of the past two weeks, starring Bukele as savior-in-chief.
“There are a lot of doubts about whether the measures that Bukele’s government has taken to confront the wave of murders are really aimed at investigating the crimes and responding to the victims,” said Leonor Arteaga, a Salvadoran who is program director at the Due Process of Law Foundation in Washington.
Instead, she said, it seems Bukele is using the situation “to advance his authoritarian plans and in his intention to control all critical voices and squash any dissident.”
Bukele’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
Abraham Ábrego, director of the strategic litigation program at Cristosal, a non-governmental organization in El Salvador, said his group was working to document arbitrary arrests and other abuses.
Bukele has shown himself to be masterful at building and controlling narratives, he said. “There is a term that we use called ‘punitive populism,’ which is using the state’s powers of criminal persecution to show strength, to show toughness,” Ábrego said.
On Tuesday, the head of a national police union said some high-ranking police officials had pressured officers to make false statements justifying some arrests to meet arrest quotas, including in a small remote town with no gang presence.
Omar Serrano, vice rector at Central American University José Simeón Cañas, said that like previous administrations, the president has opted for a more militarized approach to dealing with the gangs.
“This is not going to solve the country’s serious problems,” Serrano said. The government line is that the problem of the gangs is one of national security, “when deep down it is a social problem.”
After the congress approved the state of emergency, Bukele returned to lawmakers multiple times for changes to the country’s criminal code. Among other things, they lengthened sentences, reduced the age of criminal responsibility to 12 and established prison sentences of 10 to 15 years for journalists who disseminate gang messages that could cause anxiety or panic among the people.
He had already ordered his head of prisons to keep all gang members confined to their cells 24 hours a day and to reduce their meals to twice daily. “Message for the gangs: because of your actions, now your ‘homeboys’ will not be able to see a ray of sunlight,” Bukele wrote on Twitter.
Human Rights Watch, the international advocacy organization that Bukele has taken to mocking as “Homeboys Rights Watch,” said the government had overreached.
“The Salvadoran government should adopt rights-respecting measures to protect people from heinous gang violence, dismantle these groups, and bring those responsible for crimes to justice,” said Juan Pappier, senior Americas researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Instead, Bukele’s government has enacted overbroad, harshly punitive laws that undermine the fundamental rights of all Salvadorans.”
But Salvadorans seem to be ambivalent about the crackdown. In a leafy park in front of Santa Tecla’s municipal market and short distance from San Jose El Pino, Adela Maravilla Ceballos walked with her groceries on a recent morning.
“It’s good what they’re doing, they took long enough,” the 52-year-old homemaker said. “These guys don’t understand anything else. Who is going to be against security? Only the criminals.”
Still, some of the images had bothered her. Her two sons went to the United States years ago looking for better opportunities.
“I am a mother and sometimes it hurts me when they grab them and hit them and I see how they cry,” she said.
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Sherman reported from Mexico City. AP writer E. Eduardo Castillo in Mexico City contributed to this report. | https://www.wane.com/news/el-salvador-presidents-mass-arrests-punitive-populism/ | 2022-04-14T14:24:54 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/el-salvador-presidents-mass-arrests-punitive-populism/ |
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Tumbleweeds drift along the Rio Grande as sand bars within its banks grow wider. Smoke from distant wildfires and dust kicked up by intense spring winds fill the valley, exacerbating the feeling of distress that is beginning to weigh on residents.
One of North America’s longest rivers, the Rio Grande is another example of a waterway in the western U.S. that’s tapped out.
From the Pacific Northwest to the Colorado River Basin, irrigation districts already are warning farmers to expect less this year despite growing demands fueled by ever-drying conditions. Climate experts say March marked the third straight month of below-average precipitation across the U.S. and areas of record dryness are expanding in the West.
On Thursday, federal water managers are scheduled to share their annual operating plan for the Rio Grande, a major water source for millions people and thousands of square miles of farmland in Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Mexico. Its outlook is expected to be similarly bleak.
Mark Garcia, who farms about 400 acres (160 hectares) with his family in Valencia County, just south of Albuquerque, ran the numbers. He has a degree in mathematics and taught calculus for years before retiring and turning to the farm full time.
He found his family would be compensated for not irrigating about half of its acreage this year, and more water would be left in the river to help New Mexico work off a debt that has been growing as the state falls short of its obligations to deliver water to neighboring Texas.
“Logically, it was almost like a no-brainer,” Garcia said of opting into the fallowing program. “The risk analysis was, I had to take it, I had to do it. I didn’t want to, though.”
Sitting in his backhoe in one of his fields, Garcia began to get emotional. He said he grew up watching his dad farm the land.
“I was born into this,” he said. “The hard thing for me is I feel like I don’t want the government to pay for me not to work. I have an issue with that.”
The state of New Mexico and the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District are hoping more farmers can make that tough choice — at least long enough to help managers address the pending water debt.
Even the conservancy district, which oversees irrigation from Cochiti Dam south to Elephant Butte Reservoir, acknowledges it’s a temporary solution.
Casey Ish, a water resources specialist with the district, said over 200 irrigators have enrolled, and officials are targeting fields that are less productive or need to be rested.
“For us, this is just one tool and one way the district is trying to help the state manage the state’s compact debt, but we certainly don’t anticipate pulling a third or half the district into a fallowing program year over year,” Ish said. “That’s not sustainable from a price point or an ag point.”
Thursday’s virtual meeting will include estimates of how much the Bureau of Reclamation will have to work with this season based on spring runoff predictions and current reservoir levels.
With below-average snow cover and reservoirs in some places reaching critically low levels, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration noted in its most recent monthly climate report that concerns are mounting that the western drought will intensify.
On the Colorado River, the U.S. Interior Department recently proposed holding back water in Lake Powell to maintain Glen Canyon Dam’s ability to generate electricity amid what it said were the driest conditions in the region in more than 1,200 years.
The potential impacts to lower basin states that could see their water supplies reduced — California, Nevada and Arizona — aren’t yet known. But the conundrum speaks to the wide-ranging functions of Lake Powell and Glen Canyon Dam, and the need to quickly pivot to confront climate change.
In the Pacific Northwest, experts are predicting one of the driest summers on record, noting that nearly 71% of the region made up of Oregon, Washington and Idaho is in drought and nearly one-quarter is already experiencing extreme drought.
An irrigation district that supplies more than 1,000 farmers and ranchers on the California-Oregon border announced earlier this week that they would get a fraction of their normal water allocation this year due to drought. It’s the third consecutive year that severe drought has impacted farmers, fish and tribes in a region where there’s not enough water to satisfy competing demands.
Irrigation districts that supply water to farmers along the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico and along the Pecos in the east also are promising short seasons.
Just north of the New Mexico-Colorado border, farmers in the San Luis Valley turned on their spigots April 1, drawing on their share of the Rio Grande. Water managers in New Mexico immediately saw the gauges drop, meaning less water ultimately will make its way to central New Mexico. | https://www.wane.com/news/expanding-drought-leaves-western-us-scrambling-for-water/ | 2022-04-14T14:25:01 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/expanding-drought-leaves-western-us-scrambling-for-water/ |
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Heavy rains and flooding have killed at least 306 people in South Africa’s eastern KwaZulu-Natal province, including the city of Durban, and more rainstorms are forecast in the coming days.
The death toll is expected to rise as scores of people, including whole families, are missing, officials said Thursday.
The persistent rains have wreaked havoc in the province, destroying homes, collapsing buildings and washing away major roads.
The damage to Durban and the surrounding eThekwini metropolitan area is estimated at $52 million, eThekwini Mayor Mxolosi Kaunda said Thursday.
At least 120 schools have been flooded, causing damage estimated at more than $26 million and bringing officials to temporarily close all schools in the province.
At least 18 students and one teacher from various schools have died in the floods, Education Minister Angie Motshekga said.
“This is a catastrophe and the damage is unprecedented. What is even more worrying is that more rain is expected in the same areas that are already affected,” Motshekga said in a statement issued Thursday.
Police used stun grenades to disperse residents in the Reservoir Hills areas of Durban who were protesting what they said was the lack of official assistance, according to South African media reports.
The South African National Defense Force has deployed troops to assist with rescue and mop-up operations.
The floods have knocked out water and electricity to large parts of Durban and the surrounding eThekwini metropolitan area and it will take at least a week to restore those services, according to officials.
President Cyril Ramaphosa visited is convening an emergency Cabinet meeting to declare the floods a national disaster so that funds can be released to help repair the damage. He visited several areas hit by the floods and mudslides on Wednesday.
Fourteen crocodiles that were swept away from a farm in the Tongaat area north of Durban have been recaptured, according to wildlife officials. | https://www.wane.com/news/floods-in-south-africas-durban-area-kill-more-than-300/ | 2022-04-14T14:25:08 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/floods-in-south-africas-durban-area-kill-more-than-300/ |
Easter’s message of renewal will be especially poignant this year for four U.S. congregations rebounding from disasters.
Their churches were destroyed by a tornado in Kentucky, gutted by a blaze in New York City, shattered when Hurricane Ida hit the Louisiana coast, and filled with smoke and ash by the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history. For the pastors, Easter’s promise of hope couldn’t be more timely as their resilient congregations come to terms with what happened and prepare for what’s next.
KENTUCKY
Members of Mayfield First United Methodist Church will not be celebrating Easter in their 100-year-old sanctuary. They can’t.
A Dec. 10 tornado ripped apart their stately building as it carved a deadly path through the western Kentucky community of about 10,000 people. A demolition crew tore down the rest.
Instead, on Easter Sunday, members will walk into their temporary home, Christ United Methodist Church, to mark the holy day.
“That’s going to be tough,” said the Rev. Joey Reed. He rode out the storm at Mayfield First, wondering if he would live to officiate his daughter’s wedding.
Reed started ministering soon after, encouraging his roughly 100 church members to pivot from suffering to servanthood. Congregants walked through the disaster zone assessing needs, passing out thousands of dollars in gift cards and helping residents rescue belongings.
“The example of Jesus Christ is the suffering servant,” he said. “When we turn away from our own difficulties … we are able to let go of our own pain for a minute and focus on our neighbor, which is the core strength of Christianity.”
As the congregation weighs how best to rebuild, they continue to process the tornado’s destruction through waves of grieving and helping. Only in recent weeks – after Reed performed his daughter’s wedding, escaped to a cabin with his wife and mourned the death of their cat, George – did Reed realize he was still carrying around trauma from the storm.
“As much as we place our faith in resurrection and the life that is to come, there’s still that whole idea of what’s it like to leave this one, and I think we’re still parsing that question,” he said.
But there has been hope amid the despair, like the pieces of the church’s baptismal font rescued from the landfill. “We are all about finding those bright spots,” Reed said.
NEW YORK CITY
The Middle Collegiate Church gospel choir swayed to the beat of a live band during a joyful rehearsal at a synagogue that has become their new home.
“It’s Passover and our Jewish friends are exercising the most radical hospitality,” said the Rev. Jacqui Lewis, the church’s senior minister.
Her church was gutted by a fire on Dec. 5, 2020, in what seemed a tragic coda to an already-challenging pandemic year. When Middle Collegiate decided recently to resume in-person worship, East End Temple led by Rabbi Joshua Stanton invited the congregation to share its sacred space while they rebuild.
“It was very clear when the tragedy fell on Middle Collegiate Church that we needed to live out our values, open our doors,” said Stanton, who will offer prayer during the church’s Easter celebration.
On Palm Sunday, the choir belted out hymns in preparation for Easter, and even the carols they weren’t able to sing together after COVID-19 concerns canceled their in-person Christmas Eve service.
“It feels like a miracle, going through the fire and the pandemic worldwide, all that we’ve gone through… to now have a place to call home,” said Joy Lau, a member of the church’s Jerriese Johnson gospel choir.
The multicultural congregation lives what it calls “on-your-feet worship and take-it-to-the-streets activism.” Members have provided meals to people with AIDS, worked on storm recovery, fought for environmental protection and demonstrated for the Black Lives Matter movement, LGBTQ equality and women’s rights.
The belfry of the historic church housed New York’s Liberty Bell, which tolled to mark the birth of the country in 1776 and was later rung for inaugurations, deaths of presidents and in remembrance of the 9/11 terror attacks. The fire spared the bell and left behind a skeletal façade and two vinyl banners reading “Black Lives Matter” and “Just Love,” the church’s motto.
Amid the grief of losing their beloved church, Lewis has asked parishioners to “worship God with joy” and find the promise of hope that is a part of every Easter.
“For Middle, this is a time of resurrection. We keep rising to new challenges and we’re the living body of Christ. More than ever, we understand that and what our mission is, our calling is,” she later said at the site of her charred church.
“The hospitality and the love of the strangers of Judaism that we inherit as Christians is on full display on these weeks that are holy for both communities.”
LOUISIANA
The windows at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic church were blown out, and its ceiling, sacristy and vestibule crumbled after Hurricane Ida blasted ashore in August, hitting the small fishing community of Point-aux-Chenes, about 80 miles (130 kilometers) southwest of New Orleans.
Since then, its pastor, the Rev. Rajasekar Karumelnathan, has celebrated Mass in the rectory and under a tent set up in the church’s parking lot. Attendance dwindled after the storm: from about 80 people who used to attend Sunday services to about 15 worshippers now.
Celebrating Christmas under the ruins was especially emotional for the congregation, the pastor said. But he expects a different, lighter mood for their first post-Ida Easter service, which promises believers eternal life.
“We have lots of hope. We hope that we can reclaim all that we’ve lost,” he said. “Easter strengthens us.”
Parishioner Teddy Neal, who lives a half mile from the church, is still rebuilding his storm-damaged home. He would love to see his church and home rebuilt — restored to what they once were or better.
“I see Easter as a new beginning,” said Neal, a truck driver. “I’m pretty much humbled, where it doesn’t matter what the conditions are in or around with the destruction — as long as I’m present with Jesus during the Eucharist.”
COLORADO
At the charred remains of Bill and Jackie Stephens’ home in Superior, where they raised four kids and made countless memories over 22 years, the daffodils are blooming again.
When he looks at the green shoots and bright yellow blossoms, Bill Stephens sees rebirth. He also feels grief anew: for the house; the incinerated family photos and videos; the yard they loved on spring days, with its newly laid patio and magnolia tree named after their third child — “Maggie-nolia.”
“As a pastor I see this and go, this is an Easter illustration. It’s life out of the death,” Stephens said. “In some ways it’s beautiful, and in other ways it’s the reminder of, dang, we lost a lot.”
The lead pastor at Ascent Community Church in neighboring Louisville and his loved ones are one of 26 families in the congregation who lost their homes Dec. 30 in a wind-whipped wildfire that destroyed 1,084 residences in Denver-area suburbs. Hundreds more church members were displaced.
The church itself, a cavernous space inside a former Sam’s Club with auditorium seating for 750, was largely spared. The flames wrapped around the building, scorching trees and shrubs in the parking lot. But ash and smoke seeped in through skylights and ventilation shafts, coating everything in sooty charcoal.
Volunteers hauled out everything that wasn’t nailed down to be washed before a building-wide deep clean. Carpets, curtains, walls and lighting were replaced. Ascent returned in February after two months of worshipping in a hotel ballroom.
In the early days, police used Ascent’s parking lot as a staging area for displaced residents to collect passes to enter their neighborhoods. Thousands showed up and were met by church members, therapy dogs and meals. A relief fund raised a couple hundred thousand dollars, and the church reached out to schools on caring for affected students.
As for the congregation, Stephens said suffering his own loss positioned him to minister to others. An adopt-a-family program pairs up households to support people through companionship and tasks like grocery shopping. Volunteer therapists provided counseling and offered group sessions.
Three months after the most destructive blaze in Colorado history, Stephens reminds his flock that people still need help as they navigate trauma and challenges like insurance, housing and debris removal. To his delight, he sees congregants stepping up.
One thing he’s sure of: Christ’s resurrection carries special significance this year.
“That Jesus conquered the grave, conquered the sin … and breathed life on Easter Sunday,” Stephens said, “there’s something really powerful about thinking about ours as just a minor version of that.”
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Henao reported from New York City, Meyer reported from Nashville, Tennessee, and Orsi reported from Superior, Colorado.
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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. | https://www.wane.com/news/for-churches-hit-by-disaster-easter-brings-promise-of-hope/ | 2022-04-14T14:25:16 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/for-churches-hit-by-disaster-easter-brings-promise-of-hope/ |
BERLIN (AP) — Four people were arrested in Germany and weapons were seized in an investigation into suspected anti-government extremists who allegedly planned to cause a long nationwide blackout and kidnap well-known figures including the country’s health minister, authorities said Thursday.
Prosecutors in Koblenz and Rhineland-Palatinate’s state criminal police office said that raids were carried out at 20 properties across the country Wednesday following an investigation that was launched in October. The suspects were members of a chat group called “United Patriots” on the Telegram messenger service.
Investigators said the suspects they identified were associated with the protest movement against coronavirus restrictions and with the Reich Citizens movement, which disputes the legitimacy of the post-World War II German constitution and, by extension, the current government. In all, 12 people are under investigation.
Investigators said in a statement that the group’s declared aim was to destroy Germany’s electricity supply facilities and cause a long blackout, with the goal of producing “conditions similar to civil war” and ultimately overthrowing the country’s democratic system.
Police seized 22 firearms, including a Kalashnikov rifle, along with hundreds of rounds of ammunition, thousands of euros in cash, and numerous gold bars and silver coins.
The group allegedly planned to kidnap well-known public figures. Investigators said those included Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, the German news agency dpa reported.
Lauterbach said he was “appalled” to hear the news and thanked investigators.
“The whole thing shows that corona protests have not just become more radical, but that it is now about more than corona — that there is an attempt here to destabilize the state,” he told reporters during a visit to Husum on Germany’s North Sea coast. “This is a small minority in our society, but highly dangerous.”
“This will not influence my own work,” Lauterbach said, adding that he will continue trying to balance the interests of people who want looser measures against COVID-19 with those who want stricter ones.
The suspects, all German citizens, are accused of preparing a serious act of violence and of violating weapons laws. | https://www.wane.com/news/germany-nabs-4-in-probe-of-anti-government-extremist-group/ | 2022-04-14T14:25:23 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/germany-nabs-4-in-probe-of-anti-government-extremist-group/ |
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The coronavirus pandemic ushered in what may be the most rapid rise in homeschooling the U.S. has ever seen. Two years later, even after schools reopened and vaccines became widely available, many parents have chosen to continue directing their children’s educations themselves.
Homeschooling numbers this year dipped from last year’s all-time high, but are still significantly above pre-pandemic levels, according to data obtained and analyzed by The Associated Press.
Families that may have turned to homeschooling as an alternative to hastily assembled remote learning plans have stuck with it — reasons include health concerns, disagreement with school policies and a desire to keep what has worked for their children.
In 18 states that shared data through the current school year, the number of homeschooling students increased by 63% in the 2020-2021 school year, then fell by only 17% in the 2021-2022 school year.
Around 3% of U.S. students were homeschooled before the pandemic-induced surge, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The rising numbers have cut into public school enrollment in ways that affect future funding and renewed debates over how closely homeschooling should be regulated. What remains unknown is whether this year’s small decrease signals a step toward pre-pandemic levels — or a sign that homeschooling is becoming more mainstream.
Linda McCarthy, a suburban Buffalo mother of two, says her children are never going back to traditional school.
Unimpressed with the lessons offered remotely when schools abruptly closed their doors in spring 2020, she began homeschooling her then fifth- and seventh-grade children that fall. McCarthy, who had been working as a teacher’s aide, said she knew she could do better herself. She said her children have thrived with lessons tailored to their interests, learning styles and schedules.
“There’s no more homework ’til the wee hours of the morning, no more tears because we couldn’t get things done,” McCarthy said.
Once a relatively rare practice chosen most often for reasons related to instruction on religion, homeschooling grew rapidly in popularity following the turn of the century before leveled off at around 3.3%, or about 2 million students, in the years before the pandemic, according to the Census. Surveys have indicated factors including dissatisfaction with neighborhood schools, concerns about school environment and the appeal of customizing an education.
In the absence of federal guidelines, there is little uniformity in reporting requirements. Some states, including Connecticut and Nevada, require little or no information from parents, while New York, Massachusetts and some others require parents to submit instruction plans and comply with assessment rules.
The new surge in homeschooling numbers has led state legislatures around the country to consider measures either to ease regulations on homeschool families or impose new ones — debates have gone on for years. Proponents of more oversight point to the potential for undetected cases of child abuse and neglect while others argue for less in the name of parental rights.
All of the 28 state education departments that provided homeschooling data to the AP reported that homeschooling spiked in 2020-21, when fears of infection kept many school buildings closed. Of the 18 states whose enrollment data included the current school year, all but one state said homeschooling declined from the previous year but remained well above pre-pandemic levels. (The exception, South Dakota, recently changed the way it collects data).
Minnesota, for example, reported that 27,801 students are being homeschooled now, compared to 30,955 during the last school year. Before the pandemic, homeschool figures were around 20,000 or less.
Black families make up many of the homeschool converts. The proportion of Black families homeschooling their children increased by five times, from 3.3% to 16.1%, from spring 2020 to the fall, while the proportion about doubled across other groups, according to U.S. Census surveys.
Raleigh, North Carolina, mother Laine Bradley said the school system’s shortcomings became more evident to families like hers when remote learning began.
“I think a lot of Black families realized that when we had to go to remote learning, they realized exactly what was being taught. And a lot of that doesn’t involve us,” said Bradley, who decided to homeschool her 7-, 10- and 11-year-old children. “My kids have a lot of questions about different things. I’m like, ‘Didn’t you learn that in school?’ They’re like, ‘No.’”
Bradley, who works in financial services, converted her dining room into a classroom and rearranged her work schedule to take over her children’s education, adding lessons on financial literacy, Black history and Caribbean history important to her heritage.
“I can incorporate things that I feel like they should know,” she said. Her husband, Vince, who retired from the Air Force last year, steps in at times. The couple also have a 14-month-old. They plan to continue homeschooling for as long as their children want it. Her social media posts about her experience have drawn so much interest that Bradley recently created an online community called Black Moms Do Homeschool to share resources and experiences.
Boston University researcher Andrew Bacher-Hicks said data showed that while homeschool rates rose across the board during the last school year, the increase was greater in school districts that reverted to in-person learning, perhaps before some parents were ready to send their children back.
He said the same health concerns that drove those increases are likely behind the continued elevated rates, despite additional upheaval in schools as parents and policy-makers debate issues surrounding race and gender and which books should be in libraries.
“It’s really hard to disentangle those two things because all of this is kind of happening at the same time,” he said. “But my my guess would be that a large part of the decisions to exit from the system do have to do with COVID-related issues as opposed to political issues, because those things come up frequently and we’ve never seen an increase in homeschooling rates like this before.”
He said parents also may be concerned about the quality of education delivered by schools that have had to rely heavily on substitute teachers amid pandemic-caused staffing shortages.
McCarthy, the mom from suburban Buffalo, said it was a combination of everything, with the pandemic compounding the misgivings she had already held about the public school system, including her philosophical differences over the need for vaccine and mask mandates and academic priorities.
The pandemic, she said, “was kind of — they say the straw that broke the camel’s back — but the camel’s back was probably already broken.”
“There are kids that don’t know basic English structure but they want to push other things on children, and it can be blatant but it can be, and mostly is, very subtle, very, very subtle,” McCarthy said. “So we were ready to pull them and will never send them back to traditional school. It’s just not a fit for us.”
“It’s just a whole new world that is a much better world for us,” she said. | https://www.wane.com/news/homeschooling-surge-continues-despite-schools-reopening/ | 2022-04-14T14:25:30 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/homeschooling-surge-continues-despite-schools-reopening/ |
Biden administration unveils steps to boost equity in government
(AP) - The Justice Department is improving language access to its programs to help people with limited English proficiency better report crimes. The Interior Department is providing technical assistance to Native American tribes to help them apply for grants. The Energy Department is helping low-income households access programs to weatherize their homes and save energy.
Those efforts are among hundreds of strategies and commitments the Biden administration released Thursday. They are the product of an executive order that President Joe Biden signed hours after taking office with the goal of advancing racial equity and support for underserved communities across the federal government.
The order was the first of its kind by a president, said Chiraag Bains, deputy assistant to the president for racial justice and equity.
“We set the mission and the mandate for every agency, the entire federal government, to center equity in all that we do,” Bains told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
After more than a year of review, more than 90 federal agencies, including all major Cabinet departments, released their “equity action plans” on Thursday.
The plans outline more than 300 strategies and commitments that aim to make federal policies fairer for everyone, including poorer communities and communities of color; tribal, rural and LGBTQ communities; and people with disabilities and women and girls.
They were to be discussed at a White House event hosted Thursday by domestic policy adviser Susan Rice, budget director Shalanda Young and members of the Cabinet. Biden, a Democrat, has one of the most diverse Cabinets, with Black and Hispanic people and women leading major departments, including Defense, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Some of the equity plans have been announced, such as work by the Department of Housing and Urban Development to close the racial gap in homeownership, address disproportionate rates of homelessness among underserved communities and reduce bias in home appraisals.
Others strategies are being made public for the first time, such as Defense Department efforts to promote the use of artificial intelligence technology to reduce algorithmic bias by investing in the development of a more diverse AI workforce. That work includes partnerships with historically Black colleges and universities.
Equity action teams at every agency led the reviews. Bains said that, taken together, the strategies “will advance equity and justice so that everybody can thrive in America.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/04/14/administration-unveils-steps-boost-racial-equity-govt/ | 2022-04-14T14:25:30 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/04/14/administration-unveils-steps-boost-racial-equity-govt/ |
PARIS (AP) — The capital of France may be thousands of miles away from the battlefields of eastern Ukraine, but what happens in French voting stations this month could have repercussions there.
Far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has close ties to Russia and wants to weaken the European Union and NATO, which could undercut Western efforts to stop Russia’s war on Ukraine. Le Pen is trying to unseat centrist President Emmanuel Macron, who has a slim lead in polls ahead of France’s April 24 presidential runoff election.
Here are some of the ways the French election could impact the war in Ukraine:
ARMING UKRAINE
Macron’s government has sent 100 million euros worth of weaponry to Ukraine in recent weeks and said Wednesday it will send more as part of a Western military aid effort. France has been a major source of military support for Ukraine since 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 from Ukraine and supported separatist fighters in eastern Ukraine.
Le Pen expressed reservations Wednesday about supplying Ukraine with additional arms. She said, if she were elected president, she would continue defense and intelligence aid but would be “prudent” about sending weapons because she thinks the shipments could suck other countries into the war with Russia.
SOFTENING SANCTIONS
Le Pen’s campaign has successfully tapped into French voter frustration over rising inflation, which has worsened as a consequence of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine and the ensuing Western sanctions against Russia, a major gas supplier and trade partner for France and Europe.
The European Union has been unusually unified in agreeing on five rounds of ever-tougher sanctions against Russia. If she became France’s president, Le Pen could try to thwart or limit additional EU sanctions since further action requires unananimous backing from the bloc’s 27 member nations.
France is the EU’s No. 2 economy after Germany and key to EU decision-making. France also now holds the rotating EU presidency, giving France’s next leader significant influence.
Le Pen is notably opposed to sanctions on Russian gas and oil. She also said in the past that she would work to lift sanctions imposed on Russia over its annexation of Crimea, and even recognize Crimea as part of Russia.
COURTING PUTIN
Earlier in his first term, Macron tried reaching out to Putin, inviting him to Versailles and a presidential resort on the Mediterranean, in hopes of bringing Russia’s policies back into greater alignment with the West.
The French president also sought to revive peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv over the long-running conflict in eastern Ukraine between the government and Russia-backed separatists. Macron visited Putin at the Kremlin weeks before Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine and has continued talking to the Russian leader during the war. At the same time, Macron has supported multiple rounds of EU sanctions.
Le Pen’s party has deep ties to Russia. She met with Putin as a French presidential candidate in 2017 and has praised him in the past. She is warmly welcomed at Russian Embassy events in Paris, and her far-right party also got a 9 million-euro ($9.8 million) loan from a Russian-Czech bank because she said French banks refused to lend the party money.
Le Pen says the war in Ukraine has partly changed her mind about Putin, but she said Wednesday that the West should try to restore relations with Russia once the conflict ends. She suggested a “strategic rapprochement” between NATO and Russia to keep Moscow from allying too closely with China.
WEAKENING NATO AND THE EU
While Macron is a staunch defender of the EU and recently reinforced France’s participation in NATO operations in Eastern Europe, Le Pen says France should keep its distance from international alliances and strike its own path.
She favors pulling France out of NATO’s military command, which would take French military staff out of the body that plans operations and lead to the country losing influence within the Western military alliance.
France withdrew from NATO’s command structure in 1966, when French President Charles de Gaulle wanted to distance his country from the U.S.-dominated organization, and reintegrated under conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy in 2009.
If it were up to her, Le Pen would reduce French spending on the EU and try to diminish the EU’s influence by chipping away at the bloc from within while no longer recognizing that European law has primacy over national law.
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Follow AP’s coverage of France’s presidential election at https://apnews.com/hub/french-election-2022
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Follow all AP stories on Russia’s war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine | https://www.wane.com/news/how-frances-presidential-election-could-impact-ukraine-war/ | 2022-04-14T14:25:37 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/how-frances-presidential-election-could-impact-ukraine-war/ |
AP sources: Trump aide Stephen Miller to speak to 1/6 panel
WASHINGTON (AP) — Stephen Miller, who served as a top aide to President Donald Trump, will appear Thursday before the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Miller was a senior adviser for policy during the Trump administration and a central figure in many of the Republican’s policy decisions. He had resisted previous efforts by the committee, filing a lawsuit last month seeking to quash a committee subpoena for his phone records.
The people familiar with the matter spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private testimony. It’s unclear whether Miller will appear in person or virtually. A spokesperson for the committee said the panel had no comment, and Miller did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
Miller’s scheduled testimony before the committee comes weeks after Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, also agreed to sit down with congressional investigators, months after the committee had reached out.
The nine-member panel subpoenaed the former Trump adviser in November along with Steve Bannon and former press secretary Kayleigh McEnany. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., the chairman of the panel, said in a statement at the time that Miller had “participated in efforts to spread false information about alleged voter fraud” and to encourage state legislatures to alter the outcome of the 2020 presidential election by appointing alternate electors.
Thompson has also said that Miller helped prepare Trump’s remarks for a rally on the Ellipse that preceded the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and was with Trump when he spoke.
The House voted last week to hold former Trump advisers Peter Navarro and Dan Scavino in contempt for their monthlong refusal to comply with subpoenas. The move was the third time the panel has referred people in the former president’s orbit to the Justice Department for potential prosecution for contempt. The first two referrals, sent late last year, were for former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and Bannon.
The contempt referral against Bannon resulted in an indictment, with a trial set to start in July. The Justice Department has been slower to decide whether to prosecute Meadows, much to the committee’s frustration.
By agreeing to testify, Miller is looking to avoid the fate of the other former advisers and members of the Trump administration. The central facts of the Jan. 6 insurrection are known, but what the committee is hoping to do is fill in the remaining gaps about the attack on the Capitol. Lawmakers say they are committed to presenting a full accounting to make sure it never happens again.
The panel is looking into every aspect of the riot, including what Trump was doing while it unfolded and any connections between the White House and the Trump supporters who broke into the Capitol building.
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Associated Press writer Nomaan Merchant in Washington contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/04/14/ap-source-trump-aide-miller-testify-jan-6-committee/ | 2022-04-14T14:25:40 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/04/14/ap-source-trump-aide-miller-testify-jan-6-committee/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The head of the International Monetary Fund warned Thursday that Russia’s war against Ukraine was weakening the economic prospects for most of the world’s countries and called high inflation “a clear and present danger’’ to the global economy.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said the consequences of Russia’s invasion was contributing to economic downgrades for 143 countries, although most of them should continue to grow. The war has disrupted global trade in energy and grain and is threatening to cause food shortages in Africa and Middle East.
Georgieva made her comments in a speech on the eve of next week’s spring meetings of the IMF and the World Bank in Washington.
An unexpectedly strong recovery from 2020’s pandemic recession has caught businesses by surprise, leaving factories, ports and freight yards unable to keep up with robust customer demand and forcing prices higher.
Chronically high inflation, which is forcing the world’s central banks to raise interest rates and likely slow economic growth in the process, amounts to “a massive setback for the global recovery,’’ Georgieva said.
Georgieva also warned of “the fragmentation of the world economy into geopolitical blocs,” with the West imposing far-reaching sanctions on Russia and China expressing support for the autocratic Russian regime of President Vladimir Putin.
“In a world where war in Europe creates hunger in Africa; where a pandemic can circle the globe in days and reverberate for years; where emissions anywhere mean rising sea levels almost everywhere — the threat to our collective prosperity from a breakdown in global cooperation cannot be overstated,” Georgieva said.
Before the war, Russia and Ukraine had supplied 28% of global wheat exports. And Russia and Belarus accounted for 40% of exports of the fertilizer potash.
“Now,’’ Georgieva said, “grain and corn prices are soaring, and leaders across Africa and the Middle East are telling me that supplies are running low. Food insecurity is a grave concern.
“We must act now with a multilateral initiative to bolster food security. The alternative is dire: More hunger, more poverty and more social unrest — especially for countries that have struggled to escape fragility and conflict for many years.’’
Georgieva called on the world to support the Ukrainians and noted that the IMF had delivered $1.4 billion in emergency financing to help Ukraine meet its immediate spending needs. The IMF is also offering assistance to Ukraine’s neighbors, including Moldova, which has accepted more than 400,000 war refugees.
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This story has been corrected to show that the IMF expects the Ukraine war to contribute to weaker economic growth for 143 countries, not 186. | https://www.wane.com/news/imf-chief-ukraine-war-and-inflation-threaten-global-economy/ | 2022-04-14T14:25:44 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/imf-chief-ukraine-war-and-inflation-threaten-global-economy/ |
Tesla CEO Elon Musk offers to buy Twitter for $43 billion
That’s $54.20 per share he doesn’t already own
(AP) - Tesla CEO Elon Musk is offering to buy Twitter, saying the social media platform he has criticized for not living up to free speech principles needs to be transformed as a private company.
Twitter Inc. said in a regulatory filing on Thursday that Musk, currently the company’s biggest shareholder, has proposed buying the remaining shares of Twitter that he doesn’t already own at $54.20 per share, an offer worth more than $43 billion.
Musk called that price his best and final offer, although he provided no details on financing. The offer is non-binding and subject to financing and other conditions.
“I invested in Twitter as I believe in its potential to be the platform for free speech around the globe, and I believe free speech is a societal imperative for a functioning democracy,” Musk said in the filing. “However, since making my investment I now realize the company will neither thrive nor serve this societal imperative in its current form. Twitter needs to be transformed as a private company.”
Twitter shares rose to $47.83, up 4.3% but well below Musk’s offer price, a sign that some investors may doubt the deal will go through. The stock is still down from its 52-week high of about $73.
Twitter said it has received Musk’s offer and will decide whether it is in the best interests of shareholders to accept or continue to operate as a publicly traded company.
Analyst Daniel Ives of Wedbush said in a client note that he believes “this soap opera will end with Musk owning Twitter after this aggressive hostile takeover of the company.” He thinks it would be hard for any other bidders or consortium to come forward and said Twitter’s board will likely be forced to accept Musk’s offer or start a process to sell the company.
Musk revealed in regulatory filings over recent weeks that he’d been buying shares in almost daily batches starting Jan. 31, ending up with a stake of about 9%. Only Vanguard Group’s suite of mutual funds and ETFs controls more Twitter shares. A lawsuit filed Tuesday in New York federal court alleged that Musk illegally delayed disclosing his stake in the social media company so he could buy more shares at lower prices.
The billionaire has been a vocal critic of Twitter in recent weeks, mostly over his belief that it falls short on free speech principles. The social media platform has angered followers of Donald Trump and other far-right political figures who’ve had their accounts suspended for violating its content standards on violence, hate or harmful misinformation. Musk has described himself as a “free speech absolutist” but is also known for blocking other Twitter users who question or disagree with him.
After Musk announced his stake, Twitter quickly offered him a seat on its board on the condition that he not own more than 14.9% of the company’s outstanding stock, according to a filing. But the company said five days later that he’d declined.
He didn’t explain why, but the decision coincided with a barrage of now-deleted tweets from Musk proposing major changes to the company, such as dropping ads — its chief source of revenue — and transforming its San Francisco headquarters into a homeless shelter.
Twitter hasn’t done as well as its social media rivals and lost money last year. The company reported a net loss of $221 million for 2021 largely tied to the settlement of a lawsuit by shareholders who said the company misled investors about how much its user base was growing and how much users interacted with its platform. Its co-founder Jack Dorsey resigned as CEO in late November and was replaced by new CEO Parag Agrawal.
Musk’s more than 81 million Twitter followers make him one of the most popular figures on the platform, rivaling pop stars like Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga. But his prolific tweeting has sometimes gotten him into trouble with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and others.
Musk and Tesla in 2018 agreed to pay $40 million in civil fines and for Musk to have his tweets approved by a corporate lawyer after he tweeted about having the money to take Tesla private at $420 per share. That didn’t happen, but the tweet caused Tesla’s stock price to jump. Musk’s latest trouble with the SEC could be his delay in notifying regulators of his growing stake in Twitter.
Both his 2018 comments about taking Tesla private at $420 per share and his latest bid to take Twitter private at $54.20 per share seemed to jokingly reference the number 420, a slang reference to marijuana.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/04/14/elon-musk-offers-buy-twitter/ | 2022-04-14T14:25:46 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/04/14/elon-musk-offers-buy-twitter/ |
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Ri Chun Hi, North Korea’s most famous state TV anchor, has announced major events for decades, including nuclear and missile tests and the death of a leader, with an instantly identifiable, passionate voice.
The anchor, dubbed the “pink lady” abroad for her bright traditional Korean attire, became the topic of official North Korean media herself Thursday after leader Kim Jong Un gave her a luxurious residence and asked her to continue to serve as the voice of his ruling Workers’ Party.
Experts say Kim is providing special treatment to elite North Koreans to boost their loyalty as he grapples with the pandemic, a troubled economy and a stalemate in nuclear diplomacy with the United States.
“(Kim) said it is the sincerity of the party that it would spare nothing for a national treasure like her, who has worked as a revolutionary announcer for the party for more than 50 years since her girlhood,” the official Korean Central News Agency said. Kim expressed his “expectation that she would as ever vigorously continue her work in good health as befitting a spokeswoman for the party.”
Kim met Ri, who is about 79, on Wednesday after inaugurating a newly built riverside terraced residential district in Pyongyang, the capital, KCNA said. It said houses in the district were presented to Ri and other people who have given distinguished service to the state.
North Korea often inaugurates construction projects to mark key state anniversaries. Friday is the 110th birthday of Kim’s late grandfather, state founder Kim Il Sung. It’s the most important anniversary in North Korea, which has been ruled by three generations of the Kim family since its foundation in 1948. The new housing area is where Kim Il Sung’s official residence was located until the 1970s.
Pyongyang is North Korea’s showcase city, and its elite residents enjoy relatively affluent lives compared with people in remote rural areas where many still suffer from poverty and malnutrition. A majority of North Koreans who have fled the country in the past two decades have come from its northern regions close to the border with China.
“By giving houses to those who have been faithful to him, Kim Jong Un would want to further bolster their loyalty and internal unity,” said Moon Seong Mook, an analyst with the Seoul-based Korea Research Institute for National Strategy. “Ri Chun Hi is a clear example of such people as she’s strongly propagated his nuclear and missile tests and served as a sort of bugler for him.”
Kim toured Ri’s house with her and held her hand as they descended the stairs. Ri said she felt her new house is like a hotel and that all her family members “stayed up all night in tears of deep gratitude for the party’s benevolence,” according to KCNA.
Ri later used her trademark over-the-top speaking technique to narrate a state TV video of Kim showing her the house.
Ri joined state TV in the early 1970s when the country was still governed by Kim Il Sung, and she has gradually become the face and voice of the country’s propaganda-driven news broadcasts.
Her close ties to Kim were shown last year at a government foundation anniversary ceremony when she watched from an elevated veranda right next to Kim, and at one point put her hand on his shoulder and whispered to him. At another event, she was the first person to shake Kim’s hand before holding his arm and posing for a group photo.
Moon, the analyst, said Ri receives Cabinet member-level treatment at home, appears healthy and is expected to continue to handle key televised announcements for at least the next few years.
Ri’s passionate, effusive style has sometimes generated laughter in other countries. In 2011, a Taiwanese TV station apologized after one of its newsreaders mimicked the tone Ri used when she announced the death of Kim’s father, Kim Jong Il.
Since inheriting power upon his father’s death, Kim Jong Un, 38, has led North Korea with absolute authority. But he is facing one of the toughest moments of his rule after the coronavirus pandemic shocked an economy already in dire shape from mismanagement and U.S.-led sanctions. Analysts say recent missile tests were meant to advance his weapons arsenal and pressure the U.S. into recognizing North Korea as a nuclear state and relaxing international sanctions. | https://www.wane.com/news/kim-gives-north-koreas-most-famous-newscaster-a-luxury-home/ | 2022-04-14T14:25:51 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/kim-gives-north-koreas-most-famous-newscaster-a-luxury-home/ |
Experts eye ventilation improvements as COVID spikes continue
As another COVID-19 subvariant spikes around the country, experts want to mitigate further risks with indoor air quality control.
WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Another COVID-19 subvariant is causing a new spike in cases in some areas across the U.S. But as the country tries to live with the potentially deadly virus, health and technology experts are working to mitigate risks, with a push to improve indoor air quality to help curb COVID.
“Improving the quality of our indoor air through having adequate ventilation in the space will reduce our risk,” said Dr. Krystall Pollitt from Yale University.
Pollitt focuses on environmental health sciences at Yale. She said better ventilation will cut some risk in places like schools, but she cautions ventilation overhauls are not going to make indoor spaces completely safe.
“We also have to think about how many kids are going to be in that classroom, what are they doing in that classroom? So is it going to be a very packed space where they’re playing wind and brass instruments where we have a lot of aerosols being generated?” said Pollitt.
The Biden White House recently released a so-called “Clean Air in Buildings Challenge”, laying out a roadmap for building owners to inspect and maintain their HVAC systems, circulating outdoor air indoors, and enhancing air filtration. Some in the biodefense community, like Eric Schlote’s company Synexis, are getting involved in the fight for reduced transmission.
“It goes everywhere the air goes, and it reduces microbial load, viruses, molds on air and surfaces,” said Schlote of his company’s “Dry Hydrogen Peroxide” technology.
Schlote said the technology deployed in indoor spaces fights viruses and bacteria. He said their product takes naturally occurring oxygen and humidity from the air and is reused to zap bacteria.
Schlote notes they are already seeing success in children’s hospitals and other indoor environments. The Synexis CEO argues indoor air quality is a national security issue, and he hopes to be involved in the White House’s action plan to make business and schools low-risk as the search for a new, safe, normal continues.
“Filtration’s important, ventilation’s important. We augment that,” said Schlote.
The American Rescue Plan passed last year provided $122 billion to schools. The White House said those funds can be used for ventilation and filtration upgrades.
Copyright 2022 Gray DC. All rights reserved. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/04/14/experts-eye-ventilation-improvements-covid-spikes-continue/ | 2022-04-14T14:25:53 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/04/14/experts-eye-ventilation-improvements-covid-spikes-continue/ |
Lady A set to perform at Scheels Arena in September
Published: Apr. 14, 2022 at 9:04 AM CDT|Updated: 19 minutes ago
FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) - If you’re a fan of Lady A, mark your calendars for later this year.
The group known for blending country, rock, and pop altogether will be taking the stage at Scheels Arena in Fargo on Friday, September 30th at 7 p.m.
Ticket prices for the show are $69, $79, $99 and $125 plus fees and taxes. They will go on sale to the public on Friday, April 22nd at 10 a.m. and will be available at the Scheels Arena Box, ScheelsArena.com, EPICEventsND.com and Ticketmaster.com
Copyright 2022 KVLY. All rights reserved. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/04/14/lady-set-perform-scheels-arena-september/ | 2022-04-14T14:25:59 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/04/14/lady-set-perform-scheels-arena-september/ |
A former police officer who discussed Russia’s invasion on the phone. A priest who preached to his congregation about the suffering of Ukrainians. A student who held up a banner with no words — just asterisks.
Hundreds of Russians are facing charges for speaking out against the war in Ukraine since a repressive law was passed last month that outlaws the spread of “false information” about the invasion and disparaging the military.
Human rights groups say the crackdown has led to criminal prosecutions and possible prison sentences for at least 23 people on the “false information” charge, with over 500 others facing misdemeanor charges of disparaging the military that have either led to hefty fines or are expected to result in them.
“This is a large amount, an unprecedentedly large amount” of cases, said Damir Gainutdinov, head of the Net Freedoms legal aid group focusing on free speech cases, in an interview with The Associated Press.
The Kremlin has sought to control the narrative of the war from the moment its troops rolled into Ukraine. It dubbed the attack a “special military operation” and increased the pressure on independent Russian media that called it a “war” or an “invasion,” blocking access to many news sites whose coverage deviated from the official line.
Sweeping arrests stifled antiwar protests, turning them from a daily event in large cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg into rare occurrences barely attracting any attention.
Still, reports of police detaining single picketers in different Russian cities come in almost daily.
Even seemingly benign actions have led to arrests.
A man was detained in Moscow after standing next to a World War II monument that says “Kyiv” for the city’s heroic stand against Nazi Germany and holding a copy of Tolstoy’s “War and Peace.” Another was reportedly detained for holding up a package of sliced ham from the meat producer Miratorg, with the second half of the name crossed off so it read: “Mir” — “peace” in Russian.
A law against spreading “fake news” about the war or disparaging the military was passed by parliament in one day and took force immediately, effectively exposing anyone critical of the conflict to fines and prison sentences.
The first publicly known criminal cases over “fakes” targeted public figures like Veronika Belotserkovskaya, a Russian-language cookbook author and popular blogger living abroad, and Alexander Nevzorov, a TV journalist, film director and former lawmaker.
Both were accused of posting “false information” about Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine on their widely followed social media pages -– something Moscow has vehemently denied, insisting that Russian forces only hit target military targets.
But then the scope of the crackdown expanded, with police seemingly grabbing anyone.
Former police officer Sergei Klokov was detained and put in pretrial detention after discussing the war with his friends on the phone. His wife told the Meduza news site that in casual conversation at home, Klokov, who was born in Irpin near Kyiv and whose father still lived in Ukraine when Russian troops rolled in, condemned the invasion.
Klokov was charged with spreading false information about the Russian armed forces and faces up to 10 years in prison.
St. Petersburg artist Sasha Skolichenko also faces up to 10 years in prison on the same charge: She replaced price tags in a grocery store with antiwar flyers. On Wednesday, a court ordered Skolichenko to pretrial detention for 1 1/2 months.
The Rev. Ioann Burdin, a Russian Orthodox priest in a village about 300 kilometers (about 185 miles) northeast of Moscow, was fined 35,000 rubles ($432) for “discrediting the Russian armed forces” after posting an antiwar statement on his church’s website and talking to a dozen congregants during a service about the pain he felt over people in Ukrain’e dying.
Burdin told AP his speech elicited mixed reactions. “One woman made a scene over the fact that I’m talking about (it) when she just came to pray, ” he said, adding that he believed it was one of those hearing the sermon who reported him to the police.
Marat Grachev, director of a shop that repairs Apple products in Moscow, similarly got in trouble when he displayed a link to an online petition titled, “No to war” on a screen in the shop. Many customers expressed support when they saw it, but one elderly man demanded it be taken down, threatening to report Grachev to the authorities.
Police soon showed up, and Grachev was charged with discrediting the military. A court ordered him to pay a fine of 100,000 rubles ($1,236).
Another court ruled against Moscow student Dmitry Reznikov for displaying a blank piece of paper with eight asterisks, which could have been interpreted as standing for “No to war” in Russian — a popular chant by protesters. The court found him guilty of discrediting the armed forces and fined him 50,000 rubles ($618) for holding the sign in central Moscow in a mid-March demonstration that lasted only seconds before police detained him.
“It’s the theater of the absurd,” his lawyer Oleg Filatchev told AP.
A St. Petersburg court last week fined Artur Dmitriev for a sign containing President Vladimir Putin’s quote – albeit with a few words omitted for brevity – from last year’s Victory Day parade marking the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.
“The war brought about so many unbearable challenges, grief and tears, that it’s impossible to forget. There is no forgiveness and justification for those who once again are harboring aggressive plans,” Putin had said, according to the Kremlin website.
Dmitriev was fined 30,000 rubles for discrediting the Russian military. That prompted him to post Friday on Facebook: “The phrase by Vladimir Putin, and ergo he himself … are discrediting the goals of the Russian armed forces. From this moment on, (internet and media regulator) Roskomnadzor must block all speeches by Putin, and true patriots -– take down his portraits in their offices.”
Net Freedoms’ Gainutdinov said that anything about the military or Ukraine can make a person a target. Even wearing a hat with the blue and gold of the Ukrainian flag or a green ribbon, considered a symbol of peace, have been found to discredit the military, the lawyer added.
Reznikov, who is appealing his conviction for the poster with asterisks, said he found the crackdown scary. After his first misdemeanor conviction, a second strike would result in criminal prosecution and a possible prison term of up to three years.
Both Burdin and Grachev, who also are appealing, received donations that exceeded their fines.
“I realized how important it is, how valuable it is to receive support,” Grachev said.
Burdin said the publicity about his case spread his message far beyond the dozen or so people who initially heard his sermon — the opposite of what the authorities presumably intended by fining him.
“It’s impossible to call it anything other than the providence of God,” the priest added. “The words that I said reached a much larger number of people.”
—-
Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine | https://www.wane.com/news/kremlin-crackdown-silences-war-protests-from-benign-to-bold/ | 2022-04-14T14:25:59 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/kremlin-crackdown-silences-war-protests-from-benign-to-bold/ |
Missing California teen found safe in Utah years later
PARK CITY, Utah (KSTU) - Connerjack Oswalt, an autistic teenager who went missing in California in 2019, was recently found in Utah.
After years of fearing for his safety, the family is overjoyed.
Connerjack was 16 years old when he was reported missing from Clear Lake, California.
After his disappearance, his family didn’t see or hear from him.
A few weeks ago, the Summit County Sheriff’s Office started receiving reports about a man pushing around a shopping cart. One concerned citizen reported the same man sleeping in front of a store.
Body camera video shows officers approaching Connerjack in front of the store and asking if he would like to sit in the car to warm up after a very cold night.
In the car, Connerjack would not tell the officers his name, but he allowed deputies to scan his finger and with technology, it showed that he had a warrant out of Nevada.
Sheriff Justin Martinez said the officers felt there was something more to his story.
“There’s something more, this individual being resistant, reluctant to communicate,” he said.
The officers took it upon themselves to comb through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children database. After nearly 20 pages of scouring through names and photographs and trying to find something that might match up, his name came up.
Deputies then called his family, who had moved from California to Idaho.
Connerjack’s stepfather, Gerald Flint, immediately drove from Idaho Falls, Idaho, to Park City, Utah.
After fearing the worst for nearly two years, his family was finally reunited with Connerjack.
“There wasn’t a dry eye in the room,” Martinez said. “They’ve been reunited with this individual they haven’t seen for three years when he was 16. He’s now 19.”
Copyright 2022 KSTU via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/04/14/missing-california-teen-found-safe-utah-years-later/ | 2022-04-14T14:26:06 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/04/14/missing-california-teen-found-safe-utah-years-later/ |
Russian authorities have accused Ukrainian forces of launching air strikes on the Russian region of Bryansk which borders with Ukraine, the latest in a series of allegations of cross-border attacks by Kyiv on Russian territory.
Russia’s Investigative Committee alleged that two Ukrainian military helicopters entered Russia’s air space on Thursday and, “moving at low altitude, acting deliberately, they carried out at least six air strikes on residential buildings in the village of Klimovo,” about 11 kilometers away from the Russian border.
It said at least six houses in the village were damaged and seven people, including a toddler, sustained injuries. The Investigative Committee has launched a probe into the attack.
Earlier on Thursday, Russia’s state security service, or the FSB, also accused Ukrainian forces of firing mortars at a border post in the Bryansk region on Wednesday.
The reports could not be independently verified. Earlier this month, Ukraine’s top security officials denied that Kyiv was behind an air strike on an oil depot in the Russian city of Belgorod, 35 miles from the border.
___
KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:
— Ukrainian forces say they struck and seriously damaged Russian flagship
— UN says Ukraine war threatens to devastate many poor nations
— Ukraine’s detention of oligarch close to Putin angers Moscow
— Polish, Baltic presidents visit Ukraine in show of support
— Go to https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukrainefor more coverage
___
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:
GENEVA — The international Red Cross says it’s rolling out its largest-ever cash assistance program to help more than 2 million people in Ukraine or who have fled abroad cope with the fallout from Russia’s invasion.
Nicole Robicheau, spokeswoman of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said Thursday the organization plans to distribute “well over 100 million” Swiss francs — about $106 million –- to people affected by Russia’s seven-week-old war in Ukraine.
Humanitarian groups like the IFRC have recently touted the effectiveness of cash assistance programs for people in places hit by events like natural disasters, drought, famine and conflict, as a way to “allow people to decide what they need” and “put money back into the local economy,” Robicheau said by phone.
The program aims to help some 360,000 people inside Ukraine and many more in countries of refuge.
IFRC says it and national Red Cross organizations have already helped over 1 million people with items like blankets, food, mats and kitchen equipment.
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MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Western countries’ attempts to phase out Russian gas imports will have a negative impact on their economies.
Speaking Thursday, Putin said European attempts to find alternatives to Russian gas shipments will be “quite painful for the initiators of such policies.”
He argued that “there is simply no reasonable replacement for it in Europe now.”
Putin noted that “supplies from other countries that could be sent to Europe, primarily from the United States, would cost consumers many times more.” He added it would “affect people’s standard of living and the competitiveness of the European economy.”
The European Union is dependent on Russia for 40% of its natural gas and 25% of its oil.
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PARIS — France’s government says it has frozen 33 properties on the French Riviera, Paris and elsewhere that belong to Russian oligarchs targeted for sanctions over the war in Ukraine.
The Finance Ministry this week published an updated list of Russian-owned properties that have been frozen in France, including a luxury chateau overlooking the Mediterranean on the Cap d’Antibes that reportedly belonged to sanctioned Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.
Together, the 33 properties are estimated to be worth more than half a billion euros. Unlike property that is seized or confiscated, frozen properties still belong to their owners and they can continue living in them. But they cannot be sold or rented out.
The total value of Russian assets frozen or seized in France is now approaching 24 billion euros, with the bulk of that being nearly 23 billion euros in frozen financial assets for the Russian central bank. Aside from financial assets and properties, French authorities have also frozen or seized three yachts and four transport ships, and frozen six helicopters and three artworks.
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LVIV, Ukraine — Russia’s Defense Ministry says the fire at the Moskva cruiser, the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, has been contained. It says the vessel remains afloat and will be towed to the port.
The ministry said in a statement Thursday that there is no open fire at the ship anymore and explosions of the ammunitions have ceased. “The main missile weapons were not damaged,” the statement read.
Ukrainian officials claimed however that the ship has sunk, saying it’s a “resounding slap in the face” to Moscow’s forces. The conflicting accounts couldn’t be immediately reconciled.
Oleksiy Arestovych, adviser to Ukrainian president’s office, said in a Facebook post that 510 crew were onboard the Moskva cruiser as it sank in the Black Sea, following serious damage from a Ukrainian missile strike.
Military analyst Oleg Zhdanov said the damaging of the Moskva significantly raises the morale of Ukrainian forces on the eve of a new wave of Russian offensive in the Donbas.
In the early hours of Thursday, the Russian Defense Ministry said the ship sustained “serious damage” after its ammunition detonated “as the result of a fire.” The ministry did not ascribe the fire to a missile strike.
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LONDON — Ireland’s foreign minister is in Kyiv, the latest in a string of senior European politicians to make the trip to show support for Ukraine’s fight against Russian invasion.
The Irish government says Simon Coveney, who is also defense minister, is meeting Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov.
Ireland has sent Ukraine 20 million euros ($22 million) in humanitarian aid and 33 million euros ($36 million) in non-lethal military assistance.
It is also a strong backer of Ukraine’s bid to join the European Union, and the government said Coveney would discuss how Ireland can “assist Ukraine in its application for EU candidate status.”
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BERLIN — German authorities say they have seized a massive superyacht in Hamburg after determining that it belongs to the sister of Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov.
The Federal Criminal Police Office said Wednesday that, after “extensive investigations” and despite “offshore concealment,” it had been able to determine that the owner is Gulbakhor Ismailova, Usmanov’s sister.
Superyacht Dilbar was launched in 2016 at a reported cost of more than $648 million.
The German police office said German authorities worked in Brussels to ensure that European Union sanctions applied to the owner. It says the yacht can no longer be sold, rented, or loaded.
The United States and EU last month announced economic sanctions against Usmanov, a metals magnate, over his ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin and in retaliation for the invasion of Ukraine.
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PRAGUE — Three Czech lawmakers from Parliament’s upper house, the Senate, are visiting Kyiv together with their counterparts from Poland. Led by speaker Milos Vystrcil, they were invited by Ruslan Stefanchuk, chairman of Ukraine’s unicameral parliament Verkhovna Rada.
___
UNITED NATIONS — A U.N. task force is warning in a new report that Russia’s war against Ukraine threatens to devastate the economies of many developing countries that are now facing even higher food and energy costs and increasingly difficult financial conditions.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres launched the report Wednesday stressing that the war is “supercharging” a crisis in food, energy and finance in poorer countries that were already struggling to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and a lack of access to adequate funding for their economic recovery.
Rebeca Grynspan, secretary-general of the U.N. agency promoting trade and development who coordinated the task force, said 107 countries have “severe exposure” to at least one dimension of the food, energy and finance crisis and 69 countries are severely exposed to all three and face “very difficult financial conditions with no fiscal space, and with no external financing to cushion the blow.”
The report urges countries to ensure a steady flow of food and energy through open markets, and it calls on international financial institutions to do everything possible to ensure more liquidity immediately.
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ODESA, Ukraine — In the Odesa region of Ukraine, Gov. Maksym Marchenko says forces have struck the Russian guided-missile cruiser Moskva with two missiles and caused “serious damage.”
Moskva is the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the ship was damaged Wednesday, but not that it was hit by Ukraine.
The Ministry says ammunition on board detonated as a result of a fire whose causes “were being established,” and the Moskva’s entire crew was evacuated. The cruiser typically has about 500 on board.
Odesa is Ukraine’s biggest port.
___
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he’s “sincerely thankful” to the U.S. for the new round of $800 million in military assistance.
In his daily late-night address to the nation, Zelenskyy also said he was thankful for Wednesday’s visit by the presidents of Poland, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia.
He said those leaders “have helped us from the first day, those who did not hesitate to give us weapons, those who did not doubt whether to impose sanctions.”
In his telephone conversation with U.S. President Joe Biden, Zelenskyy said they discussed the new weapons shipment, even tougher sanctions against Russia and efforts to bring to justice those Russian soldiers who committed war crimes in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy also said work was continuing to clear tens of thousands of unexploded shells, mines and tripwires that were left behind in northern Ukraine by the retreating Russians.
He urged people returning to their homes in those towns to be wary of any unfamiliar object and report it to the police. | https://www.wane.com/news/live-updates-russia-ukraine-war-3/ | 2022-04-14T14:26:06 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/live-updates-russia-ukraine-war-3/ |
Patrick Lyoya shot in head by Michigan officer, videos show
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — A Black man face-down on the ground was fatally shot in the back of the head by a Michigan police officer, the violent climax of a traffic stop, brief foot chase and struggle over a stun gun, according to videos of the April 4 incident.
Patrick Lyoya, 26, was killed outside a house in Grand Rapids. The white officer repeatedly ordered Lyoya to “let go” of his Taser, at one point demanding: “Drop the Taser!”
Citing a need for transparency, the city’s new police chief, Eric Winstrom, on Wednesday released four videos, including critical footage of the shooting recorded by a passenger in Lyoya’s car on that rainy morning.
GRAPHIC WARNING: Videos in this story may contain disturbing content.
“I view it as a tragedy. ... It was a progression of sadness for me,” said Winstrom, a former high-ranking Chicago police commander who became Grand Rapids chief in March. The city of about 200,000 people is about 150 miles northwest of Detroit.
Video shows Lyoya running from the officer who stopped him for driving with a license plate that didn’t belong to the vehicle. They struggled in front of several homes while Lyoya’s passenger got out and watched.
Winstrom said the fight over the Taser lasted about 90 seconds. In the final moments, the officer was on top of Lyoya, kneeling on his back at times to subdue him.
“From my view of the video, Taser was deployed twice. Taser did not make contact,” Winstrom told reporters. “And Mr. Lyoya was shot in the head. However, that’s the only information that I have.”
State police are investigating the shooting. Kent County’s chief medical examiner, Dr. Stephen Cohle, said he completed the autopsy but toxicology tests haven’t been finished.
The traffic stop was tense from the start. Video shows Lyoya, a native of the Democratic Republic of Congo, getting out of the car before the officer approached. He ordered Lyoya to get back in the vehicle but the man declined.
The officer asked him if he spoke English and demanded his driver’s license. The foot chase began soon after, video shows.
Winstrom didn’t identify the officer, a seven-year veteran who is on paid leave during the investigation.
“Me being from Chicago for the last 20 years, I’ve handled many police shootings myself, so I do have a lot of experience in this,” the chief said. “I was hoping to never have to utilize that experience here.”
Video was collected from Lyoya’s passenger, the officer’s body-worn camera, the officer’s patrol car and a doorbell camera. Prosecutor Chris Becker, who will decide whether any charges are warranted, objected to the release but said Winstrom could act on his own.
Becker said the public shouldn’t expect a quick decision.
“While the videos released today are an important piece of evidence, they are not all of the evidence,” he said.
The officer’s body-worn camera was turned off before the shooting, which happens when a button is pushed for 3 seconds, Winstrom said. He said it appears it was deactivated unintentionally due to body pressure during the struggle, but he would not discuss any officer statements about it.
“That will come out once the investigation’s complete,” Winstrom said.
City Manager Mark Washington warned that the videos would lead to “expressions of shock, of anger and of pain.” Some downtown businesses boarded up their storefronts, and concrete barricades surrounded police headquarters.
Lyoya had two young daughters and five siblings, said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who spoke to his family.
“He arrived in the United States as a refugee with his family fleeing violence. He had his whole life ahead of him,” Whitmer, a Democrat, said.
Prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump, speaking on behalf of Lyoya’s family, on Wednesday called for the officer in the shooting to be fired and prosecuted.
“The video clearly shows that this was an unnecessary, excessive, and fatal use of force against an unarmed Black man who was confused by the encounter and terrified for his life,” Crump said in a release.
“It should be noted that Patrick never used violence against this officer even though the officer used violence against him in several instances for what was a misdemeanor traffic stop,” he added.
Crump and Lyoya’s family were expected to hold a news conference Thursday afternoon.
More than 100 people marched to Grand Rapids City Hall before a City Commission meeting Tuesday night, chanting “Black lives matter” and “No justice, no peace.”
On Wednesday, several hundred protesters gathered outside the Grand Rapids Police Department following the release of the videos, with some cursing and shouting from behind barricades. The group demanded that officials make public the name of the officer in the shooting.
Some businesses cut their hours short Wednesday, closing early. Some boarded up windows. But the demonstration remained nonviolent with protesters demanding justice for Lyoya and other Black lives lost in shootings involving police.
Winstrom last week said he met Lyoya’s father, Peter Lyoya, and that they both cried.
“I get it as a father. ... It’s just heart-wrenching,” the chief told WOOD-TV.
As in many U.S. cities, Grand Rapids police have been occasionally criticized over the use of force, particularly against Black people, who make up 18% of the population.
In November, the Michigan Supreme Court heard arguments in a lawsuit over the practice of photographing and fingerprinting people who were never charged with a crime. Grand Rapids said the policy changed in 2015.
A downtown street has been designated Breonna Taylor Way, named for the Black woman and Grand Rapids native who was killed by police in Louisville, Kentucky, during a botched drug raid in 2020.
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White reported from Detroit. AP reporters Corey Williams in West Bloomfield, Michigan; David Eggert in Lansing, Michigan; and John Flesher in Traverse City, Michigan, contributed to this story.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/04/14/patrick-lyoya-shot-head-by-michigan-officer-video-shows/ | 2022-04-14T14:26:12 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/04/14/patrick-lyoya-shot-head-by-michigan-officer-video-shows/ |
HACKENSACK, N.J. (StudyFinds.org) – Tax Day is here again, and a new survey finds plenty of Americans are STILL waiting to file for 2021. In fact, one-third of taxpayers wait until the filing deadline to do their annual taxes. Unfortunately, that’s a big problem for many people because 56 percent of Americans don’t even know when that deadline is!
In a poll of more than 1,100 people, commissioned by IPX 1031, 32 percent say they procrastinate when it comes to doing their taxes because they don’t expect to get a refund. One in four say they hold off until the last minute because the process is just too complicated and stressful. For those who still don’t know, Tax Day 2022 is April 18.
Researchers also found that the nation’s younger taxpayers are more likely to procrastinate each year. Millennials rank as the most likely Americans to file their taxes at the last minute — despite receiving the largest average refunds among all generations! Overall, however, the survey found that one in four people will see a smaller refund this year in comparison to 2021.
Nevadans love to gamble — with their taxes
When it comes to which Americans avoid doing their taxes the longest, residents in Nevada are the new kings of procrastination. Famous for being the home of Las Vegas, the poll finds Nevadans also like to gamble on getting their taxes done on time. Nevada moved up three spots from number four in 2021, averaging more Google searches related to the Tax Day deadline than any other state in the nation.
Specifically, researchers looked at search phrases such as “what happens if I file my taxes late?”, “when is it too late to file taxes?”, and “can I file late taxes?” across all 50 states to compile their annual list.
Rounding out the top five are the same states that appeared on the 2021 list, including Hawaii (2nd), Georgia (3rd), Alaska (4th), and California (5th).
As for the Americans who get their taxes done in a timely fashion, Iowa (50th) continues to be home to the fewest tax procrastinators in the country. Wisconsin (49th) and Michigan (48th) followed closely behind.
Speaking of Las Vegas, the poll’s review of the biggest procrastinators by city found Sin City is still home to the most last-minute tax filers in the U.S. The survey finds there are more than 1,300 Tax Day searches for every 100,000 people in the city. Denver, Baltimore, and Seattle round out the top four — all averaging over 1,100 Tax Day deadline searches on Google.
Where’s the money going?
According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Americans received an average refund of $2,815 in 2021. Unfortunately, confidence in the economy is much lower this year and respondents are only expecting to receive just over $1,900 this year.
For the 50 percent of Americans who say they have already filed their taxes, 11 percent admit they’ve already spent that money! Over a third (37%) plan to save that money when it arrives and one in five (22%) plan to use the money to pay down their debt. | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/tax-day-2022-56-of-americans-dont-know-when-the-filing-deadline-is/ | 2022-04-14T14:26:14 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/tax-day-2022-56-of-americans-dont-know-when-the-filing-deadline-is/ |
Fate of Russia warship unclear after Ukrainians claim strike
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian officials said that their forces hit the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea fleet with missiles overnight, with one saying Thursday it sank. Russia said the Moskva was badly damaged by a fire that forced the warship’s evacuation but that it was still afloat.
The loss of the warship named for the Russian capital would be a major military and symbolic defeat for Moscow as its troops regroup for a renewed offensive in eastern Ukraine after retreating from much of the north, including the capital.
Russia did not acknowledge any attack but said a fire aboard the warship, which would typically have 500 sailors on board, forced the entire crew to evacuate the vessel. It later said the fire had been contained and that the ship would be towed to port with its guided missile launchers intact.
The ship carries 16 missiles, and its removal from combat would greatly reduce Russia’s firepower in the Black Sea. Regardless of the extent of the damage, any attack would represent a major blow to Russian prestige seven weeks into a war that is already widely seen as a historic blunder.
GRAPHIC WARNING: Videos may contain disturbing content.
It was not immediately possible to reconcile the vastly different accounts, and cloud cover made it impossible to locate the ship or determine its condition based on satellite photos. There was even some caution from Ukrainian officials: One said the ship sank, and a video from its armed forces described it overturning and beginning to sink, but another official refused to confirm that.
The news of damage to the ship came hours after some of Ukraine’s allies sought to rally new support for the embattled country. On a visit with leaders from three other EU countries on Russia’s doorstep who fear they could next be in Moscow’s sights, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda declared that “the fight for Europe’s future is happening here.”
Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden, who called Russia’s actions in Ukraine “a genocide” this week, approved $800 million in new military assistance to Kyiv. He said weapons from the West have sustained Ukraine’s fight so far and “we cannot rest now.”
The news of the flagship’s damage overshadowed Russian claims of advances in the southern port city of Mariupol, where they have been battling the Ukrainians since the early days of the invasion in some of the heaviest fighting of the war — at a horrific cost to civilians.
Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Wednesday that 1,026 troops from the Ukrainian 36th Marine Brigade surrendered at a metals factory in the city. But Vadym Denysenko, adviser to Ukraine’s interior minister, rejected the claim, telling Current Time TV that “the battle over the seaport is still ongoing today.”
It was unclear when or over what time period a surrender may have occurred or how many forces were still defending Mariupol.
Russian state television broadcast footage that it said was from Mariupol showing dozens of men in camouflage walking with their hands up and carrying others on stretchers. One man held a white flag.
Mariupol’s capture is critical for Russia because it would put a swath of territory in its control that would allow its forces in the south, who came up through the annexed Crimean Peninsula, to link up with troops in the eastern Donbas region, Ukraine’s industrial heartland and the target of the coming offensive.
Moscow-backed separatists have been battling Ukraine in the Donbas since 2014, the same year Russia seized Crimea. Russia has recognized the independence of the rebel regions in the Donbas.
But the loss of the Moskva could set those efforts back.
Satellite photos from Planet Labs PBC show the Moskva steaming out of the port of Sevastopol on the Crimean Peninsula on Sunday.
Maksym Marchenko, the governor of the Odesa region, across the Black Sea to the northwest of Sevastopol, said the Ukrainians struck the ship with two Neptune missiles and caused “serious damage.”
Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to Ukraine’s president, then said the ship sank, calling it an event of “colossal significance.” In a video posted by Operation Command South of Ukraine’s military, an official said poor weather and explosions “overturned the cruiser and it began to sink.”
Yuriy Sak, an advisor to Ukraine’s defense minister, later said he was unable to confirm that the ship was sunk or even hit by Ukrainian forces. He said he was aware of the comments by other Ukrainian officials but “could neither confirm nor deny” what happened.
He told The Associated Press that the warship was capable of launching 16 long-range cruise missiles.
“If or when this is confirmed, if it is confirmed, we can only have a sigh of relief because this means that fewer missiles will reach Ukrainian cities,” he said.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said ammunition on board detonated as a result of a fire, without saying what caused the blaze. It later said the ship was afloat and would be towed in for repairs. It said its “main missile weapons” were not damaged. In addition to the cruise missiles, the warship also had air-defense missiles and other guns.
The Neptune is an anti-ship missile that was recently developed by Ukraine and based on an earlier Soviet design. The launchers are mounted on trucks stationed near the coast, and, according to the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, the missiles can hit targets up to 280 kilometers (175 miles) away.
The U.S. was not able to confirm Ukraine’s claims of striking the warship, U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Thursday. Still, he called it “a big blow to Russia.”
“They’ve had to kind of choose between two stories: One story is that it was just incompetence, and the other was that they came under attack, and neither is a particular the good outcome for them,” Sullivan told the Economic Club of Washington.
The Moskva was reportedly the warship that called on Ukrainian soldiers stationed on Snake Island in the Black Sea to surrender in a standoff in the war’s early days. In an audio widely circulated online, the soldier responds: “Russian warship, go (expletive) yourself.”
The AP could not independently verify the incident, but Ukraine and its supporters consider it an iconic moment of defiance, and the country recently unveiled a postage stamp commemorating it.
Russia invaded on Feb. 24 with the goal, according to Western officials, of rapidly seizing Kyiv, toppling the government and installing a Moscow-friendly replacement. But the ground advance stalled in the face of strong Ukrainian resistance with the help of Western arms, and Russia has lost potentially thousands of fighters. The conflict has killed untold numbers of Ukrainian civilians and forced millions more to flee.
A U.N. task force warned that the war threatens to devastate the economies of many developing countries that are facing even higher food and energy costs and increasingly difficult financial conditions. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the war is “supercharging” a crisis in food, energy and finance in poorer countries that were already struggling to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and a lack of access to funding.
The war has also unsettled the post-Cold War balance in Europe — and particularly worried countries on NATO’s eastern flank that fear they could next come under attack.
The presidents of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia traveled Wednesday to war-ravaged areas in Ukraine and demanded accountability for what they called war crimes. They met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and visited Borodyanka, one of the towns near Kyiv where evidence of atrocities was found after Russian troops withdrew.
“There are no doubts that they committed war crimes. And for that, they should be accountable,” Latvian President Egils Levits said.
Nauseda of Lithuania called for tougher sanctions, including against Russian oil and gas shipments and all the country’s banks.
In his nightly address, Zelenskyy noted that the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court visited the Kyiv suburb of Bucha, which was controlled by Russian forces until recently and where evidence of mass killings and more than 400 bodies were found.
“It is inevitable that the Russian troops will be held responsible. We will drag everyone to a tribunal, and not only for what was done in Bucha,” Zelenskyy said late Wednesday.
___
Associated Press journalists around the world contributed to this report.
___
Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/04/14/ukraine-says-missiles-hit-russian-flagship-crew-evacuates/ | 2022-04-14T14:26:18 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/04/14/ukraine-says-missiles-hit-russian-flagship-crew-evacuates/ |
Elon Musk is offering to buy Twitter, just days after the Tesla CEO said he would no longer be joining the social media company’s board of directors.
Twitter Inc. said in a regulatory filing on Thursday that Musk, who currently owns slightly more than 9% of its stock and is the company’s biggest shareholder, provided a letter to the company on Wednesday that contained a proposal to buy the remaining shares of Twitter that he doesn’t already own. Musk offered $54.20 per share of Twitter’s stock.
He called that price his best and final offer, although the billionaire provided no details on financing. The offer is non-binding and subject to financing and other conditions.
“I invested in Twitter as I believe in its potential to be the platform for free speech around the globe, and I believe free speech is a societal imperative for a functioning democracy,” Musk says in the filing. “However, since making my investment I now realize the company will neither thrive nor serve this societal imperative in its current form. Twitter needs to be transformed as a private company.”
The buyout offer from Musk is just the latest development in his relationship with Twitter. The billionaire revealed in regulatory filings over recent weeks that he’d been buying shares in almost daily batches starting Jan. 31. Only Vanguard Group’s suite of mutual funds and ETFs controls more Twitter shares.
Musk has been a vocal critic of of Twitter in recent weeks, mostly over his belief that it falls short on free speech principles. The social media platform has angered followers of Donald Trump and other far-right political figures who’ve had their accounts suspended for violating its content standards on violence, hate or harmful misinformation. Musk also has a history of his own tweets causing legal problems.
Musk said last week that he informed Twitter he wouldn’t be joining its board of directors five days after he was invited. He didn’t explain why, but the decision coincided with a barrage of now-deleted tweets from Musk proposing major changes to the company, such as dropping ads — its chief source of revenue — and transforming its San Francisco headquarters into a homeless shelter. Musk left a few clues on Twitter about his thinking, such as by “liking” a tweet that summarized the events as Musk going from “largest shareholder for Free Speech” to being “told to play nice and not speak freely.”
After Musk announced his stake, Twitter quickly gave Musk a seat on its board on the condition that he not own more than 14.9% of the company’s outstanding stock, according to a filing. But Musk backed out of the deal.
Musk’s 81 million Twitter followers make him one of the most popular figures on the platform, rivaling pop stars like Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga. But his prolific tweeting has sometimes gotten him into trouble with the SEC and others.
Musk and Tesla in 2018 agreed to pay $40 million in civil fines and for Musk to have his tweets approved by a corporate lawyer after he tweeted about having the money to take Tesla private at $420 per share. That didn’t happen but the tweet caused Tesla’s stock price to jump. Musk’s latest trouble with the SEC could be his delay in notifying regulators of his growing stake in Twitter.
Musk has described himself as a “free speech absolutist” and has said he doesn’t think Twitter is living up to free speech principles — an opinion shared by followers of Donald Trump and a number of other right-wing political figures who’ve had their accounts suspended for violating Twitter content rules.
Shares of Twitter jumped 11% before the market open. The stock is still down from its 52-week high of about $73. Shares of Tesla, the electric vehicle manufacturer that Musk heads, slipped about 0.9%. | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-offers-to-buy-twitter/ | 2022-04-14T14:26:20 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-offers-to-buy-twitter/ |
Woman killed by falling tree as storms hit Midwest, South
RISON, Ark. (AP) — A 20-year-old Arkansas woman was killed when a tree fell on her home as severe storms swept through the state and a possible tornado ripped roofs off homes in Alabama, officials said.
The woman’s death occurred Wednesday as part of a multiday severe weather outbreak that caused tornadoes, powerful winds and huge hail in parts of the central and southern United States.
A possible tornado tore roofs off homes in a public housing community and peppered cars with debris Wednesday night in rural Greene County, Alabama, located about 90 miles (145 kilometers) southwest of Birmingham. Billy Hicks, who lives in the area, told WBMA-TV he was lying down when he heard a rush of wind that lasted only a few seconds.
“I jumped up and put my clothes on, put my shoes on when everything was over with. I come to the side door and looked across the street. I knew that something had hit all these houses,” said Hicks, who got in his car to go check on neighbors.
Authorities swarmed the area but didn’t find anyone who was hurt, said Zac Bolding of Greene County Emergency Medical Services.
“Most of the people we talked to as we were doing a house-to-house search explained that they were in their bathroom or an interior hallway, so they were listening to those warnings and without that I think we would have been looking at a much different situation,” he said.
In Arkansas, the woman was died when a tree toppled on her home in Rison shortly after 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, pinning her to the couch, said Stephen McClellan, Cleveland County’s emergency management coordinator. Rison is about 55 miles (90 kilometers) south of Little Rock.
A day earlier, 23 people were injured in the central Texas town of Salado. The National Weather Service in Fort Worth said Wednesday that the twister was rated an EF3 with peak wind speeds of 165 mph (265 kph).
Tornadoes were also reported Tuesday in parts of Iowa and Minnesota. And a blizzard struck North Dakota this week, closing the state Capitol, schools, government offices and some businesses for a third day Thursday.
The National Weather Service’s blizzard warning for much of the state and smaller sections of South Dakota and Montana remained in effect Thursday. More than a foot of snow (30 centimeters) has fallen in Bismarck with about 2 feet (61 centimeters) in Dickinson and Glenburn.
“For the month of April it’s not uncommon to get the snow. Now, snow of this magnitude — this is something that’s a little bit more unique,” said Rick Krolak, at the weather service’s Bismarck office.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/04/14/woman-killed-by-falling-tree-storms-hit-midwest-south/ | 2022-04-14T14:26:24 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/04/14/woman-killed-by-falling-tree-storms-hit-midwest-south/ |
(NEXSTAR) – Toyota is issuing a safety recall to address a software glitch affecting approximately 460,000 Toyota and Lexus vehicles.
Toyota says the problem concerns the cars’ Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) systems, a feature designed to help drivers “maintain vehicle control under adverse conditions,” according to the automaker’s website. Toyota says the VSC systems of the recalled vehicles may be experiencing an “error” that prevents the feature from automatically enabling in certain situations.
The voluntary recall notice, issued Wednesday, names 10 different models of Toyota and Lexus vehicles: Toyota Venza, Mirai, RAV4 Hybrid, RAV4 Prime, Sienna HV and Highlander HV models, and Lexus LS500h, LX600, NX350h and NX450h+ models.
“Owners of involved vehicles will be notified by the middle of June 2022,” Toyota says.
The fix will be provided free of charge at Toyota and Lexus dealers, the automaker added.
Customers can check with Toyota of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to see if their vehicles are affected.
Also on Wednesday, Toyota issued a recall for 4,000 additional 2022 Lexus NX vehicles (both HEV and PHEV) for potentially “incorrect welding” at the site of the front shock absorbers and the body panels.
“Incorrect welding could eventually cause a shock absorber to separate from the mounting area, resulting in a loss of driving stability and increasing the risk of a crash,” Toyota writes.
Owners will be notified by mid-June once a remedy is developed. | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/toyota-recalls-460000-vehicles-over-stability-control-issue/ | 2022-04-14T14:26:26 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/toyota-recalls-460000-vehicles-over-stability-control-issue/ |
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian forces said they struck and seriously damaged the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea fleet, dealing a potentially major setback to Moscow’s forces as they try to regroup for a renewed offensive in eastern Ukraine after retreating from much of the north, including the capital.
Russia said Thursday the entire crew of the Moskva, a warship that would typically have 500 sailors on board, was forced to evacuate after a fire overnight and also reported it was badly damaged. It did not acknowledge any attack, which would also deal a major blow to Russian prestige seven weeks into a war that is already widely seen as a historic blunder.
The reported ship attack came hours after Ukraine’s allies sought to rally new support for the embattled country. On a visit with leaders from three other countries on Russia’s doorstep who fear they could next be in Moscow’s sights, Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nauseda declared that “the fight for Europe’s future is happening here.”
Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden, who called Russia’s actions in Ukraine “a genocide” this week, approved $800 million in new military assistance to Kyiv. He said weapons from the West have sustained Ukraine’s fight so far and “we cannot rest now.”
The news of the flagship’s damage overshadowed Russian claims of advances in the southern port city of Mariupol, where they have been battling the Ukrainians since the early days of the invasion in some of the heaviest fighting of the war — at a horrific cost to civilians.
Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj.-Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Wednesday that 1,026 troops from the Ukrainian 36th Marine Brigade surrendered at a metals factory in the city. But Vadym Denysenko, adviser to Ukraine’s interior minister, rejected the claim, telling Current Time TV that “the battle over the seaport is still ongoing today.”
It was unclear when a surrender may have occurred or how many forces were still defending Mariupol.
Russian state television broadcast footage Wednesday that it said was from Mariupol showing dozens of men in camouflage walking with their hands up and carrying others on stretchers or in chair holds. One man held a white flag.
Mariupol’s capture is critical for Russia because it would put a swath of territory in its control that would allow its forces in the south, who came up through the annexed Crimean Peninsula, to link up with troops in the eastern Donbas region, Ukraine’s industrial heartland and the target of the coming offensive.
Moscow-backed separatists have been battling Ukraine in the Donbas since 2014, the same year Russia seized Crimea. Russia has recognized the independence of the rebel regions in the Donbas.
But the loss of the Moskva, which satellite images show was at the port of Sevastopol in Crimea a week ago, could set those efforts back.
The governor of the Odesa region, Maksym Marchenko, said the Ukrainians struck the guided-missile cruiser with two Neptune missiles and caused “serious damage.” Russia’s Defense Ministry said ammunition on board detonated as a result of a fire.
It was not clear if the ship was totally disabled, but even serious damage could be a major blow to Russia, which already saw its tank carrier Orsk hit late last month.
Hours after the attack was reported, Ukrainian authorities said on the Telegram messaging service that explosions had struck Odesa, Ukraine’s largest port which lies on the Black Sea, as does Sevastopol. They urged residents to remain calm and said there is no danger to civilians.
Russia invaded on Feb. 24 with the goal, according to Western officials, of rapidly seizing Kyiv, toppling the government and installing a Moscow-friendly replacement. But the ground advance stalled in the face of strong Ukrainian resistance with the help of Western arms, and Russia has lost potentially thousands of fighters. The conflict has killed untold numbers of Ukrainian civilians and forced millions more to flee.
A U.N. task force warned that the war threatens to devastate the economies of many developing countries that are facing even higher food and energy costs and increasingly difficult financial conditions. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the war is “supercharging” a crisis in food, energy and finance in poorer countries that were already struggling to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and a lack of access to funding.
The war has also unsettled the post-Cold War balance in Europe — and particularly worried countries on NATO’s eastern flank that fear they could next come under attack. As a result, those nations have been some of Ukraine’s staunchest supporters.
The presidents of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia traveled Wednesday to war-ravaged areas in Ukraine and demanded accountability for what they called war crimes. They met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and visited Borodyanka, one of the towns near Kyiv where evidence of atrocities was found after Russian troops withdrew to focus on the country’s east.
“There are no doubts that they committed war crimes. And for that, they should be accountable,” Latvian President Egils Levits said.
Nauseda of Lithuania called for tougher sanctions, including against Russian oil and gas shipments and all the country’s banks.
In his nightly address, Zelenskyy noted that the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court visited the Kyiv suburb of Bucha, which was controlled by Russian forces until recently and where evidence of mass killings and more than 400 bodies were found.
“It is inevitable that the Russian troops will be held responsible. We will drag everyone to a tribunal, and not only for what was done in Bucha,” Zelenskyy said late Wednesday.
He also said work was continuing to clear tens of thousands of unexploded shells, mines and trip wires left in northern Ukraine by the departing Russians. He urged people returning to homes to be wary of any unfamiliar objects and report them to police. | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/ukraine-says-it-damaged-russian-flagship-in-missile-strike-crew-evacuates/ | 2022-04-14T14:26:32 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/national-world/ukraine-says-it-damaged-russian-flagship-in-missile-strike-crew-evacuates/ |
NORTH BETHESDA, Md., April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) has named Anne Brunet, Ph.D., and Andrew Dillin, Ph.D., co-winners of the 2022 Lurie Prize in Biomedical Sciences. Drs. Brunet and Dillin have pioneered independent but complementary research that illustrates the evolution of two master regulators of aging at the cellular level. Dr. Brunet has shown how specific biochemical modifications of the protein structures around which an organism's DNA is organized can extend its life and that of its descendants. Dr. Dillin has revealed how mitochondria in neurons of the brain coordinate responses throughout the body that impact lifespan.
"The FNIH is delighted to award its 10th annual Lurie Prize to two individuals whose landmark discoveries addressing the genetic and molecular mechanisms of aging provide insights with tremendous potential to improve longevity and quality of life as humans age," said David Wholley, Interim President and Executive Director of the FNIH. "Age is a primary driver for so many diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease. Drs. Brunet and Dillin are answering questions about fundamental processes both within the cell and across entire organisms that promise to help untangle the mysteries of aging and potentially of some of these diseases."
Dr. Anne Brunet is the Michele and Timothy Barakett Professor of Genetics at Stanford University, where she also directs the Brunet Lab. To tackle the complexity of aging, she has employed a unique approach that deploys multiple model organisms—including the C. elegans roundworm and the African killifish, whose short lifespans quickly recapitulate the entire aging process—to identify the genes that regulate aging. She has found that by using enzymes to modify the complex bundle of genetic material in a cell's nucleus called chromatin, which forms a scaffold around which DNA is organized, it is possible to alter the genes that play a role in aging. Dr. Brunet is investigating these partly by studying the lifespan of the killifish, a vertebrate whose circulation, immune, and other body systems mirror those of humans, but whose embryos can exist in a kind of "suspended animation" or state of diapause over many years. Using lab mice, Dr. Brunet has also studied the regenerative qualities of stem cells that exist in the aging brain to identify ways to counter age-related defects that bring on neurodegenerative disease. Her lab's work with mice has helped identify genes and pathways critical for maintaining neural stem cells that may help preserve brain function during aging.
"Receiving the Lurie Prize means so much to me and to our lab. It also provides wonderful recognition for the field of aging research," said Dr. Brunet. "Solving the big puzzle of aging is at the core of everything we do, and we hope our work helps amplify the work of other scientists. I'm deeply grateful that the Lurie Prize will help us to move our research forward. One day we hope to be able to slow or reverse aspects of brain decline during aging."
Dr. Andrew Dillin is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and the Thomas and Stacey Siebel Distinguished Chair in Stem Cell Research at the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley. His lab focuses on the questions of why an organism begins to lose control over the integrity of its proteome—the full complement of cells produced in the body—as it ages. Understanding that aging is coordinated across the body, Dr. Dillin has explored the function of mitochondria—structures that govern energy production in the cell—as a means of communicating across tissues and organs. His team developed and applied techniques to manipulate signaling pathways that involve specific proteins within a cell to observe how a tiny disturbance may affect the physiology of the whole organism. By reducing mitochondrial function in several cells in the nervous system, Dr. Dillin observed life extension in model systems ranging from worms to mice. Dr. Dillin's larger goal is to apply his findings toward uncovering new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of age-related pathologies in neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's diseases.
"The Lurie Prize greatly validates the work of my lab. Frankly we have always seen ourselves as a bit on the fringe, doing this quirky, funky, basic science that could nevertheless really have an impact on people. Receiving one of the top awards in the field of biomedical research provides a huge boost to our work and to the field of aging research," said Dr. Dillin. "Our efforts to unlock the architecture and the function of the cell in the context of an entire multicellular organism are an example of basic research that has implications across all of science. I'm also so grateful to be sharing this award with my esteemed colleague Anne Brunet. We started our labs at the same time, and our work ended up complementing and overlapping with each other. The whole world of research in aging has been open to and supportive of us both, and I am thrilled to be contributing to it."
Now in its 10th year, the Lurie Prize in Biomedical Sciences recognizes outstanding achievement by promising scientists aged 52 or younger. The prize includes a $50,000 honorarium to each awardee, made possible by a donation to the FNIH by philanthropist Ann Lurie, President of the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Foundation and President of Lurie Holdings, Inc.
"Drs. Dillin and Brunet are making significant advances toward a better understanding of how individual cells and the human body age, with critical implications for degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. I am excited to see the depth, breadth, and future impact of their work," said Ann Lurie.
A jury of five distinguished biomedical researchers selected Drs. Brunet and Dillin as this year's Lurie Prize in Biomedical Sciences recipients. The jury is chaired by Solomon H. Snyder, M.D., Distinguished Service Professor of Neuroscience, Pharmacology & Psychiatry, Founder and past Director of The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University, and Vice Chairman of the FNIH board.
For more information about the Lurie Prize in Biomedical Sciences and a list of previous winners, please visit fnih.org/LuriePrize.
About the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health
The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health creates and manages alliances with public and private institutions in support of the mission of the NIH, the world's premier medical research agency. The Foundation, also known as the FNIH, works with its partners to accelerate biomedical research and strategies against diseases and health concerns in the United States and across the globe. The FNIH organizes and administers research projects; supports education and training of new researchers; organizes educational events and symposia; and administers a series of funds supporting a wide range of health issues. Established by Congress, the FNIH is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization. For additional information about the FNIH, please visit fnih.org.
Media Contact:
Katherine Thompson
Foundation for the NIH
kthompson@fnih.org
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SOURCE Foundation for the National Institutes of Health | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/2022-lurie-prize-biomedical-sciences-winners-provide-powerful-contributions-our-understanding-aging-process/ | 2022-04-14T14:26:31 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/2022-lurie-prize-biomedical-sciences-winners-provide-powerful-contributions-our-understanding-aging-process/ |
COLUMBUS, Ga., April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL) announced today that it will release first quarter 2022 financial results after the market closes on April 27, 2022. At that time, earnings materials, including the first quarter earnings release and Financial Analysts Briefing supplement, will be available, along with a financial update video from Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Max Brodén, on the company's Investor Relations website, investors.aflac.com.
Aflac Incorporated will also webcast a conference call scheduled for 8:00 a.m. (ET) on Thursday, April 28, 2022. During the webcast, Aflac Incorporated Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Daniel P. Amos and President and Chief Operating Officer of Aflac Incorporated Frederick J. Crawford will discuss the company's first quarter results and outlook. Mr. Brodén and other members of executive management from the U.S. and Japan will also be available to answer questions during the webcast. To listen to the conference call, please register at investors.aflac.com five to seven minutes prior to the scheduled start time.
About Aflac Incorporated
Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL) is a Fortune 500 company helping provide protection to more than 50 million people through its subsidiaries in Japan and the U.S., where it is a leading supplemental insurer by paying cash fast when policyholders get sick or injured. For more than six decades, insurance policies of Aflac Incorporated's subsidiaries have given policyholders the opportunity to focus on recovery, not financial stress. Aflac Life Insurance Japan is the leading provider of medical and cancer insurance in Japan where it insures 1 in 4 households. In 2021, the company was included in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index and became a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). In 2022, Aflac Incorporated was included on Ethisphere's list of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the 16th consecutive year, Fortune's list of World's Most Admired Companies for the 21st time and Bloomberg's Gender-Equality Index for the third consecutive year. To find out how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn't cover, get to know us at aflac.com or aflac.com/español. Investors may learn more about Aflac Incorporated and its commitment to ESG and social responsibility at investors.aflac.com under "Sustainability."
Analyst and investor contact – David A. Young, 706.596.3264 or 800.235.2667, or dyoung@aflac.com
Media contact – Ines Gutzmer, 762.207.7601 or igutzmer@aflac.com
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SOURCE Aflac Incorporated | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/aflac-incorporated-release-first-quarter-results-cfo-video-update-april-27-2022-host-webcast-april-28-2022/ | 2022-04-14T14:26:38 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/aflac-incorporated-release-first-quarter-results-cfo-video-update-april-27-2022-host-webcast-april-28-2022/ |
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian officials said that their forces hit the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea fleet with missiles overnight, with one saying Thursday it sank. Russia said the Moskva was badly damaged by a fire that forced the warship’s evacuation but that it was still afloat.
The loss of the warship named for the Russian capital would be a major military and symbolic defeat for Moscow as its troops regroup for a renewed offensivein eastern Ukraine after retreating from much of the north, including the capital.
Russia did not acknowledge any attack but said a fire aboard the warship, which would typically have 500 sailors on board, forced the entire crew to evacuate the vessel. It later said the fire had been contained and that the ship would be towed to port with its guided missile launchers intact.
The ship carries 16 missiles, and its removal from combat would greatly reduce Russia’s firepower in the Black Sea. Regardless of the extent of the damage, any attack would represent a major blow to Russian prestige seven weeks into a war that is already widely seen as a historic blunder.
It was not immediately possible to reconcile the vastly different accounts, and cloud cover made it impossible to locate the ship or determine its condition based on satellite photos. There was even some caution from Ukrainian officials: One said the ship sank, and a video from its armed forces described it overturning and beginning to sink, but another official refused to confirm that.
The news of damage to the ship came hours after some of Ukraine’s allies sought to rally new support for the embattled country. On a visit with leaders from three other EU countries on Russia’s doorstep who fear they could next be in Moscow’s sights, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda declared that “the fight for Europe’s future is happening here.”
Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden, who called Russia’s actions in Ukraine “a genocide”this week, approved $800 million in new military assistanceto Kyiv. He said weapons from the West have sustained Ukraine’s fight so far and “we cannot rest now.”
The news of the flagship’s damage overshadowed Russian claims of advances in the southern port city of Mariupol, where they have been battling the Ukrainians since the early days of the invasion in some of the heaviest fighting of the war — at a horrific cost to civilians.
Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Wednesday that 1,026 troops from the Ukrainian 36th Marine Brigade surrendered at a metals factory in the city. But Vadym Denysenko, adviser to Ukraine’s interior minister, rejected the claim, telling Current Time TV that “the battle over the seaport is still ongoing today.”
It was unclear when or over what time period a surrender may have occurred or how many forces were still defending Mariupol.
Russian state television broadcast footage that it said was from Mariupol showing dozens of men in camouflage walking with their hands up and carrying others on stretchers. One man held a white flag.
Mariupol’s capture is critical for Russia because it would put a swath of territory in its control that would allow its forces in the south, who came up through the annexed Crimean Peninsula, to link up with troops in the eastern Donbas region, Ukraine’s industrial heartland and the target of the coming offensive.
Moscow-backed separatists have been battling Ukraine in the Donbas since 2014, the same year Russia seized Crimea. Russia has recognized the independenceof the rebel regions in the Donbas.
But the loss of the Moskva could set those efforts back.
Satellite photos from Planet Labs PBC show the Moskva steaming out of the port of Sevastopol on the Crimean Peninsula on Sunday.
Maksym Marchenko, the governor of the Odesa region, across the Black Sea to the northwest of Sevastopol, said the Ukrainians struck the ship with two Neptune missiles and caused “serious damage.”
Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to Ukraine’s president, then said the ship sank, calling it an event of “colossal significance.” In a video posted by Operation Command South of Ukraine’s military, an official said poor weather and explosions “overturned the cruiser and it began to sink.”
Yuriy Sak, an advisor to Ukraine’s defense minister, later said he was unable to confirm that the ship was sunk or even hit by Ukrainian forces. He said he was aware of the comments by other Ukrainian officials but “could neither confirm nor deny” what happened.
He told The Associated Press that the warship was capable of launching 16 long-range cruise missiles.
“If or when this is confirmed, if it is confirmed, we can only have a sigh of relief because this means that fewer missiles will reach Ukrainian cities,” he said.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said ammunition on board detonated as a result of a fire, without saying what caused the blaze. It later said the ship was afloat and would be towed in for repairs. It said its “main missile weapons” were not damaged. In addition to the cruise missiles, the warship also had air-defense missiles and other guns.
The Neptune is an anti-ship missile that was recently developed by Ukraine and based on an earlier Soviet design. The launchers are mounted on trucks stationed near the coast, and, according to the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, the missiles can hit targets up to 280 kilometers (175 miles) away.
The U.S. was not able to confirm Ukraine’s claims of striking the warship, U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Thursday. Still, he called it “a big blow to Russia.”
“They’ve had to kind of choose between two stories: One story is that it was just incompetence, and the other was that they came under attack, and neither is a particular the good outcome for them,” Sullivan told the Economic Club of Washington.
The Moskva was reportedly the warship that called on Ukrainian soldiers stationed on Snake Island in the Black Sea to surrender in a standoff in the war’s early days. In an audio widely circulated online, the soldier responds: “Russian warship, go (expletive) yourself.”
The AP could not independently verify the incident, but Ukraine and its supporters consider it an iconic moment of defiance, and the country recently unveiled a postage stamp commemorating it.
Russia invaded on Feb. 24 with the goal, according to Western officials, of rapidly seizing Kyiv, toppling the government and installing a Moscow-friendly replacement. But the ground advance stalled in the face of strong Ukrainian resistance with the help of Western arms, and Russia has lost potentially thousands of fighters. The conflict has killed untold numbers of Ukrainian civilians and forced millions more to flee.
A U.N. task force warned that the war threatens to devastate the economies of many developing countriesthat are facing even higher food and energy costs and increasingly difficult financial conditions. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the war is “supercharging” a crisis in food, energy and finance in poorer countries that were already struggling to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and a lack of access to funding.
The war has also unsettled the post-Cold War balance in Europe — and particularly worried countries on NATO’s eastern flank that fear they could next come under attack.
The presidents of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia traveled Wednesday to war-ravaged areas in Ukraine and demanded accountability for what they called war crimes. They met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and visited Borodyanka, one of the towns near Kyiv where evidence of atrocities was found after Russian troops withdrew.
“There are no doubts that they committed war crimes. And for that, they should be accountable,” Latvian President Egils Levits said.
Nauseda of Lithuania called for tougher sanctions, including against Russian oil and gas shipments and all the country’s banks.
In his nightly address, Zelenskyy noted that the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court visited the Kyiv suburb of Bucha, which was controlled by Russian forces until recently and where evidence of mass killings and more than 400 bodies were found.
“It is inevitable that the Russian troops will be held responsible. We will drag everyone to a tribunal, and not only for what was done in Bucha,” Zelenskyy said late Wednesday.
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Associated Press journalists around the world contributed to this report.
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Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine | https://www.wane.com/news/neighbors-back-ukraine-demand-accountability-for-war-crimes/ | 2022-04-14T14:26:38 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/neighbors-back-ukraine-demand-accountability-for-war-crimes/ |
LAS VEGAS, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PlayAGS, Incorporated (NYSE: AGS) ("AGS" or the "Company") today announced it will release its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022 after the market close on Thursday, May 5, 2022. The Company will host an investor conference call and live webcast the same day at 5 p.m. EDT to further discuss its first quarter 2022 financial performance and current business outlook.
The Company encourages participants to pre-register for the conference call by using the following link: AGS Q1 2022 Earnings Call. Callers who pre-register will be given a conference passcode and unique PIN to gain immediate access to the call and bypass the live operator. Participants may pre-register at any time, including up to the call start time.
To pre-register, please click here: AGS Q1 2022 Earnings Call
Investor Conference Call
Thursday, May 5, 2022
5 p.m. EDT/ 2 p.m. PDT
Those unable to pre-register may participate by calling:
U.S. Participants: +1 (844) 200-6205 or +1 (646) 904-5544
International Participants: +1 (929) 526-1599
Conference Access Code: 536847
Webcast
To access the live webcast of the call, please visit the Company's website at http://investors.playags.com and click on "Events". A replay of the webcast will be available approximately one hour after the webcast and will be archived on the Company's website for 30 days.
About AGS
AGS is a global company focused on creating a diverse mix of entertaining gaming experiences for every kind of player. Our roots are firmly planted in the Class II Native American gaming market, but our customer-centric culture and growth have helped us branch out to become a leading all-inclusive commercial gaming supplier. Powered by high-performing Class II and Class III slot products, an expansive table products portfolio, highly rated social casino solutions for players and operators, and best-in-class service, we offer an unmatched value proposition for our casino partners. Learn more at www.playags.com.
©2022 PlayAGS, Inc. All Rights Reserved. All® notices signify marks registered in the United States. All ™ and ℠ notices signify unregistered trademarks.
Forward-Looking and Cautionary Language
This press release contains, and oral statements made from time to time by our representatives may contain, forward-looking statements based on management's current expectations and projections, which are intended to qualify for the safe harbor of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements include statements identified by words such as "believe," "will," "may," "might," "likely," "expect," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "seeks," "estimates," "believes," "continues," "projects" and similar references to future periods, or by the inclusion of forecasts or projections. All forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and projections of future events.
These forward-looking statements reflect the current views, models, and assumptions of AGS, and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that cannot be predicted or qualified and could cause actual results in AGS's performance to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the ability of AGS to maintain strategic alliances, unit placements or installations, grow revenue, garner new market share, secure new licenses in new jurisdictions, successfully develop or place proprietary product, comply with regulations, have its games approved by relevant jurisdictions and other factors set forth under the section entitled "Risk Factors" its annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements made herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements and there can be no assurance that the actual results, events or developments referenced herein will occur or be realized. Readers are cautioned that all forward-looking statements speak only to the facts and circumstances present as of the date of this press release. AGS expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise.
Contact:
Brad Boyer, Senior Vice President Corporate Operations and Investor Relations
bboyer@PlayAGS.com
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SOURCE AGS | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/ags-report-first-quarter-2022-results-thursday-may-5-2022/ | 2022-04-14T14:26:45 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/ags-report-first-quarter-2022-results-thursday-may-5-2022/ |
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — The school closures, stay-at-home mandates and curfews that Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine imposed early in the pandemic still infuriate Donald Trump’s most loyal supporters. His dismissal of the former president’s stolen election lieand criticism that Trump “poured gas on the fire” before the U.S. Capitol riot put him at odds with many GOP voters.
But that may not be enough to topple DeWine in the state’s upcoming May 3 primary.
Despite some notable splits with Trump, he is entering the final stretch of the campaign in a strong position to win the GOP’s nomination for another four-year term. He’s facing challenges from three lesser-known conservatives who could essentially split the far-right faithful, with DeWine potentially emerging as a Republican who crossed Trump’s base and managed to survive.
“Whatever happens in the election happens, but this was a crucial time in our history,” DeWine, 75, said in an interview, referring to his management of the pandemic.
The dynamics harken back to an era when Ohio prized middle-of-the-road candidates, making it a bellwether for presidential elections for decades. But that reputation for moderation eroded under Trump, who won the state in the 2016 and 2020 campaigns. The higher-profile race for an open U.S. Senate seat is perhaps more reflective of Ohio’s rightward shift as candidates have spent months trying to out-Trump one another as they seek his coveted endorsement.
So far, the former president has stayed quiet in the governor’s race, a credit to DeWine’s ability to walk a fine line of expressing support for Trump while also keeping him at a distance. Despite their different approach to the pandemic, which Trump sought to minimize, there was only one hint of a genuine rift between the two men.
That was when DeWine suggested in November 2020 that it was time for Trump to acknowledge that Joe Biden had won the White House. Trump’s response was a tweet wondering who would challenge DeWine in this year’s primary. “Will be hotly contested!” Trump predicted.
Former U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, who served four terms in Congress, was thought to be DeWine’s biggest threat, especially if he could win an endorsement from Trump after getting his backing four years ago in a failed U.S. Senate bid. But some recent polls show Renacci splitting the anti-DeWine vote with Joe Blystone, a farmer who jumped in the race early and built a following in rural Ohio.
Much of the frustration toward DeWine has bubbled up in Republican-dominated rural counties where mask mandates and school shutdowns were met with resistance. Those areas hold the fewest votes yet carry significant weight because Republicans often pile up big enough margins to negate the strong Democratic turnout in the state’s big cities.
“They say in politics people forget things. Down here they haven’t forgotten,” said Dennis Cooper, a member of the Clermont County Republican Party, which overwhelmingly endorsed Renacci over DeWine earlier this year. “It wasn’t just one thing. It was one thing on top of another that made no sense.”
Still, DeWine has a huge fundraising advantage and a network of supporters built from a political career spanning more than 40 years. Both are why more prominent Republicans in the state decided against challenging him even as dissatisfaction grew.
Ryan Stubenrauch, a former DeWine policy adviser who’s now a GOP consultant, thinks the anger is coming from a vocal minority.
“There’s a whole lot of people mad at a lot of things. The last two years have been really rough on people,” he said. “I don’t know if the party has changed or all of our politics have shifted over the last two years.”
One thing that hasn’t changed, he said, is DeWine. “He values life just about over everything,” Stubenrauch said.
He’s an old-school conservative who just months into his first term as governor signed into law what at the time was one of the most stringent abortion restrictionsin the nation.
DeWine has leaned on his pro-life stance to explain why that also includes protecting people from COVID-19. He was widely praised early in 2020 for not downplaying the pandemic when he became the first governor to shut down schools statewide.
But the mood soured among Republicans who quickly tired of mask mandates and health orders that closed many small businesses but allowed large retailers to remain open. They saw him putting in restrictions that ran counter to what they were hearing from Trump and conservative governors such as Ron DeSantis in Florida and South Dakota’s Kristi Noem.
A hostile state Legislature dominated by DeWine’s own party overrode his veto of a bill weakening the governor’s ability to respond to public health emergencies.
Renacci said DeWine prioritized “fear over freedom.”
Some conservatives have vowed never to vote for DeWine again, according to a handful of county GOP chairs, even if that means sitting out in November.
The winner of the Republican primary will face the Democratic nominee, either former Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley or ex-Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley.
“They’re not going to vote again for someone who has disappointed them and not represented them well,” said Shelby County Republican Chairwoman Theresa Kerg. “I think people are frustrated and tired of just accepting whoever is given to them.”
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Associated Press writer Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report. | https://www.wane.com/news/ohios-gop-governor-aims-to-overcome-anger-in-party-base/ | 2022-04-14T14:26:45 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/ohios-gop-governor-aims-to-overcome-anger-in-party-base/ |
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If you’re planning some spring and summer baking, you’ll be glad to hear that Costco is offering a deal on Kerrygold Pure Irish butter, which is beloved by bakers.
Now through May 8, Costco is selling 2-pound boxes (four 8-ounce bars) of Kerrygold for $7.99, a savings of $3.60 off the regular price of $11.59. You can choose between either unsalted or salted with a limit of three per member. If ordering online, the prices are higher than heading to your local store, so keep that in mind if you’re wanting it for the sale price of $7.99.
Like any warehouse club, you’ll need to have a membership to purchase the butter, so if you don’t already have one, head to Costco’s website and grab one before heading to your local location.
If you’ve never had Irish butter, you should know that it is a bit different than other butters and is the chosen butter for many bakers and pastry chefs.
European butters differ from American butters due to a different level of butterfat. While American butter contains 80% butterfat, European butter has been churned for a longer period of time, giving it an extra 2%.
While 2% might not seem like a big difference, going from 80% to 82% actually changes the flavor and texture of foods made with the butter, as more butterfat means it is more flavorful and spreadable. Bakers will also notice a difference in pastries, as having less water in the butter results in flakier biscuits, croissants and pie crusts.
Once you’re stocked up two (or more) pounds of Kerrygold, you’ll definitely need to get out your favorite pie and croissant recipes — or try some new ones!
If you want to find out if you really can taste the difference between Irish and American butter, try this recipe for Boston cream cupcakes, which use 12 tablespoons of butter in the cupcake batter, plus two more in the pastry cream. Though be warned that you might just taste a whole lot of deliciousness.
You may also want to try these lemon sweet rolls, which call for plenty of butter in the dough and the filling. Because this is a pastry recipe, using Irish butter should result in a flakier crust.
Happy baking!
This story originally appeared on Don't Waste Your Money. Checkout Don't Waste Your Money for product reviews and other great ideas to save and make money. | https://www.wmar2news.com/kerrygold-irish-butter-2-pound-boxes-7-99-costco | 2022-04-14T14:26:50 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/kerrygold-irish-butter-2-pound-boxes-7-99-costco |
Campaign Shines a Light on the Conservation and Rehabilitation of Endangered Sea Turtles and Beach Pollution
- Multi-channel campaign includes broadcast, out-of-home-social and digital elements
- Campaign includes a donation to Sea Turtle, Inc., which will help the organization renovate, expand and modernize their facilities
IRVINE, Calif., April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Kia America has launched a multi-channel marketing campaign for the all-new 2023 Kia Sportage subcompact SUV, the fifth generation of Kia's longest-running nameplate that delivers more of everything for today's savvy, adventurous and eco-conscious consumers. The effort includes broadcast, print, out-of-home and digital components as well as a partnership with Sea Turtle, Inc., a non-profit organization based in South Padre Island, Texas, which is dedicated to the conservation and rehabilitation of the endangered sea turtle population.
The centerpiece of the campaign – a :30-second broadcast spot entitled "Beachcomber" – finds a Sportage X-Pro driver retrieving a drag rake from the SUV's spacious cargo area before connecting it to the vehicle's tow hitch and making multiple passes along the sand collecting trash, plastic bottles and other refuse. As the driver looks out at the crashing waves, scores of sea turtles emerge from the surf and begin making their way up the beach to nest in the sand. A voiceover intones, "Make more good, in the all-new Sportage X-Pro."
"The inspiring message is clear, to live in the world we want to, we all must be a part of making it a better place, and with hybrid and plug-in hybrid capabilities added to the all-new Kia Sportage lineup, we all can make a whole lot of good. With more, you can do more, and turn ambition into action," said Russell Wager, vice president, marketing, Kia America. "Kia's partnership with Sea Turtle, Inc., is the latest under Kia's 'Accelerate The Good' charitable initiative and encourages those inclined to make 'more good' in the world. We are proud to partner with Sea Turtle, Inc., as they strive to save these majestic creatures, and hope this campaign inspires others to become involved in this important work."
"We are grateful for Kia's interest in Sea Turtle, Inc., and the importance of rehabilitating the endangered sea turtle population," said Wendy Knight, chief executive officer, Sea Turtle, Inc. "Last year Sea Turtle, Inc., rescued more than 5,600 sea turtles. Kia's donation allows us to continue our mission and the awareness this partnership brings to the issue will endure for years to come."
Significantly larger, more capable, powerful and targeted to be more fuel efficient, the fifth-generation model debuts a number of Sportage firsts including an available dual panoramic curved digital display. Most Sportage trims will now be assembled in the U.S., alongside the award-winning Telluride, Sorento, and K5 at Kia's manufacturing plant in West Point, Georgia.
Headquartered in Irvine, California, Kia America continues to top automotive quality surveys and is recognized as one of the 100 Best Global Brands. Kia serves as the "Official Automotive Partner" of the NBA and offers a range of gasoline, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electrified vehicles sold through a network of nearly 750 dealers in the U.S., including several cars and SUVs proudly assembled in America.
For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com. To receive custom email notifications for press releases the moment they are published, subscribe at www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert.
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Pfizer said Thursday it wants to expand its COVID-19 booster shots to healthy elementary-age kids.
U.S. health authorities already urge everyone 12 and older to get one booster dose for the best protection against the newest variants — and recently gave the option of a second booster to those 50 and older.
Now Pfizer says new data shows healthy 5- to 11-year-olds could benefit from another kid-sized shot.
In a small study, 140 youngsters who’d already gotten two shots were given a booster six months later, and researchers found the extra shot generally revved up their immune response. But a closer look at 30 of the children found a 36-fold increase in virus-fighting antibodies, levels high enough to fight the super-contagious omicron variant, Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said in a press release.
The data has not been published or vetted by independent experts.
Pfizer tested the kid booster while omicron was surging this winter. While COVID-19 cases now are at much lower levels in the U.S., in recent weeks an even more contagious version of omicron, called BA.2, has become the dominant type locally and around the world.
In the coming days, the companies plan to ask the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to authorize a booster for healthy 5- to 11-year-olds. They also plan to share the data with European and other regulators.
Vaccinations are generally less effective against the omicron variant than earlier versions of the coronavirus — but they do still offer strong protection against severe disease. While COVID-19 is a bigger threat to adults, youngsters can get seriously ill. But regulators will have to decide if healthy elementary-age kids really need a booster, and if so, when.
The Pfizer shots are the only vaccine available to U.S. children. Those ages 5 to 11 receive one-third of the dose given to everyone 12 and older. Just over a quarter in the younger age group have gotten two doses since vaccination opened to them in November, shortly before omicron struck.
The U.S. hasn’t yet allowed vaccinations for children under 5. But certain 5- to 11-year-olds — those with severely weakened immune systems — already are supposed to get three doses, to give that high-risk group a better chance of responding.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | https://www.wane.com/news/pfizer-to-seek-covid-booster-for-healthy-5-to-11-year-olds/ | 2022-04-14T14:26:52 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/pfizer-to-seek-covid-booster-for-healthy-5-to-11-year-olds/ |
BALTIMORE — Baltimore Police have released the name of a three-year-old girl who was found dead inside a burning home Friday evening.
Crews discovered the burnt body of 3-year-old My’royal Bennett in the 4700 block of Vancouver Road, after extinguishing a mattress fire.
On Monday, detectives ruled her death a homicide, but so far no arrests have been made.
MORE: Baltimore Medical Examiner rules homicide for child found dead in Friday evening house fire
The following morning, a construction worker reported a body lying along I-95 by the Cecil and Harford County line.
Turns out the body was that of Danielle Shanae Parnell, 30, who was My'royal's biological mother.
Her death has also been ruled a homicide, but police have not yet revealed the cause of death or any potential motive.
The investigation into the case is ongoing. We will continue working on this story and provide updates as they become available. | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/local-news/baltimore-police-reveal-name-of-three-year-old-girl-murdered-inside-burning-home-friday | 2022-04-14T14:26:56 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/local-news/baltimore-police-reveal-name-of-three-year-old-girl-murdered-inside-burning-home-friday |
NEW YORK (AP) — Frank James posted dozens of videos ranting about race, violence and his struggles with mental illness. One stands out for its relative calm: A silent shot of a packed New York City subway car in which he raises his finger to point out passengers, one by one.
Even as police arrested James on Wednesday in the Brooklyn subway shooting that wounded 10 people, they were still searching for a motive from a flood of details about the 62-year-old Black man’s life.
An erratic work history. Arrests for a string of mostly low-level crimes. A storage locker with more ammo. And hours of rambling, bigoted, profanity-laced videos on his YouTube channel that point to a deep, simmering anger.
“This nation was born in violence, it’s kept alive by violence or the threat thereof, and it’s going to die a violent death,” says James in a video where he takes on the moniker “Prophet of Doom.”
After a 30-hour manhunt, James was arrested without incident after a tipster — thought by police to be James himself — said he could be found near a McDonald’s on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Mayor Eric Adams triumphantly proclaimed “We got him!” Police said their top priority was getting the suspect, now charged with a federal terrorism offense, off the streets as they investigate their biggest unanswered question: Why?
A prime trove of evidence, they said, is his YouTube videos. He seems to have opinions about nearly everything — racism in America, New York City’s new mayor, the state of mental health services, 9/11, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and Black women.
A federal criminal complaint cited one in which James ranted about too many homeless people on the subway and put the blame on New York City’s mayor.
“What are you doing, brother?” he said in the video posted March 27. “Every car I went to was loaded with homeless people. It was so bad, I couldn’t even stand.”
James then railed about the treatment of Black people in an April 6 video cited in the complaint, saying, “And so the message to me is: I should have gotten a gun, and just started shooting.”
In a video posted a day before the attack, James criticizes crime against Black people and says things would only change if certain people were “stomped, kicked and tortured” out of their “comfort zone.”
Surveillance cameras spotted James entering the subway system turnstiles Tuesday morning, dressed as a maintenance or construction worker in a yellow hard hat and orange working jacket with reflective tape.
Police say fellow riders heard him say only “oops” as he set off one smoke grenade in a crowded subway car as it rolled into a station. He then set off a second smoke grenade and started firing, police said. In the smoke and chaos that ensued, police say James made his getaway by slipping into a train that pulled in across the platform and exited after the first stop.
Left behind at the scene was the gun, extended magazines, a hatchet, detonated and undetonated smoke grenades, a black garbage can, a rolling cart, gasoline and the key to a U-Haul van, police said.
That key led investigators to James, and clues to a life of setbacks and anger as he bounced among factory and maintenance jobs, got fired at least twice, moved among Milwaukee, Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York.
Investigators said James had 12 prior arrests in New York and New Jersey from 1990 to 2007, including for possession of burglary tools, criminal sex act, trespassing, larceny and disorderly conduct.
James had no felony convictions and was not prohibited from purchasing or owning a firearm. Police said the gun used in the attack was legally purchased at an Ohio pawn shop in 2011. A search of James’ Philadelphia storage unit and apartment turned up at least two types of ammunition, including the kind used with an AR-15 assault-style rifle, a taser and a blue smoke cannister.
Police said James was born and raised in New York City. In his videos, he said he finished a machine shop course in 1983 then worked as a gear machinist at Curtiss-Wright, an aerospace manufacturer in New Jersey, until 1991 when he was he was hit by a one-two punch of bad news: He was fired from his job and, soon after, his father — with whom he had lived in New Jersey — died.
Records show James filed a complaint against the aerospace company in federal court, soon after he lost his job, alleging racial discrimination, but it was dismissed a year later by a judge. He says in one video, without offering specifics, that he “couldn’t get any justice for what I went through.”
A spokesperson for Curtiss-Wright didn’t immediately respond to a call seeking comment.
James describes going in and out of several mental health facilities, including two in the Bronx borough of New York City in the 1970s.
“Mr. Mayor, let me say to you I’m a victim of your mental health program in New York City,” James says in a video earlier this year, adding he is “full of hate, full anger and bitterness.”
James says he later was a patient at Bridgeway House, a mental health facility in New Jersey, although that could not be immediately confirmed. Messages left with the facility were not returned.
“My goal at Bridgeway in 1997 was to get off Social Security and go back to f—— work,” he says in a video, adding that he enrolled in a college and took a course in computer-aided design and manufacturing.
James says he eventually got a job at telecommunications giant Lucent Technologies in Parsippany, New Jersey, but says he ended up getting fired and returned to Bridgeway House, this time not as a patient but as an employee on the maintenance staff. A message seeking comment was sent to Lucent Technologies.
“I just want to work. I want to be a person that’s productive,” he said.
Touches of that earnest, struggling man showed up after James’ parked car was hit in Milwaukee. Eugene Yarbrough, pastor of Mt. Zion Wings of Glory Church of God in Christ next door to James’ apartment, said James was impressed that the pastor owned up to hitting the car. Neither James nor anyone else was there to see the accident. And James called him up to say so.
“I just couldn’t believe it would be him,” Yarbrough said. “But who knows what people will do?”
___
AP reporters Michael Balsamo in Washington, Deepti Hajela in New York, Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia, Todd Richmond in Madison, Wisconsin, and Carrie Antlfinger in Milwaukee contributed to this report.
___
On Twitter, follow Bernard Condon at twitter.com/bernardfcondon, Michael Sisak at twitter.com/mikesisak and Michael Kunzelman at twitter.com/Kunzelman75 and send confidential news tips by visiting https://www.ap.org/tips/. | https://www.wane.com/news/police-search-for-motive-in-brooklyn-subway-suspects-videos/ | 2022-04-14T14:26:59 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/police-search-for-motive-in-brooklyn-subway-suspects-videos/ |
(numbers are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated)
VANCOUVER, BC, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - American Hotel Income Properties REIT LP ("AHIP") (TSX: HOT.UN, HOT.U, and HOT.DB.V) announces a U.S. dollar cash distribution of $0.015 per limited partnership unit ("Unit") for April 2022, which is equivalent to U.S. dollar $0.18 per Unit on an annualized basis. The distribution will be paid on May 16, 2022 to unitholders of record at the close of business on April 29, 2022.
AHIP intends to pay cash distributions on or about the 15th day of each month to the unitholders of record on the last business day of the preceding month.
American Hotel Income Properties REIT LP (TSX: HOT.UN, TSX: HOT.U, TSX: HOT.DB.V), or AHIP, is a limited partnership formed to invest in hotel real estate properties across the United States. AHIP's premium branded, select-service hotels are located in secondary metropolitan markets that benefit from diverse and typically stable demand. AHIP's hotels operate under brands affiliated with Marriott, Hilton, IHG and Choice Hotels through license agreements. The Company's long-term objectives are to build on its proven track record of successful investment, deliver monthly U.S. dollar denominated distributions to unitholders, and generate value through the continued growth of its diversified hotel portfolio. More information is available at www.ahipreit.com.
Certain statements in this news release may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws (also known as forward-looking statements). Forward looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, and it may cause actual results, performance or achievements or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements or industry results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information generally can be identified by the use of terms and phrases such as "anticipate", "believe", "could", "estimate", "expect", "feel", "intend", "may", "plan", "predict", "project", "subject to", "will", "would", and similar terms and phrases, including references to assumptions. Some of the specific forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: the payment of the March 2022 distribution; AHIP's intention to pay cash distributions on or about the 15th day of each month to the unitholders of record on the last trading day of the preceding month; and AHIP's stated long-term objectives.
Forward-looking information is based on a number of key expectations and assumptions made by AHIP, which management believe to be reasonable, including, without limitation: AHIP's new distribution policy will be sustainable; AHIP will not be prevented from paying distributions under the terms of its senior credit facility or investor rights agreement or any other agreement; AHIP's business will perform consistent with AHIP's expectations; and AHIP will achieve its long term objectives.
Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties and should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results as actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Those risks and uncertainties include, among other things, monthly cash distributions are not guaranteed and remain subject to the approval of Board of Directors and may be reduced, deferred or suspended at any time at the discretion of the Board; the payment of distributions by AHIP to its unitholders is subject to the satisfaction of certain financial covenants under AHIP's senior credit facility and AHIP's investor rights agreement limits the payment of distributions by AHIP in certain circumstances. Additional information about risks and uncertainties is contained in AHIP's MD&A dated March 8, 2022 and annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2020, copies of which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
The forward-looking information contained herein is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. Management believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are based upon reasonable assumptions and information currently available; however, management can give no assurance that actual results will be consistent with the forward-looking information contained herein. The forward-looking information is made as of the date of this news release and AHIP assumes no obligation to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by applicable law.
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SOURCE American Hotel Income Properties REIT LP | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/american-hotel-income-properties-reit-lp-announces-april-2022-us-dollar-cash-distribution/ | 2022-04-14T14:26:58 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/american-hotel-income-properties-reit-lp-announces-april-2022-us-dollar-cash-distribution/ |
BALTIMORE — Baltimore Police have officially ruled the disappearance of 22-year-old Akia Eggleston, a homicide.
The news comes more than two-months after detectives arrested Michael Robertson in Michigan, in connection with the case.
It was May 3, 2017 when Eggleston was last seen or heard from.
She was last spotted on surveillance camera stopping at a bank near the Inner Harbor in downtown Baltimore.
Her friends and family became concerned when she didn't show up for her own baby shower four days later.
RELATED: Arrest made in the case of Akia Eggleston, a pregnant Baltimore woman missing since 2017
Eggleston was eight months pregnant with her second child, at the time she went missing. Prosecutors say Robertson was the father of the unborn child, but had also been seeing another woman who he recently had a child with.
Cell phone records suggest Robertson was the last person with Eggleston near her home in Cherry Hill, the night she went missing.
Her body has never been found, and how she died remains unclear. | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/local-news/bpd-akia-egglestons-disappearance-officially-ruled-homicide | 2022-04-14T14:27:02 | 0 | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/local-news/bpd-akia-egglestons-disappearance-officially-ruled-homicide |
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica to mark Holy Thursday, hours before he was expected at an Italian prison to perform a foot-washing ritual for a dozen inmates in a gesture of humility.
Attending the Mass were some 1,800 priests. Francis in his homily advised priests not to focus on worldly concerns such as power, planning and bureaucracy. He exhorted them to “serve, with a clear conscience, the holy and faithful people of God.”
Francis made no reference to decades of scandals involving priests who sexually abused children and were often transferred from parish to parish by bishops who tried to avoid embarrassment rather than protect minors.
In the afternoon, the 85-year-old Francis is expected at a prison in Civitavecchia, a port town 80 kilometers (50 miles) northwest of Rome, for the foot-washing ceremony which recalls Jesus’ gesture of humility for his apostles.
Francis has made paying attention to those on society’s margins — including refugees, migrants and people in prisons — a hallmark of his papacy. On Holy Thursday in past years, he has gone to prisons in or near Rome.
This year finds him struggling with mobility issues. Francis suffers pain from a knee ligament problem and for years has been plagued by sciatica, a nerve inflammation affecting the legs and back.
During the Holy Thursday Mass, large urns of oil are blessed for use in ceremonies in churches in the Rome area. When Francis went to bless the oil by breathing into it, an aide helped him rise from his chair and walk toward the silver urn. At the end of the ceremony, Francis descended the steps down from the altar clinging to an aide’s arm, and even while assisted limped his way out of the basilica.
Holy Week, which draws hundreds of thousands of faithful to the Vatican, began with Palm Sunday Mass on April 10 in St. Peter’s Square.
This year, the Good Friday torch-lit Way of the Cross procession returns to its traditional venue at the ancient Colosseum after a two-year absence due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Vatican has invited a Russian woman and a Ukrainian woman, who work together at a Rome hospital, to carry a cross together during the procession. That has angered some Ukrainians, including Ukraine’s ambassador to the Holy See and the archbishop of Kyiv. Their objections center on whether such a gesture, implying reconciliation, is suitable, given Russia’s invasion of its neighbor Ukraine and ongoing war against the country’s people.
The Vatican is still going ahead with the procession’s lineup of participants, who take turns carrying a lightweight cross during the procession, which is presided over by the pontiff and recalls Jesus’ death by crucifixion.
Holy Week culminates on Easter Sunday. | https://www.wane.com/news/pope-marks-holy-thursday-ahead-of-prison-feet-washing-ritual/ | 2022-04-14T14:27:06 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/pope-marks-holy-thursday-ahead-of-prison-feet-washing-ritual/ |
President Joe Biden visits North Carolina Thursday afternoon to pitch the America Competes Act in the battleground state he narrowly lost in 2020.
Biden is scheduled to speak at 2:15 p.m. ET from North Carolina A&T in Greensboro. His address follows a tour of the university’s Harold L. Martin Sr. Engineering Research and Innovation Complex.
According to the White House, Biden will highlight provisions of the act key to retaining and strengthening the United States’ innovation and manufacturing capacity, as well as investing in STEM education and equity.
The House and Senate have been working on separate versions of the bill.
The America Competes Act, the Senate’s version of the bill, passed last month by a 68-28 margin, garnering the support of 18 Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Much of the bill is aimed at research and development as an attempt to quell reported shortages of semiconductors.
North Carolina’s two Republican senators split their vote, with Sen. Rich Burr voting against while Sen. Thom Tillis voted in favor.
According to the Congressional Budget Office, the America Competes Act allocates at least $335 billion over the 2022-2031 period, mainly for provisions that involve research and manufacturing in the United States.
The bill also provides funding for wireless supply chain innovation and authorizes various programs and policies related to space exploration. Notably, the bill also prohibits federal funding for the Wuhan Institute of Virology and imposes sanctions on China for cybersecurity and human rights abuses.
The legislation now goes to a conference committee comprised of House and Senate members. | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national-politics/president-biden-pitches-america-competes-act-in-north-carolina | 2022-04-14T14:27:08 | 0 | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national-politics/president-biden-pitches-america-competes-act-in-north-carolina |
Edith Cooper and Robert Kaiden join Away's Board as the company capitalizes on travel industry resurgence
NEW YORK, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Travel lifestyle brand Away today announced the addition of Edith Cooper and Robert Kaiden to the company's Board of Directors. This announcement comes as Away has taken important steps to build out its leadership team in order to advance its long-term strategic growth plan.
"It's an honor to have Edith and Robert join Away's Board of Directors. Edith is a groundbreaking and empathetic leader, who is also an expert in fostering genuine human connections and scaling communities. Robert is a thoughtful and passionate financial executive whose expertise, analytical skills, and business acumen will be an invaluable asset to Away," said Jen Rubio, Away CEO and Co-Founder. "We are thrilled to work with these leaders as we seek to capitalize on the current momentum in the business and leverage the tremendous growth opportunities ahead."
As key players in business, consumer, and technology industries, Cooper and Kaiden each bring unique perspective and experience to the Board as the company works to reach its key objectives. Cooper is the co-founder of Medley, a membership-based community for personal and professional growth, and was formerly a Partner and Global Head of Human Capital for Goldman Sachs. Kaiden worked at Deloitte for twenty-six years, where he served as audit partner, and is currently the Chief Accounting Officer at Twitter, Inc. Joining Away's dynamic Board of Directors, both Cooper and Kaiden will contribute a fresh outlook to the organization's operations and evaluation of its long-term goals. Their addition to the Board will be a meaningful input to ongoing growth in the business.
The Board announcement comes as the company bolsters its overall leadership team with the addition of five new executives over the past twelve months, including Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Digital Officer, Chief Operations Officer, Chief Commercial Officer, and the appointment of Jen Rubio as CEO of Away last May.
Looking forward, Away is prepared for a year of accelerated strategic growth, as it continues a dynamic rebound from the pandemic. Since as early as the second half of 2020, Away's key business metrics have significantly outperformed initial pandemic recovery estimates, with online and in-store conversion rates eclipsing that of pre-pandemic levels and continuing to accelerate quarter over quarter. High buyer intent and pent-up travel demand continue to fuel Away's growth, and the company has initiated foundational investments in key areas informed by evolving consumer trends as a result of shifting travel behaviors.
About Edith Cooper
Edith Cooper, who also serves on the Boards of Amazon and PepsiCo, was the first Black woman to become a partner at Goldman Sachs and is a co-founder of Medley, a new membership-based community for personal and professional growth. Cooper earned an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges.
About Robert Kaiden
Robert Kaiden has served as the Chief Accounting Officer at Twitter for over six years. Prior to joining the social media platform, he worked for Deloitte & Touche for 26 years. He holds an MBA from The Wharton School, as well as an MS in Accounting from the University of Hartford, and a Bachelor's Degree from Hamilton College.
About Away
Away is a travel lifestyle brand with a mission to transform travel through products and content that inspire people to get away more. The company launched in 2016 with one perfectly designed carry-on and has since expanded to offer an array of luggage and travel essentials built for the modern traveler. Headquartered in New York City, with teams in London and Toronto, Away currently ships products to countries and travelers all around the world. Away has been named one of Fast Company's "World's Most Innovative Companies" and has been recognized on TIME's list of "Best Inventions." To learn more, visit awaytravel.com.
Media Contact
Away
Yasmin Shahida
Sr. Manager Communications
press@awaytravel.com
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SOURCE Away | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/away-adds-former-goldman-sachs-exec-twitter-chief-accounting-officer-board-directors/ | 2022-04-14T14:27:06 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/away-adds-former-goldman-sachs-exec-twitter-chief-accounting-officer-board-directors/ |
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — A delegation of six U.S. lawmakers led by Republican Lindsey Graham from South Carolina arrived in Taiwan on Thursday for a two-day visit that has already been denounced by China.
The U.S. lawmakers are to meet with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and the island’s defense minister. The visit is “again a demonstration of the U.S.’s ‘rock solid’ support and commitment to Taiwan” amid a “severe” situation in Ukraine, the island’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Graham is joined by Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey, Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, Sen. Robert Portman of Ohio, Sen. Benjamin Sasse of Nebraska, and Representative Ronny Jackson of Texas.
The visit follows an announcement last week that U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi would visit Taiwan. However, Pelosi’s trip was postponed after she tested positive for COVID-19.
In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian denounced the visit on Thursday, saying “China is firmly opposed to any form of official exchanges between the U.S. and Taiwan.”
Taiwan is a self-ruled island claimed by China as part of its territory. China’s People’s Liberation Army sends fighter jets flying toward the island on a near-daily basis.
“Relevant U.S. lawmakers should abide by the one-China policy upheld by the U.S. government. The U.S. should … stop official contacts with Taiwan, and avoid going further down the dangerous path,” Zhao said at a daily briefing.
“We will continue to take strong measures to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Zhao said. | https://www.wane.com/news/senior-us-lawmakers-arrive-in-taiwan-for-visit/ | 2022-04-14T14:27:13 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/senior-us-lawmakers-arrive-in-taiwan-for-visit/ |
PHILADELPHIA — In the City of Brotherly Love this week, residents are experiencing a blast from the recent past: masks are back in Philadelphia’s indoor spaces.
Cases there jumped by 50%, prompting the city to reinstitute its indoor mask mandate - the first major city to do so.
"If we wait to find out to put our masks back on, we'll have lost our chance to stop this wave,” said Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole.
According to The New York Times COVID tracker, cases are up 8% across the country in the past two weeks, but are trending higher in the Northeast: Vermont - up 46%, New York – up 63%, New Jersey – up 76% and Rhode Island – up 107%.
Meanwhile, the federal mask mandate on public transportation – like planes or trains – was set to expire next week, but has now been extended two weeks because of the uptick.
“There's a high population density and it's still fairly cold. So, people aren't outside as often as they could be in other parts of the country,” said Dr. Jessica Holzer, an assistant professor at the University of New Haven, who specializes in public health. “So, all of those things could be contributing to it.”
Dr. Holzer said that much like in the early days of the pandemic, the Northeast could be a canary in a coalmine of what awaits the rest of the country when it comes to COVID-19 cases.
“People from the Northeast will travel for spring break or something else: visiting family for Easter weekend,” she said. “All those sorts of things might absolutely affect case rates across the rest of the country.”
She said there is one thing that could prevent that: wearing a high-quality mask.
“Wearing a mask really does effectively cut down the spread,” Dr. Holzer said.
However, a new Axios-Ipsos survey finds that Americans are over it. The survey’s results show most believe the pandemic is no longer a crisis, with 75% calling it a ‘manageable problem.’ At the same time, 16% of those surveyed said it’s ‘no longer a problem’ at all.
“There's a baseline fatigue that we are dealing with for sure, but it's also worth recognizing that the more we focus on that fatigue, the more that fatigue presents itself to us,” Dr. Holzer said.
She added that fatigue will also make it harder for public health officials to manage any future COVID surges.
“But I believe that high-quality public health decision-making will say that, at a certain point, once case rates get high enough, once test positivity gets high enough, it's time to reinstate that mask policy for population well-being,” Dr. Holzer said.
It is a potential move that could put Americans’ COVID exhaustion to the test. | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national/as-covid-19-cases-rise-mask-mandates-could-face-public-fatigue | 2022-04-14T14:27:14 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national/as-covid-19-cases-rise-mask-mandates-could-face-public-fatigue |
Founder and CEO Jeff Chapman Named Vice Chairman of the Board
WASHINGTON, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Babel Street, a leading open-source intelligence SaaS company using AI-enabled analytics to transform the world's data into knowledge, today announced that Michael Southworth has joined the company as Chief Executive Officer. Southworth succeeds Babel Street founder and CEO Jeff Chapman, who will assume a new role of Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors. The company also announced that Brian Daum has joined the company as Chief Financial Officer.
Founded in 2009, Babel Street provides real-time situational awareness and intelligence on global topics of interest. The company's software platform allows its customers to collect, analyze, monitor, and report on publicly and commercially available information, and incorporate it into the overall intelligence cycle and common operational picture.
"I am proud to have served as CEO over the last decade, leading a dedicated team that has turned a mere idea into an industry-leading software company," said Jeff Chapman, founder and vice chairman of Babel Street's Board of Directors. "We have supported the missions of [hundreds] of organizations in the U.S. and internationally, helping them make the world safer and more prosperous. I am confident in this next generation of leadership at Babel Street and want to extend a warm welcome to Michael and Brian. Both share a genuine passion for serving customers and employees and have a proven track record of scaling software companies. I look forward to working with them in my new role as Vice Chairman."
"I'm excited to join Babel Street to advance the great work that our open-source intelligence experts have led, providing value through new insights and perspectives to customers," said Michael Southworth, CEO of Babel Street. "I also want to thank Jeff for his leadership and vision in building Babel Street into the category leader it is today. I am grateful for the opportunity to work closely with Jeff, the rest of the management team and our talented employees as we continue to support the missions of organizations throughout the world."
Michael Southworth has more than 20 years of experience building and growing software and analytics companies focused on digital transformation. As CEO, he will oversee the acceleration of Babel Street's growth, building on the company's legacy of providing crucial insights and innovative solutions that help ensure the success of customers' missions. Prior to joining Babel Street, Southworth served as President of TRANSFLO, a leading provider of SaaS-based engagement and payment solutions, where he led the company's business transformation and growth strategy. He previously led Verint Systems' AI and automation business and held executive roles with Contact Solutions, Corning Incorporated and MobileAccess Networks.
"The team at Babel Street has a market-leading reputation and I am eager to roll up my sleeves and get started," said Brian Daum, CFO of Babel Street. "I am thrilled to partner with Michael as we work together to move the company forward, building off of Jeff's success thus far."
Brian Daum's two-decade career has focused on maximizing value for shareholders in growth-stage software and technology companies, overseeing financial operations and managing the organic growth of SaaS organizations that will be instrumental in the success of Babel Street moving forward. He joins Babel Street from BlackSky, a leading geospatial intelligence SaaS business, where he led the company through its NYSE initial public offering. Prior to BlackSky, Daum served in CFO and COO positions at multiple technology companies, including MotionSoft, Savi Technology and Centrifuge Systems.
About Babel Street
Babel Street is the world's leading AI-enabled data-to-knowledge company. The company's technology allows customers to rapidly discover and decipher the insights they need to empower their missions, regardless of origin, language or platform. Babel Street's patented analytics software transforms the most relevant insights for our customers through AI-enabled, cross-lingual, conceptual and persistent search of information from around the world. State-of-the-art linguistics technology deciphers actionable insights from public or commercial data sources unbound by origin or language. With Babel Street, governments and organizations empower their teams with critical and timely insights on a single pane of glass for immediate analysis, action, and mission success. Babel Street software serves as a force multiplier for customers to uncover threats and opportunities – known and unknown, foreign or domestic, physical or cyber – and make the world a safer, more prosperous place. Babel Street is headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area, with offices in London, Canberra and Ottawa. For more information, visit www.babelstreet.com.
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SOURCE Babel Street | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/babel-street-announces-new-chief-executive-officer-chief-financial-officer/ | 2022-04-14T14:27:15 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/babel-street-announces-new-chief-executive-officer-chief-financial-officer/ |
FLORENCE, Italy — As Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, many Americans, both near and far, continue to lend a helping hand to refugees fleeing the country.
The list includes Stefanie Grassley, who called Springville home for 18 years before heading off to school at BYU.
Life has taken Grassley to many places, including Italy. She, her husband and two children moved to Tuscany back in 2018 after buying Castelo de Ristonchi.
Grassley said the 1,000-year-old castle has been mainly used to host events, weddings and even corporate retreats. But that all changed after the crisis in Ukraine.
"I just don't have the ability to look away, like I can't see someone struggling," said Grassley.
Grassley said she originally reached out to one of her Ukrainian friends, who had gotten married at the castle, looking for ways to help.
"When I put the information out on the website, Shelter for Ukrainians, then I was so nervous like, 'how am I going to pull this off?'" Grassley remembered.
She said her first family arrived on March 14 and they've had up to 50 Ukrainian refugees staying there at one time. Right now, Grassley said they have about 35 refugees, most being women and children as young as a year old.
Anna Vasyleska fled her home in Dnipro and is staying at the castle.
"This situation, I could not imagine a better place for us," said Vasyleska.
Vasyleska, her mom, sister and five-year-old niece have been staying at the castle for the past two weeks.
"We have all these other families from Ukraine and you know, we gather for dinners and we tried to cook some stuff for everyone and we make big tables and we have a chance to just sit down and talk and share our feelings," said Vasyleska.
Grassley got emotional when talking about some of the stories she's heard and pictures she has seen from the refugees staying at the castle.
"I've been on the verge of tears for, just, constantly because it is such a beautiful thing that they can come here and be safe and be together and build a community," said Grassley.
Grassley says she has had help along the way, from receiving donations and the local community.
"They started bringing up carloads of food and the local store brought up boxes of fresh produce," added Grassley.
The local community has also donated clothes, toys and even services, like English and Italian classes, yoga, hiking and more. Grassley said she's grateful to be able to help the refugees in their time of need.
"When I saw what was happening and like how can I help, what do I have to offer?" asked Grassley. "And I have rooms, I have space for people and a lot of people don't have that."
Grassley added they will continue to host families until the beginning of May.
You can follow updates on Castelo de Ristonchi's Instagram account @thecreatorscastle .
Grassley is looking for donations to help keep their doors open to the refugees that are currently in Italy, and more who may want to seek asylum. Anyone who can help can reach out to Grassley on her Instagram page.
Donations that are needed:
- Food and water for the refugees
- Heating in the guest rooms (the old castle is very expensive to heat)
- Laundry and cleaning supplies
- Baby supplies (diapers, baby food, etc)
- Electricity/utilities
- Transportation/gas
This story was first reported by Chris Arnold at KSTU in Salt Lake City, Utah. | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national/russia-ukraine-conflict/american-family-opens-doors-to-italian-castle-for-ukrainian-refugees | 2022-04-14T14:27:21 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national/russia-ukraine-conflict/american-family-opens-doors-to-italian-castle-for-ukrainian-refugees |
BERLIN (AP) — A man who allegedly launched a grenade into a crowd of civilians waiting for food in Damascus in 2014, killing at least seven people, has been charged in Germany with war crimes and murder, prosecutors said Thursday.
The stateless man, identified only as Moafak D. in line with German privacy rules, was a member of the Free Palestine Movement, one of the groups that at the time controlled the Yarmouk district of the Syrian capital on behalf of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government, federal prosecutors said in a statement.
They said that, on March 23, 2014, the suspect launched a grenade from an anti-tank weapon into a crowd in the district’s Rejeh Square who were waiting for food aid from UNRWA, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees. At least seven people were killed and three wounded, including a 6-year-old child.
The Yarmouk district, which grew out of a Palestinian refugee camp, was cordoned off by the Syrian government from July 2013 to April 2015, causing shortages of food, water and medical supplies.
The suspect was arrested in Berlin on Aug. 4. Prosecutors didn’t say how or when he came to Germany. He has been charged at a regional court in the German capital with war crimes, seven counts of murder, three of attempted murder and three of bodily harm.
Germany’s application of the rule of “universal jurisdiction,” allowing the prosecution of serious crimes committed abroad, led in January to the first conviction of a senior Syrian official for crimes against humanity.
The Berlin court will now have to decide whether to bring Moafak D.’s case to trial. | https://www.wane.com/news/suspect-in-syria-killings-faces-german-war-crimes-charges/ | 2022-04-14T14:27:20 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/suspect-in-syria-killings-faces-german-war-crimes-charges/ |
BATON ROUGE, La., April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, BBQGuys, the leading e-commerce retailer for grilling and outdoor living products, revealed their 2022 "Best Of" List. Their annual list includes the current ultimate selections of the best Pellet Grill, Kamado Grill, Charcoal Grill, Pizza Oven, Camping Grill, Outdoor Refrigerator, Patio Heater, Outdoor Furniture, BBQ Thermometer, Grilling Accessory, and beyond on the site.
BBQGuys handpick every product on their site based on quality, performance, and features. For the 2022 "Best Of" list, the specific product selections were curated by the BBQGuys team of experts with customers in mind – giving them the "best of the best" in one collective place. The list is intended to help customers kick off the BBQ season properly and make finding outdoor living products for the Spring/Summer as simple as possible.
BBQGuys' very own Product and Grilling Expert, Chef Tony Matassa was a key contributor to putting together the list. "Spring has sprung, and BBQ season is right around the corner!" mentioned Chef Tony. "We're so excited to bring our customers the 'Best Of' 2022 list. We developed this list with thought and care to make every shoppers' selection 10x easier on our site."
See the full 2022 list here: Best Grills, Smokers, & Outdoor Living Products 2022: BBQGuys
With an impressive 20-year track record, BBQGuys offers a comprehensive consumer experience, combining deep subject matter expertise, tailored fulfillment capabilities, a content engine that stokes enthusiast passions and a national dealer network supported by an on-the-ground, high-touch sales force.
About BBQGuys:
From grills and outdoor living products to full outdoor kitchen designs, homeowners and professional builders alike trust BBQGuys®. We believe the grill isn't just a natural gathering place; it's the backyard centerpiece for learning, sharing, and celebrating with good food and even better company. After starting as a cozy family store in 1998, we've dedicated ourselves to offering friendly advice, our favorite barbecue gear, and sharing every hosting trick we know. Our nationwide neighborhood counts over one million happy hosts — and it's growing by the day. Ready to swing by? We'll be waving from BBQGuys.com.
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SOURCE BBQGuys | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/bbqguys-releases-their-best-bbq-grills-outdoor-kitchens-more-2022/ | 2022-04-14T14:27:23 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/bbqguys-releases-their-best-bbq-grills-outdoor-kitchens-more-2022/ |
Rescued pulled a puppy out from the debris in Ukraine after an attack in the region of Donbas.
Video shows rescuers digging through a pile of rubble until they’re able to find the dog.
The puppy and its 77-year-old owner “narrowly escaped death,” official adviser Anton Gerashchenko said in a tweet.
Both the owner and the dog received medical care.
The National Police of Ukraine said that both the dog and the owner are doing well. | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national/russia-ukraine-conflict/dog-rescued-from-rubble-after-attack-in-ukraine | 2022-04-14T14:27:27 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national/russia-ukraine-conflict/dog-rescued-from-rubble-after-attack-in-ukraine |
Interviews for 14th Organization Development Cohort Currently Underway
LISLE, Ill., April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The award-winning Organization Development Ph.D. program at Benedictine University, among the first of its kind nationally, is celebrating its 25th Anniversary this April with two new events themed: "Organization Development in a Post COVID-19 World."
Benedictine's OD Ph.D. program, founded and still directed by Dr. Peter Sorensen, a globally recognized organization development (OD) pioneer, has successfully staged 13 cohorts with more than 250 graduates. They are currently interviewing candidates for the startup of their 14th OD Ph.D. Cohort for August 2022.
Upcoming Special Events
With the common theme "Organization Development in a Post COVID-19 World," both upcoming events will examine how organization development principles help organizations manage a constantly changing business climate exacerbated by COVID-19:
- On Friday, April 22, from 7-9 p.m. Benedictine will celebrate the Ph.D. program's anniversary with a by-invitation only reception at the Goodwin College of Business at Benedictine's Lisle, IL campus. Speakers will include Sorensen and Benedictine University Provost Dr. Kenneth Newbold. While the in-person program is by invitation only, all presentations including a question-answer session can be viewed by the public via Zoom. To view/participate, register here www.ben.edu/OD25.
- On Saturday, April 23, from 10 to 11 a.m., Benedictine will host a pre-recorded presentation by industry legend David L. Cooperrider, Case Western Reserve University. A Ph.D. alumni facilitated discussion will immediately follow his presentation. To view/participate, register here www.ben.edu/OD25.
"Organization development remains relevant over time because the program helps manage change and change is a constant," said Sorensen. "Our program teaches professionals to drive change, lead business, develop employees, and encourage high performance in an environment where industries are always reinventing themselves. This has never been more important than today amid a global pandemic."
Benedictine's Ph.D. in Organization Development, with more than 50 years of successful graduate level education, is one of the largest behaviorally oriented management programs in the nation and one of the top-rated graduate OD programs globally.
Benedictine University is in Lisle, Illinois, just 25 miles west of Chicago, and has a branch campus in Mesa, Arizona. Founded as a Catholic university in 1887, Benedictine enrolls nearly 5,000 students in undergraduate and graduate programs.
Media contact: Steve Singerman, 312-771-8509, ssingerman@paulgregorymedia.com
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SOURCE Benedictine University | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/benedictine-universitys-organization-development-phd-program-celebrates-25-year-anniversary/ | 2022-04-14T14:27:29 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/benedictine-universitys-organization-development-phd-program-celebrates-25-year-anniversary/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans are deeply divided over how much children in K-12 schools should be taught about racism and sexuality, according to a new poll released as Republicans across the country aim to make parental involvement in education a central campaign theme this election year.
Overall, Americans lean slightly toward expanding — not cutting back — discussions of racism and sexuality, but roughly 4 in 10 say the current approach is about right, including similar percentages across party lines. Still, the poll from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows stark differences between Republicans and Democrats who want to see schools make adjustments.
About 4 in 10 Republicans say teachers in local public schools discuss issues related to sexuality too much, while only about 1 in 10 say too little. Among Democrats, those numbers are reversed.
The findings reflect a sharply politicized national debate that has consumed local school boards and, increasingly, state capitols. Republicans see the fight over school curriculum as a winning culture war issue that will motivate their voters in the midterm elections.
In the meantime, a flurry of new state laws has been introduced, meant to curtail teaching about racism and sexuality and to establish a “parents’ bill of rights” that would champion curriculum transparency and allow parents to file complaints against teachers.
The push for legislation grew out of an elevated focus on K-12 schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, when angry parents crowded school board meetings to voice opposition to school closures, mask mandates and other restrictive measures intended to prevent the spread of illness.
“All that that’s happening these days kind of goes against the longer history of school boards being relatively low salience government institutions and, in a lot of cases, they are nonpartisan offices,” said Adam Zelizer, a professor at the University of Chicago Harris School researching school board legislation.
What distinguishes this moment, Zelizer said, is the “grassroots anger” in response to school policies and the national, coordinated effort to recruit partisan candidates for school boards and local offices.
What started as parents’ concern about virtual learning and mask wearing has morphed into something larger, said Republican pollster Robert Blizzard, describing parents as thinking: “OK, now that we have the schools open, what are these kids learning in school?”
The poll shows 50% of Americans say parents have too little influence on curriculum, while 20% say they have too much and 27% say it’s about right. About half also say teachers have too little influence.
Kendra Schultz said she and her husband have decided their 1-year-old daughter will be homeschooled, at least initially, because of what friends have told them about their experiences with schools in Columbia, Missouri.
Most recently, she said, one 4-year-old’s pre-K class talked about gender pronouns. Schultz offered that and mask requirements as examples of how the public school system “doesn’t align with what we believe or how we would like to see our children educated.”
“I’m just like, you’re a little kid, you should be learning your ABCs and your numbers and things like that,” said Schultz, a 30-year-old conservative. “That’s just not something that me and my husband would be interested in having teachers share with our children.”
In Florida, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis in March signed into law a bill barring instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. Opponents, including the White House, have dubbed it the “Don’t Say Gay” law.
The poll shows Americans are slightly more likely to say the focus on sex and sexuality in local schools is too little rather than too much, 31% to 23%, but 40% say it’s about right. The poll didn’t ask about specific grade levels.
Blizzard, who has been working with a group called N2 America to help GOP candidates in suburbs, said the schools issue resonates with the Republican base and can motivate voters.
In the Virginia governor’s race last year, Republican Glenn Youngkin won after campaigning on boosting parental involvement in schools and banning critical race theory, an academic framework about systemic racism that has become a catch-all phrase for teaching about race in U.S. history. His Democratic opponent, Terry McAuliffe, had said in a debate that parents shouldn’t tell schools what to teach.
The poll also shows Americans have mixed views about schools’ focus on racism in the U.S.
Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said parents and teachers alike are frustrated after pandemic disruptions and should partner to help kids recover. The efforts to predetermine curriculum and restrict teaching are getting in the way, she said.
“The people who are proposing them, they’ve been pretty clear … they just want to sow doubt and distrust because they want to end public education as we know it,” Weingarten said.
Parents of school-age children aren’t more likely than other adults to say parents have too little influence in schools. But there is a wide partisan gap, with 65% of Republicans saying that, compared with 38% of Democrats.
Michael Henry, a father of three in Dacula, Georgia, says he’s wrestled over what the right level of involvement is. It didn’t sit right with him, for example, that his 6-year-old was taught about Christopher Columbus in an entirely positive light. He says he’s reflected on “some of the lies” and “glorifications of history” in his own public school education and thinks race needs to be talked about more.
But ultimately, school curriculum is “outside my area of expertise,” said Henry, 31, an actuary who is also the acting president of the Gwinnett County Young Democrats.
“I have to do a lot of studying and work to be able to make informed decisions, and I don’t feel like parents generally have that kind of skill set” for curriculum, he said. “I think professionals should mostly be determining what the curriculum should be.”
Henry worries that new restrictions are “adding extra hassle for teachers, who already have a lot on their plate, to solve a problem that doesn’t exist.”
___
AP Education Writer Collin Binkley in Boston contributed to this report.
___
The AP-NORC poll of 1,082 adults was conducted March 17-21 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4 percentage points. | https://www.wane.com/news/talk-of-race-sex-in-schools-divides-americans-ap-norc-poll/ | 2022-04-14T14:27:29 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/talk-of-race-sex-in-schools-divides-americans-ap-norc-poll/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — With his sweeping domestic agenda on hold and images of horror in Ukraine dominating headlines, President Joe Biden is scrounging for ways to demonstrate that he’s still making progress for Americans at a time when many feel the country is heading in the wrong direction.
Six months out from the midterm elections, Biden’s team is betting that smaller, discrete announcements can break through to voters better than talk of transformational plans that are so far only aspirational. And as the global focus is on Ukraine, the White House is eager for Americans to see Biden tackling the kitchen table issues important to them –- none more so than the searing inflation exacerbated by the Russian invasion.
Last week, that meant aides positioned big rigs outside the White House so Biden could talk about efforts to get more truck drivers on the road. A day later, he welcomed back former President Barack Obama for the signing of an executive order updating the Affordable Care Act. And after that, he signed bipartisan legislation intended to safeguard the U.S. Postal Service’s financial future.
This week, he’s notching his heaviest domestic travel in months. On Thursday, he is to visit Greensboro, North Carolina, to highlight his plans to boost domestic supply chains and high-tech workforces. It comes after a Tuesday stop in Iowa to announce that his administration was granting a waiver to allow more ethanol in gasoline year-round, a move that officials estimated would shave 10 cents per gallon off gasoline prices — but at just 2,300 gas stations out of the nation’s more than 100,000.
The White House says the public focus on the war in Ukraine is “understandable” and it’s realistic about the challenges facing Biden in breaking through.
“While the world needs to understand and see how he is leading on the war, the country needs to see how he is continuing to lead on the economy,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday. “Being able to continue to speak to our domestic audience about that is a huge priority. And his schedule tells the story of how much of a priority it is.”
All of the policies Biden is touting will have direct impact on American lives — but they also fall far short of the goals that Biden set for himself when taking office. Taken together, they show how the White House is trying to regain momentum at a time when Biden is under pressure to recalibrate his ambitions.
“I think it makes good strategic sense that, if you’re going to be stymied by Congress, you take matters into your own hands,” said Eric Schultz, a communications official in the Obama White House.
It’s a dynamic that Obama himself confronted, particularly in his second term in office, when he used his executive authority to push forward his agenda as much as possible.
“It’s not a coincidence that this strategy emerged when Republicans threw up their hands and decided they didn’t want to be governing partners,” Schultz said.
Schultz said Democrats need to demonstrate they’re making progress even if they’re not passing the sweeping legislation they promised.
“Did we accomplish everything we wanted to? No,” he said. “But did we roll up our sleeves every day and push the needle forward? Yes.”
While there have been successes, notably the confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to be the first Black woman on the Supreme Court, much of Biden’s agenda remains stalemated — or worse.
Lawmakers are struggling to hash out a bipartisan compromise on legislation that’s intended to help the U.S. compete economically with China. Biden’s sweeping Build Back Better legislation is dead in the water, waiting for Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin to decide what, if anything, he’ll support. Immigration reform, gun control legislation and voting reform have fallen out of the national conversation.
That’s left Biden touting the benefits of infrastructure legislation that passed last year — old bridges slated for replacement are a staple of his domestic travels — and looking for other, small policies that can be advanced.
Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said smaller initiatives are only going to help if they “lay the groundwork for passing much bigger policies.”
“Singles are fine if they’re a prelude to a grand slam,” he said, adding that Democrats face “a motivation challenge” ahead of the midterms. “Democrats are not going to get people to the polls with a lot of singles.”
William Galston, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said Biden is trying to make the most of a difficult situation.
“He’s doing what he can now that some of his grander plans have been sidetracked,” he said.
Galston recalled a similar strategy when he worked on domestic policy for President Bill Clinton. Before the midterms in 1994, the White House worked on “running up the score” with policy proposals that were less controversial.
“It was just what happened when the White House conceded defeat on its central agenda item,” which was health care reform for Clinton.
“Those smaller victories made absolutely no difference in the midterms. The fact that they were below the radar screen was good news for passing legislation, but bad news for their political effectiveness,” he said. For Biden, “that’s likely to be the case this time, too.” | https://www.wane.com/news/thinking-small-biden-scrounges-for-ways-to-break-through/ | 2022-04-14T14:27:36 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/thinking-small-biden-scrounges-for-ways-to-break-through/ |
The tech-driven 'eatertainment' experience will open first Ohio location in 2022
DALLAS, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BigShots Golf®, ClubCorp's tech-driven entertainment and culinary experience offering fun for all ages and skill levels, plans to open a new facility at the renowned Firestone Country Club in fall 2022.
BigShots Golf Firestone, the seventh location nationwide, will begin construction this month. The 22,500‐square‐foot cutting‐edge golf, dining and entertainment venue will replace Hackers Bar & Grill and be open to the public. The venue will include a two-story tee-line with 44 interactive tee boxes and operate year-round, alongside Raymond C. Firestone Public 9 Golf Course.
BigShots Golf Firestone marks the first free-standing outdoor location that is connected to one of the clubs in the ClubCorp portfolio, demonstrating the company's continued commitment to diversifying the game by making it accessible to more people.
"BigShots Golf Firestone will bring a new level of entertainment and dining to Akron," said ClubCorp CEO David Pillsbury. "As golf continues to grow in popularity as a social, entertainment and sports endeavor, people are joining and experiencing the game in new, non-intimidating environments. BigShots Golf is leading the way with innovative technology, elevated dining and fun for the whole family."
BigShots Golf features cutting-edge technology powered by TrackMan Range and can be enjoyed by players of all ages and skill levels. Avid golfers can play full rounds on virtual golf courses all over the world, while beginner players, families and children can take part in interactive games such as Knockout and Pinball.
The entertainment experience will include a private event space, outdoor patio and an elevated sports bar serving a menu of local favorites, signature cocktails and craft beer.
"Bringing BigShots Golf to a legendary and iconic location like Firestone Country Club is game-changing for the golf entertainment industry, as we continue to create experiences that remove the friction that can accompany introduction to this great game," said BigShots Golf Chief Operating Officer TJ Schier. "Our concept is rooted in golf, but our passion is centered around creating exceptional experiences that bring people together through our innovative gameplay, elevated sports bar and unexpected events for the whole family. Having this location connected to Firestone Country Club allows us to transition beginners who find a passion for the game to the fairways of courses where the best in the game, like Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, have triumphed."
BigShots Golf is open in Vero Beach, Florida; Fort Worth, Texas; Springfield, Missouri; Northwick Park, UK; and Bryan, Texas. Locations are currently under development in St. George, Utah, opening spring 2022; and Naples, Florida, opening Q1 2023.
About BigShots Golf®
Majority-owned by ClubCorp, BigShots Golf® is a tech‐driven entertainment and culinary experience offering fun for all ages and skill levels. Venues offer approachable virtual golf games and entertainment activities, elevated food including shareable bites and family‐style options, signature cocktails, craft beer and wine. The indoor and outdoor lounge seating, sports bars, mini golf, outdoor patios and private event spaces create the ideal atmosphere to hang out with families and friends. Players can compete in their own hitting bays, with other players at the same venue or in real time with players at other BigShots Golf locations through Live Play. More information is available at BigShotsGolf.com or follow on Facebook and Instagram for updates at @BigShotsGolf.
About Firestone Country Club
Considered one of the most revered sites in professional golf – and now open to non-members through stay-and-play experiences – Firestone Country Club has welcomed legends of the game for decades. Its flagship layout, the South Course, was originally designed by Bert Way in 1929 and considerably revamped by Robert Trent Jones in 1960. The South has hosted numerous PGA Championships, World Golf Championships and is the current site of the Bridgestone SENIOR PLAYERS Championship. The club's other two championship-level courses are the venerable North Course, a Robert Trent Jones design and past site of professional tournaments, and the Fazio Course, a links-style Tom Fazio design that hosts the Ohio Senior Open. The world-class facility also boasts the Raymond C. Firestone Public 9, a well-manicured short course suitable for all golfers.
Firestone recently completed updates to many of its amenities and on-site accommodations. The club also added a fitness center adjacent to its famed men's locker room for members and guests, and La Vetta, an Italian chophouse that wonderfully pairs exquisite cuts of meats with fine wines and spirits. More information is available at FirestoneCountryClub.com.
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SOURCE BigShots Golf | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/bigshots-golf-coming-firestone-country-club-akron/ | 2022-04-14T14:27:36 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/bigshots-golf-coming-firestone-country-club-akron/ |
CHANDLER, Okla. (KFOR) – A man is recovering at a hospital in Oklahoma City after he was mauled by a pack of wild dogs Wednesday.
“The worst thing I’ve ever seen,” said Lincoln County Sheriff Charlie Dougherty. “As far as a dog injury.”
The 65-year-old man was on a morning walk along a rural stretch of road in Chandler when he was attacked by the wild dogs.
“The dogs come out and get him down and go mauling him,” said Dougherty. “Looks like he’d been out there quite a while. They’d ripped all his clothes off.”
The recently retired man lay on the dirt road for hours with open wounds until a passerby called 911 and reported finding a body. The man was later found to be alive and was flown to OU Health in Oklahoma City to undergo surgery.
“He received injuries pretty much all over his body, with the exception of maybe his neck,” said the sheriff.
Dougherty said the pack of wild dogs came from a marijuana grow operation sandwiching the street. Early in March, deputies and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics busted the grow for selling bud — the smokable part of a cannabis plant — on the “black market” and out of state. The operation had been licensed with the state.
“I don’t know if these dogs was supposed to protect the grow or if they’re just mean dogs altogether,” said Dougherty.
Two of the dogs were caught and taken to a local veterinary clinic. So far, it’s unclear if they’ll be put down.
“The investigators will be looking at trying to bring charges against somebody for some type of restitution for medical and different ones,” said the sheriff. “If you’re going to own dogs, you got to take care of them. You got to be responsible.”
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office has been getting calls about more wild dogs in the area. If you know where they are, call the sheriff’s office so deputies can capture them. | https://www.wane.com/news/top-picks/ripped-all-his-clothes-off-wild-dogs-maul-65-year-old-man/ | 2022-04-14T14:27:42 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/top-picks/ripped-all-his-clothes-off-wild-dogs-maul-65-year-old-man/ |
SINGAPORE, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Binance, the global blockchain ecosystem behind the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, today announced that its Director of Sanctions Compliance Chagri Poyraz has been promoted to Global Head of Sanctions since joining in early January. In his current position, he is responsible for ensuring all Binance meets and maintains full sanctions compliance globally as well as building robust sanctions control frameworks similar to traditional banks.
Poyraz has over 17 years of experience in compliance, strategy, intergovernmental liaison and risk management. This includes designing sophisticated techniques and programs to prevent, detect and report sanctions evasion attempts and money laundering schemes, notably in the traditional financial sector.
Before Binance, Poyraz led the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Sanctions programs at South Korea's largest online marketplace Coupang, as well as third-party risk management, onboarding, know your customer (KYC), customer due diligence (CDD), enhanced due diligence (EDD), third party screening and sanctions compliance. He also built their financial crime compliance program, and developed the necessary risk controls for the company's listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
At HSBC, Poyraz was responsible for maintaining its sanctions program, adhering and observing sanctions imposed by the United Nations, European Union, United States, Canada and United Kingdom, acting as the risk steward for sanctions. His remit included regulatory engagement, enterprise-wide risk assessments and overseeing fulfillment of a deferred prosecution agreement.
With the global compliance team continuing to grow its leadership and team to strengthen responsiveness to dynamically changing and developing regulatory environments. He hopes to continue bringing his former experience at traditional financial institutions to this new and growing industry.
"Global security takes a concerted effort. For more than a decade I have been strategizing collaborative programs that can effectively navigate complex sanctions regimes. Digital assets hold great potential and its adoption means we must come together to ensure resiliency against old and new threats. I am proud to join and contribute my experience to an organization that is setting industry compliance standards and my goal is to apply and transform my experiences in the traditional financial sector to the future of finance...blockchain," said Poyraz.
Poyraz started his career in Brussels advocating for global security and human rights, working with various European Parliament committees and delegations. He was a Permanent Representative for the United Nations Economic and Social Council in Geneva, publicizing reports and resolutions, particularly in relation to conflict resolution and participated in working groups in coordination with United Nations AML and anti-terrorist financing investigative teams.
Poyraz is a member of the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists and the Association of Certified Sanctions Specialists. He holds a B.A. degree in global studies from Vancouver Island University in British Columbia, Canada, and also studied computer engineering and information science.
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SOURCE Binance | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/binance-announces-former-coupang-head-anti-money-laundering-sanctions-compliance-chagri-poyraz-global-head-sanctions/ | 2022-04-14T14:27:43 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/binance-announces-former-coupang-head-anti-money-laundering-sanctions-compliance-chagri-poyraz-global-head-sanctions/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans are deeply divided over how much children in K-12 schools should be taught about racism and sexuality, according to a new poll released as Republicans across the country aim to make parental involvement in education a central campaign theme this election year.
Overall, Americans lean slightly toward expanding — not cutting back — discussions of racism and sexuality, but roughly 4 in 10 say the current approach is about right, including similar percentages across party lines.
Still, the poll from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows stark differences between Republicans and Democrats who want to see schools make adjustments.
About 4 in 10 Republicans say teachers in local public schools discuss issues related to sexuality too much, while only about 1 in 10 say too little. Among Democrats, those numbers are reversed.
The findings reflect a sharply politicized national debate that has consumed local school boards and, increasingly, state capitols. Republicans see the fight over school curriculum as a winning culture war issue that will motivate their voters in the midterm elections.
In the meantime, a flurry of new state laws has been introduced, meant to curtail teaching about racism and sexuality and to establish a “parents’ bill of rights” that would champion curriculum transparency and allow parents to file complaints against teachers.
The push for legislation grew out of an elevated focus on K-12 schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, when angry parents crowded school board meetings to voice opposition to school closures, mask mandates and other restrictive measures intended to prevent the spread of illness.
“All that that’s happening these days kind of goes against the longer history of school boards being relatively low salience government institutions and, in a lot of cases, they are nonpartisan offices,” said Adam Zelizer, a professor at the University of Chicago Harris School researching school board legislation.
What distinguishes this moment, Zelizer said, is the “grassroots anger” in response to school policies and the national, coordinated effort to recruit partisan candidates for school boards and local offices.
What started as parents’ concern about virtual learning and mask-wearing has morphed into something larger, said Republican pollster Robert Blizzard, describing parents as thinking: “OK, now that we have the schools open, what are these kids learning in school?”
The poll shows 50% of Americans say parents have too little influence on curriculum, while 20% say they have too much and 27% say it’s about right. About half also say teachers have too little influence.
Kendra Schultz said she and her husband have decided their 1-year-old daughter will be homeschooled, at least initially, because of what friends have told them about their experiences with schools in Columbia, Missouri.
Most recently, she said, one 4-year-old’s pre-K class talked about gender pronouns. Schultz offered that and mask requirements as examples of how the public school system “doesn’t align with what we believe or how we would like to see our children educated.”
“I’m just like, you’re a little kid, you should be learning your ABCs and your numbers and things like that,” said Schultz, a 30-year-old conservative. “That’s just not something that me and my husband would be interested in having teachers share with our children.”
In Florida, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis in March signed into law a bill barring instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. Opponents, including the White House, have dubbed it the “Don’t Say Gay” law.
The poll shows Americans are slightly more likely to say the focus on sex and sexuality in local schools is too little rather than too much, 31% to 23%, but 40% say it’s about right. The poll didn’t ask about specific grade levels.
Blizzard, who has been working with a group called N2 America to help GOP candidates in suburbs, said the schools issue resonates with the Republican base and can motivate voters.
In the Virginia governor’s race last year, Republican Glenn Youngkin won after campaigning on boosting parental involvement in schools and banning critical race theory, an academic framework about systemic racism that has become a catch-all phrase for teaching about race in U.S. history. His Democratic opponent, Terry McAuliffe, had said in a debate that parents shouldn’t tell schools what to teach.
The poll also shows Americans have mixed views about schools’ focus on racism in the U.S.
Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said parents and teachers alike are frustrated after pandemic disruptions and should partner to help kids recover. The efforts to predetermine curriculum and restrict teaching are getting in the way, she said.
“The people who are proposing them, they’ve been pretty clear … they just want to sow doubt and distrust because they want to end public education as we know it,” Weingarten said.
Parents of school-age children aren’t more likely than other adults to say parents have too little influence in schools. But there is a wide partisan gap, with 65% of Republicans saying that, compared with 38% of Democrats.
Michael Henry, a father of three in Dacula, Georgia, says he’s wrestled over what the right level of involvement is. It didn’t sit right with him, for example, that his 6-year-old was taught about Christopher Columbus in an entirely positive light. He says he’s reflected on “some of the lies” and “glorifications of history” in his own public school education and thinks race needs to be talked about more.
But ultimately, school curriculum is “outside my area of expertise,” said Henry, 31, an actuary who is also the acting president of the Gwinnett County Young Democrats.
“I have to do a lot of studying and work to be able to make informed decisions, and I don’t feel like parents generally have that kind of skill set” for curriculum, he said. “I think professionals should mostly be determining what the curriculum should be.”
Henry worries that new restrictions are “adding extra hassle for teachers, who already have a lot on their plate, to solve a problem that doesn’t exist.” | https://www.wane.com/news/top-picks/sex-race-lessons-in-schools-divide-americans-poll-finds/ | 2022-04-14T14:27:48 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/top-picks/sex-race-lessons-in-schools-divide-americans-poll-finds/ |
World's first provider of fully-managed, affordable XDR service includes zero-trust data security
FORT MYERS, Fla., April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Blueshift Cybersecurity™, a burgeoning startup that delivers full-service XDR (Extended Detection & Response) protection to small and medium-sized businesses, today announced a $6.0 million seed funding round from leading investors, including WestWave Capital and CyberJunction.
"Blueshift XDR™ employs advanced automation to deliver enterprise-grade protection affordably to small and medium-sized businesses – an underserved yet enormous market segment," said Chairman and CEO Bradley Rowe. "Our Managed SOC Service further includes fully-managed Zero-Trust data protection through our technology alliance with Cigent® Technology. Zero-Trust data protection is a natural extension of XDR that security-conscious partners and customers should expect and demand."
According to the 2021 Data Breach Investigations Report, 43% of all data breaches involve small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Currently available security solutions do not meet SMB organizations' needs. The technology alliance between Blueshift and Cigent advances the protective cybersecurity umbrella to include managed Zero-Trust data security. This protection level permits organizations to confidently offload cybersecurity responsibilities, while meeting strict compliance mandates, such as CMMC or HIPAA. Blueshift XDR combines fully-managed layered protection, detection, and response capabilities with a highly experienced Security Operations Center (SOC) team.
"Blueshift has greatly automated the management process," said CyberJunction President and Founder Tom DiBenedetto. "This yields a highly efficient SOC that instantaneously identifies and acts on threats while actively protecting sensitive data and other assets."
"It's exciting to see Blueshift expand the definition of XDR protection by adding Zero-Trust," said Warren "Bunny" Weiss, Founder and Partner at WestWave Capital. "Continuous validation of interactions involving sensitive data as part of a larger managed service is transformative."
Blueshift will utilize the seed capital to expand sales, marketing, and channel development efforts, invest further in R&D and operations, and build out its management team.
About Blueshift Cybersecurity
Blueshift XDR™ (Extended Detection and Response) is Blueshift's affordable, highly automated SOC-as-a-Service platform that simplifies compliance initiatives and extends security visibility and management across your entire organization. It seamlessly integrates with all existing devices, data, and systems across the network — such as cloud, IoT, endpoint, server, remote workers, and more. To learn more about Blueshift Cybersecurity and Blueshift XDR, please visit https://www.blueshiftcyber.com/.
About WestWave Capital
WestWave Capital is an early-stage, deep-technology, enterprise-only venture fund that invests primarily in Seed and Series A stage companies, often discovered through our personal and professional networks. Our focus areas include the next generation of SaaS, Analytics, IoT, Security, and Cloud Infrastructure companies that use differentiated technologies such as artificial intelligence as a core element of their offerings.
About CyberJunction
The principles of CyberJunction have been involved in security, business intelligence, and cyber technology internationally for over thirty years. We nurture technology companies in predictive modeling, data analysis, cellular communications, artificial intelligence, voice recognition, and video technologies.
Media Contact:
Alyssa Rinehart
BLASTmedia for Blueshift Cybersecurity
blueshift@blastmedia.com
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LONDON (AP) — Britain’s Conservative government has struck a deal with Rwanda to send some asylum-seekers thousands of miles away to the East African country, a move that opposition politicians and refugee groups condemned as inhumane, unworkable and a waste of public money.
Home Secretary Priti Patel visited the Rwandan capital, Kigali, on Thursday to sign what the two countries called an “economic development partnership.” The plan will see some people who arrive in Britain as stowaways on trucks or in small boats across the English Channel picked up by the U.K. government and flown 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometers) to Rwanda, apparently for good.
Migrants have long used northern France as a launching point to reach Britain, either by hiding on trucks or ferries, or — increasingly since the coronavirus pandemic shut down other routes in 2020 — in dinghies and other small boats organized by smugglers. More than 28,000 people entered the U.K. on small boats last year, up from 8,500 in 2020. Dozens have died, including 27 people in November when a single boat capsized.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said action was needed to stop “vile people smugglers (who) are abusing the vulnerable and turning the Channel into a watery graveyard.”
In a speech near the Channel coast, Johnson said “anyone entering the U.K. illegally … may now be relocated to Rwanda.”
The Rwandan government said the agreement would initially last for five years, and Britain had paid 120 million pounds ($158 million) up front to pay for housing and integrating the migrants.
Rwandan Foreign Affairs Minister Vincent Biruta said the agreement “is about ensuring that people are protected, respected, and empowered to further their own ambitions and settle permanently in Rwanda if they choose.”
He said his country is already home to more than 130,000 refugees from countries including Burundi, Congo, Libya and Pakistan.
Johnson denied that the plan was “lacking in compassion” but acknowledged it would inevitably face legal challenges and would not take effect immediately.
Rwanda is the most densely populated nation in Africa, and competition for land and resources there fueled decades of ethnic and political tensions that culminated in the 1994 genocide in which more than 800,000 ethnic Tutsi and the Hutus who tried to protect them were killed. Human rights groups have repeatedly criticized President Paul Kagame’s current government for being repressive.
Johnson, however, insisted that Rwanda had “totally transformed” in the last two decades.
Britain says relocation decisions will not be based on migrants’ country of origin but on whether they used “illegal or dangerous routes” to reach the U.K. from a safe country such as France. Not all such arrivals will be considered suitable to be sent to Rwanda; it was unclear what the criteria for making the decisions would be.
Previous policies of sending refugee applicants abroad have been highly controversial.
In 2013, Australia began sending asylum-seekers attempting to reach the country by boat to Papua New Guinea and the tiny atoll of Nauru, vowing that none would be allowed to settle in Australia. The policy all but ended the people-smuggling ocean route from Southeast Asia, but was widely criticized as a cruel abrogation of Australia’s international obligations.
Israel sent several thousand people to Rwanda and Uganda under a contentious and secretive “voluntary” scheme between 2014 and 2017. Few are believed to have remained there, with many trying to reach Europe.
Steve Valdez-Symonds, refugee director at Amnesty International U.K., said the British government’s “shockingly ill-conceived idea will go far further in inflicting suffering while wasting huge amounts of public money.”
The chief executive of the U.K.-based Refugee Council, Enver Solomon, called it “dangerous, cruel and inhumane.”
Rwandan opposition figure Victoire Ingabire told the AP that her government’s decision to take in migrants was questionable, given that the country is also a source of refugees.
“Rwanda has consistently ranked (as) one of the world’s safest nations, but at the same time consistently a country where its inhabitants are unhappy,” she said.
The British and French governments have worked for years to stop the cross-Channel journeys, without much success, often swapping accusations about who is to blame for the failure.
Britain’s Conservative government has floated proposals, not all of them workable, including building a wave machine in the Channel to drive boats back. Johnson said Thursday that the Royal Navy would take charge of responding to small-boat crossings, but that the idea of pushing vessels back towards France had been rejected as too dangerous.
Several earlier proposed locations for the U.K. to send migrants to — including the remote Ascension Island, Albania and Gibraltar — were rejected, at times angrily, by the nations in question.
The Rwanda plan faces hurdles both in Britain’s Parliament and in the courts. Johnson’s Conservative government has introduced a tough new immigration bill that would make it more difficult for people who enter the country by unauthorized routes to claim asylum and would allow asylum-seekers to be screened abroad. It has not yet been approved by Parliament, with the House of Lords seeking to dilute some of its most draconian provisions.
Opposition politicians accused the government of trying to distract attention from a scandal overgovernment parties that breached pandemic lockdown rules. Johnson is resisting calls to resign after being fined by police over the parties.
Labour Party lawmaker Lucy Powell said the Rwanda plan might please some Conservative supporters and grab headlines, but was “unworkable, expensive and unethical.”
“I think this is less about dealing with small boats and more about dealing with the prime minister’s own sinking boat,” Powell told the BBC.
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Ignatius Ssuuna in Kigali, Rwanda and Andy Meldrum in Johannesburg, South Africa contributed to this story.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of migration issues at https://apnews.com/hub/migration | https://www.wane.com/news/uk-plan-to-send-asylum-seekers-to-rwanda-draws-criticism/ | 2022-04-14T14:27:54 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/uk-plan-to-send-asylum-seekers-to-rwanda-draws-criticism/ |
- $4.09 million awarded from the U.S. Department of Energy
- Goal to develop a more cost-effective direct current fast charger
- BorgWarner will team up with American-made supplier partners for 36-month project
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BorgWarner, a global product leader in delivering innovative and sustainable mobility solutions for the vehicle market, has received a $4.09 million U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Award to design and develop a cost-effective, advanced direct current fast charger (DCFC). BorgWarner received one of 25 research, development and demonstration projects which aim to advance electrification, reduce vehicle emissions and improve EV charging infrastructure.
BorgWarner will lead the 36-month DCFC project in coordination with US-based suppliers and research partners, including Michigan State University, eTransEnergy, Cityfi, the State of Michigan, and Barton Marlow, in addition to component supplier support from Wolfspeed, Inc. Kickoff of the project is slated for Q1 of 2022.
"As a leader in the electrification field, we are proud to receive this funding to take our current state-of-the-art technology to the next level in order to fit the industry's needs and create a cleaner and more energy-efficient world," said Davide Girelli, President and General Manager, BorgWarner Morse Systems. "We are excited to once again partner with the DOE and collaborate with our project partners to develop the next generation of DCFC technology."
The project's purpose is to develop the next generation DCFC system at a 20-30% cost reduction with increased power density, reduced energy losses, decreased package size and improved reliability. Ultimately, the new technology will enable widespread adoption of similar chargers. BorgWarner and its project partners will be working toward delivering a charger with 10 charge points collectively capable of a total of 350kW. With the flexibility and adaptability of BorgWarner's single stage power conversion and power module architecture, the charger will be able to deliver power to up to five vehicles at a time (with five others plugged in and ready to be charged). Based on project design, the charger will demonstrate product scalability from 150kW to 350kW or greater and will produce output power from single 25kW power modules.
DCFCs allow for charging at a much faster rate than conventional Level 2 alternating current (AC) chargers with the same ease of accessibility. The DC power can be supplied directly to the vehicle's battery, resulting in higher efficiency. Additionally, because DCFCs allow for higher power levels, charging stations can deploy numerous charge points so that multiple vehicles can be charged simultaneously. The unit will be designed to support current EVs, with the flexibility to easily be upgraded to support potential future battery electric vehicles that operate at higher voltages.
"Paired with our longstanding reputation of delivering excellence, BorgWarner has a seasoned team that is ready to tackle the target areas of innovation to make our DCFC goals come to fruition," continued Girelli. "Our single conversion architecture, power module design and packaging, power electronic capabilities and module building block approach will be the factors that ensure a successful project launch for the EV market."
For a complete list of projects selected for this DOE funding opportunity, click here.
About BorgWarner
For more than 130 years, BorgWarner has been a transformative global product leader bringing successful mobility innovation to market. Today, we're accelerating the world's transition to eMobility — to help build a cleaner, healthier, safer future for all.
Forward-Looking Statements: This press release may contain forward-looking statements as contemplated by the 1995 Private Securities Litigation Reform Act that are based on management's current outlook, expectations, estimates and projections. Words such as "anticipates," "believes," "continues," "could," "designed," "effect," "estimates," "evaluates," "expects," "forecasts," "goal," "guidance," "initiative," "intends," "may," "outlook," "plans," "potential," "predicts," "project," "pursue," "seek," "should," "target," "when," "will," "would," and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Further, all statements, other than statements of historical fact contained or incorporated by reference in this press release that we expect or anticipate will or may occur in the future regarding our financial position, business strategy and measures to implement that strategy, including changes to operations, competitive strengths, goals, expansion and growth of our business and operations, plans, references to future success and other such matters, are forward-looking statements. Accounting estimates, such as those described under the heading "Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates" in Item 7 of our most recently-filed Annual Report on Form 10-K ("Form 10-K"), are inherently forward-looking. All forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and analyses made by us in light of our experience and our perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors we believe are appropriate under the circumstances. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance, and the Company's actual results may differ materially from those expressed, projected or implied in or by the forward-looking statements.
You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond our control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed, projected or implied in or by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties, among others, include: supply disruptions impacting us or our customers, such as the current shortage of semiconductor chips that has impacted original equipment manufacturer ("OEM") customers and their suppliers, including us; commodities availability and pricing; competitive challenges from existing and new competitors including OEM customers; the challenges associated with rapidly-changing technologies, particularly as relates to electric vehicles, and our ability to innovate in response; uncertainties regarding the extent and duration of impacts of matters associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, including additional production disruptions; the difficulty in forecasting demand for electric vehicles and our electric vehicles revenue growth; the possibility that the proposed acquisition of Santroll's light vehicle eMotor business will not be consummated; the ability to identify targets and consummate acquisitions on acceptable terms; failure to realize the expected benefits of acquisitions on a timely basis including our recent acquisition of AKASOL AG and our 2020 acquisition of Delphi Technologies PLC; the ability to identify appropriate combustion portfolio businesses for disposition and consummate planned dispositions on acceptable terms; the failure to promptly and effectively integrate acquired businesses; the potential for unknown or inestimable liabilities relating to the acquired businesses; our dependence on automotive and truck production, both of which are highly cyclical and subject to disruptions; our reliance on major OEM customers; fluctuations in interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates; our dependence on information systems; the uncertainty of the global economic environment; the outcome of existing or any future legal proceedings, including litigation with respect to various claims; future changes in laws and regulations, including, by way of example, taxes and tariffs, in the countries in which we operate; impacts from any potential future acquisition or disposition transactions; and the other risks noted in reports that we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Item 1A, "Risk Factors" in our most recently-filed Form 10-K and/or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. We do not undertake any obligation to update or announce publicly any updates to or revisions to any of the forward-looking statements in this press release to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions, circumstances, or assumptions underlying the statements.
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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — A Black man face-down on the ground was fatally shot in the back of the head by a Michigan police officer, the violent climax of a traffic stop, brief foot chase and struggle over a stun gun, according to videos of the April 4 incident.
Patrick Lyoya, 26, was killed outside a house in Grand Rapids. The white officer repeatedly ordered Lyoya to “let go” of his Taser, at one point demanding: “Drop the Taser!”
Citing a need for transparency, the city’s new police chief, Eric Winstrom, on Wednesday released four videos, including critical footage of the shooting recorded by a passenger in Lyoya’s car on that rainy morning.
“I view it as a tragedy. … It was a progression of sadness for me,” said Winstrom, a former high-ranking Chicago police commander who became Grand Rapids chief in March. The city of about 200,000 people is about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Detroit.
Video shows Lyoya running from the officer who stopped him for driving with a license plate that didn’t belong to the vehicle. They struggled in front of several homes while Lyoya’s passenger got out and watched.
Winstrom said the fight over the Taser lasted about 90 seconds. In the final moments, the officer was on top of Lyoya, kneeling on his back at times to subdue him.
“From my view of the video, Taser was deployed twice. Taser did not make contact,” Winstrom told reporters. “And Mr. Lyoya was shot in the head. However, that’s the only information that I have.”
State police are investigating the shooting. Kent County’s chief medical examiner, Dr. Stephen Cohle, said he completed the autopsy but toxicology tests haven’t been finished.
The traffic stop was tense from the start. Video shows Lyoya, a native of the Democratic Republic of Congo, getting out of the car before the officer approached. He ordered Lyoya to get back in the vehicle but the man declined.
The officer asked him if he spoke English and demanded his driver’s license. The foot chase began soon after, video shows.
Winstrom didn’t identify the officer, a seven-year veteran who is on paid leave during the investigation.
“Me being from Chicago for the last 20 years, I’ve handled many police shootings myself, so I do have a lot of experience in this,” the chief said. “I was hoping to never have to utilize that experience here.”
Video was collected from Lyoya’s passenger, the officer’s body-worn camera, the officer’s patrol car and a doorbell camera. Prosecutor Chris Becker, who will decide whether any charges are warranted, objected to the release but said Winstrom could act on his own.
Becker said the public shouldn’t expect a quick decision.
“While the videos released today are an important piece of evidence, they are not all of the evidence,” he said.
The officer’s body-worn camera was turned off before the shooting, which happens when a button is pushed for 3 seconds, Winstrom said. He said it appears it was deactivated unintentionally due to body pressure during the struggle, but he would not discuss any officer statements about it.
“That will come out once the investigation’s complete,” Winstrom said.
City Manager Mark Washington warned that the videos would lead to “expressions of shock, of anger and of pain.” Some downtown businesses boarded up their storefronts, and concrete barricades surrounded police headquarters.
Lyoya had two young daughters and five siblings, said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who spoke to his family.
“He arrived in the United States as a refugee with his family fleeing violence. He had his whole life ahead of him,” Whitmer, a Democrat, said.
Prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump, speaking on behalf of Lyoya’s family, on Wednesday called for the officer in the shooting to be fired and prosecuted.
“The video clearly shows that this was an unnecessary, excessive, and fatal use of force against an unarmed Black man who was confused by the encounter and terrified for his life,” Crump said in a release.
“It should be noted that Patrick never used violence against this officer even though the officer used violence against him in several instances for what was a misdemeanor traffic stop,” he added.
Crump and Lyoya’s family were expected to hold a news conference Thursday afternoon.
More than 100 people marched to Grand Rapids City Hallbefore a City Commission meeting Tuesday night, chanting “Black lives matter” and “No justice, no peace.”
On Wednesday, several hundred protesters gathered outside the Grand Rapids Police Department following the release of the videos, with some cursing and shouting from behind barricades. The group demanded that officials make public the name of the officer in the shooting.
Some businesses cut their hours short Wednesday, closing early. Some boarded up windows. But the demonstration remained nonviolent with protesters demanding justice for Lyoya and other Black lives lost in shootings involving police.
Winstrom last week said he met Lyoya’s father, Peter Lyoya, and that they both cried.
“I get it as a father. … It’s just heart-wrenching,” the chief told WOOD-TV.
As in many U.S. cities, Grand Rapids police have been occasionally criticized over the use of force, particularly against Black people, who make up 18% of the population.
In November, the Michigan Supreme Court heard arguments in a lawsuit over the practice of photographing and fingerprinting people who were never charged with a crime. Grand Rapids said the policy changed in 2015.
A downtown street has been designated Breonna Taylor Way, named for the Black woman and Grand Rapids native who was killed by police in Louisville, Kentucky, during a botched drug raid in 2020.
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White reported from Detroit. AP reporters Corey Williams in West Bloomfield, Michigan; David Eggert in Lansing, Michigan; and John Flesher in Traverse City, Michigan, contributed to this story. | https://www.wane.com/news/video-shows-patrick-lyoya-shot-in-head-by-michigan-officer/ | 2022-04-14T14:28:01 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/video-shows-patrick-lyoya-shot-in-head-by-michigan-officer/ |
GLENDORA, Calif., April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CalPortland proudly announces the conversion of their Mojave cement plant to ADVANCEMENT™ HS, a blended portland-limestone cement. The plant, located in southern California annually produces approximately 1.3 million tons of cement. By switching production from ordinary portland cement to portland-limestone cement, the plant will reduce its carbon emissions by 10% on a per ton basis. This equates to removing 25,411 gasoline-powered vehicles off the road for one year.
"CalPortland continues its commitment to producing sustainable, resilient materials," said CalPortland President/CEO Allen Hamblen. "Portland-limestone cements significantly reduce the amount of CO2 emissions produced during the cement manufacturing process without sacrificing performance. The ADVANCEMENT™ line of products is another key solution to helping CalPortland and our customers, achieve our carbon reduction goals."
The transition from ordinary portland cement to portland-limestone cement supports the Portland Cement Association's Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality, and the industry's overall efforts to address climate change.
About CalPortland
CalPortland Company is a major producer of cement, ready mixed concrete, aggregates, concrete products and asphalt in the western United States and Canada. Founded in 1891, CalPortland remains a leader in the industry through its commitment to quality, safety, customer service, technical excellence and environmental leadership. The company maintains its headquarters in Glendora, California. For more information about CalPortland Company, visit www.calportland.com .
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BOSTON (AP) — A California-based finance company has agreed to pay more than $900,000 to settle allegations that it was illegally leasing dogs in Massachusetts, the state attorney general’s office said.
As part of the agreement entered in Suffolk Superior Court on Wednesday, Monterey Financial Services LLC will stop collecting on active leases, cancel about $700,000 in outstanding consumer debt on the leases, and transfer full ownership of the dogs to Massachusetts residents, authorities said.
The company will also provide $175,000 in restitution to consumers and pay $50,000 to the state.
Leasing dogs is illegal in Massachusetts, and can often be an expensive way to own a pet because of high finance charges, according to the attorney general.
Authorities had alleged that the Oceanside, California, firm violated Massachusetts consumer protection laws by purchasing and collecting on leases for dogs, and also engaging in illegal practices to collect outstanding balances on those leases.
A voicemail seeking comment was left with Monterey.
“Families in Massachusetts looking to get a dog should not be trapped in leasing agreements that are harmful, expensive, and illegal,” Attorney General Maura Healey said in a statement.
Leasing a dog is much like leasing a car, the attorney general’s office said. The consumer must make monthly payments for the duration of the lease, plus an additional payment at the end of the lease to ultimately own the dog. Missed payments can result in the dog being repossessed, the office said.
The attorney general’s office learned of Monterey’s dog leasing practices while it was investigating another financial company, Nevada-based Credova Financial, which agreed to waive more than $126,000 in consumer debt. | https://www.wane.com/news/weird/company-settles-dog-leasing-allegations-for-more-than-900k/ | 2022-04-14T14:28:08 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/weird/company-settles-dog-leasing-allegations-for-more-than-900k/ |
GUANGZHOU, China, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The 131st Canton Fair is open from April 15 to April 24. The Health section at the 131st Canton Fair is fully prepared in the expectation of a plenty of orders, as it attracted much attention from global buyers in the last session. Maggie Pu, Deputy Director General of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Canton Fair, remarked just before the opening of the Fair, that "China has curbed COVID-19 successfully thanks to innovations in the medical sector, and that leads to the uptrend of China's medical export."
As a major producer and exporter of medical products, China has gone through ups and downs in demands of medical protection products since the outbreak of COVID-19. Nudged by the pandemic, China's medical industry, with 20 plus years of accumulation, is heading towards a "Golden Age". High-end medical devices accelerate the pace of import substitution.
Breakthroughs have been witnessed with cutting-edge technologies emerging, including superconducting magnets, electron accelerators and RF/spectrometers. 2-meter PET/CT, third-generation artificial hearts, and high-intensity focused ultrasound therapy systems. The production of cardiac monitors, digital radiography (DR), automated biochemical analyzers and other medical equipment lead the world market. China's intelligent manufacturing of CT, MRI and other medical equipment are sold to over 100 countries. The integration of medical equipment and 5G, big data, artificial intelligence, ultra-high-definition video has accelerated, leading to the rapid development of telemedicine and precision medicine.
Statistics from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology showed that during the 13th Five-Year Plan, the market value of China's medical equipment industry jumped from RMB480 billion in 2015 to RMB840 billion in 2020, an 11.8% CAGR. The industry has formed a product system of over 1100 categories in 22 major categories, covering all aspects of healthcare. Chinese companies account for over 10% of international output. Moreover, medical equipment exports accounted for 54.2% of the total in the medical field in 2021, 1% higher than the previous year, indicating international recognition of China's medical manufacturing.
According to Maggie Pu, the medical industry can best represent a country's comprehensive strength. The sector has always been the highlight of the Canton Fair. The 131st Canton Fair will increase efforts to promote China's medical equipment to achieve faster development, contributing more to fighting against the pandemic.
Visit https://www.cantonfair.org.cn/en-US/register/index#/foreign-email for more opportunities.
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SOURCE Canton Fair | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/canton-fair-2022-technological-innovation-steers-medical-industry-towards-golden-age/ | 2022-04-14T14:28:09 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/canton-fair-2022-technological-innovation-steers-medical-industry-towards-golden-age/ |
CRANFORD, N.J., April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Citius" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: CTXR), a late-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and commercialization of first-in-class critical care products in oncology, anti-infectives in adjunct cancer care, unique prescription products, and stem cell therapies, today announced that it will present at NobleCon18, Noble Capital Markets' 18th Annual Investor Conference being held April 19-21, 2022. Leonard Mazur, Executive Chairman of Citius, will discuss recent business developments and upcoming milestones.
About Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Citius is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and commercialization of first-in-class critical care products, with a focus on oncology, anti-infectives in adjunct cancer care, unique prescription products, and stem cell therapies. The Company has two late-stage product candidates, Mino-Lok®, an antibiotic lock solution for the treatment of patients with catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs), which is currently enrolling patients in a Phase 3 Pivotal superiority trial, and I/ONTAK (E7777), a novel IL-2R immunotherapy for an initial indication in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), which has completed its Pivotal Phase 3 trial. Mino-Lok® was granted Fast Track designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). I/ONTAK has received orphan drug designation by the FDA for the treatment of CTCL and peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). Through its subsidiary, NoveCite, Inc., Citius is developing a novel proprietary mesenchymal stem cell treatment derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) for acute respiratory conditions, with a near-term focus on acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) associated with COVID-19. For more information, please visit www.citiuspharma.com.
Investor Relations for Citius Pharmaceuticals:
Ilanit Allen
Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
T: 908-967-6677 x113
E: ir@citiuspharma.com
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SOURCE Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/citius-pharmaceuticals-present-noblecon18-investor-conference-april-20-2022/ | 2022-04-14T14:28:11 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/citius-pharmaceuticals-present-noblecon18-investor-conference-april-20-2022/ |
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The number of coronavirus cases and deaths in Africa have dropped to their lowest levels since the pandemic began, marking the longest decline yet seen in the disease, according to the World Health Organization.
In a statement on Thursday, the U.N. health agency said COVID-19 infections due to the omicron surge had “tanked” from a peak of more than 308,000 weekly cases to fewer than 20,000 last week. Cases and deaths fell by 29% and 37% respectively in the last week; deaths decreased to 239 from the previous week.
“This low level of infection has not been seen since April 2020 in the early stages of the pandemic in Africa,” WHO said, noting that no country in the region is currently seeing an increase of COVID-19 cases.
The agency warned, however, that with winter approaching for Southern Hemisphere countries, “there is a high risk of another wave of new infections.” The coronavirus spreads more easily in cooler temperatures when people are more likely to gather in larger numbers indoors.
“With the virus still circulating, the risk of new and potentially more deadly variants emerging remains, and the pandemic control measures are pivotal to effective response to a surge in infections,” said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO’s Africa director.
The decline in Africa is consistent with falling COVID-19 numbers globally, although in China officials fear the country still doesn’t have its latest surge in omicron-involved cases under control despite a “zero-tolerance” approach that has triggered a three-week lockdown in Shanghai,where at least 15 million people are still barred from going outside.
The measures have led to frustration among Shanghai residents about running out of food and medicines. This week, government authorities also closed off access to Guangzhou, an industrial center of 19 million people near Hong Kong and other cities are cutting their outside links or closing factories and schools.
Meanwhile, scientists in the U.S. warn the country may be about to see a wave of cases fueled by the omicron subvariant BA.2, which has already peaked across Europe. The country expects to soon mark the deaths of at least 1 million Americans killed by COVID.
Earlier this week, WHO said scientists in Botswana and South Africa have detected new forms of the omicron variant, labeled as BA.4 and BA.5, but aren’t sure yet if they might be more transmissible or dangerous.
To date, the new versions of omicron have been detected in four people in Botswana and 23 people in South Africa. Beyond Africa, scientists have confirmed cases in Belgium, Denmark, Germany and the United Kingdom. WHO said there was so far no evidence the new sub-variants spread any differently than the original omicron variant.
Despite repeated warnings from WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreysus that the coronavirus would devastate Africa, the continent has been among the least affected by the pandemic.
In an analysis released last week, WHO estimated that up to 65% of people in Africa have been infected with the coronavirus and said unlike many other regions, most people infected on the continent didn’t show any symptoms.
Scientists at WHO and elsewhere have speculated that factors including Africa’s young population, the lower incidence of chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes and warmer weather, may have helped it avoid a bigger wave of disease. Still, some countries have seen significant increases in the numbers of unexplained deaths, suggesting authorities were missing numerous COVID-19 cases.
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Follow AP’s coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic | https://www.wane.com/news/who-covid-cases-deaths-in-africa-drop-to-lowest-levels-yet/ | 2022-04-14T14:28:16 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/who-covid-cases-deaths-in-africa-drop-to-lowest-levels-yet/ |
Industry Leading Restaurant Concept Flourishes Amid Rising Brand Awareness
WILMINGTON, N.C., April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Clean Eatz, the nutrition-inspired national restaurant franchise, entered the New Year with the anticipation of 2022 being the brand's most significant year-to-date for system-wide growth. Core to that ambition has been their effort to proliferate brand awareness to a degree and an expanse that the company was yet to undertake. Now, having arrived at the completion of the first quarter, the industry-leading franchise concept is proud to report a success on both marks.
Having started the year with 69 units in operation, the brand's first quarter saw a rate of growth that neared 10 percent after closing out March with 76 locations now up and running. A clear step in the right direction for the Clean Eatz team, who have previously stated their year-end goal as being to have 100 units in existence, as well as an additional 100 in development. As it currently stands, the franchise has over 80 units in development, 10 of those agreements stemming from their work these past few months.
The franchise was able to establish a presence this past quarter in Omaha, NE, Pittsburgh, PA, Austin, TX, Boston, MA and Indianapolis, IN, effectively extending its reach to more consumers than ever and keeping in line with the company's vision of reaching their east coast roots all the way to the nation's western shores in the near future. Clean Eatz currently has plans in development that will see the franchise's first locations take shape in Houston, TX, Daytona Beach, FL, Dayton, OH and Reading, PA as the year progresses.
"It's impossible to have a strong year without a solid start, and the beginning of 2022 was a good one for Clean Eatz. Opening locations across the country not only helps our growth as a brand but it helps everyone begin the journey of prioritizing their health," said Don Varady, Co-Founder of Clean Eatz. "Our goal is to change the lives of our franchisees, and the people that walk into Clean Eatz every day. We further that mission by meeting growth expectations, and it's encouraging to see that 2022 is on the right track."
The restaurant industry has been ripe with challenges this year, impacting both current and new franchisees. Significant supply chain issues, nationwide labor shortages, an exceptionally competitive real estate market, and increasing construction costs have proven to be very real factors combating the brand's previously stated goals for the year. However, the Clean Eatz team has persevered and has been able to provide resources and guidance to its system of franchisees, effectively propelling them forward through these rough waters.
To learn more about joining the health and wellness movement as a franchisee with Clean Eatz, visit https://www.cleaneatz.com/franchise.
ABOUT CLEAN EATZ
Clean Eatz, which launched in 2011 and started franchising in 2015, was co-founded by husband-and-wife duo Don and Evonne Varady, as a means of helping individuals and families change their lives by providing them with better nutrition options, a steady dose of health and wellness education, and a diverse support community that's committed to helping each other in becoming their best selves. By supplying such healthy alternatives, the Clean Eatz brand has continued to win over communities with their dine-in, grab-n-go, catering, marketplace, and weekly online meal plan selections.
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SOURCE Clean Eatz | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/clean-eatz-closes-out-q1-track-record-year-growth/ | 2022-04-14T14:28:18 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/clean-eatz-closes-out-q1-track-record-year-growth/ |
(NEXSTAR) – The Easter bunny will have the light of a full moon to hop by on Saturday as the Pink Moon rises on April 16.
This month’s full moon goes by many names, according to NASA. Native Americans named it the Pink Moon after the herb moss pink – one of the earliest widespread flowers of spring, found throughout the eastern U.S. Herb moss pink itself goes by several names – creeping phlox, moss phlox and mountain phlox.
Other names for the moon include nods to its springtime rise: the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and the Fish Moon.
April’s full moon also has names with religious roots, such as the Pesach or Passover Moon, because Passover begins at sundown the day before, and the Paschal Moon, “from which the date of Easter is calculated,” NASA explains.
“The date of Easter is determined by the moon. Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox,” Kim Mandelkow, director of the Office for Worship with the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, told Nexstar. Saturday’s full moon fits the bill.
Saturday morning, as twilight begins, NASA says four planets will be visible above the east-southeastern horizon: Mars, Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter.
Last year’s Pink Moon was the biggest and brightest of 2021, causing astronomers to dub it a “supermoon.” To reach supermoon status, the moon must be within 90% of perigee, or at one of the closest points to Earth we see.
The next full moon, the Flower Moon, will rise on May 15. Skywatchers will have an extra surprise that day as well – a total lunar eclipse. | https://www.wane.com/weather/full-pink-moon-to-dazzle-the-night-sky-ahead-of-easter/ | 2022-04-14T14:28:23 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/weather/full-pink-moon-to-dazzle-the-night-sky-ahead-of-easter/ |
Reman Day recognizes the high standards and sustainability benefits of the remanufacturing process
SPRINGFIELD, Mo., April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CNH Industrial Reman is excited to join the celebration for Global Remanufacturing Day today, April 14, 2022. Globally, Reman Day is hosted by the Remanufacturing Industries Council and celebrates and advances the remanufacturing industry through manufacturer-hosted events and workforce development initiatives.
"We celebrate Reman Day each year to help educate and raise awareness of remanufacturing industry," said Jamie Collins, director of sales and marketing at CNH Industrial Reman. "At CNH Reman, we are hosting an on-site celebration that includes refreshments and t-shirts for team members. We are also coordinating group photos of CNH employees representing Reman as they celebrate across the globe."
The annual multi-industry holiday celebrates remanufacturing as a rigorous industrial process held to the highest standards.
"There's a misconception that remanufactured parts are just repaired parts, which they are not," said Collins. "In reality, remanufactured parts are virtually indistinguishable from new parts. We're able to take advantage of the hindsight view of understanding the failure modes of parts and we can correct them. This gives end-customers the opportunity to upgrade parts at a lower cost while reducing their liability with an increased warranty."
In addition, Reman Day seeks to increase public awareness of remanufacturing, emphasize the importance of remanufacturing to the circular economy and empower remanufacturers around the world.
"The remanufacturing process allows us to drive longevity into a part by remanufacturing it back to current OEM specifications or greater," said Collins. "By reutilizing the raw materials from the original parts, we are able to lower the cost of ownership of a machine to the end-customer while also contributing to the circular economy. In fact, CNH Reman was able to keep 8.4 million pounds of raw materials out of landfills by remanufacturing parts and components back to OEM specifications in 2021."
Overall, by adhering to the remanufacturing process, CNH Reman can offer cost-effective parts and components that are environmentally sustainable. To learn more about CNH Industrial Reman, visit https://mycnhreman.com/.
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SOURCE CNH Industrial Reman | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/cnh-industrial-reman-celebrates-global-remanufacturing-day-2022/ | 2022-04-14T14:28:24 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/cnh-industrial-reman-celebrates-global-remanufacturing-day-2022/ |
The "Insecure" star's new program, "Amanda Seales' Smart Funny & Black Radio," will air Monday mornings starting on April 18
Joined by co-hosts JeremiahLikeTheBible and Taj Rani, the show will focus on culture, comedy, current events, and more
NEW YORK, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SiriusXM and Laugh Out Loud announced today the launch of Amanda Seales' Smart Funny & Black Radio, a new morning show on Kevin Hart's Laugh Out Loud Radio Channel 96. The weekly program will kick off on Monday, April 18, at 10:00 am ET.
On her new SiriusXM show, Seales and co-hosts Taj Rani and JeremiahLikeTheBible will start off listeners' week on the right foot as they deliver laugh-out-loud conversations, games, celebrity interviews, and a heavy dose of commentary on Black culture and other topical issues. Seales' new radio show comes fresh off the finale of the HBO hit Insecure, where she played the much-buzzed-about role of "Tiffany DuBois."
"I'm beyond excited to have the amazing Amanda Seales join Laugh Out Loud Radio's expanding family, as we continue to deliver a dynamic slate of voices to the channel," said Kevin Hart, Chairman of Laugh Out Loud. "Passionate, unapologetic, brilliant, talented, and most of all funny, her show is going to be a can't-miss experience for our SiriusXM listeners nationwide."
"After so many years away, I'm hella hype to be coming back to radio!" said Amanda Seales. "Smart Funny & Black began as a live show, and since its inception has become so much more. It is a universe all about using comedy to build community, and I couldn't be happier to be bringing that to a new audience at SiriusXM!"
"Amanda can speak to almost any topic, and every time she does it's absolutely hysterical," said Jack Vaughn, SiriusXM's Senior Vice President of Comedy Programming. "We're thrilled to welcome her authentic, refreshing voice back to the SiriusXM family, where Amanda and her co-hosts will keep listeners laughing and thinking. It's the perfect addition to the Laugh Out Loud Radio Channel's amazing line-up."
The new, one-hour radio program marks Seales' return to SiriusXM, where from 2003–2007 she hosted Breakfast at Diva's on Hip Hop Nation. During her tenure she interviewed some of the biggest music icons in the world, including Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, the late DMX, and more. In addition to her role on Insecure, Seales is known for her HBO stand-up special, I Be Knowin, and for her turn as host of the 2020 BET Awards.
Laugh Out Loud Radio features stand-up comedy curated by superstar Kevin Hart, as well as fresh comedic voices and specials from the Laugh Out Loud stand-up catalog. The channel is also home to Hart's bi-weekly talk show with The Plastic Cup Boyz, Straight From The Hart, his one-on-one interview show with fellow comics, Comedy Gold Minds, and more great talk shows hosted by Earthquake, Jasmine "Jazzy" Brown, and Chris and Vanessa Spencer.
SiriusXM is available to subscribers in their car, on their phone and connected devices at home with the SXM App. Streaming access is included with all of our trials and most popular plans. Go to www.siriusxm.com/ways-to-listen to learn more.
More information about the co-hosts:
Amanda Seales is a comedian with a master's degree in African-American studies from Columbia University. Among her many accomplishments, Seales is a former co-host of the daytime talk show, The Real, and also hosted NBC's Bring the Funny and the groundbreaking 2020 BET Awards. In addition, Seales uses her popular Instagram account (1.9+ million followers) and podcast Small Doses to speak truth to change. Always an advocate for Black voices, she founded Smart Funny & Black Productions to produce and create art as edu-tainment across the media landscape by any joke necessary.
Taj Rani is a producer, content creator and host with a decade of experience in the digital media space having worked for brands such as BET, Essence and Red Table Talk, and with talent including Danyel Smith, Janelle Monáe and Amanda Seales. She is currently the producer for Smart Funny & Black Productions. An alumna of Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Taj is passionate about combining her love of pop culture, history and storytelling through the Black lens to ensure that Black stories never are lost or go untold.
JeremiahLikeTheBible is an Atlanta native and Howard University alumnus who's passionate about seeing Black stories represented in media and entertainment. Whether it's songwriting or screenwriting, the creative multi-hyphenate always has something to say.
About Laugh Out Loud
Laugh Out Loud is a comedy brand and multi-platform entertainment company dedicated to keeping the world laughing together. Founded by comedian, actor, and producer Kevin Hart, LOL delivers the best in comedic content and experiences across its multiple divisions—LOL Audio, LOL Network, LOL Studios, and LOLX. From stand-up legends to the next generation of comedic talent, LOL curates comedy's boldest voices to produce original scripted and unscripted series, stand-up specials, radio shows and podcasts, live broadcasts, experiential activations, and more. LOL content is distributed to a diverse, global audience of more than 100 million fans across the LOL OTT Network of FAST Channel partners including Pluto, Peacock, Tubi, Roku, Xumo, Redbox, and more. LOL Audio has access to an additional 100 million listeners via partnerships with SiriusXM, Stitcher, and Pandora. Known for content such as Cold As Balls, What the Fit, Comedy in Color, Die Hart, and more, the company has amassed more than 1 billion video views across its digital platforms, and has worked with brand partners such as AT&T, Headspace, Lyft, Old Spice, P&G, Viacom, and more. Find us online at www.laughoutloud.com or on Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, Twitter, YouTube, and Snapchat via @lolnetwork.
About SiriusXM
Sirius XM Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) is the leading audio entertainment company in North America, and the premier programmer and platform for subscription and digital advertising-supported audio products. SiriusXM's platforms collectively reach approximately 150 million listeners, the largest digital audio audience across paid and free tiers in North America, and deliver music, sports, talk, news, comedy, entertainment and podcasts. Pandora, a subsidiary of SiriusXM, is the largest ad-supported audio entertainment streaming service in the U.S. SiriusXM's subsidiaries Stitcher, Simplecast and AdsWizz make it a leader in podcast hosting, production, distribution, analytics and monetization. The Company's advertising sales arm, SXM Media, leverages its scale, cross-platform sales organization, and ad tech capabilities to deliver results for audio creators and advertisers. SiriusXM, through Sirius XM Canada Holdings, Inc., also offers satellite radio and audio entertainment in Canada. In addition to its audio entertainment businesses, SiriusXM offers connected vehicle services to automakers. For more about SiriusXM, please go to: www.siriusxm.com.
Media contacts:
Danielle Lynn
Danielle.Lynn@siriusxm.com
Chelsea Kaufman
Chelsea.Kaufman@siriusxm.com
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SOURCE Sirius XM Holdings Inc. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/comedian-actress-amanda-seales-host-new-siriusxm-show-kevin-harts-laugh-out-loud-radio-channel/ | 2022-04-14T14:28:31 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/comedian-actress-amanda-seales-host-new-siriusxm-show-kevin-harts-laugh-out-loud-radio-channel/ |
Deal expected to stabilize costs for customers amidst volatile energy market
Expected to Stabilize Costs for Customers Amidst Volatile Energy Market
NEW YORK , April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Convergent Energy + Power (Convergent), a leading provider of energy storage solutions in North America, announced today its plans to provide Massachusetts's municipally-owned utility company Holyoke Gas & Electric (HG&E) with a battery storage system expected to stabilize costs for its customers and further insulate against rising energy prices. Convergent's 5 MW/15 MWh utility-scale battery storage system for HG&E accelerates the clean energy transition through AI-powered energy storage. Convergent will own and operate the battery leveraging its proprietary energy storage intelligence, PEAK IQ®. The battery storage system is projected to come online in Holyoke, MA in 2023.
Energy storage is the linchpin of the clean energy transition because it optimizes renewable energy performance, reduces costs, and increases reliability if deployed and managed intelligently. Convergent's battery storage system for HG&E will dispatch at strategic times, storing energy when it is cheapest and cleanest and discharging energy to displace the most expensive and carbon-intensive periods.
"HG&E is constantly seeking sustainable and innovative energy solutions that will help keep rates stable for our customer base," says Jim Lavelle, HG&E's Manager. "We are excited to add another energy storage system to HG&E's portfolio, in partnership with Convergent Energy + Power."
Convergent has over a decade of expertise in financing, owning, and operating energy storage assets, both for commercial/industrial and utility customers, and is one of the original players in the energy storage sector. The company has over $400M invested in projects in operation or allocated to projects under development across North America.
"By building energy storage in local communities, we can insulate them against rising energy costs as well as increase renewable energy effectiveness across the grid," says Johannes Rittershausen, CEO, Convergent Energy + Power. "We are proud to partner with HG&E, which has shown a deep, ongoing commitment to its community and continues to set a positive example for its peers by deploying innovative solutions."
Convergent's energy storage system will be the third battery storage project for HG&E.
About Convergent Energy + Power
Convergent Energy + Power (Convergent) is a leading provider of energy storage solutions in North America. Convergent has over a decade of experience financing and managing all aspects of the energy storage development cycle to help customers reduce electricity costs and increase reliability. The company's commercial, industrial, and utility-scale assets can yield seven-figure savings while advancing the clean energy transition. Convergent's proprietary asset management platform, PEAK IQ® leverages machine learning and deep market knowledge to optimize asset performance and maximize value. With over $400M invested in projects in operation or allocated to projects under development, Convergent is a leading independent owner and operator of energy storage and solar-plus-storage solutions. For more information, visit convergentep.com or follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter.
About Holyoke Gas & Electric
For over a century, Holyoke Gas & Electric (HG&E) has supplied innovative utility services to customers. HG&E is a municipally-owned utility company, which puts us in the unique position to make decisions based on the needs of the communities we serve, which include Holyoke and Southampton. Every day, your neighbors at HG&E work to make the quality of life for residents better and more affordable, while assisting in business growth and economic development. We are proud to be your neighbors.
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SOURCE Convergent Energy + Power | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/convergent-energy-power-provide-battery-storage-system-holyoke-gas-amp-electric/ | 2022-04-14T14:28:38 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/convergent-energy-power-provide-battery-storage-system-holyoke-gas-amp-electric/ |
FORT COLLINS, Colo., April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of the new iPad Air (5th gen), OtterBox introduces two bold new colors to Symmetry Series 360 Elite case selection, providing sleek, ready-to-go-protection for iPad Air.
Symmetry Series 360 Elite is now available in spring-inspired bright and warm colors, including orange and pink, making a statement anywhere you go. Symmetry Series 360 Elite is also available in cool and classic colors, including blue and gray. This super thin folio-style case features a clear, scratch-resistant back. The versatile folio offers front and back protection for iPad Air, and conveniently folds to be used as a stand for easy viewing or typing.
In addition to trusted OtterBox protection, Symmetry Series 360 Elite is ultra slim and has discrete storage for Apple Pencil to make charging easy. The storage compartment slides out for easy access to Apple Pencil and sits flush when Apple Pencil is not stored.
OtterBox Symmetry Series 360 Elite for iPad Air is available now at Apple retail, on apple.com and otterbox.com.
OtterBox creates bold products that empower connection. From our humble beginnings in a Fort Collins, Colo., garage, we've leveraged more than 20 years of experience to become the No. 1-selling smartphone case brand in the U.S.1 We've also expanded our portfolio of products to include screen protection, power accessories and business-to-business solutions.
At the core of every OtterBox innovation is the goal of giving. Through the OtterCares Foundation, we invest in programs and projects that inspire kids to be entrepreneurs, philanthropists and makers.
Explore more at otterbox.com.
1Source: The NPD Group/ U.S. Retail Tracking Service: Cell Phone Device Protection / Units Sold / Jan. 2017 – Jan. 2021
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SOURCE OtterBox | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/customize-new-ipad-air-with-otterbox-symmetry-series-360-elite/ | 2022-04-14T14:28:51 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/customize-new-ipad-air-with-otterbox-symmetry-series-360-elite/ |
User data to generate revenue opportunities for KamPay users and African continent
NEW YORK, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Data Vault Holdings, Inc., leading the way in tokenomics and metaverse data visualization, valuation, and monetization, today announces a partnership with desktop and mobile app KamPay, which includes a universal currency, wallet, and digital platform to serve the African populace. The collaboration brings opportunities to optimize data sharing across the African continent while safeguarding and securing customers' digital assets.
The 54 countries of Africa, collectively, present a major opportunity to further implement cryptocurrency as an alternative financial solution for the more than 95 million unbanked across the continent. KamPay will help users to overcome challenges such as limited branch coverage, low trust, and lack of accessibility to central banks. In addition to more financial inclusion, KamPay will also help users to monetize personal data.
"The Datavault® platform will build on the complementary capabilities of KamPay in the midst of the mobile platform's rapidly growing digital asset ecosystem. We share with KamPay a vision in providing security and trust through the metaverse and blockchain. We will help the mobile and desktop app users to unlock derivative data within a personal account to transform into data objects for monetization, to be bought, sold, and traded through the Datavault® platform's Information Data Exchange®," says Nathaniel Bradley, co-founder and CEO of Data Vault Holdings.
Datavault® is powered using blockchain technology, meaning the information is protected and ownership is guaranteed. The platform's technology will provide Kampay with the tools to address issues such as digital data security; ownership rights; and data management. Coupled with the KamPay cryptocurrency, data monetization using Datavault's crypto technology will inspire independence, autonomy, and trust through an alternative currency system. The Datavault®-KamPay collaboration will create a foundation for new financial opportunities and growth throughout the African continent.
Additionally, KamPay users can confidently create NFTs using the Datavault® platform to mint unique digital assets from art, GIFs, collectibles, and more. KamPay users can also create income for themselves by donating personal data through surveys.
"KamPay, like Datavault®, has been made possible through blockchain technology, and the immense potential within our partnership sits at the convergence of various highly favorable market trends–increased use of smartphones, growth of African economies, and inadequate banking facilities. KamPay's universal African currency will help to drive the adoption of the Datavault® platform as users recognize the monetary value within data stored within their securitized, private accounts. We are excited at what the future will bring to KamPay's users, the millions of unbanked people throughout African nations, and individual African countries at-large," says Dr. Christopher Cleverly, CEO of KamPay.
Africa is home to some of the world's fastest-growing economies–Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Benin, to name a few. By 2050, the continent's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is estimated to grow from $2.6 trillion today to $29 trillion1,2. The collaboration between Datavault® and KamPay will ensure that data and crypto currency play a significant part in helping to revolutionize data acquisition, financial opportunity, and economic growth throughout African countries.
"With our partnership with KamPay, Datavault® sees our mission coming back full circle. We began our company with the goal of allowing individuals to donate their data to worthy causes of their choosing, and our patented platform empowers KamPay users with the ability to make data donations. We are thrilled at the chance to contribute to the burgeoning economic growth of many African countries, and believe that crypto technology and data monetization through the Datavault® platform will serve as key components of this growth," says Alfred Blair Blaikie III, President and co-founder of Data Donate Technologies.
1: "GDP Of Africa", Statistics Times, https://statisticstimes.com/economy/africa-gdp.php.
2: "The High-Growth Promise Of An Integrated Africa," Brookings Institute, August 2, 2019, https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/the-high-growth-promise-of-an-integrated-africa/.
About Data Vault Holdings Inc.
Data Vault Holdings Inc. is a technology holding company that provides a proprietary, cloud-based platform for the delivery of branded data-backed cryptocurrencies. Data Vault Holdings Inc. provides businesses with the tools to monetize data assets securely over its Information Data Exchange® (IDE). The company is in the process of finalizing the consolidation of its affiliates Data Donate Technologies, Inc., ADIO LLC, and Datavault Inc. as wholly owned subsidiaries under one corporate structure. Learn more about Data Vault Holdings Inc. here.
About KamPay
KamPay entered the cryptocurrency market to be part of an economic revolution that triggers positive changes across the African continent. The company is administered by a multifaceted team that combines efforts and knowledge to revolutionize the way users handle cryptocurrencies and mobile money. Additionally, KamPay offers digital solutions that can be groundbreaking for economies for various African countries, and the overall African GDP. As crypto and mobile adoption grows exponentially, KamPay envisions that its products and services can grow side-by-side with the world's largest growing economy and fulfill the particularities of the crypto market. Learn more about KamPay here.
Company Contact:
Data Vault Holdings Inc.
48 Wall Street, Floor 11
New York, NY 10005
1-844-DATA-400
Media Contact:
Angry Apples Marketing
1-844-GO-ANGRY
hello@goangry.com
www.goangry.com
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SOURCE Data Vault Holdings Inc. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/datavault-monetize-data-kampays-18-million-subscribers-through-international-partnership/ | 2022-04-14T14:28:58 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/datavault-monetize-data-kampays-18-million-subscribers-through-international-partnership/ |
THIEF RIVER FALLS, Minn., April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Digi-Key Electronics, which offers the world's largest selection of electronic components in stock for immediate shipment, will host a live fireside chat titled "Digital Solutions: A Live Fireside Chat" with MacroFab, Inc., on Thursday, April 28, at 3 p.m. CDT.
The virtual event will feature speakers from Digi-Key and MacroFab who will discuss the benefits of using APIs to connect directly with electronic component distributors, as well as an audience Q&A session.
Digital solutions like APIs, EDIs and Punchouts give organizations a competitive advantage in their business by providing access to Digi-Key's data directly in real-time and the ability to perform transactions more efficiently.
The speakers will share about:
- Why adopting a digital solution is worth the time and money
- How to get started with a digital solution
- The real-world benefits of using digital solutions like APIs
"The digital transformation of business is here, and procurement professionals stand to benefit immensely from machine-to-machine connections to help broaden their company's capabilities," said Nathan Pray, manager, digital technology office – B2B at Digi-Key. "We're looking forward to highlighting the real-life ways that Digi-Key's digital solutions are designed to reduce costs and errors, as well as increase efficiency, accuracy and time to market."
"MacroFab can respond more quickly to ever-changing material availability by integrating with Digi-Key's inventory and ordering APIs by automating material orders to happen within minutes of designs being finalized in the MacroFab platform," said Chris Church, founder and chief product officer at MacroFab, Inc. "I'm looking forward to discussing how we leverage Digi-Key's digital solutions to rapidly respond to customer needs and get ahead of the curve, providing greater value to our customers and enabling our purchasing teams to focus on hard-to-find and unavailable materials."
Digi-Key recently launched a refreshed webpage for its digital solutions, which includes APIs, EDIs and Punchouts. Visit Digi-Key's digital solutions page to access a variety of resources on digital solutions, including an e-book, videos, blog posts and more.
To attend the webinar, submit a registration form. If you can't attend the live webinar, Digi-Key will send the recording after the event to those who register.
For more information about Digi-Key's digital solutions, visit the Digi-Key website.
About Digi-Key Electronics
Digi-Key Electronics, headquartered in Thief River Falls, Minn., USA, is recognized as both the leader and continuous innovator in the high service distribution of electronic components and automation products worldwide. As the original pioneer in this space, Digi-Key provides more than 13.4 million components from over 2,300 quality name-brand manufacturers with an industry-leading breadth and depth of product in stock and available for immediate shipment. Beyond the products that drive technology innovation, Digi-Key also supports design engineers and procurement professionals with a wealth of digital solutions and tools to make their jobs more efficient. Additional information can be found at digikey.com and on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Editorial Contact
Megan Derkey
Bellmont Partners
+1 612-255-1115
digikey@bellmontpartners.com
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Plans for hyperscale data processing platform advance with financing
ATLANTA, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Aurora Forge and Digital Cortex Inc. have announced seed round financing to build a hyperscale data processing platform. Digital Cortex was designed to take advantage of trends in processing technologies, computational storage, smart components, GPUs, and a new breed of data processing units (DPUs) capable of executing tasks at hyperscale.
"Our platform marks an inflection point in data processing," said Charlie Wardell, CEO, and Co-Founder at Digital Cortex Inc. "It will enable a paradigm shift by simplifying the hyperscaling of complex data processing."
Ross Mason, Co-Founder and CEO of The Aurora Forge says the investment is well worth it. "Digital Cortex will be a leader in 'real-time processing,' providing businesses with the future data processing tools that will give them an incredible competitive advantage in the marketplace. My Silicon Valley mentor, also an early investor in Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, said of Wardell… 'He is the brightest programmer I have met since Steve Wozniak.'"
As technology rapidly evolves, so does the need for faster, more efficient data processing methods. The Central Processing Unit (CPU) has been the workhorse behind digital endeavors, but today's computation and data volumes challenge even the fastest CPUs. The modern world is increasingly becoming one where data reigns supreme.
Data processing has evolved from serial computation and sequential storage to parallel computing with large pipelines and vast amounts of memory. Today, there are options for accelerating computation, graphics processing units, FPGAs, ASICs, and DPUs designed specifically for data processing. Digital Cortex aims to converge these advanced technologies into a single unified platform, creating an ecosystem that simplifies the hyperscaling of complex data processing.
Ricky Caplin, Co-Founder of The Aurora Forge, said there is significant need for this new platform. "I am excited about investing in Digital Cortex and working with this talented team. Their background and track record are impressive. Together, we are creating innovative, disruptive technology."
About Digital Cortex
Digital Cortex Inc. is a hyperscale data analysis company based in Atlanta. We are focused on solving, once and for all, the scalability that keeps meaningful insights hidden in large data sets.
The Digital Cortex platform is a data appliance with built-in acceleration. It handles the undifferentiated heavy lifting so that you can focus on logic, analysis, and results. Our company is designed to bring the power of the Cloud to those use cases that cannot tolerate outage, latency, or uncapped expense. For more information, please visit www.digital-cortex.io.
About The Aurora Forge
Founded by experienced entrepreneurs, engineers, policymakers, and healthcare industry leaders, The Aurora Forge grows seed-stage startups through direct funding, expert coaching and shared operations services. Visit theauroraforge.com for more information.
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SOURCE Caplin Family Offices/The Aurora Forge | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/digital-cortex-inc-aurora-forge-develop-next-generation-data-processing-platform/ | 2022-04-14T14:29:12 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/digital-cortex-inc-aurora-forge-develop-next-generation-data-processing-platform/ |
The P2E Game with an Addictively Simple Idle RPG Play Style
A Pre-sale Announcement for NFT Commanders that Increase Mining Efficiency
An Airdrop Event Giving Away a Total of 5 Million HERCO Tokens
SEONGNAM-SI, South Korea, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A Joycity's subsidiary, Mojito Games, will be launching a brand new P2E game, 'Crypto Ball Z on WEMIX', and is now accepting pre-registrations.
'Crypto Ball Z on WEMIX' is a P2E mobile shooting game fused with idle RPG elements where the characters from 'Game of Dice', a game loved by 50 million fans around the world, will fight alongside players. The game's idle RPG aspects allow the gameplay to be fun and easy for players of all kinds.
'Crypto Ball Z on WEMIX' introduces a remarkable mining system, which is the core element of P2E games, in the form of Drone searches, adding an easily accessible and convenient element to the gameplay. Through the Drone search, players can earn Herostones which can be used for various in-game purposes such as upgrading Heroes, or these Herostones can be exchanged for the utility token, 'HERCO'.
Mojito Games is also planning on releasing fantastic NFT Commanders which can provide various buffs that increase mining efficiency, the chance of obtaining top tier Heroes and more! A total of 8 NFT Commanders will be premiered during 2 Pre-Sale Events that will take place from April 19th to April 24th via the WEMIX Auction.
A massive Airdrop event is also being planned where a total of 5 million HERCO will be given away. The event will take place in 3 different phases during the pre-registration period, and last until the actual launch of the game.
In addition to the Airdrop event, there will be a variety of other events for the community to enjoy.
The pre-registration for 'Crypto Ball Z on WEMIX' is now available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. For more information regarding NFT pre-sales, the Airdrop event, and game info, please visit the official website (https://cbz.joycity.com).
Prior to the launch of Crypto Ball Z, Joycity has successfully launched 'Gunship Battle: Crypto Conflict', a P2E war strategy game, last February.
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SOURCE MOJITO GAMES | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/easier-p2e-pre-registration-is-now-open-crypto-ball-z-wemix/ | 2022-04-14T14:29:19 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/easier-p2e-pre-registration-is-now-open-crypto-ball-z-wemix/ |
Fulcrum combines first-party data collection with no-code, AI-driven automated personalization workflows
DENVER, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Fulcrum (www.fulcrumsaas.com), a leader in real-time personalization, today announced its Customer Data Platform (CDP). Using Fulcrum, companies can capture and unify first-party data to create personalized experiences based on the interests and behavior of every customer. The company uses AI technology to help digital agencies, marketing teams, sales departments and more identify and respond in real-time to known and anonymous customers to increase engagement and conversion rates. In addition, Fulcrum provides the flexibility to automate personalization workflows to meet the unique requirements of every organization.
Backed by angel investors, Fulcrum emerged from stealth mode with a highly diversified group of enterprise customers. The company achieved 230% growth in sales last year and has expanded its team by 250%. On average, Fulcrum clients save 50+ hours per month on data analytics and campaign management and have increased conversion rates in various key areas.
"Organizations large and small are preparing for the death of third-party cookies and are taking control by collecting and maximizing first-party data to personalize every customer experience," explained John Golinvaux, founder and CEO of Fulcrum. "We look beyond collecting first-party data, as it only solves a portion of the problem and falls short of increasing conversion rates. With Fulcrum, we have a complete solution, integrating data collection with AI workflows to automatically execute personalization experiences."
Google's announcement that it would discontinue third-party cookies by the end of 2023 has marketing teams re-thinking customer engagement and prioritizing first-party customer data. A Fortune Business Insights report states: "The global customer data platform market is projected to grow from $1.42 billion in 2022 to $6.94 billion by 2029, exhibiting a CAGR of 25.4% in the forecast period. The increasing adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies to enhance workflow and productivity will encourage the healthy growth of the market during the forecast period."
Consumer behavior and expectations also support the rise of CDP. The McKinsey "Next in Personalization 2021 Report" found that 71% of consumers expect personalized interactions, and 76% are frustrated when they don't happen.
Fulcrum's CDP simplifies and automates all aspects of customer personalization for modern digital engagement. It collects customer data in real-time and provides visibility on behavior, intent, touchpoints and interactions. AI automates workflows so organizations can easily serve customers' dynamic content, calls-to-action and personalized messaging via virtually any marketing channel to increase conversion rates, reduce bounce rates and improve user experiences.
"The Fulcrum team is incredible to work with. They have experts that add a tremendous amount of value to the relationship," said B. Dunn, director of operations and growth marketing for Vitamin World. "We were able to monetize a lot of opportunities as a result of using the Fulcrum platform."
Based in Denver, Fulcrum helps customers take control of their data to deliver targeted, personalized experiences that increase user engagement and accelerate conversion. It combines real-time, first-party data collection with AI workflows to help companies improve results and engage with customers with a personal touch. To learn more, visit www.fulcrumsaas.com
Media Contact:
Guy Murrel
Catapult PR
gmurrel@catapultpr-ir.com
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SOURCE Fulcrum | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/fulcrum-launches-its-customer-data-personalization-platform-boost-sales-increase-marketing-conversion-rates/ | 2022-04-14T14:29:25 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/fulcrum-launches-its-customer-data-personalization-platform-boost-sales-increase-marketing-conversion-rates/ |
HARTWELL, Ga., April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Geneva Financial (Geneva), a direct mortgage lender operating in 46 states, has announced the opening of a new branch location in Hartwell, GA led by Branch Manager Justin Slay. The opening of this new branch provides opportunities for local borrowers and buyers looking to navigate the current housing market.
"We are very excited for this new phase for our branch with Geneva Financial." Georgia Branch Manager Justin Slay stated. "The top-notch level of service that Geneva is known for will partner well with the high bar that I set for helping my customers navigate through the largest financial transactions of their lives."
Based out of Hartwell, GA, Justin and his team proudly serve homebuyers throughout the state. The new branch will continue Geneva's exceptional service and extensive product offering through countless homebuyer and homeowner-focused products including Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, Refinance, Reverse, Jumbo Loans, Condo Financing, and so much more.
Justin has been helping customers obtain their home ownership dreams for over 15 years. prides himself in breaking from the many stigmas that are often associated with lenders. He strives to ensure that his customers complete the transaction feeling well informed and confident that they made the best financial decision possible when purchasing or refinancing.
Geneva Financial Home Loans is currently expanding in all markets and seeking branch managers and loan originators across the United States looking to advance their mortgage careers. For information on opportunities, visit www.GenevaFi.com/opportunity
About Geneva Financial
Founded in 2007 by Aaron VanTrojen, Geneva Financial (NMLS 42056) is a direct mortgage lender headquartered in Chandler, Arizona with more than 130 branch locations in 46 states. Our mission at Geneva Financial is to approach every aspect of our business from the "inside-out". With a culture-forward mindset, we focus on our loan originators and support staff first to ensure an unbeatable experience for our customers.
Our Core Values were created as a daily reminder to operate with the inside-out approach in mind. Core Value #1 is the backbone of all our Core Values, our mission, and our brand vision: Home Loans Powered by Humans®. Learn more about Geneva Financial Home Loans at www.GenevaFi.com
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SOURCE Geneva Financial | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/geneva-financial-announces-new-georgia-mortgage-branch-headed-by-justin-slay/ | 2022-04-14T14:29:32 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/geneva-financial-announces-new-georgia-mortgage-branch-headed-by-justin-slay/ |
Live and On-Demand Content To Help Supply Chain and Digital Professionals Adapt Amid Continued Uncertainty
EWING, N.J., April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- GS1 Connect 2022, the conference and exhibition hosted by GS1 US, will feature speakers from more than 100 leading companies that will share strategies for optimizing today's supply chain. A sampling of companies includes: Amazon, Bumble Bee Foods, Chipotle Mexican Grill, DICK'S Sporting Goods, Dillard's, Johnson & Johnson, Kellogg, Macy's, McDonald's Corporation, Ralph Lauren, and Under Armour. The event will be held June 7-9, 2022, at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina in San Diego, Calif. To view the agenda, visit www.GS1Connect.org.
This year's conference features live and on-demand content across four industry tracks (retail, grocery, foodservice and healthcare) and two horizontal tracks (tech and innovation). To help attendees address a variety of business challenges, sessions represent a range of topics, such as supply chain visibility, data quality, digital commerce, traceability, sustainability, radio-frequency identification (RFID) best practices, regulated healthcare and food, cold chain management, automation, emerging technology and more.
The three-day conference also offers:
- Collaboration opportunities through Trading Partner Roundtables and "How To Do Business With…" sessions featuring top retailers, distributors and brands
- The Startup Lab Pitch Competition, showcasing emerging technologies that could have a significant impact on the supply chain
- Exhibits from solution providers
- GS1 US University for those seeking to build their foundational GS1 Standards knowledge
- Keynote speeches from Procter & Gamble President of Global Business Services (GBS) Laura Becker, along with business coach and consultant Ryan Leak
"Supply chains are under more pressure than ever to optimize performance and deliver on the evolving needs of today's consumers," said Bob Carpenter, president and CEO of GS1 US. "We couldn't be more thrilled to be back in person this year and have created an agenda that will not only help attendees adapt to the many challenges we collectively face, but also establish a strong foundation leveraging GS1 Standards to thrive in times of disruption and beyond."
GS1 Connect is sponsored by 1WorldSync, Antares Vision Group, Avery Dennison, Comarch, Edict Systems, InterTrade, Salsify, Sato, Stibo Systems and Syndigo. To learn more about GS1 Connect 2022, visit www.gs1connect.org.
About GS1 US
GS1 US®, a member of GS1 global, is a not-for-profit information standards organization that facilitates industry collaboration to help improve supply chain visibility and efficiency through the use of GS1 Standards, the most widely used supply chain standards system in the world. Nearly 300,000 businesses in 25 industries rely on GS1 US for trading partner collaboration that optimizes their supply chains, drives cost performance and revenue growth, while also enabling regulatory compliance. They achieve these benefits through solutions based on GS1 global unique numbering and identification systems, barcodes, Electronic Product Code (EPC®)-based RFID, data synchronization and electronic information exchange. GS1 US also manages the United Nations Standard Products and Services Code® (UNSPSC®).
For more information, please visit https://www.gs1us.org.
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SOURCE GS1 US | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/gs1-connect-lineup-includes-speakers-more-than-100-companies-across-retail-grocery-foodservice-healthcare/ | 2022-04-14T14:29:38 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/gs1-connect-lineup-includes-speakers-more-than-100-companies-across-retail-grocery-foodservice-healthcare/ |
Two local brands, partnering together to support local communities and offer exclusive fuel offers to Red Sox fans
WELLESLEY HILLS, Mass., April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Boston-based company Gulf Oil, which has a major presence in New England, today announced it has signed a multi-year partnership extension with the Boston Red Sox. This will mark the 15th season of the brands working together in new ways to deliver fans the best experience in and out of park.
As a part of the extension, the well-known Gulf left-field sign at Fenway Park will be sticking around, and Gulf plans to begin offering Red Sox fans exclusive offers on fueling their way to games through the MLB Ballpark App's Ballpark Bingo game.
The Ballpark Bingo game presented by Gulf Pay can be played by fans in park or from the comfort of their own homes providing fans with the ability to engage on game day. Each Red Sox game will provide Ballpark Bingo players in the park with new prizes including Gulf Gift Cards, tickets to a future game at Fenway Park, and fuel offers.
The Gulf mobile app is a fast, easy, and secure way to pay at the pump or in-store directly from the convenience of your smartphone. With Gulf Pay, you can find nearby stations, access reliable directions and pricing, pay by phone, and receive exclusive digital offers on your favorite products.
"As we mark our 15th year of partnership with Gulf, we are pleased to announce an extension of our longstanding affiliation with this nationally recognized brand headquartered here in Massachusetts," said Red Sox Executive Vice President Troup Parkinson. "Their commitment to our Club extends beyond the walls of Fenway Park with their support of the Red Sox Foundation's RBI program, which provides free access to baseball and softball to youth in our city. We look forward to further strengthening our relationship through this renewal and expanding the impact we have throughout the community."
Gulf will continue to support the Red Sox Foundation's RBI – Reviving Baseball and Softball in Inner-Cities – Program through their partnership in 2022. Throughout the 2021 regular season, Gulf supported the RBI Program through its "Fuel the Win" promotion with donations for every base stolen by the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Gulf also collaborated with RBI for coaches' diversity training sessions and presented tickets to Fenway Park for local softball teams as part of their support.
"Gulf and the Red Sox both have rich history within the Boston area, and we are excited to continue our partnership and further support our local communities through newer initiatives like the Red Sox Foundation," said Gulf Chief Marketing Officer Sue Hayden. "From new destinations to tried and true favorites like Fenway Park, consumers can rely on Gulf to fuel their next great adventure."
For more information, visit gulfoil.com.
About Gulf Oil
Gulf is a Massachusetts-based company fueling consumers through approximately 1,400 Gulf branded locations across 36 states and Puerto Rico. The company also distributes unbranded products to 1,000 private label locations nationwide. More information can be found at www.gulfoil.com.
Media Contact: Nikki Fales, Gulf Oil, media@gulfoil.com
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Speed Digital provides cloud-based technology solutions for dealers, auction houses, collectors and enthusiasts
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hagerty, Inc. (NYSE: HGTY), an automotive lifestyle brand and a leading specialty insurance provider focused on the global automotive enthusiast market, today announced the acquisition of Speed Digital, an industry leading provider of cloud-based technology solutions for dealers, auction houses, collectors and enthusiasts.
"When we talk about our passion for strengthening and growing car culture for future generations, we mean the whole automotive ecosystem, including those who help get collector cars in the hands of enthusiasts," said McKeel Hagerty, CEO of Hagerty. "We believe that the scale and scope of Hagerty's media reach and membership offerings, along with our technological capabilities and other resources, will help current and future Speed Digital clients improve their businesses and attract even more customers."
Speed Digital software processed approximately $1.5 billion in collector car sales in 2021 and the overall network of websites received over 300 million page views during that same period.
Speed Digital's key products include:
- Dealer Accelerate, a subscription-based software service that helps more than 200 dealers manage more than 8,200 collector cars in inventory for sale.
- Motorious.com, an online marketplace featuring dealer-verified collector cars for sale, as well as engaging content about vintage and exotic cars.
- Auction Accelerate, featuring software built specifically for collector car auction companies.
- Private Collection, digital asset management software developed for the nuances of managing collector cars.
The acquisition of Speed Digital augments Hagerty's portfolio of Marketplace offerings, including Hagerty Valuation Tools and DriveShare, to help members buy, sell and rent collector cars.
Speed Digital CEO Neil Pitt will join Hagerty as Vice President and General Manager of Speed Digital. Speed Digital employees will join Hagerty's Marketplace team.
"We are thrilled to join forces with Hagerty," said Pitt. "Their passion for the automotive world is unrivaled, and we see this as an extremely positive development for the Speed Digital Dealer Network, the Speed Digital team and the overall collector car community. Our team is looking forward to taking this next step."
Speed Digital's founder and Chairman, Rob Kauffman, is an experienced investor in the financial services industry, race team owner and noted car enthusiast. He is a board member of Hagerty.
About Hagerty, Inc. (NYSE: HGTY)
Based in Traverse City, Michigan, Hagerty's purpose is to save driving and car culture for future generations and its mission is to build a global business to fund that purpose. Hagerty is an automotive enthusiast brand offering integrated membership products and programs as well as a specialty insurance provider focused on the global automotive enthusiast market. Hagerty is home to Hagerty Drivers Club, Hagerty DriveShare, Hagerty Valuation Tools, Hagerty Media, Hagerty Drivers Club magazine, MotorsportReg, Hagerty Garage + Social, The Amelia, the Detroit Concours d'Elegance, the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance, the California Mille, Motorlux, RADwood, the Hagerty Drivers Foundation and more. For more information on Hagerty, please visit www.hagerty.com, or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
For more information, visit newsroom.hagerty.com.
About Speed Digital
Speed Digital, LLC. is a technology company that focuses on serving the classic and collector car industry. As a global leader, Speed Digital provides cloud-based technology solutions for dealers, auction houses, collectors, and hobbyists. Speed Digital is frequently recognized as the industry leader for cutting-edge website design and development in the specialty vehicle niche. See www.speeddigital.com for more information.
About Motorious
Motorious.com posts news stories relating to the collector car market and has the largest online marketplace of "dealer only" collector cars, including hotrods, classics, muscle cars, motorcycles, and off-road vehicles. Motorious.com is owned by Speed Digital, LLC.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements reflect Hagerty's current intentions, expectations, or beliefs regarding its business. These statements may be preceded by, followed by or include the words "aim," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "intend," "likely," "outlook," "plan," "potential," "project," "projection," "seek," "can," "could," "may," "should," "would," "will," the negatives thereof and other words and terms of similar meaning. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. Factors that may cause our actual decisions or results to differ materially from those contemplated by these forward-looking statements include: (i) Hagerty's ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the subject of this release, which may be affected by, among other things, competition and the ability of Hagerty to grow and management growth profitability; (ii) the future financial performance of Hagerty; (iii) new entrants into the market or current competitors of Hagerty developing preferred offerings; (iv) the loss of one or more of Hagerty's distribution partners; (v) Hagerty's inability to prevent, monitor, or detect fraudulent activity, including transactions with insurance policies or payments of claims; (vi) Hagerty's ability to attract and retain members; (vii) Hagerty's ability to prevent cyberattacks or breaches of data security; (viii) regulatory changes affecting Hagerty; (ix) unexpected increases in the frequency or severity of insurance claims against Hagerty; and other risks and uncertainties listed in Hagerty's Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on March 24, 2022. There is no assurance that any forward-looking statements will materialize. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect expectations only as of this date. Hagerty does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise, except as required by law.
Any forward-looking statement speaks only at the date on which it is made, and Hagerty does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.
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MONTREAL, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Haivision Systems Inc. ("Haivision") (TSX: HAI), a leading global provider of mission-critical, real-time video streaming and networking solutions, announced today that it will host a webcast investor presentation on Tuesday, April 19th, 2022 at 2:00 PM ET. During the webcast, Mirko Wicha, CEO and Dan Rabinowitz, CFO will conduct a Power Point presentation that will cover key areas of Haivision's business. After the formal presentation, investors will have an opportunity to ask relevant questions through an interactive Q&A portal.
To listen to the webcast or to ask questions during the live event, please pre-register at the following link: https://event.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1533382&tp_key=52c0ba5eea. An archived version of the webcast and presentation will be available on the company's website, Haivision IR Website.
Haivision is a leading global provider of mission-critical, real-time video streaming and networking solutions. Our connected cloud and intelligent edge technologies enable organizations globally to engage audiences, enhance collaboration, and support decision making. We provide high quality, low latency, secure, and reliable live video at a global scale. Haivision open sourced its award-winning SRT low latency video streaming protocol and founded the SRT Alliance to support its adoption. Awarded two Emmys® for Technology and Engineering from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Haivision continues to fuel the future of IP video transformation. Founded in 2004, Haivision is headquartered in Montreal and Chicago with offices, sales, and support located throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Learn more at haivision.com.
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SOURCE Haivision Systems Inc. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/haivision-host-investor-webcast-april-19-2022/ | 2022-04-14T14:29:59 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/haivision-host-investor-webcast-april-19-2022/ |
CELEBRATING A CENTURY OF PERSONAL STYLE
NEW YORK, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- H&M's latest collaboration is a glamorous and vibrant project created in partnership with a true style icon – the incomparable Iris Apfel. The Iris Apfel x H&M collection celebrates the 100th birthday of the beloved tastemaker. The collection will launch on hm.com and in select stores in the U.S. and Canada on April 14th.
Iris Apfel is renowned for her flamboyant fashion, fierce individuality, and bold outfits. She champions the idea that style and inspiration can come from anywhere and anyone, regardless of price. Inspired by Iris Apfel's unique flair and more-is-more aesthetic, the Iris Apfel x H&M collection offers an assortment of stunning pieces designed for everyone. The clothing and accessories have all been created to honor Iris Apfel's unwavering independence and original sense of style.
The collection features a playful mix of textures, patterns and cuts. Key garments include a jacquard suit with peapod embroidery and pearl peas, a voluminous frilled tulle jacket and a flouncy tiered skirt and blouse set in a stunning iris flower print. A rainbow of fabulous, vivid colors including canary yellow, emerald green, radiant violet, vivid turquoise, and sunset orange bring the garments to life. A line of jewellery and accessories is also available to complement the wardrobe. Taking inspiration from Iris Apfel's love of layering and fondness for chunky statement pieces, the accessories pull from many themes, including plants, animals, and treasures from another world.
"I think H&M is fabulous and is an absolute pioneer in its field – which I love!
I love doing high style at affordable prices, which H&M has mastered!"
Iris Apfel
"H&M was drawn to work with Iris because of her famously eclectic taste and her influence within the fashion community. She epitomises personal style – a style that is both beautifully flamboyant and eclectic as well as totally ageless. She shows what fashion is all about: it's a means of expressing yourself, who you are or want to be and a way to have fun. She's a true inspiration!"
Ann-Sofie Johansson, Creative Advisor, H&M Womenswear
Click here to download still-life images
Click here to download campaign images
Click here to shop the collection
Contact Information:
MediaRelations.US@HM.com
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SOURCE H&M | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/hampm-is-proud-release-playful-over-the-top-collection-collaboration-with-fashion-icon-iris-apfel/ | 2022-04-14T14:30:05 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/hampm-is-proud-release-playful-over-the-top-collection-collaboration-with-fashion-icon-iris-apfel/ |
The merger will build upon HED's national expertise in higher education and healthcare sectors
DALLAS, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- HED (Harley Ellis Devereaux), a leading national architecture and engineering firm, today announced a merger with award-winning, Dallas-based VAI Architects Incorporated (VAI). The merger combines VAI's staff with HED's Dallas office, significantly expanding the local team and leveraging community relationships to create new opportunities across multiple market sectors.
With over 35 years of experience in the greater Dallas-Ft. Worth area, the VAI team has established trust among clients in the community, civic, government, transportation and education sectors by consistently delivering excellence through collaborative design innovation and dedication to client service. HED is proud to continue that tradition of excellence and build upon its market sector expertise with the recently combined Dallas staff.
"Our strategic merger with VAI is a great fit because of our shared commitment to create positive impact for clients and the greater community while providing growth opportunities for our talented staff," said Peter Devereaux, FAIA, Chairman and CEO of HED. "We are pleased to welcome the VAI team into the HED family and look forward to using our combined strength to explore new opportunities and fulfill our common commitment to ensuring long-term success for our clients."
Known nationally for the top-quality architecture and engineering services delivered by the firm's expansive array of professionals, HED creates innovative and sustainable design solutions for clients in the healthcare, higher education, housing, manufacturing, and product development, mission-critical, mixed-use, preK-12, science, and workplace sectors. To continue to provide the highest level of design excellence and positive impact, HED plans to further expand its Dallas operation with the hiring of additional staff.
HED is known for its aspirational company culture, which emphasizes continual learning and growth. As an award-winning inclusive and integrated practice, HED values diversity in perspectives, experiences, abilities, and expertise. The local Dallas office was recently named a Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® for its commitment to excellence in human resources practices and employee enrichment.
"VAI has always been dedicated to client service and committed to the Dallas community, and since our founding, we've emphasized learning and collaboration in our company culture — values we share with HED," said VAI Co-Founder William Vidaud de la Vega. "Those shared values and commitments are strengthened by joining forces through the merger, and we look forward to working as part of the HED team to continue creating positive impact for clients in Dallas and the surrounding area."
ABOUT HED
At HED, great design is about thinking creatively to overcome challenges and improve real world outcomes. Our firm has a long history and reputation for excellence because we believe that all the facets of our design, from architecture, consulting, engineering, and planning, must create a positive impact for our clients, the community, and the world through responsive, innovative, and sustainable design solutions. This belief has allowed our firm to succeed and grow in a broad range of markets in eight U.S. offices (Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and Sacramento). See how HED advances your world at www.hed.design.
MC: Liz Reilly
lreilly@nextpr.com
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SOURCE HED | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/hed-vai-announce-merger-bring-strategic-expertise-drive-community-impact-dallas-texas/ | 2022-04-14T14:30:12 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/hed-vai-announce-merger-bring-strategic-expertise-drive-community-impact-dallas-texas/ |
TAMPA, Fla., April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hemp Bombs®, the manufacturer and distributer of award-winning CBD and Delta-8 THC products, announces the launch of its newest offering, Delta-9 THC Gummies, now available at select retail locations nationwide and online at www.hempbombsplus.com.
"The same CBD gummy consumers that drove retail sales from 2016-2020 are more educated on the other cannabinoids like Delta-8 and Delta-9," said Vice President of Sales, Vince Gillen. "The scanned sales data and our market research show this is where the hemp-cannabinoid category is headed in retail. Our distribution and retail partners are evolving their product sets to meet consumer demand, that we feel is only going to go up."
Federally legal as a part of the 2018 Farm Bill, all Hemp Bombs Delta-9 Gummies contain less than 0.3% Delta-9 THC by dry weight. Hemp Bombs Delta-9 Gummies are available in 12-count packages with an MSRP of $19.99 in the following flavors: Blue Raspberry Dream, Exotic Lime, Goji Berry Explosion, Mixed Berry Mayhem and a Variety Mixed Pack. In addition, 50-count bottles with an MSRP of $49.99 will be coming soon.
"We are an industry leader when it comes to education and best-selling practices on everything hemp," said Gillen. "And as a trusted partner for more than five years, distributors feel confident in the products we produce and the strict quality, safety and compliance standards we have in place."
The Hemp Bombs Delta-9 Gummies launch comes as the company debuts its Hemp at a Higher Standard campaign to educate distributors, retailers and consumers on the strict standards it employs for the hemp-derived CBD, Delta-8 and Delta-9 products it produces. As a part of the campaign, Hemp Bombs has made a Delta-9 101 infographic available to its retail partners to learn more about the emerging trend in hemp-derived products.
To learn more about Hemp Bombs Delta-8 THC and Delta-9 THC Gummies and to partner with Hemp Bombs, visit www.hempbombsplus.com.
About Hemp Bombs®:
Hemp Bombs®, founded in 2016 and headquartered in Tampa, Florida, is a manufacturer and distributor of hemp-derived CBD, Delta-8 and Delta-9 cannabinoid products. With more than 150,000 square feet of manufacturing space and over 350 employees, Hemp Bombs manufactures edibles, tinctures, topicals and pet products. Its award-winning gummies and other products are available in more than 20,000 locations nationwide and online at https://hempbombs.com and https://hempbombsplus.com.
Media Contact:
Joe Agostinelli
813-497-5752 | mediarelations@globalwidget.com
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SOURCE Hemp Bombs | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/hemp-bombs-expands-product-line-with-launch-delta-9-thc-gummies/ | 2022-04-14T14:30:18 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/hemp-bombs-expands-product-line-with-launch-delta-9-thc-gummies/ |
Hireology will acquire Hyrell's existing customers and enter into a referral relationship with Benetrends, further expanding its footprint as the leading hiring platform for decentralized businesses
CHICAGO, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hireology, the leading all-in-one hiring and HR platform for decentralized businesses, announced today that it will acquire the customer base of franchise-focused applicant tracking platform, Hyrell. Hyrell's more than 1,200 franchisee customers will transition to Hireology for their hiring needs, gaining access to the platform's suite of pre- and post-hire tools.
The move comes as Hireology continues to rapidly grow as a full-service hiring and HR provider — helping thousands of companies across decentralized industries recruit, hire, and manage great talent. The company recently acquired employee referral platform, EmployUs, which expanded its set of built-in talent acquisition tools. Hireology's platform empowers its customers to manage the entire employee lifecycle from one central location.
"We're so excited to welcome Hyrell's customers into the Hireology family," said Adam Robinson, CEO of Hireology. "We've worked hard to build a platform that is much more than an applicant tracking system — one that provides customers with the tools they need to run a smooth and efficient hiring process from application to hire within one easy-to-use platform."
Hireology specializes in supporting decentralized businesses of all kinds, making it the perfect home for Hyrell's franchisee customer base, which consists of leading organizations including The UPS Store, Wendy's, Snap Fitness, and more. Hireology's customer service track record recently earned top honors in HRO Today's top spot in talent management technology and quality of service in 2021.
"Hyrell customers are in the very best hands with Hireology," said Rocco Fiorentino, CEO of Hyrell's parent company, Benetrends. "Hireology is a proven leader when it comes to not only providing top-notch technology, but also supporting HR teams and hiring managers who are working to attract and hire talent across multiple locations."
If you're a Hyrell customer looking for more information on what this move means for you, visit www.hireology.com/hyrell.
In addition to this acquisition, Benetrends has identified Hireology as a preferred partner for all Benetrends customers. If you are a Benetrends customer, visit www.hireology.com/benetrends to learn more.
Hireology is an all-in-one recruiting, hiring, and employee management platform that empowers decentralized businesses to build their best teams. The company equips HR and business leaders with the support and tools needed to manage the full employee lifecycle — from pre- to post-hire — in one seamless platform.
With focused expertise across several industries — including retail automotive, healthcare, professional and consumer services, and hospitality — more than 7,500 businesses rely on Hireology for their hiring, HR, and payroll needs, putting people at the center of their organizations. For more information, visit www.hireology.com.
Contact:
Meredith Touhy
312-934-8489
meredith.touhy@edelman.com
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SOURCE Hireology | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/hireology-acquires-customer-base-franchise-focused-applicant-tracking-system-hyrell/ | 2022-04-14T14:30:24 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/hireology-acquires-customer-base-franchise-focused-applicant-tracking-system-hyrell/ |
PITTSBURGH, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ..."I wanted to create an accessory to prevent rain and snow from entering a bird feeder or bird house," said an inventor, from Trenton, Ontario, Canada, "so I invented the BIRD FEEDER SHELTER. My design would also blend nicely into any natural environment."
The patent-pending invention provides a protective cover for a bird feeder or bird house. In doing so, it prevents rain and other weather from clumping the food/seed, possibly saving money and frustration with spoiled food. It also ensures that the feeder or house is accessible and it could enhance the appearance of the feeder or house. The invention features a functional and aesthetic design that is easy to attach and use so it is ideal for households. Additionally, a prototype is available.
The original design was submitted to the Toronto sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 20-TRO-453, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.
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SOURCE InventHelp | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/inventhelp-inventor-develops-protective-cover-bird-feeders-tro-453/ | 2022-04-14T14:30:30 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/inventhelp-inventor-develops-protective-cover-bird-feeders-tro-453/ |
U.S. Market Expansion Continues as Planned
SARASOTA, Fla., April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- INVO Bioscience, Inc. (NASDAQ: INVO) ("INVO" or the "Company"), a commercial-stage fertility company focused on expanding access to advanced treatment worldwide with its INVOcell® medical device and the intravaginal culture ("IVC") procedure it enables, today announced plans to open an INVO Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The Kansas City INVO Center will focus on patients in need of advanced fertility care utilizing the efficient, effective, and affordable INVOcell® solution. The Company currently has three operational INVO Centers treating patients in Birmingham, Alabama, Atlanta, Georgia, and Monterrey, Mexico, with others scheduled to open in the San Francisco and Tampa areas.
"We are excited to announce Kansas City as another ideal location for an INVO Center," commented Steve Shum, CEO of INVO. "We are refining the process involved in opening an INVO Center and are executing these initiatives simultaneously to improve operational timelines and revenue ramp. This new INVO Center is consistent with our stated expansion plans and represents a key component of our strategy to expand access to advanced fertility services for the significantly underserved patient population in the U.S. and abroad."
The Company evaluates several criteria and data points as part of its efforts to identify markets suitable for INVO Centers. Based on an analysis of current population statistics, we believe that Kansas City may have upwards of 33,000 patients suffering with Infertility. With an estimated 1,500 IVF treatments annually, there exists a large gap of available care to treat local demand. Similar to other INVO Centers, the Company expects to engage physician partners to support its efforts in the Kansas City market.
About INVO Bioscience
We are a commercial-stage fertility company dedicated to expanding the assisted reproductive technology ("ART") marketplace by making fertility care accessible and inclusive to people around the world. Our flagship product is INVOcell®, a revolutionary medical device that allows fertilization and early embryo development to take place in vivo within the woman's body. Our primary mission is to implement new medical technologies aimed at increasing the availability of affordable, high-quality, patient-centered fertility care. This treatment solution is the world's first intravaginal culture technique for the incubation of oocytes and sperm during fertilization and early embryo development. This technique, designated as "IVC", provides patients a more natural, intimate, and more affordable experience in comparison to other ART treatments. The IVC procedure can deliver comparable results at a fraction of the cost of traditional in vitro fertilization ("IVF") and is a significantly more effective treatment than intrauterine insemination ("IUI"). Our commercialization strategy is focused on the opening of dedicated "INVO Centers" offering the INVOcell® and IVC procedure (with three centers in North America now operational), in addition to continuing to sell our technology solution into existing fertility clinics. For more information, please visit www.invobio.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company invokes the protections of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements regarding our expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financing plans, business strategies, products and services, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management for future operations, as well as statements that include words such as "anticipate," "if," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "could," "should," "will," and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from anticipated results, performance, or achievements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include those set forth in our filings at www.sec.gov. We are under no obligation to (and expressly disclaim any such obligation to) update or alter our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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SOURCE INVO Bioscience, Inc. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/invo-selects-kansas-city-additional-invo-center-location/ | 2022-04-14T14:30:36 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/invo-selects-kansas-city-additional-invo-center-location/ |
CHICAGO, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- JLL Income Property Trust, an institutionally managed daily NAV REIT (NASDAQ: ZIPTAX; ZIPTMX; ZIPIAX; ZIPIMX) with approximately $6.3 billion in portfolio assets announced today the acquisition of South San Diego Distribution Center, a three-building, 665,000-square-foot industrial portfolio in San Diego, California. The three properties are 96 percent leased to eight tenants, and the purchase price was $158.5 million.
"Industrial properties continue to be a target overweight for our portfolio given sustained tenant demand and strong, long-term outlook for the sector that we believe will yield stable income for our stockholders," said JLL Income Property Trust President and CEO Allan Swaringen. "South San Diego Distribution Center aligns well with our strategy, given its location near irreplaceable transportation infrastructure and San Diego's strong industrial rent growth."
San Diego's diverse economy is driven by technology, healthcare, biotech, life science, Department of Defense and defense contractors, along with tourism and trade with Mexico. The overall San Diego industrial market consists of nearly 200 million square feet and faces geographic barriers to new supply due to its borders with Camp Pendleton on the north, the Pacific Ocean on the west, mountains and desert to the east and Mexico's border on the south. These buildings, located in the South County area, and more specifically the Otay Mesa industrial submarket, are 1.5 miles from the US-Mexico border with critical proximity to the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, the most active truck border in California and the second most active US-Mexico crossing behind Laredo, Texas. A large share of tenant activity in this submarket is associated with cross-border trade with Mexico, requiring immediate proximity to the Port as trucks cross the border multiple times a day – providing a unique long-term demand driver for these locations. Near-shoring of manufacturing post-pandemic and continued trade tensions with China have boosted tenant demand and resulted in substantial rent growth.
For these reasons, San Diego is a highly rated overweight industrial market, according to LaSalle Research & Strategy's target market analysis. The market's overall industrial vacancy is currently just above 3 percent, and while there is new supply coming online, absorption is expected to be strong, allowing for further rent growth in the near future.
This investment was acquired through the assumption of an in-place, $72.5 million first mortgage at an attractive fixed-rate of 3.18 percent, interest only for another four years with a maturity in 2031 along with the issuance of $75 million in Operating Partnership units to the sellers, affiliates of Murphy Development Company, a developer of high-quality, Class A corporate industrial and technology parks in the San Diego market. The balance of the purchase was funded with cash.
Swaringen noted, "Our unique UPREIT structure along with our diversified portfolio and NAV-based daily valuation were attractive to the sellers who chose to contribute these properties in exchange for interests in our fund rather than selling for cash, helping achieve a more tax efficient outcome along with facilitating their longer-term estate planning objectives. We are excited to have them as long-term investors in JLL Income Property Trust and look forward to working with them for many years to come."
JLL Income Property Trust's aggregate industrial allocation is now over $1.8 billion, or approximately 30 percent of its $6.3 portfolio, and includes 53 properties across 12 key markets, all ranked highly or as target markets by LaSalle's Research & Strategy group.
JLL Income Property Trust is an institutionally managed, daily NAV REIT that brings to investors a growing portfolio of commercial real estate investments selected by an institutional investment management team and sponsored by one of the world's leading real estate services firms.
About JLL Income Property Trust, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZIPTAX; ZIPTMX; ZIPIAX; ZIPIMX),
Jones Lang LaSalle Income Property Trust, Inc. is a daily NAV REIT that owns and manages a diversified portfolio of high quality, income-producing residential, industrial, grocery-anchored retail, healthcare and office properties located in the United States. JLL Income Property Trust expects to further diversify its real estate portfolio over time, including on a global basis. For more information, visit www.jllipt.com.
About LaSalle Investment Management
LaSalle Investment Management is one of the world's leading real estate investment managers. On a global basis, LaSalle manages approximately $78 billion of assets in private and public real estate property and debt investments as of Q4 2021. LaSalle's diverse client base includes public and private pension funds, insurance companies, governments, corporations, endowments and private individuals from across the globe. LaSalle sponsors a complete range of investment vehicles including separate accounts, open- and closed-end funds, public securities and entity-level investments. For more information, please visit http://www.lasalle.com.
Valuations, Forward Looking Statements and Future Results
This press release may contain forward-looking statements with respect to JLL Income Property Trust. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not descriptions of historical facts and include statements regarding management's intentions, beliefs, expectations, research, market analysis, plans or predictions of the future. Because such statements include risks, uncertainties and contingencies, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Past performance is not indicative of future results and there can be no assurance that future dividends will be paid.
Contacts:
Scott Sutton
LaSalle Investment Management
Telephone: +1 224 343 5538
Email: scott.sutton@lasalle.com
Doug Allen
Dukas Linden Public Relations
Telephone: +1 646 722 6530
Email: JLLIPT@DLPR.com
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SOURCE JLL Income Property Trust | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/jll-income-property-trust-acquires-south-san-diego-distribution-center/ | 2022-04-14T14:30:44 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/jll-income-property-trust-acquires-south-san-diego-distribution-center/ |
LOS ANGELES, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- LILYSILK, the world's leading silk brand with a mission to inspire people to live spectacular, sustainable lives, is launching six special gift sets for Mother's Day this year.
Mother's Day is an opportunity for people to express their gratitude and love for their mothers. Infusing the special holiday with the brand's unique philosophy, LILYSILK has crafted six limited edition gift sets, each catering to a different personality and preference. The LILYSILK design team will decorate the gift boxes with conventional black ribbons to reflect the beauty and elegance of mothers. The decoration will be free of charge and each gift box also comes with a special gift card to express their love.
The gift sets each contains several beloved LILYSILK items including:
- LILYÁUREA™ 22 Momme Gold-Silk Stay-safe Kit, dedicating the purest joy and happiness to mother with the purest material;
- Skin-Friendly Beauty Sleep Set, helping mother to sleep better and maintain her beauty;
- 24-Hour Care: #1 Shirt + Sleep Collection, for the sweetest mother who has always been caring and encouraging;
- 24-Hour Care: SOS Shirt + Sleep Collection, celebrating the selfless and maternal love;
- Best Beauty Sleep Set, for the hardest working mother who has devoted all her life to her children;
- 24-Hour Care: 1 for 2 Dress + Sleep Collection, the best choice to complement the elegance of the mother.
The Skin-Friendly Beauty Sleep Set, which includes one 19 Momme Terse Envelope Silk Pillowcase, one Ideal Silk Sleep Eye Mask, and five Soft Silk Medium Scrunchies, also comes with a free monogramming service, which enables customers to customize their gift, so that it is truly one-of-a-kind.
"Mothers serve as an inspiration to all and are the greatest teachers of compassion, love, and fearlessness, and there is no love as pure, unconditional, and strong as a mother's love," said David Wang, CEO of LILYSILK. "With the gift sets specially created for this occasion, we hope mothers can enjoy the utmost comfort, and in spectacular style."
About LILYSILK
LILYSILK is a world-leading silk brand with a mission to inspire people to live spectacularly as well as more sustainably, driven by its care for its customers as well as the planet. For more information, visit www.lilysilk.com and follow @lilysilk on Instagram and @Lilysilk on Facebook.
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SOURCE LILYSILK | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/lilysilk-unveils-six-limited-edition-gift-sets-mothers-day-their-irreplaceable-love/ | 2022-04-14T14:30:50 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/lilysilk-unveils-six-limited-edition-gift-sets-mothers-day-their-irreplaceable-love/ |
A collaboration with Michelin-starred chefs, The Roca Brothers capturing the essence of one of the world's most creative and dynamic cities brought to life in a new documentary
NEW YORK, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Macallan has launched Distil Your World New York, an exceptional limited edition single malt whisky that captures the essence of one of the most iconic cities in the world.
Distil Your World New York marks the latest release in the series of single malt whiskies and gastronomic creations exploring leading locations around the globe. Crafted by The Macallan Whisky Maker Polly Logan in collaboration with the Roca brothers, owners of El Celler de Can Roca, twice named Best Restaurant in the World, Distil Your World New York embodies and celebrates the city as a dynamic metropolis of art, creativity and visionary talent.
To uncover the mastery behind New York, Polly and Joan Roca traveled to the city to spend time with the artists who fuel its vibrant culture; the visionaries driving its inimitable creativity; and the thinkers chronicling the city. Their journey and the remarkable figures they encountered during it, including globally acclaimed jazz musician Wynton Marsalis, legendary graffiti artist Lady Pink, art curator at the Guggenheim Museum Megan Fontanella, high-end fashion designer Daniel Silverstein and sneaker culture historian Dee Wells, will be showcased in a new 30-minute documentary which marks the fourth episode of the Distil Your World documentary series. The film premiered during a private event in New York on April 13th before being released on YouTube for viewing.
Created from the perfect combination of six European and American oak casks, the whisky reflects the distinctive artistic character of the city, its towering architecture, and the culinary eclecticism offered by its delis, diners and street food. The Macallan Whisky Maker Polly Logan said: "This project is a homage to the people of New York. The daring, creative and diverse characters we've met along the way. This whisky is bold, flavor vibrant and uplifting – just like each of them."
Building on the subtle apple notes already characteristic of The Macallan – a fitting flavor for the Big Apple – Distil Your World New York also offers the sweetness of classic American candy, with nods to peanut and chocolate. A whisp of sidewalks portrays the bustle of the city while uplifting citrus represents the skyscrapers that dominate New York's skyline. "We really looked towards the quintessential tastes of New York – sweet candy, waffles, peanut brittle, chocolate, and pecans. The city's thriving street food scene was a great source of inspiration" said The Macallan Whisky Maker Polly Logan.
The globally acclaimed Roca brothers also created a unique menu designed to take diners on a singular journey through New York. Their creations, which like the whisky, play with renowned New York flavors including a potato cronut with salsa brava, waffles with chicken pâté and sugar cane syrup and cured and smoked strip steak. The Big Apple, their masterpiece dessert, features a caramel apple filled with fresh apple puree and milk chocolate.
Joan Roca said: "The originality of New York is endless, it's impossible to portray it with just one creation, so we needed to express it through an extended menu, where every dish tells a story. The city grabs hold of you instantly. Its energy pushed us to create a complex and daring menu, with ideas that we explored for the very first time."
Distil Your World New York is housed in a striking white presentation box featuring an engraved aerial map of New York. Bold touches of blue on the box and bottle represent the water that surrounds the city and the buildings which reach into the sky. In addition to the limited edition whisky, the box contains a luxurious book showcasing the different inspirations behind this single malt, and the craftsmanship involved in its creation, alongside rich New York photography.
The Macallan Distil Your World New York is a limited-edition release of 1,000 bottles and will be available starting April 2022 for an SRP of $4,200 for the 70cl bottle and $4,500 for the 75cl version at select The Macallan Boutiques around the world, in premium specialist retailers and in exclusive premium non-specialist retailers.
For further information visit www.themacallan.com
Whisky Maker's Notes:
Color: City sunrise
Aroma: Big apple with peanut brittle and milk chocolate. A sweet and salty mix like a rising dough and a whisp of sidewalks, fresh rain and cherry blossom.
Palate: Baked apple and raisin, chocolate covered nuts, maple syrup and toasted waffles with a side of salted pecans.
Finish: Medium with roasted nuts and sweet oak
ABV: 49.5%.
For further information, please contact: TheMacallan@mbooth.com
About The Macallan
Founded in 1824, The Macallan is renowned worldwide for its extraordinary single malt whiskies. Their outstanding quality and distinctive character reveal the uncompromised excellence pursued by The Macallan since it was established by Alexander Reid, on a plateau above the River Spey in north-east Scotland.
In 2018, The Macallan opened a new chapter in its history with the launch of its award-winning Speyside distillery. Designed by internationally acclaimed architects to promote sustainability, the building takes inspiration from the surrounding ancient Scottish hills. It stands nearby Easter Elchies House, the Highland Manor built in 1700 which is The Macallan's spiritual home and remains the heartbeat of The Macallan's beautiful 485-acre Estate.
Crafted without compromise. Please savor The Macallan responsibly.
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SOURCE The Macallan | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/macallan-unveils-distil-your-world-new-york/ | 2022-04-14T14:31:00 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/macallan-unveils-distil-your-world-new-york/ |
MaXXa is Allied Corp's Popular Cosmetic Brand That Uses CBD to Fight the Aging Process and Help Consumers Maintain Sleek, Glowing Skin
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Corp is an international organization that has made its mission to offer targeted support to those struggling with a variety of health and wellness concerns. Allied operates as an umbrella company for multiple in-house brands. Each of these allows Allied to offer elite, scientifically-backed health solutions that answer specific problems. All of these products are legal for sale in the US as they are under the 0.3% THC threshold.
One of these brands is Allied's cosmetic and beauty label, MaXXa. Each product in the cosmetics and beauty brand's growing catalog focuses on enhancing beauty and managing anti-aging skincare symptoms. As is the case with all of Allied Corp's brands, MaXXa utilizes natural, hemp-infused formulas to offer unique cosmetic solutions for its customers.
Allied Corp CEO Calum Hughes outlines the primary goal of the MaXXa brand, stating that "all of the SKUs in the MaXXa product line are proprietary products that we've spent significant time tailoring to those with different skincare needs. The wide selection of options lets each person choose the items that will be particularly useful for them."
There are half a dozen unique products in the MaXXa catalog at the moment, each one targeting a different area of beauty and anti-aging. These include, among others, radiant facial topicals, ultra-hydrating eye serums, moisturizing vitamin compounds, and silky smooth lip gloss.
Each MaXXa product utilizes a carefully selected combination of organic, natural cosmetic ingredients. As already noted, the most prominent of these is the inclusion of hemp oil. This ancient ingredient has long been associated with treating skin conditions, including dryness, itching, acne, aging, and wrinkles.
Between its combination of powerful ingredients and the targeted design of each product, MaXXa empowers consumers to take their skincare regimen into their own hands. From face creams to lip balms and beyond, the hemp-infused brand is taking cosmetics and skincare to the next level.
About Allied Corp: Allied Corp is an international health and wellness company that is dedicated to helping people treat real-world ailments with cannabinoid health solutions. The company is devoted to using an evidence-informed scientific approach that includes cutting-edge pharmaceutical research and development. Over the years, Allied has developed a trio of brands — Maxxa, Equilibrium Bio, and Tactical Relief LLC — which offer a variety of hemp-based solutions that cover cosmetics, physical recovery, and mental health, respectively. Learn more about Allied Corp and its associated brands at alliedcorpbrands.com.
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SOURCE Allied Corp. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/maxxa-uses-cbd-revitalize-skincare-routines/ | 2022-04-14T14:31:06 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/maxxa-uses-cbd-revitalize-skincare-routines/ |
CLEVELAND, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- McDonald Hopkins LLC announced the opening of a new Baltimore office and the addition of member Spencer S. Pollock and associate Kelly Campbell to the firm's growing national Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice Group. Pollock and Campbell will serve as the foundation of the firm's increased presence on the East Coast.
"This is an exciting time at McDonald Hopkins," said firm president Shawn Riley. "With the addition of Spencer and Kelly, we are able to expand our national Data Privacy and Cybersecurity practice into the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. Beltway."
McDonald Hopkins' offices now include Baltimore, Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, West Palm Beach, and the firm's home office in Cleveland. The new Baltimore office is located on the 23rd floor of the Legg Mason Tower, overlooking the city's Inner Harbor.
Pollock, Campbell and paralegal Brianna Leonard all come to McDonald Hopkins from Whiteford Taylor Preston LLP.
"We continue to grow our Data Privacy and Cybersecurity team to give policyholders and clients the best tools, resources and support when responding to a data privacy incident, to proactively manage information and minimize the risk of a cyberattack," said Jim Giszczak, co-chair of the Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice Group and co-president elect of McDonald Hopkins. "Spencer and Kelly are key pieces to the growth of our team. They add to the team's tremendous depth, and the presence in Baltimore is a confirmation of our exciting growth in the cybersecurity space."
Pollock is certified by the International Association of Privacy Professionals as an accredited Certified Information Privacy Professional/United States (CIPP/US) and Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM). He has experience handling hundreds of cyber incidents and data breaches, and, as a recognized leader in the data privacy and cybersecurity legal community, he is a frequent speaker and guest on numerous television and radio shows, and podcasts.
Pollock provides his clients with proactive guidance and helps them prepare for data breaches by writing and implementing policies to comply with state, federal, and international data security and cybersecurity laws. He also provides training to C-Suite leaders and employees on data security and cybersecurity and performs vendor vetting and due diligence as required by law.
Pollock's practice includes helping clients respond to data breaches, cyberattacks, ransomware incidents and business email compromise situations, including coordinating vendors to assist in remediation, identifying applicable cyber laws and notification requirements, law enforcement liaising, messaging and public communications surrounding the incident, and responding to regulators.
Pollock earned his J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law. He completed his B.A. at the Sewanee: University of the South.
"Joining McDonald Hopkins is an exciting opportunity to join a deep bench of talented and well-known data privacy and cybersecurity attorneys," said Pollock. "Kelly and I look forward to helping to grow the existing brand as the firm expands into the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. metropolitan region."
Campbell's practice includes advising clients on how to prepare and respond to data breaches and cyber-attacks in compliance with state, federal and international data security and cybersecurity laws. Her work includes assisting clients with the investigation of security incidents, messaging and public communications surrounding the incident, compliance with breach notification obligations, and post-breach responses.
Campbell also provides clients with proactive, pre-breach services that focus on protecting personal, sensitive and confidential information and minimizing the risk of a data privacy incident. The International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) recognizes her as a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US).
In addition to her data privacy and cybersecurity practice, Campbell has experience handling complex commercial litigation and representing clients in state and federal courts.
Kelly obtained her B.A. in Public Relations from the University of South Carolina. She earned her J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law, where she served as Editor-in-Chief of the University of Baltimore Law Review.
About McDonald Hopkins
Founded in 1930, McDonald Hopkins is a business advisory and advocacy law firm with locations in Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, and West Palm Beach. With more than 50 service and industry teams, the firm has the expertise and knowledge to meet the growing number of legal and business challenges our clients face. For more information about McDonald Hopkins, visit mcdonaldhopkins.com.
About McDonald Hopkins National Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice Group
The Data Privacy and Cybersecurity team at McDonald Hopkins has counseled clients in nearly every industry on responding to thousands of data breaches and privacy incidents. As a Platinum Breach Coach®, we work closely with law enforcement, forensic investigators and third-party cybersecurity vendors to offer organizations efficient and effective incident response services in compliance with the numerous and rapidly changing state, federal, international and industry-specific privacy and breach notice laws. We also offer Cyber Savvy pre-breach services that focus on proactively managing personal, sensitive and confidential information and minimizing the risk of a data privacy incident. Our experienced team provides client support during investigations by state, federal and international regulators, and we have significant experience in privacy litigation prosecution (indemnification) and defense (single plaintiff and class action).
CONTACT:
David Carducci
McDonald Hopkins LLC
600 Superior Avenue, East, Suite 2100
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
Phone: 216.348.5814
Email: dcarducci@mcdonaldhopkins.com
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SOURCE McDonald Hopkins | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/mcdonald-hopkins-announces-expansion-into-baltimore-with-additions-pollock-campbell-national-data-privacy-cybersecurity-team/ | 2022-04-14T14:31:12 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/mcdonald-hopkins-announces-expansion-into-baltimore-with-additions-pollock-campbell-national-data-privacy-cybersecurity-team/ |
JERSEY CITY, N.J., April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Goya Foods, the largest Hispanic-owned food company in the United States, announced its commitment to donate another 300,000 pounds of food to Catholic Charities of New York/ Feeding Our Neighbors. His Eminence Cardinal Dolan helped to distribute bags filled with Goya products and supplies to families in need at St. Jerome's HANDS Community Center in the Bronx and offered a special blessing on Holy Thursday.
"During a time of crisis, inflation, and looming food shortages, the Goya family has worked courageously and tirelessly to provide nourishing food to those in need around the Country and around the globe. We are grateful to have our work and to have a purpose to rise every morning for God, our families and our Nation. As a result, throughout the year and especially during this Holy Season, we are proud to present the gift of the fruits of our labor to families in need serviced by Catholic Charities," said Bob Unanue, President and CEO of Goya Foods.
The past few years have had a devastating impact on the health and economic security of families in New York's most vulnerable communities. Goya has been a supporter of Catholic Charities/ Feeding our Neighbors campaign for the past six years, donating a total of over 1.8 million pounds of food to people throughout New York City.
To learn more about Goya Gives, please visit: www.goya.com
About Goya Foods
Founded in 1936, Goya Foods, Inc. is America's largest Hispanic-owned food company, and has established itself as the leader in Latin American food and condiments. Goya manufactures, packages, and distributes over 2,500 high-quality food products from Spain, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America. Goya products have their roots in the culinary traditions of Hispanic communities around the world. The combination of authentic ingredients, robust seasonings and convenient preparation makes Goya products ideal for every taste and every table. For more information on Goya Foods, please visit www.goya.com.
Media contact: Natalie Maniscalco, natalie@retromedianyc.com, 1-845-659-6506
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SOURCE Goya Foods, Inc. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/midst-inflation-looming-food-shortages-goya-renews-commitment-donate-300000-pounds-food-catholic-charities-new-york/ | 2022-04-14T14:31:19 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/midst-inflation-looming-food-shortages-goya-renews-commitment-donate-300000-pounds-food-catholic-charities-new-york/ |
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mint Eco Car Wash has officially been recognized as the "Best Car Wash in Palm Beach County" by the Palm Beach Post in their annual "Best of the Best" local fan-based award.
Geoffrey Jervis, Co-Founder and CEO of Mint Eco, shared, "We are incredibly honored to receive this prestigious accolade. When you set out to do something dramatically different in an industry, you are always fearful that your concept may not be appreciated by the market. This award is validation that what we are doing is working." Mr. Jervis added, "The true winners of this achievement are our amazing customers. Their happiness is the reason that Mint Eco exists, and we are deeply committed to continuing to bring happiness to Palm Beach County through our Fresh Approach to Washing Cars. We are looking forward to bringing Mint Eco to more neighborhoods soon."
Nominations for the "Best of Palm Beach" awards were submitted by local residents, and top choices advanced to two rounds of public voting. Three finalists from each category were invited to the awards ceremony on March 24 at the Palm Beach Convention Center. The entire Mint Eco Team was on hand when Mint Eco was announced as the ultimate winner of the competition.
"We are only three years old, and winning this award in such a short period of time is as special as it is unexpected," shared Shannon Hunihan, Chief Marketing Officer for Mint Eco. "What we are doing here in our community and with the environment is bigger than washing cars. It is about doing business the way it was always meant to be done—responsibly and with passion. All of us at Mint Eco believe that the best is yet to come."
About Mint Eco:
Mint Eco Car Wash is bringing A Fresh Approach to Washing Cars across Palm Beach County, with its unique mission statement: "We exist to make people happy. We believe a clean car makes you feel good and makes you optimistic about the rest of your day. And we LOVE being in the business of selling happiness." Founded in 2019 in West Palm Beach, Mint Eco has grown to over 150 employees and has washed hundreds of thousands of cars in Palm Beach County to date.
Mint Eco currently operates three car washes in Palm Beach County: Mint Eco Car Wash Downtown, located at 316 Southern Boulevard in West Palm Beach, Mint Eco Car Wash Jupiter, located at 220 Maplewood Drive in Jupiter, and Mint Eco Car Wash Okeechobee/Turnpike, located at 1950 Golden Lakes Boulevard in West Palm Beach, with plans to develop 50 more locations over the next several years. To learn more visit, www.mintecocarwash.com.
Media Contact:
Shannon Hunihan
Chief Marketing Officer
Shannonh@mintecocarwash.com
941-587-4965
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SOURCE Mint Eco Car Wash | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/mint-eco-car-wash-wins-palm-beach-posts-best-car-wash-palm-beach-county-award/ | 2022-04-14T14:31:26 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/mint-eco-car-wash-wins-palm-beach-posts-best-car-wash-palm-beach-county-award/ |
Funds will be invested directly into community-based solutions to improve the representation of Black Americans in baseball
NEW YORK, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Players Alliance, a nonprofit started by active and retired professional baseball players, announced commitments by players, coaches and staff to donate their game-day salary in recognition of the 75th Anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier. The donations will help the charity launch new programs across the country.
MLB players Lorenzo Cain, Jason Heyward, Aaron Hicks, Mike Moustakas and David Price are among those who've pledged to donate their full or partial game-day salary.
75 years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, Black players make up only 7% of all MLB players. "There is a sacred brotherhood in baseball. It's important to all of us that there's representation from more of us," said CC Sabathia, The Players Alliance Board Member and new Special Assistant to the Commissioner.
"Players sacrifice their pay because they believe that diversity is an asset that should be actively pursued," said Curtis Granderson, The Players Alliance Board Chair and former MLB outfielder. "Our supporters reflect every racial, religious and professional level found in the sport and they are committed to upholding Jackie's legacy by breaking today's barriers."
Edwin Jackson, Co-Founder of The Players Alliance and a 22-year MLB pitcher, stated: "No one knows better than us how difficult the journey to professional play is, which is why it's on us to go into communities and let the kids know that people who look like you play baseball and there is opportunity for you in this game."
Funds raised this year for Jackie Robinson Day will allow The Players Alliance to directly invest in struggling inner city and rural baseball teams. This past Tuesday, the group invested in more than 500 middle schoolers in Atlanta. Future plans include attracting skilled coaches and trainers to under-resourced programs, sponsoring after-school intensives and providing uniforms, shoes, equipment and transportation, among other efforts.
In 2021, The Players Alliance's 'Players Pull Up' tour traveled to 33 cities to provide pantry supplies and COVID resources to more than 20,000 families in need, and in partnership with Major League Baseball, provided $1 million worth of baseball equipment, giving children across the country first-time access to the tools to play the game.
CONTACT: Kelly Magee, 212-203-3597, kelly@rivetpr.com
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SOURCE The Players Alliance | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/mlb-players-donate-game-day-salary-mark-75th-anniversary-jackie-robinson-breaking-color-barrier/ | 2022-04-14T14:31:33 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/mlb-players-donate-game-day-salary-mark-75th-anniversary-jackie-robinson-breaking-color-barrier/ |
Cleveland cybersecurity company partners with Horizon3.ai to bring autonomous testing as a service to their customers
CLEVELAND, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cybersecurity risk management provider MRK Technologies announces their partnership with Horizon3.ai to help their customers continue to combat the ever-evolving ransomware threat with a new Autonomous Penetration Tests as a Service (APTaaS). By leveraging Horizon3.ai's NodeZero platform, penetration tests can be automated and run as often as needed to ensure all systems are secure.
"We pride ourselves on continuously bringing the best technology to our customers," said John Tookman, Chief Revenue Officer and Senior Vice President of MRK Technologies. "We're excited to add Horizon3.ai's NodeZero platform to our managed security services, which allows us to help ensure our customers' systems are secure."
Annual penetration testing is often perceived more as a compliance requirement, and less about the value added. Many pentests only offer a point-in-time glance at a network – only relevant for a short period of time. This new continuous APTaaS is a true SaaS offering, which helps cybersecurity teams continuously find and fix vulnerabilities within their systems before attackers can exploit them.
"Threat actors know how to chain together network misconfigurations, vulnerabilities, harvested credentials, and dangerous product defaults to create attack vectors you never imagined would be exploitable," said Snehal Antani, CEO and co-founder of Horizon3.ai. "Our partnership with MRK Technologies allows us to provide APTaaS to customers, helping them to harden their security postures with pentests that can run as often as they wish."
This new offering joins MRK Technologies' Security Operations Center's already robust managed securities offering, which includes Managed Detection & Response (MDR/EDR), Managed Security Information & Event Management (SIEM), Managed Deception Technology and Managed Network Detection.
"In the last couple of years, we've doubled down on our efforts to build out our Security Operations Center in order to provide best-in-class service offerings to our customers," added Tookman. "Adding APTaaS is just the next step in continuing to achieve our mission of helping our customers achieve a stronger security posture amidst the ever-evolving threat landscape."
About MRK Technologies
MRK Technologies, a TruWest Company, is a cybersecurity risk management provider that offers custom security solutions. We provide a full suite of information security services and solutions that help define cyber security strategy, identify and remediate threats and risks, select and deploy the right technology, and prepare and protect you from malicious attacks. From virtual CISOs to a full service MSSP, MRK partners with you to protect your business at every level.
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SOURCE MRK Technologies | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/mrk-technologies-adds-new-autonomous-penetration-tests-managed-security-services-offering/ | 2022-04-14T14:31:39 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/mrk-technologies-adds-new-autonomous-penetration-tests-managed-security-services-offering/ |
Open Finance API provides access to more than 1,000 data sources in accounting, commerce, and payroll, such as QuickBooks, Xero, Shopify, Stripe, and Amazon
LEHI, Utah and TORONTO, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MX, the leader in Open Finance, and Boss Insights, a leader in business data aggregation, are partnering to provide small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMB) access to real-time financial business data. This access bridges the data gap between SMBs and their banks — accelerating the speed and accuracy of SMB lending, funding, and payments services so they can spend less time collecting data and more time delighting their customers.
Fintechs, private lenders, and financial institutions often struggle with reliable and efficient access to data in a world where speed is paramount. Boss Insights provides technology that lets service providers increase the speed to decision, speed to monitor, and the cost savings of financial services for SMBs and commercial businesses.
"Boss Insights shares MX's view that finances should be simple, useful, and intuitive," said Keren Moynihan, Chief Executive Officer of Boss Insights. "Together, MX and Boss will empower fintechs, private lenders, and financial institutions with a platform to originate, decide, and monitor the business requests of their SMB and commercial business customers. This will help them make faster, more accurate lending, funding, and payment decisions."
The partnership between MX and Boss Insights gives SMB owners a 360-degree view of their business customers' financial health through a single application programming interface (API). The API provides real-time access and integration with accounting, banking, and commerce data from more than 1,000 data sources — such as QuickBooks, Xero, Shopify, Stripe, and Amazon.
"At the 2021 Money Experience Summit, MX announced an expansion of our data offerings to provide solutions for those looking to delight SMBs," said Don Parker, Executive Vice President of Partnerships, MX. "Today's partnership with Boss Insights is an important part of that expansion and our ongoing commitment to help small and mid-size businesses achieve better success."
Through this partnership, Boss Insights can securely and reliably access financial accounts on the MX financial data platform while MX clients gain better, more in-depth financial insights to manage their finances.
About MX
MX, the leader in Open Finance, helps organizations everywhere connect to the world's financial data and turn raw, unstructured data into their most valuable asset to deliver intelligent and personalized money experiences. MX connects more than 16,000 financial institutions and fintechs providing the industry's most reliable and secure data connectivity network. Additionally, MX powers 85% of digital banking providers, as well as thousands of banks, credit unions, and fintechs, with a combined reach of over 200 million consumers. To learn more follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn @MX or visit www.mx.com.
About Boss Insights
Boss Insights is an award-winning global leader in open banking, linking fintechs and financial institutions to their SMB clients' financial accounting, commerce, payroll and tax applications to access real-time data (e.g. QuickBooks, Xero, Stripe, Square, Shopify, Amazon, etc.). Boss Insights provides portals to originate, decision and service fintechs and financial institutions. In an industry that needs speed and access to real-time data, Boss Insights empowers fintechs, private lenders and financial institutions to serve their business customers. For more information, visit www.bossinsights.com.
Contact:
Tom Cook
tom.cook@mx.com
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SOURCE MX | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/mx-boss-insights-partner-accelerate-business-lending-insights-with-access-real-time-financial-data/ | 2022-04-14T14:31:46 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/mx-boss-insights-partner-accelerate-business-lending-insights-with-access-real-time-financial-data/ |
New communities coming soon to Birmingham and Rainbow City from the national leader in online homebuying.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Century Communities, Inc., a top 10 national homebuilder offering homes for purchase online, announced its Century Complete brand has broken ground in the Birmingham area, Alabama's largest metro region. Century Complete was drawn to Birmingham for its vibrant culture, bustling economy, world-class dining and shopping, and abundance of outdoor recreation.
As the national leader in online homebuying, Century Complete is bringing its streamlined and modernized "Buy Now" process—making it easy for buyers to quickly purchase a quality new home online—to the area with two initial communities, one in north Birmingham and the other in Rainbow City. Each community will offer an inspired lineup of single-family floor plans, boasting in-demand open-concept layouts with desirable included features, like granite countertops, Shaker-style cabinetry throughout, and stainless-steel appliances—all at an affordable starting price point of the mid $200s.
Learn more and join community interest lists at www.CenturyCommunities.com/BirminghamCMP.
"We're excited to bring our best-in-class online homebuying experience to the fast-growing Birmingham metro area," said Greg Huff, president of Century Complete. "Our quality new homes, combined with prime locations, make this a great opportunity for aspiring homeowners."
Kensington Gardens | Rainbow City, AL
From the mid $200s
- Single-family homes
- 3 brand-new floor plans with full-brick elevations
- 3- to 4-bedroom homes featuring 2 baths, 2-bay garages, and up to 1,773 square feet
Small-town charm meets big-city amenities. Kensington Gardens is located near Neely Henry Lake—one of the best-kept fishing secrets in the state. This enclave community of just 15 homesites brings quality Century Complete homes to the growing suburbs of Rainbow City.
Westchester | Birmingham, AL
From the mid $200s
- Single-family homes
- 6 floor plans
- 3- to 5-bedroom homes featuring 2 to 3 baths, 2-bay garages, and up to 2,376 square feet
From its prime location in North Birmingham, Westchester provides exceptional access to city parks and shops. This location is also only 15 minutes from the airport, and just 10 minutes from downtown, hospitals, museums and more. Choose from beautiful new floor plans with four-sided brick exteriors.
Until then, our industry-leading online homebuying process allows you to buy on your terms—24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. However, if you'd like assistance with purchasing a new home, please call us at (659) 209-4640.
Century Complete is proud to feature its industry-first online homebuying experience on all available homes in Alabama.
How it works:
- Shop homes at CenturyCommunities.com
- Click "Buy Now" on any available home
- Fill out a quick Buy Online form
- Electronically submit an initial earnest money deposit
- Electronically sign a purchase contract via DocuSign®
Learn more about the Buy Online experience at www.CenturyCommunities.com/online-homebuying.
Century Communities, Inc. (NYSE: CCS) is a top 10 national homebuilder, offering new homes under the Century Communities and Century Complete brands. Century is engaged in all aspects of homebuilding — including the acquisition, entitlement and development of land, along with the construction, innovative marketing and sale of quality homes designed to appeal to a wide range of homebuyers. The Colorado-based company operates in 17 states and over 40 markets across the U.S., and also offers title, insurance and lending services in select markets through its Parkway Title, IHL Home Insurance Agency, and Inspire Home Loans subsidiaries. To learn more about Century Communities, please visit www.centurycommunities.com.
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SOURCE Century Communities, Inc. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/national-homebuilder-century-complete-expands-birmingham-alabama-area/ | 2022-04-14T14:31:52 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/national-homebuilder-century-complete-expands-birmingham-alabama-area/ |
Operational Employees Want More Money And More Interesting Jobs
NEW YORK, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ocrolus, the automation solution that helps financial services companies make high-quality decisions with trusted data and unparalleled efficiency, conducted a national survey on the current environment for back-office jobs. The new survey, conducted in February, included responses from 400+ professionals with management roles and above regarding back-office employee hiring and turnover in the past 12 months.
Key findings include:
- 58% of respondents said their organizations experienced shortages of back-office staff during the past year. Nearly half of the respondents (49%) saw an increase in turnover for these roles.
- Salary ranked as the primary reason for turnover for back-office roles, selected by 65% of respondents; followed by employees "seeking more interesting work" (15%), followed by "monotony of work" (12%), "benefits" (10%), and "complexity of work" (9%).
- 46% of respondents say their customer resolution times have been negatively impacted due to shortages and an equal amount have found their ability to conduct business "less effective" due to worker shortages; 34% of respondents said their results have become less accurate due to employee shortages.
- 39% of respondents have resorted to giving employees overtime work and pay to fill existing staff shortages; 25% reduced office hours to accommodate for back-office staff shortages during the past year.
- 50% of respondents have seen hiring back-office team members become more difficult or significantly more difficult in the last twelve months.
- 59% of back-office staff leave within three years of being hired; 47% of organizations require more than a month to fully onboard back-office staff.
"It's no secret that every industry has been negatively impacted by the Great Resignation; however, job categories that provide low wages, monotonous work and unfulfilling tasks have been hit the hardest, as fueled by massive employee burnout," said Jackie Siqueiros, Chief People Officer, Ocrolus. "Clearly, the current model is not sustainable, and companies slow to adapt and provide their employees with the right tools to feel productive will continue to struggle, churning through staff by investing in a legacy model for business that is already obsolete. Organizations that leverage automation to reduce monotonous work will create better, more fulfilling jobs and a more effective workforce."
For the purposes of this survey, "back-office" is described as 'an office or center in which the administrative work of a business is carried out.' Those tasks include records maintenance, settlements, accounts payables, and accounts receivables, to name a few. The survey was conducted via SurveyMonkey of people with manager-level roles and above across companies in every industry.
About Ocrolus
Ocrolus is a document automation platform that powers the digital lending ecosystem, automating credit decisions across fintech, mortgage, and banking. The company provides modern document analysis infrastructure and has raised over $100 million from blue-chip fintech investors. Ocrolus enables financial services firms to make high quality decisions with trusted data and unparalleled efficiency. Visit ocrolus.com to learn more.
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SOURCE Ocrolus, Inc. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/national-survey-finds-businesses-face-growing-back-office-employee-deficit/ | 2022-04-14T14:31:59 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/14/national-survey-finds-businesses-face-growing-back-office-employee-deficit/ |