text
stringlengths 100
728k
| url
stringlengths 13
1.03k
| crawl_date
timestamp[ns, tz=UTC]date 2024-01-01 00:29:56
2024-01-20 05:17:14
|
|---|---|---|
Actress Elisabeth Moss confirmed on Tuesday that she is pregnant with her first child.
Moss, 41, who won an Emmy Award in 2017 for her role as Offred in “The Handmaid’s Tale,” made the announcement on the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” program, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Kimmel got right to the point.
“Are you pregnant or just an incredibly committed method actor?” Kimmel asked.
“A little bit of both,” Moss answered.
“I’ve been really lucky,” Moss continued. “It’s been going really well.”
When Moss asked Kimmel for advice, the talk show host said he was reminded of what comedian Bill Murray told him and his wife, Molly McNearney, when they were expecting one of their four children, Entertainment Tonight reported.
“He said, ‘Bring Christmas lights to hang up (in the delivery room),’” Kimmel said, adding that Murray also suggested bringing in battery-powered candles.
The “Mad Men” star did not share further details about her pregnancy, including when the baby is due, People reported.
©2024 Cox Media Group
|
https://www.powerorlando.com/news/trending/handmaids-tale-actress-elisabeth-moss-pregnant-with-first-child/VR7LGBR3XZF5HJCMV2VEQ2BJCU/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:00Z
|
Barnstable Town Council wants $45K to pay for offshore wind legal advice
The Barnstable Town Council is laying the groundwork for legal matters related to Avangrid's Park City Wind project and is also inviting public comment for a related hearing planned later in February.
At its Feb. 1 meeting, the Council plans to introduce a $45,000 supplemental appropriation order for the town legal department to pay for services rendered by Boston-based law firm Anderson & Kreiger. Among the firm's specialties are environmental and land use law. Anderson & Kreiger is serving as outside counsel on Park City Wind LLC's offshore wind project in Barnstable.
The money is proposed to come from the town's general fund reserves.
The subject is to be discussed under the Town Council's "New Business," according to the Feb. 1 agenda. An executive session is also slated for the Council "to discuss strategy with respect to litigation since a discussion in open session may have a detrimental effect on the litigating position of the town and Town Council."
The meeting is set for 6 p.m. in town hall, 367 Main St., in the James H. Crocker Jr. hearing room on the second floor.
Background details included on the council's Feb. 1 agenda note that, in 2022, the town completed a host community agreement with Park City Wind, LLC on the company's plans to bring cables from its project south of Martha's Vineyard ashore at Craigville Beach. Last year, the company defaulted on its power purchase agreement with Connecticut utilities and paid a penalty as a result.
The company, notes the council, "is now participating in new procurements, including one being undertaken by Massachusetts, under which the state expects to make a decision in August."
Park City Wind was permitted in 2023
On Dec. 15, 2023, the state Energy Facilities Siting Board issued a final decision approving and permitting the Park City Wind project.
In related action, the council is planning a public hearing on Feb. 15, starting about 7 p.m. at town hall. The hearing is related to the supplemental appropriation order, which the Council may take final action on afterward.
The public is invited to submit written comments by visiting: https://tobweb.town.barnstable.ma.us/boardscommittees/towncouncil/Town_Council/Agenda-Comment.asp
Both the Feb. 1 and Feb. 15 meetings may also be viewed remotely. Details for participating via Zoom are included on the agendas, available on the town website at town.barnstable.ma.us/BoardsCommittees/TownCouncil/
This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Park City Wind contract in Connecticut draws attention in Barnstable
|
https://news.yahoo.com/barnstable-town-council-wants-45k-215945540.html
| 2024-01-31T23:03:00Z
|
Court Square Capital Management is prepping to launch a sale process for Advanced Diabetes Supply Company, three sources familiar with the matter told PE Hub. ADS is one of the three largest distributors of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices in the US.
The New York-based healthcare-focused PE sponsor is in the early stages of reviewing interest in ADS and recently engaged Houlihan Lokey as its sellside adviser for the company, sources said.
Advanced Diabetes Supply, based in Carlsbad, California, was formed in 2002 and distributes durable medical equipment for diabetes that include CGMs, insulin pumps, lancets and InPen, a smartphone-equipped home glucose reader.
ADS is being marketed off of $100 million in EBITDA generated for 2023, sources said. Based on a fragmented public market for CGM products, the company could generate bids valued between 12x and 15x the company’s trailing EBITDA, pegging the company at up to a $1.5 billion valuation.
Upper mid-market and large-cap PE sponsors could show interest in the company, as well as strategic buyers, though one of the sources said the sponsor-led premium for the business may limit its appeal to strategic buyers.
Highland Capital Management, sponsor of ADS’s main competitor CCS Medical, is one such investor that could show interest in acquiring one of its peers. (CCS tested the market in 2020 but remains owned by Highland.)
Court Square and Houlihan Lokey declined to comment for this article.
The CGM market is currently valued at $4.6 billion and is projected to grow at 7.19 percent CAGR for the next few years, as Medicare reimbursements and cost drivers coming down have contributed to strong growth channels for the market, according to Grand View Research.
Obesity is a contributor to an increase in CGM products as diabetes continues to plight younger populations. According to the World Health Organization, in 2022 the number of obese individuals worldwide exceeded 1 billion, including 650 million adults, 340 million adolescents and 39 million children.
Private equity investments in companies active in the CGM market have picked up over the last few years.
In 2022, ICG-backed Seaway Plastics Engineering bought MME, which makes glucose monitoring equipment.
In 2020, Blackstone invested $337 million in Medtronic to increase R&D in diabetes.
Also in 2020, One Equity Partners invested in AdaptHealth, which provides CGMs, among other products.
|
https://www.pehub.com/court-square-to-launch-review-of-advanced-diabetes-supply-sale-sources-say/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:01Z
|
BERKELEY, Calif.— Absinthia’s Bottled Spirits proudly introduces Absinthia Absinthe Bleue, a spirit that redefines Absinthe sophistication.
Crafted by Absinthia Vermut, this new absinthe is infused with butterfly pea flower, delivering an eye-catching vibrant blue hue that turns purple when citrus is added and adds a flavor complexity to the classic absinthe.
“I was ready to take drinkers on a journey that celebrated the flavor of absinthe but added a bold element to help expand their interest in absinthe as a core cocktail ingredient. The visual artistry of the butterfly pea flower was the perfect answer. Each sip unfolds with subtle floral notes, and the visual allure makes for an enchanting drinking experience,” says Vermut.
Building on the success of Absinthia’s acclaimed products, including Absinthia Absinthe Verte, winner of the 2022 Sunset Magazine Double Gold and Best Liquor awards, Absinthia Absinthe Bleue is an exciting addition to mixology.
Absinthia Absinthe Bleue Features:
- Innovative absinthe made with butterfly pea flower
- Vibrant blue hue that turns purple with acid for eye-catching cocktails
- Crafted in California from all-natural ingredients
- Free from gluten, sugar, and artificial colors or flavors
- Available nationwide
About Absinthia’s Bottled Spirits
Absinthia’s Bottled Spirits is an award-winning woman-owned artisan spirits company based in California. Absinthia Vermut, Sunset Magazine’s 2022 Best Women Distiller, is a pioneer in crafting traditional and innovative absinthe and craft mixers committed to quality and flavor. For more information or to order, visit absinthia.com.
For More Information:
https://www.absinthia.com
|
https://www.bevnet.com/spirits/2024/absinthias-bottled-spirits-unveils-absinthia-absinthe-bleue-2/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:02Z
|
Chelsea were overpowered and outclassed as they sustained a brutal 4-1 defeat against Premier League leaders Liverpool on Wednesday. The Blues were second best from beginning to end as Jurgen Klopp's team ran rampant at Anfield against a group of players who looked like deer caught in headlights at times. The scoreline would have been worse, too, had Darwin Nunez not hit the woodwork an incredible four times in the game.
The Blues went into the game sat 10th in the top-flight, but they put up less of a fight against Liverpool than Championship team Norwich City did in their FA Cup clash at the weekend. The defensive line up of Axel Disasi, Thiago Silva, Benoit Badiashile and, the worst culprit, Ben Chilwell were floundering right from the start and left poor goalkeeper Dorde Petrovic completely exposed throughout the first half.
Chilwell gave away the ball while Silva and Badiashile did little to stop Diogo Jota from powering through and scoring the first Liverpool goal. Then Chilwell left Raheem Sterling on his own down the left by wrapping himself up with Jota to allowt Conor Bradley double the lead. Badiashile then gave away a penalty, but Nunez's wastefulness from the spot was the only thing that kept Liverpool from being out of sight by half-time.
Chelsea went 48 minutes without hiavinga shot and by the time Enzo Fernandez's tame long-range effort went into Alisson's hands in first-half stoppage time, Liverpool had created 15 attempts. So miserable were they that coach Mauricio Pochettino had to make three changes at half-time.
The changes did have an influence, though, as after going 3-0 down following a Dominik Szoboszlai header, Carney Chukwuemeka drove forward and found Christopher Nkunku to lash in a consolation with 20 minutes left to play. Shortly afterwards, they should have had a penalty for a foul on the France forward, but their protests were waved away by the referee for the second time in the game.
There was no such turnaround, though, as Liverpool went on to hit the bar once again before Luis Diaz slid in his team's fourth after Badiashile lost track of the Colombian at the back post.
GOAL rates Pochettino's players from Anfield...
|
https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/chelsea-player-ratings-vs-liverpool-ben-chilwell-noni-madueke/bltac72f1390259d143
| 2024-01-31T23:03:02Z
|
Rajon Rondo has always been known as a master facilitator by NBA standards, but now he’s being called a shooter after a recent run-in with the law.
According to WDRB-TV, the former point guard was arrested over the weekend for unlawful possession of a firearm, drug paraphernalia and marijuana. However, all the charges are misdemeanors.
The 37-year-old was pulled over in Jackson County, Indiana, in a routine traffic stop after a trooper smelled marijuana wafting out of his Black 2022 Tesla.
Upon searching the vehicle, ISP spokesman Sgt. Stephen Wheeles says a gun, a “personal use” amount of weed, and drug paraphernalia were found.
Rondo’s got a no-contact order taken out against him, which means he’s not allowed to possess a firearm, so he was arrested.
A minor who was in the car with him was released to a family member while Rondo was transported to the Jackson County Jail, where he immediately posted a $700 bond and was released. WDRB-TV states that Rondo’s court date is scheduled for Feb. 27.
The contact order stems from a May 2022 incident where he allegedly threatened a woman with a gun while at her Louisville, Kentucky, home. The woman alleges that Rondo was playing video games with a child. When she asked the kid to separate laundry, Rondo became irate, yelling and cursing while ripping the gaming system out of the wall, knocking over garbage cans outside, and driving his car onto her lawn.
Rondo is best known for being an integral part of the Boston Celtics’ 2008 Championship run, playing alongside the original Big 3 of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett.
He most recently played for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2022 and won a championship in the NBA Bubble with the LeBron James-led Los Angeles Lakers.
See how social media’s reacting to Rondo’s arrest for barely any weed below.
Former NBA Player Rajon Rondo Arrested On Weed & Gun Charges In Indiana was originally published on cassiuslife.com
|
https://theboxhouston.com/playlist/former-nba-player-rajon-rondo-arrested-on-weed-gun-charges-in-indiana/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:02Z
|
AC/DC have been reported to play an upcoming tour in Brazil this year.
According to Brazilian publication O Globo, the band will play four shows in the country. Two shows will be staged Morumbi Stadium in São Paulo, whilst they are also reportedly scheduled to play two dates at Rock In Rio festival in Rio de Janeiro.
No further ticketing information has been given so far.
Recently, a German mayor accidentally let slip that the Australian band were due to embark on a Europe 2024 tour as well. They will reportedly be playing at Munich’s Olympic Stadium on June 12, 2024.
If the rumours, it will be their first performance in Europe since their slot at Dusseldorf Espirit Arena in June 2016 – back when Axl Rose was acting as frontman for the band.
AC/DC fans recently ran a campaign to get their classic track ‘Highway To Hell’ to the Christmas Number One. The campaign was to celebrate 50 years of AC/DC (and to thwart LadBaby, who have claimed the Christmas Number One for five years running). Sadly, the fans were unsuccessful, as Wham! snatched the title nearly four decades after the song was first released.
In other news, it was announced the original drummer for AC/DC, Colin Burgess has passed away. Aged 77, no cause of death was given.
“Very sad to hear of the passing of Colin Burgess. He was our first drummer and a very respected musician,” wrote the band on social media. “Happy memories, rock in peace Colin.”
|
https://www.nme.com/news/music/ac-dc-reportedly-set-to-tour-brazil-in-2024-3580180
| 2024-01-31T23:03:03Z
|
The Senate Judiciary Committee grilled social media CEOs today on Capitol Hill, questioning the executives on a range of topics from the prevalence of child abuse material on their platforms, to the mental health effects of the platforms, as well as what they called national security concerns over the apps.
One platform that came in for particular scrutiny was TikTok, which the U.S. government has long questioned over its ties to the Chinese government.
TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, was founded by Chinese entrepreneurs, but the company is domiciled in the U.S. and Singapore. Despite that, politicians from both parties have framed the company as a threat, often in terms of competition with China and fears of the country’s influence.
At the hearing, Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) grilled TikTok’s CEO Shou Zi Chew over links to the Chinese Communist Party, leading to accusations of racism on Cotton’s part on social media over the way Cotton framed the questions.
Cotton told Chew that the U.S. sanctioned TikTok as a “Chinese military company”—and claimed that President Joe Biden’s administration later reversed that decision. In 2020, former president Donald Trump signed an executive order claiming that ByteDance “might take action that threatens to impair the national security of the United States,” and ordered the company to sell its assets to American owners.
That was a position that the Biden administration later affirmed, and there have been a series of bills and legal efforts, including at the state level, to ban the app in the U.S.
Cotton questioned Chew, who was born in Singapore, about his citizenship, including asking him if he’d ever applied for citizenship in another country.
“No, and I served my nation for two years,” Chew said, citing the mandatory conscription all male Singaporean citizens are required to undertake when they turn 18.
Cotton also asked Chew if he had any other passport but his Singaporean one, including if he’d ever applied for an American passport, given that his wife and children are American.
“Not yet,” Chew replied.
“Have you ever been a member of the Chinese Communist Party?” Cotton asked.
“Senator, I’m Singaporean, no!” Chew answered.
While the government has alleged strong links between TikTok and the Chinese Communist Party, only Chinese nationals are allowed to join the Chinese Communist Party. That restriction was put into place at the 8th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, according to reporting by the Chinese Communist Party-owned newspaper Guangming Daily.
Chew, who was born in Singapore and doesn’t have Chinese nationality, can’t join the Chinese Communist Party. Cotton’s implication about Chew, who is Asian, led to posters online calling out Cotton, saying the questions appeared racist.
“Tom Cotton ‘they all look alike,’ He’s such a raging xenophobic POS,” posted @Out5p0ken.
“Not all Asians are Chinese,” added @goLoko77.
Others accused Cotton of knowing what he was doing given his background.
“Senator Tom Cotton is a Harvard School of Law graduate,” posted @SuzanaDeng. “He knows that China and Singapore are not the same. He also knows what he is doing with this line of questioning, throwing red meat to the base.”
|
https://www.dailydot.com/debug/tom-cotton-tiktok-ceo-communist-party/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:03Z
|
Southern Gaza has seen the heaviest fighting over the past few weeks. But bombing has restarted in the north and the humanitarian situation has worsened there.
Copyright 2024 NPR
Southern Gaza has seen the heaviest fighting over the past few weeks. But bombing has restarted in the north and the humanitarian situation has worsened there.
Copyright 2024 NPR
|
https://www.kclu.org/world/2024-01-31/as-israel-resumes-bombing-in-the-north-thousands-of-gazans-face-desperate-conditions
| 2024-01-31T23:03:03Z
|
Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons is out for Wednesday's matchup with the Phoenix Suns, the team announced.
The 27-year-old sustained played his first game in nearly three months on Monday, coming back from a nearly three-month long absence. He recorded 10 points, 11 assists and 8 rebounds vs. the Utah Jazz in the comeback.
But the return came at a cost, as he suffered a left knee contusion after taking a hit during the game, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania. After the knee began to swell, Simmons reportedly underwent tests that showed no further issue.
It's unclear how long Simmons will be sidelined, but it seems unlikely that the injury will keep him out for as long as the last one did. He was previously hampered by a pinched nerve in his back that he began to recover from on Nov. 6.
This story will be updated.
|
https://www.hot105fm.com/news/national/nets-ben-simmons/JIJJ3T3TYDHP3ZPTNGZQOQQNX4/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:03Z
|
Chelsea were denied two penalties in their 4-1 battering by Liverpool on Wednesday as Mauricio Pochettino was left to rue refereeing decisions as well as a lacklustre showing from his side. The Blues were well beaten after a dreadul first-half but things could have been very different.
Paul Tierney not only booked Ben Chilwell for diving before half-time - a call that was correct - but he also failed to punish Virgil van Dijk for a tackle on Conor Gallagher earlier on. VAR did review the challenge, which saw Van Dijk's knee collide with the Englishman just outside the six-yard area.
The Reds were fortunate to get away with the decision, though, as Joe Cole offered his opinion on the incident. "Sterling goes into the box and Gallagher takes a lovely touch and Van Dijk just squares himself off and I think he just leans into him there," the former Chelsea and Liverpool player said.
"For me, that is a penalty. In front of the Kop in the first ten minutes, I think the referee has not been brave there."
Chelsea were soon made to pay for their general lack of intensity as Diogo Jota opened the scoring. Connor Bradley doubled the lead before Darwin Nunez was handed the chance to make it 3-0 from the spot himself. Tierney gave Liverpool the benefit of the doubt when calling a foul on Jota by Benoit Badiashile which couldn't be argued.
"It’s a great ball from Joe Gomez and then you see it in slow motion, he steps on his foot and with VAR you get those decisions," Rio Ferdinand explained. "But, Chelsea have been really sloppy and been slow to everything. You thought they would have put it to bed here with a goal, but it’s just not falling for Nunez at the moment!"
READ MORE: Chelsea’s future transfer plan mapped out after Karim Benzema and Cole Palmer decisions
READ MORE: Chelsea's Victor Osimhen transfer plan revealed as Todd Boehly approach pays dividends
Nunez hit the post - one of four times he found the woodwork rather than net - for his penalty but things got worse after half-time for Pochettino anyway. Dominik Szoboszlai headed in to seal the result mid-way inside the second-half.
Chelsea did get themselves a consolation through Christopher Nkunku and for a moment it looked like they might be able to cut the deficit down to just one goal when the Frenchman appeared to be fouled inside the box moments later. "Has van Dijk kicked through him?" questioned Ally McCoist on commentary. "Oh he does you know!
"I’ll tell you right now he does, that’s a penalty. I think that is a penalty - he catches him with his right leg. You see the contact from Van Dijk there, oh it’s a penalty all day. He catches his right leg, no doubt about it."
The incident was once more reviewed by John Brooks but nothing came from it to the exasperation of Pochettino. The 51-year-old was fuming on the bench, shouting at the fourth official throughout the passage that followed the tackle.
McCoist continued to explain that Liverpool were more than deserving of the win, though Chelsea had been dealt a tough hand by the officials. For Pochettino the result leaves his side stranded in mid-table.
The Blues could end the week in the bottom half despite entering it with the chance to be seventh. It is now six defeats in their last seven away from home too.
football.london Chelsea WhatsApp channel
Want to keep up to date with the breaking and important Chelsea stories whilst on the move? Well now you can!
Click this link to follow the football.london Chelsea WhatsApp channel, where you'll be kept up to date on the latest Blues news wherever you are.
Just remember to turn on the notifications once you've followed, and you won't miss a beat!
|
https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/news/chelsea-double-penalty-verdict-vs-28547829
| 2024-01-31T23:03:04Z
|
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas-- The Air Force Recruiting Service, along with the Department of the Air Force Indigenous Nations Equality Team (INET), traveled to various locations across western South Dakota from January 25-27, 2024, in an effort to increase Air Force and Space Force awareness to Native American communities.
“INET has been instrumental in providing a bridge for the Department of the Air Force to engage with youth from tribal communities,” said Col. Layne Trosper, Air Force Recruiting Service deputy commander. “They brought us in and shared their community with us and gave Air Force recruiters an opportunity to educate students about opportunities in the Air Force and Space Force.”
The mission of INET is to provide pivotal advocacy for American Indian and Alaskan Natives (AI/AN) within the Air Force and Space Force through policy changes, recruitment and outreach, and community support, to preserve culture and honor traditions. For the South Dakota recruiting events, participating INET members received an exception to policy to wear regalia, demonstrating professional appearance and honoring their respective tribe’s culture.
“Words cannot express how I feel returning to my homeland and sharing my Air Force and Space Force experience with future generations,” said Master Sgt. Frances Dupris, INET senior enlisted lead. “I see much potential in the youth and I want them to have the ability to follow their dreams post high school or college.”
Members from INET, Air Force recruiters, Airmen from Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, and the U.S. Air Force’s Wild Blue country band partnered to reach underserved communities, sharing their Air Force experience and path into military service in an effort to educate youth on additional opportunities and career paths.
“The collaborative efforts from recruiters, INET members, the Wild Blue band and Ellsworth Airmen is a testament to how much we can accomplish when we work together in recruiting,” said Trosper. “It really is true that we are all recruiters, and I think we’ve demonstrated it well these past few days.”
The outreach events were collaborative efforts with Scheuring Speed Sports, which the Air Force sponsors in the AMSOIL Championship Snocross series. Scheuring Speed Sports offers a “Race to the Future” scholarship to recognize high school and post-secondary students at each of the eight AMSOIL Championship Snocross series tour stops.
“The Air Force is my favorite sponsor,” said Steve Scheuring, Scheuring Speed Sports owner. “My father served in the Air Force and partnering with the Air Force for over 20 years now has truly been my honor.”
Scheuring Speed Sports presented the scholarship at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology to the Tiospaye Program. Tiospaye is a Native American Dakota word meaning extended family and relates to kinships. The Tiospaye program is for all Native Americans attending the South Dakota School of Mines.
In total, the outreach events from January 25-27 reached over five thousand youth from across South Dakota.
“It was a huge success and I look forward to doing something like this every year,” said Trosper.
If you are interested in learning more about the Air Force or Space Force please visit airforce.com or spaceforce.com.
This work, Air Force Recruiting Service Partners with the Indigenous Nations Equality Team and Scheuring Speed Sports in Outreach Events Across South Dakota, by TSgt Jessica Kind, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
|
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/462849/air-force-recruiting-service-partners-with-indigenous-nations-equality-team-and-scheuring-speed-sports-outreach-events-across-south
| 2024-01-31T23:03:04Z
|
(MENAFN- GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) PHOENIX, Jan. 31, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TILT Holdings Inc . (“TILT" or the“Company”) (Cboe:TILT ) (OTCQB: TLLTF ), a global provider of cannabis business solutions that include inhalation technologies, cultivation, manufacturing, processing, brand development and retail, today announced that the Company and each of its subsidiaries (collectively, the“TILT Companies”) have entered into a Debt and Security Agreement, Guaranty, and related collateral security documents (collectively, the“Agreements”) with Smoore Technology Limited (“Smoore”), effective January 28, 2024.
The Agreements expand the Company and Jupiter Research, LLC's (“Jupiter”) existing trade payable credit line with Smoore. Pursuant to the terms of the Agreements, Smoore will continue to make sales of CCELL vape hardware products and ship on credit to TILT's wholly-owned subsidiary Jupiter. In exchange, the TILT Companies have agreed to guarantee the payment of any amount owed by Jupiter to Smoore in excess of the amounts for which Smoore receives through insurance provided by Sinosure, a Chinese export and credit insurance corporation, for any non-payment by Jupiter of invoices aged over 120 days. Certain international trade payables are required to be insured in China to protect workers and ensure that manufacturers and exporters make full and timely payments for labor. The guarantee provided by the TILT Companies under the Agreements enables TILT to increase and secure the credit line to support customer demand and will be secured by TILT's grant of a first lien security interest in all TILT assets.
“We believe coming to an agreement with Smoore was an important and necessary step to expand our business and meet our customer needs as they continue to grow,” said TILT's Chief Executive Officer, Tim Conder.“We recently shipped one of the largest orders of CCELL products in Jupiter's history ahead of the upcoming Chinese New Year holiday. Further, given Smoore's new first lien status, we have engaged in discussions for a forbearance agreement with our noteholders, who have been very supportive throughout this process as we work together to maximize stakeholder value.”
Letter Agreement
Under an associated letter agreement, the TILT Companies have agreed to reduce the outstanding balance of all currently existing accounts payable by Jupiter to Smoore in a stepped amount throughout the year to lower the overall balance to US$25 million by December 31, 2024. Further, the TILT Companies will have a transition period through April 15, 2024, under which the TILT Companies have agreed to pay any Smoore invoices outstanding more than 150 days after the invoice date, and through June 23, 2024, under which the TILT Companies have agreed to pay any Smoore invoices that are outstanding more than 120 days after the invoice date, provided certain conditions are satisfied, and no default or event of default is declared by the existing secured creditors of the TILT Companies under their respective loan documents. Any balance on any Smoore invoices that remains unpaid by more than 90 days after the respective invoice date plus, without duplication, the aggregate dollar amount of all outstanding amounts owed by the TILT Companies to Smoore, regardless of the date of the related invoice, in excess of US$25 million will incur interest at the rate of 8% per annum.
The guarantee provided by the TILT Companies under the Agreements is secured by security interests in the assets of the TILT Companies, including a pledge of all of TILT's equity interests in direct and indirect subsidiaries. The Agreements include affirmative and negative covenants, events of default, representations and warranties and other provisions that are customary for agreements of this type.
About TILT
TILT helps cannabis businesses build brands. Through a portfolio of companies providing technology, hardware, cultivation and production, TILT services brands and cannabis retailers across 40 states in the U.S., as well as Canada, Israel, South America and the European Union. TILT's core businesses include Jupiter Research LLC , a wholly-owned subsidiary and leader in the vaporization segment focused on hardware design, research, development and manufacturing; and cannabis operations, Commonwealth Alternative Care, Inc . in Massachusetts, Standard Farms LLC in Pennsylvania, and Standard Farms Ohio, LLC in Ohio. TILT is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. For more information, visit .
Forward-Looking Information
This news release contains forward-looking information and statements (together,“forward-looking information”) under applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws which are based on current expectations. Forward-looking information is provided for the purpose of presenting information about TILT management's current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking information may include, without limitation, the expectations with respect to growth, customer demand and profitability, expectations relating to the Agreements, the Transaction Agreement, the Transaction Agreement letter and associated documents, including each of Jupiter, TILT and Smoore's obligations thereunder, the expected performance of TILT's businesses, the expected level of Jupiter revenue, the ability to reduce debt and increase TILT's cash reserves, the ability to maintain alignment with TILT's debt holders, TILT's discussions and intent to enter into a forbearance agreement with existing senior noteholders, TILT's ability to reduce the outstanding balance or otherwise make payments in accordance with the Agreements, TILT's ability to obtain all required regulatory approvals when required, Smoore's ability to sell and ship CCELL vape hardware in accordance with the Agreements, the ability for the sale and shipping obligations under the Agreements to be completed without delay or interruption, the ability to optimize operations, the opinions or beliefs of management, prospects, opportunities, priorities, targets, goals, ongoing objectives, milestones, strategies, and outlook of TILT and Jupiter, and includes statements about, among other things, future developments, the future operations, strengths and strategy of TILT. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as“plans”,“expects” or“does not expect”,“is expected”, "will",“budget”,“scheduled”,“estimates”,“forecasts”,“intends”,“seeks”,“anticipates” or“does not anticipate”, or“believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results“may”,“could”,“would”,“might” or“will be taken”,“occur” or“be achieved”. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. These statements are based upon certain material factors, assumptions and analyses that were applied in drawing a conclusion or making a forecast or projection, including TILT's experience and perceptions of historical trends, the ability of TILT to maximize shareholder value, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that are believed to be reasonable in the circumstances.
Although such statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions at the date such statements are made, there can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking information. TILT assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances unless required by applicable law.
By its nature, forward-looking information is subject to risks and uncertainties, and there are a variety of risk factors, many of which are beyond the control of TILT, and that may cause actual outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Such risk factors include, but are not limited to, TILT's ability to continue as a going concern, TILT's ability to operate its business without encountering any unforeseen delays, unexpected geological or other effects, including weather conditions, shipping transportation, equipment failures, permitting delays or labor or contract disputes, TILT's ability to generate sufficient liquidity, TILT's ability to enter into a forbearance agreement with noteholders, TILT's ability to execute on its cost saving measures and initiatives and those risks described under the heading“Item 1A. Risk Factors” in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 ,“Item 1A. Risk Factors” in the Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2023, June 30, 2023 and September 30, 2023 and any other subsequent reports filed by TILT with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission at and on SEDAR+ at
Company Contact:
Lynn Ricci, VP of Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
TILT Holdings Inc.
...
Investor Relations Contact:
Sean Mansouri, CFA
Elevate IR
...
720.330.2829
Media Contact:
Alice Moon
Trailblaze
...
MENAFN31012024004107003653ID1107793798
|
https://menafn.com/1107793798/TILT-Holdings-Enters-Into-Debt-And-Security-Agreement-With-Smoore-Technology-Limited
| 2024-01-31T23:03:04Z
|
ADNOC and GAIL sign long-term LNG supply deal into India
Published by Jessica Casey,
Editor
LNG Industry,
GAIL (India) Ltd, India's largest natural gas company, has successfully concluded a long-term LNG purchase agreement for purchase of around 0.5 million tpy LNG from ADNOC Gas. This is pursuant to an memorandum of understanding (MoU) dated 30 October 2022 between GAIL and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) P.J.S.C wherein parties agreed that, in potential areas of collaboration both parties shall explore opportunities including purchase of LNG by GAIL from ADNOC for a tenure ranging from short term to medium and long-term. This significant development be-tween GAIL and ADNOC will reinforce the robust cultural and economic bonds between India and the UAE.
Under this agreement, the deliveries will commence from 2026 onwards for a duration of 10 years, across India. This arrangement is believed to further aid in India’s rising energy security requirements and, simultaneously, also fuel GAIL’s strategic growth objectives to cater to its downstream customers in the rapidly evolving natural gas landscape of the country.
Shri. Sandeep Kumar Gupta, Chairman & Managing Director, GAIL (India) Limited, said: “This long-term LNG deal with ADNOC by GAIL will contribute to bridging gap in India’s demand and supply of natural gas and will open more avenues of strategic partnership between GAIL and ADNOC in other areas of energy domain.”
Underlining the broader impact of the agreement, Shri Sanjay Kumar, Director (Marketing), GAIL, added: “This long-term LNG transaction by GAIL will help India in moving towards Government of India’s objective of enhancing share of natural gas in India’s energy basket to 15%. Further, this deal will also help GAIL to augment its significantly large LNG portfolio to serve its diverse consumer profile.”
Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/liquid-natural-gas/31012024/adnoc-and-gail-sign-long-term-lng-supply-deal-into-india/
You might also like
Galileo Technologies to help Buquebus expand LNG manufacturing plant in Argentina
Buquebus has selected Galileo’s technology to help boost production at its LNG plant in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
|
https://www.lngindustry.com/liquid-natural-gas/31012024/adnoc-and-gail-sign-long-term-lng-supply-deal-into-india/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:04Z
|
Updated January 31, 2024 at 5:33 PM ET
The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady on Wednesday but signaled that rates could fall in the coming months if inflation continues to cool.
Policy makers have kept their benchmark interest rate between 5.25% and 5.5% — the highest in over two decades — since July.
Fed chairman Jerome Powell told reporters Wednesday that interest rates are unlikely to go any higher, and that he and his colleagues are beginning to contemplate cutting rates.
"If the economy evolves broadly as expected, it will likely be appropriate to begin dialing back policy restraint at some point this year," Powell said.
He cautioned, however, that the economy remains unpredictable and said the central bank would proceed cautiously.
"The economic outlook is uncertain and we remain highly attentive to inflation risks," Powell said.
The Fed has been pleasantly surprised by the rapid drop in inflation in recent months. Core prices in December — which exclude food and energy prices — were up just 2.9% from a year ago, according to the Fed's preferred inflation yardstick. That's a smaller increase than the 3.2% core inflation rate that Fed officials had projected in December.
If that positive trend continues, the Fed may be able to start cutting interest rates as early as this spring. First, though, Powell said he and his colleagues will need to see additional evidence that inflation is easing.
And he sounded doubtful about a rate cut at the Fed's next meeting in March as many investors in Wall Street had hoped for.
"Based on the meeting today, I would tell you that I don't think it's likely the committee will reach a level of confidence by the time of the March meeting," Powell said. "But that's to be seen."
The comments disappointed investors, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbling 317 points.
Investors are still hopeful about a rate cut by the following Fed meeting in May, with markets putting the likelihood of that at better than 90%.
Good omens in the economy
Both the economy and the job market have performed better than expected over the last year, despite the highest interest rates since 2001. The nation's gross domestic product grew 3.1% in 2023, while employers added 2.7 million jobs
Unemployment has been under 4%for nearly two years. And average wages in December were up 4.1% from a year ago.
While that strong economy is welcome news for businesses and workers, it also raises the risk of reigniting inflation. As a result, Fed policymakers say they'll be cautious not to cut interest rates prematurely.
"We have history on this," Atlanta Fed president Raphael Bostic told the Rotary Club of Atlanta this month. "In the '70s, the Fed started removing accommodation too soon. Inflation spiked back up. Then we had to tighten. Inflation came down. Then we removed it again. Inflation went back up. And by the time we were done with that, all Americans could think about was inflation."
The Fed is determined not to repeat that '70s show. At the same time, waiting too long to cut interest rates risks slowing the economy more than necessary to bring inflation under control.
A report from the Labor Department Wednesday showed employers' cost for labor rose more slowly than expected in the final months of last year. Labor costs increased just 0.9% in the fourth quarter. That's a smaller increase than the previous quarter, suggesting labor costs are putting less upward pressure on prices.
Fed officials promised to keep an eye on upcoming economic data and adjust accordingly.
Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
|
https://www.wvpe.org/npr-news/2024-01-31/the-federal-reserve-holds-interest-rates-steady-but-signals-rate-cuts-may-be-coming
| 2024-01-31T23:03:05Z
|
MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell's continued pursuit of baseless election fraud theories is taking him to Wisconsin this weekend, where he will throw his support behind an effort to recall the state's staunchly conservative Assembly speaker from office.
Lindell and some other allies of former President Donald Trump are backing a petition to recall Assembly Speaker Robin Vos. The petition cites a past comment from Vos opposing Trump and his reluctance to impeach Wisconsin's top elections official. Trump's allies have been angry with Vos for years because he rejected requests to decertify the state's 2020 election results.
President Joe Biden narrowly defeated Trump in Wisconsin in 2020, a result that has withstood partial recounts, lawsuits and a conservative-led independent audit. Wisconsin is expected to be a highly contested battleground in this year's presidential election.
"[Vos] blocked anything that had to do with election fraud, election crime, anything to help Wisconsin," Lindell said in an interview. "He was the biggest blocker this country's ever seen, other than Brad Raffensperger down in Georgia."
Raffensperger was a staunch defender of Georgia's 2020 election results and rejected a call from Trump to "find" more Republican votes.
"The worst two in the United States, bar none, are crooked Brad Raffensperger, the secretary of state of Georgia, and Robin Vos, the speaker of the House of Wisconsin. There's my quote," Lindell said.
Lindell will headline a "Recall Vos" petition event in Sturtevant, Wis., on Sunday afternoon. Another Trump ally, Roger Stone, amplified the recall petition on his podcast earlier this month.
Vos ordered an investigation into the 2020 election and tapped former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman to lead it. Gableman's probe uncovered no evidence that Biden had lost, and Vos later fired him for endorsing the speaker's 2022 election opponent.
Vos did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday. In a statement reported by the Associated Press earlier this month, Vos called the recall petition "a waste of time, resources and effort."
"The effort today is no surprise since the people involved cannot seem to get over any election in which their preferred candidate doesn't win," Vos said in a statement.
The recall petition alleges that Vos "is blocking fair elections in the state" and misled the Assembly about his intentions to impeach Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe. It also cites a 2022 statement opposing Trump as the party's nominee and support for absentee ballot drop boxes.
Wolfe, who administered Wisconsin's election in 2020, has become a target of Republicans who believe without evidence that there was widespread fraud or wrongdoing.
"They get a chance to clean up [the Wisconsin Elections Commission], get rid of Meagan Wolfe and clean up the people that are in charge of the elections," Lindell said, and "they did nothing."
"Robin Vos has to go," Lindell said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
|
https://www.startribune.com/mike-lindell-other-trump-allies-back-effort-to-recall-wisconsin-assembly-speaker-from-office/600340043/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:04Z
|
Some Boise City Council races aren’t on the ballot. This Idaho bill would change that
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Two Boise City Council candidates were not listed on the ballot in November, but they were elected anyway. The same thing happened in Meridian.
Idaho law requires that elections not be held when there is only one candidate running for the seat. Instead, the lone candidate is declared the winner without being placed on the ballot.
A Boise lawmaker wants to change that.
Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, on Wednesday introduced Senate Bill 1260, which would make cities with populations over 100,000 people hold elections in uncontested races. Sen. Treg Bert, R-Meridian, is also a sponsor.
After a 2020 state law required city council elections in larger cities be held by geographic district, Boise drew district boundaries, and all council member elections last year were held by district. Council Members Luci Willits and Jimmy Hallyburton, both incumbents, were the only candidates in two Boise districts. Their races were therefore not listed on ballots for those residents of West Boise and the North End.
“Constituents were confused and a little upset because they wanted to vote for people and know who was on their ballot,” Wintrow told a legislative committee Wednesday.
Wintrow said the reason local elections with only one candidate were required to be held was to save counties money on printing ballots. But, she said, multiple items are usually on ballots in larger cities, meaning the county clerk would likely be printing ballots for other races anyway.
In Boise last year, ballots were printed in the two districts with uncontested council races because there was also a mayor’s race.
Hallyburton, who ran for the North End’s District 6, previously told the Idaho Statesman he wasn’t a fan of omitting uncontested candidates.
“As a voter, I would be frustrated if I showed up to vote and couldn’t see who my representative was,” Hallyburton said. “If there’s nothing on your ballot over and over and over again, they’re eventually going to stop showing up.”
|
https://news.yahoo.com/boise-city-council-races-aren-223430457.html
| 2024-01-31T23:03:06Z
|
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — For the first time in her 65-year history, Barbie will be decked out in the colors of this year’s Super Bowl champion.
Ahead of the Feb. 11 game between the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers, Mattel Creations announced its first Super Bowl Champion doll, which will be decked out in the colors of the winning team.
According to a news release, the world’s most famous doll will be one of three items offered after the big game. There will also be a Fisher-Price Little People Collector and a UNO Fandom deck available for purchase.
Toy manufacturer Mattel is returning to what it says was a winning game plan last year, and adding some new plays, in a bid to sell collectible toys tied to this year’s Super Bowl. https://t.co/j79io1DTML
— Forbes (@Forbes) January 30, 2024
The toys can be pre-ordered, but they will only be issued in the uniform jersey and hat of the winning team, USA Today reported. The Barbie doll will have a $30 price tag, and so will the Little People collectible. The UNO Fandom deck will be sold for $12.
The Little People figurines will feature three players from the winning team, plus a “super fan,” Mattel said in its release.
The Fandom deck will feature the winning team’s official logo, cards featuring players from the champions and a collectible foil card in each pack.
“As football fans across the country get ready for The Big Game, we’re thrilled to offer San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs superfans the chance to commemorate a historic win with these special collectibles from our Fisher-Price, Barbie, and UNO brands,” Lisa McKnight, Mattel’s executive vice president and chief brand officer, said in a statement. “Whichever team reigns supreme on February 11th, Mattel Creations is the place to find that must-have piece of Super Bowl LVIII memorabilia worthy of any collection.”
Last year’s Little People Collector line from Super Bowl LVII included Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce, defensive tackle Chris Jones and a Kansas City super fan.
The Barbie and Fisher-Price items are officially licensed NFL products. Fans and collectors can preorder the items through Feb. 25 at MattelCreations.com/thebiggame. Items will begin shipping in August, Mattel said.
People who preorder the losing team will have their money refunded.
Orders are only valid for U.S. customers.
The Fandom deck will be available in March.
Last year, Mattel asked fans to vote for their Super Bowl favorite by preordering sets featuring the Chiefs or Eagles, Forbes reported. While the Eagles got more preorders, the Chiefs got the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
© 2024 Cox Media Group
|
https://www.powerorlando.com/news/trending/super-bowl-lviii-mattel-creating-barbie-doll-commemorate-big-game/ZMZWHWSLKVEVRI2CE33NEILQXE/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:06Z
|
- JuneShine launched in June 2018 out of San Diego
- Founded in 2015, InvestBev invests in the adult beverage sector
- InvestBev manages over $185 million in assets
InvestBev has made a “seven-figure” investment in JuneShine, a hard kombucha and ready-to-drink spirits brand. No financial terms were disclosed.
The capital infusion will be used to expand JuneShine’s marketing and product line efforts.
On the transaction, Brian Rosen, founder and managing general partner of InvestBev, said in a statement, “JuneShine has everything we look for in a portfolio company: great-tasting products, a strong team, and a distinct point of view. The team not only created a new category in organic hard kombucha, but they have been a driving force in up-leveling the alcoholic beverage industry’s commitment to sustainability and transparency.”
JuneShine launched in June 2018 out of San Diego.
Founded in 2015, InvestBev, a division of Growth Beverage, invests in the adult beverage sector. InvestBev manages over $185 million in assets.
|
https://www.pehub.com/investbev-backs-beverage-brand-juneshine/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:07Z
|
HAMILTON, Bermuda— ANGEL’S ENVY, the Louisville-based distiller that produces finished whiskeys, is introducing a unique way to infuse a personal touch into your Valentine’s Day gift. By providing a skilled watercolorist to craft a complimentary custom image of you and your loved one this Valentine’s Day, ANGEL’S ENVY is going beyond the customary greeting card and creating a keepsake “worth the envy.”
Now through February 6, fans across the U.S. can visit the ANGEL’S ENVY website to claim their complimentary personalized watercolor card created by artist Kristen Baker. The offer is extremely limited, as Kristen hand-makes every unique portrait herself. Upon submitting their information and uploading the desired image for the card, fans will receive an email confirmation indicating that their order has been accepted and is on its way.
“ANGEL’S ENVY is a brand known for bringing secondary finishing to the forefront of bourbon in the U.S.,” said Andrew Mondzelewski, Marketing Director at ANGEL’S ENVY. “To that end, a personalized greeting card makes for a perfect finishing touch when paired with a bottle of ANGEL’S ENVY for our fans to celebrate their loved one this Valentine’s Day.”
For those in New York City during the week of Valentine’s Day, visitors purchasing an ANGEL’S ENVY bottle or enjoying an ANGEL’S ENVY cocktail at select locations will be eligible to receive a personalized greeting card. Kristen Baker will be present to craft a watercolor portrait and engrave a special message on their bottle of ANGEL’S ENVY*. As an added offering, ANGEL’S ENVY will feature a poet from The Poetry Society of New York, equipped with a vintage typewriter to compose a heartfelt poem created about your loved one, enhancing the sentiment of their one-of-a-kind Valentine’s Day gift.
Participating locations include:
- The Parlour Room (70 W 36th St. #1A, New York, NY 10018)
- Refinery Rooftop (163 W 38th St, New York, NY 10018)
- Bowery & Vine Wine & Spirits (269 Bowery, New York, NY 10002)
- *ANGEL’S ENVY bottles available for purchase
About ANGEL’S ENVY
ANGEL’S ENVY is a Louisville, Kentucky-based distiller that produces finished whiskeys. Founded in 2010, ANGEL’S ENVY was among the first American whiskey producers to employ a secondary finishing process broadly across its portfolio. Today, each of its award-winning whiskeys are finished in hand-selected barrels to add a distinct layer of flavor and complexity, and the ANGEL’S ENVY team continues to produce several highly acclaimed core offerings – a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Finished in Port Wine Barrels and a Rye Whiskey Finished in Caribbean Rum Casks – as well as a variety of innovative, special releases.
ANGEL’S ENVY opened the doors to its Brand Home at 500 East Main Street in 2016, making it the first full-production whiskey distillery in downtown Louisville. In June 2022, ANGEL’S ENVY completed an $8.2 million expansion to its Brand Home, doubling annual guest capacity.
ANGEL’S ENVY is available in all 50 U.S. states and several international markets, and it is produced by Louisville Distilling Company, a subsidiary of Bacardi Limited.
HEAVEN CAN WAIT. ENJOY RESPONSIBLY.
For More Information:
https://www.angelsenvy.com/us/en/campaigns/greetingcards24us/
|
https://www.bevnet.com/spirits/2024/angels-envy-releases-valentines-day-greeting-card/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:08Z
|
Darwin Nunez, how's your luck?! Misfiring Liverpool striker sets incredible Premier League record as he rattles the woodwork FOUR TIMES against ChelseaRitabrata BanerjeeGettyDarwin NunezLiverpoolLiverpool vs ChelseaPremier LeagueLiverpool forward Darwin Nunez set an unwanted Premier League record against Chelsea on Wednesday.Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues belowNunez sets Premier League recordHit the woodwork four times against ChelseaMissed a penalty in the first half
|
https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/darwin-nunez-liverpool-premier-league-record-rattles-woodwork-four-times-chelsea/blt32a8dcd958a2745b
| 2024-01-31T23:03:08Z
|
Blossoms have joined the line-up for the Mayoral DJ Battle between Liverpool and Manchester to fight homelessness.
Members of the band – comprised of Tom Ogden, Charlie Salt, Josh Dewhurst, Joe Donovan and Myles Kellock – are set to join Andy Burnham (The Mayor of Greater Manchester) and Steve Rotheram (Metro Mayor of Liverpool City) – and an array of singers, presenters, actors and legends who will take to the decks at Liverpool’s Camp and Furnace venue on Friday, February 2.
The upcoming DJ battle is the third time Mayors Rotheram and Burnham have faced each other on the decks as they raise money for initiatives in Manchester and the Liverpool City Region to tackle homelessness and end the need for rough sleeping. The proceeds of this year’s DJ battle will go to the homeless charity A Bed Every Night. Tickets for the evening are available to purchase from here.
Their first clash on the decks took place online during the pandemic in 2020, following by a second face-off in December 2022 which raised over £25,000.
Hailing from Stockport, Blossoms have a foot in both the Liverpool and Manchester camps, having recently spent a week recording at Liverpool’s Kempston Street Studios.
“We’re coming back but this time we’re heading over to Liverpool,” Burnham said in a press statement. “I was so proud of what we achieved with our DJ Battle last year, using the power of music and friendly rivalry to unite behind one powerful message, that homelessness has no place in Greater Manchester. It’s going to be bigger and better this time round, as we spread the fundraising and ramp up the noise over in Liverpool.”
Rotheram added: “I’m really looking forward to welcoming Andy and the rest of the Greater Manchester contingent to Liverpool – or the UK’s cultural capital as I like to call it! We’ve shown time and again that nowhere can throw a party quite like our area and we’ve got a fantastic line-up of famous faces joining us on stage for what promises to be an evening full of fun and great music.
“Most importantly though, it’s all in aid of a cause that’s very close to all our hearts. Together, we’re showing that the North West will always stand united in support of those who need it most.”
In a recent interview with NME, Burnham explained how he hoped the city’s inaugural Beyond the Music conference would “galvanise” the music industry, as issues affecting the industry continued to fall on “deaf ears” at Westminster.
He also spoke about how it was “just wrong” that the careers of young musicians were still suffering as they continued to face difficulties touring Europe post-Brexit.
In other news, Blossoms were recently announced as the headliners for the next Club NME event.
They will be performing a live Club NME set in Manchester. More indie bangers will come from Lottery Winners (DJ) and Radio X DJ Sunta Templeton to keep the party going all night.
Last month, the band revealed that they have teamed up with Jungle and CMAT on their upcoming new album.
|
https://www.nme.com/news/music/blossoms-join-line-up-for-mayoral-dj-battle-to-fight-homelessness-3580177
| 2024-01-31T23:03:09Z
|
A Zara customer captured Zara employees accusing him of stealing the same clothes he wore into the store. In the nine-second viral video, TikToker Jack (@canigetamcpicktwo) documented himself walking into a Zara store, wearing a gray hoodie, brown coat, and black sunglasses.
Seconds later, he was surrounded by Zara security, with one security guard holding the same brown coat he came into the store wearing. Then, a Zara employee inspected the coat, scanning its internal tag. At the end of the video, Zack is escorted to the back of the store.
The text over the video reads: “Your sign not to wear Zara into Zara.”
He provided more context in the caption which reads: “No, sorry, I don’t have a receipt for a coat I bought 2 months ago.”
The video has 651,000 views and hundreds of comments. The video has sparked much discourse, with viewers sharing their frustrations with the situation and expressing their solidarity with Jack.
@canigetamcpicktwo no sry i dont have a receipt for a coat i bought 2 months ago
♬ Never Lose Me – Flo Milli
One viewer shared, “I would tell them to roll the security footage then tell them my lawyer will contact them,” to which Jack responded, “I DID AND THEY WERE LIKE that’s not how we do this…”
Other viewers also felt similarly instructing Jack to get the footage from the security cameras. “Can’t they check their cameras and see you had it when you walked in??” a TikToker asked, but Jack claimed that Zara staff refused. “No like they were too lazy to,” Jack alleged.
Jack is also responding to many viewers who claimed they have been in similar situations.
“This happened to me at Sephora. They saw me with my own lip gloss in hand and accused me of stealing it,” one viewer claimed. Jack responded to her, saying, “It’s actually so bold like maybe if u guys took two seconds to do your job and see I came in with it this wouldn’t happen.”
One viewer even claimed that they were accused of stealing at the same Zara. “Omg something similar happened to me in this location the guy chased me out the door and asked me to show him proof right after I had paid like sir,” they shared, to which Jack rescinded, “WHAT ARE THEY ON?”
The Daily Dot reached out to Jack and Zara via email for comment.
|
https://www.dailydot.com/news/customer-accused-of-stealing-zara-outfit/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:09Z
|
One of Nike’s most iconic silhouettes is getting the mule treatment through its Golf line.
The Air Jordan 1 “Bred” is getting its top chopped off in the company’s latest effort to solidify the silhouette as a cultural mainstay.
Instead of unlacing the usual high top, you can now slide your foot right in like your favorite pair of house shoes, but a lot more stylish.
For that, the eyelets are completely gone along the upper, and the usual breathable nylon tongue is replaced by a black leather one that scraps the Nike swoosh logo for a Jumpman with the word GOLF embossed underneath. The same pairing can be found on the outsole, and the wings logo is also gone.
Much of the shoe’s most noticeable attributes, like its striking Black and red colorway, remain, including the red outsole with a thicker sole that makes trucking through the green a bit easier.
However, it lacks the traditional golf spikes to add true traction while swinging a golf club. Plus, with its lack of laces, we doubt true golfers will wear these; they’ll be used more as transitional sneakers or for those more concerned with getting a fit off than hitting a birdie.
“Slide into pre- and post-match paradise, whether you’re sailing to the 19th hole after a career low or ramping up for the round ahead in the all-new Jordan 1 G Mule. It’s easily accessible, eye-popping eccentric, and complete with timeless Jordan ethos and comfort,” reads the press release.
There’s yet to be a release date for the Jordan 1 Golf “Bred,” but it’ll likely be the cheapest pair of the Black/Red iconic kicks you’ll ever see, with a retail price of $110.
This isn’t the first time the Jordan 1 has been outfitted especially for hitting the links, with the Chicago 1s getting the Golf treatment back in 2017.
The hi-tops are way more suitable for actual play, especially since they’re equipped with extra ankle padding, a Nike-Free inspired outsole with spikes, and a waterproof upper so for once, you can rock your Jordans safely in the rain or fetch your ball from the water.
Get a better look at the offering below.
Iconic Air Jordan 1 “Bred” Gets The Mule Treatment For The Golfers was originally published on cassiuslife.com
1. Nike Air Jordan 1 Golf Mule “Bred”
Source:NIkeNike Air Jordan 1 Golf Mule “Bred” nike
2. Nike Air Jordan 1 Golf Mule “Bred”
Source:NIkeNike Air Jordan 1 Golf Mule “Bred” nike
3. Nike Air Jordan 1 Golf Mule “Bred”
Source:NIkeNike Air Jordan 1 Golf Mule “Bred” nike
4. Nike Air Jordan 1 Golf Mule “Bred”
Source:NIkeNike Air Jordan 1 Golf Mule “Bred” nike
5. Nike Air Jordan 1 Golf Mule “Bred”
Source:NIkeNike Air Jordan 1 Golf Mule “Bred” nike
|
https://theboxhouston.com/playlist/iconic-air-jordan-1-bred-gets-the-mule-treatment-for-the-golfers/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:08Z
|
In the complex landscape of emergency management, where the unexpected can swiftly become a reality, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers often stands up a Recovery Field Office to oversee the management and execution of Federal Emergency Management Agency mission assignments.
An important role that leads to the success and execution of mission objectives is the operations chief. Being an operations chief involves a multifaceted set of responsibilities that include overseeing resource allocation, communication channels and logistical support. They are the nerve center of an emergency recovery mission and are responsible for translating strategy into action.
Beth Crutcher, a program analyst in the emergency management division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, is on Maui supporting the Hawai‘i Wildfires Recovery mission as the Recovery Field Office Operations Chief.
Crutcher’s area of responsibility includes overseeing the mission’s planning and response teams, GIS support, local government liaisons, records management, and the enterprise emergency response team.
One of Crutcher’s main responsibilities is to ensure that effective communication channels among response teams and mission command are established and maintained.
She acts as a liaison between the teams she oversees, the Hawai‘i Wildfires Recovery Field Office Commander and the RFO Chief of Staff.
This role is crucial because Crutcher manages the flow of information up and down the chain of command to make sure she provides timely and accurate updates, so leadership can make informed decisions.
Some items tracked within that flow include ensuring daily accountability of all RFO personnel, facilitating cultural training, and troubleshooting any issues that may arise for the teams.
The biggest issue that Crutcher has had to trouble shoot during her time on Maui, is ensuring that team members in the field have access to working technology.
“Over the last few weeks there were issues with devices not working for some of our field personnel,” said Crutcher. “This is a problem because our field personnel use apps to track processes, so they need their devices to work.”
To combat the issue, Crutcher had to coordinate with multiple teams including EERT and field personnel to find a solution that ensured all field personnel have working devices when they leave the RFO.
While the problem was quickly addressed, it was really Crutcher’s ability to quickly identify the issue and route it to the correct team to fix it before it became a bigger problem, potentially impeding the mission.
Although Crutcher seamlessly transitioned into her role at the RFO, this is her first time working in one.
“I’ve had a lot of personal development here and have learned lessons that I can take back to my district and apply,” said Crutcher.
As with everyone who has had a chance to come to Maui and assist with the recovery mission, it too has had a profound impact on Crutcher.
“To see such a big group of people working towards one common goal, to help the people of Maui recover, is an amazing and humbling thing to see and experience.”
This work, Operations chief, linchpin for effective disaster recovery efforts, by Erin Jimenez, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
|
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/462860/operations-chief-linchpin-effective-disaster-recovery-efforts
| 2024-01-31T23:03:10Z
|
These results show the extension of the mineralized veins observed in the sublevels towards the west and confirm the observations and mapping of the veins underground.
Figure 1: Level 295, Sector DAC 5, Plan View and Section View looking North.
Mohamed Haithem Bennia, Chief Geologist of the Sleeping Giant Mine comments: “The objective of this drilling campaign at Sleeping Giant is to optimize the mining plan for the first production stopes. The first observations of drilled cores and the first results received support our underground observations and encourage us to continue our drilling and modeling work to ensure the production of quality ore to supply our mill.”
At the corporate level, Abcourt announces a modification to the letter of credit supporting the bond with respect to its environmental obligations at the Sleeping Giant and Elder mines. The letter of credit was temporarily reduced from $2.9 millions to $2 millions. This modification provides additional short-term liquidity for the Company until the first deliveries of gold from the processing of the 5,000 tonnes bulk sample from the Pershing-Manitou property. Abcourt continues to advance work at the mill. Welding teams are carrying out the necessary repairs to three leach tanks. When these repairs are completed, Abcourt will be able to begin the cyanidation process to extract gold and silver from the circuit. The first gold deliveries are planned for the current quarter. Abcourt plans to remit the guaranteed letter of credit at $2.9 million before April 30, 2024.
Finally, Abcourt is organizing a virtual meeting on February 1, 2024 to provide an update on its operational and corporate activities. To participate in this meeting, interested people must write to ... to obtain a connection link and password. During the meeting, the Company will present its progress over the past few months and its plan for future operations as well as the new 3D model of the Sleeping Giant deposit.
The objectives achieved in 2023 include, among others:
The publication of a mineral resource estimate (MRE) for the Sleeping Giant mine; The completion of a first MRE for the Discovery project; The acquisition of all the shares and amalgamation with Pershimex Resources Corporation; The completion of a first MRE for the Flordin project; The completion of an independent preliminary economic assessment (PEA) for the Sleeping Giant project; The preparation required for restarting the Sleeping Giant plant; The start of the processing campaign for mineralized materials from the Pershing-Manitou deposit; and The launch of a drilling campaign on the Sleeping Giant property.
The objectives for the year 2024 are:
Processing of the 5,000 ton bulk sample from Pershing-Manitou; Hiring personnel required for the development of Sleeping Giant; Abcourt plans to extract, process and sell mineralized material from the upper levels of the Sleeping Giant project to support underground drilling; The Company plans to publish a new Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) following drilling to convert inferred resources into indicated resources to support a pre-feasibility study; Carrying out drilling campaigns on Flordin and Discovery properties; Implementation of a solid communication plan to make our projects known internationally.
Quality Control Measures (QA/QC)
Following an analytical quality assurance and control program, blank samples and certified reference materials were added among the AQTK core samples before being shipped and analyzed by the Sleeping Giant mine's in-house assay laboratory following the pyroanalysis method. The drilling, core description and analysis preparation work was carried out under the supervision of Mohamed Haithem Bennia, geo, chief geologist, qualified person according to Regulation 43-101.
The analyses were carried out by pyroanalysis (A.A.) with atomic absorption finishing. Samples with a grade greater than 10g/t Au were reanalyzed with a gravimetric finish.
Qualified Persons
Mr. Mohamed Haithem Bennia, geo, chief geologist of the Sleeping Giant mine, wrote, collected, verified and approved the technical information contained in this press release.
Mr. Pascal Hamelin, Eng, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, has verified and approved the technical information contained in this press release.
Mr. Hamelin and Mr. Bennia are qualified persons under Regulation NI 43-101.
About Abcourt Mines Inc.
Abcourt Mines Inc. is a Canadian development company with strategically located properties in northwestern Quebec, Canada. Abcourt owns the Sleeping Giant mine and mill, where it concentrates its development activities.
For more information about Abcourt Mines Inc., please visit our website and view our filings under Abcourt's profile on .
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain information contained in this news release may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by using forward-looking terminology, such as "plans", "aims", "expects", "projects", "intends", "anticipates", "estimates", "could", "should", "likely", or variations of such words and phrases or statements specifying that certain acts, events or results "may", "should", "will" or "be achieved" or other expressions Similar. Forward-looking statements are based on Abcourt's estimates and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Abcourt's actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Forward-looking statements are subject to business, economic and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements, including the relevant assumptions and risk factors set forth in Abcourt's public filings, which are available on SEDAR at . There can be no assurance that these statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Although Abcourt believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Except as required by applicable securities laws, Abcourt disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
MENAFN31012024004107003653ID1107793799
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
|
https://menafn.com/1107793799/Abcourt-Announces-Its-First-Drilling-Results-At-The-Sleeping-Giant-Mine-And-Presents-A-Corporate-Update
| 2024-01-31T23:03:10Z
|
AI Health Tech Aims to Fix Health Problems You Didn't Know You Had
As more companies find creative ways to use AI in health and wellness tech, its true impact on our well-being remains to be seen.
As technology develops, so does our view into our health. And lately, more and more wellness companies have been advertising the use of artificial intelligence in their apps and products. There are mirrors that claim to tell us how old we look and apps that look at the blood flow beneath our skin to take our blood pressure. But is AI-powered health tracking actually making us healthier yet?
Beyond the headlines, much of the AI health spotlight has been in medicine on the clinical side, rather than consumer tech. Doctors and scientists see AI's promise as a key diagnostic tool that can catch cancer and other deadly diseases sooner, giving people more time for treatment and potentially saving lives. The US Food and Drug Administration has cleared AI for many medical uses. (However, no "generative" AI uses had been approved as of its latest update, on Oct. 19, 2023.)
Available now to people interested in getting an internal view of themselves head-to-toe are full-body AI scans -- a new type of MRI, which companies say can make quicker diagnoses of cancer, aneurysms, liver disease and other life-threatening conditions. But many doctors say this model isn't quite ready for the mainstream, largely because it doesn't align with the typical "risks versus benefits" assessments used in traditional medicine.
Outside the clinics, AI's impact on consumer wellness is less clear right now. The growing number of apps and trackers that promise to reveal things about your health that you wouldn't otherwise know may leave you with the feeling you're never without some sort of symptom or health metric that needs to be tracked down -- and this assumes they're accurate readings in the first place.
How useful all of this is will depend on what you're looking for, whether the tech is capable of pulling meaningful information from health data, and what you do with that information afterward. If it continues on the path of more traditional activity trackers, they just may put a little health pep in your step. According to a systemic review published in The Lancet in 2022, activity tracking has provided some real health benefits. Crucially, activity trackers demand you're active, but the same can't be said for all types of health tracking.
"The conversations seem to end with the tech," Dr. Maame Yaa Yiadom, an associate professor of emergency medicine at Stanford University who leads a lab of AI research. The tech is "only as good as it helps people through a journey with their health care providers," Yiadom said. This includes screening, making a diagnosis, coming up with a treatment plan and getting to a better health state, she added.
Here's a glimpse at some of the newer wellness apps and technology that either pick at the root of our health, or offer some novelty traditional health-trackers haven't been able to touch yet.
Can you find the 'silent killer' with an app?
Together by Renee is an app made by Dr. Renee Dua, a kidney specialist in the San Fernando Valley. She started developing Together to serve as a "health assistant" when she took on a caregiving role after her father became ill. Similar to other wellness apps, like Apple's Health app, the purpose of Together is to collect health data in a shareable form and make keeping tabs on wellness less cumbersome.
The app uses AI to achieve some of the things that previous tech has long been taking care of, like keeping track of medication and providing certain heart health readings, including blood pressure, often dubbed the "silent killer" for its lack of obvious symptoms. You run this test by taking a long selfie -- you hold your phone up for 60 seconds -- which allows intelligence "on the back end" of your phone to comb out certain health metrics by looking at the spectrum of color on your skin, Dua said.
It also measures your "mental fitness" through vocal tracking, which is becoming a popular way for AI to comb for health information. After a 30-second voice memo, the Together app will rate you on vocal smoothness, control, liveliness, energy range, clarity, crispness, speech rate and pause duration.
"Listening to the intonations in the sound of your voice, we're able to see if you're anxious or depressed," Dua said. By combining all of the health metrics into one app you may glean whether your high blood pressure is caused by anxiety, she explained as an example.
I took my blood pressure using the Together app at the same time as I took it on a traditional pharmacy blood pressure machine -- a Higi at RiteAid. This machine put me at 107/69 with a pulse rate of 64. The app measured 96/66 with a pulse rate of 67. I was expecting some kind of difference -- accurate blood pressure readings require consistent measurements over time following specific criteria based on the particular monitor. (Note: This is by no means a great comparison or study. To get a better read comparing home blood pressure readings, you'd need multiple readings across multiple days.)
The outside party software used on the Together app for vitals such as blood pressure has been submitted to the FDA for clearance, Dua said. If given clearance, the app would then theoretically be able to detect health metrics similar to other devices on the market.
But this shouldn't this be a replacement for a doctor-recommended blood pressure monitor -- especially if you know you have high blood pressure. Very similar to the data you can download in PDF form from an Apple Watch, or the sleep data you can zap to your therapist after it's collected on an Oura ring, this is additional information you can use to complement your own wellness portfolio.
"We're not trying to replace your doctor," Dua said. "This is a guide and it should be used as such."
AI is exploring uncharted health-tracking waters
An app that tells you how much you're coughing likely wasn't at the top of your widget wish list, but it's a great example of how AI is taking pattern recognition and extending it into more areas of wellness.
If you're telling a doctor about your cough, you're generally limited to two types: There's "productive" coughing with phlegm, and "unproductive" coughing, which is considered dry.
Now there's an app to tell you how much you're coughing during the day. It's called Cough Tracking and is made by Hyfe AI. According to research shared by the company, it's measuring up to accuracy standards and highlighting chronically coughing individuals who may benefit from additional screenings. However, when I had it up, it only appeared to count the coughs I coughed on purpose -- little throat clears or softer coughs weren't detected by the app, making me skeptical about its ability to detect milder symptoms. (I was not sick while using the app.) Still, companies adding cough-tracking to the home health world could be useful, given cough frequency's connection to underlying health problems.
AI may also boost the usefulness of activity trackers. For example, sleep tracking with Whoop may make data more insightful. January is an example of another app that uses AI to offer insights into your nutrition and blood sugar when used with a continuous glucose monitor, a growing market in the wellness world.
Read more: Could Your Future Workout Buddy Be a Robot?
How hospitals are using AI to catch heart attacks
When someone walks into the emergency room with symptoms of a heart attack, every second counts. Six hundred of them to be exact -- because 10 minutes is the amount of time emergency departments have to diagnose a patient with a heart attack, according to Yiadom.
To close in on those crucial moments, Yiadom and her lab built a predictive AI model to help emergency department staff "get the right patients the right tests" while they're still in the waiting room. The goal is to speed up diagnoses, catch more heart attacks and hopefully save more lives.
So far, the predictive model has been up to the task. According to results of a study published this summer in the journal Diagnostics, which examined past medical records and patient diagnoses, the predictive model outperformed emergency room staff in terms of how many heart attacks it missed: 17% compared to 27%. When the computer programming was paired with a human, performance excelled more than either did on their own: 10% more heart attacks were detected.
While it's not necessarily consumer tech, AI's increasing presence in medicine shows how algorithms are "moving from research into practice," according to James Zou, an assistant professor of biomedical data science at Stanford University. Research in which Zou participated used insurance claims to find how AI devices are being used in hospitals, finding those used to assess coronary artery disease and diabetic retinopathy have had the most use.
"Most of the FDA-cleared AI models have not seen much usage yet, so we are still in the early stages," Zou said in an email.
So you have more health information. Now what?
According to Dr. Ethan Goh, a physician and artificial intelligence researcher with Stanford University, it makes sense that people continue to invest in technology, whether it's called AI or not, due to the "significant gap" that persists in what people are dealing with and ways to manage it. What's more, generative AI tools like large language models (think ChatGPT) provide an opportunity for "increased personalization and engagement." That's a combination many people crave and need when it comes to their health care.
Goh said that another important thing to remember when talking about AI is that it's often used as "just a buzzword."
"There's been research that shows that most health apps that use AI chatbots use rule-based approaches and finite-state dialogue management that rely on directing users through predetermined paths to provide responses," Goh said, pointing to a 2022 review in Nature Journal. Among other findings, the authors wrote that several apps they reviewed claimed "AI" but provided no further details on the technology.
But all of the finest apps and wearables mean nothing for your health if you don't act on the data they give you. Connecting the dots and changing your behavior to be something more beneficial to you could be the sweet spot of health apps and other wellness technology, according to Samantha Kleinberg, an associate professor at Stevens Institute of Technology and AI researcher.
"Often, you need other information to give context to the values you're getting," Kleinberg said. "Usually that requires a little bit of effort for people to track."
We could say, then, that for now, how useful AI is for your health isn't determined by the data or metrics themselves, but what you do with them.
Editors' note: CNET is using an AI engine to help create some stories. For more, see this post.
Other Wellness Guides
Personal Care
Sleep
Fitness
Nutrition
Medical and Mental Health
|
https://www.cnet.com/health/medical/ai-wants-to-fix-the-health-problems-you-didnt-know-you-had/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:10Z
|
At the Anchorage Folk Festival last week, an Irish band called “I Draw Slow” joked that they will never get the folks back home to believe that such a big crowd would turn out in the midst of a big snowstorm. But the Wendy Williamson auditorium was full of people tapping their toes from their seats, while others danced in the hallway.
Now this acoustic group will take its blend of traditional Irish music and American bluegrass to Juneau, another chance to prove that snow doesn’t stop Alaskans from turning out for good music.
“I Draw Slow” is a string band out of Dublin with fiddle, guitar, bass and banjo and the sublime brother-and-sister harmonies of Dave and Louise Holden.
Dave plays guitar and Louise dances along to the music. She also writes many of the songs the group performs, which are a means of sharing stories.
“Originally songs and balladry would have been a way of capturing a story and carrying it through from generation to generation, from the days there would be no telly. There would be no movies,” Holden said. “This would be the entertainment. This is how you get stories across.”
The songs range from a story about a bird that gets lost in an airport, to one taken from an old newspaper article about a woman who either fell or got pushed from a lighthouse in New England. There are also songs with a country western feel about love and loss, like “Don’t Kiss in My Bar,” which makes light of a woman who lost her man to another woman.
Holden also writes songs in what she calls “Irish” – or Gaeilge, the Indigenous language of Ireland.
She says the Irish, like Alaska Natives, are in a battle to save their language. Although Gaeilge is taught in school, many are embarrassed to speak it, because they aren’t fluent. She says she understands why Alaska Natives, who have lost a lot of their language to English, might feel the same way.
She says that fear of embracing what should come naturally is what prompted her to write a love song in what she calls the true "heart" language of the Irish.
“You can safely go to Irish, because it’s got that freshness, and it feels like it’s coming from the deepest architecture of our brains, because that’s what our foremothers and forefathers spoke,” Holden said. “Having some access to your Indigenous language, I think, is very important for yourself.”
Holden says most love songs in English tend to draw too much from Hollywood, but when she writes in Gaeilge, she taps into a rich vein of authenticity.
The love song she wrote and recorded on I Draw Slow’s new album, also called “I Draw Slow,” is titled, “A Chuid Den tSaol,” which means “my share of life” in English.
Holden says it’s a song of deep love and yearning with lyrics that can’t really be translated into English, without losing some of the meaning.
She says for many years, she didn’t write any original love songs for the band to perform.
“I thought it was high time that we should,” Holden said. But she wanted it to be different than the other ballads about love-gone-wrong, which she had written in English.
“I guess the reason I avoided it for so long is I didn’t want it to be clichéd,” said Holden, who discovered just the opposite, that Indigenous languages have the power to express more than just words but stir emotions that are as old as mankind.
|
https://www.knba.org/news/2024-01-31/i-draw-slow-irish-string-band-connects-with-alaskans-through-stories-and-songs
| 2024-01-31T23:03:10Z
|
Megan Thee Stallion-Nicki Minaj beef causes increased security at cemetery, TMZ says
HOUSTON - Megan Thee Stallion's mother's cemetery has increased security amid controversy from Nicki Minaj's fanbase, TMZ reports.
Nicki Minaj's fandom, the Barbz, doxxed the location of the cemetery where Megan Thee Stallion's mother, Holly Pete, was laid to rest, after passing away in 2019 from brain cancer, the media outlet reports. Some of the Barbz leaked the location and encouraged others to desecrate the mother's grave after Megan allegedly dissed Nicki's family in her recent song called "HISS".
SUGGESTED: Megan Thee Stallion visits Texas Southern University presents Flamin' Hot scholarship
According to TMZ, nothing has happened to the gravesite, but officials are on high alert.
The controversy began on Friday after Nicki made what many have called an inappropriate joke about Megan's mother on the streaming platform Stationhead. Her exact words were, "You better go conjure up your mother and apologize. That's disgusting," which some of her fans seem to have taken seriously, TMZ has stated.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 08: Megan Thee Stallion attends the "Mean Girls" premiere at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on January 08, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)
Megan, who calls Houston home, has been open about her mother's role in her life. In her previous song titled "Cobra", Megan expressed her mental health struggles, including past suicidal thoughts and her experience with depression, which has affected her since her mother and grandmother died in 2019, as well as her being shot by rapper Tory Lanez.
DOWNLOAD THE FOX 26 HOUSTON APP BY CLICKING HERE
Nicki later explained she only mentioned Megan's mom because Megan addressed her husband Kenneth Petty when she made a reference in her song to "Megan's Law", which many have assumed was about Petty's legal trouble, TMZ says.
|
https://www.ktvu.com/news/megan-thee-stallions-mom-cemetery-increases-security-tmz-says
| 2024-01-31T23:03:10Z
|
U.S. officials said Wednesday they disrupted a state-backed Chinese effort to plant malware that could be used to damage civilian infrastructure, as the head of the FBI warned that Beijing is positioning itself to disrupt the daily lives of Americans if the United States and China ever go to war.
The operation, announced just before FBI Director Chris Wray addressed House lawmakers, disrupted a botnet of hundreds of U.S.-based small office and home routers owned by private citizens and companies that had been hijacked by the Chinese hackers to cover their tracks as they sowed the malware. Their ultimate targets included water treatment plants, the electrical grid and transportation systems across the United States.
Speaking before the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, Wray said there's been far too little public focus on a cyber threat that affects “every American.”
“China’s hackers are positioning on American infrastructure in preparation to wreak havoc and cause real-world harm to American citizens and communities, if or when China decides the time has come to strike,” Wray said.
We're making it easier for you to find stories that matter with our new newsletter — The 4Front. Sign up here and get news that is important for you to your inbox.
Jen Easterly, the director of the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, voiced a similar sentiment at the hearing.
“This is a world where a major crisis halfway across the planet could well endanger the lives of Americans here at home through the disruption of our pipelines, the severing of our telecommunications, the pollution of our water facilities, the crippling of our transportation modes — all to ensure that they can incite societal panic and chaos and to deter our ability" to marshal a sufficient response, she said.
The comments align with assessments from outside cybersecurity firms including Microsoft, which said in May that state-backed Chinese hackers had been targeting U.S. critical infrastructure and could be laying the technical groundwork for the potential disruption of critical communications between the U.S. and Asia during future crises.
U.S. & World
The day's top national and international news.
At least a portion of that operation, attributed to a group of hackers known as Volt Typhoon, has now been disrupted after FBI and Justice Department officials obtained search-and-seizure orders in Houston federal court in December. U.S. officials did not characterize the disruption’s impact, and court documents unsealed Wednesday say the disrupted botnet was just “one form of infrastructure used by Volt Typhoon to obfuscate their activity.” The hackers have infiltrated targets through multiple avenues, including cloud and internet providers, disguising themselves as normal traffic.
The U.S. has in the past few years become more aggressive in trying to disrupt and dismantle both criminal and state-backed cyber operations, with Wray warning Wednesday that Beijing-backed hackers aim to pilfer business secrets to advance the Chinese economy and steal personal information for foreign influence campaigns.
“They are doing all those things. They all feed up ultimately into their goal to supplant the U.S. as the world’s greatest superpower," he said.
Complicating the threat is that state-backed hackers, especially Chinese and Russian, are good at adapting and finding new intrusion methods and avenues.
U.S. officials have long been concerned about such hackers hiding in U.S.-based infrastructure, and the end-of-life Cisco and NetGear routers exploited by Volt Typhoon were easy prey because they were no longer supported by their manufacturers with security updates. Because of the urgency, law enforcement officials said, U.S. cyber operators deleted the malware in those routers without notifying their owners directly — and added code to prevent re-infection.
A Justice Department official who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the government said officials were determined to disrupt the Volt Typhoon operation as soon as possible because the hackers were using the botnet as a stepping stone to hide in U.S. internet traffic while burrowing into the networks of critical infrastructure, ready to maliciously exploit that access at a time of their choosing.
“The truth is that Chinese cyber actors have taken advantage of very basic flaws in our technology,” Easterly said. “We've made it easy on them.”
Cybersecurity experts say major software providers too often sacrifice security for convenience, and that's biting back.
On the eve of a June visit to China by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, state-backed Chinese hackers foiled Microsoft cloud-based security in hacking the email of officials at multiple U.S. agencies that deal with China.
On Wednesday, U.S. officials said allies were also affected by Volt Typhoon's critical infrastructure hacking but, asked by reporters, would not discuss any countermeasures they might be taking.
China has repeatedly denounced the U.S. government's hacking allegations as baseless. Beijing has accused the U.S. of “almost daily” and “huge amounts of intrusions against Chinese government, with Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry, saying last year that “China is the biggest victim of cyber attacks.”
But Gen. Paul Nakasone, the outgoing commander of U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency, said “responsible cyber actors” do not target civilian infrastructure.
“There's no reason for them to be in our water,” Nakasone said. “There's no reason for them to be in our power.”
On Tuesday, testifying before the same committee, Leon Panetta, who served as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency and the defense secretary in the Obama administration, said he believed that the Chinese agents had “planted malware within our own computer networks” and warned that the Chinese government would use artificial intelligence to spread disinformation.
The committee, chaired by Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, was established last year with a mandate of countering China, kicking off with a prime-time hearing. The Chinese government has lashed out at the committee, demanding that its members “discard their ideological bias and zero-sum Cold War mentality.”
|
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/national-international/chinese-hacking-campaign-targeted-us-infrastructure-fbi-says/3531468/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:10Z
|
Laws on abortion are out of step with public opinion. One Republican legislator in Tennessee is working to establish exceptions to his state's strict abortion laws, but he faces a tough battle.
Copyright 2024 NPR
Laws on abortion are out of step with public opinion. One Republican legislator in Tennessee is working to establish exceptions to his state's strict abortion laws, but he faces a tough battle.
Copyright 2024 NPR
|
https://www.aspenpublicradio.org/2024-01-31/a-tennessee-lawmaker-helped-pass-a-strict-abortion-law-hes-now-trying-to-loosen-it
| 2024-01-31T23:03:10Z
|
Nick Dunlap didn’t need much time to make his decision after hoisting the trophy in Southern California earlier this month.
The 20-year-old sophomore from Alabama, who made history with his win at The American Express two weeks ago, officially turned pro. He will now make his professional debut this week at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, which marks the second designated event on Tour so far this season.
"Hectic, but also really cool," Dunlap said on Wednesday of what the last few weeks have been like. "I've had numerous moments where you just kind of have to take it all in, it's overwhelming. But also I've dreamed about doing this my whole life and playing golf on the PGA Tour. To finally be here and to be able to do that as a 20-year-old is pretty cool."
Dunlap won The American Express in La Quinta, California, two weeks ago after posting a 60 in the third round. That made him the first amateur to win on the PGA Tour since Phil Mickelson did so in 1991, and the youngest amateur to do so since 1910.
Dunlap, who won the U.S. Amateur, was already set to play in the Masters, U.S. Open and British Open this season. Now that he's turned pro, he will have full Tour status and exemption through the 2026 season. His win jumped him up 4,061 spots to No. 68 in the Official World Golf Rankings, which was the highest one-week jump in the rankings' history.
"I would say I knew that I was probably going to turn pro just with the opportunity that had been presented, but also I wanted to go back and talk to my teammates and talk to my parents and my coach and get their opinion and their two cents worth before I did anything," Dunlap said.
Once he did that, Dunlap made the trip to the Monterey Peninsula for this week’s tournament. Just like that, he was right in the mix. Fellow Alabama star Justin Thomas actually caught up with Dunlap and others at dinner on Monday night.
"Nick was there and he looked tired. He was like, 'Man, I'm so tired.'" Thomas said on Tuesday. "I was like, 'Dude, I don't really care. You should be sleeping right now and getting ready to go to class tomorrow morning and I'm pretty sure all of your teammates would happily switch with you, so be careful who you say that to.'
"I was needling him, giving him a hard time … I just think it's important that whatever he's always done, to continue to do that because I think it's easy to get a little bit taken over by the opportunity."
Dunlap will go off with Xander Schauffele on Thursday afternoon at Pebble Beach. He’ll then play at Spyglass Hill on Friday, where he’ll attempt to make a second straight cut before trying to compete into the weekend yet again. That’s no easy task, especially with the stronger field in play this week.
But regardless of how it goes, Dunlap knows how special it is to get to make his pro debut at Pebble Beach of all places.
"I remember playing this place on the PGA Tour PlayStation game, so to be out here and to see it for the first time is pretty cool," he said.
|
https://www.hot105fm.com/news/national/nick-dunlap-ready/3DA3PSHXYAUQ2AD6AU5AP2XD3Q/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:10Z
|
dmg events welcomes nominations for the 2024 Global Energy Show Canada Awards
Published by Jessica Casey,
Editor
LNG Industry,
dmg events has encouraged industry professionals to nominate leaders and innovators in energy for the Global Energy Show Canada Awards hosted on 11 June 2024. The Awards recognises and celebrates leaders, innovators, and trailblazers' accomplishments in 2023 who have been at the forefront in leadership, innovation, sustainable solutions, and promoting the healthy advancement of the energy sector. Winners will be announced in conjunction with Global Energy Show Canada. The exhibition and conference will be hosted 11 – 13 June 2024 at the BMO Centre (20 Roundup Way S.E, Calgary, Alberta). The submission deadline is 2 February 2024, through the link here.
“Winning the Global Energy Show Award served as a great momentum builder for our business. This award served as the catalyst for conversations with new clients, strategic investors and ecosystem players,” said Chad Hayden, Product & Strategy for Galatea Technologies. “Most importantly this award stirred the curiosity of many young engineers and entrepreneurs who are in our sphere of influence. I would encourage others to submit a nomination as a way to proudly talk about our industry and the great achievements that so often go uncelebrated.”
Fabian de la Fuente of Solaires Entreprises Inc. was pleased to win the Excellence in Power Generation award in 2023. He added: “We would encourage anyone seeking recognition for their innovation to apply for the Global Energy Awards for an opportunity to reach a larger audience, make meaningful industry connections, and celebrate your success.”
Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/product-news/31012024/dmg-events-welcomes-nominations-for-the-2024-global-energy-show-canada-awards/
You might also like
Galileo Technologies to help Buquebus expand LNG manufacturing plant in Argentina
Buquebus has selected Galileo’s technology to help boost production at its LNG plant in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
|
https://www.lngindustry.com/product-news/31012024/dmg-events-welcomes-nominations-for-the-2024-global-energy-show-canada-awards/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:11Z
|
Robert Downey Jr. also thinks Margot Robbie ‘isn’t getting enough credit’ for ‘Barbie’ performance
By Alli Rosenbloom, CNN
(CNN) — Robert Downey Jr. is adding to the chorus of those expressing feelings about “Barbenheimer” cohort Margot Robbie’s lack of individual recognition in this year’s pool of Oscar nominees.
“Margot Robbie’s not getting enough credit, in my opinion,” Downey Jr. said while participating in a SAG-AFTRA conversation with actors Sterling K. Brown and Willem Dafoe that was posted to YouTube on Tuesday.
The “Oppenheimer” star, who earned a best supporting actor nod for his performance in the Christopher Nolan-directed film, further spoke about the nuances of Robbie’s performance in “Barbie” that he felt were overlooked.
“America (Ferrera) has this amazing speech – and by the way, she nails it – I’m watching and I go, ‘Wow!’ Like, that was a really tough one. That was like a little one act play, the whole movie hinges on it,” he said, in reference to Ferrera’s character’s now-famous monologue toward the end of “Barbie.”
When the camera captures Robbie “so actively listening” to Ferrera’s speech, Downey Jr. said, “it’s when I realize, oh okay. Now I see Greta (Gerwig) is really on to something here. But it was Robbie who had to trust that.”
He also mentioned the inherent challenges of acting on a set where another performer has all the dialog, but when the director wants a shot of the person listening, “it’s hard,” he said, adding the thought, “I’ve been listening to this all day, now I have to listen to it, and make it work?!”
Earlier this month, there was widespread outcry when Robbie, who stars as the Mattel doll, and Gerwig, who directed the film, did not earn individual Oscar nominations in the lead actress and best director categories, respectively.
Gerwig did earn a nod for best adapted screenplay and Robbie, as a producer, was recognized with the movie’s best picture nomination. But many, including Robbie’s co-star Ryan Gosling, were outraged by their individual omissions.
“To say that I’m disappointed that they are not nominated in their respective categories would be an understatement,” Gosling said in a statement last week, reacting to his own Oscar nomination for his performance as Ken.
The “Barbie” movie earned a total of eight nods, including a surprise nomination for Ferrera in the supporting actress category.
The Oscars will be held on March 10 in Hollywood with Jimmy Kimmel returning to host.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
|
https://keyt.com/lifestyle/entertainment/cnn-entertainment/2024/01/31/robert-downey-jr-also-thinks-margot-robbie-isnt-getting-enough-credit-for-barbie-performance/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:13Z
|
If border deal fails, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema should run ... as far from D.C. as she can get
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Will she or won’t she? As we await word on whether U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema will run again, it strikes me that the real question is this:
Why on earth would she want to?
Especially as she watches her border compromise — the one that features changes Republicans have long been demanding — fall apart?
Sinema was the first Arizona Democrat in three decades to win a Senate seat, having run against a tin-eared Trump ally who managed to turn off suburban Republican women and independent voters. (Sound familiar?)
Sinema came up with a decent compromise
Since then, she’s done just what she promised during that 2018 campaign. She’s charted a middle course, in search of solutions that can win bipartisan support and she’s succeeded during one of the most polarizing eras in American politics.
Then the masochist in her decided to take on the border, back when Democrats were still insisting there was no crisis. Back when Republicans were shrieking about the “invasion” on America’s southern doorstep.
Sinema and Sens. James Lankford, R-Okla., and Chris Murphy, D-Conn., have managed to come up with what sounds like a decent and compromise to try to get control of the chaos. One that reportedly:
Raises the standard of proof to claim asylum beyond the current “credible fear” standard and speeds up the hearing process.
Requires those who cross illegally between ports of entry to be held in detention until they pass an initial asylum screening. Migrants who enter at legal points of entry and pass the initial screening, meanwhile, would be put into a monitoring program. All those who pass the initial screening would be given a final asylum decision within 90 days, and those who fail would be deported.
Ends catch and release, the program that results in masses of people being released into the country with a “notice to appear” for a hearing that is years away.
Requires the federal government to automatically reject migrants who cross the border between legal ports of entry once crossings reach a weekly average of 4,000 to 5,000 a day. Based on the number of migrants pouring into Arizona, that would go into effect immediately.
Republicans in no hurry to fix the border
“Our bill ends catch and release,” Sinema told reporters on Wednesday. “It ensures that the government both has the power and must close down the border during times when our system is overwhelmed. And it creates new structures to ensure that folks who do not qualify for asylum cannot enter the country and stay here.”
In other words, all things Republicans have been screaming about for years.
But now, suddenly, there’s no hurry to stop the “invasion.”
Now, suddenly, a new set of Republican talking points has emerged, as Republican after Republican insists this week that we don’t need any legislation to fix the border mess.
“We don’t need a border bill,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said late last week.
“We don’t need new laws, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said. “We just need a president who enforces the laws we already have,”
Trump changed his tune on an overhaul
Even Donald Trump says it.
“CLOSE THE SOUTHERN BORDER, NO BILL NECESSARY!!!” Trump thundered on social media on Wednesday.
Funny, that’s not what he used to say.
“The only long-term solution to the crisis, and the only way to ensure the endurance of our nation as a sovereign country, is for Congress to overcome open-borders obstruction,” Trump said in November 2018.
Remember when he called our asylum laws “archaic” and in dire need of an overhaul?
“Democrats must change our immigration laws right now,” he said in March 2019.
Five years later, the Sinema-Lankford-Murphy-led border compromise reportedly does just that. Republican supporters of the plan say they’ll never get a better deal, pointing to the fact that it requires no legalization of “Dreamers” or amnesty for immigrants already here illegally.
It's a good immigration deal, and it's dead
Aaaannd it appears dead.
Dead, even before we see terms of the deal. Killed by a former president who is far more interested in his own election prospects than in stopping the “invasion” on our southern doorstep.
The border compromise isn’t perfect, but it’s better than anything we’ve seen in a generation. Or four.
And like so much that happens in the nation's Capitol, it’s going nowhere.
The question isn’t “will Sinema run?”
It’s more likely, how far will she run — because she’s wasting her time in Washington. The place is beyond repair.
Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter at @LaurieRoberts.
Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has no reason to run again, if border deal fails
|
https://news.yahoo.com/border-deal-fails-sen-kyrsten-220314326.html
| 2024-01-31T23:03:13Z
|
Chelsea were thrashed at Anfield to give the Blues a real reality check after an improved run of form. Liverpool dominated from start to finish on Merseyside to leave Chelsea and their travelling fans going home with nothing but disappointment.
Diogo Jota fired Liverpool ahead on 23 minutes. Jota somehow found his way through the gap between Benoit Badiashile and Thiago Silva to hand the Reds the advantage at Anfield.
Conor Bradley then doubled Liverpool's lead not too long after. Chelsea were left vulnerable on the break and Bradley had acres of space over on the right-hand side before drilling the ball into the bottom corner.
Darwin Nunez then missed a penalty just before half-time after Benoit Badiashile fouled Jota in the box. But Mauricio Pochettino had seen enough and made a triple change at the half-time interval.
It didn't change anything, though, with Liverpool still dominant in the second period. Dominik Szoboszlai headed past Djordje Petrovic to give Liverpool three on the night.
Christopher Nkunku replied but Luis Diaz made sure that was nothing but a consolation not long after. A massively disappointing and frustrating evening for Chelsea and their fans. Here are Bobby Vincent's player ratings...
READ MORE: Jose Mourinho dream next job revealed as Sir Jim Ratcliffe plans Man United overhaul
READ MORE: Chelsea face familiar Conor Gallagher transfer problem amid contract stance and FFP threat
Djordje Petrovic – Great save to tip it over the crossbar from a Darwin Nunez strike on nine minutes. Then a sensational save onto the post just before 20 minutes to deny the Uruguayan once again. 7.
Axel Disasi – Really tough challenge against the extremely direct and dangerous Luis Diaz. Ended up having a pretty torrid night, to be honest. 5.
Thiago Silva – Needs to be stronger, alongside Benoit Badiashile, and not allow Jota to find his way through on goal. No way near his best. 4.
Benoit Badiashile – A couple of important tackles early on to give him confidence, with a crunching one on Diogo Jota five minutes in. He and Silva poor for Jota's goal. Gives away the penalty, too, so not his best day by any means. 4.
Ben Chilwell – Gave possession away sloppily to Nunez on 14 minutes and was fortunate the Liverpool forward shot wide. Booked for diving on 35 minutes. Summed it up. 4.
Moises Caicedo – Poor for the second goal. Gives it away too easily and it allows Liverpool to counter-attack and eventually score through Bradley. Not as good from the Ecuadorian than in recent matches. 5.
Enzo Fernandez – Was not able to get on the ball anywhere near as much as he would have liked. 5.
Conor Gallagher – He had a very good shout for a penalty early on but Paul Tierney and the VAR were having none of it. Gallagher was unable to do anything of note for the remainder of the match. 4.
Noni Madueke – Quiet and ineffective on the right-hand side up against a very solid left-back in Joe Gomez. Hooked at half-time. 4.
Raheem Sterling – Booed every time he touched the ball, as expected. He was not able to shut the home supporters up, either, in what was a quiet display from Sterling. 4.
Cole Palmer – Once again in the false nine role. A couple of good touches but nothing to write home about. Definitely not at his magnificent best. 5.
Substitutes
Mykhailo Mudryk – Misses a big chance on 50 minutes, moments after coming on. It might be on his left foot but he simply has to do better. 5.
Christopher Nkunku – What a finish. So precise and accurate with his shot, to hit it off the post and in. Looks a real finisher. 8.
Malo Gusto – Does well to find Mudryk with the aforementioned opportunity for the winger. 6.
Carney Chukwuemeka – Does really well for Nkunku's goal. I've missed Carney. 7.
Cesare Casadei – Came on too late to influence the game. N/A.
football.london Chelsea WhatsApp channel
Want to keep up to date with the breaking and important Chelsea stories whilst on the move? Well now you can!
Click this link to follow the football.london Chelsea WhatsApp channel, where you'll be kept up to date on the latest Blues news wherever you are.
Just remember to turn on the notifications once you've followed, and you won't miss a beat!
|
https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/news/chelsea-player-ratings-vs-liverpool-28547318
| 2024-01-31T23:03:14Z
|
- Prior to Liberty Hall, Black worked at Citigroup and Seely was at First Reserve
- Based in Charleston, South Carolina, Liberty Hall Capital Partners invests in businesses serving the global aerospace and defense industry
- Liberty Hall targets the middle market
Liberty Hall Capital Partners has promoted James C. Black to partner and Matt G. Seely to vice president.
“Since the founding of our firm, we have continuously invested in and focused on the development of our team,” said Rowan G.P. Taylor, Liberty Hall’s founding and managing partner in a statement. “We are pleased to announce the promotions of Jamie and Matt, who have played meaningful roles in the growth of our firm and the success of our portfolio companies. Their demonstrated leadership and industry expertise will continue to play a pivotal role in both the execution of our ‘hands-on’ investment strategy and creation of value within our portfolio.”
Black joined Liberty Hall in 2014 from Citigroup where he began his career as an analyst.
Seely joined Liberty Hall in 2021 from First Reserve Corporation where he was an associate. He began his career as at Simmons & Company International.
Based in Charleston, South Carolina, Liberty Hall Capital Partners invests in businesses serving the global aerospace and defense industry. Liberty Hall targets the middle market.
|
https://www.pehub.com/liberty-hall-promotes-black-to-partner-and-seely-to-vp/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:14Z
|
AUSTIN, Texas— This month, Austin Cocktails and the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA Tour) are announcing a multi-year marketing partnership, introducing the brand as the “Official Canned Cocktail Partner of the PPA Tour.” Austin Cocktails is a female-founded, premium cocktail brand that is tapping into the national pickleball craze with an all-out campaign in partnership with the PPA Tour, targeting the sport’s most loyal fans. From activations and venue takeovers to swag, sponsorships, and social collaborations, Austin Cocktails is becoming synonymous with the hottest cultural phenomenon to reach consumers and pickleball devotees across the nation.
“We are thrilled to become the PPA Tour’s exclusive spirit-based ready-to-drink and ready-to-serve sponsor. Pickleball is a huge part of my family and community already. I have seen the rapid growth and participation first-hand for players of all levels, including my son whose college team recently won the National Championship,” says Austin Cocktails Co-Founder Jill Burns. “Austin Cocktails knows what it’s like to break new ground like the PPA and are honored to partner with them as the growth of this sport continues.”
“Pickleball and the PPA Tour are synonymous with fun and camaraderie, and Austin Cocktails is the perfect partner to help elevate that experience to fans,” said Kim Pettit, Vice President of Partnerships at the PPA Tour. “We are excited to welcome Austin Cocktails to our spectacular events across the country and share in the joy of pickleball and a good beverage!”
Cocktail enthusiasts and pickleball fans will be able to attend the tour’s scheduled tournaments and events this year to watch the world’s top professional pickleball players, while enjoying Austin Cocktails drinks courtside. Available in three varieties— Bergamot Orange Margarita, Cucumber Vodka Mojito, and Fred’s Ruby Red Cocktail— these full-strength, spirit-based cocktails are made with natural ingredients and sweetened with just a touch of agave. Subtle carbonation helps deliver a balanced, elevated clean taste in the convenience of a can.
About Austin Cocktails
Austin Cocktails is an Austin-based premium cocktail brand founded by two sisters. The brand was inspired by their grandfather’s tradition of “Cocktail Time,” an inviolable family ritual of dropping everything at 5 o’clock to have a cocktail with everyone around at the end of a long day. Mixed with premium spirits and complex, natural ingredients, Austin Cocktails offers consumers an elevated flavor experience with pour over simplicity, delivering more spirit, complexity, balance, and naturally less sugar. At 12.5% ABV, Austin Cocktails is available in three distinct varieties ranging from 95-122 calories – Bergamot Orange Margarita, Cucumber Vodka Mojito, and Fred’s Ruby Red Cocktail. Simply pour over ice and garnish to enjoy.
About Carvana PPA Tour
Founded in 2019, the Carvana PPA Tour is where pickleball’s top athletes go head-to-head to determine the best male and female players in the world. The Carvana PPA Tour organizes and conducts tournaments at world-class facilities across the country, establishes player rankings, and showcases the world’s best pickleball week in and week out. Inviting amateur players to also compete and “play where the pros play,” the Carvana PPA Tour offers divisions for every age group and skill level. Characterized by a uniquely festive and fun atmosphere, Carvana PPA Tour events deliver unparalleled experiences for fans on-site, including pro player meet-and-greets, clinics, food, beverages, live entertainment, giveaways, games, shopping, and VIP upgrades.
For More Information:
https://austincocktails.com/
|
https://www.bevnet.com/spirits/2024/austin-cocktails-named-official-canned-cocktail-partner-of-the-professional-pickleball-association/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:14Z
|
Reyna is a Red! USMNT star Gio ends Borussia Dortmund nightmare as he completes Nottingham Forest loan moveRitabrata BanerjeeGetty ImagesGiovanni ReynaNottingham ForestTransfersBorussia DortmundPremier LeagueBundesligaUSAUSMNT star Gio Reyna has completed his loan move to Nottingham Forest from Borussia Dortmund.Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues belowReyna completes Forest loan moveContract valid until the end of the seasonSaw his game time reduced at Dortmund
|
https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/gio-reyna-usmnt-borussia-dortmund-nightmare-nottingham-forest-loan/blt17d4dd7b86b697e1
| 2024-01-31T23:03:15Z
|
The new year might feel like it just got here, but we’re already a whole month in, which means April is right around the corner, and the Taxman is on his way.
You’ve probably already been mailed a W2 or 1099 form and are beginning to get your documents in order before April 15 comes around again. But one TikToker is offering some free advice before you get down to filling out your 2023 tax return.
“If you can avoid using TurboTax to file your taxes, please do it,” TikToker and self-described “tech girlie” Jenni (@see_me_in_hindsight) begs her viewers. Her video has already been seen by over 1.6 million viewers and counting.
Jenni sets down her argument in an over five-minute video arguing that the widely used income tax prep software funds efforts to keep your return both complicated and pricey.
Jenni states in her video caption, “Don’t use #turbotax, one reason why our taxes remain complicated, and options to file for free!”
“I used to work for the IRS,” Jenni tells her viewers, “and I can tell you that TurboTax, Jackson Hewitt, H&R Block, they do not give a sh*t if you get audited.”
“If you have a complicated tax situation, you should be paying an accountant and a CPA preferably,” she continues, “someone who is authorized to sit in front of the IRS and represent you.” She adds that the audit insurance offered by many online tax prep programs is “useless.”
“Most people do not have super complicated taxes, and you can do them yourself,” she advises.
Jenni then lists free online options. She also provides several links to free tax services on her Linktree.
“There is a Free File option on the IRS website,” she advises. “They use what’s called free fillable forms, and that does mean you have to fill in the tax form, but truthfully, the tax form is not that complicated.”
Jenni also mentions the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, which is available for those making $60,000 or less in a tax year, as well as people with disabilities and the elderly. The service is at no cost.
As for TurboTax, Jenni adds that the company is “actively trying to make your taxes harder” with its lobbying efforts. According to the nonprofit watchdog group OpenSecrets.org, “TurboTax’s parent company spent more than $3.5 million on federal lobbying in 2022.”
@see_me_in_hindsight Long video – don’t use #turbotax, one reason why our taxes remain complicated, and options to file for free! #greenscreen #taxes #capitalism #taxcutsfortherich #lobbyingcorruption ♬ original sound – jenni
Intuit, TurboTax’s parent company, is specifically trying to undercut efforts to create a free federal tax filing service. Per OpenSecrets.org, “the Inflation Reduction Act passed in 2022 allotted $15 million to the Treasury Department for the IRS to explore the creation of a free federal tax filing service. Intuit claims the service ‘would be a waste of taxpayer money and a conflict of interest.'”
In a statement to Business Insider, Intuit claimed, “Creating a government-run tax preparation program would be a waste of taxpayer dollars and further disenfranchise low-income taxpayers.”
Tania Mercado, a representative for Intuit, told the Daily Dot in a statement, “Today, free tax preparation is available to 100% of American taxpayers. We are proud that over the last ten years more than 124 million people have filed their taxes completely free with Intuit TurboTax – more than all other tax prep companies combined.”
“Intuit does not lobby to make the tax code complicated. In fact, we work to encourage a simpler, fairer, more transparent tax code, Mercado added.
Some commenters noted that TurboTax does provide some free filing options, but others pointed out that those options could often be obfuscated by confusing offerings in the program.
“I’ve used TurboTax every year for like 10 years and have never paid for it,” Rachael (@mmissladyy) said.
However, another user countered, “I got tricked two years in a row to ‘upgrade’ my tax filing. They didn’t get an option to go back or change it.”
Another viewer added, “I didn’t even realize I had upgraded until 6 months later when they said I owed them money?”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Jenni via TikTok for further comment.
|
https://www.dailydot.com/news/file-taxes-free-no-turbotax/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:15Z
|
When speaking of R&B royalty in the game, the ranks don’t get too much higher than living legend himself, Charlie Wilson. Starting alongside his brothers, Robert and Ronnie, in the soul-singing 1970s funk trio known as The Gap Band, the Tulsa native would help create some of the greatest soul records of our time, including “Burn Rubber on Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me),” “Early in the Morning,” “You Dropped a Bomb on Me” and the fan-favorite classic cookout mainstay, “Outstanding.”
His solo career in the early ’90s and 2000s proved to be no different, garnering a whopping 13 GRAMMY nominations, two NAACP Image Award wins and multiple chart-topping singles and albums alike across Urban AC/Adult R&B verticals over the past three decades and counting.
If that’s not enough, he’s now become the certified “uncle” of the Black music industry with many of today’s hitmakers in hip-hop and R&B utilizing him for chart-topping features — remember the viral remix of “Sweet Yamz” that gave Fetty Wap a slight comeback in 2022? A few other good examples include his recent work with Don Toliver, Nas, Aminé, JID and most notably Tyler, The Creator with the lead single to his GRAMMY-winning 2019 album, IGOR.
All of that said, you’d be surprised to find out that Charlie Wilson is just now getting his official star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
…better late than never, we say!
RELATED: Do That Stuff! George Clinton Receives His Star On The Hollywood Walk Of Fame
The ceremony was just as star-studded as the star plaque itself, with industry friends, contemporaries and successors alike all gathering to join Wilson for his special day on Hollywood Boulevard this past Monday (January 29).
More info from the historic-music-event-in-the-making below, via Variety:
“In many ways, it’s remarkable that Wilson, 70, is around to receive his Walk of Fame honor on Jan. 29. After singing lead in the Gap Band alongside his brothers Ronnie and Robert and reeling off a long string of R&B smashes in the ’70s and ’80s, Wilson spent several years in the early ’90s homeless and battling addiction. He was also diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2008, treated successfully, and now serves as a spokesman for the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
But in the ’90s, Wilson’s career entered a new chapter, first as a featured vocalist on records by a new generation of hip-hop artists, and then as a full-fledged solo star. He has received 13 Grammy nominations, a Soul Train Icon award, a BET Lifetime Achievement award and has a dozen No. 1 singles on the Urban AC charts. Over decades, Wilson — who has collaborated with the likes of Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake and Pharrell — became not only one of the signature voices of funk’s golden era, but one of the final links to that classic, soul-drenched sound.
Wilson even has a new single called “Superman,” out on his longtime manager Michael Paran’s P Music Group label. ‘‘Superman’ is sort of my story,’ says Wilson, ‘because I’ve been through so, so much. So many ups and downs, so many physical things, so many operations, so many crazy things. But I’m still here, and I’m still making No. 1 records.’”
Take a look below at more photos from Charlie Wilson’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony, including appearances from the aforementioned Tyler, super soul producer Babyface, rap’s favorite uncle Snoop Dogg and even — yeah, he showed up, too! — Ye:
- Rapper With An Attitude Gets A Star
- Donald Trump’s Hollywood Walk Of Fame Star Defaced With Swastika
- Late Night News Recap: Nicki Minaj Announces Upcoming BET Special, Shia LaBeouf Gets Into Public Dispute With Girlfriend & More!
The post Outstanding! Charlie Wilson Gets A Hollywood Walk Of Fame Star Amongst Star-Studded Attendees appeared first on Black America Web.
Outstanding! Charlie Wilson Gets A Hollywood Walk Of Fame Star Amongst Star-Studded Attendees was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
|
https://theboxhouston.com/playlist/outstanding-charlie-wilson-gets-a-hollywood-walk-of-fame-star-amongst-star-studded-attendees/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:15Z
|
Asked And Answered: A New Advice Column
To clerk or not to clerk? That is the question.
Welcome to Original Jurisdiction, the latest legal publication by me, David Lat. You can learn more about Original Jurisdiction by reading its About page, and you can email me at davidlat@substack.com. This is a reader-supported publication; you can subscribe by clicking here. Thanks!
I’m a fan of advice columns. I’ve written to columnists several times over the years, and I’ve been lucky enough to have three of my questions featured in the New York Times, twice in The Ethicist column—once under Randy Cohen and once under Kwame Anthony Appiah—and in Social Q’s with Philip Galanes.1 I also regularly receive requests for advice (and I try to respond to as many as I can, but unfortunately can’t field all of them).
It’s therefore surprising that I’ve never had an advice column here at Original Jurisdiction. But I recently came across the Of Counsel advice column of another lawyer turned Substack writer, Cece Xie, and thought to myself, “That’s a great idea!”
So I’ve decided to launch an advice column here at Original Jurisdiction: Asked and Answered. Please send your questions to me at davidlat@substack.com, subject line “Asked and Answered: [your topic].”
To kick things off, since I don’t have any reader questions just yet, I’ll answer hypothetical questions from three different law students about a topic that’s near and dear to my own heart: clerking.
Student #1: I’m doing well in law school, I’m interested in litigation, and my current plan is to become a litigator. Some of my professors have suggested that I consider clerking for a judge after graduation. Should I clerk?
I loved my clerkship for Judge Diarmuid O’Scannlain of the Ninth Circuit—and perhaps colored by that experience, I’m generally a proponent of clerking, at least for students who plan on going into litigation. Here are some reasons to clerk:
It’s a great learning experience, in terms of both process and substance. In terms of process, you learn the nuts and bolts of litigation (especially if you do a trial-court clerkship). In terms of substance, you gain exposure to so many different areas of law. During my clerkship, I worked on cases involving bankruptcy, environmental law, ERISA, immigration law, and trademark law, to name just a few.
You build great relationships. Judge O’Scannlain remains a mentor and friend to me to this day, almost 25 years after my clerkship, and my co-clerks remain some of my best friends. And I’ve also formed personal and professional relationships with the extended O’Scannlain clerk “family.” Clerk networks can be very professionally advantageous—see, e.g., Justice Clarence Thomas’s clerk network. Whether or not you agree with the (typically very conservative) views of Justice Thomas or his clerks, the way that they look out for each other can’t be denied.
It’s an excellent credential. Clerkships are hard to get, so they’re prestigious, and the experience you obtain while clerking is valuable as well. It’s especially helpful if you might want to become a judge someday; it’s no coincidence that seven out of nine Supreme Court justices are former law clerks (and six are former SCOTUS clerks specifically). It’s also useful if you want to become a federal prosecutor or a law professor (although it’s less useful than it used to be in academic job searches; publications and Ph.D.s have become more important over the past decade, while clerkships—even SCOTUS clerkships—have declined).
Unfortunately, not everyone has a great clerkship experience—as reflected in the valuable work of Aliza Shatzman and the Legal Accountability Project (LAP), whose mission is “to ensure that law clerks have positive clerkship experiences, while extending support and resources to those who do not.”
So it’s important to do your homework when deciding which judges to apply to. A judge might be a good jurist, but they might not be a good boss. Or they might not be a good boss for you, perhaps because of personality conflicts, ideological disagreements, or conflicting approaches to work.
One great resource is LAP’s Clerkships Database, where you can read surveys by former law clerks about their experiences clerking for specific judges. Hopefully your law school participates (and if they don’t, maybe see if you can get them to join). To my many readers who completed clerkships, please consider filling out a post-clerkship survey for LAP, over at survey.legalaccountabilityproject.org.
Student #2: You don’t need to convince me about the value of clerking. I devoured your novel, Supreme Ambitions, the summer before starting law school, and I’ve wanted to clerk ever since. What do you think about doing multiple clerkships?
Back in my day, doing multiple clerkships wasn’t really a thing, but today it’s quite common. If you do plan to complete multiple clerkships, I’d recommend clerking for different types of courts—e.g., a circuit court and a district court, or a federal court and a state supreme court. They’ll be different experiences—so you’ll learn different things from each, and enjoy them in different ways.
For folks dead set on clerking for the U.S. Supreme Court—and with SCOTUS clerkship bonuses now at $500,000, the appeal is only growing—clerking for two circuit judges is becoming increasingly popular. Some applicants who get hired for an initial clerkship with a non-feeder will follow it up with a feeder-judge clerkship, and some will even clerk for two feeder judges. If you look at the 38 clerks who are currently at the Court, 12 of them—almost a third—clerked for two circuit judges.
So does that mean you should do two (or more) clerkships if you pine for a Supreme Court clerkship? Even though I was obsessed with landing a SCOTUS clerkship as a law student and young lawyer, I don’t know that I’d do two circuit clerkships just to increase the odds of making it to One First Street. There’s a lot of randomness, or at least idiosyncrasy, in clerk hiring, so clerking for two feeders is no guarantee. If you want to do two circuit clerkships because you think you’d enjoy both experiences, or you want to live in a different part or parts of the country for a year or two, that’s fine. But I don’t know that I’d do it just for the marginal increase in SCOTUS prospects.
Student #3: I’m attracted to the prestige and credential value of clerkship, and it sounds like a fun and interesting thing to do for a year. But I’m pretty sure I want to be a transactional lawyer. Does it make sense for me to clerk?
It’s not unheard of for corporate associates to clerk. When I started at Wachtell Lipton, pretty much all of us were coming off clerkships, even if only a minority of us went into litigation. And many of Wachtell’s top M&A lawyers are former law clerks—such as executive committee co-chair Andy Nussbaum, who clerked for then-Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg (D.C. Cir.) and Justice Antonin Scalia.
But to be honest, the clerkship experience is much less valuable if you’re not going into litigation. And as noted by legal recruiter Abby Gordon of Lateral Link in this handy flowchart, not all firms will give you credit for your clerkship year if you don’t go into litigation (for purposes of partnership promotion, compensation, or both—check with your firm for their specific policy).
If you’re planning to go into transactional work but really want to clerk, maybe look into clerking for the Delaware Court of Chancery. It’s the nation’s foremost tribunal for corporate-law disputes, so more of what you learn during that clerkship will be relevant to your post-clerkship career. (But if your goal in life is to work for Elon Musk, maybe steer clear of Delaware Chancery; he’s not very happy with that court right now—for billions of reasons.)
So there you have it: my advice to three hypothetical students about clerking. These are just my personal opinions, and many of my readers who are former clerks—or current clerks, or judges—might have different views.
If you are such a reader, please feel free to offer your own views about the advisability of clerking in the comments to this post. And if you have a question for a future installment of Asked and Answered, please email it to me at davidlat@substack.com, subject line “Asked and Answered: [your topic].” Or connect with me on LinkedIn and send it to me there. Thanks!
Thanks for reading Original Jurisdiction, and thanks to my paid subscribers for making this publication possible. Subscribers get (1) access to Judicial Notice, my time-saving weekly roundup of the most notable news in the legal world; (2) additional stories reserved for paid subscribers; and (3) the ability to comment on posts. You can email me at davidlat@substack.com with questions or comments, and you can share this post or subscribe using the buttons below.
Many of you might enjoy the minibar ethics question I posed to Randy Cohen (and you can share your opinions in the comments). In case you’re wondering, this was back in 2010, and the minibar took the form of a basket of goodies; it wasn’t the kind of minibar with a sensor, which could detect the removal and replacement of an item. And in case you’re curious about the hotel, it was the Claremont in Berkeley—where much of Amy Chua’s riveting novel, The Golden Gate, takes place.
|
https://davidlat.substack.com/p/asked-and-answered-a-new-advice-column
| 2024-01-31T23:03:16Z
|
HONOLULU – Joint Task Force-Red Hill (JTF-RH) and Navy Closure Task Force-Red
Hill (NCTF-RH) officials invite members of the community to an open house Feb. 7, 4-7
p.m., at Keʻehi Lagoon Memorial Park, Harry and Jeannette Weinberg Memorial Hall.
For more information about JTF-RH, visit pacom.mil/jtf-red-hill/ or download the App by
searching for “JTF–Red Hill” in the Apple App store or Google Play store.
This work, Joint Task Force – Red Hill, Navy Closure Task Force – Red Hill to Host Transition Open House Feb. 7th, 4 p.m. Keʻehi Lagoon Memorial Park, by SSgt Orlando Corpuz, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
|
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/462862/joint-task-force-red-hill-navy-closure-task-force-red-hill-host-transition-open-house-feb-7th-4-pm
| 2024-01-31T23:03:16Z
|
“I'm as red as they come. I'm as conservative as they come. Sometimes I have to do what's best for the people so, yes, that's why I invited him,” Conaway said in an interview with The Associated Press.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said earlier Wednesday that Biden would visit sometime in February. She said the White House and local officials were still hashing out timing for Biden's long-awaited trip.
The Feb. 3, 2023, derailment forced thousands of people from their homes near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border. Area residents still have lingering fears about potential health effects from the toxic chemicals that spilled in the crash and from the vinyl chloride that was released a few days after the crash to keep five tank cars from exploding.
The absence of a visit by Biden, who is campaigning for reelection in November, had become a subject of persistent questioning at the White House, as well as among residents in East Palestine. Some residents have said they felt forgotten as time marched by and as they watched Biden fly to the scenes of other disasters, such as the wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui and hurricanes in Florida.
East Palestine resident Joe Bethuy, a 36-year-old steelworker and a Republican, said he was disappointed in the Biden administration’s handling of the derailment and the president's delay in visiting, adding that all he had to do “was show up just for an hour or something.”
Bethuy and friend Jeremy Smith, who moved to East Palestine after the derailment, spoke to an Associated Press reporter inside Sprinklz on Top, a downtown diner.
“I don’t know what the point is really," Smith said of Biden's visit. “It’s kind of a year late.”
Several weeks after the derailment, former President Donald Trump visited East Palestine and criticized the federal response under Biden as a "betrayal." He also donated cleaning supplies and Trump-branded bottled water. Trump currently is the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination.
In a social media post on Wednesday, Trump criticized Biden for planning to visit “a year late, and only to develop some political credibility because EVERYTHING else he has done has been such a DISASTER. I know those great people, I was there when it counted, and his reception won’t be a warm one."
The Biden administration defended its response right after the toxic freight train derailment, even as local leaders and members of Congress demanded that more be done. The White House said then that it had "mobilized a robust, multi-agency effort to support the people of East Palestine, Ohio," and it noted that officials from the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Transportation Safety Board and other agencies were at the rural site within hours even though Biden didn't immediately visit.
Asked at the end of last week about a potential Biden visit to Ohio, Jean-Pierre said he would visit “when it is appropriate or helps ... the community for him to be there.”
“It doesn’t matter if it’s in a rural area, urban area, suburban area, red state, blue state, the president has always been there to ... assist and be there for the community,” Jean-Pierre added. “So, when it is helpful, he certainly will do that.”
Though the administration has defended its response, Biden has not declared a federal disaster in East Palestine, which remains a sticking point for residents. Such a declaration would unlock additional federal funding and assistance that people could apply for to help rebuild their lives.
But state and federal officials say a federal disaster declaration has not been issued because they are designed to help cover unmet needs no one is paying for after a disaster. In this case, there are not as many unmet needs in the government's eyes because Norfolk Southern is paying the bills and compensating residents for the damage to their homes and businesses.
Biden ordered federal agencies to hold Norfolk Southern accountable for the derailment and appointed an official from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to oversee East Palestine's recovery.
Norfolk Southern has estimated that it will cost the company more than $1.1 billion to remove all the hazardous chemicals, help the community and deal with lawsuits and related penalties. Insurance will likely cover much of that, but the total is expected to grow.
Reforms have been proposed in Congress but the bill calling for federal standards for trackside detectors that help spot mechanical problems, additional inspections by qualified workers and at least two people on every freight train crew has stalled. The railroads have lobbied against several of the provisions they believe aren't related to this crash, and many Republicans pushed to wait until after the final National Transportation Safety Board report on the derailment later this year.
“In the past, there have been times when Congress stood up against the railroad lobby and stepped up on railroad safety. They should do that now,'' Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a call with reporters Wednesday.
___
Associated Press writers Josh Funk in Omaha, Neb., Patrick Orsagos in East Palestine, Ohio, and Matthew Daly in Washitngton contributed to this report.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
|
https://www.daytondailynews.com/nation-world/biden-accepts-mayors-invitation-to-visit-east-palestine-ohio-a-year-after-train-derailment/WQN6Z2K7TFGNVINBNZNBHP2D2U/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:16Z
|
(MENAFN- GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 31, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TruGolf, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRUG) ("TruGolf”), among the leading sellers and distributors of golf simulator software and hardware with headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Deep Medicine Acquisition Corp. (“DMAQ”), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, today announced that their previously announced business combination (the“Business Combination”) has closed, resulting in TruGolf becoming a publicly-traded company. In connection with the consummation of the business combination, the combined public company was renamed“TruGolf Holdings, Inc.”
The Business Combination and all other proposals presented were approved at an extraordinary general meeting of DMAQ stockholders held on January 19, 2024. In connection with the completion of the Business Combination, TruGolf's Class A common stock will begin trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”) under the ticker symbol“TRUG”, on February 1, 2024. TruGolf's current management team will continue to lead the combined company following the closing.
Chris Jones, CEO and Co-Founder of TruGolf, commented,“Today marks a significant milestone as we embark on our journey as a publicly traded company. This is not just a financial achievement, as this will serve as a vehicle to accelerate our growth and a testament to the commitment and expertise of our board, management team and passionate employees. We are thankful for the DMAQ team's support and guidance throughout the transaction process.”
“We share TruGolf's vision of making golf more accessible to a broader and rapidly growing audience,” stated Humphrey Polanen, CEO of DMAQ.“TruGolf's innovative software and data analytics can improve the players' skills, while the user-friendly design increases their enjoyment of golf.”
To celebrate the completion of the Business Combination, TruGolf will lead the closing bell ceremony at the Nasdaq Stock Market on Friday, February 9, 2024, in celebration of its Nasdaq listing. The live broadcast will start at 3:45 PM Eastern Time from the Nasdaq MarketSite Tower in New York City, New York. Please tune in to the broadcast by visiting .
Additional information regarding TruGolf and the closing of the Business Combination, will be included in a current report on Form 8-K to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
About TruGolf
Since 1983, TruGolf has been passionate about driving the golf industry with innovative indoor golf solutions. TruGolf builds products that capture the spirit of golf. TruGolf's mission is to help grow the game by attempting to make it more Available, Approachable, and Affordable through technology - because TruGolf believes Golf is for Everyone.
TruGolf's team has built award-winning video games (“Links”), innovative hardware solutions, and an all-new e-sports platform to connect golfers around the world with E6 CONNECT. Since TruGolf's beginning, TruGolf has continued to attempt to define and redefine what is possible with golf technology.
About DMAQ
DMAQ was a special purpose acquisition company formed for the purpose of entering into a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities. DMAQ began trading on the Nasdaq in October 2021, and its common stock and rights were traded under the ticker symbols DMAQ and DMAQR, respectively.
Advisors
I-Bankers Securities, Inc. acted as sole bookrunner for the DMAQ IPO and served as financial advisor to DMAQ. ArentFox Schiff LLP and Sichenzia Ross Ference Carmel LLP served as counsel to TruGolf. Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP served as counsel to DMAQ.
Forward-Looking Statements
The information in this press release contains certain“forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the“safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 with respect to DMAQ and TruGolf. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words“believe,”“project,”“expect,”“anticipate,”“estimate,”“intend,”“strategy,”“future,”“opportunity,”“plan,”“may,”“should,”“will,”“would,”“will be,”“will continue,”“will likely result” and similar expressions, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from their expectations, estimates and projections and consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not limited to: (i) the ability of the parties to recognize the benefits of the Business Combination; (ii) the lack of useful financial information for an accurate estimate of future capital expenditures and future revenue (iii) statements regarding the combined company's industry and market size, (iii) financial condition and performance of the combined company, including the anticipated benefits, the implied enterprise value, the expected financial impacts of the Business Combination, the financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, the products, the expected future performance and market opportunities of the combined company, and (iv) those factors discussed in DMAQ's filings with the SEC, including the definitive proxy statement / prospectus relating to the Business Combination, declared effective by the SEC on December 27, 2023. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties that will be described in the“Risk Factors” section of the definitive proxy statement / prospectus and other documents to be filed by DMAQ and the combined company from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and while TruGolf and DMAQ may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, they assume no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, subject to applicable law. Neither of TruGolf or DMAQ gives any assurance that TruGolf or DMAQ, or the combined company, will achieve its expectations.
Contact:
Deep Medicine Acquisition Corp.
Humphrey Polanen, Chief Executive Officer
917-289-2776
...
TruGolf, Inc.
Lindsay Jones, Chief Financial Officer
801-298-1997
...
MENAFN31012024004107003653ID1107793800
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
|
https://menafn.com/1107793800/TRUGOLF-INC-AND-DEEP-MEDICINE-ACQUISITION-CORP-CLOSE-BUSINESS-COMBINATION-TRUGOLF-BECOMES-PUBLICLY-TRADED-COMPANY
| 2024-01-31T23:03:16Z
|
Reservoirs in Northern California poised to swell with coming storms
With two big storm systems poised to hit the Bay Area this week, California is looking to see another spike in state reservoir water levels in the coming days.
Many Northern California reservoirs are sitting at higher water levels than we saw after last winter's historic atmospheric rivers blew through the Bay Area. Nearly all reservoirs in NorCal are way beyond their historical averages, except for Trinity which is now sitting at 96% of its historical average.
The Shasta and Oroville Reservoirs caught most of the attention last year, as both swelled far past their historical averages. The two Northern California reservoirs are both sitting over 120% of their historical averages as of Tuesday. Take a look at the comparison between reservoir levels in March 2023 versus this week:
Only one reservoir dropped in levels over the past year, and that was New Bullards Bar by one percent.
The California Department of Water Resources says that controlled water releases from Oroville Dam's main spillway will begin Wednesday as the storms hit. The aim of the releases is to prevent flooding near the dam.
The full list of current reservoir data can be seen below:
Though plenty of rain has come our way over the last year and flushed tons of water into our reservoirs, CADWR says that snow pack levels are still below average. Some of the storms heading into Northern California this week could drop more snow in those higher elevations, particularly over the Sierra.
|
https://www.ktvu.com/news/reservoirs-in-northern-california-poised-to-swell-with-coming-storms
| 2024-01-31T23:03:17Z
|
MIAMI — A federal judge has dismissed the Walt Disney Company's lawsuit against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Disney sued after DeSantis and state lawmakers removed its self-governing status in 2023.
Backed by Republican lawmakers, DeSantis dissolved a special district near Orlando that for more than fifty years had governed Walt Disney World. He acted after Disney's CEO opposed a law limiting how sex orientation and gender identity can be discussed in the schools. The Parental Rights in Education Act was labeled "Don't Say Gay" by opponents.
At DeSantis' request, Florida's GOP-controlled legislature created a new special district, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, controlled by the Republican Governor's appointees. Disney sued in federal court, saying DeSantis was retaliating against the company, punishing it for exercising its First Amendment right to freedom of speech. Disney also canceled plans for a $1 billion campus in Florida.
In a 17-page order, U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor dismissed the case, saying Disney lacks standing to sue the governor. The judge also said while Disney could sue the new DeSantis-appointed board, it hadn't shown evidence that actions by the new board had harmed the company. In addition, Winsor said the law prohibits plaintiffs from bringing a free speech challenge to constitutionally enacted laws.
A DeSantis spokesman hailed the decision saying, "the Corporate Kingdom is over. The days of Disney controlling its own government and being placed above the law are long gone. Disney is still just one of many corporations in the state and they do not have a right to their own special government."
Disney says it will "press forward with its case." In a statement after the ruling, a company spokesperson said, "If left unchallenged, this would set a dangerous precedent and give license to states to weaponize their official powers to punish the expression of political viewpoints they disagree with."
Disney and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board are also embroiled in lawsuits in state court.
Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
|
https://www.knba.org/npr-news/2024-01-31/a-federal-judge-dismisses-disneys-lawsuit-against-florida-gov-ron-desantis
| 2024-01-31T23:03:17Z
|
Is the future of mailing...electric?
Earlier this month, the United States Postal Service unveiled its plan to incorporate charging stations and electric delivery vehicles. The plan accounted for a $40 billion investment to improve its “processing, transportation, and delivery networks.”
Two days later, Canoo announced that USPS had purchased six of its battery-electric vehicles.
We're making it easier for you to find stories that matter with our new newsletter — The 4Front. Sign up here and get news that is important for you to your inbox.
“The multi-purpose platform with steer-by-wire technology and a unique low-profile suspension system allows for a readily configurable right-hand drive system while maintaining desired roll and ride stability,” said Tony Aquila, Investor, Executive Chairman, and CEO of Canoo.
The pod-like van is an LDV 190 model with features such as a bird’s eye view camera, blind spot monitoring, and park distance warning. The vehicle is a two-seater weighing 4,740 pounds, with a payload of 1,763 pounds. Images of the vehicle on the Canoo website are considered pre-production level.
“Final production vehicle features, specifications, and performance metrics are subject to change and will vary based on version and configuration,” the website said. Other companies like Canoo have tagged along the “electrification and modernization” process of USPS.
U.S. & World
The day's top national and international news.
Last year, Ford Motor Company announced its collaboration with the Postal Service to provide 9,250 E-Transit vans through the end of 2024. The goal was to procure a total of 21,000 EVs and develop about 45,000 battery-electric Next Generation Delivery Vehicles by 2028.
“The work USPS is doing to electrify those vehicles is making EVs commonplace on every road and street in our country,” said John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation. “While [also] reducing air pollution and increasing comfort and safety for the dedicated public servants who deliver our mail.”
Information about where the Canoo pod-like EV vans will be deployed is unavailable. However, Canoo operates in California, Texas, Oklahoma, and Michigan.
|
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/national-international/going-electric-usps-fleet-features-pod-like-vans-to-improve-delivery-networks/3531461/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:17Z
|
Southern Gaza has seen the heaviest fighting over the past few weeks. But bombing has restarted in the north and the humanitarian situation has worsened there.
Copyright 2024 NPR
Southern Gaza has seen the heaviest fighting over the past few weeks. But bombing has restarted in the north and the humanitarian situation has worsened there.
Copyright 2024 NPR
|
https://www.aspenpublicradio.org/2024-01-31/as-israel-resumes-bombing-in-the-north-thousands-of-gazans-face-desperate-conditions
| 2024-01-31T23:03:17Z
|
Subscribe to The College Football Enquirer
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
Dan Wetzel, Ross Dellenger & SI’s Pat Forde devote today’s episode to Tennessee’s lawsuit against the NCAA after reports that the University of Tennessee is under investigation for NIL violations. The school has received help from both the Tennessee and Virginia attorneys general in a lawsuit against the NCAA in attempts to get a court’s ruling to absolve them. The guys dive into whether or not Tennessee committed any violations, as well as if the NCAA can retroactively enforce any punishments.
The podcast then debates about whether or not the current college athletics structure should involve guardrails and, if found guilty, whether or not the NCAA could invoke the death penalty on the Volunteers.
Later in the show, with March Madness nearing, the podcast takes a look at this weekend’s packed college hoops action.
To close out the episode, The People's Court opens up a case on a gassy airplane passenger.
1:00 - Tennessee is suing the NCAA over NIL violations
48:40 - College basketball is heating up with a big weekend
54:08 - The People’s Court: Airplane flatulence
[Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league for the 2024 MLB season]
Follow Dan @DanWetzel
Follow Pat @ByPatForde
Follow Ross @RossDellenger
🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube
Check out all the episodes of the College Football Enquirer and the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts
|
https://www.hot105fm.com/news/national/tennessee-v-ncaa/KYY2QBEEW7C7QNZDZWY3YRWDJI/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:17Z
|
Galileo Technologies to help Buquebus expand LNG manufacturing plant in Argentina
Published by Jessica Casey,
Editor
LNG Industry,
Buquebus has selected Galileo’s technology to help boost production at its LNG plant in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
As a result of the Cryobox® technology, developed by Galileo for the liquefaction of natural gas, Buquebus will have a total of nine pieces of equipment in its manufacturing plant, which will result in an increase in production and efficiency in the generation of LNG in Buenos Aires.
Buquebus continues to focus on sustainable and profitable solutions in Argentina and reaffirms its commitment and confidence by expanding the LNG manufacturing plant with the acquisition of new equipment from Galileo Technologies. This time, the maritime company is incorporating two Cryobox Stations to produce LNG that will fuel the vessel Francisco, recognised as the fastest ferry in the world. These units join the project that Buquebus started 10 years ago, thus encompassing a total of nine Cryobox in San Vicente, Province of Buenos Aires.
Buquebus has chosen to incorporate new Galileo Technologies equipment because of its scalability, as well as the efficiency of its compact modules, its light weight, the significant advantages in transportation, and the ease of installation they offer. The choice of this technology not only responds to the company’s current demand, but also provides a versatile and adaptable solution for its entire operation.
It is worth noting that after the generation of energy, Buquebus carries out the transportation of LNG through cryogenic tankers by road through state-of-the-art trucks powered 100% by LNG to the Buquebus facilities in Puerto Madero. This allows LNG to reach the end consumer without relying on conventional gas pipeline networks, providing logistical flexibility that contributes to a more efficient and sustainable distribution.
Regarding the consumption of traditional fuels, LNG enables Francisco to achieve a 98% reduction in emissions produced by combustion. Currently, production is 66 tpd of LNG, which is used to fuel its two daily frequencies, resulting in operational savings of 50%. This percentage will increase significantly with the recent acquisitions of the company.
Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/small-scale-lng/31012024/galileo-technologies-to-help-buquebus-expand-lng-manufacturing-plant-in-argentina/
|
https://www.lngindustry.com/small-scale-lng/31012024/galileo-technologies-to-help-buquebus-expand-lng-manufacturing-plant-in-argentina/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:18Z
|
6 activists convicted of illegally blocking abortion clinic in Tennessee
By KIMBERLEE KRUESI
Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee jury has convicted six anti-abortion protesters of violating federal laws after they blocked the entrance of a reproductive clinic outside Nashville nearly three years ago. The jury’s decision, handed down late Tuesday after a weeklong trial, marks the latest development in a case that has been closely watched by conservative groups who have accused the federal government of unfairly targeting abortion opponents. Attorneys representing the defendants say they will plan on appealing the convictions. At issue is a 2021 “blockade” held outside a reproductive health clinic in Mount Juliet, Tennessee. Anti-abortion supporters used social media to promote and live-stream actions that they hoped would prevent the clinic from performing abortions.
|
https://keyt.com/news/2024/01/31/6-activists-convicted-of-illegally-blocking-abortion-clinic-in-tennessee/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:19Z
|
‘We will continue to fight’: One month after 10-year-old KJ’s death, family seeks justice
Droves of community members have rallied around Sacramento County mother Brittani Frierson, but she still feels as if her wails and soul-shattering pain over her 10-year-old son’s shooting death don’t matter.
That’s because prosecutors declined to charge the alleged shooter, a 10-year-old boy, in the death of Keith Jhay “KJ” Frierson, saying there was no malice in the incident.
Frierson and her family disagree.
KJ was shot in the neck over Christmas break in the Foothill Farms Hillsdale Oaks condo community, allegedly by another 10-year-old boy who the Frierson family says lost a bike race. His family held a vigil at that condo complex to remember his death and renew calls for justice Tuesday, one month after his Dec. 30 death.
“I am not even knowledgeable how I have to do it,” Frierson said. “But, I have to try. There has to be change. We have to do something. And I … have to try. Try to get in the right rooms, try to get the right people to hear me, try to get the right people to care.”
The alleged shooter’s father, Arkete Davis, faces sole criminal responsibility in KJ’s death, prosecutors said at his Jan. 3 arraignment. Sacramento County sheriff’s deputies have said Davis asked his son to get cigarettes from his car, where the child found the gun and allegedly used it after losing a bike race. Davis is also accused of taking the gun and throwing it in the trash can.
He has pleaded not guilty to having a firearm that a child could easily access, leading to the death of another minor; two counts of child endangerment; having a firearm as a felon; having ammunition when prohibited from doing so; and destroying evidence.
Davis is no longer in custody. His next court appearance, a settlement conference, is scheduled for Feb. 14.
Frierson and her family worry the 10-year-old will continue his behavior if there are no consequences.
“We need to band together before this is somebody else’s reality,” said Nina Trepaigner, KJ’s godmother.
But without many answers, Frierson has begun to fall back on the support of the vocal community rallying around her. At least a dozen people — some area residents and a Twin Rivers Unified School District teacher who knew KJ — held flickering candles that illuminated photos of the 10-year-old’s young face on Tuesday while listening to Trepaigner.
Trepaigner’s voice, laced with anger and pain, implored people to listen as it echoed around the condo complex where KJ was shot atop his newly gifted bike.
The vigil ended with residents crying to the heavens: “Justice for KJ.”
Each chant grew in its intensity and desperation.
“We will continue to fight,” Trepaigner said, “until we have no breath left in our bodies.”
|
https://news.yahoo.com/continue-fight-one-month-10-222438145.html
| 2024-01-31T23:03:19Z
|
- Houlihan Lokey, Inc. and Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP served as advisors to Littlejohn on this transaction
- Based in Greenwich, Connecticut, Littlejohn invests in the middle market
- The firm has approximately $8 billion in regulatory assets under management
Littlejohn & Co has agreed to sell Dana Kepner, a Denver-based water and wastewater distributor, to Core & Main. No financial terms were disclosed.
Dana Kepner was founded in 1933.
On the sale, Steven Raich, managing director at Littlejohn, said in a statement, “We are proud to have supported the development and growth of Dana Kepner’s business over the last three years. The company remains well positioned to capitalize on multiple in-flight initiatives to extend the company’s long track record of above-market growth.”
Houlihan Lokey, Inc. and Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP served as advisors to Littlejohn on this transaction.
Based in Greenwich, Connecticut, Littlejohn invests in the middle market. The firm has approximately $8 billion in regulatory assets under management.
|
https://www.pehub.com/littlejohn-to-exit-wastewater-distributor-dana-kepner/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:20Z
|
BOSTON, Mass.— The Boston Beer Company, makers of Samuel Adams, Twisted Tea, Truly Hard Seltzer, Angry Orchard and Dogfish Head, excitedly announces the expanded distribution of its Slingers Signature Cocktails brand, a malt-based lineup of full flavored, 8% ABV, cocktail-inspired drinks in the convenience of a 24oz can. Now entering phase two of its test launch, Slingers Signature Cocktails will expand its distribution from 3 to 19 wholesalers, more than quadrupling its footprint in the marketplace.
Slingers Signature Cocktails initially launched in April of 2023, in New Hampshire, Cleveland and Pittsburgh, where it quickly became a fan-favorite ready-to-drink (RTD) option in the convenience store class-of-trade. In the wake of its early successes, Boston Beer has decided to expand the brand’s distribution, making its three recognizable flavors – Bahama Mama, Peach Screwdriver and Pineapple Punch – available throughout Ohio, Vermont and Las Vegas, Nevada, as well as in the western and central regions of Pennsylvania. Drinkers in western and central Pennsylvania and Las Vegas can expect to see Slingers Signature Cocktails on shelves in February, and those in Ohio and Vermont can expect the brand to arrive in March.
“We cannot wait to share Slingers Signature Cocktails with more drinkers across the country,” said Tim Kerrigan, Assistant Head of Innovation at The Boston Beer Company. “We view this expansion as not only a huge geographical leap for the brand, but an opportunity for Slingers to fully connect with a wider variety of consumers in each of its local markets. With Slingers Signature Cocktails, it’s all about giving the drinker what they want, when they want and where they want it, and that’s exactly what we’re doing!”
With flavor, convenience and value at its core, Slingers Signature Cocktails is a cocktail inspired RTD that was carefully designed for the convenience store class-of-trade, where more than half of all U.S. RTD beverage sales take place, according to NIQ*. Boston Beer believes Slingers’ brand attributes, coupled with its eye-catching graphics, higher-than average ABV and relatable brand positioning, will help the company win in convenience stores, where drinkers are seeking easy, instant gratification at a price point that won’t break the bank.
The Boston Beer Company aspires to be the most innovative, consumer-oriented beverage company on the planet. Using a two-fold innovation strategy, the company is committed to both thoughtfully expanding existing product lines to meet shifting consumer needs, as well as purposefully developing new brands that capitalize on current and future industry trends. While some new products will be launched nationally, others will be released in a limited number of test markets to iterate and learn before expanding distribution.
“The expansion of Slingers Signature Cocktails is not only a testament to the brand itself, but it shows that our test-and-learn innovation model is working,” adds Kerrigan. “Through our test-and-learn model, we are able to better connect with our wholesale and retail partners, in addition to drinkers, to better understand consumption habits, and effective selling and marketing tactics. While it often appears to be a slower road to product expansion, the information we’re gathering along the way will best set us up for sustainable, long term success.”
*NIQ, formerly known as Neilson IQ, is a company dedicated to collecting and interpreting data related to consumer buying behavior.
About Slingers Signature Cocktails
From The Boston Beer Company, makers of Samuel Adams, Truly Hard Seltzer, Twisted Tea, Angry Orchard and Dogfish Head, Slingers Signature Cocktails is a malt-based lineup of delicious, cocktail-inspired drinks in the convenience of 24-ounce cans. A relatable brand offering superior taste and 8% ABV, Slingers Signature Cocktails is the winning choice with three fun and recognizable flavors: Bahama Mama, Peach Screwdriver and Pineapple Punch. We Sling. You Drink!
For More Information:
https://www.bostonbeer.com/
|
https://www.bevnet.com/spirits/2024/boston-beer-companys-slingers-signature-cocktails-launches-in-4-new-markets/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:20Z
|
Debates over Trent Alexander-Arnold's best position in this Liverpool team will rumble on, but right now, it's difficult to make a case for the England international not to be moved into midfield given the form Conor Bradley has shown while covering at right-back.
The 20-year-old has impressed plenty in recent weeks, but against Chelsea on Wednesday, he was superb, as he netted his first Reds goal and assisted two more in the Premier League leaders' 4-1 win over the Blues on Merseyside.
After Darwin Nunez went close on a couple of occasions, Liverpool broke the deadlock through Diogo Jota, who ran onto Bradley's pass and bustled his way through two Chelsea defenders to poke home. Bradley then doubled the lead with a superb angled drive after being freed down the right.
Nunez missed the chance to make it 3-0 before half-time when he hit the post with a penalty, but the Reds soon put that behind them after the break as Dominik Szoboszlai headed in a sumptuous Bradley cross.
Chelsea threatened a comeback when Christopher Nkunku netted with 20 minutes to play, but after Nunez again hit the woodwork with a header, Luis Diaz settled things with a close-range finish to ensure the Reds' first Premier League game since Jurgen Klopp announced his intention to leave the club ended in victory.
GOAL rates Liverpool's players from Anfield...
|
https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/liverpool-player-ratings-chelsea-conor-bradley-jurgen-klopp/blt56016321d56dc0dd
| 2024-01-31T23:03:21Z
|
Music has the ability to allow us to time travel. For a moment one song can make us experience emotions, feelings and memories from way back. Let’s press rewind to the year of 2004. Do you remember how you felt or where you were the first time you heard Alicia Keys “If I Ain’t Got You” or where you were when you heard “Lean Back” by Terror Squad ?
The early 2000s was prime time for R&B music! R&B hits in the early 2000s were taking over the charts. Not to mention many R&B hits from the early 2000’s would often included Hip Hop artist making the records even greater. 20 years ago songs like “Oh” by Ciara, “Tipsy” by J-Kwon and “Bring Em’ Out” by TI were guaranteed hits at any party.
With this being said, the average middle school or high school student today will never know how hard Usher’s Confessions or Ciara’s Goodies had us singing our hearts out.
These songs are timeless classics that still have the same powerful impact on its listeners as before. Get your shower voice ready as we journey through 12 songs that are turning 20 years old in 2024.
R&B Songs That Turn 20 in 2024! was originally published on rnbphilly.com
|
https://theboxhouston.com/playlist/rb-songs-that-turn-20-in-2024/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:21Z
|
A former Smoothie King worker claims he was fired after posting a viral video complaining about customers touching his hand.
In the 22-second video, originally posted on Jan. 29, 2020, TikToker Ashton Ray (@ashray) faces the camera. He kicks off the video, addressing viewers, “Hi, PSA: Whenever I hand you your card and receipt, you don’t have to caress my hand.”
As he says this, he demonstrates this annoyance, showing how customers often trail their hands on top of his as they grab their cards and receipts through the drive-thru window. “I don’t know you like that,” he continues. “You don’t have to touch me to take your card. You can just grab it.”
He pauses. “Someone just pulled up,” he reveals. He then slams his fist on the table, and yells, “I … hate this job.”
He takes a moment to compose himself before turning on the drive-thru microphone he is wearing. “Hi, welcome to Smoothie King. Give me one moment, and I will be right with you,” he says to the customer through his headset.
He then briefly turns his headset off.
Without missing a beat, he continues his rant. ”You don’t have to touch me to grab your card, you can just grab it,” he says.
The text over the video reads, “This video got me fired from this job.” Ashton Ray has re-uploaded this popular video four years after originally posting it. The video caption reads: “This HAUNTS me… @smoothieking TAKE ME BACK!!! #onthisday.”
@ashray this HAUNTS me… @smoothieking TAKE ME BACK!!! #onthisday #fyp ♬ original sound – Ashton RAY💜
The viral video has 188,000 views and hundreds of comments. Many viewers related to Ashton’s grievances, sharing similar experiences working the drive-thru window.
“For real, the older men be the ones caressing my hand like sir just take ur receipt without touching my hand,” one viewer shared. “I’ll go wash my hands immediately after and glare at them,” another shared about dealing with customers who touch their hands when grabbing receipts and cards.
Another added, “I work at a smoothie king this is too accurate, especially when I hand then their change.”
Other viewers remarked on Ashton Ray’s humor and shared that this video was the reason they followed him. “OMG, I remember this video!!! lol, back when TikTOK was refreshing to get on,” one shared. Another added, “lol this video is what made me follow you.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Ashton Ray and Smoothie King for comment via email.
|
https://www.dailydot.com/news/smoothie-king-customers-touch-workers-hand/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:21Z
|
Story highlights
This page includes the show Transcript
February 1, 2024
On today’s episode of CNN 10, as the two-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine fast approaches we look at where things stand in that ongoing war. Next, we follow Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta as he meets the scientists – and the genetically modified pigs – that could help solve the organ crisis. And in another story merging technology with human health, Elon Musk’s company, Neuralink, celebrates its first successful surgery implanting a chip in a human brain. All that and more on this episode of CNN 10.
Click here to access the printable version of today’s CNN 10 transcript
CNN 10 serves a growing audience interested in compact on-demand news broadcasts ideal for explanation seekers on the go or in the classroom. The show’s priority is to identify stories of international significance and then clearly describe why they’re making news, who is affected, and how the events fit into a complex, international society.
Thank you for using CNN 10
|
https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/31/cnn10/ten-content-thurs/index.html
| 2024-01-31T23:03:22Z
|
A look from Maui six months after devastating wildfires By Debbie Elliott Published January 31, 2024 at 5:39 PM EST Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Listen • 5:06 As we approach the six-month anniversary of the Maui fires, we look at the biggest issues that people on the island are still facing. Copyright 2024 NPR
|
https://www.wvxu.org/2024-01-31/a-look-from-maui-six-months-after-devastating-wildfires
| 2024-01-31T23:03:22Z
|
Warning: Some of the details in this story may be disturbing.
A Bristol man is accused of sexually assaulting a child in his care thousands of times over several years.
According to an arrest warrant, the victim told police it started in 2004 when she was taken into Department of Children and Families (DCF) custody and put in a home with Roger Barriault.
She told investigators he assaulted her up to 4,000 times over the span of about 10 years. The girl also said Barriault got her pregnant when she was 13 years old, the warrant states.
Get Connecticut local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Connecticut newsletters.
The girl's lawyer told NBC Connecticut that Barriault and his wife applied for, and were granted guardianship of her through the probate court. The lawyer alleges that months later, the victim gave birth and was "raped nearly daily...from the time she was 13 to about 20 years old."
The girl was about 9 years old when the alleged sexual assaults started, according to authorities. She is 28 years old now, her lawyer said.
Local
DCF maintains that Barriault never acted as the girl's foster parent, and the child was never placed into his home.
Barriault faces charges including first-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor.
|
https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/bristol-man-accused-of-sexually-assaulting-girl-in-his-care-thousands-of-times-warrant/3207785/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:22Z
|
JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va.- In a display of mutual respect and collaboration, JBLE leadership welcomed members and representatives of the Pamunkey Indian Tribe, Delaware Nation, Nansemond Indian Nation, and the Chickahominy Indian Tribe, for its annual government-to-government Tribal Consultation, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, Jan. 19, 2024.
These meetings aim to share information and plans related to JBLE lands, strengthening the bond between military leaders and federally recognized Native American Tribes and Nations.
U.S. Air Force Col. Matthew Altman, 633d Air Base Wing commander, expressed his appreciation for the annual consultation by coining each of the tribal members or representatives in attendance. Tribal Chief Keith F. Anderson of the Nansemond Indian Nation, in turn, coined Altman.
“We have many aligning interests, including shoreline stabilization, climate resiliency, and the importance of protecting historic sites on the installation,” said Altman. “This is a tremendous opportunity to partner on those challenges as we cultivate even stronger relationships with the tribes.”
The annual meetings are an opportunity to address new topics or provide updates tailored to the evolving needs of both parties.
“This year, there are a growing number of federally recognized tribes in attendance,” said Dr. Christopher L. McDaid, 733d Mission Support Group archaeologist. “The improved attendance [is something] we hope to continue to make in-roads [on by] providing increasingly optimal conditions [for attendees].
The importance of maximum tribal attendance was echoed by everyone at the consultation, but was best voiced by Anderson who said: “JBLE have been pioneers of seeing the importance of tribes and making them a part of their dynamic [through this consultation]. This is important for tribes [to attend because] for years we didn’t have a seat at the table; we weren’t even invited to things such as this.”
All tribal representatives expressed interest in how JBLE is addressing challenges posed by climate change, such as rising sea-levels and shoreline erosion. Attendees were briefed on holistic ecosystem management and ongoing efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change on the installation.
Other topics discussed during the consultation were the Installation Development Plan, Installation Restoration Program, and Community Involvement Plan; all ensuring the indigenous community and the broader public stay informed about JBLE’s future development plans and methodical process to protect the environment.
“The information shared during this consultation from JBLE provides continuous updates,” said Anderson. “It serves as a catalyst for leaders [like me] to learn more about it or attend more consultations like this or to even just become more knowledgeable on these [subjects] so as to be better servants to the tribe.”
This work, Tribal Leaders Consult at JBLE for Collaborative Progress, by SSgt Dana Tourtellotte, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
|
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/462863/tribal-leaders-consult-jble-collaborative-progress
| 2024-01-31T23:03:22Z
|
President Joe Biden, who is pushing for a deal alongside Republican and Democratic leaders in the Senate, faces a daunting task in convincing Republicans to defy Trump's wishes and embrace the deal — especially in the midst of an election year.
Republican leaders, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, had looked to February as a potential deadline to approve another tranche of military aid for Ukraine. But the $110 billion national security package that congressional leaders say is essential to buttressing American allies around the globe, including Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, has been swept up in the fight over border policies.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian troops are running short of weapons, including air defenses and artillery to defend against Russia's ongoing attack. The Pentagon reported last week it is out of money for Ukraine.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer warned in a morning floor speech that “the survival of Ukraine is on the line.”
“The only way we’ll rise to the occasion is if both sides are serious about finding a bipartisan compromise,” he said, adding, “We have not concluded negotiations so we will keep going to get this done.”
Even if the Senate is able to finish the deal and pass it, resistance is strong in the House, where Trump, the likely Republican presidential nominee, holds significant sway over lawmakers. His opposition has left Republican leaders increasingly questioning whether the border legislation should be jettisoned from the package in a last-ditch effort to get the Ukraine funding through Congress.
“It's time for us to move something, hopefully including a border agreement, but we need to get help to Israel and to Ukraine quickly,” said Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell.
Johnson discussed the idea of splitting up parts of the national security package in a Tuesday meeting with the speakers of the parliaments of Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania, but did not commit to any course of action, according to a person familiar with the meeting who spoke anonymously about the private discussion.
The speaker has long been skeptical of sending economic assistance to Kyiv, though he has also said he wants to halt Russian President Vladimir Putin's advance in Europe. But a large portion of Johnson's conference in the House is more firmly against the aid.
Stoltenberg, the longest-serving chief in NATO's history, pleaded Wednesday for lawmakers to act. In a speech Wednesday at the Trump-aligned Heritage Foundation, he warned that Putin's ambitions don't just end with Ukraine. He said the Russian president is intent on “reestablishing Russia’s sphere of influence and shaping an alternative world order.”
As Russian forces and drone attacks pummel the region, the Ukrainians will face increasingly difficulty defending their cities and populations from incoming assaults.
Yet Republicans also want to cut portions of the package that would not go directly to Ukraine's defenses. Of the $61 billion in the package for Ukraine, a portion, about $16 billion, would go toward economic, security and operational assistance.
The U.S. economic aid has been keeping the Ukrainian government functioning, paying for public works and employees and the services they provide, but Republicans prefer the U.S. focus its spending on military hardware to win the war.
The economic assistance for Ukraine is expected to be trimmed back in the final supplemental package, according to a person familiar with the situation and granted anonymity to discuss it. The person said changes in the amount of humanitarian aid for Gaza, which was stripped from the package by House Republicans, are also being discussed.
Senate Republicans initially insisted on pairing border policy changes with Ukraine aid as part of a strategy to push the package through Congress. But so far, compromising on border policies has only made things more difficult.
Trump has seized on a key compromise in the bill that would expel migrants seeking asylum at the border once illegal crossings rise above 5,000 daily. Speaking to reporters after a meeting with the Teamsters union in Washington Wednesday, he called the bill "terrible," but denied his opposition had anything to do with presidential politics.
“If the bill’s not going to be a great bill and really solve the problem, I wouldn’t do it at all,” Trump said.
Johnson, who has consulted with Trump on border policy in recent weeks, also told fellow Republicans in a closed-door meeting on Tuesday morning that the provision is a “non-starter” in the House. While he has said he has not passed final judgement on the bill, he is poised to reject any compromise.
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona independent who has been central to Senate talks, said the group was close to releasing text but was still working through the intricacies of writing immigration law. She urged lawmakers to keep an open mind to the legislation.
Sinema called it “factually false” for conservatives to claim that the proposal would allow 5,000 migrants to enter the country daily. The expulsion authority would be one part of a new system that includes raising the initial standard to receive asylum protection and quickly processing asylum claims.
Migrants who apply for asylum at ports of entry would be put in a “removal authority program," in which their asylum case is decided within six months, Sinema said. And migrants who seek asylum in between ports of entry would be put into detention and removed within 10 to 15 days if they fail initial interviews, known as credible fear screenings.
“It ensures that the government both has the power and must close down the border during times when our system is overwhelmed, and it creates new structures to ensure that folks who do not qualify for asylum cannot enter the country and stay here,” she said. “It is a very robust package.”
Sinema said Johnson's team is familiar with the details of the bill.
Still, Johnson on Wednesday used his inaugural floor speech since becoming speaker to lay blame on Biden's handling of the border and rally Republicans to insist on hardline border measures, even though those policies have virtually no chance of passing the Senate.
“If we take a step back, if we consider the current catastrophe at the border, we can all see that our country is at a critical decision," he said.
___
Associated Press writer Tara Copp contributed.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
|
https://www.daytondailynews.com/nation-world/deal-on-wartime-aid-and-border-security-stalls-in-congress-as-time-runs-short-to-bolster-ukraine/OY5VFATVPJD7PKYW4OEFIZMHIY/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:22Z
|
(MENAFN- GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) Groton, Conn., Jan. 31, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chelsea Groton Bank is pleased to announce the promotion of 13 employees following a Board of Trustees meeting.
“While much has changed throughout the Bank's nearly 170 years serving the communities of southeastern Connecticut, the team members of Chelsea Groton Bank continue to go above and beyond for their customers and community,” said Anthony A. Joyce, III, President and CEO of Chelsea Groton Bank.“Day after day, each team member puts their best foot forward, tackling challenges with a smile, and ready to assist at a moment's notice. I am immensely proud of the team I work with and want to congratulate our exceptional team members who have earned well-deserved promotions.”
Mario Siciliano of Westerly, RI, Information Technology Manager, has been promoted to First Vice President. Mario has been with Chelsea Groton Bank since 2016 and has continued to elevate his contributions to Chelsea Groton's Technology Services team. He is a graduate of the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT Leadership Program and is currently enrolled in the Connecticut School of Finance and Management. Mario has an associate degree in information technology/network engineering from the New England Institute of Technology.
Matthew Benoit of Westerly, RI, Project Management Manager, has been promoted to Vice President. In 2015, Matt joined the Bank as the Business Process Analyst and has continued to support bank-wide initiatives using his process engineering and innovation skillset. He is a 2020 graduate of the Connecticut School of Finance and Management. Matt has a Bachelor of Science in communications from the University of Rhode Island and an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University. He is a Groton Scholarship Committee Board member.
Michael Hawes of Oxford, CT, Commercial Loan Officer, has been promoted to Vice President. Michael joined Chelsea Groton in 2022. Michael is a graduate of the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial and organizational psychology and most recently completed various commercial lending and credit training courses with the Risk Management Association and Connecticut Bankers Association. He coaches youth soccer and basketball, and holds board positions with the Oxford Soccer League and NeighborWorks America.
Sara Lundy of Oakdale, CT, has been promoted to Risk and Compliance Manager and Vice President. Since joining Chelsea Groton in 2016, Sara has been Board-appointed as the CRA Officer, Privacy Officer, Identity Theft Prevention Coordinator, and the Bank's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer. She is a 2024 CBA New Leader in Banking and a 2023 George W. Strouse Award recipient. Sara is a graduate of the Connecticut School of Finance and Management, completed the New England Leadership program, and has earned a Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager (CRCM) certification. Sara has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Thiel College and an MBA from New England College of Business and Finance. She also serves on the Board of the Bank Compliance Association of Connecticut and is the chair of the Montville Planning and Zoning Commission.
Damen Norton of Groton, CT, Lending Compliance and Encompass Administrator, has been promoted to Vice President. He joined Chelsea Groton in 2018 as the Loan Servicing Team Lead. Damen serves as a member of the Groton Scholarship Committee and was recently named as one of this year's New Leaders in Banking by the Connecticut Bankers Association.
Miria Gray of Bozrah, CT, Community Education Officer, has been promoted to Assistant Vice President. Since joining the Bank in 2017, Miria has led the Bank's community education and financial wellness efforts, teaching and coordinating over 300 programs annually. She is a highly active and engaged community leader serving local area organizations in various committee roles, including Market Master with the Bozrah Farmers Market, Treasurer of the Norwich Events Organization, Vice President of CT Jump$tart, Chair for the Maples Farm Park Commission, Board member for the Norwich Historical Society, President of the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT Leadership program class of 2024, and more. She graduated from Franklin Pierce University with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Secondary Education.
Carleen Lee of New London, CT, Customer Solutions Manager for the New London branch, has been promoted to Assistant Vice President. She has been a dedicated member of Chelsea Groton Bank for the last 32 years. Carleen graduated from the Connecticut School of Finance and Management in 2018 and is a recipient of the 2021 Chelsea Award. She has completed the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT Leadership Program and is a long-time board member for the Covenant House. She participates in community events and facilitates several Chelsea Groton classes. In addition, Carleen organizes and facilitates a bank-wide annual boot drive which provides hundreds of pairs of boots to community members in need.
Kristen Scott of East Lyme, CT, Customer Solutions Manager for the Center Groton branch, has been promoted to Assistant Vice President. Kristen joined Chelsea Groton in 2005. She is a graduate of the 2008 Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT Leadership Program. Kristen graduated from the Connecticut School of Finance and Management in 2015 and was the recipient of the Chelsea Award in 2017. Kristen also facilitates several Chelsea Groton classes. In addition, she is an active member in her community and serves as the Recording Secretary for the Groton Scholarship Committee.
Rebecca Wesolowski of North Franklin, CT , Loan Delivery and Quality Control Analyst, has been promoted to Assistant Vice President. Rebecca began her career at Chelsea Groton in 2017 within the Retail Banking team and has since transitioned to the Retail Lending department. Rebecca holds a Master of Science in accounting from the New England Institute of Business at Cambridge College. In 2023, Rebecca participated in the Connecticut Bankers Association's Aspire Leadership Program. She serves as co-chair for Chelsea Groton's Engage team and is Chair of the Groton Scholarship Committee.
Kyle Campbell of Danielson, CT, IT Support Specialist, has been promoted to Assistant Secretary. In 2017, Kyle joined Chelsea Groton Bank's Retail Banking department in a front-line customer support role which aided his transition to the Technology Services department in 2019. He regularly participates in bank events and is a member of Chelsea's Engage team.
Daniela Ness of Pawcatuck, CT, Retail Lending Sales Specialist, has been promoted to Assistant Secretary. Daniela started her career at Chelsea Groton in 2018 with the Retail Banking department and transitioned to the Retail Lending team in 2020. Daniela is currently enrolled in the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT Leadership Program and participates in many bank-wide events.
Samantha Powden of Middletown, CT, Learning and Development Specialist, has been promoted to Assistant Secretary. Sam joined Chelsea Groton in 2016 as part of the Operations department. In 2022, she rejoined Chelsea after a short separation and became part of the Learning and Development team. Sam obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in criminology and sociology from Central Connecticut State University in 2015 and graduated from the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT Leadership Program in 2021. In addition, she was a recipient of the Chelsea Award in 2018.
Luann Vinson of Portland, CT, Retail Loan Originator, has been promoted to Assistant Secretary. Luann joined Chelsea Groton Bank in 2015, based out of the Bank's Lending Center in Glastonbury. As a top producer according to the Commercial Record, Luann has helped hundreds of homebuyers to finance homes throughout Hartford and Middlesex counties. Luann is a graduate of University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Science in business administration.
About Chelsea Groton Bank
Based in Groton, Conn., Chelsea Groton Bank is a full-service mutually owned bank with over $1.6 billion in assets. Chelsea Groton Bank's products and services include consumer banking, business banking, mortgage and business lending, cash management, financial planning, and financial wellness programming. With 14 branch locations throughout New London County and a Loan Production Office in Hartford County, Chelsea Groton Bank also provides online and mobile banking, 24-hour telephone banking, and nationwide ATM banking for individuals, families, and businesses. To learn more, please visit . Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. NMLS Institution ID 402928.
###
CONTACT: Barbara Curto
Chelsea Groton Bank
860-448-4118
...
MENAFN31012024004107003653ID1107793801
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
|
https://menafn.com/1107793801/Chelsea-Groton-Bank-Promotes-13
| 2024-01-31T23:03:22Z
|
KENNETH MOKGATLHE | Let’s replace dependency syndrome with sustainable development
African politicians have given a wrong impression to their electorates since the first wave of independence in the 1960s – that governments would create and maximise employment opportunities for the citizens.
Many politicians in Africa thrive due to lack of voter education, high levels of illiteracy, and a lack of education on governance and democracy. As we wait for the official election date from President Cyril Ramaphosa, it is of paramount importance to remind all those who will be voting that the government exists to create a conducive environment to attract investments, which will in turn employ people and offer business deals to local entrepreneurs.
It is also important to discourage South Africans from deepening their dependence on the state as it is not sustainable at all, it is costly for the government and does not alleviate poverty as it intends to do. We are soon going to hear political formations misleading potential voters who are desperately looking for employment that they intend to create jobs and business opportunities for them.
The truth of the matter is that none of these parties seem to have a tangible, workable plan on how those jobs are going to be created. The only plan that we all can see is to kick out the corrupt and incapable ANC from the Union Buildings. My intuition and instincts inform me that there won’t be much developmental transformation in the communities that desperately want to see change in their lives.
The electorate has been tired of empty promises since 1994, hence the voter apathy in the electoral segments. Many do not see the reason for participating in the elections, but it remains the only democratic tool to employ to remove corrupt politicians in the democratic state institutions.
I was fascinated by Ramaphosa’s honest sentiments during his sixth State of the Nation Address last year when he said: “We all know that the government does not create jobs. Businesses create jobs. About 80% of all the people employed in SA are in the private sector.” Whether you like him or not, Ramaphosa was right when he reminded us that the government does not exist to employ people.
There is no government around the world whose job it is to employ its citizens. However, the government has to make sure that it makes the environment desirable for the country to be an investment destination. When I was covering poor service delivery, bad governance, and corruption in the collapsed municipalities around North West, I realised that there was a common practice where the municipal political principal employed excessive numbers, which stretched the municipality’s payroll too wide, where employees would not be paid due to insufficient funds.
It was clear that municipalities in the North West in particular, and SA in general, did not exist to champion issues of quality service delivery, instead, they were abused as employment agencies of political principals.
Ramaphosa was wrongly ridiculed for stating that the government is not an employment agency, that is the nature of many South Africans as we are just not ready to listen to the facts. We prefer to be lied to.
With his Black Consciousness history, I thought he would bring back self-help initiatives in the communities where we would be encouraged to pursue community development initiatives where we would draw our monthly income while we contribute to the transformation of the communities, we live in. Our government should help to empower the powerless. That is done through allowing active involvement and participation of everyone in the economy.
Mokgatlhe is a freelance writer and analyst
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
|
https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/opinion/columnists/2024-01-29-kenneth-mokgatlhe-lets-replace-dependency-syndrome-with-sustainable-development/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:22Z
|
Jorge Rubiano arrived alone in Chicago, but his pain and trauma came with him.
For months, he tried to find steady work. For months, he's been sleeping in a crowded temporary shelter, worrying about his wife and mother back in Colombia. Are they safe? Did I make the right decision?
He recalls a frightening phone call with his wife in Colombia, cut short when the bus she was riding on was being robbed.
Rubiano, 43, is also haunted by memories of his harrowing journey to Chicago, during which he says he was kidnapped for a month, before escaping.
He left his country, he says, over a land dispute in which the government threatened his life.
"I'm still in between two dangers," Rubiano says in Spanish. "If I return it's very possible they kill me, and if I stay I don't know what can happen here."
More than 30,000 migrants and asylum seekers have arrived in Chicago since August of 2022 — most of them from South and Central America. They are fleeing the collapse of their economies, a lack of food and jobs, and violence back home.
Many came here on a bus from Texas, sent by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who said Chicago — and other so-called sanctuary cities that embrace immigrants — would provide much-needed relief "to our small, overrun border towns."
The buses haven't stopped since.
Migrants fleeing hardship, danger, fear and loss
Interviews with more than 30 people reveal the emotional toll migrants face, and the efforts of individuals and organizations that are trying to fill the gaps of a frayed mental health system.
Some of those efforts are catching the attention of leaders in other big U.S. cities also coping with large influxes of newly-arrived migrants.
For many, their journeys here were terrifying. A young girl who fell into a river, her pregnant mother struggling to hold her small hand, so the current wouldn't whisk her away. Women who were forced to have sex with gang members to get from country to country. People who walked over the dead in the jungle, or are wracked with guilt over the sick and injured left behind.
Their stories have unfolded across Chicago: in the quiet space of a therapist's office, at an informal healing circle in the back of a store, with a nurse at a folding table propped up outside a police station.
But for many migrants, taking care of their mental health might not be a priority.
"They're in survival mode," says Sharon Davila, a school-based social worker who has screened migrant families. "They need their basic needs met. The number one thing is they're looking for jobs."
Just getting in front of a therapist or a social worker can be extremely difficult for even the most savvy and persistent. With a shortage of mental health workers, wait lists for an appointment can be months long.
Layer on being new to this country, speaking a different language, and having no health insurance. Getting help can seem impossible.
Therapist Susie Moya worries about a mental health crisis brewing for many migrants.
"Right now it's on the back burner," says Moya, who has worked with migrants on Chicago's Lower West Side. "But I'm thinking a year from now when these families are settled in. Who is going to be providing that support?"
Informal support, with a side of soup
It's a Monday night in the back room of an insurance agency on the Southwest Side. About 20 migrants have arranged their chairs in a circle. Each person takes a turn describing how they feel on a scale of one to 10, as social worker Veronica Sanchez gently encourages them to share why.
Warm homemade chicken soup and arepas await them for dinner.
A woman says her husband got deported, and she's heartbroken that she left her children behind. A man says he worked several days that week, but never got paid. Another says he is grateful to God for bringing him to America, but he misses his mom, dad and brothers.
Finding work and reuniting with family is important, Sanchez tells them. But right now she's concerned about their mental health.
"Maybe we have answers. Maybe we don't. But when you open up a safe space where you can share your sorrows... you don't feel so alone," Sanchez says in Spanish.
Sanchez understands the migrants' desperation. She comes from a long line of pottery makers in Mexico. Sanchez was just four years old when her father left to work in Cicero, a suburb outside Chicago. She didn't see her father for almost seven years, until they were reunited as a family in Cicero.
Those memories fuel her work with the healing circle. "When I was talking to them, it really came from the heart," Sanchez says. "I was seeing the migrants' faces, that they were so scared."
Informal support groups like this one have popped up around Chicago in shelters, storefronts, churches and schools, led by volunteers or mental health professionals.
Many of these support groups don't last long. Volunteers get burned out. Migrants prioritize other needs. Or the city moves them from place to place.
The costs of ignoring loss and trauma
Some volunteers and mental health providers emphasize that not every migrant might be experiencing severe trauma.
But for many, trauma can have lasting impact. Trauma can change the wiring in a person's brain and make someone more vulnerable to depression and anxiety.
Daily or ongoing stressors can add up to what Chicago psychologist Laura Pappa calls "little t trauma" — like not feeling welcomed right away.
"A lot of people come here seeking the American dream and they realize that that's not there," says Pappa, who came to the U.S. from Argentina as a teen. "A lot of people were not expecting that, how hard it is on this side. I've had a lot of parents who've come alone and ask themselves, was it worth it?"
It can be hard to persuade migrants to seek help, however. There's a stigma about the need for mental health care in many immigrant communities, particularly among Latino men, Pappa says.
But, she adds, the stigma is easing as talking about emotions becomes more common.
Training the front-line workers in shelters
One effort to provide faster help involves training hundreds of peoplewho don't have a medical background, but work in city-run shelters. These front-line workers, such as case managers and shelter supervisors, are learning to lead support groups called Café y Comunidad charlas — coffee and community talks.
The initiative is led by the Coalition for Immigrant Mental Health, the University of Chicago's Crown Family School, and Lurie Children's Center for Childhood Resilience.
The idea is to help migrants feel less isolated and try to prevent the most extreme outcomes, such as suicide.
"We have to help people the minute they arrive," explainsAimee Hilado, an assistant professor at UC's Crown School and chair of the coalition. "That's actually going to promote healing down the line."
Case manager Albert Ayala has led a charla in the ballroom of a downtown shelter. He recalls moments of joy, such as when a woman said she was searching for love — and hands shot up hoping to catch her attention.
Ayala says he's watched migrants who arrive scared and shy blossom after attending a charla.
"We try to tell them we're no different from you," says Ayala, who is Mexican American. "Your dream is possible."
Leaders in Philadelphia and San Jose have reached out asking how to replicate the effort, Hilado says.
Outside his shelter, Rubiano, the migrant from Colombia, says he hasn't attended one of these support groups. He says he tries to keep busy working on his English skills. And he recently found a full-time job in a supermarket.
He longs for his family, and for the chance to bring them here — once there is a stable life he can offer them.
WBEZ is part of the Mental Health Parity Collaborative, a group of newsrooms covering stories on mental health care access and inequities in the U.S. The Collaborative's partners include The Carter Center, the Center for Public Integrity and newsrooms in select states across the country.
WBEZ's Manuel Martinez contributed to this report.
Copyright 2024 WBEZ
|
https://www.knba.org/npr-news/2024-01-31/for-chicagos-new-migrants-informal-support-groups-help-ease-the-pain-and-trauma
| 2024-01-31T23:03:23Z
|
Videos: Zuckerberg grilled, stands and apologizes during child safety hearing before Senate
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was grilled during several heated exchanges Wednesday at a Senate hearing about child safety on social media platforms, with one exchange resulting in him standing and apologizing to families in the room who say their children had been harmed online.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., accused Zuckerberg of failing to enact change on his platforms and asked if he’s ever apologized to the victims for what they’ve been through.
"Would you like to do so now? While they're here. You're on national television," Hawley said, being met with claps from those in the room.
The hearing began with recorded testimony from kids and parents who said they or their children were exploited on social media. Throughout the hours-long event, parents who lost children to suicide silently held up pictures of their dead kids.
Zuckerberg stood up. "It’s terrible. No one should have to go through the things that your families have suffered," he can be heard saying.
Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer of Meta Platforms Inc., center, addresses the audience during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024. Photographer: Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Hawley went on to ask Zuckerberg if he’d take personal responsibility for the harm that some social media has caused.
Meta is being sued by dozens of states that say it deliberately designed features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms and has failed to protect them from online predators.
Zuckerberg didn’t directly answer the question.
RELATED: From ‘doxxing trucks’ to Nicki and Megan’s feud, what exactly does it mean to ‘dox’ someone?
"See results anyway"
Earlier, Sen. Ted Cruz grilled Zuckerberg on a warning prompt that is sometimes given to users when the images they’re trying to see may contain sexually explicit material involving children. The prompt comes with an option to "see results anyway."
"In what sane universe is there a link for "See results anyway?" Cruz questioned.
"Because we might be wrong," Zuckerberg said. Cruz asked Zuckerberg how many times that warning prompt has popped up, which Zuckerberg said he didn’t know.
Cruz pressed Zuckerberg if he would commit to learning the answer, saying it’s already been asked of them in a June 2023 oversight letter. Zuckerberg said he’d follow up on that and look into it personally, but wouldn’t give a "yes" or "no" that Cruz went on to ask for.
Cruz then asked what would happen if someone clicked on "see results anyway."
"What did you do next when that happened? … Did anyone report that user or did anyone go and try to protect that child? What did you do next?" he asked.
Zuckerberg didn’t answer directly but said that it was "probably" one of the factors used in their "reporting in general," and that Meta has made 26 million reports, according to him, over time to the National Center of Missing Exploited Children.
Meta has beefed up its child safety features in recent weeks, announcing earlier this month that it will start hiding inappropriate content from teenagers’ accounts on Instagram and Facebook, including posts about suicide, self-harm and eating disorders.
In addition to Zuckerberg, CEOs from TikTok, X and other social media companies went before the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday to testify as lawmakers and parents grow increasingly concerned about the effects of social media on young people’s lives.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
|
https://www.ktvu.com/news/zuckerberg-apologizes-video-questioned-senate-hearing-instagram-facebook-meta
| 2024-01-31T23:03:23Z
|
What to Know
- The spotlight returns to Gobbler’s Knob in western Pennsylvania this week, when handlers of a groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil will announce his verdict on seeing his shadow — six more weeks of winter or an early spring.
- Groundhog Day is part of a tradition rooted in European agricultural life and marks the midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox.
- By all accounts, Punxsutawney Phil predicts more winter far more often than he predicts an early spring.
The spotlight will be on Gobbler’s Knob in western Pennsylvania early on the morning of Friday, Feb. 2, 2024, when handlers of a groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil will announce whether he saw his own shadow and predicts six more weeks of winter or an early spring.
Thousands are expected to attend the annual event that exploded in popularity after the 1993 Bill Murray movie, “Groundhog Day.”
You can watch the festivities live on this page the morning of Feb. 2.
We're making it easier for you to find stories that matter with our new newsletter — The 4Front. Sign up here and get news that is important for you to your inbox.
It's part of a tradition rooted in European agricultural life, marking the midpoint between the shortest day of the year on the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It's also a time of year that figures in the Celtic calendar and the Christian holiday of Candlemas.
And in eastern and central Pennsylvania, where people of German descent have been watching the groundhog's annual emergence from hibernation for centuries, there's a tradition of groundhog clubs and celebrations that are independent of Phil.
Some dismiss the Punxsutawney event as an unworthy rival to their own festivities, which they say forecast more accurate weather predictions. There have been weather-predicting groundhogs in at least 28 U.S. states and Canadian provinces, and less formal celebrations far and wide.
One thing it's not: serious business.
“We know this is silly; we know this is fun,” said Marcy Galando, executive director of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. “We want people to come here with a sense of humor.”
What are Groundhog Day's origins?
Celtic people across Europe marked the four days that are midway between the winter solstice, the spring equinox, the summer solstice and the fall equinox. What the Celts called Imbolc is also around when Christians celebrate Candlemas, timed to Joseph and Mary's presentation of Jesus at the Temple in Jerusalem.
Ancient people would watch the sun, stars and animal behavior to guide farming practices and other decisions, and the practice of watching an animal’s emergence from winter hibernation to forecast weather has roots in a similar German tradition involving badgers or bears. Pennsylvania Germans apparently substituted the groundhog, endemic to the eastern and midwestern United States.
Historians have found a reference in an 1841 diary to groundhog weather forecasts in early February among families of German descent in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, according to the late Don Yoder, a University of Pennsylvania professor whose 2003 book about Groundhog Day explored the Celtic connection.
Yoder concluded the festival has roots in “ancient, undoubtedly prehistoric, weather lore.”
Why is Groundhog Day celebrated in Punxsutawney?
Punxsutawney is an area where Pennsylvania Germans settled — and in the late 1880s started celebrating the holiday by picnicking, hunting and eating groundhogs.
Members of Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, organized in 1899, care for Phil at a customized space beside Punxsutawney Memorial Library — where there's a window with a view into the creature's burrow.
The Punxsutawney groundhog makes predictions but he's not always predictable. The designated groundhog emerged before sunrise in 1929 and didn't come out until late afternoon in 1941.
The Bill Murray movie caused such a resurgence of interest that two years after it came out, event organizers voiced concern about rowdy crowds drinking all night, people climbing trees and others stripping to their underwear. In 1998, a groundhog club leader wearing a $4,000 groundhog suit reported being assaulted by a half-dozen young men.
Alcohol is now prohibited at Gobbler's Knob, Phil's spot some 80 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.
Does Phil have competition in Pa.?
The early festivities in Punxsutawney were followed in 1907 by folks in Quarryville, a farming area in Lancaster County in Pennsylvania's southeastern corner. The roughly 240 members of the Slumbering Groundhog Lodge there report the winter forecast from Octoraro Orphie, or least via his well-preserved remains.
Quarryville Lodge board chair Charlie Hart said the organization has dinners and other social events throughout the year but is largely focused on Groundhog Day.
Hart credits Orphie as a far better forecaster than Phil.
“Octoraro Orphie has never been wrong," Hart said. "This is the 116th year, and in the previous 115 he has been right on the money every year.”
Whistle pigs on the menu?
The groundhog is a member of the squirrel family and related to chipmunks and prairie dogs. It's also known as a woodchuck, a whistle pig — or in the parlance of Pennsylvania Dutch, a language with German roots, a “grundsau.”
Groundhogs are herbivores that are themselves edible to humans, although they are not widely consumed. Their lifespan in the wild is typically two or three years.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission says about 36,000 hunters reported killing more than 200,000 groundhogs last year.
Game Commission spokesperson Travis Lau found groundhogs a bit stinky to clean, with thick skin.
“It was actually really good, no doubt about it — and to my taste, more like beef than venison is,” Lau said. “The whole family ate it and liked it, and everybody had apprehensions."
Some cooks advise groundhogs are best taken when they are young and after clover is in bloom, since a clover diet is thought to improve the meat's taste.
When did groundhog clubs and lodges first spring up?
Starting in the 1930s, groundhog lodges opened in eastern Pennsylvania. They were social clubs with similarities to Freemasonry.
Intended to preserve Pennsylvania's German culture and traditions, clubs would sometimes fine those who were caught speaking anything but their Pennsylvania Dutch language at meetings. They were traditionally all-male groups and 15 such clubs remain active.
They all share the unifying feature of a groundhog's weather prognostication, said William W. Donner, a Kutztown University anthropology professor and author of “Serious Nonsense,” a book about such lodges and other efforts to preserve German heritage.
“I think it's just one of these traditional rituals that people enjoy participating in, that maybe take them away from modern life for 15 minutes,” Donner said.
What's Phil's record for getting his weather prediction right?
Some well-meaning efforts have sought to determine Phil's accuracy, but what “six weeks of winter” means is debatable. Claims that a groundhog has or has not seen its shadow — and that it's able to communicate that to a human — are also fair territory for skeptics and the humor impaired.
By all accounts, Phil predicts more winter far more often than he predicts an early spring.
Groundhogs are mostly solitary creatures who start to emerge in midwinter to find a mate. The science behind whether they can make any accurate weather predictions is problematic at best.
Among the skeptics is the National Centers for Environmental Information, within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The government agency last year compared Phil's record with U.S. national temperatures over the prior decade and concluded he was right only 40% of the time.
|
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/national-international/groundhog-day-phil-punxsutawney/3531522/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:23Z
|
NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with constitutional scholar Philip Bobbitt about the effort from House Republicans to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Copyright 2024 NPR
NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with constitutional scholar Philip Bobbitt about the effort from House Republicans to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Copyright 2024 NPR
|
https://www.aspenpublicradio.org/2024-01-31/constitutional-scholar-says-gop-charges-against-mayorkas-dont-meet-impeachment-bar
| 2024-01-31T23:03:23Z
|
(MENAFN- GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) MIAMI, Jan. 31, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vision Sensing Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: VSACU, VSAC, VSACW) (the“Company”) a special purpose acquisition company, announced today that it has notified Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company that it intends to extend the date by which the Company must consummate its initial business combination from February 3, 2023, to March 3, 2024, and that its sponsor, Vision Sensing, LLC, intends to deposit into the Company's trust account an aggregate of $60,000 by February 3, 2023 (the“Extension”). In connection with the Extension, the Company intends to issue to its sponsor a non-interest bearing, unsecured promissory note in the principal amount of $60,000 as consideration for the funding. This will be the fourth of up to six one-month extensions that the Company is authorized to obtain under its amended and restated certificate of incorporation as recently amended on October 25, 2023.
The Extension provides the Company with additional time to complete its initial business combination (the“ Business Combination ”) with Mediforum Co. Ltd., a Korean company (“ Mediforum ”), pursuant to a merger agreement dated January 12, 2024 (as it may be amended and/or restated from time to time, the“ Merger Agreement ”).
About Mediforum
Mediforum Co., Ltd is a leading Korean biotechnology company established in 2015, headquartered in Seoul, Korea and led by a management team that has a deep understanding of the biotech industry and a proven track record of success. Mediforum's mission is to enhance the quality of life for those facing conditions like Alzheimer's disease (AD) and neuropathic pain. With a diverse portfolio, including anti-dementia medications and health functional foods, our flagship product, PM012, is currently in Phase 2b trials for Alzheimer's disease (AD), with plans for subsequent Phase 3 trials in Korea and the U.S. PM012 also explores indications for Parkinson's disease (PD) and stroke. Addressing the non-narcotic therapies, MF018 is in Phase 2 for Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN), with Phase 3 trials planned. Its versatility extends to Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN). As Mediforum anticipate its listing on NASDAQ, Mediforum is poised to become the first Korean biotech on this global platform, solidifying their commitment to technology, innovation, and transformative healthcare solutions. For more information, please visit: .
Norwich Capital Limited and American General Business Association & SME Overseas IPO Capital Group are acting as the Lead Advisor and Co-Advisor for Mediforum, Loeb & Loeb LLP is acting as the U.S. Legal Counsel to Mediforum and Next Law LLP is acting as the Korean Legal Counsel to Mediforum.
About Vision Sensing Acquisition Corp.
Vision Sensing Acquisition Corp. (“ VSAC ”) is a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (“ SPAC ”) that has been established to focus on the acquisition of a private technology company.
EF Hutton, division of Benchmark Investments, LLC, is serving as Capital Market Advisor to VSAC and ARC Group Limited is serving as Financial Advisor to VSAC.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains, and certain oral statements made by representatives of VSAC, Mediforum, and their respective affiliates, from time to time may contain,“forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the“safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. VSAC's and Mediforum's actual results may differ from their expectations, estimates and projections and consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Words such as“expect,”“estimate,”“project,”“budget,”“forecast,”“anticipate,”“intend,”“plan,”“may,”“will,”“could,”“should,”“believes,”“predicts,”“potential,”“might” and“continues,” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, VSAC's and Mediforum's expectations with respect to future performance and anticipated financial impacts of the business combination, the satisfaction of the closing conditions to the business combination and the timing of the completion of the business combination. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results. Most of these factors are outside the control of VSAC or Mediforum and are difficult to predict. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to: (1) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Merger Agreement relating to the proposed business combination; (2) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against VSAC or Mediforum following the announcement of the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated therein; (3) the inability to complete the business combination, including due to failure to obtain approval of the shareholders of VSAC or other conditions to closing in the Merger Agreement; (4) delays in obtaining or the inability to obtain necessary regulatory approvals (including approval from insurance regulators) required to complete the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement; (5) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the Merger Agreement or could otherwise cause the transaction to fail to close; (6) the inability to obtain or maintain the listing of the post-acquisition company's ordinary shares on Nasdaq following the business combination; (7) the risk that the business combination disrupts current plans and operations as a result of the announcement and consummation of the business combination; (8) the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the business combination, which may be affected by, among other things, competition, the ability of the combined company to grow and manage growth profitably and retain its key employees; (9) costs related to the business combination; (10) changes in applicable laws or regulations; (11) the possibility that Mediforum or the combined company may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; and (12) other risks and uncertainties to be identified in the Form S-4 or Form F-4 filed by VSAC (when available) relating to the business combination, including those under“Risk Factors” therein, and in other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) made by VSAC and Mediforum. VSAC and Mediforum caution that the foregoing list of factors is not exclusive. VSAC and Mediforum caution readers not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Neither VSAC or Mediforum undertakes or accepts any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, subject to applicable law. The information contained in any website referenced herein is not, and shall not be deemed to be, part of or incorporated into this press release.
Additional Information and Where to Find It
In connection with the proposed transaction, VSAC and Mediforum intend to cause a registration statement on Form F-4 or S-4 to be filed with the SEC, which will include a proxy statement to be distributed to VSAC's stockholders in connection with VSAC's solicitation for proxies for the vote by VSAC's stockholders in connection with the proposed transaction and other matters as described in the registration statement, as well as a prospectus relating to Mediforum's securities to be issued in connection with the proposed transaction. VSAC's stockholders and other interested persons are advised to read, once available, the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus and any amendments thereto and, once available, the definitive proxy statement/prospectus, in connection with VSAC's solicitation of proxies for its special meeting of stockholders to be held to approve, among other things, the proposed transaction, because these documents will contain important information about VSAC, Mediforum, and the proposed transaction. After the registration statement is filed and declared effective, VSAC will mail a definitive proxy statement and other relevant documents to its stockholders as of the record date to be established for voting on the proposed transaction. Stockholders may also obtain a copy of the preliminary and definitive proxy statement/prospectus to be included in the registration statement, once available, as well as other documents filed with the SEC regarding the proposed transaction and other documents filed with the SEC, without charge, at the SEC's website located at
Participants in the Solicitation
VSAC, Mediforum, and their respective directors, executive officers, and other members of management and employees may, under SEC rules, be deemed to be participants in the solicitations of proxies from VSAC's stockholders in connection with the proposed transaction. Information regarding the persons who may, under SEC rules, be deemed participants in the solicitation of VSAC's stockholders in connection with the proposed transaction will be set forth in the proxy statement/prospectus included in the Registration Statement to be filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction. You can find more information about VSAC's directors and executive officers in VSAC's final prospectus related to its initial public offering. Additional information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests will be included in the proxy statement/prospectus when it becomes available. Stockholders, potential investors, and other interested persons should read the proxy statement/prospectus carefully when it becomes available before making any voting or investment decisions. You may obtain free copies of these documents from the sources indicated above.
No Offer or Solicitation
This press release is not a proxy statement or solicitation of a proxy, consent, or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the potential transaction and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities of VSAC, Mediforum or the combined company, or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
CONTACT: Contacts
For Vision Sensing Acquisition Corp.:
George Peter Sobek, Chairman and CEO
...
For Mediforum Co., Ltd:
Chankyu Kim, Chairman and Founder
...
Jae Eon Jung, CEO
...
MENAFN31012024004107003653ID1107793802
|
https://menafn.com/1107793802/Vision-Sensing-Acquisition-CorpAnnounces-Intention-To-Extend-Period-To-Consummate-Initial-Business-Combination-To-March-3-2024
| 2024-01-31T23:03:24Z
|
Hello and welcome to football.london for live coverage of Mauricio Pochettino's post-match press conference from Anfield. Chelsea were beaten 4-1 by Liverpool, who extend their lead at the top of the Premier League.
Liverpool took the lead on 23 minutes as Diogo Jota somehow bundled his way through the gap in between Thiago Silva and Diogo Jota. It was far too easy for Jota to find space in behind despite Chelsea's centre-back pairing appearing to be well positioned beforehand.
It was 2-0 to the Reds not too long after. Conor Bradley finished off a counter-attack on the right-hand side. Again, it was far too easy for the hosts.
Darwin Nunez then missed a penalty just before half-time. At the time, it felt like a huge let-off for Chelsea but it did not let them off anything in the end.
Dominik Szoboszlai's header on 65 minutes made it three before a reply from Christopher Nkunku, who came on at half-time. Luis Diaz put the game beyond any reasonable doubt, though, moments later to make Anfield erupt once again.
Pochettino cut a very animated figure on the touchline at Anfield, so it will be interesting to see what he has to say. You can follow every update live with Bobby Vincent on Merseyside.
Key Events
On transfer business
I don't know. I hear nothing. It's all quiet. We will see what happens tomorrow. It's the last day, things can happen. So far, nothing.
To be honest, we cannot say yes or not [to players leaving]. Sometimes things appear and we need to be aware about that.
On Chelsea's away form
I think it's part of our personality and character, also. We need to be more confident in ourselves. Now we are improving at home. Last season, that was a big problem. Now we need to feel more confidence away from home. That is about confidence and trust. We need to have the capacity to have the same performance away from home. It's a matter of time.
On raising the level before the cup final
For sure, it is going to be different in a neutral place. Of course, that is the feeling. It's good because we want to compete. And if we compete in the same way as today, it will be the same result. If we don't improve, then it's going to be difficult. For us, it's about to learn in this kind of game. We were competing against a team that is at the top. It is good for us to feel we need to improve.
On the performance
They were more at it than us. It was difficult for us to connect and play. We lost the ball so easy. When we say they compete better, they were better than us in the areas. In the second-half of the game, at 2-0, we create a chance that Mudryk has and if we score maybe we get confidence and play better. Even if we scored and drew, then we would be disappointed because our performance wasn't great.
On the penalty appeal
It's not a final excuse. They deserved to win. They were better than us. But to talk about this, I don't want to talk about that because it's part of football. They were better than us from the first action. In this kind of game, you need to say 'well done Liverpool'.
Pochettino due soon
We are set to hear from the Chelsea head coach very soon after he saw his side beaten comfortably at Anfield.
Player ratings
Wow. That was awful.
Anyway, here is how Bobby Vincent thought the Chelsea lot did. Warning: it isn't pretty and there are a lot of fours in there.
|
https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/news/chelsea-press-conference-live-28547354
| 2024-01-31T23:03:24Z
|
The Baylor women’s basketball program will be retiring Brittney Griner’s No. 42 jersey next month, the university says.
The Phoenix Mercury star is a former Baylor Bear, and will have her jersey retired during a ceremony before the game on Feb. 18. The Bears will be playing Texas Tech at 3 p.m. that day, Baylor said.
“I’m honored to return home to Baylor and celebrate where so much of my journey started,” Griner said. “I’m grateful to Coach Nicki (Collen) and the entire Baylor community and looking forward to the opportunity to be back on campus, spend time with the team and have my family beside me to share in this incredible moment. Sic ‘Em Bears.”
Griner’s jersey will be the seventh jersey retired by the Baylor women’s program, ESPN reported. Two others include her former teammates, Odyssey Sims and Melissa Jones.
Griner was the No. 1 pick in the WNBA’s 2013 draft, according to ESPN. She led Baylor to the NCAA Women’s Final Four. She also had a perfect 40-0 national championship season while she was a junior at Baylor. Griner is also a two-time Olympic gold medalist.
Griner is also a WNBA champion, capturing the 2014 title with the Phoenix Mercury.
Griner finished her college basketball career with 3,282 points and 1,305 rebounds, according to The Associated Press.
“We are excited to welcome Brittney back to Baylor and share this special day with her,” Baylor Vice President and Director of Athletics Mack Rhoades said. “There’s no doubt she is one of the most decorated student-athletes in Baylor athletics history and we’re thrilled the timing has worked out for all of us to celebrate and honor her. She always has been, and always will be, a significant member of the Baylor Family.”
“We’re excited to have Brittney back on campus and honor her with the retirement of her jersey,” Baylor Coach Nicki Collen said. “I have been saying this since I arrived at Baylor that she deserves to have her jersey retired and I wanted to make sure that happened when the timing was right. With the opening of Foster Pavilion, and the WNBA offseason fitting into our season, this seemed like the right time to honor Brittney and welcome her back home. She is one of the best basketball players in Baylor’s history and we’re thrilled that the time has come to celebrate Brittney and all of her accomplishments.”
© 2024 Cox Media Group
|
https://www.hot105fm.com/news/trending/baylor-university-retire-no-42-jersey-next-month-honor-brittney-griner/7YZ22XDWC5GPXGEVQ62HKB56SE/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:24Z
|
Activists renew push to repeal Kentucky’s near-total abortion ban
By BRUCE SCHREINER
Associated Press
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Abortion-rights supporters are mounting another push to restore abortion access in Kentucky. But the lawmaker sponsoring the bill acknowledges the long odds against them. A near-total abortion ban has been in place in Kentucky since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. It bans abortions except when carried out to save the mother’s life. A bill unveiled Wednesday by Democratic Rep. Lindsey Burke would roll back Kentucky’s abortion laws to the time before Republicans won the House majority in the 2016 election, which consolidated their control of the legislature. Since then, lawmakers put more restrictions on abortion, culminating with the near-total ban.
|
https://keyt.com/news/2024/01/31/activists-renew-push-to-repeal-kentuckys-near-total-abortion-ban/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:25Z
|
A new Elk Grove shopping center is expected to open in 2025. Here’s what’s planned
A new shopping center in Elk Grove is expected to be developed early next year, and some of the key tenants that will populate the site are now official, including the city’s first Whole Foods Market.
The shopping center is tentatively named The Village and will be located along Elk Grove Boulevard, between Big Horn Boulevard and Waymark Drive.
Kelly Rule, senior vice president of leasing for real estate developer Pappas Investments, confirmed that a Whole Foods and more would be coming to the new shopping center.
Rule told The Sacramento Bee that Pappas Investments intends to break ground Feb. 7, if weather allows, on a 15-acre site where the shopping center will be built.
“We will be building an upscale neighborhood center. We already have a good tenancy there,” Rule said. “It will be anchored by Whole Foods. We have a signed lease with Yard House, Mendocino Farms, and NuYo (Frozen Yogurt). We’re expecting to announce a few others as soon as we get the signs.”
The Sacramento Business Journal, which reported in January 2023 that planning documents suggested a Whole Foods Market was coming to Elk Grove, first reported the confirmed tenant list Wednesday. The Bee in June reported that Yard House, a popular restaurant and taproom chain, had filed for a license from the state Alcoholic Beverage Control filings at The Village project site.
Pappas Investments owns several shopping centers in the area. The Village sits east of The Ridge, another Elk Grove shopping center, which is anchored by Costco.
“It’s heavily, densely populated with a diverse population. It attracts a lot of businesses, a lot of people relocating to northern California,” Rule said of the Elk Grove area. “I think it’s one of the fastest growing areas, similar to Roseville and Folsom.”
The Village is expected to have buildings available for the tenants in early 2025.
|
https://news.yahoo.com/elk-grove-shopping-center-expected-222120204.html
| 2024-01-31T23:03:25Z
|
BARDSTOWN, Ky.— Chicken Cock Whiskey has unveiled an exclusive Single Barrel Double Oak Kentucky Whiskey in partnership with Garden & Gun. Inspired by the South and its time-honored traditions, Chicken Cock Whiskey’s Garden & Gun’s Single Barrel Double Oak is imbued with history and is now available on Chicken Cock’s website and will be available soon in retail stores for $149.99.
Chicken Cock Whiskey’s Master Distiller Gregg Snyder is an avid hunter when he’s not hand selecting white oak for aging spirits, or sampling batches to find the perfect blend of flavors. Snyder describes Garden & Gun’s Single Barrel Double Oak Whiskey as “just phenomenal… full-flavored, full-bodied and smooth,” with a fragrance of caramel coffee and a crème brûlée finish – an ideal bottle to open after an adventurous day of hunting.
“It has the mash bill recipe for bourbon,” explains Chicken Cock Whiskey’s Brand Ambassador Will Woodington. However, due to the American white oak barrel shortage in 2014, the spirit was aged in bourbon barrels for seven years. “Then we finished it in new American white oak barrels to elevate the whiskey to our standards.” For this reason, the spirit cannot be qualified as a bourbon, but rather a Double Oak Kentucky Whiskey, though all other aspects of it align with those of a classic bourbon. Only 12 barrels of this exclusive spirit will be bottled and available for purchase.
“Garden & Gun is thrilled to partner with Chicken Cock Whiskey to present this limited-edition Double Oak single barrel collaboration,” shares Christian Bryant, vice president and publisher of Garden & Gun. “We know our readers will relish the warm and inviting hints of vanilla, steeped berries, and cinnamon. This bottle will add character to any home bar.”
About Chicken Cock Whiskey
Established in 1856, Chicken Cock Whiskey started in the heart of Bourbon County, Kentucky, and in a few short decades became a nationally distributed brand. Chicken Cock hit peak prestige when it was served as the house whiskey at the Cotton Club in Harlem, one of Prohibition’s most legendary speakeasies. The brand managed to survive Prohibition by swiftly moving production around and smuggling bottles into the United States in tin cans. After Prohibition, Chicken Cock enjoyed a resurgence before a distillery fire just after World War II put it out of business. In 2012, Matti Anttila, Grain & Barrel Spirits CEO, rediscovered the brand and set out to resurrect it to its Prohibition-era glory. Since then, the team has introduced a flagship KY Straight Bourbon and KY Straight Rye Whiskey, made in partnership with Bardstown Bourbon Company as part of its collaborative distilling program, along with several other highly sought after limited-releases.
About Grain & Barrel Spirits
Based in Charleston, South Carolina, Grain & Barrel Spirits is an innovative-driven global spirits portfolio that develops and scales authentic brands – connecting the best artisans with markets and consumers around the world. The company’s core brands include: Chicken Cock Whiskey, a historically significant whiskey brand established in Paris, Kentucky, in 1856; Tequila Eterno Verano, a range of ultra-premium tequilas made for adventurous souls; Dixie Spirits, which boasts a roster of five premium vodkas, including its signature award-winning Southern Vodka, alongside its first-ever whiskey, Dixie Delight; High Goal Luxury Gin, a small batch, ultra-premium gin produced in Charleston; Elvis Whiskey, Elvis Presley-inspired whiskeys; and Virgil Kaine Lowcountry Whiskey. Grain & Barrel Spirits has been named to the prestigious Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing privately held companies in America three years in a row.
About Garden & Gun
Garden & Gun is a multiplatform media company that celebrates stories of the American Souththrough powerful journalism, bold photography, exquisite design, and finely curated retail andexperiential journeys. The brand is anchored by its award-winning national magazine launchedin 2007, Garden & Gun, which reports on the South’s sporting culture, food, music, art, literature, and its people and their ideas. The coveted audience of 1.6 million is further engaged through numerous New York Times best-selling books, Fieldshop by Garden & Gun retail experience, the Garden & Gun Club restaurants, and 75+ events each year.
For More Information:
https://shopchickencockwhiskey.com/products/garden-gun-barrel-pick
|
https://www.bevnet.com/spirits/2024/chicken-cock-whiskey-releases-single-barrel-double-oak-whiskey/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:26Z
|
- In this role, he will lead all aspects of RMA’s financial operations and play a key role in the integration of acquired businesses
- Most recently, he was CFO of ALS Limited
- Based in New York, OceanSound invests in technology and technology-enabled services companies serving government and enterprise end-markets
RMA Companies, which is backed by OceanSound Partners, has named Luis Damasceno as chief financial officer. His appointment is effective immediately.
Based in Rancho Cucamonga, California, RMA is a provider of testing, inspection, and quality management services for critical infrastructure end-markets.
In this role, he will lead all aspects of RMA’s financial operations and play a key role in the integration of acquired businesses.
Most recently, he was CFO of ALS Limited.
“We are excited to welcome Luis to RMA. He has a proven track record of scaling and transforming finance functions at leading TICC companies,” said RMA CEO Ed Lyon in a statement. “RMA has rapidly expanded its service offerings, end-market capabilities, and geographic footprint in recent years. As we continue our accelerated growth trajectory, Luis will be instrumental in driving financial excellence across our business, enabling our talented team of employees to better serve our clients.”
Based in New York, OceanSound invests in technology and technology-enabled services companies serving government and enterprise end-markets.
|
https://www.pehub.com/oceansound-backed-rma-recruits-damasceno-as-cfo/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:26Z
|
Man City confirm big-money Laura Blindkilde Brown signing from Aston Villa as they look to keep chase with Emma Hayes' Chelsea in WSL title raceJames HunsleyManchester CityManchester City WomenLaura BlindkildeWomen's footballWSLManchester City have completed the signing of Laura Blindkilde Brown from Aston Villa, with the midfielder penning a three-and-a-half year deal.Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues belowCity confirm Blindkilde Brown signingMidfielder pens three-and-a-half year dealCity also complete Pritchard and O'Hanlon deals
|
https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/man-city-laura-blindkilde-brown-signing-aston-villa-emma-hayes-chelsea-wsl-title-race/blt3f10b15dbde43581
| 2024-01-31T23:03:27Z
|
Snoop Dogg’s gimmick about giving up smoking may have been an elaborate product promotion, but his latest comments are a true change of heart.
The West Coast legend recently sat for an interview with UK’s the Sunday Times as he does media rounds to speak on his new show, The Underdogg.
But rather than discussing the sports-related show, he spoke about a more divisive subject: Donald Trump.
Surprisingly absolutely everyone, despite their previous spat, Snoop had nothing but glowing comments for the former president.
“Donald Trump? He ain’t done nothing wrong to me,” Snoop Dogg told the British outlet. “He has done only great things for me. He pardoned Michael Harris.”
Harris, more commonly known as “Harry-O,” is a former associate of Suge Knight and Death Row Records co-founder who was convicted of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder back in the 1990s. After serving 30 years of a 25-years to life sentence, Trump freed him in 2021.
“I have nothing but love and respect for Donald Trump,” Snoop added.
Snoop’s recent comments are a far cry from what he had to say about Trump back in 2016 when he was first running for president, astonished that someone like him could ever hold office.
“How could we have someone as reckless as him running our country?” he asked Rolling Stone. “I been around for a long time. I seen Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Bushes, Clintons. And I never seen a motherf-cker like him.”
In 2015, long before Hillary Clinton was the Democratic presidential nominee, he heavily endorsed her because he thought having a woman as the leader of the free world would bring a fresh point of view.
“But I’ll say that I would love to see a woman in office because I feel like we’re at that stage in life where we need a perspective other than a man’s train of thought,” he said on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live in 2015. “And just to have a woman speaking from a global perspective as far as representing America, I’d love to see that. So I’ll be voting for Mrs. Clinton.”
There’s no telling why Snoop had an about-face, but social media is sounding off about it.
See the reactions below.
Snoop Dogg Says He Has “Nothing But Love And Respect” For Donald Trump, X Smokes Him was originally published on cassiuslife.com
|
https://theboxhouston.com/playlist/snoop-dogg-says-he-has-nothing-but-love-and-respect-for-donald-trump-x-smokes-him/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:28Z
|
Laws on abortion are out of step with public opinion. One Republican legislator in Tennessee is working to establish exceptions to his state's strict abortion laws, but he faces a tough battle.
Copyright 2024 NPR
Laws on abortion are out of step with public opinion. One Republican legislator in Tennessee is working to establish exceptions to his state's strict abortion laws, but he faces a tough battle.
Copyright 2024 NPR
|
https://www.wvxu.org/2024-01-31/a-tennessee-lawmaker-helped-pass-a-strict-abortion-law-hes-now-trying-to-loosen-it
| 2024-01-31T23:03:28Z
|
Police said that the two people found dead inside of a home in Hamden earlier this month died of murder-suicide.
Police said officers responded to a residence on Hampton Road on Jan. 15 to check on someone and found two people dead.
Authorities determined that the two people found dead were married. The woman has been identified as 76-year-old Patricia Petrini and the man was identified as 80-year-old Francis Petrini.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said Patricia died of a gunshot wound, and her death was ruled a homicide. Francis died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.
Get Connecticut local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Connecticut newsletters.
The detective division is investigating and police said the incident appears to be isolated.
The investigation remains active and ongoing. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call Detective Joseph Venditto at 203-230-8247.
Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox.
|
https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/couple-found-inside-hamden-home-died-of-murder-suicide-police/3207830/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:28Z
|
FORT CARSON, Colo. — What does it take to provide the best information technology services? To be the best at anything takes skill, dedication, resilience and critical thinking.
These attributes along with outstanding customer service recently led to Fort Carson’s Regional Network Enterprise Center-West (RNEC-W) being selected as the 106th Signal Brigade’s RNEC of the Year for 2023.
RNEC-W provides IT services for voice and data across the Army Department of Defense Information Network (DoDIN-A) to over 28,000 customers located at five separate installations from Colorado, California, Arizona, and Utah, including key tactical field training areas and eight separate tail sites such as nearby Pueblo Army Chemical Depot, Rocky Mountain Arsenal and the Military Ocean Terminal Concord, California.
Fort Carson RNEC best in 106th Signal Brigade
Virginia Regester, the RNEC-W director at Fort Carson, believes this team to be unique in its ability to enable warfighters.
“We’re the largest RNEC in the 106th Signal Brigade’s area of responsibility. We’re at the front edge of innovation and creativity and look to find the best approach to delivering premier IT services to enable our warfighters.”
The RNEC mission is maintaining Soldier readiness through connectivity. The goal is to provide seamless transition during overseas deployments and re-deployments. This includes providing end user support and configurations to devices so warfighters can communicate on the DODIN-A as soon as boots hit the ground in theater.
The 106th Signal Brigade’s RNEC of the Year award credits the RNEC-W with developing coordination, configurations and establishing the tactics, techniques and procedures that are used as a standard across all areas of operations within the U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command (NETCOM).
Dr. James Cronkhite, civilian executive officer, 106th Signal Brigade, 7th Singal Command, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, noted that several disciplines are reviewed including IT projection completion, resources and cybersecurity stewardship.
Fort Carson RNEC best in 106th Signal Brigade
“Fort Carson continues to excel at not just the ‘nuts and bolts’ of IT service delivery and management,” he said. “They led the brigade in fiscal 2023 in areas such as aggregate cybersecurity posture, IT trouble ticket resolution and mean time to repair, and mission support to Army force readiness.
Finally, the RNEC is the ‘go-to’ organization for subject matter expertise across multiple IT disciplines and serves as lead organization for the brigade’s pivot strategy.”
The Army’s IT application and workflow processes are constantly evolving. Eventually virtual private network (VPN) will become obsolete and virtual desktops will be the answer.
Soldiers can now enroll in the Hypori Halo app through the non-classified Internet Protocol Router Network (NIPRnet) or a personal computer or Mac with their Common Access Card (CAC).
Personal mobile devices are approved for access through Army365 with 100% separation of government and personal data.
Frank Davis, RNEC deputy director, said that government has gone to the cloud with Army365.
“It’s called zero trust. The technology down the road is going to be where there’s no VPN needed. We’ll be able to apply security patches and updates from anywhere using the cloud architecture,” he said.
While some senior leaders on the installation may remember when Fort Carson was a Directorate of Information Management (DOIM) or local Network Enterprise Center and the quality of service it provided.
The RNEC-W remains dependable, customer focused and even more proactive in meeting customer needs using new collaboration technologies.
One example is the Fort Carson IT community channel on Microsoft Teams. The IT community channel is closely monitored by RNEC technicians and is where the community can ask questions to solve IT problems quickly without the need to submit a service ticket.
Several industries across the nation are having a tough time with service disruption due to staffing shortages.
Cronkhite explained that if he could develop the ideal IT technician, it would possess two superpowers that would expedite customer support demand.
“The IT superpowers would be creativity and critical thinking”, he said. “For most IT disciplines, an employee or Soldier can be sent to training courses or bootcamps focused on technical IT skills and certification paths. However, creativity and critical thinking are not normally the focus within the technical training sphere. Given the rise of cloud computing and opportunities for AI integration, the ability to view challenges and develop solution sets rests on non-technical skills.”
The Fort Carson RNEC-W is focused on providing quality services and unmatched customer support for the Western Region of the United States.
It is the 106th Signal Brigade’s premier Regional Information Technology Service and Support Center with the 7th Signal Command (Theater).
This work, Fort Carson RNEC best in 106th Signal Brigade, by John Switzer, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
|
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/462865/fort-carson-rnec-best-106th-signal-brigade
| 2024-01-31T23:03:28Z
|
Kemp likened it to when he signed a measure in 2020 that allows additional penalties to be imposed for crimes motivated by a victim's race, religion, sexual orientation or other factors. That hate crimes law was spurred by the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man pursued and fatally shot while running near Brunswick, Georgia.
The antisemitism definition measure had stalled in 2023, but was pushed with fresh urgency this year amid the Israel-Hamas war and a reported surge in antisemitic incidents in Georgia. Sponsors say adopting the 2016 definition put forward by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance will help prosecutors and other officials identify hate crimes and illegal discrimination targeting Jewish people. That could lead to higher penalties under the 2020 hate crimes law.
The definition, which is only referred to in the bill, describes antisemitism as "a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”
Kenneth Stern, the author of IHRA's definition, told The Associated Press that using such language in law is problematic, because an increasing number of Jews have adopted an antizionist position in opposition to Israeli actions.
Lawmakers in more than a half-dozen additional U.S. states are pushing laws to define antisemitism.
Opponents of the Georgia law warned it would be used to censor free speech rights with criticism of Israel equated to hatred of Jewish people. A coalition of organizations, including Jewish Voice for Peace and CAIR, issued a joint statement saying that the Georgia bill "falsely equates critiques of Israel and Zionism with discrimination against Jewish people."
But supporters say the definition will only come into play after someone has committed a crime. State Rep. John Carson, a Marietta Republican who was one of the bill's sponsors, said he believed the measure would be challenged in court the first time it is used, but predicted it would be upheld.
“I'm very confident this will stand up, like it has in other states,” Carson said.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
|
https://www.daytondailynews.com/nation-world/georgia-governor-signs-bill-that-would-define-antisemitism-in-state-law/SK6SD2F4PBC23LB44D4YHHVPMY/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:28Z
|
Updated January 31, 2024 at 5:33 PM ET
The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady on Wednesday but signaled that rates could fall in the coming months if inflation continues to cool.
Policy makers have kept their benchmark interest rate between 5.25% and 5.5% — the highest in over two decades — since July.
Fed chairman Jerome Powell told reporters Wednesday that interest rates are unlikely to go any higher, and that he and his colleagues are beginning to contemplate cutting rates.
"If the economy evolves broadly as expected, it will likely be appropriate to begin dialing back policy restraint at some point this year," Powell said.
He cautioned, however, that the economy remains unpredictable and said the central bank would proceed cautiously.
"The economic outlook is uncertain and we remain highly attentive to inflation risks," Powell said.
The Fed has been pleasantly surprised by the rapid drop in inflation in recent months. Core prices in December — which exclude food and energy prices — were up just 2.9% from a year ago, according to the Fed's preferred inflation yardstick. That's a smaller increase than the 3.2% core inflation rate that Fed officials had projected in December.
If that positive trend continues, the Fed may be able to start cutting interest rates as early as this spring. First, though, Powell said he and his colleagues will need to see additional evidence that inflation is easing.
And he sounded doubtful about a rate cut at the Fed's next meeting in March as many investors in Wall Street had hoped for.
"Based on the meeting today, I would tell you that I don't think it's likely the committee will reach a level of confidence by the time of the March meeting," Powell said. "But that's to be seen."
The comments disappointed investors, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbling 317 points.
Investors are still hopeful about a rate cut by the following Fed meeting in May, with markets putting the likelihood of that at better than 90%.
Good omens in the economy
Both the economy and the job market have performed better than expected over the last year, despite the highest interest rates since 2001. The nation's gross domestic product grew 3.1% in 2023, while employers added 2.7 million jobs
Unemployment has been under 4%for nearly two years. And average wages in December were up 4.1% from a year ago.
While that strong economy is welcome news for businesses and workers, it also raises the risk of reigniting inflation. As a result, Fed policymakers say they'll be cautious not to cut interest rates prematurely.
"We have history on this," Atlanta Fed president Raphael Bostic told the Rotary Club of Atlanta this month. "In the '70s, the Fed started removing accommodation too soon. Inflation spiked back up. Then we had to tighten. Inflation came down. Then we removed it again. Inflation went back up. And by the time we were done with that, all Americans could think about was inflation."
The Fed is determined not to repeat that '70s show. At the same time, waiting too long to cut interest rates risks slowing the economy more than necessary to bring inflation under control.
A report from the Labor Department Wednesday showed employers' cost for labor rose more slowly than expected in the final months of last year. Labor costs increased just 0.9% in the fourth quarter. That's a smaller increase than the previous quarter, suggesting labor costs are putting less upward pressure on prices.
Fed officials promised to keep an eye on upcoming economic data and adjust accordingly.
Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
|
https://www.knba.org/npr-news/2024-01-31/the-federal-reserve-holds-interest-rates-steady-but-signals-rate-cuts-may-be-coming
| 2024-01-31T23:03:29Z
|
During a contentious hearing, lawmakers demanded that social media companies do better to protect children online.
Copyright 2024 NPR
During a contentious hearing, lawmakers demanded that social media companies do better to protect children online.
Copyright 2024 NPR
|
https://www.aspenpublicradio.org/2024-01-31/lawmakers-grilled-the-ceos-of-top-social-media-companies-in-a-hearing-today
| 2024-01-31T23:03:29Z
|
MASILO LEPURU | Restore Afrikan sovereignty by any means possible
One of the significant benefits of an Afrikan-centred study of European thought and behaviour is the fundamental discovery that “politics is the continuation of war by other means”.
Politics in essence is about power. While elections are a function of a representative democracy, they are not the core of power. Elections are a mere aspect and one of the instruments of attaining power.
Electionism as a manifestation of the reduction of politics to voting is a profound indication of the poor level of political literacy in SA among Afrikans.
A solid level of political literacy helps one to know that the emergence and antagonism between Afrikan politics and white politics in SA begin with the conquest of the indigenous people in 1652 by European conquerors. At the core of white politics is the preservation of power by white settlers. The fundamental characteristic is for the long-lasting dominance and control by whites in SA since 1652. The strategy of divide and conquer is what undergirds this characteristic. Whites have been using this strategy for centuries and it has been effective. The context may differ now and then but the strategy remains fruitful. This is why whites still use the same strategy today in the context of the current elections.
The fact that in the context of elections Afrikan politics manifests itself through the registration of 300 parties is a case in point. Afrikans seem to constantly fail to recognise the advantage of their numerical majority and to use it effectively, for example, through an Afrikan agenda of liberation politics. Whites, on the other hand, know and understand the threat of African numerical majority.
The persistent white fear of the “one man, one vote” and the opportunistic introduction of judicial review and a Constitutional Court since 1994 are an example of how whites understand the power of numbers.
Unlike Afrikans, whites have plans that span over 100 years. Marcus Garvey has warned Afrikans about this collective weakness as a race. Afrikans in general lack a collective long-term vision and an unapologetic attitude when it comes to the exercise of power. The annoying fear of being called a black racist and ubuntu are some of the dangerous reasons Afrikans never capitalise on power when they get it.
The fundamental objective of Afrikan power, on the other hand, is the total elimination of white power and its beneficiaries.
This is the liberation dialectic of Afrikan politics and white politics in SA. Until Afrikans understand this dialectic they will always fall victim to the machinations of white politics. The unity of white politics in the form of white nationalism is what maintains white power in SA.
Whites know when to fight among each other as they always do and when to close ranks against Afrikans as their common enemy. The call for the Cape independence by white settlers is a recent example.
The fundamental concept of the political as the “distinction between a friend and enemy” is what many Afrikans fail to understand and practisce when dealing with whites. There is an urgent need to resuscitate Afrikan nationalism as formulated by Garvey and Anton Lembede as the highest expression of Afrikan politics.
Electionism without this tried and tested ideology of Afrikan nationalism is a futile exercise in rituals of representative democracy and a recipe for the triumph of white politics at the expense of Afrikan politics.
In any event, the point is not to participate in elections but to restore Afrikan sovereignty and power by any means necessary.
Lepuru is a researcher and founding director of the Institute for Kemetic and Marcus Garvey Studies
|
https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/opinion/columnists/2024-01-29-masilo-lepuru-restore-afrikan-sovereignty-by-any-means-possible/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:29Z
|
(MENAFN- PR Newswire) Micki Seibel to help fast-growing manufacturer of revolutionary peat-free products
advance growth in the vertical farming space
PITTSBURGH, Jan. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --
PittMoss , manufacturer of revolutionary peat-free products made in America from organic, recycled paper and cardboard, today announces the appointment of Micki Seibel to the company's advisory board.
According to Brian Scott, president & CEO, PittMoss, Micki will assist the company in growing its presence in the controlled environment/indoor farming industry, as well as help identify additional financing opportunities for continued development as it expands its number of commercial and retail customers across North America.
"On behalf of all of us at PittMoss, including our broad investor community, we are excited about Ms. Seibel joining our team," said Scott. "Her expertise in supporting and accelerating opportunities for organizations across the agriculture and horticulture spectrum will help power the next phase of our story and our growth."
Ms. Seibel is a veteran startup operator, company builder, and venture investor with more than 25 years of experience in the technology industry, spanning software engineering, product management, and cybersecurity. Seibel also brings experience from the venture capital industry, where she oversaw investments in agriculture tech.
Previously, Seibel served as a member of the board of directors at Boost Biomes, a biotechnology company, which leverages microbiome data to create novel solutions for agriculture. She has also served on the advisory boards of other ClimateTech startups, including Wexus Technologies, zTractor, and Swarm Technologies, where she advised on strategy, product development, and market fit in agriculture.
Most recently, Seibel was a founding employee and chief digital officer of Unfold Bio, a predictive seed breeding company backed by Leaps by Bayer and Temasek, where she defined the go-to-market strategy, set up initial commercial operations, and led the company in achieving key early milestones, including growing from 2 to 30 employees and signing strategic partnerships with vertical farm customers.
"I look forward to building on the roots PittMoss has established in the agriculture space by helping the company advance its mission of creating a healthier planet, while helping farmers and growers achieve higher product yields with greater efficiency," said Seibel.
In 2021, Seibel – a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University – was named Digital Transformation Leader of the Year by Women in Tech Network.
About PittMoss
-
Made from organic, recycled paper, PittMoss' range of products are manufactured in the United States, supporting green manufacturing. All of the paper and cardboard components are obtained from local companies, recycling facilities and the community, which is then hand sorted at the PittMoss production and R&D facility in Ambridge, PA, before being fiberized by its custom machinery. Founded in 2015, PittMoss' portfolio of patented products reduce runoff through enhanced nutrient absorption and superior moisture wicking. Its carbon-rich, living soil environment helps achieve superior root development – producing bigger, healthier plants with less water and fertilizer than competitors. Please visit PicMii to learn how to become part of our growing community.
SOURCE PittMoss, LLC
MENAFN31012024003732001241ID1107793803
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
|
https://menafn.com/1107793803/Pittmoss-Announces-Appointment-Of-Micki-Seibel-To-Advisory-Board
| 2024-01-31T23:03:30Z
|
Boston doctor found not guilty on charge of lewd acts near a 14-year-old girl on an airplane
By STEVE LeBLANC
Associated Press
BOSTON (AP) — A Boston doctor was found not guilty Wednesday on a charge of lewd acts near a 14-year-old girl on an airplane after a three-day trial in federal court in Boston. Lawyers for Dr. Sudipta Mohanty, 33, said more than a dozen passengers sitting in seats near Mohanty and flight attendants charged with serving the passengers said they didn’t see anything consistent with the accusation while on the flight. Mohanty said the accusation and trial have been incredibly difficult for himself and his family for a crime he didn’t commit. Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy said he was disappointed in the outcome.
|
https://keyt.com/news/2024/01/31/boston-doctor-found-not-guilty-on-charge-of-lewd-acts-near-a-14-year-old-girl-on-an-airplane/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:31Z
|
Actress Elisabeth Moss confirmed on Tuesday that she is pregnant with her first child.
Moss, 41, who won an Emmy Award in 2017 for her role as Offred in “The Handmaid’s Tale,” made the announcement on the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” program, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Kimmel got right to the point.
“Are you pregnant or just an incredibly committed method actor?” Kimmel asked.
“A little bit of both,” Moss answered.
“I’ve been really lucky,” Moss continued. “It’s been going really well.”
When Moss asked Kimmel for advice, the talk show host said he was reminded of what comedian Bill Murray told him and his wife, Molly McNearney, when they were expecting one of their four children, Entertainment Tonight reported.
“He said, ‘Bring Christmas lights to hang up (in the delivery room),’” Kimmel said, adding that Murray also suggested bringing in battery-powered candles.
The “Mad Men” star did not share further details about her pregnancy, including when the baby is due, People reported.
©2024 Cox Media Group
|
https://www.hot105fm.com/news/trending/handmaids-tale-actress-elisabeth-moss-pregnant-with-first-child/VR7LGBR3XZF5HJCMV2VEQ2BJCU/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:31Z
|
Florida Fire Marshal still investigating RISE Doro fire, demolition to begin before end of the week
The Rise Doro apartment complex is expected to be demolished as early as Thursday or Friday according to the city after it caught fire Sunday night.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
The city has contracted with ELV8 to facilitate the demolition.
According to Courtney Gordon, COO of RISE the demolition could begin as early as Thursday morning
Local businesses like Intuition Ale Works have been unable to open and street access on East Adams has been blocked off as the instability of the structure makes it a risk to public safety.
“As a seven-story structure with significant damage, the Rise Doro apartments pose an immediate threat to the surrounding area and businesses. The building has been condemned and the demolition process is moving forward safely and swiftly,” said Mayor Donna Deegan in a statement provided to Action News Jax Wednesday.
Despite the quick demolition, the State Fire Marshall’s Office told Action News Jax in a statement, “This fire investigation remains open and ongoing at this time.”
Action News Jax was told by sources within the office that the investigation can continue even in the absence of the structure, as investigators can still test samples of debris, and conduct interviews with witnesses and other involved parties long after demolition.
READ: City spokesperson said fire is under control, but what’s next for the RISE Doro apartments?
Gordon also noted insurance adjusters were on the ground Wednesday.
But as of Wednesday, there was still no clear answer as to how the fire that erupted in the building Sunday night began.
According to city permitting records, a pressure test of the fire safety system failed on October 13th of last year.
Ten days later it was given a partial pass and then on December 22nd, it passed inspection.
According to the Private Provider Association of Florida, state law requires inspections of those fire safety systems to be conducted by government inspectors.
According to JFRD, the final pressure test was scheduled for this week, and eight residents were expected to move in as early as this weekend.
The sprinkler system did not activate according to JFRD, and due to the incomplete construction, the fire was able to spread more easily into void spaces, which hampered firefighters’ efforts to directly douse the flames.
Gordon told Action News Jax it’s still too early to know when a rebuild may begin, but a downtown apartment complex is still the goal.
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
|
https://news.yahoo.com/florida-fire-marshal-still-investigating-223450253.html
| 2024-01-31T23:03:32Z
|
Galloway Company, the largest producer of cream liqueur bases in the U.S., is excited to announce an expansion of its distribution network to reach craft distillers across the United States from Ultra Pure’s newly constructed Louisville, Kentucky facility. The facility features a dedicated cold storage logistics center for shipping creams as of January 22nd, 2024.
This expansion comes in the 8th year of the strategic partnership between Galloway Company and Ultra Pure, the largest bulk alcohol supplier in the US.
The alliance between industry leaders aims to remove barriers to entry in the cream liqueur segment and enable a more efficient route to market. Ultra Pure’s new cold storage facility and centrally located distribution hub in Louisville are key to maintaining top product quality and enabling short lead times.
“Our growing collaboration with Ultra Pure signifies a pivotal step towards extending our legacy of providing high-quality cream liqueurs to the craft distillery market,” said Mark Gottsacker, Director of Beverage Sales. “From a single tote of cream to full trucks, this partnership allows us to reach partners at any stage of their business, making adding creams to product lines easier than ever.”
Niels van der Kloot, President of Ultra Pure, expressed his enthusiasm about the alliance, stating, “We are thrilled to join forces with the Galloway Company, known for its commitment to quality and innovation. This collaboration aligns seamlessly with our vision of delivering unparalleled products to our clientele while solidifying our position as a leader in the distribution of premium spirits.”
This expanded distribution network reinforces the longstanding commitment to excellence that Ultra Pure and Galloway Company share. Galloway Company’s wealth of experience in crafting premium cream liqueurs, partnered with Ultra Pure’s distribution experience, ensures that its products maintain their exceptional quality as they reach a wider array of craft distilleries across the nation.
To ensure customer success, Galloway Company offers fully dedicated R&D support, regulatory guidance, tailored co-packing partnerships, and scalable growth strategy.
About Galloway Company
Based in Neenah, Wisconsin, Galloway Company is the number one distilled spirits and wine-based cream liqueur base supplier in the United States. For four generations of family ownership, Galloway continues to lead the dairy industry with an unwavering commitment to quality and innovation. Galloway is also an industry-leading producer of sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and dairy beverage bases. Classic Mix Partners, a subsidiary of Galloway Company, is the largest manufacturer of frozen dairy dessert mixes in Wisconsin and supplies customers across the country.
About Ultra Pure
Established in 2006, Ultra Pure is situated in Darien, Connecticut and has established itself as the foremost supplier of bulk alcohol in the United States. The company specializes in providing premium quality bulk ethanol and high proof spirits catering to diverse applications and industries. The assortment of products offered by Ultra Pure encompasses Grain Neutral Spirits, aged and Unaged Bourbon and Whiskies, Organic Alcohols, Rum, non-GMO Sugar Cane Alcohol, and all specialty denatured Alcohols. Ultra Pure caters to a wide range of clients, including the craft distillery, food, and flavor industries.
For More Information:
https://www.gallowaycompany.com/
|
https://www.bevnet.com/spirits/2024/galloway-company-expands-cream-liqueur-distribution-network-to-support-growing-demand-among-craft-distillers/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:32Z
|
Morning Hubs!
Hope the week is going well. Seems there is a feeling that deal activity is making a comeback, but what is really needed is exit activity to follow along. More deals doesn’t necessarily translate into more exits.
• Searchlight preps sale of automotive diagnostics company Opus Group
• Bain Capital finds opportunity in consumer foods and health
• To CV, or not to CV? That is the question!
Exit
Speaking of exits, Littlejohn & Co agreed to sell Dana Kepner, a water and wastewater distributor, to Core & Main, the firm said in a statement. The company was formed in 1933. Houlihan Lokey and Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton worked as advisers to Littlejohn on the deal.
Sale prep
Searchlight Capital is prepping the sale of automotive diagnostics company Opus Group, expected to launch in the next week, writes Michael Schoeck on PE Hub.
The deal will hit the market at a time when automotive services and original equipment manufacturer deal activity has picked up, Michael writes. Financial performance of automotive services across the market has broadly remained flat or declined after the pandemic. The global automotive testing and inspection market is still projected to expand at about 7 percent CAGR for the next few years as driving habits normalize post-pandemic, Schoeck writes.
Searchlight took the company private in 2018, being marketed off of $50 million in Ebitda generated over the past year.
Opus Group runs automotive diagnostic and emissions control centers in North America and Europe. The company operates a diagnostics technology products group, Intelligent Vehicle Support, including the DriverCrash diagnostics tool, the story said.
Steakhouse
Bain Capital has recently found opportunity in food and health, with investments late last year in Brazilian steakhouse Fogo de Chão and 1440 Foods, a health-oriented food company with brands like Pure Protein, Met-Rx and Body Fortress.
Bain looks for undifferentiated brands and businesses, companies with growth potential and partnering with the right leadership teams, Bain Capital partner Adam Nebesar told PE Hub’s Rafael Canton.
The firm acquired Fogo de Chão in a narrow auction process for a deal valued at $1.1 billion, Canton writes. “When we invested there were only 60 units within the US in total,” Nebesar said. “Fogo’s brand awareness is only 35 percent. That’s a huge opportunity. There are a lot of people who aren’t near a Fogo and haven’t heard of it. They’ve been growing units by 15 percent plus per year in recent years.”
The firm’s investment in 1440 was driven by the trends of consumers focusing on protein as part of a healthy and active lifestyle and the popularity of fast-snacking, as opposed to meals at home, Canton writes.
“The place we’re playing in is what I call high-protein nutrition, and that’s still a tiny sliver of snacking overall, but it’s growing because customers are trying to make healthier choices,” Nebesar said. “And customers are also recognizing the importance of protein in an active diet.”
Secondaries
A lot going on in the early days of 2024 in secondaries, as the strategy has shot out of the gates. LP portfolio sales have continued to lead activity with lots of pending demand sitting on the sidelines. One large process to watch in the early part of the year is from
Washington’s massive pension system, which has brought back a portfolio it pulled in 2022 on low pricing and is trying again. Check it out on Buyouts here.
GP-led deals made a resurgence in the second half of the year and have continued pace into this year. Secondaries is evolving to the point that it can offer GPs an array of solutions for their portfolios and investments, writes Todd Miller, partner with W Capital Group. Below is a snippet. Read the full guest column here on Buyouts.
“The inception of the secondaries market consisted largely of traditional LP trades. That was version 1.0 of the secondaries market. The emergence of CVs is considered 2.0. I’d argue the next phase of offering sponsors a wider range of GP-led solutions is version 3.0 and is where the market is headed. Sponsors are quickly appreciating that the GP-led market is broader than just CVs. The secondaries market 3.0 will be massively larger than prior periods and will enable sponsors to capitalize on the right solution for the right situation. The real question for a sponsor is not “To CV or not to CV?”, but rather: “which liquidity solution is the right one?”
We also note that Overbay Capital, a Canadian secondaries shop focused on LP deals, has brought on Sebastien Siou as a managing director, according to a report in Secondaries Investor.
Awards
It’s that time again! We’ve opened our annual Deal of the Year awards for the best exits of 2023. Deadline is Friday, Feb. 16. Winners are chosen in seven categories: Deal of the Year, Large-Market Deal of the Year, Middle Market Deal of the Year, Small Market Deal of the Year, Turnaround of the Year, International Deal of the Year and Secondaries Deal of the Year.
Visit here for contest rules and other information, including lists of past winners. And hit me up with questions at christopher.w@pei.group (but please read the rules PDF first that can be downloaded, which should answer most of your questions).
That’s it for me! Have a great rest of your Wednesday. Hit me up with tips n’ gossip, feedback and book recommendations at christopher.w@pei.group or find me on LinkedIn.
|
https://www.pehub.com/searchlight-preps-sale-of-auto-diagnostics-company-opus-group-bain-capital-finds-opportunity-in-consumer-food-and-health/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:33Z
|
Julian Alvarez celebrated his birthday in style by leading Manchester City to a comfortable 3-1 victory over Burnley on Wednesday night. Pep Guardiola made six changes to his side but Alvarez started a 21st-consecutive league game and bagged two goals in quick succession, the second helped by an audacious Kevin De Bruyne assist from a free-kick.
De Bruyne was making his first start in over five months and Erling Haaland came off the bench, with their returns potentially threatening Alvarez's place in future starting line-ups. But the Argentine showed he is worth keeping around as City continue to chase Liverpool in the title race.
Rodri put City further at ease early at the start of the second half but Burnley got a consolation goal, as Ameen Al Dakhil pounced on a blunder from Ederson in added time.
GOAL rates Man City's players from the Etihad Stadium...
|
https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/man-city-player-ratings-vs-burnley-julian-alvarez-kevin-de-bruyne/blt318549e341a372ae
| 2024-01-31T23:03:33Z
|
Everyday a star is born, but depending on the birth state of that star, odds are they could become a celebrity quicker than they imagine! TicketSource.us, has put together a list of the Top states that produce the most famous people.
“We used Wikipedia to gather a list of celebrities who originate from each U.S. state for the following categories: actors and actresses, singers and rappers, comedians, and athletes, which consisted of basketball players, American football players, baseball players and ice hockey players” Ticket source explained. “For each category, we then counted how many stars had been born in each state to create a ranking, before taking an overall number by combining all four categories.”
The Golden state ranks first (as expected), with a total of 12,793 Californian born celebrities. New York follows second on the list, with a total of 11,731 celebrities born in the Big Apple.
Pennsylvania ranks 4th on the top ten list, producing a total of 6,474 celebrities born in the Keystone state. Our Tri-state neighbors in New Jersey rank 9th on the list with a total of 3,854 native celebrities.
Here are the top ten states and how many stars they’ve produced:
- No. 1: California – 12,793
- No. 2: New York – 11,731
- No. 3: Texas – 8,299
- No. 4: Pennsylvania – 6,474
- No. 5: Illinois – 5,720
- No. 6: Ohio – 5,359
- No. 7: Florida – 4,701
- No. 8: Michigan – 4,001
- No. 9: New Jersey – 3,854
- No. 10: Massachusetts – 3,756
Check out the most famous celebrity in each of the Top 10 states below!
Star Power: States that Produce the Most Celebrities was originally published on rnbphilly.com
|
https://theboxhouston.com/playlist/star-power-states-that-produce-the-most-celebrities/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:34Z
|
Southern Gaza has seen the heaviest fighting over the past few weeks. But bombing has restarted in the north and the humanitarian situation has worsened there.
Copyright 2024 NPR
Southern Gaza has seen the heaviest fighting over the past few weeks. But bombing has restarted in the north and the humanitarian situation has worsened there.
Copyright 2024 NPR
|
https://www.wvxu.org/2024-01-31/as-israel-resumes-bombing-in-the-north-thousands-of-gazans-face-desperate-conditions
| 2024-01-31T23:03:34Z
|
Ange Postecoglou is speaking to the media after Tottenham Hotspur's victory against Brentford in the Premier League on Wednesday night.
Spurs came into the game looking to get back to winning ways after their 1-0 FA Cup loss to Manchester City on Friday night and they were taking on a Brentford side inspired by the return of striker Ivan Toney following the end of his ban. Tottenham made two changes to the team that exited the cup with James Maddison given his first start in more than two-and-a-half months and Oliver Skipp coming in alongside him in the midfield, with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Brennan Johnson dropping to the bench.
The host started brightly but found themselves behind 15 minutes in with a mess of a goal. Destiny Udogie gave the ball away on the halfway line and Toney was sent away down the right and his shot was pushed out by Vicario only for Cristian Romero's block on Maupay's effort to help bounce the ball down and over the keeper's dive.
After a poor first half Spurs came out firing with two goals in 74 seconds. Postecoglou made two half-time changes with Hojbjerg and Johnson replacing Rodrigo Bentancur and Skipp. First Udogie linked up well with Timo Werner and although the Italian's first shot was blocked, he tapped in the second. Then soon after the kick-off Werner flew down the left flank and hit a low ball across for Johnson to knock home.
Then on 56 minutes, it was 3-1 as Richarlison buried a loose ball after Maddison's effort was blocked to make it seven goals in seven Premier League matches for the Brazilian. Then came another defensive mess for Udogie. The young Italian hit a pass back while falling to Toney, who was in acres of space in the Spurs box to collect the ball and bury his shot.
Our Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold is among those putting the questions to Postecoglou after the match. Scroll down for his latest updates from the press conference at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Here's every word the Tottenham boss just said
We've got a full transcript with everything Ange Postecoglou said which you can find by heading right here or scroll down for some highlights.
Postecoglou on Destiny Udogie
Mistakes will happen mate. He's a young man learning the game. He worked hard, he was instrumental in the first goal, driving through and obviously he scored. Just his drive and he continues to present himself. I've got no issues with Destiny and I thought he was good. He made a mistake but you know what I've made more mistakes today like that, let alone in a career.
The Tottenham head coach on Brennan Johnson
I think it probably did Brennan a little bit of good as well, because he’s played a lot for us recently. He could sit and watch the game a bit, maybe get a little bit of a different perspective. He was good when he came on, good that he got his goal. Pierre helped us start of the second half, getting a foothold in the game.
Postecoglou on Timo Werner
I thought he was great. First half we probably didn’t support him enough in that left channel, he was a little bit isolated. Second half we got some better service to him. He’s a quality player, I think he’s proven at this level, and as he gets stronger and fitter and understands our game a little bit better, I think he’ll become even more effective. And I know there’s goals in him as well that will come for Tottenham, so I thought he was good.
The Spurs boss on whether his players were fired up by Maupay's celebrations
I hope not because that’s exactly what I’m talking about. I’m not a fan of it, I don’t like the whole bravado, pushing people around. If you’re that brave about things, my players and their players, get into a UFC cage and I’ll see how brave they are. We’re out there to play football. And that’s what I want our guys to do, focus on playing football. And they shouldn’t get motivated by things that aren’t really that important to us. Like I said, we got sucked in first half. Second half was much better.
Postecoglou on transfers
No, as I said yesterday unlikely and I guess less likely than yesterday.
|
https://www.football.london/tottenham-hotspur-fc/fixtures-results/ange-postecoglou-press-conference-live-28547517
| 2024-01-31T23:03:34Z
|
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fl. – Sweat dripped from 2nd Lt. Leowell Cristobal’s brow, as he prepared himself to lift the 137 kg bar.
Cristobal lifted this weight before, but the stakes were high amidst the 2023 Pacific Games competition at the Solomon Islands, Oceania.
The Pacific Games is a continental multi-sport weightlifting competition held every four years in Oceania.
Mustering up his strength, he went for the clean and jerk. With arms fully extended above his head and straining to hold his posture, the whistle sounded letting him know that the bronze medal was his.
Cristobal, a recent graduate from the Undergraduate Air Battle Manager course at the 337th Air Control Squadron, works to ensure he is successful on and off the weightlifting platform.
“I’ve been with 337th ACS since August when I started UABM training,” Cristobal said. “I graduated in April 2023 and was assigned to fill the role of the 325th Wing scheduling chief while I wait to PCS.”
As a scheduling chief, Cristobal ensures the coordination of aerial event requests, preparing and briefing the weekly scheduling meetings, and tracking the flying hour program.
“The biggest similarity between weightlifting and my job is the planning involved to ensure the mission or competition goes as well as possible,” Cristobal noted.
Cristobal’s preparation for the competition involved consistent physical activity and recovery.
“Training, especially for the Pacific Games, consisted of lifting seven to eight times per week, yoga and mobility work every day, dialing in my nutrition and recovery, and making sure I get seven to eight hours of sleep,” Cristobal said.
Greg Borja, manager for Team Northern Mariana Islands, NMI, speaks to Cristobal’s accomplishments during the competition.
“Although he wasn't able to hit his third lift in the snatch, his clean and jerk performance brought the NMI another bronze to add to the medal count.” Borja said. “While serving our country in the Air Force, he will continue to train, as he and the rest of our team prepare for the Oceania Championships in New Zealand this coming February 2024.”
He attributes his success to his family, friends, and mentors.
“I’d like to thank my family and friends for supporting me throughout,” Cristobal said. “As far as prevalent mentors in my weightlifting career, Elias Rangamar was my high school track coach who introduced me to weightlifting.”
Amongst colleagues, Cristobal gives a special shout out to the 337th ACS ‘Doghouse’.
“There's a lot of good people at the Doghouse, which is a big reason why I enjoy wearing the uniform, so I'm grateful they created an environment for me to succeed,” he continued. “As I go on to my next duty station, I know I'm leaving the Doghouse a better officer, leader, and person because of all the amazing people in the squadron.”
This work, 337th Air Control Squadron ABM graduate takes bronze at Pacific Games, by SrA Briana Beavers, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
|
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/462866/337th-air-control-squadron-abm-graduate-takes-bronze-pacific-games
| 2024-01-31T23:03:34Z
|
The slide for Big Tech stocks dragged the Nasdaq composite to a market-leading loss of 2.2%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, which has less of an emphasis on tech, fell a more modest 0.8%, or 317 points.
Alphabet was one of the heaviest weights on the market, and it fell 7.5% despite reporting stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. Underneath the surface, analysts pointed to some concerning trends in how much Google's parent company is earning from advertising.
The bigger challenge, though, may have been the high expectations the company faces after how much its stock soared last year. Other Big Tech stocks that also accounted for a disproportionate chunk of the S&P 500’s rally to a record likewise struggled Wednesday in the face of high expectations.
Microsoft fell 2.7% even though it delivered stronger profit and revenue than expected. One analyst, Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities, even called its quarterly report "a masterpiece that should be hung in the Louvre."
Tesla, another member of the group of stocks nicknamed the "Magnificent Seven," fell 2.2%. A judge in Delaware ruled a day earlier that its CEO, Elon Musk, is not entitled to the landmark compensation package earlier awarded to him.
The Magnificent Seven were responsible for the majority of the S&P 500’s return last year, and three more members are scheduled to report their latest quarter results on Thursday: Amazon, Apple and Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. Expectations are high for them, too.
Besides the Magnificent Seven, stocks have rallied to records because of hopes that a cooldown in inflation will convince the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates several times this year. Such cuts would relax the pressure on the economy and encourage investors to pay higher prices for stocks.
But the Fed on Wednesday left its main interest rate steady and made clear it “does not expect it will be appropriate” to cut rates “until it has gained greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably toward” its goal of 2%.
“We’re not declaring victory at all,” Fed Chair Jerome Powell said. He said it’s unlikely the Fed will get to that level of comfort by its next meeting in March.
“It’s probably not the most likely case,” he said, which sent stocks skidding late in trading.
But Powell also said Fed officials already have some confidence that day will arrive. They just need to see more months of data confirming that inflation is heading sustainably lower. “We have confidence,” he said. “It has been increasing, but we want to get greater confidence.”
Powell acknowledged the difficult position the Fed is in, with dangers arising from both acting too quickly and too late, even though “overall it’s a good picture” for the economy at the moment. Cutting rates too soon could ignite inflationary pressures, while acting too late would mean unnecessary pain for the economy and job market.
“Given how strong the economy has been, the Fed probably figures it can err on the side of cutting later and slower than what the market is pricing,” said Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management.
Treasury yields in the bond market swung up and down following the Fed's announcement. They had been lower earlier following a couple softer-than-expected reports on the economy.
One report said that growth in pay and benefits for U.S. workers was slower in the final three months of 2023 than economists expected. While all workers would like bigger raises, the cooler-than-expected data could further calm what was one of the Fed's big fears: that too-big pay gains would trigger a vicious cycle that ends up keeping inflation high.
A separate report from the ADP Research Institute also suggested hiring by non-government employers was softer in January than economists expected. The Fed and Wall Street are hoping that the job market cools by just the right amount, enough to keep a lid on inflation but not so much that it causes a recession. A more comprehensive jobs report from the U.S. government will arrive Friday.
The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 3.92% from 4.04% late Tuesday. In October, it was above 5% and at its highest level since 2007.
All told, the S&P 500 fell 79.32 points to 4,845.65. The Dow dropped 317.07 to 38,150.30, and the Nasdaq slumped 345.89 to 15,164.01.
In stock markets abroad, indexes slumped sharply again in China amid continued worries about a weak economic recovery and troubles for the country’s heavily indebted property developers.
Stocks were mixed elsewhere in Asia and down modestly in Europe.
___
AP Writer Zimo Zhong contributed.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
|
https://www.daytondailynews.com/nation-world/stock-market-today-wall-street-drops-to-worst-loss-in-months-with-big-tech-hope-for-march-rate-cut/2ZY7LBNBCZCDJAUHRQMEETDD5E/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:35Z
|
The dueling contests surrounding the Nevada Republican's nominating process has led to voter confusion. And with it, an outcome many in the state saw as inevitable: Trump is the de facto winner.
Copyright 2024 NPR
The dueling contests surrounding the Nevada Republican's nominating process has led to voter confusion. And with it, an outcome many in the state saw as inevitable: Trump is the de facto winner.
Copyright 2024 NPR
|
https://www.aspenpublicradio.org/2024-01-31/nevadas-gop-nominating-process-is-confusing-and-already-yielded-a-likely-winner
| 2024-01-31T23:03:35Z
|
Forgot Username or Password
Date
The Delaware court found that SmartSky failed to establish that it is likely to succeed on the merits of its claims, and that it is likely to suffer irreparable harm if a preliminary injunction is not granted. The reviewing court-the Federal Circuit-affirmed that decision.
"The District Court found that SmartSky failed to establish that it is likely to succeed on the merits of its claims, and we agree," said Oakleigh Thorne, Gogo's CEO. "We will continue to vigorously defend Gogo against SmartSky's patent infringement claims. We remain steadfast in our belief that we do not infringe upon the patents in question and expect to ultimately prevail. We remain focused on successfully launching Gogo 5G and delivering improved performance for our business aviation customers in 2024 and beyond."
About Gogo Gogo is the world's largest provider of broadband connectivity services for the business aviation market. We offer a customizable suite of smart cabin systems for highly integrated connectivity, in-flight entertainment, and voice solutions. Gogo's products and services are installed on thousands of business aircraft of all sizes and mission types from turboprops to the largest global jets, and are utilized by the largest fractional ownership operators, charter operators, corporate flight departments and individuals.
As of Sept. 30, 2023, Gogo reported 7,150 business aircraft flying with its broadband ATG systems onboard, 3,784 of which are flying with a Gogo AVANCE L5 or L3 system; and 4,395 aircraft with narrowband satellite connectivity installed. Connect with us at .
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain disclosures in this press release include forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding our business and financial outlook, the ongoing litigation against SmartSky and the anticipated launch of Gogo 5G. When used in this discussion, the words "continue," "expect," "remain," "beyond," and the negative of these or similar terms and phrases are intended to identify forward-looking statements in this press release.
Forward-looking statements reflect our current expectations regarding future events, results or outcomes, including the launch of AVANCE LX5 and Gogo 5G. These expectations may or may not be realized. Although we believe the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give you no assurance these expectations will prove to have been correct. Some of these expectations may be based upon assumptions, data or judgments that prove to be incorrect. Actual events, results and outcomes may differ materially from our expectations due to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. Although it is not possible to identify all of these risks and factors, they include, among others, our ability to defend Gogo against SmartSky's claims;our ability to develop and deploy Gogo 5G, Global Broadband or other next generation technologies; the ability of our subcontractor to remedy the error in the non-5G component of the chip, which has delayed the deployment of Gogo 5G to its expected launch date; our ability to deliver the expected performance capabilities of any new technology, including, without limitation, AVANCE LX5; and other events beyond our control that may result in unexpected adverse operating results.
Additional information concerning these and other factors can be found under the caption "Risk Factors" in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 28, 2023, and in our quarterly report on Form 10-Q as filed with the SEC on May 3, 2023.
Any one of these factors or a combination of these factors could materially affect our financial condition or future results of operations and could influence whether any forward-looking statements contained in this report ultimately prove to be accurate. Our forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and you should not place undue reliance on them. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made and we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Media Relations Contact:
Investor Relations Contact:
Dave Mellin
William Davis
+1 720-840-4788
+1 312-517-5725
[email protected]
SOURCE Gogo
MENAFN31012024003732001241ID1107793805
Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Tags
Comments
Category
|
https://menafn.com/1107793805/Appellate-Court-Upholds-District-Court-Denial-Of-Smartskys-Attempt-To-Prevent-Gogo-Business-Aviation-From-Selling-Its-5G-Solution
| 2024-01-31T23:03:36Z
|
Can Taylor Swift get to the Super Bowl for Travis Kelce? A timeline from the Grammys and beyond
By MARIA SHERMAN
AP Music Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) — When the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Baltimore Ravens last Sunday to advance to the Super Bowl, the question on fans’ minds quickly became: Will Taylor Swift be able to attend to support her partner, the Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, if she has a concert in Tokyo the day before?
It seems everyone is banking on Swift making it across the Pacific after her concert on Feb. 10 to cheer Kelce on in Las Vegas on Feb. 11: Even American Airlines and United Airlines took notice.
But can she do it? And what does her jet-set lifestyle look like for the next two weeks?
FEB. 4
Taylor Swift will likely head to Sunday’s Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, where she is up for six trophies. Those include: three for “Anti-Hero” (record of the year, song of the year, and best pop solo performance), two for her album “Midnights” (album of the year and best pop vocal album), and one for her collaboration with the rapper Ice Spice on “Karma” (best pop duo/group performance), making her one of the most nominated artists of the evening. If Swift wins album of the year, she will break the record for most wins in the top category, with four.
FROM LA TO TOKYO
Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour — the first to gross over $1 billion — kicks off again in 2024 in Tokyo, where she will perform for four nights. The travel time is an estimated 12 hours, over 5,400 miles (8,690 kilometers), flying across nine time zones and crossing the international date line. Swift flies private, so passing through customs and security will likely be much faster than commercial travel.
A LONG JOURNEY
Flying from California to Japan’s capital city, Swift will lose 17 hours. That means if she were to leave Los Angeles on the morning of Monday, Feb. 5 – say, around 9 a.m. – it would be around 2 a.m. in Tokyo on Feb. 6. She should likely arrive around 2 p.m. in Tokyo.
FEB. 7 – FEB. 10
Swift performs at the 55,000-capacity Tokyo Dome. There are no announced openers, and the show is scheduled to start at 6 p.m., typically running for three hours and 15 minutes – which means it could end around 9:15 p.m. A Tokyo Dome spokesman told the AP all parties must stop using the sound system at 9:30 p.m. That doesn’t mean everyone must leave by 9:30 p.m., but the concert must be over.
FROM TOKYO TO LAS VEGAS
Tokyo is 17 hours ahead of Las Vegas. If Swift leaves Tokyo at midnight after her last Tokyo concert, that’s 7 a.m. on Saturday in Las Vegas. An average flight from Tokyo to LA is about 10 hours. If she can fly directly to Las Vegas without refueling, that’s 11 or 12 hours. (There are no direct commercial flights from Tokyo to Las Vegas, so this an exercise in private aviation.) Barring delays, she would be on track to get to Las Vegas the night before the game.
FEB. 11
The San Francisco 49ers face off against the Kansas City Chiefs at 3:30 p.m. in Las Vegas. Airlines, by the way, have taken notice and changed flight numbers to reflect Kelce and Swift’s relationship. Both Kelce and Swift were born in 1989 – also the name of one of her albums. American’s Flight 1989 is scheduled to run twice from Kansas City, Missouri, to Las Vegas on Feb. 9 and Feb. 10.
FROM LAS VEGAS TO MELBOURNE
On Friday, Feb. 16, Swift kicks off her Australian tour in Melbourne with three back-to-back dates at the Melbourne Cricket Grounds, with Sabrina Carpenter as her opening act. If she chooses to fly straight to Australia after the Super Bowl for rehearsals from Vegas, that’s at least a 17-hour journey – or 16 hours if flying direct from Los Angeles – and more than 8,100 miles (13,000 kilometers) of air travel.
TOTALS
With all this in mind, Swift will have traveled more than 19,400 miles (30,500 kilometers) in just under two weeks, not including transportation to and from venues, hotels, the airport and any travel that occurs between the Super Bowl and her Melbourne tour dates. For reference, the circumference of Earth is 24,900 miles (40,000 kilometers).
|
https://keyt.com/news/2024/01/31/can-taylor-swift-get-to-the-super-bowl-for-travis-kelce-a-timeline-from-the-grammys-and-beyond/
| 2024-01-31T23:03:37Z
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.