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A California private golf club allegedly operated an illegal cannabis operation, after authorities claimed to uncover thousands of dollars worth of cannabis products and paraphernalia.
What Happened: Investigators swarmed Fresno-based AOA Private Golf Club on Thursday, SFGATE reported, citing a press release from Fresno City Attorney's Office.
Fresno City Attorney's Enforcement Division, the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration and the Department of Cannabis Control were all part of the investigation process.
City Attorney Andrew Janz's office said the exclusive Central Valley golf club operated its cannabis business for a "significant amount of time."
In August, Fresno became the first city to join the Cannabis Administrative Prosecutor Program (CAPP) — announced by Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) — that seeks to curb illegal activities, by issuing citations, dispatching violation notices and orders to cease illicit operations.
Bonta stated earlier the initiative will work with local governments, offering them state support to counter illegal cannabis on two main fronts: as a public nuisance and a land-use issue.
"The City of Fresno will continue to work with our State partners to target illegal cannabis operations that hurt our legal cannabis industry," Janz commented on the discovery. "This latest raid shows that illegal and illicit activities are occurring in all areas of our community, including places that appear reputable at first glance."
Benzinga Cannabis Conferences are coming to Los Angeles. Join the Benzinga Cannabis Market Spotlight: California, and unlock the future of cannabis at the premier networking event in Culver City on February 22. Connect with top industry leaders, gain insider insights into the investment landscape and shape the evolving markets in California and beyond. Don't miss this chance to be at the forefront of the cannabis industry's growth and innovation! Join now.
Photo: Courtesy of Mick De Paola on Unsplash
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/24/01/36879014/california-golf-club-in-hot-water-over-illegal-weed-grow-report
| 2024-01-31T23:33:28Z
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Are We All Too Cynical for Star Trek?
The franchise’s evolution since the 1960s reflects disconcerting trends in American society.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN IF WE CAN’T even trust the institutions in our imagined utopias?
Starfleet, for those not also raised on Star Trek, is the exploratory, scientific, diplomatic, and military arm of the United Federation of Planets, the utopian interstellar alliance featured throughout Star Trek’s twelve TV shows, thirteen movies, and assorted video games, novels, and comic books. Starfleet’s exact role was left intentionally vague in the original series (1966–69); the writer’s guide for the original Star Trek explicitly encourages writers to “stay away from it as much as possible,” partly to avoid getting into the details of Earth’s future politics. But by the time of Star Trek’s heyday in the mid-1990s, Starfleet was established as an elite institution composed of brilliant and dedicated people (human and otherwise) who served in an organization resembling NASA, the Coast Guard, the Navy, and the Department of State all bundled together, with all of the opportunities for incoherence and mission creep that jumble implies.
But whatever else Starfleet is, it is good. Consider one of the most famous speeches in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–94), when Capt. Jean-Luc Picard berates Cadet Wesley Crusher for lying to a Starfleet inquiry by reminding him:
The first duty of every Starfleet officer is to the truth, whether it’s scientific truth or historical truth or personal truth! It is the guiding principle on which Starfleet is based, and if you can’t find it within yourself to stand up and tell the truth about what happened, you don’t deserve to wear that uniform.
In short, to wear a Starfleet uniform is to commit oneself to the highest standards of morality, professionalism, and duty. To be a Starfleet officer, one must be willing not only to die in defense of the Federation in war, but also to die in defense of its principles in peace. This is not to say that the ’90s shows never delved into the complexity and nuance of this ethos—indeed, playing at the edges of their internal morality was how they derived much of their interest. A number of Starfleet admirals throughout TNG are shown to be venal or corrupt. One of the greatest episodes of Deep Space Nine (1992–99), “In the Pale Moonlight,” is entirely about how, in times of crisis, moral compromise may be necessary, even for Starfleet. But such cases are treated as exceptional, unusual circumstances far beyond the norm; as a rule, Starfleet is good, and the best way to be a good servant of the true and just in the world of Star Trek is by being a good Starfleet officer. How does one be a good Starfleet officer? By doing one’s job, by being a professional, by following one’s duty.
THINGS ARE DIFFERENT IN modern Trek. By “modern Trek” I mean the five major TV shows that have aired since the franchise returned to the small screen in 2017: Discovery (2017–present), Picard (2020–23), Lower Decks (2020–present), Prodigy (2021–present), and Strange New Worlds (2022–present). Starfleet as an institution often plays a partially antagonistic role in each of these shows. By the time of Picard, the titular paragon has quit Starfleet in a huff because it no longer lives up to his principles, and in both seasons one and three it is revealed that Starfleet has been compromised by hostile alien agents and cannot be trusted. The first season of Discovery ends with Starfleet condoning genocide, only to be stopped by our heroic crew; Season 2’s villain was an out-of-control Starfleet AI that threatened all life in the galaxy; and Seasons 3 and 4 keep the crew in near-constant conflict with Starfleet and/or Federation brass. Lower Decks is centered on the adventures of a low-level officer who routinely defies Starfleet regulations to help nearby planets in ways that Starfleet would not condone. Even Strange New Worlds, the most archetypal of the modern shows, emphasizes how unjust some of Starfleet’s rules are: In the first episode of the second season, the crew is forced to steal the Starship Enterprise itself to rescue a comrade in defiance of Starfleet’s orders. (The three “AbramsTrek” films from 2009 to 2016 are essentially in a separate continuity and have a largely different production team, but they also frequently feature Starfleet as an antagonist.)
Modern Star Trek, much like older Star Trek, often presents its main characters as moral paragons, but whereas older Trek would usually depict them embodying Starfleet’s ideals in the presence of challenging aliens, modern Trek is more likely to establish their uprightness by contrast with the faceless and untrustworthy institution of Starfleet itself. Both eras do both things, at least occasionally, but the ratio has notably shifted.
Dylan Roth, writing for Fanbyte, suggested that as Star Trek has aged, it has “changed from a series about benign authority to one about stalwart heroes protecting an institution from moral decay.” This is true enough, but I also think there’s something else going on with the modern Trek shows. Namely, the atmosphere and philosophy of the shows is much less comfortable with the maxims of professionalism and duty that were foundational to pre-2017 Star Trek media.
Setting aside the cartoons (sorry—animated series), the characters in the core three modern shows—Discovery, Picard, and Strange New Worlds—are less concerned with professionalism and duty and more concerned with personal morality, authenticity, and teamwork.
In the Deep Space Nine episode “The Ship” (Season 5), Capt. Benjamin Sisko, trapped in a downed enemy warship with his senior staff, puts a stop to their bickering under pressure by shouting at them:
I said that’s enough! You’re Starfleet officers, now start acting like it! . . . Now I know it’s hot, we’re filthy, tired, and we’ve got ten isotons of explosives going off outside, but we will never get out of this if we don’t pull it together and start to act like professionals!
Embarrassed and chastened, his crew gets back to work.
Compare this with the Discovery episode “All is Possible” (Season 4), in which Lt. Sylvia Tilly crashes on a desolate moon while training cadets. To arrange rescue, she must, like Sisko, coax the bickering crew into cooperating. Her first decision is to make the cadets introduce themselves, icebreaker style, as if at an HR-mandated company retreat. As they face various obstacles, Tilly repeatedly encourages the cadets to work together as a team—but she never chastises them. In her final plea for them to work together, she asks them, “You gotta decide now—are we going to work together as a crew or not?” In response, one cadet announces that he doesn’t trust another because of, essentially, racism. “I hear you,” Tilly responds, before encouraging the other to share his own experiences. This leads to a kumbaya moment, bringing the cadets together, and they are finally able to work together and get rescued.
The only time Tilly ever reminds the cadets that they are in Starfleet is to encourage them to say “aye” instead of “yes.”
Note the differences here: Old-school Sisko reminds his crew of the expectations he has for them and unsubtly critiques their behavior as unbecoming of Starfleet officers. He acknowledges their difficulties (“I know it’s hot. . .”), but leaves no doubt that he expects them to perform their duties as professionals anyway. New-school Tilly motivates her command by making it clear that she sees and hears their concerns, and encourages them to work together by seeing the value in their unique life experiences.
There are, of course, in-text reasons for the different approaches here: Sisko is talking to experienced officers, whereas Tilly is talking to cadets. Also, Capt. Benjamin Lafayette Sisko is a fundamentally different sort of person from Lt. Tilly, and has a higher rank. But this difference in leadership style is everywhere between the two eras. The Strange New Worlds version of Capt. Christopher Pike has been repeatedly praised for being more collaborative than commanding (I struggle to remember a time he has ever raised his voice), whereas Capt. Sisko shouts at everyone, as only the great Avery Brooks can shout. Picard’s version of its title character trades all his twentieth-century grouchy gravitas for a more grandfatherly role; his inspirational speeches now seek to buoy his friends’ confidence rather than inspire subordinates to high achievement.
Compare how Lt. Cmdr. Data in the Next Generation episode “Gambit, Part II” and Lt. Cmdr. Paul Stamets in the Discovery episode “. . .But To Connect” handle subordinates who are not meeting their expectations. Data is confronted with a junior officer who is being insubordinate and undermining Data’s authority; Stamets is dealing with a sentient shipboard AI that is willfully concealing mission-critical information to prevent the crew from risking their lives. Data professionally but sternly takes Lt. Worf to task (“Lieutenant, I am dissatisfied with your performance as first officer”), informs him that he will transfer him to a different position if his performance does not improve, and only after the issue is resolved does he clarify how important their friendship is to him. Stamets, conversely, engages in what amounts to a lengthy therapy session before finally realizing that he and the AI need to arrive at a mutual understanding and come to trust each other, which will require work from both parties.
WHY THE CHANGE? Part of it probably has to do with the other material that Star Trek writers are drawing from. The ’60s and ’90s-era Trek writers either served in the military themselves or were drawing from science fiction written by people who had. (Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, and many of the great science-fiction authors of the mid-twentieth century, including Robert Heinlein, Arthur Clarke, Isaac Asimov, Frank Herbert, and Walter M. Miller Jr., each served in some capacity in the World War II-era U.S. or British armed forces.) Obviously, modern Trek writers are far less likely to have served—but are far more likely to have worked in twenty-first-century corporate America, which has a rather different set of norms and concepts of professionalism.
But more fundamentally, popular science fiction today—as written by authors like N.K. Jemisin, Martha Wells, and Tamsyn Muir—is more likely to be concerned with questions of identity and combating imperialism. It is also more likely to be written from marginalized perspectives, which have valid reasons to distrust institutions and authority. For many of these writers, concepts like “professionalism” have questionable implications—see, for instance, the many ways that black women wearing their hair in a natural style have been labeled “unprofessional.” A leader who expects you to behave in a certain way and yells at you when you don’t is less likely to be understood as a benevolent-if-demanding aspirational figure than as one of the many petty tyrants who run storefronts around the country—more Edward Jellico or Terence Fletcher than Benjamin Sisko or Raymond Holt.
Besides, nobody likes any of America’s institutions anymore (and for all that Star Trek is ostensibly international, it is a fundamentally American franchise). Gallup’s polling about Americans’ faith in U.S. institutions shows it hovering at or near record-breaking lows, spawning a great deal of hand-wringing from people across the political spectrum. These apparently untrustworthy institutions range from purely political ones (the presidency, the Supreme Court, etc.) to “the church or organized religion” (whatever that means), “banks,” and “newspapers.” Although some of these institutions are doing better than others (Gallup shows a 65 percent approval rating for “small businesses,” whereas everybody hates Congress), all are down from historical averages.
What are professionalism and duty if not the suppression of individual quirks in service of some larger goal or institution? Duty overrides individual desires or assessments of right and wrong. If I say that it is my duty to do something, then I am saying that I have no choice in the matter, that the obligations I have accepted and commitments I have made override my personal desires entirely. I have abdicated my agency in service of some other power, and I must trust this other power more than even my own judgment. This is not to suggest that older Star Trek believed that blindly following orders was correct—the first duty of every Starfleet officer is to the truth, after all. Since at least “The Doomsday Machine,” originally broadcast in 1967, Star Trek has understood that the command structure is made up of fallible humans who must occasionally be disobeyed in the service of the greater good.
But older Trek nevertheless believed in duty, because it believed that Starfleet was a fundamentally good institution, even if it may be failed by individual bad or misguided actors. It elevated Starfleet’s regulations and codes of conduct almost to the status of holy writ. Sure, ’90s-era captains frequently bent these regulations when necessary, but always in service of Starfleet’s higher goals. To violate the Prime Directive (Starfleet’s first, standing order not to interfere with the natural development of any society) was the closest thing to blasphemy a Starfleet officer could imagine—and when they did, it was usually to serve a higher purpose, as when Capt. Picard revealed himself to a less-developed civilization for the sole purpose of convincing them he wasn’t a god.
But it is difficult to be seriously inspired by the notion of duties if one has a deep distrust of the institutions that assign such duties. If Starfleet is just another deeply flawed institution, prone to giving out as many self-serving and unethical orders as any other human construct, it is much harder to take the notion of duty seriously. Of course the characters written by twenty-first-century authors, who are animated by the same deep distrust of American institutions as the rest of us, are less likely to justify themselves with the language of duty than they are by reference to personal morality and authenticity. And of course they’re going to be skeptical of rank and hierarchy because they don’t believe these things are necessarily signs of actual merit or accomplishment any more than the rest of us do.
It is thus no surprise that, as Star Trek tries to change and stay relevant to a twenty-first-century audience, its preoccupations change too. And whatever one’s politics, there are plenty of things to criticize about specific choices associated with Starfleet throughout Star Trek’s 57-year run.
Yet I worry. If Star Trek is supposed to start from the assumption that Starfleet and the Federation are quasi-utopian, I worry about what it says about our collective imaginations if we can’t even let the institutions of that fictional utopia be utopian. If we can’t even trust Starfleet, who can we trust?
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https://plus.thebulwark.com/p/are-we-all-too-cynical-for-star-trek
| 2024-01-31T23:33:28Z
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Joe Dumars went to a game a couple of weeks ago that came down to the very last shot, and he thought it was one of the best games of the season to this point. Final score: Denver 102, Boston 100.
It was a reminder that defense still can get played in the NBA.
Amid a flurry of big individual performances — Luka Doncic scoring 73, Joel Embiid scoring 70, Devin Booker and Karl-Anthony Towns each scoring 62 — in the last two weeks alone, Dumars said Wednesday that NBA officials aren't alarmed by such numbers because the league's scoring average is up only slightly compared to last season.
“It's where the game is today,” said Dumars, the NBA's executive vice president and head of basketball operations. “It's the pace of the game. It's the amount of 3s guys are shooting now. You're going to have some offensive eruptions like that.”
There hadn't been an instance since April 1978 of two players scoring at least 60 points in the same day. That is, until it happened twice last week: Embiid and Towns had their huge games on Jan. 22, Doncic and Booker put on their scoring shows on Jan. 26.
Having those events happen twice in the span of a few days is a statistical oddity, for certain. But the numbers show it's not really much more than that.
Scoring leaguewide this season is up just 0.78% over last season entering Wednesday, from 114.7 points per game to 115.6 points per game. The jump was far bigger last season, when scoring rose 3.7% over the rate of 110.6 points per game that the league saw in 2021-22.
There have been more high-scoring games, but the averages suggest things also tend to balance out. Entering Wednesday, there had been 78 instances of teams scoring at least 135 points in a game this season — already the second most for a full season in league history and on pace to smash the record of 112, set last season. The previous mark was 74 games of 135 or more, done in 2019-20.
“We're going to see offensive eruptions with this kind of pace and the amount of 3s people shoot,” Dumars said. “But there's no push here at the league office from me or anyone else that we want to see a certain score. I left that Boston-Denver game saying, ‘wow, great game.’ That's what fans want. Fans want to leave a game or watch a game and at the end say, ‘that was incredible.’ The score is secondary to that. Fans just want to see great games.”
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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https://www.boston25news.com/sports/with-scoring-up-less/5QFZ254JCBNCYJSEAYKGVDSC2Y/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:28Z
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Manchester United are showing a keen interest in signing Atalanta defender Giorgio Scalvini, according to a report from Calciomercato.
The report claims that Manchester United have ‘set sights’ on the 20-year-old Italian international defender following his fine form for Atalanta. The Italian outfit value the player at £51m and CalcioMercato says the asking price is not an ‘insurmountable obstacle’ for the Red Devils.
It seems that Manchester United are prepared to pay a premium to sign the Italian international at the end of the season. However, they’ll face competition from Bayern Munich, PSG and Atletico Madrid, according to the report. Therefore, it will be interesting to see if United can get a deal done ahead of their rivals.
Scalvini would be a quality long-term investment for the Red Devils and he could prove to be a long-term partner for Lisandro Martinez in the middle of the back four.
Quality addition
Manchester United will have to add more depth to the squad and they need to bring in quality players with the potential to improve further. The Atalanta defender certainly fits the profile and he could end up justifying the investment in the long run.
Scalvini has shown his qualities in the Italian league and he could prove to be a quality option in the Premier league as well. The Italian international certainly has the physical and technical attributes to thrive in England and he could be a key player for Manchester United with the right guidance.
Erik ten Hag has a proven track record when it comes to nurturing young players and he could help the 20-year-old develop further and fulfil his world class potential.
However, with the likes of Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid also in the running, it’s not going to be easy for Man Utd to win the race for his signature.
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https://football-talk.co.uk/198214/man-utd-set-their-sights-on-signing-giorgio-scalvini/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:28Z
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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
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https://www.goal.com/en-cm/lists/man-city-laura-blindkilde-brown-signing-aston-villa-emma-hayes-chelsea-wsl-title-race/blt3f10b15dbde43581
| 2024-01-31T23:33:26Z
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The International Olympic Committee is still not impressed with Italy's determination to spend about $90 million rebuilding a historic bobsled track for the 2026 Winter Games.
The IOC's latest statement Wednesday on the public rift came one day after local organizers of the Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Olympics moved ahead with a plan to revive a century-old sliding track in the Dolomites ski resort.
Aiming to avoid construction costs and potential white elephant venues, the IOC wants the Winter Games, opening in just two years' time, to use an existing track — with two nearby options in St. Moritz, Switzerland and Igls, Austria.
The issue has become one of Italian national pride to avoid paying another country to stage 12 of the 116 medal events.
"The IOC firmly believes that the existing number of sliding centers, globally, is sufficient for the current number of athletes and competitions in the sports of bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton," the Olympic body said in a statement.
SEE MORE: Lions vs. 49ers draws larger TV audience than Chiefs vs. Ravens
The IOC's opposition to an Italian renewal project on such a tight schedule — either at Cortina or Cesana, the now-closed sliding track at the 2006 Turin Olympics that was previously considered — has been publicly clear since its annual meeting in October held in Mumbai, India.
"(Only) existing and already operating tracks should be considered due to the very tight timeline remaining," the IOC said in a statement, stating it had been "unequivocal that no permanent venue should be built without a clear and viable legacy plan."
Italy's deputy prime minister detailed his country’s position Tuesday.
"It is not acceptable for the bobsled races to take place outside Italy," Antonio Tajani said on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. "We will do everything to achieve the goal."
Still, the Italian organizing committee aims to have a back-up plan if renovating the Cortina track used at the 1956 Winter Games is not ready by March next year.
The committee said after a board meeting Tuesday its plans rest on signing a contract with a Parma-based construction company that has offered to rebuild the Cortina track for $89 million.
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com
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https://www.kpax.com/ioc-pushes-back-on-90m-plan-to-rebuild-olympics-bobsled-track
| 2024-01-31T23:33:29Z
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More work is still needed in the flood affected areas, SK Niazi
ISLAMABAD:Chief Editor Sardar Khan Niazi’s conversation in Sachi Baat programme
His lawyers were not present in the decisions against founder PTI ,How does the law view the absence of lawyers, If party matters are taken to higher courts, things will be clear,
PTI people have their own strategy, right or wrong, There is no doubt that PTI has vote bank,
Independent candidates of PTI will have to join a party, If the independent candidate wins the PTI vote, what is the benefit to the founder of PTI?Founder PTI knows there is no point in worrying, There is a big difference between founder PTI and Shah Mehmood Qureshi,
No one should be happy over the punishments of PTI leaders, At one time the founder of PTI also expressed happiness over the punishment of others, Maryam Nawaz is brave, she has seen the troubles, she speaks well, PPP worked very hard before election in Sindh,
PPP has established its positive image in politics, PPP is trying hard to save its government in Sindh, PPP has done a lot of work in health sector in Sindh, PPP is exaggerating what it has done, More work is still needed in the flood affected areas, SK Niazi
Although there is no denying PTI’s voter base, depending entirely on independent candidates carries a considerable risk. Attracted by PTI’s popularity, some people might not entirely share the party’s values or long-term goals. They might turn into loose cannons, influenced by outside forces or their own goals, endangering the unity and efficacy of the party. Independent coalitions cannot ensure the unshakable allegiance and dedication to the party’s essential ideals that the founder deserves. In order to fully capitalise on their electoral triumph, PTI has to actively interact with independent winners in order to promote ideological congruence and a feeling of mutual purpose. Then and only then will they be able to turn their individual successes into a group force for good.
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https://dailythepatriot.com/if-party-matters-are-taken-to-higher-courts-things-will-be-clear-sk-niazi/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:29Z
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The 2024 Lunar New Year Day falls on 10 February. We have various events and activities happening in libraries from 10 to 24 February to celebrate the traditional festival.
The Year of the Dragon龙年
According to the 12-year-cycled lunar calendar, this year is the year of the dragon, starting from 10 February 2024 to January 28th, 2025. The year of the dragon includes 2024, 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964, 1952, 1940, 1928, 1916... People born in one of these years will be in their year of fate本命年.
The dragon is the fifth animal in the Chinese zodiac. Chinese people believe that the dragon is an icon representing good luck, strength, power and wellbeing. This belief would explain the fact that in China, babies born in the year of the dragon are more than those born in any other zodiac year.
You may also notice that the dragon is the only mythical animal on the Chinese zodiac. Its unique position originates from Chinese people's cultural beliefs on and practices in the dragon worship.
Cultural Beliefs and Practices of the Dragon
The Chinese dragon is first created in legendary stories, mythology, and tales. One of widely-accepted explanations of its origin and appearance is that it is created through totem. In the Records of the Grand Historian(Shi Ji史记), it reads that the dragon is the integrated creature of several animals which are the totems of tribes united by the Yellow Emperor(Huangdi), one of legendary rulers.
Unlike some cultures viewing the dragon as a symbol of evil and darkness, the Chinese culture places the dragon in a noble status in their belief system and practices.
No matter where they live, Chinese people identify themselves as "the descendants of the dragon" as they believe that Yan Emperor, another legendary ruler, was born by his mother's telepathy with a mythical dragon.
In ancient China, the dragon was an ever-present symbol for imperial power and the male element Yang. The emperor was known as "the dragon". The imperial robe was embroidered with the image of dragon. Everything the Emperor used was ornamented with dragon motifs to show his statue as the highest ruler. If you visit the Forbidden City in Beijing, you can see how frequently the dragon sculptures and carvings appear in the imperial palace.
Chinese people believe that the dragon is responsible for making clouds and rains, which greatly affect agricultural production. Temples of Dragon King are built nationwide for people to worship and get blessing for their crops and domestic animals. The image of dragon can be found in all kinds of traditional art, like sculpture, painting, embroidery, buildings, porcelains, and ornaments. A well-known painting scroll called The Nine Dragons depicts dragons with different faces and bodies, soaring in waters and mists. The symbol of a dragon is also part of the well-known ancient scientific instrument called Houfeng Didong Yi候风地动仪. It was the world's first seismoscope created by Zhang Heng张衡, a scientist in the later Han dynasty (AD132), to measure the seasonal winds and movements of the Earth.
Chinese people’s love and worship to dragon can be seen in various ways. Ordinary people's names may have the Chinese character of dragon龙. The dragon also appears in the Chinese literature, idioms and proverbs. The dragon dance is usually performed during the Chinese New Year to bring people good luck. The Dragon Boat Festival on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar is one of major folk festivals for Chinese people to worship ancestors and pray for good luck.
We wish the powerful dragon will bring you good luck in the Year of the Dragon.
More Lunar New Year events and information
- Library events and activities on 2024 Lunar New Year
- Happy Chinese New Year Festival 2024
- 2024 Christchurch Lunar New Year Parade
- 2024 Lunar New Year Celebration at Richmond Community Garden
- Library resources on the lunar new year
- Library resources on the Chinese new year
- Library resources on the Chinese Zodiac
- Library picture and boards books on the dragon
- Library comic books and graphic novels on the dragon
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https://my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/blogs/post/unveiling-the-chinese-dragon-in-the-year-of-the-dragon/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:28Z
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Centura Girls Positioned to Closes Out LouPlatte Championship
Now wait a minute. Didn’t Centura graduate six seniors? From their state championship team?Sure did.Didn’t hardly matter.OK, so that’s a little bit of a stretch - guess we will know for sure once s...
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https://huskerlandpreps.rivals.com/news/centura-girls-positioned-to-closes-out-louplatte-championship
| 2024-01-31T23:33:29Z
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Keller @ Large: Trends in early Super Bowl ad previews
The countdown is on to the Super Bowl and everything that goes with it, including the commercials. WBZ-TV's Jon Keller reports.
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https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/video/keller-large-trends-in-early-super-bowl-ad-previews/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:30Z
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‘Blood On Your Hands’: Lawmakers Grill Tech CEOs On Child-Exploitation ‘Crisis’
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reported receiving 100,000 reports of online child sexual-abuse material per day in 2023.
Executives from TikTok, Meta, X and other major social-media outlets faced tough questioning from senators from both sides of the aisle on Wednesday for their role in the ongoing “crisis” of online child exploitation.
The hearing, titled “Big Tech and the Online Child Sexual Exploitation Crisis,” was held by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., opened the hearing by stating that “online child sexual exploitation is a crisis in America.” Durbin cited the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which reported receiving 100,000 reports of online child sexual-abuse material per day in 2023.
Durbin claimed that social-media companies have exacerbated the “disturbing growth in child exploitation,” saying that companies such as TikTok, Meta (Facebook’s parent company), Snap, Reddit and X have become platforms of choice for predators and child sexual abusers.
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, the ranking Republican on the committee, said that “social-media companies as they are currently designed and operate are dangerous products” that are “destroying lives” and “threatening democracy itself.”
Addressing Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg directly, Graham said that Meta and the other companies present at the hearing “have blood on your hands.”
“These companies must be reined in, or the worst is yet to come,” he said.
Extent of the Crisis
According to a Tuesday NCMEC press release, the group received a total of 36.2 million reports of suspected child online sexual exploitation in 2023, containing 105 million images, videos and other files.
In addition to sexual exploitation, another study released in 2018 by the National Institutes for Health (NIH) found a significant link between social media and depression and suicidality in the nearly 81% of American teenagers who use social media.
The study said that social media use has led to “increased exposure to and engagement in self-harm behavior due to users receiving negative messages promoting self-harm, emulating self-injurious behavior of others, and adopting self-harm practices from shared videos.”
What Happened During the Hearing?
In one particularly heated exchange, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, berated Zuckerberg for Meta’s policies, which he said are “actively connecting pedophiles to accounts that were advertising the sale of child sexual-abuse material.”
Cruz cited a 2023 report by The Wall Street Journal that found Instagram, which is owned and operated by Meta, allowed users the ability to view material that was flagged for containing child sexual abuse.
“You gave users two choices: ‘get resources’ or ‘see results anyway.’ Mr. Zuckerberg, what the hell were you thinking?” Cruz pressed.
Zuckerberg responded that “the basic science” behind that message “is that when people are searching for something that is problematic it’s often helpful to, rather than just blocking it, direct them toward something that could be helpful for getting them to get help.”
Cruz also accused TikTok, an outlet owned by the Chinese company “ByteDance,” of targeting American children to promote harmful content.
“If you look at what is on TikTok in China, you are promoting to kids science and math videos and educational videos and you limit the amount of time kids can be on TikTok. In the United States, you are promoting to kids self-harm videos and anti-Israel propaganda. Why is there such a dramatic difference?” Cruz questioned TikTok CEO Shou Chew.
Chew, who is a citizen of Singapore, denied Cruz’s allegations, saying “that is just not accurate” and that the version of TikTok available in China, called “Douyin,” “is a separate experience.”
The viral moment from the Senate hearing came when Zuckerberg, at the behest of Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., stood up and apologized to a crowd of parents in the gallery whose children either died by suicide or were harmed in various ways because of social media.
As photographers crowded around, Zuckerberg turned to the gallery, in which many parents were holding up pictures of their victimized children, and apologized.
“No one should have to go through the things that your families have suffered and this is why we have invested so much and are going to do new industry-leading efforts to make sure that no one has to go through the types of things that your families have had to suffer,” Zuckerberg said to the families.
What Happens Next?
Both Democratic and Republican senators on the committee discussed several bipartisan policies and bills to combat child online exploitation.
Among the bills discussed during the hearing was the Kids Online Safety Act, which would require social-media companies to take more stringent measures to prevent such things as online bullying and sexual harassment as well as increase privacy features for minors.
Also discussed was the Strengthening Transparency and Obligations to Protect Children Suffering from Abuse and Mistreatment (STOP CSAM) Act, which would make it easier for victims to sue tech companies for promoting or facilitating sexual exploitation.
Senators voiced support for repealing a portion of the Communications Decency Act, which protects social-media companies from liability for harmful content on their platforms as well as for establishing a governmental oversight board to monitor social-media companies’ development and implementation of online child-protection policies.
Durbin said the current laws regarding social media have allowed “Big Tech to grow into the most profitable industry in the history of capitalism without fear of liability for unsafe practices.”
“That has to change,” he said. “Let this hearing be a call to action that we need to get kids’ online safety legislation to the president’s desk.”
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https://www.ncregister.com/cna/blood-on-your-hands-lawmakers-grill-tech-ceos-on-child-exploitation-crisis
| 2024-01-31T23:33:29Z
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The budding love story featuring music superstar Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs' tight end Travis Kelce took an unexpected turn into the world of political conspiracy theories this week after the team advanced to the Super Bowl.
Myriad baseless rumors emerged on social media — everything from claims that Swift has played a part in Pentagon psychological operations to the idea that she and her two-time Super Bowl champion boyfriend are key assets in a secret plot to help President Joe Biden get reelected in 2024. Another variant: That the Chiefs’ success was rigged as part of the plan for the game on Feb. 11 in Las Vegas.
Political and media figures on the right, including former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, political activist Laura Loomer and One America News Network host Alison Steinberg, have amplified the allegations.
The claims are ludicrous and may well reflect the fear on the right that someone as famous as Swift, whose landmark Eras Tour is the first tour to cross the billion-dollar mark, could indeed influence the presidential race should she urge her legion of fans in one direction.
Pop culture and politics have long been entwined. The entertainment industry has been a deep well of political contributions. And candidates often try to draft on the celebrity of stars to add to their own allure.
The potency of the impact is less clear. In Swift's case, there is some proof that she can at minimum generate more voter registration.
In September, Swift posted a short message on her Instagram account encouraging her 272 million followers to register to vote. The post led to more than 35,000 registrations on the nonpartisan nonprofit Vote.org.
Swift’s massive fan base gives her a powerful voice. An SSRS poll conducted in October 2023 found that about 6 in 10 U.S. adults called themselves at least casual fans of the singer, with 8% saying they’re big fans. The poll also found that 8 in 10 U.S. adults said they had heard of her relationship with Kelce and the majority of those familiar with it considered it a real relationship, rather than a publicity stunt.
“Pop culture people identify with this stuff, they pay attention to it. And that’s what moves politics now. It’s attention and identity,” Joel Penney, an associate professor at Montclair State University whose research includes the intersection of politics and pop culture, said. Indeed, Donald Trump's improbable march to the presidency in 2016 was propelled in part from the celebrity he gained as a reality television star.
But the false claims about Swift are of such an extreme nature that they will test the limits of how potent a conspiracy theory can be. Penney sees the recent deluge of posts aimed at Swift as an attempt to preemptively blunt her impact by discrediting her.
Penney said Swift's influence could prove a difficult force to contend with, especially if she publicly supports Biden, as she did in the 2020 race.
The attacks on Swift could also galvanize young voters who want to rally around her.
“Young people are fighting their political battles through a language drawn from pop culture,” said Henry Jenkins, a professor at the University of Southern California who also studies politics and pop culture. “That’s what connects them. That’s what they’re engaged with.”
Both Swift and Kelce have made public statements about politics and other issues that put them at odds with the far-right.
Swift broke her long-standing refusal to discuss her political views in 2018 when she announced in an Instagram post that she would be voting for Tennessee's Democratic Senate candidate Phil Bredesen and Democratic House incumbent Rep. Jim Cooper. She also slammed then-U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, the Republican candidate, citing Blackburn's opposition to certain LGBTQ+ rights and her vote against the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act in 2013. Blackburn won election to the Senate.
In 2020, Swift endorsed Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in an interview with V Magazine, noting that "under their leadership, I believe America has a chance to start the healing process it so desperately needs."
Kelce faced criticism in September for appearing in an ad promoting the double dose of the flu and COVID-19 vaccines, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The ad was part of a partnership with Pfizer, the pharmaceutical company that developed a vaccine in response to the pandemic and has since become a common mark for anti-vaccine activists and conspiracy theorists.
Pop culture figures and the industry that surround them have been enmeshed in political campaigns long before the duo some fans refer to as Swelce. Former President Bill Clinton first appeared on MTV during his 1992 campaign while he was still governor of Arkansas. Major stars including Johnny Cash, Mary Tyler Moore and Willie Nelson endorsed former President Jimmy Carter more than 40 years ago when he made his second run for the White House. Ronald Reagan got his start in politics after a career as an actor.
“That question of, does this stuff work in pop culture? It absolutely can,” Penney said. “And it does. And history has shown that.”
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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https://www.wpxi.com/entertainment/taylor-swift-super/P45XZZBSCJEQ4DHZ74IUMRPVMY/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:32Z
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NuCypher (NU) traded 4.3% lower against the dollar during the one day period ending at 17:00 PM Eastern on January 31st. NuCypher has a total market capitalization of $117.01 million and $738.91 worth of NuCypher was traded on exchanges in the last day. One NuCypher token can currently be purchased for approximately $0.0847 or 0.00000195 BTC on popular exchanges. In the last seven days, NuCypher has traded 2.9% lower against the dollar.
Here is how similar cryptocurrencies have performed in the last day:
- KILT Protocol (KILT) traded down 2% against the dollar and now trades at $0.33 or 0.00000772 BTC.
- Aidi Finance (BSC) (AIDI) traded 2.2% lower against the dollar and now trades at $0.0000 or 0.00000000 BTC.
- Zoo Token (ZOOT) traded down 2.2% against the dollar and now trades at $0.0652 or 0.00000239 BTC.
- CareCoin (CARES) traded 2.2% lower against the dollar and now trades at $0.0809 or 0.00000297 BTC.
- Kitty Inu (KITTY) traded 1.9% higher against the dollar and now trades at $95.84 or 0.00338062 BTC.
- Hokkaidu Inu (HOKK) traded up 1.2% against the dollar and now trades at $0.0004 or 0.00000001 BTC.
- Lego Coin (LEGO) traded down 0.1% against the dollar and now trades at $0.0121 or 0.00000028 BTC.
- Jeff in Space (JEFF) traded down 2.2% against the dollar and now trades at $2.75 or 0.00010076 BTC.
- Lumi Credits (LUMI) traded 0% higher against the dollar and now trades at $0.0082 or 0.00000019 BTC.
- AXIA Coin (AXC) traded 0.1% lower against the dollar and now trades at $13.43 or 0.00048094 BTC.
NuCypher Profile
NuCypher launched on October 15th, 2020. NuCypher’s total supply is 1,380,688,920 tokens. The official website for NuCypher is nucypher.com. NuCypher’s official Twitter account is @nucypher and its Facebook page is accessible here. The Reddit community for NuCypher is https://reddit.com/r/nucypher and the currency’s Github account can be viewed here. The official message board for NuCypher is blog.nucypher.com.
Buying and Selling NuCypher
It is usually not possible to buy alternative cryptocurrencies such as NuCypher directly using US dollars. Investors seeking to trade NuCypher should first buy Ethereum or Bitcoin using an exchange that deals in US dollars such as Coinbase, Gemini or Changelly. Investors can then use their newly-acquired Ethereum or Bitcoin to buy NuCypher using one of the aforementioned exchanges.
Receive News & Updates for NuCypher Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and updates for NuCypher and related cryptocurrencies with MarketBeat.com's FREE CryptoBeat newsletter.
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https://www.com-unik.info/2024/01/31/nucypher-self-reported-market-capitalization-tops-117-01-million-nu.html
| 2024-01-31T23:33:32Z
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Opportunity Knocks: S L Horsford & Company Limited Seeks General Manager for Building Center in St. Kitts
S L Horsford & Co. Ltd., a prominent diversified retailer based in St. Kitts & Nevis, is on the lookout for a dynamic and experienced individual to fill the position of General Manager for its Building Center in St. Kitts. This career opportunity comes as part of the company’s commitment to maintaining excellence and leadership in key retailing sectors.
**Position: General Manager – Building Center St. Kitts**
The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in overseeing the hardware store and lumberyard operations at Horsford’s Building Center. The company is seeking an individual who not only possesses strong leadership qualities but also has a proven track record of fostering team spirit in a service and retail environment.
**Responsibilities:**
– Ensure prompt and courteous customer service through knowledgeable and well-trained staff.
– Oversee the prompt delivery of goods when required.
– Maintain appropriate levels and types of inventory in accordance with company policy, utilizing effective ordering techniques.
– Uphold the company’s pricing policies.
– Ensure proper merchandising and display of inventory for easy customer identification.
– Maintain a clean, comfortable, and safe environment for both customers and staff.
**Qualifications and Experience:**
– Good customer contact skills.
– Exceptional organization and delegation skills.
– Excellent knowledge of retail selling, with a background in merchandising and retail.
– Ability to plan and supervise promotions and advertising to maximize sales and profits.
– Strong communication and analytical skills.
– Non-Nationals must possess a CARICOM Skills Certificate.
**Education:**
– Degree in Business Administration or equivalent experience in business.
– 5/8 years of experience in a supervisory or managerial position in a Business Materials or Hardware Company.
**Remuneration:**
An attractive salary and excellent company benefits will be offered to the successful candidate.
**Application Process:**
Qualified individuals interested in this exciting career opportunity should submit their resume and cover letter by February 9th, 2024. Submissions can be sent via email to headoffice@horsfords.com or mailed to the Human Resources Manager at the following address:
Human Resources Manager
S. L. Horsford & Co. Ltd,
P.O. Box 45
Basseterre, St. Kitts.
This is a chance to join a renowned company that values excellence, and for the right candidate, it could mark the beginning of a rewarding and fulfilling career journey with S L Horsford & Company Limited.
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https://timescaribbeanonline.com/opportunity-knocks-s-l-horsford-company-limited-seeks-general-manager-for-building-center-in-st-kitts/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:32Z
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Investors pull £8bn out of woke ESG funds amid greenwashing backlash
Global investors pulled £8billion from woke ESG funds last year amid a backlash over greenwashing and the ‘vague’ promises they offer.
Figures from industry group Calastone show the three-year boom in the funds focused on environmental, social and governance issues was now over.
From 2020 to 2022, £40billion was ploughed into ESG in what proved to be a boon for active fund managers, Calastone said.
That was ‘astonishingly’ six times the investment committed to funds that did not have specific ESG commitments.
But last year billions were pulled out by investors, including £2.9billion in Europe where the reversal was seen first – and £940million in the UK. It has now spread, Calastone said.
U-turn: Blackrock boss Larry Fink was once at the forefront of the ESG movement but said last year that he had stopped using the term
The rise reflected demand to invest ethically by backing companies that cut carbon emissions or tackle discrimination in the workplace.
Typically, ESG investors might be expected to shun major oil firms or arms manufacturers.
But it has fallen victim to political divisions, particularly in the US. And the trend has also been subject to claims of ‘greenwashing’ – the idea that some firms flaunt environmental credentials, exaggerating their effect.
Larry Fink, boss of asset management giant Blackrock, was once at the forefront of the movement but said last year that he had stopped using the term. Calastone said the change last year had been ‘startling’.
The report added: ‘The great ESG backlash reflects accusations of greenwashing and an increasing concern that ESG is simply too vague to meet investor concerns.’
For example, a car maker that has improved governance standards might qualify to be part of an ESG fund even though a typical investor might not expect it to do so.
‘Whether it’s because people don’t really believe companies are walking the ESG walk, or are losing faith in the fund management industry’s ability to effectively differentiate between companies that meet the highest standards and those that do not, there has been a clear break in the trend,’ Calastone said.
‘2023 is the first year since at least 2019 that non-ESG equity funds have attracted more capital than ESG.’
Overall, investors pulled £5.6billion from equity funds last year and were ‘especially negative’ from May onwards, Calastone said.
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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/markets/article-13029925/Investors-pull-8bn-woke-ESG-funds-amid-greenwashing-backlash.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
| 2024-01-31T23:33:32Z
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Stark County Sheriff's deputies use drone to track down suspect in Plain Township
PLAIN TWP. − Stark County Sheriff's deputies used a drone to locate a suspect wanted on warrants who fled into the woods Wednesday morning and arrested him without incident, a sheriff's statement said.
The 28-year-old Canton man was booked into the Stark County Jail on warrants accusing him of the felonies of aggravated assault and carrying a concealed weapon and misdemeanor theft. He also faces felony charges of obstruction and identity fraud.
More: 'A real Christmas miracle': Stark Sheriff's Office plays Santa for boy in hit-skip crash
The sheriff's office said deputies responded at around 9:23 a.m. to the report of a disturbance in the 2800 block of Heritage Avenue NW. They encountered the 28-year-old man, who they said provided false information. The man then ran off into the woods. Deputies established that the man was wanted on warrants.
A deputy certified in operating a drone by the Federal Aviation Administration had the drone fly over a wooded area and the drone located the suspect for the deputies. They arrested the man around 10:10 a.m.
The sheriff's office said it has 12 drones and six deputies certified to fly the drones.
"At the Stark County Sheriff's Office, we are committed to using every tool available to keep communities safe. This arrest is a great example of not only utilizing modern technology to do just that, but also of the skill and dedication of our team," Sheriff George Maier said in a statement.
Reach Robert at robert.wang@cantonrep.com. On X, formerly Twitter: @rwangREP.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Stark deputies use drone to locate suspect in Plain Township
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https://news.yahoo.com/stark-county-sheriffs-deputies-drone-221619297.html
| 2024-01-31T23:33:32Z
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LAS VEGAS — (AP) — Fans have been wondering for days whether Taylor Swift will make it to the Super Bowl next week to cheer on boyfriend Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs and, if so, how many times she'll show up on TV during the game. They can speculate all they want, but they won't be able to bet on it legally in the United States.
Those types of wagers can be made offshore with sportsbooks such as BetUS, which is based in Costa Rica, and potentially in the Canadian province of Ontario. BetMGM public relations manager John Ewing said he was waiting for word from Canadian authorities there if such bets will be OK.
But in the U.S., where betting laws vary from state to state, the general rule is that wagering is limited to what happens on the field. A handful of states allow bets to be placed on the color of Gatorade dumped on the winning coach — red or pink is this year's plus-260 favorite at FanDuel Sportsbook — but even that type of wager is not allowed in Las Vegas.
Las Vegas, the longtime epicenter of sports betting in the U.S., has some of the strictest rules regarding the kinds of wagers made.
Swift's romance with Kelce became one of the prominent stories this NFL season and she has attended several Chiefs games, including their victory in the AFC championship game at Baltimore on Sunday, where she joined the team for its on-field celebration and greeted Kelce with a kiss. Since she's performing in Japan the weekend of the Super Bowl, fans began wondering whether she'll make it to Las Vegas to watch Kelce and Kansas City face the San Francisco 49ers.
It seems only natural they would be able to put money on it in Vegas.
As a matter of principle, though, Ewing said it makes sense not to allow bets on things apart from the on-field action, such as the length of the national anthem.
"We don’t want any subjectivity in a prop (bet),” Ewing said. “We want it to be either it won or it didn’t win or went over or went under, and that’s the concern for regulators as well. That’s why typically we stick to if it’s in the box score, it can be posted."
Caesars Sportsbook assistant trading director Adam Pullen’s position is the more bets, the merrier.
“We’ve come a long way, but some stuff like we’re talking about here (about Swift) or betting on elections, there still might be a few years before we get to that point,” Pullen said. “But I like anything that drives action and gets people to bet. But we’re dependent on what the regulators in each particular state has to say.”
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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https://www.whio.com/sports/us-sportsbooks-wont/ZW5TNO4O45MH5OSUCBD2EHN66A/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:33Z
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Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Wednesday sent the memecoin world into a frenzy with a tweet showcasing his company's humanoid robot, Optimus.
What Happened: The tweet, featuring a video of the robot performing tasks, ignited a significant surge in the price of Optimus AI (CRYPTO: OPTI), a memecoin built around Musk's robot.
Optimus, which was trading at about 21 cents and a market cap of 21.8 million, surged to a market cap of about 28 million immediately after Musk's tweet.
Why It Matters: Blockchain entrepreneur Bruno Volcovinsky told Benzinga that people recognize the power of Musk's statements and as soon as he utters a word, it serves as a cue to invest in a related memecoin.
"Investors' logic in this scenario is to buy these coins as soon as possible, expecting that others will follow suit. This leads to significant price fluctuations within just a few minutes. The outcome: those who bought first stand to gain. Thus, the investors' strategy is to buy any coin referencing something mentioned by Musk, wait for the price to rise, and then quickly sell. This explains the euphoria and excitement around each word from Musk: it presents a new opportunity for quick money-making," he said.
Also Read: FTX To Fully Repay Customers, 'FTX 2.0' Off The Table
Crypto analyst Tiredwtf says Musk has become one of the most significant influencers for crypto regardless if that was his intention or not and that the early support for Dogecoin DOGE/USD and the explosion of price that came with Elon’s support has made him a target for project owners and crypto community members alike.
"Since Doge we have seen many Elon-inspired coins such as Dogelon. We even see developers front running his future pet Shiba SHIB/USD name, and launching Floki FLOKI/USD which reached billions of market cap," he said.
Optimus's price rise follows a familiar pattern of Musk's tweets influencing cryptocurrency prices.
In 2021, his pronouncements were credited with driving up the price of Dogecoin by over 8,000%.
Now, it appears his focus has shifted towards Artificial Intelligence (AI) tokens, with OPTI and potentially others like GROK experiencing similar pumps.
What's Next: Still, history Musk-induced rallies often prove fleeting.
After initial surges, Dogecoin often witnessed price corrections. The same happened to OPTI, which retraced its entire price pump and is trading around 20 cents at the time of writing.
Spotting narratives is not that easy, after all.
Read Next: Standard Chartered Expects Ethereum ETFs Approval By May 23, Predicts $4k Price Target
Photo: Courtesy Tesla
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/01/36872118/elon-musk-tweets-optimus-robot-video-opti-token-jumps-25-opportunity-for-quick-money-makin
| 2024-01-31T23:33:34Z
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EastEnders' Nish Paneesar's downfall has been sealed, according to eagle-eyed fans.
In recent episodes, Nish has been terrorising his soon-to-be ex-wife Suki Panesar as well as Sharon Watts, Stacey Slater, Linda Carter, Denise Fox and Kathy Beale. The dodgy businessman has hinted to The Six that his memory about Christmas Day is coming back – despite having no recollection at all.
As he continued to integrate the women to find out what happened, the likes of Linda and Denise started to crumble, believing Nish remembers Denise hitting him over the head. But Nish's plan is much more sinister, he revealed to Suki he has no recollection of the incident, despite The Six claiming Keanu Taylor struck him over the head.
However, the crook has started playing games with his estranged wife after she revealed she would be leaving him to start a new life with her girlfriend, Eve Unwin. Suki had demanded that as part of their divorce deal, she would walk away almost empty-handed – as long as Nish signed over the cafe to her.
Unbeknownst to Nish, Suki is demanding this as Keanu is actually buried under the cafe after being stabbed to death by Linda when he launched an attack against her best friend, Sharon. But tonight's episode of the BBC soap saw Suki left shocked when Nish refused to hand over the cafe to her.
"The good news is, I've decided not to dig anymore into what you and your little mates got up to on Christmas Day," he explained, before adding: "Not to be fooled but I think there's better ways to hurt you than going to the police." When asked if he'd signed the divorce, he said he'd altered the agreement to keep the cafe, for Suki to remain married to him.
"The floors are down, renovations are finished, and I can have the place open by next week," he revealed. But despite her initial decision to storm off, she later slapped Nish in the chest with the divorce papers outside of the cafe. "The divorce papers, signed, I'd rather eat dog food than stay married to you for any longer," she quipped before adding: "The only years I was happy was when you were not in my bed, goodbye Nishandeep."
But EastEnders fans think Suki has an ulterior motive and will once again come out on top and will see her ex-husband sent back to prison after framing him for murder. After all, Keanu, who he previously argued with in the Queen Vic is buried under the floor with the police already believing that he and Nish had a bust-up on Christmas Day.
New pictures released by the soap show Nish proudly standing outside the cafe in scenes yet to air. One fan said: "Nish has the cafe, eventually the girls, or Sukie herself as revenge, will set him up knowing Keanu is buried there. He will be blamed for killing Keanu and burying him under HIS cafe. Can see it coming a mile off!"
Another added: "Him and Sukie have practically owned the property since Keanu disappeared. And he has form for getting people to do his dirty work so could be set up fairly easily by Sukie/the women. This is Eastenders after all!" Meanwhile a third penned: "Holy s**t! If Suki just walks away and lets Nish get on with it... can't they just let him... take the fall for everything? If he bought the cafe and renovated it?? It's gonna look like he did it to cover up him murdering Keanu!? AND NISH HAS FORM!? AHHH! #EastEnders."
"If Nish owns the Café, he should get done for Keanu's murder #EastEnders," exclaimed a fourth.
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One.
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https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/bbc-eastenders-viewers-spot-key-32015976
| 2024-01-31T23:33:34Z
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Editorial Comment: IPPs now moving into serious spending
INDEPENDENT power producers (IPPs) are now starting to feature on the daily generation returns, supplying a little under four percent of the power that the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company moves around the national grid and sells to Zimbabwean consumers.
The latest figures show that the independents are now producing and selling 60MW or so each day, not a huge quantity, but they are still moving up from zero, so every bit extra shows the growth of a new economic sector.
Much of this power comes from solar, so it is there during the day, but not at night, but this is at this stage not a problem. For a start much of the industrial demand, and a good slice of the mining demand, is during the day.
In any case, with Kariba South now being significantly larger than the diminished flows of the Zambezi River into Lake Kariba can supply, Zesa in effect is operating a very large potential storage system.
As the solar builds up it can cut back on day-time generation at Kariba South, simply storing a good chunk of its daily water ration from the lake, and then use a lot more of its eight generating units at night than would be the case if it was running a 24/7 average use.
The studies show that the commissioning of Units 7 and 8 at Hwange, and they are now both on line having been pulled off for the final checks, was the major source of new power for Zimbabwe, the new 600MW taking up the slack that the major cut-back at Kariba South caused by the lower water rations from the Zambezi River Authority.
Zesa has now started the refurbishment of the older six units at Hwange, a job that will almost certainly see some modules in each unit having to be replaced and what amounts to a near total replacement of at least one of the units.
Besides its two large power stations at Hwange and Kariba South, Zesa also owns three small thermal stations in Harare, Bulawayo and Munyati.
But these received their latest equipment in the 1950s, spares are now impossible to find, and re-equipping the stations with modern generating units is almost certainly not a cost effective solution.
For a start, the cost of Hwange coal at those three stations would be several times the pit-head price, so if Zesa can scrape up extra capital for coal stations it would make sense to spend this at a power station on a coal field, which in fact is what the authority is doing both in the Hwange Extension and in the rebuild of the older units.
While the possibility of independent power producers is now a little over 20-years-old, there was negligible progress for much of that time.
For ZETDC to accept independent supplies requires contracts, price formulas and the like, and these were, until the Second Republic, simply missing.
Since 2018 there has been a lot of progress on the practicalities, which is why we are now seeing independent producers feeding the grid, with a lot more to come.
One very useful new investment is coming from an Italian company, which is planning a 100MW solar station to be built in two 50MW phases.
The top management of that company took the opportunity to meet President Mnangagwa on his trip to the Italy-Africa Summit and were very positive.
One reason in updating the President on progress was to seek an acceleration in the allocation of the needed land, these days, with almost all rural land now State land, a Government measure. We cannot see why this could even start to be a delay.
For a start, while a solar power station needs reasonably flat land, it does not need that much when compared to farms, and the land does not have to be productive land for farming.
In fact a solar station might well be the best way of using some largely infertile block of land, so long as it was either reasonably flat or sloped in the right direction to catch the sun.
While decent farmland would also make a good site for a decent solar power station, we should try and keep the best land for farming and use the most-suitably sited awful land for the power stations.
As more independent solar power stations are planned, the Italian company not being unique, it might be an idea if the lands unit in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development had a good look at its holdings and identified suitable blocks of land so that as an investor moved from talking about good intentions to spending money, the site could be assigned promptly.
While solar is the obvious major new source of green energy in Zimbabwe, we are also picking up some useful small stations on a handful of the major interior dams.
These have been built for irrigation and urban water supplies, but if there is a daily draw down on the impounded reservoirs then a small hydro station starts to make sense.
At the very least it can generate the power to pump the water to the farms and the nearest city.
The 5MW station at Lake Mutirikwi is now 75 percent complete and the investors expect it to be operating by the end of April. This is a very small station, and there are companies with back-up generators that are around the same size.
But as we have noted, each addition to the generating capacity of the country, no matter how small, is an addition and we need all the power we can generate.
When those wanting to be independent power producers were invited by Zera, the energy regulator and the issuer of the required licences, there was a fair amount of interest.
But Zera and Zesa noted that those granted licences were not making any investments, and there was questioning of why this was so, with suspicion that perhaps some applications were just for speculation.
But now a group of investors have moved from either vague expressions of interest, or more dubious proposals, and we are starting to get the serious minded building their power stations, even if these are small.
Hopefully, we will now see these expanding their stations, and others who were licenced coming on board with the money and the hard work.
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https://www.herald.co.zw/editorial-comment-ipps-now-moving-into-serious-spending/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:33Z
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New Liverpool hero Conor Bradley left in sheer disbelief after match-winning performance in mauling of ChelseaPeter McVitieGettyConor BradleyLiverpoolLiverpool vs ChelseaPremier LeagueLiverpool starlet Conor Bradley felt like he was 'in a dream' after scoring his first senior goal as he put in an incredible display against Chelsea.Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues belowBradley was the star in Liverpool winGot his first senior goal for the RedsSpoke of 'dream' performance vs Chelsea
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https://www.goal.com/en-cm/lists/new-liverpool-hero-conor-bradley-disbelief-match-winning-performance-chelsea/blt3dbe90282b83a3c8
| 2024-01-31T23:33:35Z
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BUTTE — A Butte man who allegedly hit a 14-year-old boy with his vehicle and left the scene on January 26 was arraigned in Silver Bow County Justice Court on Tuesday.
William Sirucek, 63, is charged with felony driving under the influence of alcohol, his fourth DUI.
Sirucek also faces a felony charge of negligent vehicular assault for striking the high school student with his vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.
Appearing at the hearing via Zoom, Sirucek asked for a bond reduction, stating that his last DUI offense took place in 2008 but county attorney Ann Shea objected to the request.
"We're not just talking DUI four. We're talking negligent vehicular assault and we're lucky that there wasn't an individual more seriously injured," says Shea.
Shea also said the state is potentially looking at additional criminal endangerment charges that may be filed when the case is transferred to District Court.
Butte Sheriff Ed Lester said in a statement on Jan. 26 that after the Butte High School student was struck by the vehicle on the 400 block of South Main Street, the alleged driver was apprehended after an eyewitness followed the vehicle to a Walgreens located on Harrison Avenue.
The child was transported to the hospital and Sheriff Lester said the boy was conscious and alert.
Sirucek’s bond is set at $100,000 and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for February 29, 2024.
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https://www.kpax.com/news/crime-and-courts/man-accused-in-hit-and-run-that-injured-butte-teen-appears-in-court
| 2024-01-31T23:33:35Z
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The State Bank of Pakistan made a wise choice in keeping its main policy at 22 percent in light of the unpredictable inflation outlook, currency risk, and political unpredictability. Under the $3 billion IMF bailout programme, the country has regained some economic stability, although the state of affairs is still unstable. Stated differently, the necessary conditions for a rate reduction are not met at this time. For example, the bank raised its forecast for inflation in the current fiscal year to 23–25 percent from its previous estimate of 20–22 percent because of regular and significant changes in administered energy prices. The bank said in its monetary policy statement on Monday that in addition to preventing a substantial drop in inflation expectations, the increase in energy costs has reduced the rate of inflation decline that was previously predicted. Despite the fact that food and core inflation have moderated in recent months as a result of the strict monetary policy stance bolstered by further fiscal austerity, declining global commodity prices, and increased domestic crop productivity and supplies, this is still the case. Additionally, it has changed its goal to reduce medium-term inflation to between 5 and 7 percent between June and September of 2025. Then, according to a report from the finance ministry, in the first half of this fiscal year, Pakistan’s fiscal deficit reached 2.3 percent of GDP, the highest level in three years. This was primarily due to an almost 64 percent increase in interest payments and defence spending over the previous fiscal year, despite strict budgetary controls, significant reductions in the development budget, and increases in tax and non-tax revenues. In a similar vein, the exchange rate has increased and the current account deficit has decreased by 77% to $0.8 billion over this time. But in order to attain this external stability, import restrictions and a halt to economic expansion at the expense of jobs must be implemented. A major shock that the fragile external recovery might not be able to handle is the escalating tensions in the Red Sea region, which have recently caused a spike in global freight costs and are endangering international commerce and commodity prices. The real interest rates are still rising.
for a 12-month period ahead of time, but in order to support a wider economic recovery, external account stability, and currency stability, the State Bank must withstand every pressure and temptation to change the current monetary policy until inflation drops below the current policy rate.
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https://dailythepatriot.com/monetary-maneuvers-sbp-in-focus/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:35Z
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Massachusetts flag football teams to compete at Pro Bowl Games
Six flag football teams from Massachusetts will compete during Pro Bowl weekend in Orlando. WBZ-TV's Nick Giovanni reports.
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https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/video/massachusetts-flag-football-teams-to-compete-at-pro-bowl-games/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:36Z
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Georgia High School Baseball: Top Infielders in 2024
GA Varsity has updated our list of the top baseball players in the Class of 2024. Find out who made the cut!
GAVARSITY SUBSCRIBERS: CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE!
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What other coverage am I missing by not subscribing?
Top Players by Position in 2024
Top Players by Position in 2026
Top Players by Position in 2025
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https://gavarsity.rivals.com/news/georgia-high-school-baseball-top-infielders-in-2024-13
| 2024-01-31T23:33:36Z
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US Tech giants Google and Microsoft see £130bn wiped off their value
Around £130bn was wiped off the value of two of the world’s biggest technology companies as they struggled to meet Wall Street’s sky- high expectations.
Google owner Alphabet’s shares dropped 6 per cent after investors were disappointed by weak advertising performance in the last quarter.
This slashed its value by almost £100billion. Microsoft fell around 1 per cent, a dent of some £30billion in its hefty market cap.
Both have rallied in recent months as excitement grows over artificial intelligence (AI) and its capability to transform Silicon Valley – and the rest of the world.
Microsoft has often been regarded as at the forefront of AI, with its early investment in ChatGPT maker Open AI.
Spooked: Google owner Alphabet saw shares drop over 6% after investors were left disappointed by weak advertising performance last quarter
And Alphabet has been investing in AI to embed in products, such as Google Search.
But shares took a turn this week after the pair posted seemingly positive quarterly earnings.
Alphabet reported its fastest-growing quarter of revenue growth since early 2022 with sales of £67.7billion for the three months to the end of December – up 13 per cent from a year before, boosted by its cloud computing arm.
But advertising remained a sore point, with fierce competition from platforms such as Facebook, TikTok and Amazon, and a tough economic backdrop.
Thomas Monteiro, analyst at Investing.com, said: ‘Alphabet’s disappointing numbers suggest corporations worldwide are uncertain about the pace of interest rate cuts from central banks.’
‘Expectations were simply too high to match,’ said Steve Clayton, head of equity funds at Hargreaves Lansdown. ‘This was always going to be one of those occasions when hope, expectations and reality collide.’
Microsoft also posted its quarterly figures on Tuesday.
The company, which recently became the world’s most valuable – topping $3 trillion, posted record sales of £49billion in the three months to December on the back of booming demand for AI and cloud technology.
Sales of Azure cloud computing, closely watched by investors, rose 30 per cent year-on-year, better than Wall Street had predicted.
Quarterly profits jumped 33 per cent to £17.2 billion but its shares were also hit.
Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said: ‘A lofty valuation means even the slightest hint of disappointment will be seized on by investors.’
Facebook owner Meta, Amazon and Apple are set to post their own quarterly figures today.
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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/markets/article-13029931/US-Tech-giants-Google-Microsoft-130bn-wiped-value.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
| 2024-01-31T23:33:38Z
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Renowned Educator , Former PS and BHS Principal, Mrs. Carlene Henry-Morton, Advocates for Monument at 89th Anniversary of Buckley’s Uprising on Behalf of the People’s Action Movement
Former Permanent Secretary and Social Activist Delivers Powerful Message on Collective Responsibility and Historical Preservation
In a poignant address at the 89th-anniversary celebration of the Buckley’s Uprising, Mrs. Carlene Henry-Morton, a distinguished educator, former BHS principal, and social activist, delivered a stirring presentation on behalf of the Opposition People’s Action Movement. Her words resonated as she underscored the importance of collective action and the preservation of historical milestones.
Mrs. Henry-Morton emphasized the significance of never allowing self-preservation instincts to hinder collective efforts on behalf of the less fortunate or vulnerable in society. Drawing attention to the impending 90th anniversary of the Buckley strike, she passionately advocated for the establishment of a monument in the Buckley’s estate yard. This monument would pay homage to the brave souls lost, those injured, and all who played a role in the riots, industrial actions, and advocacy for improved working conditions and human rights.
“With the Buckley’s uprising as our backdrop, public and private entities alike must be inspired to carve out a designated space for erecting a monument,” Mrs. Henry-Morton asserted. She called for a concerted effort over the short to medium term to bring this vision to reality, stressing that it is never too late to do what is right and just.
Quoting a poignant song, she began and concluded her address with a powerful reminder: “May all who come behind us find us faithful. The present demands it, and posterity deserves it.”
The People’s Action Movement, known for its commitment to highlighting, celebrating, and preserving the nation’s rich history, was commended by Mrs. Henry-Morton. She applauded the organization’s efforts in organizing yet another ceremony to commemorate the Buckley’s uprising.
As she closed her speech, Mrs. Carlene Henry-Morton urged the audience to enjoy the rest of the proceedings, leaving them with a profound call to action: “Even as we live our individual lives, we must prepare to be good ancestors, leaving a lasting legacy of courage, bravery, determination, resilience, and optimism. The present demands it, and posterity deserves it.”
In the spirit of unity, remembrance, and advocacy for justice, Mrs. Henry-Morton’s words serve as a powerful call to action for all citizens to contribute to the lasting legacy of their community.
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https://timescaribbeanonline.com/renowned-educator-former-ps-and-bhs-principal-mrs-carlene-henry-morton-advocates-for-monument-at-89th-anniversary-of-buckleys-uprising-on-behalf-of-the-peoples-action-movement/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:38Z
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WASHINGTON — (AP) — Former President Donald Trump met with leaders of the Teamsters Union in Washington Wednesday as he tried to chip away at President Joe Biden's organized labor support heading into a likely general election rematch.
Trump participated in a roundtable with the union's executive board, its president and members as he works to win over the blue-collar workers who helped fuel his 2016 victory and who are expected to play a major role in November, particularly in critical Midwestern swing states like Wisconsin and Michigan.
Speaking to reporters after what he called “a very productive meeting," Trump acknowledged the union typically backs Democrats, but said of a possible endorsement, “Stranger things have happened."
“Usually a Republican wouldn’t get that endorsement,” he said. “But in my case it’s different because I’ve employed thousands of Teamsters and I thought we should come over and pay our respects."
“As you know, a big part of the voting bloc votes for me."
Union members tend to vote Democratic, with 56% of members and households backing Biden in 2020, according to AP VoteCast. And Biden has already received significant organized labor backing with early endorsements from the AFL-CIO and others. But Trump is hoping to cut into that support as he casts himself as pro-worker and tries to exacerbate divisions between union leaders and some rank-and-file members.
Days before the meeting, he called on members of the United Auto Workers to oust their president, Shawn Fain, after the group endorsed Biden.
“Shawn Fain doesn’t understand this or have a clue,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social network. “Get rid of this dope & vote for DJT. I will bring the Automobile Industry back to our Country.”
Trump aides, before Wednesday's meeting, said the fact that it was taking place was a win in and of itself. For the first time, the union has been holding a series of roundtable discussions with candidates from both parties as it weighs its decision, expected following the summer party conventions.
“Our members want to hear from all candidates of all parties about what they plan to do for working people as president,” Teamsters president Sean O’Brien had said in a statement. “Our union wants every candidate to know that there are 1.3 million Teamsters nationwide whose votes will not be taken for granted. Workers’ voices must be heard.”
O’Brien later described the conversation with Trump as “pleasant” and “direct,” but said the union was a long way from making a decision. He said it has additional questions for Trump and for Biden, who has yet to set a similar meeting. He said the Teamsters will poll members over the coming weeks.
He acknowledged that Trump has the support of many members.
“There's no doubt about (it)," he said, “there is union support for President Trump. And there's always union support for President Biden,” But even as he praised Biden's record he, added: “What you've done in the past doesn't guarantee your future with us. We want to know what you're going to do for our members moving forward.”
Biden has long billed himself as the most labor-friendly president in history, and went so far as to turn up on a picket line in the Detroit area during an autoworkers' strike last fall. Campaign spokesperson Lauren Hitt said Biden "looks forward to meeting with the Teamsters and earning their endorsement," but that the timing of a meeting remains to be announced.
On Thursday, Biden will travel to Michigan, where he plans to meet with United Auto Workers members, according to a campaign official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss details of a trip that had not been formally announced.
Earlier this month, the Teamsters' O’Brien met privately with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club, where the two discussed issues including right-to-work laws that allow those in unionized workplaces to opt out of paying dues and fees. They also posed for a side-by-side photo, both flashing thumbs-up signs, that Trump posted online.
In an interview with Fox Business after the meeting, O’Brien said, “We put our cards on the table. It was a very matter-of-fact meeting."
“He claimed he was, you know, 100% ... supportive of unions, but history obviously, you take a look back and there’s certain issues that we have with him,” the union president said.
During Trump's presidency, the National Labor Relations Board reversed several key rulings that had made it easier for small unions to organize, strengthened the bargaining rights of franchise workers and provided protection against anti-union measures for employees.
The Supreme Court's conservative majority — including three justices that Trump nominated — overturned a decades-old pro-union decision in 2018 involving fees paid by government workers. The justices in 2021 rejected a California regulation giving unions access to farm property so they could organize workers.
While the Teamsters endorsed Biden in 2020 and Hillary Clinton in 2016, O'Brien stressed the union has “a very diverse membership. And our members vote.”
Art Wheaton, director of labor studies at Cornell University, said that in the past unions almost automatically endorsed Democratic candidates. But this year, he said, unions like the Teamsters have required candidates to outline their positions and show how they will support rank-and-file workers.
The message to candidates: “If you don’t help labor and you don’t help my position, you’re not going to get my endorsement,” Wheaton said.
He estimates about 30% to 40% of Teamsters members voted for Trump in 2020, even though the union endorsed Biden.
“You need to do your due diligence and listen, and let them have the option and ability to say what they want,” said Wheaton.
This is not the first time Trump has tried to woo union members. In September, he traveled to Michigan while his Republican rivals separately held a debate and tried to win over autoworkers by lambasting Biden's electric vehicles push in the midst of a strike. During his speech, Trump urged the UAW to endorse him, directly appealing to Fain from the floor of a non-unionized auto parts plant.
Fain instead called Trump a “scab,” a derogatory term for workers who cross union picket lines and work during a strike, as he endorsed Biden.
“This November we can stand up and elect someone who stands with us and supports our cause, or we can elect someone who will divide us and fight us every step of the way,” Fain said.
Teamsters members include UPS drivers, film and television workers, freight operators, members of law enforcement and other government workers.
Biden already has the backing of the AFL-CIO, the American Federation of Teachers and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which rolled out their endorsements together last June.
While overall union membership rates nationwide fell to an all-time low in 2023, the country's largest unions have nonetheless built sprawling get-out-the-vote efforts, which Biden is counting on to help turn out his supporters in pivotal swing states.
The campaign of former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, Trump’s last remaining GOP rival, did not respond to a request for comment about whether she intends to meet with the Teamsters.
O'Brien said they hadn't received a response from her. Given what he called her past anti-union comments, he said, “It doesn't surprise at all.”
___
Krisher reported from Detroit. Associated Press writer Seung Min Kim contributed to this report.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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https://www.wpxi.com/news/after-teamsters/MFQ3Q7HGKBXSUOBP5ZMZF6VJR4/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:38Z
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Testimony surrounding evidence from Toyota Tacoma, items dumped in Hartford at Troconis trial
A fingerprint expert took the stand in the trial for Michelle Troconis on Wednesday and testified that fingerprints matching Fotis Dulos were found on a garbage bag and tape that investigators pulled from trash bins in Hartford just days after Dulos’ estranged wife, Jennifer Farber Dulos, disappeared on May 24, 2019.
On the 14th day of the criminal trial for Troconis, the jury also heard briefly from two of Dulos’ former neighbors, who said police took surveillance footage captured from cameras at their Farmington homes. The testimony then turned back to one particular vehicle that has been a main focus of state prosecutors so far this week: a red Toyota Tacoma pickup truck.
Retired Connecticut State Police Sgt. Matthew Reilly, who previously testified in this case, returned to the stand Wednesday morning and told the jury about how he and other investigators examined, tested and took apart a Tacoma owned by Dulos’ employee, Pawel Gumienny.
When police seized the Tacoma, seats from a Porsche were in the truck in the driver and passenger seat spots but weren’t fully installed. The driver’s seat, Reilly testified, was propped up against a bucket. Another pair of seats were found in the bed of the truck.
Gumienny told police that those seats were taken out of the truck at Dulos’ urging.
Red pickup truck seen on day of Farber Dulos’ disappearance at center of testimony in Troconis trial
Investigators allege that Dulos took Gumienny’s Tacoma on the morning of May 24, 2019, drove it to New Canaan via the Merritt Parkway, then laid in wait in his estranged wife’s garage at her home at 69 Welles Lane.
When Farber Dulos returned home from dropping their five children off at school, investigators allege Dulos attacked her. Her body has never been found, but she has been legally declared dead.
After she was reported missing, Dulos allegedly pressured Gumienny, a project manager for his company Fore Group, to remove the seats from his Tacoma.
Gumienny, who is expected to testify soon in the case against Troconis, told police that Dulos “told him to switch out the seats and get rid of them so they would not be found,” police said in the arrest warrant affidavit for Troconis.
“Dulos continued to express his concern that police might find an incriminating hair,” on those seats, Gumienny told police, according to the warrant affidavit.
The warrant affidavit said Gumienny told police he eventually did as Dulos wanted and put in seats from Dulos’ wrecked Porsche to get his boss off his back — but he kept the other seats in case police wanted to examine them.
“When he did remove the seats on this date, Gumienny decided to himself to keep the seats without telling Dulos in the event they may be needed by police,” the warrant affidavit said.
According to the affidavit, the seats were sent to a forensic lab for testing and the results showed that Farber Dulos’ blood was on the passenger seat.
Troconis is charged with conspiring to commit murder, hindering prosecution and tampering with evidence in connection to the disappearance and presumed death of Farber Dulos, who vanished during a divorce and custody battle with Dulos. Dulos died after attempting suicide in 2020.
Next on the stand Wednesday was fingerprinting expert Kevin Parisi from the state forensic lab in Meriden. Parisi walked the jury through the process of looking for fingerprints on multiple pieces of evidence. Some pieces of evidence brought up Wednesday, like ponchos investigators said had blood-like stains on them, didn’t have any fingerprints on them. Other items did.
Most of the evidence Parisi testified about Wednesday, including trash bags and pieces of tape, was found in trash bins on Albany Avenue in Hartford. Investigators allege Dulos dumped evidence related to his wife’s murder in those bins. Earlier in the trial, the jury saw multiple surveillance videos of Dulos driving a black Ford F-150 Raptor in Hartford with Troconis riding in the passenger seat the night Farber Dulos disappeared.
Parisi told the jury that he compared prints on a black garbage bag and tape and got a match to Dulos, but none of the fingerprints brought up Wednesday involved matches to Troconis’ fingerprints.
“I noticed that in none of the comparisons that you did, did you mention my client Michelle Troconis. Is that correct?” Troconis’ defensive attorney Jon Schoenhorn asked Parisi.
Parisi said Troconis’ prints were only compared to prints on a doorknob. She wasn’t a match.
During his testimony earlier Wednesday, Reilly also described other evidence collected in the truck, besides the seats. He testified that the truck was “extremely clean.”
“It was very clean for an 18-year-old truck,” he said.
Reilly testified about presumptive blood testing done on parts of the truck, including the use of Luminol as the jury was shown a photo of Luminol glowing in the dark in a part of the truck.
Schoenhorn has repeatedly objected to the jury seeing similar photos, arguing that Luminol is a presumptive blood test, not definitive, and that it can light up if exposed to other things like certain vegetables, cleaners or rust.
On Wednesday, he said such photos are “misleading” and “confusing” to the jury without the context of lab results on those spots being provided to the jury at the same time.
“The jury is hearing this testimony about something that will prove to be completely irrelevant,” he said.
He moved to have testimony about the Luminol stricken from the record Wednesday, but Judge Kevin A. Randolph ruled that the jury could discuss the evidence during their deliberations.
“The court thinks the concern about the jury is unfounded,” he said.
The court adjourned early Wednesday, around 4:20 p.m.
Troconis’ trial is set to resume in Stamford Superior Court at 10 a.m. Thursday, with two retired members of the state lab expected to take the stand.
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https://news.yahoo.com/testimony-surrounding-evidence-toyota-tacoma-223900084.html
| 2024-01-31T23:33:39Z
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Rocket Lab USA Inc (RKLB) shares are trading lower in Wednesday’s after-hours session following the company’s announcement of a proposed offering.
What To Know: After the close on Wednesday, Rocket Lab said that it had commenced a private offering with institutional buyers to raise $275 million from convertible senior notes due 2029.
Rocket Lab intends to use a portion of the net proceeds from the offering to pay the cost of entering into capped call transactions with one or more initial purchasers. The company also plans to use $40 million to repay a portion of its borrowings under its equipment financing agreement.
The news comes just hours after Rocket Lab reported preliminary financial results for the fourth quarter. The company said it expects fourth-quarter revenues of $59 million to $61 million, gross margins of approximately 24.8% to 26.8% and a net loss of $49 million to $52.5 million.
“With our 43rd Electron mission now launched, more launches scheduled in 2024 than in any prior year, and a record backlog, we’re excited to continue building on our success delivering end-to-end space solutions to the market,” said Peter Beck, founder and CEO of Rocket Lab.
RKLB Price Action: Rocket Lab shares closed Wednesday down 2.61%. The stock was down another 12.01% after hours at $4.26 at the time of publication, according to Benzinga Pro.
Photo: courtesy of Rocket Lab.
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/01/36878024/rocket-lab-stock-is-spiraling-lower-whats-going-on
| 2024-01-31T23:33:40Z
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Joe Dumars went to a game a couple of weeks ago that came down to the very last shot, and he thought it was one of the best games of the season to this point. Final score: Denver 102, Boston 100.
It was a reminder that defense still can get played in the NBA.
Amid a flurry of big individual performances — Luka Doncic scoring 73, Joel Embiid scoring 70, Devin Booker and Karl-Anthony Towns each scoring 62 — in the last two weeks alone, Dumars said Wednesday that NBA officials aren't alarmed by such numbers because the league's scoring average is up only slightly compared to last season.
“It's where the game is today,” said Dumars, the NBA's executive vice president and head of basketball operations. “It's the pace of the game. It's the amount of 3s guys are shooting now. You're going to have some offensive eruptions like that.”
There hadn't been an instance since April 1978 of two players scoring at least 60 points in the same day. That is, until it happened twice last week: Embiid and Towns had their huge games on Jan. 22, Doncic and Booker put on their scoring shows on Jan. 26.
Having those events happen twice in the span of a few days is a statistical oddity, for certain. But the numbers show it's not really much more than that.
Scoring leaguewide this season is up just 0.78% over last season entering Wednesday, from 114.7 points per game to 115.6 points per game. The jump was far bigger last season, when scoring rose 3.7% over the rate of 110.6 points per game that the league saw in 2021-22.
There have been more high-scoring games, but the averages suggest things also tend to balance out. Entering Wednesday, there had been 78 instances of teams scoring at least 135 points in a game this season — already the second most for a full season in league history and on pace to smash the record of 112, set last season. The previous mark was 74 games of 135 or more, done in 2019-20.
“We're going to see offensive eruptions with this kind of pace and the amount of 3s people shoot,” Dumars said. “But there's no push here at the league office from me or anyone else that we want to see a certain score. I left that Boston-Denver game saying, ‘wow, great game.’ That's what fans want. Fans want to leave a game or watch a game and at the end say, ‘that was incredible.’ The score is secondary to that. Fans just want to see great games.”
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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https://www.whio.com/sports/with-scoring-up-less/5QFZ254JCBNCYJSEAYKGVDSC2Y/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:40Z
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Tottenham x UFC?! Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou makes bizarre MMA threat after bad-tempered victory over BrentfordJames HunsleyGetty ImagesTottenham HotspurPremier LeagueAnge PostecoglouNeal MaupayTottenham Hotspur vs BrentfordBrentfordBrennan JohnsonAnge Postecoglou challenged his Tottenham players to sort out their differences with Brentford in a UFC ring after a full-blooded win on Wednesday.Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues belowSpurs and Brentford in heated clashNorth London side prevail 3-2Postecoglou makes UFC comment
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https://www.goal.com/en-cm/lists/tottenham-ufc-spurs-boss-ange-postecoglou-bizarre-mma-threat-bad-tempered-victory-brentford/blt461ce8ae5451caa2
| 2024-01-31T23:33:41Z
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HELENA — Townsend schools switched to a four-day school week at the start of the school year and introduced a program for kids who need a place to go on the off day.
MTN News checked in with them to see how that’s been going.
“It’s working very well. And we’re not seeing, our staff is either on track with their curriculum or ahead of curriculum,” says K-5 Elementary Principal & Afterschool Program Director, Christina Hartmann.
The Office of Public Instruction reports more than 220 schools in districts across the state have adopted a four-day week.
Townsend administrators decided to adopt the short school week to improve teacher recruitment and retention. Hartmann says they’ve seen positive outcomes from the transition.
“We are seeing a better attendance. Our students’ scores are great. We’re not seeing anything in decline on those. The staff morale is even better,” says Hartmann.
One challenge typically associated with schools that adopt a four-day week is working parents having to find child care for that fifth day.
To help parents, Townsend adopted what they call the 5th Day Program. The day is designed to be a pseudo-school day in which kids can participate in fun yet educational options such as pottery, guitar, e-sports, or tutoring, as well as receive a free lunch.
The program is offered to all enrolled students, but currently only serves 40 to 60 kids on average.
Without this 5th Day Program — funded by a five-year 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant — the impact of the four-day school week might look a lot different as Broadwater County is considered a child care desert where only 18% of potential demand for child care is being met.
“We had to have something for them on that fifth day because a lot of families do work outside of town. They’re not here locally,” says Hartmann.
Parents we spoke with in Townsend say the four-day school week has been mostly positive.
Mikhalia Harper, a parent of a kindergartner, says that she enjoys having her child home for an extra day and uses it to go to appointments.
“I really appreciate it because, you know, he gets an extra day at home. And we actually use that Friday for appointments. So, it works out perfectly,” says Harper.
Another district researching the four-day week option is East Helena Public Schools.
Superintendent Dan Rispens emphasized that they are still in the early stages of studying the idea and that they would not make any decision without community consensus and support.
“If it’s something that’s going to benefit families and help with student attendance and student achievement, then how could you not be in favor of something like that? If it’s something that’s going to be detrimental for our families and for our students and their learning, then I wouldn’t be supportive of it,” says Rispens.
Rispens says any changes are years away at the earliest, and if they did make a switch, they would consider programs like Townsend’s 5th Day Program to support working parents.
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https://www.kpax.com/news/montana-news/montana-school-district-discuss-how-four-day-school-week-is-going
| 2024-01-31T23:33:41Z
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Philcoin (PHL) traded up 1.5% against the US dollar during the 24-hour period ending at 17:00 PM E.T. on January 31st. Philcoin has a total market cap of $244.61 million and approximately $11.19 worth of Philcoin was traded on exchanges in the last 24 hours. In the last week, Philcoin has traded 2.3% lower against the US dollar. One Philcoin token can currently be bought for about $0.0026 or 0.00000006 BTC on exchanges.
Here’s how similar cryptocurrencies have performed in the last 24 hours:
- KILT Protocol (KILT) traded 2% lower against the dollar and now trades at $0.33 or 0.00000772 BTC.
- Aidi Finance (BSC) (AIDI) traded down 2.2% against the dollar and now trades at $0.0000 or 0.00000000 BTC.
- Zoo Token (ZOOT) traded down 2.2% against the dollar and now trades at $0.0652 or 0.00000239 BTC.
- CareCoin (CARES) traded 2.2% lower against the dollar and now trades at $0.0809 or 0.00000297 BTC.
- Kitty Inu (KITTY) traded 1.9% higher against the dollar and now trades at $95.84 or 0.00338062 BTC.
- Hokkaidu Inu (HOKK) traded up 1.2% against the dollar and now trades at $0.0004 or 0.00000001 BTC.
- Lego Coin (LEGO) traded 0% lower against the dollar and now trades at $0.0121 or 0.00000028 BTC.
- Jeff in Space (JEFF) traded 2.2% lower against the dollar and now trades at $2.75 or 0.00010076 BTC.
- Lumi Credits (LUMI) traded 0% lower against the dollar and now trades at $0.0082 or 0.00000019 BTC.
- AXIA Coin (AXC) traded 0.1% lower against the dollar and now trades at $13.43 or 0.00048094 BTC.
Philcoin Profile
Philcoin’s launch date was October 20th, 2021. Philcoin’s total supply is 5,000,000,000 tokens. The official website for Philcoin is philcoin.io. Philcoin’s official message board is www.reddit.com/user/philcoinofficial. Philcoin’s official Twitter account is @philcoin_com and its Facebook page is accessible here.
[Telegram](https://t.me/philcoinphilanthropychat)[Medium](https://medium.com/@philcoin)[LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/philcoin)”
Buying and Selling Philcoin
It is usually not possible to purchase alternative cryptocurrencies such as Philcoin directly using US dollars. Investors seeking to acquire Philcoin should first purchase Ethereum or Bitcoin using an exchange that deals in US dollars such as Coinbase, GDAX or Gemini. Investors can then use their newly-acquired Ethereum or Bitcoin to purchase Philcoin using one of the exchanges listed above.
Receive News & Updates for Philcoin Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and updates for Philcoin and related cryptocurrencies with MarketBeat.com's FREE CryptoBeat newsletter.
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https://www.com-unik.info/2024/01/31/philcoin-phl-trading-2-3-lower-this-week.html
| 2024-01-31T23:33:42Z
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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.
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https://kansaspublicradio.org/npr-news/2024-01-31/a-federal-judge-dismisses-disneys-lawsuit-against-florida-gov-ron-desantis
| 2024-01-31T23:33:42Z
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- AUD/USD steady near 0.6566 post-Fed decision to hold rates, signaling cautious 2024 policy outlook.
- Jerome Powell's remarks on inflation, rate cuts contribute to USD recovery, affect Treasury yields.
- Australia's cooling inflation, steady manufacturing PMI inform RBA rate decision prospects, impacting AUD.
The Aussie Dollar (AUD) begins Thursday’s Asian session unchanged versus the US Dollar (USD) as the US Federal Reserve (Fed) decides to hold rates and opens the door to ease policy in 2024. Even though the initial reaction to the statement was muted, Fed’s Chair Powell press conference underpinned the Greenback (USD). At the time of writing, the AUD/USD exchanges hands at 0.6566, almost flat.
Aussie tumbled post Fed decision, though begins Asian session near weekly lows
Risk aversion is driving the financial markets. in the monetary policy statement, the Fed acknowledged that inflation has eased over the last year but remains elevated. Therefore, they stated that rates might have peaked while adding they could ease policy if inflation “moves sustainable toward 2 percent.”
In his press conference, the Fed Chair Jerome Powell adopted a more balanced approach, adding that it’s too early to declare victory on inflation. He added that Fed officials are not confident of lowering rates at the upcoming March meeting, adding that a March cut is not the base case for officials.
After that, the US Dollar paired some of its earlier losses, but US Treasury yields plunged. The AUD/USD edged below the 200-day moving average (DMA) at 0.6574, and achieved a daily close below the latter.
Data-wise, US labor market data witnessed the ADP report showing that private hiring slowed from 158K in December to 107K jobs, below estimates. The Employment Cost Index (ECI) sought by Fed officials as a measure of wages inflation, rose 0.9% QoQ, below estimates of 1.1%. The data suggests the jobs market is easing.
On the Australia front, inflation slowed sharply in the fourth quarter of 2023, from 5.4% YoY to 4.1%, and trimmed mean fell from 5.1% YoY to 4.2%. According to ANZ analysts, this could prevent the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) from hiking rates, suggesting the cash rate might have peaked.
Recently, Australia’s Judo Bank Manufacturing PMI final reading for January rose to 50.1 from the preliminary reading of 47.6.
AUD/USD Key Technical Levels
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AUD/USD stays steady post-Fed decision, markets weigh Powell’s remarks
The AUD/USD begins Thursday’s Asian session unchanging hands around 0.6566 as the US Fed decides to hold rates and opens the door to ease policy in 2024. Even though the initial reaction to the statement was muted, Fed’s Powell press conference underpinned the Greenback.
EUR/USD puts 1.0800 to the test after steady Fed
EUR/USD traded in quite a volatile fashion on Fed-day, coming under further selling pressure and challenging the 1.0800 neighbourhood after Chief Powell deemed a rate cut in March unlikely.
Gold reverses daily highs near $2050
The late bounce in US yields across the curve and the greenback forced gold prices to leave behind the earlier uptick to fresh two-week highs around the $2050 mark per troy ounce.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse on $112.5 million hack
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has come foreward to articulate that "NO Ripple-managed wallets were compromised." Given some irresponsible speculation and reporting, I want to reiterate that NO Ripple-managed wallets were compromised.
Fed Quick Analysis: Powell only slaps investors on the wrist, risk-on reversal on the cards Premium
Markets do not like uncertainty – or the lack of confidence, which the Federal Reserve (Fed) has expressed. A deeper look at the bank's pushback reveals its weakness and could trigger a reversal.
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https://www.fxstreet.com/news/aud-usd-stays-steady-post-fed-decision-markets-weigh-powells-remarks-202401312251
| 2024-01-31T23:33:42Z
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Harare-Chirundu highway upgrade starts
Conrad Mupesa-Mashonaland West Bureau
THE long-awaited widening and upgrading of the 352-kilometre Harare-Chirundu highway has started with all the contractors on site.
The upgrade has seen two of the five contractors identified to undertake the project, now opening detours in preparation for main road closures in the impending works.
Bitumen World and Tensor Systems, the two companies that took equipment on-site last year, have started working on the temporary routes.
Tensor Systems has set up base at Mapinga 60km west of Harare where delivery of road-making equipment is in progress.
Mr Enerst Mehlomakhulu, who is employed to drive imported cars from Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam said the latest development signalled a new beginning in his career.
“We are happy that the upgrade of the road has commenced. The state of the road had deteriorated and was now risky to travellers.
“As drivers who drive imported vehicles from Tanzania, we thank the Government for this road upgrade,” he said.
Another driver, Mr Sebastian Moyo said the road upgrade was long overdue as the bad state of the road was causing damage to vehicle suspensions.
Patrick Rangwani (31) who resides near the Tensor camp, said he was hopeful about securing employment with the contractor.
Mrs Erica Banda, who runs a restaurant at Mapinga said the camp had started providing business for her and other businesspersons.
Zvimba Rural District Council chief executive, Mr Enias Chidhakwa said the completion of the road upgrade would improve movement in the area.
The highway covers at least 100km of the district and over 200km in Hurungwe.
Hurungwe RDC acting chief executive, Ms Felistus Muteta said the upgrading and widening of the road was going to see reduced road traffic accidents.
In 2017, 43 people perished after a King Lion bus was involved in an accident in the Nyamakate area.
“Everyone was waiting for this development and we are optimistic that the contractors will meet their set timelines,” said Mr Clayton Mhonyera.
A Magunje resident and commuter omnibus driver, Mr Kings Mushongahande said the Karoi-Chinhoyi stretch, which has too many potholes and eroded edges, was very difficult to navigate and was in need of urgent attention.
Chief Chundu, Senator Abel Mbasera, said the Second Republic was fulfilling its commitment to rehabilitating the important highway.
“We are glad as the community that the road is now getting attention as it was past its lifespan,” said Chief Chundu.
“A lot of accidents that occurred on this stretch were mainly a result of its bad state.”
Provincial roads director, Engineer Simbarashe Gomo, said works scheduled from last year stalled due to procurement processes but works were progressing well as contractors had moved on site.
“Each of the five contractors that worked on the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge Highway, managed to conduct preliminary processes in line with the Procurement Act.
“They conducted site reconnaissance on tentative sections given by the Government to prepare their bills. These are now being used for procurement processes.”
Bitumen World has set a camp at Dins Business Centre near the Nyamakate area along the Harare-Chirundu Highway where it will start its allocated stretch.
All five contractors conducted site reconnaissance in March last year.
The other three contractors that have been contracted to work on the road are Fossil, Masimba, and Exodus and Company.
All the companies successfully worked on the 585km Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge Highway, which almost complete.
The Harare-Chirundu stretch on the North-South Corridor, links Zimbabwe to South Africa, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania.
The scope of works includes upgrading the Harare-Chirundu Highway to the same standards as the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge road, which is also a SADC standard.
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https://www.herald.co.zw/harare-chirundu-highway-upgrade-starts/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:41Z
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SRJC’s Angelica Garcia to speak at Woman’s Club
On Tuesday, Feb. 6, at 5:30 p.m., the Petaluma Woman’s Club will be welcoming Dr. Angélica Garcia as part of the local institution’s monthly speaker series. Garcia has recently been appointed President of the Santa Rosa Junior College, the 6th president in the college’s 105 year history.
“A Central Valley native, she believes community colleges provide liberatory educational experiences that disrupt the status quo and support upward social mobility of students and the broader community,” states a media release from the Woman’s Club. “Dr. Garcia is a proud second-generation born Chicana and first-generation college graduate, who earned a doctorate in educational leadership at San Francisco State University, a Master's in Social Work at San Diego State University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in liberal and civic studies at Saint Mary’s College of California.”
Garcia is the co-founder and executive board member of COLEGAS, a statewide organization focused on advocacy and development of Latinx professionals in the California Community Colleges.
She serves on the Puente Project Advisory Board, the Santa Rosa Junior College Foundation Board and the national LGTBQ Leaders in Higher Education Board.
In April of last year, Garcia was appointed by President Biden to the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. Tickets are $15, and are available on Eventbrite or through the website at PetalumaWomansClub.org.
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https://www.petaluma360.com/article/entertainment/srjcs-angelica-garcia-to-speak-at-womans-club/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:43Z
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Q&A with Eagle's Landing quarterback Breylan Dewberry
GA Varsity caught up with Eagle's Landing quarterback Breylan Dewberry in this article now!How did the high school football season go overall?“The overall season was good, I just wish we could’ve w...
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https://gavarsity.rivals.com/news/q-a-with-eagle-s-landing-quarterback-breylan-dewberry
| 2024-01-31T23:33:43Z
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Even when compared with other CEOs, who routinely get paid roughly 200 times more than their typical employees, Elon Musk's pay package was eye-opening.
A judge in Delaware on Tuesday struck down the package that Tesla established for Musk in 2018, ruling that the process was ''flawed'' and the price ''unfair.'' Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick called the package ''the largest potential compensation opportunity ever observed in public markets by multiple orders of magnitude.''
So, if Musk isn't worth the maximum $55.8 billion value of the package, how much is he worth? It's a thorny question without an easy answer in the notoriously complex world of executive compensation.
McCormick's ruling bumped Musk out of the top spot on the Forbes list of wealthiest people. The magazine on Wednesday lopped $25 billion off his net worth, reducing it to $185.3 billion, putting him behind fashion and cosmetics magnate Bernard Arnault and family.
Critics have argued for years that CEO pay packages are exorbitant. The median compensation for a CEO of an S&P 500 company was valued at $14.8 million, according to the latest AP CEO pay survey for 2022 conducted with the executive compensation research firm Equilar. It would take the typical worker at one of those companies more than 185 years to earn what their chief executive reaped in just 12 months.
In 2018, Tesla estimated the value of Musk's compensation package at $2.28 billion, topping the previous highest package of $1.39 billion given to Blackstone's Steven Schwarzman 10 years earlier, according to Equilar. The value of Musk's package has grown as Tesla's stock price increased. By comparison, in 2022 the median worker at Tesla made $34,084.
Under Musk's pay plan, he received a chunk of stock options each time Tesla's market value rose by $50 billion. Ultimately, he would have the chance to buy nearly 304 million shares for $23.34 each. Tesla has met each of the performance hurdles since the package was awarded. Its stock is trading at roughly $191 compared with $21 at the start of 2018.
The judge determined that Tesla's board lacked independence from Musk. His lawyers said the package needed to be rich to give Musk an incentive not to leave — a line of reasoning the judge shot down.
''Swept up by the rhetoric of 'all upside,' or perhaps starry eyed by Musk's superstar appeal, the board never asked the $55.8 billion question: 'Was the plan even necessary for Tesla to retain Musk and achieve its goals?''' McCormick wrote.
Musk's fans would argue that he shouldn't be paid like other CEOs because he isn't like other CEOs. He and Tesla are practically inseparable, so keeping him as CEO is key to the company's growth. He built the company from an idea to the most valuable automaker in the world, last year selling more electric vehicles than any other company. His star power gets free publicity, so the company spends little on advertising. And he has forced the rest of the auto industry to accelerate plans for electric vehicles to counter Tesla's phenomenal growth.
To figure out how much to pay their CEO, corporate boards often start by looking at how much their rivals are paying theirs: They need to pay enough to attract and keep the talent.
General Motors, for example, considers executive salaries at 3M, Boeing, Ford, IBM and other huge companies, and uses complex formulas to determine CEO compensation. For GM CEO Mary Barra, part of that depends on how GM's stock return compares to its peers and how much progress the company makes on electric vehicles.
In 2022, Barra earned total compensation that GM valued at $29 million. That included $2.1 million in salary. Ford CEO Jim Farley's compensation was valued at $22 million that year.
Even though Tesla makes automobiles, investors often lump its stock in with Big Tech stocks. They're the companies disrupting industries and people's ways of life.
Plus, Musk is closely identified with Tesla the way Meta Platforms' Mark Zuckerberg or Apple's Tim Cook are with their companies. Pay packages at Big Tech companies are among the largest in the U.S.
Cook's compensation was valued at $63.2 million for 2023, mainly due to stock awards valued at nearly $47 million. A year earlier, he earned total compensation valued at roughly $99 million.
In the nuanced world of executive compensation, these numbers don't indicate how much a CEO actually takes home, they're just an estimate of the compensation package's value. The final value may exceed or fall far below those figures because it is tied to stock.
Corporate law experts say any new compensation package for Musk will likely be challenged in court unless Tesla's board either resigns en masse or follows a meticulous process to protect shareholders by passing a substantially smaller package.
''This is just a mess for them,'' said Charles Elson, a retired corporate law professor and founder of the corporate governance center at the University of Delaware. ''They kowtowed to this apparent superstar with poor results.''
Elson, who has followed the court for more than three decades, said this is the first time he can remember a judge invalidating an executive compensation plan at a public company.
Lawyers for Musk and the directors had countered that the plan was fairly negotiated by a compensation committee whose members were independent, and that it was blessed by a shareholder vote.
Shareholders who approved Musk's deal, Elson said, were unaware that Musk essentially was negotiating with himself. ''If the shareholders were aware of that, they may well have not approved it.''
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https://m.startribune.com/a-court-rejected-elon-musks-558b-pay-package-what-is-he-worth-to-tesla/600340059/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:42Z
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Love Island's Georgia Harrison fumes at secret ex Casey O'Gorman, as she reveals what led to them calling it quits in a new teaser.
A clip for Thursday's episode shows the pair giving different versions of events regarding their secret romance in November, and how it came to an end. Georgia is shown calling out Casey in a preview clip, where she accuses the star of "ghosting her".
As Casey denies this and suggests they mutually ended their undisclosed romance, Georgia lets rip at him and puts him on the spot over how he treated her. It seems there was some miscommunication ahead of them reuniting on All Stars this week.
As Georgia tells the group how Casey suddenly stopped talking to her and ignored her messages, Casey hits back and claims the pair agreed to not speak anymore. According to Georgia, Casey suddenly dropped her and didn't want to know.
Having previously admitted she was "heartbroken" over what went down with Casey, Thursday's episode will see her accuse him of "ghosting her" and ignoring a number of her messages, telling him he called things off. Casey is adamant that it was both of them who wanted out of the romance though - so can they come to some agreement?
Georgia was quick to spill that she knew of bombshell Casey before he entered the villa on Wednesday night, moments after he walked in - with it clear that she felt awkward about seeing him. She soon spilled to the girls that they shared a romantic history, and they were seeing each other just months ago, in November.
But Georgia revealed she was left "hurt" and "heartbroken" by Casey's treatment of her, and she wasn't ready to talk about it. So when she and Casey spoke after his debut, she confessed it was a conversation for another time as she pulled a sad face.
Georgia had told her girl pals how Casey had "mugged her off" and ditched her while they were seeing each other, with her not seeing it coming. So to see him again so soon left her uncomfortable and "needing to process it".
Both of them agreed they "had stuff to talk about", with them deciding to chat the next day. Georgia had told the girls: "I was really hurt by that situation more than I thought I would be," adding she was left "heartbroken" by how it all went down.
I've got a text! Want all the updates from Love Island All-Stars series straight to your phone? Join our free Love Island Factor 50 WhatsApp group!
With the upcoming All-Stars series set to see previous icons return and awkward exes reunite, the Mirror team will help you stay on top of all the gossip from inside and outside the villa. To get all the biggest Love Island stories as they come out, follow this link: https://tinyurl.com/98upvuzy
Love Island: All Stars launches this month on ITV2 and ITV X.* Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .
|
https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/georgia-harrison-casey-ogorman-together-32014512
| 2024-01-31T23:33:44Z
|
Even when compared with other CEOs, who routinely get paid roughly 200 times more than their typical employees, Elon Musk’s pay package was eye-opening.
A judge in Delaware on Tuesday struck down the package that Tesla established for Musk in 2018, ruling that the process was "flawed" and the price "unfair." Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick called the package "the largest potential compensation opportunity ever observed in public markets by multiple orders of magnitude."
So, if Musk isn’t worth the maximum $55.8 billion value of the package, how much is he worth? It’s a thorny question without an easy answer in the notoriously complex world of executive compensation.
McCormick's ruling bumped Musk out of the top spot on the Forbes list of wealthiest people. The magazine on Wednesday lopped $25 billion off his net worth, reducing it to $185.3 billion, putting him behind fashion and cosmetics magnate Bernard Arnault and family.
Critics have argued for years that CEO pay packages are exorbitant. The median compensation for a CEO of an S&P 500 company was valued at $14.8 million, according to the latest AP CEO pay survey for 2022 conducted with the executive compensation research firm Equilar. It would take the typical worker at one of those companies more than 185 years to earn what their chief executive reaped in just 12 months.
In 2018, Tesla estimated the value of Musk's compensation package at $2.28 billion, topping the previous highest package of $1.39 billion given to Blackstone's Steven Schwarzman 10 years earlier, according to Equilar. The value of Musk's package has grown as Tesla's stock price increased. By comparison, in 2022 the median worker at Tesla made $34,084.
Under Musk's pay plan, he received a chunk of stock options each time Tesla's market value rose by $50 billion. Ultimately, he would have the chance to buy nearly 304 million shares for $23.34 each. Tesla has met each of the performance hurdles since the package was awarded. Its stock is trading at roughly $191 compared with $21 at the start of 2018.
The judge determined that Tesla’s board lacked independence from Musk. His lawyers said the package needed to be rich to give Musk an incentive not to leave — a line of reasoning the judge shot down.
“Swept up by the rhetoric of ‘all upside,’ or perhaps starry eyed by Musk’s superstar appeal, the board never asked the $55.8 billion question: ‘Was the plan even necessary for Tesla to retain Musk and achieve its goals?’” McCormick wrote.
Musk's fans would argue that he shouldn't be paid like other CEOs because he isn't like other CEOs. He and Tesla are practically inseparable, so keeping him as CEO is key to the company's growth. He built the company from an idea to the most valuable automaker in the world, last year selling more electric vehicles than any other company. His star power gets free publicity, so the company spends little on advertising. And he has forced the rest of the auto industry to accelerate plans for electric vehicles to counter Tesla's phenomenal growth.
To figure out how much to pay their CEO, corporate boards often start by looking at how much their rivals are paying theirs: They need to pay enough to attract and keep the talent.
General Motors, for example, considers executive salaries at 3M, Boeing, Ford, IBM and other huge companies, and uses complex formulas to determine CEO compensation. For GM CEO Mary Barra, part of that depends on how GM’s stock return compares to its peers and how much progress the company makes on electric vehicles.
In 2022, Barra earned total compensation that GM valued at $29 million. That included $2.1 million in salary. Ford CEO Jim Farley's compensation was valued at $22 million that year.
Even though Tesla makes automobiles, investors often lump its stock in with Big Tech stocks. They’re the companies disrupting industries and people’s ways of life.
Plus, Musk is closely identified with Tesla the way Meta Platforms’ Mark Zuckerberg or Apple’s Tim Cook are with their companies. Pay packages at Big Tech companies are among the largest in the U.S.
Cook’s compensation was valued at $63.2 million for 2023, mainly due to stock awards valued at nearly $47 million. A year earlier, he earned total compensation valued at roughly $99 million.
In the nuanced world of executive compensation, these numbers don’t indicate how much a CEO actually takes home, they’re just an estimate of the compensation package's value. The final value may exceed or fall far below those figures because it is tied to stock.
Corporate law experts say any new compensation package for Musk will likely be challenged in court unless Tesla's board either resigns en masse or follows a meticulous process to protect shareholders by passing a substantially smaller package.
“This is just a mess for them,” said Charles Elson, a retired corporate law professor and founder of the corporate governance center at the University of Delaware. “They kowtowed to this apparent superstar with poor results.”
Elson, who has followed the court for more than three decades, said this is the first time he can remember a judge invalidating an executive compensation plan at a public company.
Lawyers for Musk and the directors had countered that the plan was fairly negotiated by a compensation committee whose members were independent, and that it was blessed by a shareholder vote.
Shareholders who approved Musk’s deal, Elson said, were unaware that Musk essentially was negotiating with himself. “If the shareholders were aware of that, they may well have not approved it.”
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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https://www.wpxi.com/news/court-rejected-elon/5YYLNCCZ4KCLV7AAFN75PBS3CA/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:45Z
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Santander cautious about offering cheaper mortgages amid doubts over rate cuts
The boss of one of Britain’s biggest lenders said it was being cautious about offering lower mortgage rates because of doubts about how quickly central banks would cut borrowing costs.
The comments from Mike Regnier, chief executive of Santander UK, came as the Bank of England prepared to set out its latest decision on interest rates today.
The US Federal Reserve last night held rates in a range between 5.25 per cent and 5.5 per cent but suggested that a cut as soon as March was unlikely.
Rates in the UK look certain to stay put at 5.25 per cent today but markets are betting they could start to fall from May and drop to as low as 4.25 per cent by the end of the year.
That has prompted a scramble by lenders to cut the rates that they offer to mortgage borrowers even before the Bank of England acts.
Caution: Earlier this month, Spanish-owned Santander bucked the trend by raising rates on a number of its fixed rate mortgage deals
Yesterday, TSB became the latest to cut borrowing costs for home buyers.
But earlier this month, Spanish-owned Santander bucked the trend by raising rates on a number of its fixed-rate mortgage deals.
Regnier told the Mail that the decision was prompted by a rise in ‘swap’ rates that are used by lenders to price mortgages.
But he was also doubtful that Bank of England rates would fall as quickly as markets expect.
‘Put ourselves in the shoes of the Bank of England, I’d want to be absolutely convinced that we had tamed the inflation beast before loosening monetary policy too materially,’ Regnier said.
‘And that’s why our central case is that monetary policy will not be eased quite as quickly as the market’s expecting at the moment.’
Regnier noted that market pricing on swaps changed from day to day and that Santander is ‘certainly expecting that interest rates will come down this year’.
But asked whether his more conservative view on interest rates was behind Santander’s caution on mortgage pricing, Regnier said: ‘Yes, probably right.’
The comments suggest that doubts about the path of rate hikes could dampen the cheerier mood around the housing market at the start of this year.
Figures yesterday from Nationwide showed that house prices rose 0.7 per cent in January compared with December as lower mortgage rates helped revive demand.
It is the latest sign that the housing market is picking up after a tough 2023.
Santander UK’s annual results showed an £11.9billion fall in mortgage lending last year, though higher rates helped it to grow annual profits by 13 per cent to £2.1billion.
Regnier said: ‘We did see quite a big fall in demand last year. Our expectation is the market will be bigger in 2024.’
Last night, the US Federal Reserve turned up the heat on the Bank of England as chairman Jerome Powell said ‘almost everyone’ on its rate-setting committee ‘is in favour of moving rates down this year’.
However he suggested a cut at the Fed’s next meeting in March was ‘probably not the most likely’.
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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/markets/article-13029975/Santander-cautious-offering-cheaper-mortgages-amid-doubts-rate-cuts.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
| 2024-01-31T23:33:44Z
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Texts reveal discussions of hacking laptop of OnlyFans model’s dead boyfriend, warrant says
An arrest warrant for the parents of OnlyFans model and accused murderer Courtney Clenney lays out how she, her attorneys and her parents discussed trying to gain alleged illegal entry to her dead boyfriend’s computer, in a group text chat long after his death.
The nine-page arrest document says that in February 2023, with investigators unable to unlock Clenney and her parent’s cellphones, a judge signed off on a warrant giving police access to iCloud accounts that stored information inside those phones. The warrant says that once access was gained, investigators uncovered — among more than 4,000 messages — conversations between Clenney, her parents and Clenney’s South Florida attorneys, Frank Prieto and Sabrina Puglisi.
“Included within the group chat were various discussions about the victim’s laptop and how to access it,” Miami-Dade Police cyber crimes detective Adrian Perez wrote in the couple’s arrest warrant signed by Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Mindy Glazer earlier this month.
Clenney, 28, was charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of her boyfriend Christian Obumseli after a heated argument in their bayside Miami condominium in August 2022. News of the domestic strife between the young globetrotting couple — he a crypto currency trader, she a social media influencer with millions of followers — propelled the story to international headlines.
Parents arrested in Austin
Clenney’s parents, Deborah Lyn Clenney, 57 and Kim DeWayne Clenney, 60, were arrested Tuesday in Austin, Texas. They’ve been charged with a single count of illegally accessing Obumseli’s computer and are expected to be extradited to Miami. Florida prosecutors believe Kim Clenney grabbed the computer from his daughter’s apartment at Paraiso Bay in Miami’s Edgewater neighborhood, some time between Obumseli’s April 2022 death and his girlfriend’s arrest in Hawaii in August that same year.
The arrest warrant also says there is also probable cause to arrest Courtney Clenney with the same charge as her parents, though as of Wednesday she remained jailed in Miami and no new charge had been added. Her attorneys were expected at a hearing in Miami-Dade criminal court Thursday.
The arrest warrant for Courtney Clenney’s parents explains how several people linked to Clenney struggled to gain entry to an electronic device owned by Obumseli that may have held evidence related to the alleged crime — and how law enforcement was able to use legal maneuvers to uncover some of the discussions that took place.
Miami-Dade state prosecutors say that according to one message recovered from Deborah Clenney’s cellphone, Kim Clenney asked if anyone had left“...any potential passwords for the laptop.” State prosecutors believe the laptop referred to was Obumseli’s.
Prieto responds, according to investigators, “Yes, Sabrina and I have a list. We will provide.” The Sabrina referred to is most likely Clenney’s other attorney, Sabrina Puglisi.
Prieto had not responded to calls and text messages from the Miami Herald by Wednesday afternoon. Puglisi responded to a text shortly after 2 p.m. saying she was tied up and would get back to the Herald later in the afternoon.
Prieto released a statement to several local Miami television stations saying the arrests of Courtney Clenney’s parents could be “prosecutorial overreach and misconduct.”
“We believe the Clenney family has been targeted with some trumped-up charges to discredit them in the press and make their lives miserable. It stinks of a power play by prosecutors to control the narrative,” Prieto said in a statement reported by WPLG Channel 10 and others. “It appears the prosecutors are going for media mileage in this one with little or no evidence as we have yet to know what the true accusations are. It’s unnecessary and distasteful.”
Though Prieto and Puglisi are mentioned as trying to figure out how to access Obumseli’s computer in the warrant, they aren’t accused of any crimes.
The warrant says that when the group figured out the computer’s entry code in September 2023, Prieto responds, “Hell yeah! That PIN worked.”
It’s unclear what, if anything, was discovered or taken from the device.
Attorney Larry Handfield, who is representing the Obumselis in a lawsuit, said Tuesday night that the family is “at least satisfied that justice is being served.”
International news after murder
Everything alleged about Obumseli’s murder led to international media attention: Two young beautiful people living in an exclusive waterfront condo in sexy Miami in a relationship filled with domestic strife. They also spent time in Texas, traveled to Las Vegas and frequented Hawaii.
Known as Courtney Tailor on social media, she boasted over 2 million followers on various platforms.
Her attorneys have argued the killing was in self-defense and justified. Relatives of Obumseli assert he was never a threat. In the days following her arrest, investigators uncovered several episodes of what appeared to be Clenney attacking Obumseli.
Prosecutors released a series of text messages in which Obumseli accused his girlfriend of stabbing him twice as well as a recording of her screaming at him and using racial slurs. Clenney’s defense attorneys have slammed the recordings, text messages and other evidence as “one-sided” and being cherry-picked.
The couple had been dating for two years prior to Obumseli’s death. Clenney was once arrested for domestic battery in Las Vegas, and police were called several times to their home in Austin, Texas.
In Miami, staff at the condo building where they lived tried to evict them after numerous complaints. Surveillance video from February 2022 caught her attacking him in the elevator of their Miami apartment building. Police say they received a frantic call from Courtney Clenney on April 3, 2022.
She said her boyfriend had been stabbed.
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https://news.yahoo.com/texts-reveal-discussions-hacking-laptop-225017282.html
| 2024-01-31T23:33:45Z
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Tesla Inc TSLA shares are getting a lift in Wednesday’s after-hours session following reports the company plans to open a new U.S. battery plant.
What To Know: According to a Bloomberg report citing people familiar with the matter, Tesla plans to expand battery production in Nevada by opening a new facility using idle equipment from China's Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL).
The report indicates Tesla plans to buy machinery equipment from CATL to be installed in Sparks, Nevada. CATL will help Tesla set up the equipment, but the EV maker will have total control of the facility and cover all of the associated costs. The facility likely won't be operational until 2025.
The initiative is part of a broader effort to bring the supply chain for battery cells to the U.S. The plant will reportedly be used to make cells for Tesla’s Megapack product. Tesla’s current Megapack, which is designed for large-scale energy storage, already uses CATL cells.
Bloomberg also reported that Tesla has plans to double capacity at one of its existing battery factories in California this year. The move would align with comments from CEO Elon Musk on Tesla’s earnings call last week. The Tesla CEO said Tesla’s energy storage operations would outpace the growth of its EV business in 2024.
Check This Out: Elon Musk’s Compensation Is ‘Tornado Situation’ For Tesla: Analyst Calls For New Plan To Satisfy CEO, Shareholders
TSLA Price Action: Tesla shares closed Wednesday down 2.24%. The stock was up 0.33% after hours at $187.90 at the time of publication, according to Benzinga Pro.
Photo: Shutterstock
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/01/36879230/tesla-stock-is-trading-higher-after-hours-whats-going-on
| 2024-01-31T23:33:46Z
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HELENA — Former Montana Gov. Marc Racicot is again breaking with Republican leadership, signing onto a court filing supporting efforts to keep former President Donald Trump off the ballot in 2024.
Racicot joined two other former Republican governors from the 1990s – Bill Weld of Massachusetts and Christine Todd Whitman of New Jersey – in submitting an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court, as justices consider whether the state of Colorado can remove Trump from the ballot.
Last month, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled Trump wasn’t qualified for the ballot based on his actions leading up to the Jan. 6 riot. They cited the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which says no one can hold federal office if they “have engaged in insurrection or rebellion” against the U.S.
Racicot and the other governors argued in their brief that they and Trump have all taken oaths to protect and defend the Constitution. They said Trump violated his oath through actions that were “elevating his own political interests over the governmental stability secured by the peaceful transition of power.”
“Should Mr. Trump be permitted to stand again for election to the presidency, despite his past actions, neither Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment nor the oaths that undergird the bedrock premise that public officials serve to advance the welfare of the people and our common national project will ever be the same,” they continued. “They will have been rendered meaningless in their legal force and stripped of their moral authority and power.”
Racicot was twice elected governor as a Republican, serving from 1993 to 2001. However, in recent years, he’s angered state GOP leaders by endorsing Joe Biden over Trump in the 2020 presidential election and supporting Democratic-backed candidates in several Montana races. Last year, the state Republican Party Executive Committee approved a resolution rebuking Racicot.
Several top Montana Republicans have defended Trump’s place on the ballot. U.S. Sen. Steve Daines and the National Republican Senatorial Committee that he chairs submitted their own amicus brief, arguing that the Colorado Supreme Court had overstepped their authority.
“The right of all citizens to participate in free and fair elections and to vote for the candidate of their choice is the Constitution’s bedrock guarantee of American democracy,” their brief read. “The Colorado Supreme Court’s decision barring President Trump from the Republican Party’s primary election ballot breaches that guarantee and, if left standing, threatens to thwart the democratic process and the will of the American people in 2024 and beyond.”
Attorney General Austin Knudsen signed on to a brief with two dozen other Republican state attorneys general, saying the courts were wrong to take a position that Trump’s actions qualified as “insurrection.”
“[W]ithout a proclamation, courts—the Colorado Supreme Court included—are ill-equipped to second-guess the judgments of politicians, soldiers, and diplomats about how to label politically charged conflicts,” they said. “But when it comes to the events of January 6, at least, the Colorado court simply had no legal standard to apply.”
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https://www.kpax.com/news/racicot-splits-with-gop-leaders-backs-removing-trump-from-ballot
| 2024-01-31T23:33:47Z
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Nurses at Worcester hospital say their working conditions are endangering patients
Representatives of the Massachusetts Nurses Association said the hospital is several hundred nurses short of a full staff, with more on their way out.
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https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/video/nurses-at-worcester-hospital-say-their-working-conditions-are-endangering-patients/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:48Z
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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.
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https://kansaspublicradio.org/npr-news/2024-01-31/the-federal-reserve-holds-interest-rates-steady-but-signals-rate-cuts-may-be-coming
| 2024-01-31T23:33:48Z
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The Australian Judo Bank Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for January showed business growth eked out a crawl of 50.1 MoM, stepping up from December's 47.6 as Australia heads further into a soft landing economic scenario.
The seasonally-adjusted Manufacturing PMI saw a slight revision from the preliminary 50.3 that was previously posted, but the figure remains in positive territory above the key 50.0 level.
Broadly softer economic conditions in Australia have led to a general slowdown in business activity, including new business orders, including exports.
According to Warren Hogan, Chief Economic Advisor at Judo Bank:
While manufacturing activity was much weaker than service sector activity in late 2023, the jump in output and new orders in January has eased concerns that a manufacturing sector recession was developing. Business confidence also improved among manufacturers in January, with the future output index reaching its highest level since last August.
About the Australian Judo Bank Manufacturing PMI
The Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI), released on a monthly basis by Judo Bank and S&P Global, is a leading indicator gauging business activity in Australia’s manufacturing sector. The data is derived from surveys of senior executives at private-sector companies. Survey responses reflect the change, if any, in the current month compared to the previous month and can anticipate changing trends in official data series such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP), industrial production, employment and inflation. The index varies between 0 and 100, with levels of 50.0 signaling no change over the previous month. A reading above 50 indicates that the manufacturing economy is generally expanding, a bullish sign for the Australian Dollar (AUD). Meanwhile, a reading below 50 signals that activity among goods producers is generally declining, which is seen as bearish for AUD.
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https://www.fxstreet.com/news/australias-judo-bank-january-manufacturing-pmi-climbs-to-501-from-476-202401312206
| 2024-01-31T23:33:49Z
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New textbook strategy for rural schools
Bulawayo Bureau
INFORMATION technology servers are to be set up in rural schools by the Government to enable schools to access textbooks virtually as part of efforts to tackle challenges associated with the shortage of reading material, a contributory factor to a low pass rate.
The Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) last week released Ordinary Level results showing that the pass rate was at 29 percent.
Over the years, the pass rate issue has sparked debate as it has shown that the majority of the learners were failing to acquire five Ordinary Level passes with a Grade C or better.
In an interview, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Torerai Moyo said Government is concerned with the low pass rate in schools.
He said it has become evident that the worst of the pass rate was recorded in rural schools.
Minister Moyo said while learners in urban schools have fully embraced online learning, the situation is different for rural learners as they are still struggling to access reading material.
“Learners have no access to the internet and that has contributed to the low pass rate. We are, however, aiming to improve that,” he said.
“We have contacted some development partners who are coming on board to ensure that we are going to provide online learning in the rural areas including those remote areas without internet connectivity.
“We will provide a server so that every child within a radius of 200 metres has access to notes, and e-books from the server.”
Minister Moyo said the teaching and learning material would be uploaded to the server and the pupils will also be able to submit assignments on the same platform.
He said the shortage of teachers is also contributing to low pass rates as some schools are operating with a huge teacher-to-pupil ratio.
Minister Moyo said while the pass rate remains below the 50 percent average, Government is satisfied with the commitment shown by teachers in delivering education.
“We are very happy and excited that the pass rate is increasing yearly and it’s a reflection of the hard work by our teachers. However, 29 percent is not good enough, and we would expect 50 percent of the learners to pass,” he said.
Minister Moyo said Government in partnership with Global Partnership for Education (GPE) is set to pour out US$1,2 million to support the registration of 250 schools that are almost complete in construction.
“We are going to disburse US$5 000 this term to those schools that are at least 80 percent complete. If a satellite school is close to registration, we are going to give it financial support from GPE,” he said.
“We are targeting 250 schools by the end of the first term to have received, and if we manage to register 250 schools we are going to unlock more funds.
“It means the following year we would have 500 schools that are going to benefit.”
Minister Moyo said Government also commended the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for reaffirming its commitment to build more schools across the country.
He said Bulawayo and Matabeleland South are expected to benefit from the partnership with the church which has already built several classroom blocks in schools in Bulawayo.
Minister Moyo said the church had a programme to drill 100 boreholes across the country with each province getting 10.
He invited investors to construct schools as the country has a deficit of 2 800 learning institutions.
“Remember we have a shortage of schools to the tune of 2 800. We want partners to come on board including individuals who have money to build boarding schools. Last year, those who wrote Grade Seven examinations were 275 000 learners, with 25 000 boarding facilities available, which shows that there is a gap,” said Minister Moyo.
“We are calling upon individuals to construct their own schools and privatise those schools. What we don’t want is a mission school to start thinking of privatising.”
The minister also warned teachers against teaching extra school lessons for money, saying they risk facing disciplinary action.
He said the ministry has received reports that some teachers are coercing parents and guardians to pay extra lesson fees so that they teach their children.
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https://www.herald.co.zw/new-textbook-strategy-for-rural-schools/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:49Z
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PRETORIA, South Africa (LifeSiteNews) — An emerging split is appearing in Africa as the Southern African bishops’ conference rejected the continent’s leading prelate and stated that will implement blessings for homosexual couples “with prudence.”
In a statement issued January 30, the bishops from Southern Africa (SACBC) announced briefly that they had decided that “the stipulations of the Declaration (Fiducia Supplicans) be implemented with prudence.”
The bishops’ statement came at the conclusion of their plenary meeting, during which they discussed topics related to “synodality,” the national elections, and the Vatican’s December 18 text Fiducia Supplicans.
In full, their brief statement read:
Regarding the Vatican document on blessings of persons in irregular unions Fiducia Supplicans, the bishops agreed that the stipulations of the Declaration be implemented with prudence.
In a video-recorded press conference, SACBC spokesman Cardinal Stephen Breslin acknowledged that the bishops’ stance was a “slightly different stand from the rest of Africa,” saying it was due “ultimately” to the fact that “it’s up to the local bishop to see how to implement this.”
“This is quite clear, because it’s a pastoral issue, not a doctrinal issue. It’s certainly not a criticism of them,” Breslin said about the different stance taken by the African bishops opposing Fiducia Supplicans, adding that “they must just see and assess their own particular situations.”
Continuing, SACBC president Bishop Sithembele Sipuka noted that “same-sex unions” are “not in accordance with the will of God, “and yet the cardinal [Breslin] has said even people who have deviated, or are deviating from the will of God, are not excluded from the blessings of God, especially if they spontaneously ask for this blessing. Giving it brings a sense of hope, you know, that these people may eventually repent.”
Sipuka continued by saying that individuals find “different” ways to God, “maybe you go this way or that way,” and that it was “with that desire” that the SACBC had decided to move forward with implementing Fiducia Supplicans.
Breslin added that there is currently “an opportunity for us all to realize that we are all meant to live chaste lives,” and that “any couple that comes, our prayer is obviously that they will chaste lives.”
“Chastity means that you live your sexuality according to particular status in life,” Breslin said.
“The difficulty that the Church has in this,” he continued, “is not that somebody’s gay, and it’s not even that they live together, it’s their sexual expression which is not in accordance with God’s (will).
“So I think the prayer is always for people to live a chaste life and in talking about homosexuals or other people in irregular situations it is actually a challenge to all of us to make surer that we do live chaste lives,” Breslin said.
The SACBC statement cautiously accepting and implementing Fiducia Supplicans comes in opposition to the continent-wide response issued by Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo on January 11 in which he collated the responses of bishops’ conferences across African and Madagascar. Such blessings of homosexual couples could not take place without causing “scandals,” and since the Church’s teaching “on marriage and sexuality remains unchanged,” Ambongo’s letter declared that:
we, the African bishops, do not consider it appropriate for Africa to bless homosexual unions or same-sex couples because, in our context, this would cause confusion and would be in direct contradiction to the cultural ethos of African communities.
Since then, however, the bishops in the north of the continent announced that they will offer blessings for same-sex couples.
READ: Northern African bishops’ conference endorses blessings for homosexual ‘couples’
The January 15 statement from the conference of the north region of African (CERNA) read: “When people in an irregular situation come together to ask for a blessing, we can give it provided that it does not cause confusion for the interested parties themselves or for others.”
Africa has emerged as the center of opposition to the Vatican’s text proposing blessings of homosexual couples, with numerous bishops’ conferences announcing their rejection of the document just days after its publication.
READ: FULL LIST – Where do bishops stand on blessings for homosexual couples?
Catholic bishops in Cameroon not only rejected such blessings but added that “homosexuality falsifies and corrupts human anthropology and trivializes sexuality, marriage, and the family, the foundations of society. In fact, homosexuality sets humanity against itself and destroys it.”
With both CERNA and the SACBC now opposing Ambongo, it remains to be seen if additional African bishops in the center of the continent will quietly ignore Ambongo’s letter and offer blessings of homosexual couples or defend Catholic teaching.
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https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/southern-african-bishops-to-offer-homosexual-blessings-with-prudence/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:50Z
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JACKSON, Miss. — (AP) — Mississippi could allow Medicaid coverage earlier in pregnancy in an effort to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies in a poor state with the nation's worst rate of infant mortality.
With wide bipartisan support, the state House passed a bill Wednesday to allow up to 60 days of “presumptive eligibility” for Medicaid, starting July 1. This means a pregnant woman's outpatient medical care would be paid by Medicaid as her application for coverage by the government insurance program is being considered.
Processing Medicaid applications can take weeks, and physicians say early prenatal care is important.
House Medicaid Committee Chairwoman Missy McGee of Hattiesburg pointed out that Mississippi has high rates of fetal mortality, infant mortality and maternal mortality.
“I think this will go a long way in helping moms and babies be healthy ... and give babies the best shot for a healthy life," McGee said.
Mississippi ranks worst in the U.S. for infant mortality, with Black infants nearly twice as likely as white ones to die over the past decade, according to a report unveiled Jan. 18 by the state Department of Health.
Presumptive Medicaid eligibility during pregnancy would be based on questions about income, asked by health care providers such as employees of county health departments. If a woman's Medicaid application is ultimately rejected because her income is too high, Medicaid would still pay health care providers for services they provided during the time of presumptive eligibility.
McGee said presumptive eligibility could cost the Medicaid program just under $600,000 a year.
Medicaid is funded by federal and state governments, with the federal government paying at least 50% of costs in all states and a higher share in poorer states. The federal government pays for nearly 77% of Medicaid expenses in Mississippi.
In Mississippi, Medicaid coverage for pregnant women 19 and older is based on income. A woman who is in that age category and has no dependents can earn up to about $29,000 and qualify for Medicaid during pregnancy. A pregnant woman in that age category who has three dependents can earn up to $59,700 and qualify.
Mississippi Medicaid coverage is available to all income levels for those who are pregnant and younger than 19.
Democratic Rep. John Hines Sr. of Greenville said earlier eligibility for Medicaid coverage during pregnancy could help the state in recruiting OB-GYNs.
“Where we are right now is that we are last in everything," Hines said. "This is a step toward making Mississippi a better place.”
The bill passed the House 117-5. It moves to the Senate for more work in coming weeks. Republicans control both chambers.
About 41% of births in the U.S. and 57% in Mississippi were financed by Medicaid in 2022, according to the health policy research group KFF. Only Louisiana had a larger share of births covered by Medicaid that year, at 61%.
In 2023, Mississippi extended postpartum Medicaid coverage from two months to a full year, with Republican Gov. Tate Reeves saying the change was part of a "new pro-life agenda" to help mothers in a state where abortion is tightly restricted.
____
Associated Press/Report For America reporter Michael Goldberg contributed to this report.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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https://www.wpxi.com/news/health/mississippi-eyes/JFYXHUZVW6GAJQVPRL4G47FATY/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:51Z
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The history of Australia is a history founded on settler colonialism and the erasure of First Nations Peoples. The myth of terra nullius continues to erase Indigenous sovereignty and photography has been integral to documenting and strengthening its violent ideologies of genocide, forced assimilation and land dispossession.
In (Dis)connected to Country, Jahkarli Felicitas Romanis grapples with the question of whether photographs can have their own agency. Dissecting the archives alongside oral histories, Romanis interrogates the possibility of self-determination in representations of Country and self, examining photo-making technologies and the biases encoded within them. She calls it a ‘project of revival, healing and mapping back to Pitta Pitta Country’, reflecting on her personal family history, specifically the removal of Romanis’ great-grandmother Dolly in the early 1900s during the Stolen Generations era.
In this article:
Journey into academia
In 2021, Romanis commenced a PhD at Monash University through the Wominjeka Djeembana Indigenous Research Lab and has since intertwined her creative practice as an artist and curator with her academic practice as a researcher. She says, ‘Doing this PhD project is an opportunity to shift and subvert Western academia and Western systems of knowledge from within the very walls [where] they are created, engrained and legitimised. It is an opportunity to disprove the myth that Indigenous Knowledges are not “academic” and that First Nations people cannot exist nor contribute in these spaces.
‘It allows me to use university resources to work with community and to share this project with my family. Learning about my family histories and my people is a gift. As part of my PhD, last year I was able to go to Country with my mum and aunt to reconnect with kin and spend time on Pitta Pitta Country. Being accountable to Country and community is at the core of my PhD. For me, if it is disconnected from these things, it is not worth doing.’
She continues, ‘I owe my journey into academia to all the people who have believed in me and, most importantly, to my family. I would not be doing this if it wasn’t for their unwavering support, resistance and strength. Everything that I am, and everything that I make is for them.
‘In all of my education, I hadn’t had any First Nations teachers until I began studying within the Wominjeka Djeembana Indigenous Research Lab at Monash. To be surrounded by phenomenal First Nations artists and academics is so special and very powerful. It gives me strength to be in institutional spaces, to hold space for myself, and for other First Nations people. I’m incredibly grateful to be part of the Wominjeka Djeembana community.’
Archival resistance
Despite the colonial nature of archives, Romanis believes that they can be used to resist their own colonial mythologising. She explains, ‘Photography can be used to reclaim agency over colonial subjugation by acknowledging its colonial use and using those same images in a way that seeks to be more productive, sharing the narrative that exists beyond that of colonial subjugation.’
For those who have historically been seen as objects rather than subjects, she points out the importance of ‘calling it out for what it is, but also using and working with those same photographs in a way that ties further perspectives and stories into the image, rather than focusing on the colonial narrative that sits behind the photograph’.
She says, ‘My work attempts to submerse [my great-grandmother] Dolly back into Country, while subverting the colonial gaze forced on her by [Norman] Tindale and his team of “researchers”. Acknowledging that while the archive is problematic, it allows Aboriginal people to access information about their families and history. Without Tindale’s work, I wouldn’t know who I am. Although the documentation of my family is incredibly reductive and extractive, the kind of tension I’m dealing with is that a lot of this information has been really important for my family to learn about where we’ve come from.’
When the archive is re-appropriated and utilised as a means for reconnecting and rewriting the narrative on her own sovereign terms, it ceases to be instrumentalised for colonial subjugation alone, instead becoming a way to reconnect with her Ancestors.
Romanis’ art draws from the lived experiences of her family and seeks to decentre the acts of oppression inflicted upon them, focusing on their resilience, strength and survival. She says the project has ‘enabled a sense of curiosity towards my family history and a creative way of working through, expressing and reflecting on a lot of these traumatic truths, but also the resilience of my people and of my family’.
Unlearning colonial knowledges through oral histories
In Western, colonial practices, specifically in institutional settings of knowledge such as universities and libraries, legitimacy is afforded primarily to the written word. Romanis began unpacking this during her residency at the Melbourne Art Library in 2022. She used communal interventions and strategies of questioning and de-accessioning problematic sources of knowledge. She also wrote poems during the residency:
‘I search incessantly for words which are me
…
They are the words written in a language which I know. A language which I also speak, but a language which isn’t mine
…
I search incessantly for glimpses of you.
Proof that we are real.
Proof that I am of you, and you of me.
…
I flick pages so as to learn, but I don’t learn from you. Only about you.’
She explains, ‘Within an educational context, a lot of the books I read about Australian history during high school were from a colonial perspective, written by the coloniser and not the colonised. The voice within them is very skewed and one-sided.’
Her understanding of Pitta Pitta Country is informed by oral histories. She continues, ‘Oral histories are the ways we share knowledge and information, and connect to one another. Yarning is an important cornerstone of communicating and truth-telling, having conversations with family members and building my own kind of context for identity… This project wouldn’t exist without oral histories, and I wouldn’t exist without oral histories. Oral histories have contributed to our survival as Aboriginal people; [they are] how we learn about ourselves and culture.’
Country and self
In (Dis)connected to Country, to be exhibited at Hillvale Gallery in March, Romanis experiments with ‘placing myself (in a photographical sense) back into Country through using layering’.
‘That submersion speaks to my dislocation from Country, but also the dislocation experienced by my family and how I can use photographs as a tool of coming back to Country, being on Country.’
This ongoing body of work explores her identity as a Pitta Pitta woman and her connection to Country, linking her past and present. She explains, ‘It acknowledges the importance of Country to cultural identity, but also the yearning experienced when being away from Country. These are images of an embodied experience – in many ways, my body is an archive.’
Read: Art centres go above and beyond
During her Honours degree, Romanis needed to go to Pitta Pitta Country. However, the onset of the pandemic made this impossible during that time. Instead, she visited Pitta Pitta Country virtually via Google Earth, which sparked her interest in the limits of technology in representing place and the colonial politics of mapping.
In an article for The Conversation, she highlighted that Western maps have biases and are not neutral tools, placing emphasis on their hidden subjective and colonial agenda. Romanis seeks to expose the inherent biases in contemporary digital mapping technologies and where these technologies dysfunction, degrade and break down within themselves.
Resilience and family
Romanis emphasises the importance of ‘not only pointing the finger at colonial myths’ within photographs of Pitta Pitta Country and her family, but also ‘moving beyond that and ingraining and enforcing my own story into those very same images’.
For her, this means ‘acknowledging the link between self and Country and that there are multiple histories and knowledges of Country outside of a colonial understanding of place’.
‘Terra nullius as a myth seeks to erase Indigenous connections to place, but also doesn’t acknowledge that Aboriginal people were here for thousands and thousands of years before colonial occupation.’
When Romanis looks back at the portrait of Dolly, she has an overwhelming ‘feeling of awe around her strength’. She says, ‘I see my mum in her, I see my grandmother in her. I owe this project to her and her life. It’s a testament to the kind of woman that she was and the kind of woman that I am striving to be.’
Photographs can serve as time portals into the past. ‘I often think Dolly communicates with me through her portrait that Tindale made,’ says Romanis. ‘A lot of First Peoples’ understanding of time is not linear, is not forward thinking. The photograph speaks to this in a way because it’s a photograph of Dolly existing in the present from a moment in the past. I interact with her through this photo; she speaks to me from the past.’
Speaking of her practice, Romanis adds, ‘The images and poems I make within my practice do a similar thing. I’m speaking with my Ancestors through my arts practice, but the outcome of making also leaves something for those who come after me.’
She concludes, ‘Ultimately, at the end of it all, my only hope is to be someone that my younger self would have looked up to. I create and work with those who come after me in mind, constantly inspired by those who have come before.’
(Dis)connected to Country will be on view at Hillvale Gallery as part of PHOTO2024, 1-24 March.
This article is published under the Amplify Collective, an initiative supported by The Walkley Foundation and made possible through funding from the Meta Australian News Fund.
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https://www.artshub.com.au/news/features/disconnected-to-country-mapping-the-intersections-of-place-identity-and-family-2699519/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:51Z
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Google may be adding a new Bluetooth feature for Android 15 that could allow broadcasting audio to nearby devices, according to Android Authority. Currently, unless someone is using an app with a built-in social listening feature like Spotify, it can be challenging for them to share what they are listening to with everyone else in their group. However, Auracast is said to be able to use Bluetooth Low Energy without the need for pairing.
In order for this to work, both the sender and receiver will need to have Auracast for it to work, which will only be available for the latest version. This is based on a work-in-progress code that is hidden at present. Android Authority reports that it is possible that “such predicted features may not make it to a public release.”
While investigating the Android 14 QPR2 Beta 3 release, there were a number of new audio “strings” reportedly found within the Settings function. It apparently contained a toggle for sharing audio, along with a button for scanning a QR code to link to a nearby audio stream, a button for selecting a different Bluetooth device for listening, and a section displaying a list of nearby audio streams.
Although Android 13 can already connect to nearby LE Audio broadcasts through a button in Android’s media output switcher, Google is believed to be making this feature more prominent in the Settings for Android 15.
What could we expect from Android 15?
Google hasn’t published official information on Android 15 and its possible release dates, however, it is expected that the company may launch the Android 15 Developer Preview in February or March 2024. There has been speculation regarding Android 15 bringing back lock screen widgets, a functionality removed from the operating system with Android 5.0 Lollipop.
Reports from Android Police also indicate that Android 15 has been named Vanilla Ice Cream, succeeding Android 14’s Upside Down Cake. This name, Vanilla Ice Cream, is said to be a homage to Android’s history. The term “vanilla Android” is commonly used to describe the basic version of Android, a nod to “plain android.”
It's a bit earlier than usual, but it seems the internal dessert code-name for Android 15 V has been revealed: "Vanilla Ice Cream". pic.twitter.com/pRTFJ4iIfO
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) March 3, 2023
Mishaal Rahman from Android Authority revealed that the cloud file selection for the Photo Picker will enable apps utilizing the native Photo Picker for media sharing to access images stored in Google Photos’ cloud storage, rather than being limited to only local files.
Another feature reportedly found in many custom skins is Private Space. It generates a list of apps that can be secured with a password or biometric feature, similar to Samsung’s Secure Folder.
Featured image: Canva
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https://readwrite.com/android-15-google-may-update-bluetooth-audio-sharing/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:51Z
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Senate Republicans demanded that President Biden's national security funding package for Ukraine be tied to policy changes to address the crisis at the southwest border. But now that negotiators say they are ready to release details of a bipartisan plan to reduce the surge of migrants at the border, Republican divisions could scuttle the plan.
Months of negotiations between the Republicans, Democrats and the Biden administration officials are now threatened by politics. Former President Trump, the GOP's likely 2024 presidential nominee, has been publicly slamming the deal and urging lawmakers to oppose it.
Negotiators started the week promising to release a bill in the coming days. But by Wednesday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell appeared to signal he's ready to move on, and focus on getting money to two key U.S. allies at war.
"It's time for us to move something, hopefully including the border agreement, but we need to get help to Israel and Ukraine, quickly," McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters.
McConnell has consistently argued that divided government is the moment to extract demands on border policy from Democrats.
Pressed about what voters would think of GOP lawmakers who sink a bill because Trump directed them to, McConnell sidestepped the question. "I still favor trying to make law when you can" and said what the bipartisan group is working on is better than current immigration law, adding, "you're asking me, a question I can't answer right now, which is the fate of it."
Senators already know key details
The top Democratic negotiator working on a border plan, Chris Murphy, D-Conn., has signaled for days that the deal is basically done, but getting sign off from the GOP to move ahead is the hold up.
"We have a bipartisan agreement to help address the crisis at the border. Republicans have been desperate for that. Why would they walk away from it?"
Senate Republicans huddled at their weekly lunch on Wednesday to discuss next steps, but the consensus coming out of the meeting was that lawmakers want to see the details.
But after weeks of negotiations, the key provisions have already been explained to lawmakers from both parties.
The bill includes several tools to address the border, including: giving the president the ability to shutdown the border if the numbers of migrants attempting to enter the U.S. climbs above a certain threshold, adjusting the rules for who qualifies for asylum and allowing migrants authorization to work while awaiting adjudication of their asylum claim.
Extended negotiations opened space for critics
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said the effort is "an uphill climb" because as the talks have continued, some members have impressions about what the proposal will do and "there are certain people who will never change their mind."
Tillis has said a border plan needs to get the majority of Senate Republicans in order to move ahead. But Trump injecting himself into the process has caused many lawmakers to refrain from backing the framework, making it tougher to meet that test.
Oklahoma GOP Sen. Jim Lankford is crafting the plan along with Murphy and Independent Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. Lankford spent time on Sunday talk shows swatting down leaks about the plan that conservative media outlets are painting as a green light for 5,000 additional migrants a day.
Texas Republican Sen, John Cornyn, who was an early advocate of linking money for Ukraine to changes to the Biden administration's policies, said people need time to see an official piece of legislation.
"People are talking about what they think is in it, and what they've heard is in it, what's not in it,' Cornyn told reporters. "I think the first thing we need to do is see where the conference is based on the text rather than just based on rumors and hearsay."
Tillis called Wednesday's meeting "a good discussion." But added, "I would ask those same members who are calling for time to read it, but not judge something they haven't read."
Others who came out against the bill already are already dismissing the proposals.
"I think this is a bad bill," Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Tx., told reporters. "And the simplest reason is it doesn't solve the problem."
Cruz blamed Senate Democrats for crafting a bill that "allows Joe Biden to continue the open borders," despite the months of bipartisan negotiations that have taken place. President Biden endorsed the proposal and said last week if Congress passes it he would immediately shutdown the border.
Some optimisim remains
Murphy remained optimistic on Wednesday that the deal would survive and come to the floor for a vote, possibly as soon as this week.
He said a "sizable, important group of Republican senators" are making a good faith effort to get something done on the border, and suggested that others are making disingenuous arguments about needing to see the full text.
"This is not a detailed study of the issue. This is a question as to whether they are going to put Trump before solving the problem," Murphy said.
Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
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https://www.knau.org/npr-news/2024-01-31/senate-gop-split-threatens-bipartisan-border-deal-as-trump-looms-large
| 2024-01-31T23:33:51Z
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DOOM can run on virtually anything... we've seen it on fridges, MacBook Touch Bars, and even pregnancy tests... and now DOOM is running on human E. Coli gut bacteria, and we're not kidding. Check it out:
MIT biotechnology PhD student researcher Lauren "Ren" Ramlan concepted a very interesting 32 x 48 resolution, 1-bit display made up using E. coli cells, with each cell effectively acting as an individual pixel by lighting them up using a fluorescent protein.
DOOM isn't really "running" here because you're not getting 30FPS, let alone 60FPS or anything higher, as the cells are extremely limited in their ability. Still, it did successfully run on the walls of cells as a display for DOOM, rendering gameplay using the illuminated E. coli.
- Read more: DOOM Eternal running on a fridge... Hell has never been so cool
- Read more: Watch DOOM running on the MacBook Pro's Touch Bar
- Read more: DOOM runs on everything... even pregnancy tests
- Read more: DOOM runs on basically anything, but seeing it run on a keyboard keycap is wild
Ram got DOOM to display a single frame of simplified black-and-white gameplay at a resolution of just 32 x 48, a far cry from the 320 x 240 resolution that I played DOOM on when it first launched in the '90s. The cells would take 70 minutes to illuminate and 8 hours and 20 minutes to return to their starting state once they no longer needed to be illuminated to display DOOM.
This means you're looking at over 8 hours to display 1FPS (which is a frame per second), so 1 frame per 8+ hours means you'll get 3 frames in 24 hours. In order to display 30FPS, which is what you would've been running DOOM at on a decent PC back in the 90s, you'd need 10 entire days to achieve 30 frames displayed. Nice, real nice... this brings new meaning to the word "potato" when referring to consoles versus superior PC hardware.
Ram also did the math on how long it would take to complete DOOM, where the average playthrough of the game takes around 5 hours, and the original game running at its capped maximum of 36FPS, the cell display would take around 599 years to play DOOM from start to finish. Five hundred and ninety-nine years.
Right, better get to it... prepare your gut bacteria, and you can finish DOOM in 599 years; in the meantime, you'll need some life extension technology. I guess the reason you could write down on the paperwork would be, "I need to live forever because I need to finish DOOM running on my gut bacteria, and that's going to take 599 years." it would work, hopefully.
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https://www.tweaktown.com/news/95944/mit-biotechnology-student-gets-doom-running-on-human-coli-gut-bacteria/index.html
| 2024-01-31T23:33:51Z
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Alec Baldwin pleads not guilty over shooting of cinematographer on Rust film set
The 65-year-old filed a waiver of arraignment on Wednesday.
US actor Alec Baldwin has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter over the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film Rust.
The 65-year-old filed a waiver of arraignment on Wednesday opting to plead not guilty a day before a scheduled court appearance in the First Judicial District Court of Santa Fe, New Mexico, which will now not take place.
In court documents, he said: “I plea not guilty to all of the charges in the complaint or citation.”
Baldwin, the lead actor and a co-producer of the film, was pointing a gun at Ms Hutchins during a rehearsal in October 2021 when the weapon went off, killing her and wounding director Joel Souza.
The actor has said he pulled back the hammer, but not the trigger, and the gun fired.
He was initially charged in January last year but those charges were formally dismissed three months later.
Earlier in January 2024, special prosecutors brought the case before a grand jury in Santa Fe after receiving a new analysis of the gun, and Baldwin was re-charged.
Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the film’s armourer, has previously pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering and is set to go on trial on February 21.
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https://www.shropshirestar.com/entertainment/showbiz/2024/01/31/alec-baldwin-pleads-not-guilty-over-shooting-of-cinematographer-on-rust-film-set/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:51Z
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- Cairo celebrates hometown hero's birthday.
- The Jackie Robinson Boys & Girls Club is considered a major resource to local parents.
- WATCH the story to hear what neighborhood kids have to say about the program.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
If you're from Cairo, you know why January 31st is a special day.
I'm taking a closer look at one club's mission to empower kids in our community...and how a baseball legend inspired it all.
"Teaching me right from wrong... Stuff like that,” Jackie Robinson Boys & Girls club member.
"I love the people that are here.. I love the teachers. Especially when they push us through hard times,” Jackie Robinson Boys & Girls club member.
Almost a hundred local children are a part of the Jackie Robinson Boys & Girls Club here in Cairo.
Local parents credit the program as a major resource.
"It's the village that it gives me,” according to Julisa Herring.
Herring is a mother of three.
She said as a working mom knowing her children are treated as family when they walk through the Jackie Robinson Boys & Girls club's doors gives her a sense of ease while she works.
"Most of the staff here treats them like family,” said Herring.
Especially on days like January 31.
It is a special day for the club as they honor the birthday of major league baseball legend Jackie Robinson.
By getting out on the field to play ball.
"Making sure we uphold his name and legacy,” Stephen Francis, executive director of the club.
Francis is the executive director of the club.
He said they make sure members of the club are the town's future.
"These kids that are coming up are going to learn the skills needed in order to take over our jobs one day,” said Francis.
Leaders from the club tell me the non-profit that gives back so much to the community stands in need of—
"You know.. Funding,” said Francis.
Despite that challenge Francis tells me the community supports the club the best it can.
And doesn't plan on stopping when it comes to supporting local parents like Herring.
If you didn't have the Boys and Girls Club here.. What would you do as a parent? Said WTXL neighborhood reporter AJ Douglas.
"Honestly I don't know. [but] My kids love coming here,” said Herring.
Other children I spoke to just told me.
"It's a hot sunny beautiful day for baseball,” said Jackie Robinson, a Boys & Girls club member.
Leaders at the Jackie Robinson Boys and girls are working to raise more money to support the success of their new downtown location.
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https://www.wtxl.com/bainbridge/walking-in-the-footsteps-of-a-legend-cairo-kids-celebrate-hometown-hero-jackie-robinsons-birthday
| 2024-01-31T23:33:51Z
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The Joymount venue was hosting a fashion show fundraiser in support of the Royal Victoria Children’s Hospital in March of 2012. And the photographer also dropped in at the Monday night quiz in February of the following year.
Whether a fashionista or a quizzer enjoy the trip back in time.
1. Night Out
Claire McKeegan, Margaret Halligan and Wendy Halligan attended the 2012 fashion show held at Ownies. Photo: Tim Cully
2. Night Out
Taking part in the fashion show held at Ownies to raise money for the Royal Victoria Children's Hospital were Sian McCorkell, Julie McReynolds and Emma McKeown. Photo: Tim Cully
3. Night Out
James Wallace, pictured with Ownies staff Jackie Ford and Ryan Moffett who organised the charity fashion show in 2012. Photo: Tim Cully
4. Night Out
On the catwalk at Ownies in 2012. Photo: Tim Cully
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https://www.northernirelandworld.com/news/people/24-great-photos-from-a-night-out-at-ownies-carrickfergus-2012-and-2013-4500507
| 2024-01-31T23:33:51Z
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SANTA FE, N.M. — Actor Alec Baldwin has pleaded not guilty to an involuntary manslaughter charge in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer during a rehearsal on a movie set in New Mexico.
Court documents filed Wednesday show Baldwin entered the plea in state district court in Santa Fe, waiving an arraignment Thursday that was scheduled to take place remotely by video conference.
Baldwin, the lead actor and a co-producer on the Western movie ''Rust,'' was pointing a gun at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal outside Santa Fe in October 2021 when the gun went off, killing her and wounding director Joel Souza.
Baldwin says that he pulled back the hammer, but not the trigger, and the gun fired.
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https://m.startribune.com/alec-baldwin-pleads-not-guilty-to-involuntary-manslaughter-charge-in-fatal-film-set-shooting/600340058/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:50Z
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All eyes were on new Married At First Sight bride Lauren Dunn as she stepped out to attend her first event as an influencer over the weekend.
The 32-year-old PR maven, who is tipped to be at the centre of all the drama on the series, turned heads as she attended a luxury Veuve Clicquot party on board The Jackson in Sydney.
Lauren, who already boasts 12,900 followers on her food account, commanded attention in a strapless teal dress with a plunging neckline.
She accessorised her look with a choker necklace that had multiple small pendants and a bracelet on her left wrist.
The former AFL WAG was joined by her co-star and fellow MAFS groom Tristan Black, who embodied went casual in a white polo T-shirt and black chinos.
All eyes were on new Married At First Sight bride Lauren Dunn as she stepped out to attend her first event as an influencer over the weekend
The former AFL WAG was joined by fellow MAFS groom Tristan Black, who embodied went casual in a white polo T-shirt and black chinos
Dunn went about her best efforts to keep a low-profile, avoiding getting her picture taken with other reality stars.
Meanwhile, Tim Robards was also in attendance.
The 41-year-old OG bachelor was seen mingling with Wesley Senna Cortes, who appeared on the latest season of the dating show.
Laura Csortan (pictured) Skye Leckie, Al Perkins, Ollie Skelton, and beauty guru Michael Brown were among the guests in attendance
Tim Robards was also in attendance, dressed in a crisp white linen shirt left casually unbuttoned at the top, paired with matching shorts
The 41-year-old OG bachelor was seen mingling with Wesley Senna Cortes, who appeared on the latest season of the dating show
Laura Csortan, Skye Leckie, Al Perkins, Ollie Skelton, and beauty guru Michael Brown were also among other guests in attendance.
The event featured champagne-soaked moments, Clicquot-inspired canapés, deluxe oyster bar and of course all the best vibes being with your friends cruising through Sydney's Harbour dancing to Sydney's hottest DJs.
Limited tickets to experience Veuve Clicquot in the Sun are on sale for $155 here.
The event featured champagne-soaked moments, Clicquot-inspired canapés, a deluxe oyster bar and of course all the best vibes as guests were cruised through Sydney's Harbour
|
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-13015633/Tim-Robards-spotted-mingling-new-MAFS-stars-Sydney.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
| 2024-01-31T23:33:51Z
|
On Air Now
Radio X Chilled with Sarah Gosling 10pm - 1am
31 January 2024, 22:57
The Southend-on-Sea outfit played the Radio X Presents gig at the iconic north-west London venue to a select group of fans.
Nothing But Thieves delivered a stunning set at O2 Forum Kentish Town this Wednesday (31st January), offering up the perfect cure to the January blues.
The extra special gig, which was part of our Radio X Presents series, saw the Southend five-piece treat their fans and Radio X listeners to songs from across their four studio albums, including their most recent UK No.1 smash, Dead Club City.
As soon as the doors opened, their fervent fans (some of whom had been queuing since 8am) rushed to bag a coveted spot at the very front of the stage.
After an introduction from Radio X's Toby Tarrant, the band - comprised of Conor Mason, Joe Langridge-Brown, Dominic Craik, Phillip Blake and James Price - kicked off proceedings with Welcome To The DCC, the infectious lead single and album opener to their Dead Club City LP.
"Make some noise," cried frontman Conor Mason as the band infused the danced track with their rock roots. Then, much to the delight of the crowd, the Southend-on-Sea rockers launched into some of their well-known favourites, such as the riff-tastic Is Everybody Going Crazy? (prompting a huge singalong from the crowd) and Futureproof from their 2020 Moral Panic album, alongside early favourites from their 2015 debut, Drawing Pins and Jam.
In a contrast to their previous Radio X Presents gig, which saw them unable to perform to a live audience due to the UK's lockdown restrictions, the crowds were out in full force at the 2,300-strong venue, letting out piercing screams and singing along with every word.
Addressing the crowd, their frontman gushed: "It's a massively privilege to be able to do this. It's nice to see everyone's faces," adding that it was "a bit nerve-wracking" due to the intimate size of the crowd.
"Also if the Radio X program is slightly s*** tomorrow," he joked, "It's because the DJs will all be getting pissed tonight. They know who they are."
Highlights included the synth-laden indie earworm Real Love Song and the heartbreaking ballad, Impossible, both of which saw Conor Mason put his impeccable falsetto to good use.
Ahead of the spine-tingling moment, Conor told the crowd: "It’s so nice to see so many smiley faces. Thank you for enjoying yourself. It’s so nice to hear so many of you sing the songs louder than I am."
Welcome To The DCC might be one of the band's most pop records yet, but the anthemic Tomorrow Is Closed and the sexy City Haunts blended in perfectly with their earlier material, feeling like a natural progression from the likes of This Feels Like The End and Unperson from their 2020 outing.
Their infectious 80s-inspired single, Overcome, which was crowned Radio X Record Of The Year 2023, provided the perfect pick-me-up to the set, with Conor leading the crowd in a series of "oohs" before the band left the stage.
Returning for an encore, the outfit ended their set with a performance of their newly released dance anthem Oh No :: He Said What? followed by an electrifying rendition of their epic 2017 breakthrough single, Amsterdam.
Returning to the venue they once thought of as proof they'd finally "made it," Nothing But Thieves' O2 Forum Kentish Town set had everything you could possibly want from the band; energy, eclecticism and exceptional musicianship- the mark of a band committed to their craft, while moving forward with their sound.
Encore
Radio X Presents is Radio X’s series of exclusive gigs which sees the world’s biggest bands and solo artists play to small crowds.
Radio X will be playing out highlights from the show from Thursday 1st February and there will be tracks available to watch on Global Player.
Radio X is available on 104.9 FM in London, 97.7 FM in Manchester and on DAB digital radio across the UK, online at radiox.co.uk, and Global Player, the official Radio X app.
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https://www.radiox.co.uk/artists/nothing-but-thieves/radio-x-presents-o2-kentish-town-review-setlist/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:51Z
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Three shot in Edgewater neighborhood, Fire Department says
Three people were ounded in a shooting in the Edgewater neighborhood on the North Side Wednesday afternoon, according to fire officials.
Chicago Fire spokesperson Larry Merritt said three people were shot in the 1200 block of West Thorndale Avenue taken to nearby hospitals around 4 p.m..
Two victims went to Ascension St. Francis in Evanston in critical condition and one was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in serious condition, Merritt said.
About an hour after the shooting, police tape blocked off f West Thorndale. A delivery driver who asked not to be named said she was delivering packages on the street when she saw people who appeared to be teenagers pull up in a gray car. The teens started shooting at what she said seemed like other teens.
Merritt could not confirm the ages or genders of the victims.
Chicago police could not immediately provide details.
Check back for details.
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https://news.yahoo.com/three-shot-edgewater-neighborhood-fire-230300946.html
| 2024-01-31T23:33:51Z
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Nextracker Inc. NXT shares are trading higher in Wednesday's after-hours session after the company reported better-than-expected third-quarter financial results.
What To Know: Nextracker reported quarterly earnings of 96 cents per share which beat the analyst consensus estimate of 48 cents by 100%.
Revenue clocked in at $710.43 million, topping the Street's estimate of $617.95 million, a 38.38% increase over sales of $513.37 million from the same period last year.
Adjusted EBITDA was $168 million in the third quarter, up 168% year-over-year.
The company also reported operating cash flow was $317 million and adjusted free cash flow was $314 million year-to-date.
Nextracker raised its full-year 2024 outlook, with revenue estimated to be between $2.425 billion and $2.475 billion, versus the previous guidance of between $2.3 billion and $2.4 billion. GAAP net income is anticipated to be between $374 million and $429 million, versus between $237 million and $266 million previously.
"Nextracker achieved a record third quarter, outperforming across revenue, profit and backlog, which reflects strong execution and spotlights our capability to meet customer requirements. Underpinned by product differentiation that is gaining momentum in the marketplace, we are raising our annual guidance once again," said Dan Shugar, founder and CEO of Nextracker.
"As the world transitions to renewable energy and with solar leading new power generation, we are well positioned as the global leader in trackers, and we're just getting started."
NXT Price Action: Shares of Nextracker were up 18.20% at $53.51 in the after-hours session at the time of publication, according to Benzinga Pro.
Related Link: Wolfspeed Stock Takes A Hit After Hours - Here's Why
Photo: PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/01/36878742/nextracker-stock-shines-after-hours-company-reports-q3-results-above-estimates-raises-fy-2024-guida
| 2024-01-31T23:33:52Z
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Prosperity Financial Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY – Free Report) by 3.7% during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,477 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 53 shares during the quarter. Prosperity Financial Group Inc.’s holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $793,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in LLY. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company during the fourth quarter worth about $3,416,206,000. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 102,752.2% during the fourth quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 5,446,026 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,992,374,000 after acquiring an additional 5,440,731 shares during the last quarter. Morgan Stanley raised its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 44.1% during the fourth quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 12,059,204 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,411,740,000 after acquiring an additional 3,691,436 shares during the last quarter. Imprint Wealth LLC increased its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 53,716.8% in the second quarter. Imprint Wealth LLC now owns 1,751,200 shares of the company’s stock worth $175,120,000 after purchasing an additional 1,747,946 shares in the last quarter. Finally, T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. bought a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company in the fourth quarter worth approximately $445,944,000. 81.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
LLY has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. StockNews.com upgraded Eli Lilly and Company from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, November 3rd. Bank of America boosted their price objective on Eli Lilly and Company from $600.00 to $700.00 in a report on Friday, October 6th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Thursday, November 9th. They set a “hold” rating and a $535.00 price objective for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Wednesday, November 8th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $650.00 to $700.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 24th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and seventeen have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $589.90.
Eli Lilly and Company Stock Performance
Eli Lilly and Company stock traded up $3.99 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $648.97. The company had a trading volume of 2,590,715 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,841,984. Eli Lilly and Company has a 12-month low of $309.20 and a 12-month high of $663.55. The company has a market capitalization of $616.07 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 116.84, a P/E/G ratio of 2.09 and a beta of 0.31. The company’s fifty day moving average is $603.15 and its 200-day moving average is $568.28. The company has a current ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.59.
Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 2nd. The company reported $0.10 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.08) by $0.18. Eli Lilly and Company had a return on equity of 48.12% and a net margin of 15.55%. The company had revenue of $9.50 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.88 billion. Equities research analysts predict that Eli Lilly and Company will post 6.61 EPS for the current year.
Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 4th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 15th will be given a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.80%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 14th. This is an increase from Eli Lilly and Company’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.13. Eli Lilly and Company’s payout ratio is 81.88%.
Insider Buying and Selling at Eli Lilly and Company
In other Eli Lilly and Company news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 14,388 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $630.28, for a total value of $9,068,468.64. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 99,754,422 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $62,873,217,098.16. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In other news, CAO Donald A. Zakrowski sold 670 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $571.10, for a total transaction of $382,637.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 4,708 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,688,738.80. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 14,388 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $630.28, for a total value of $9,068,468.64. Following the sale, the insider now owns 99,754,422 shares in the company, valued at approximately $62,873,217,098.16. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 117,152 shares of company stock valued at $74,716,490. Company insiders own 0.13% of the company’s stock.
Eli Lilly and Company Company Profile
Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. It offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; and Jardiance, Trajenta, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes.
Further Reading
- Five stocks we like better than Eli Lilly and Company
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- High Flyers: 3 Natural Gas Stocks for March 2022
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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LLY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY – Free Report).
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https://www.com-unik.info/2024/01/31/prosperity-financial-group-inc-has-793000-stock-holdings-in-eli-lilly-and-company-nyselly.html
| 2024-01-31T23:33:52Z
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Oregon officials have announced a 90-day state of emergency in Portland due to a serious public health and safety crisis linked to the widespread use of fentanyl.
“Our country and our state have never seen a drug this deadly and addictive, and all are grappling with how to respond,” Gov. Tina Kotek said in a press release Tuesday. “The Chair, the Mayor, and I recognize the need to act with urgency and unity across our public health and community safety systems to make a dent in this crisis. We are all in this together. The next 90 days will yield unprecedented collaboration and focused resources targeting fentanyl and provide a roadmap for next steps.”
The declaration will allow the city, state, and county to use available resources from human services, state police, health authorities, and emergency departments to set up a command center in Central City, which is composed of 10 districts, to serve as the focal point for daily communication, coordination, and efforts to address the fentanyl crisis.
“The Command Center will serve to refocus existing resources. It will also share and publicly report data on the impacts of fentanyl in downtown, use data to identify and respond to acute needs and gaps in service, identify any specific resources necessary to address gaps, and establish a system to coordinate that can be sustained beyond the 90-day startup period,” the press release notes.
While the state’s health department will launch educational campaigns across town to promote drug prevention and treatment, the county will “distribute and train partners on the use of Narcan and issue reports on overdose data.”
The fentanyl crisis has led to a staggering surge in fatalities in Oregon, as reported by health authorities. In 2022, the total number of unintentional opioid overdose deaths reached a grim milestone of 956. Although data for 2023 is still being compiled, by June, the toll from unintentional overdoses had already reached 628, and it is anticipated to surpass 1,250 once all the data is collected, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting.
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com
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https://www.kpax.com/portland-under-90-day-state-of-emergency-to-tackle-fentanyl-crisis
| 2024-01-31T23:33:53Z
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Study finds most people report hiding sickness from those around them
If your co-worker with the sniffles says, "It's just allergies", you should think twice before believing them.
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https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/video/study-finds-most-people-report-hiding-sickness-from-those-around-them/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:54Z
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Boeing released its 2023 earnings Wednesday, but the company's CEO spent most of a call with investors talking about safety and quality.
Boeing is facing big questions about quality control after a door plug panel blew off one of its 737 Max 9 jets in midair earlier this month.
"We are not issuing financial outlook for 2024 today. Now is not the time for that," chief executive Dave Calhoun said during an earnings call.
Instead, Calhoun focused much of the call seeking to reassure analysts — and the flying public — that the plane maker is taking the incident seriously.
"We will simply focus on every next airplane, and ensuring we meet all the standards that we have, all the standards that our regulator has and that our customers demand," he said.
Calhoun did not offer any information about the cause of the incident on January 5th, which is still under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. No one was seriously injured, but the incident touched off another crisis for Boeing. The troubled plane maker was still working to rebuild public trust after 346 people died in two 737 Max 8 jets that crashed in 2018 and 2019.
Boeing said Wednesday it lost $30 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. That's a better performance than the final quarter of 2022, when the company lost more than $600 million. Overall, Boeing lost $2.2 billion last year — its best result in 5 years.
But any improvement in the company's financials has been overshadowed by the latest safety incident.
The Federal Aviation Administration is allowing Boeing 737 Max 9 planes to fly again after an inspection and maintenance. Calhoun said airlines have now returned 129 Max 9 planes to service, out of a total of 171 that were grounded by the FAA.
Earlier this week, Boeing formally withdrew its request for an exemption from federal safety rules in order to speed up certification of its new Boeing Max 7 jet to start flying. The company had been hoping to begin delivering those smaller planes to airlines this year, despite a design flaw with the Max's engine de-icing system that could be potentially catastrophic.
Boeing wanted to use the same workaround that's already in use on its Max 8 and Max 9 jets. Now the company says it will focus on a permanent engineering fix instead.
Calhoun told analysts on Wednesday that process is expected to take about nine months, likely pushing certification of the Max 7 back into 2025.
The FAA has also taken the unusual step of ordering production caps at Boeing's factories. Calhoun said the company will continue producing 737s at the rate of 38 per month until the FAA agrees to lift that limit. And Calhoun told analysts that slowing down production at the behest of regulators would help the company fix problems in its factory and supply chain.
"I'm sort of glad they called out a pause. That's an excuse to take our time, and do it right," Calhoun said. "This is what we do, and how we get better."
But some longtime observers are skeptical that Boeing management is ready to confront the true scale of the problem.
"I'm sure they're hoping for a quick fix," said Peter Lemme, a former Boeing engineer who's now an aviation consultant. "But this is like a cancer in the system. And how far has it infiltrated, and what are you gonna do to eradicate it? I think it's going to take years for Boeing to really get back to where they should be on quality and manufacturing."
The NTSB is expected to release preliminary findings from its investigations of the Alaska Airlines incident in the coming days.
Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
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https://kansaspublicradio.org/npr-news/2024-01-31/boeing-declines-to-give-a-financial-outlook-as-it-focuses-on-quality-and-safety
| 2024-01-31T23:33:54Z
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- NZD/USD trades in negative territory for the second consecutive day near 0.6115.
- The FOMC kept the target range for the Federal Funds Rate unchanged at 5.25–5.50%, as widely expected.
- The markets anticipate the RBNZ to cut OCR sooner rather than later, with three cuts already priced in this year.
- Traders will watch the US weekly Initial Jobless Claims and ISM Manufacturing PMI, due on Thursday.
The NZD/USD pair remains on the defensive above the 0.6100 mark during the early Asian session on Thursday. The Federal Reserve (Fed) left rates unchanged at its January meeting and opened the door to rate cuts. However, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell indicated that the rate cut in March is too early. The pair currently trades around 0.6115, adding 0.03% on the day.
Following the Fed interest rate decision, the US central bank maintained its benchmark interest rate on Wednesday in a range of 5.25%–5.50% and stated that it won't begin lowering the target range until it sees further progress on inflation moving sustainably toward the 2% target. Investors had been anticipating a possible rate cut cycle at the March meeting, but Fed Chair Powell said that's probably not the most likely case.
On the other hand, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) targets maintaining inflation within the 1% to 3% range, with its focus on keeping future inflation around the 2% midpoint. With inflation easing, financial markets expect the Official Cash Rate (OCR) to be cut sooner rather than later, with three cuts already priced in this year.
Moving on, the January Chinese Caixin Manufacturing PMI, US weekly Initial Jobless Claims and ISM Manufacturing PMI will be due on Thursday. The attention will shift to US employment data on Friday, including Nonfarm Payrolls, Unemployment Rate, and Average Hourly Earnings for January.
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.
If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.
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https://www.fxstreet.com/news/nzd-usd-finds-support-above-the-06100-mark-eyes-on-us-pmi-data-202401312306
| 2024-01-31T23:33:55Z
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‘PhDs not required for school heads’
Trust Freddy–Herald Correspondent
A Doctor of Philosophy degree is not a mandatory requirement for school head positions, the Government has confirmed, and there have been no changes to the teachers’ required qualifications.
This clarification comes in the wake of controversy surrounding a misinterpretation of the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Torerai Moyo’s remarks, when he was encouraging teachers and heads to continually pursue higher qualifications.
Speaking to The Herald yesterday, Minister Moyo clarified that there were no new requirements on qualifications for school heads.
“I never said that for you to be a headmaster, you need to have a PhD,” Minister Moyo said.
“People misinterpreted the message that I gave to the headmasters.”
Minister Moyo stressed that while he encouraged teachers to pursue higher qualifications, it was not mandatory for them to have a PhD in order to be a school head.
“We were in Bulawayo last week, and my message to teachers and headmasters was that they needed to upgrade their qualifications. I told them that there was a time when holders of ZJC and O’ Levels were teaching without teaching qualifications, and I motivated teachers and headmasters that they needed to upgrade their qualifications.
“If they have diplomas, they can have a first degree; if they have masters, they can have a PhD. That was the message.”
In the past, people with only a Standard 6 education could be teachers, but the requirements have continued to evolve over time.
A ZJC was eventually required, and the qualifications have continued to become more rigorous in recent years.
As universities continue to produce graduates with increasingly higher qualifications, it is possible that in the future a diploma may not be sufficient to teach.
The requirements for teaching may continue to evolve as the educational standards of society change.
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https://www.herald.co.zw/phds-not-required-for-school-heads/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:55Z
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Transgender communities concerned after changes to Florida license requirements
The state of Florida has made changes that now bar transgender people from putting their gender identity on their licenses, as opposed to their gender at birth.
▶ WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS
“In Florida, you do not get to play identity politics with your driver license,” said Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Director of Communications Molly Best. (FLHSMV) requires satisfactory proof of identity, including your biological sex, to the Department.
“It puts a target on our back,” said Equality Florida Director of Transgender Equality.
Nikole Parker is one of the transgender people now worried about what comes next now that they can’t choose their gender on driver’s licenses.
Read: Jury recommends death in resentencing trial of convicted killer Bessman Okafor
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles released a memo on Friday making sex assigned at birth, not gender identity, the determining factor for someone’s gender. This impacts replacement licenses and those who need a new license.
The state said the switch is important to enhance the security and reliability.
“It puts law enforcement in a very, very awkward and tenuous position,” said Law enforcement consultant Randy Nelson.
Read: White House: Islamic Resistance in Iraq behind drone attack that killed 3 US troops
Nelson said the changes could hinder someone from being identified accurately and is concerned about the impacts across communities that weren’t involved in the decision-making process.
“I know we’re divided there (as a state. Just about everything, not only social and cultural,” said Nelson.
Parker changed their ID to correspond with their gender identity nearly a decade ago. They feel what’s happening now is moving things in the wrong direction.
Read: Federal judge dismisses Disney’s lawsuit against DeSantis
“At the end of the day, we’re human beings like everyone else. Just trying to live authentically. And each year we just consistently see legislation that is against us and trying to make us not be able to live authentically,” said Parker.
People can get in trouble if they somehow misrepresent their gender on Florida licenses.
The state said that person could be subject to criminal or civil penalties, including getting their license cancelled, suspended or revoked.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
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https://news.yahoo.com/transgender-communities-concerned-changes-florida-224444355.html
| 2024-01-31T23:33:56Z
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PITTSBURGH — This article originally appeared on pittsburghbaseballnow.com.
The Pittsburgh Pirates already have an All-Star closer on their roster.
Pittsburgh’s own David Bednar is coming off of a season in which he posted a 2.00 ERA and was named a National League All-Star for the second-consecutive season.
To help support Bednar and make a strength of the team even stronger, the Pirates went out and signed veteran left-hander and seven-time All-Star Aroldis Chapman to a one-year, $10.5 million contract.
Chapman was in Pittsburgh to take his physical before meeting with members of the media over Zoom. While in Pittsburgh, he got a chance to talk with his new bullpen mate in Bednar.
“We got to chat a little bit,” Chapman said through translator Melissa Stroza. “What it left me with was wanting to get down to spring training so we can really kind of delve into things and get to spend more time with each other, chat some more, catch up. I think it’s going to be a really nice experience working in that bullpen with him.”
Click here to read the full story from Pittsburgh Baseball Now.
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https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/aroldis-chapman-excited-join-david-bednar-giving-pirates-elite-bullpen-duo/LOAHAGZVJJESRJNMBKTD6B7EVA/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:57Z
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Freedom of expression is a core tenet of Australian democracy, which is important as art inherently has a political dimension. However, when political messages are made explicit, they often elicit angry and passionate responses, with depictions of war and violence being especially contentious, generating vehement debates and sometimes censorship.
Discourse around the relationship between politics and arts was notably reflected in comments made by high-profile people in response to actors wearing Palestinian keffiyehs at a production for Sydney Theatre Company in December last year. In particular, Senator Dave Sharma’s comment is troublesome: ‘I don’t think the arts is the place to deliver these sorts of overtly political messages… It’s unhelpful and undermines social cohesion.’
This article explores why art and politics are inseparable and whether Australian institutions, and even the public, are sensitive to political art.
In this article:
The politics of arts addressing conflict
It is difficult and counterintuitive to suppress political elements in art. In fact, Alana Hunt whose works often engage with political issues, including war and violence, explains that she doesn’t classify her work as “political arts”.
She emphasises, ‘I don’t set out to make “political art” as such. I try to make meaningful work … that responds to the worlds I am a part of and resonates within (and also beyond) the specific worlds it was made from. I think this is absolutely vital.
‘If people want to classify this kind of approach as political art, that is fine, but I do worry when the “political” is seen as a separate category rather than a thread woven into everything with varying degrees of intensity, texture and colour,’ she continues.
Professor of Art at the School of Media, Creative Arts and Social Inquiry, Curtin University, Kit Messham-Muir, who specialises in contemporary art and visual culture surrounding conflict, has a similar view regarding the connection, saying that he is ‘an art theorist who believes creating art is, and should be, a fundamentally political act’.
Prefacing with an important point, Messham-Muir stresses that despite two high-profile conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza currently dominating media coverage, numerous conflicts worldwide are underreported.
‘Mainstream politics has become “culture war” politics, particularly since 2016, with Brexit and the election of Donald Trump… I think that confluence of culture war and geopolitical conflict has changed conflict more generally today, which gives it a sense of escalation,’ he says.
Violent conflict, however, ‘is ever-present and often those that are complex … are the deadliest, such as the ongoing conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which over three decades have cost around six million lives’.
Hunt’s work is a testament to how art can help to draw attention to conflicts beyond mainstream “culture wars”. This includes her works about the military occupation of Kashmir and resistances since 2009. She also highlights works about violence inherent in non-Indigenous life as it materialises on Miriwoong Country, framing ‘colonisation not as something historic but present’.
In explaining her works’ reach, Hunt says they have ‘circulated to varying degrees within and outside of the spheres of art, and I do make a lot of aesthetic and conceptual choices to try to ensure my work contributes in certain ways, but it is best for others to determine the impact’.
Messham-Muir further offers his perspective on art’s impact in Australia in addressing conflicts, stating that his research shows ‘art can be powerful in the face of war, but also that it can do virtually nothing to prevent it or change its course’.
On art’s political power, he notes, ‘So much of the politics of contemporary conflict occurs in the visual and aesthetic realm, and it is important that contemporary art addresses that, insofar that contemporary art can arrest moments, alter temporalities, reorder understandings and skew perspectives.’
However, Messham-Muir highlights that art’s impact is also complex and dubious as reflected by the ‘tapestry at the United Nations of Pablo Picasso’s Guernica, a reproduction of one of the grandest humanitarian statements against war, which was just covered over with a blue curtain when Colin Powell presented George W Bush’s dossier of lies to argue for the need for America to invade Iraq,’ he says.
‘Can it intervene, in any meaningful sense? I would like to imagine it could, and I still hold out hope that it’s possible, but deep down I know that it’s largely a fantasy.’
Backlash against ‘political art’
Despite the potential power of art, controversies sometimes arise when the works engage directly with war and violence. A recent example is when Anna Schwartz Gallery dropped Mike Parr for his work about the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Public vandalism and defacing of political artworks is also somewhat common, including Luke Cornish’s 2019 Bondi Beach mural about the Australian Border Force’s violence towards asylum seekers. Another is the 2020 Marrickville mural, depicting Donald Trump and Scott Morrison shaking hands amid a display of weapons and atop of a pile of bleeding skulls. The mural was also destroyed.
These issues stem back longer, with examples including Zanny Begg’s 2004 work Checkpoint for Weapons of Mass Distraction, which criticised Australia’s involvement in the Iraq War, and was removed by a local government. Similarly, Azlan McLennan, who primarily engages with political content, has been censored several times, including a 2004 piece, Fifty-Six, about Palestine’s plight that remains relevant today.
Another critical example that caused much controversy is Abdul Abdullah’s two works in the Violent Salt exhibition that toured in 2019-2021. The tapestries were removed from Artspace Mackay and attracted much fury from RSL members and the Patriots motorcycle group members.
Abdullah tells ArtsHub, ‘I have experienced backlash and threats. I’ve been spoken about by [Herald Sun columnist] Andrew Bolt and [National Party MP] George Christensen, I have received consistent hate mail… [and] death threats. There have been public petitions to have my work removed and people I am associated with have been attacked.
‘Largely, it has little to do with the actual work I make and more to do with my name and what its connotations represent in some people’s imagination. Most of the specific accusations made against me regarding things that I have said, are more to do with assumptions of my intentions and inferences, which are, almost without fail, untrue,’ he continues.
Messham-Muir says that prejudice against Abdullah’s name and religion was suggested in comments under Mackay councillor, Martin Bella’s Facebook post, who framed Violent Salt as an attack on veterans’ well-being.
He points out that the disgraceful comments section is perhaps characterised more by Islamophobia than concern for veteran well-being, some of which includes:
‘Abdul Abdulla [sic], says it all’, ‘The artist’s name is Abdul Abdullah. Kind of explains everything’, ‘notice the “artists” name? Nuff said…’, ‘The name says it all. Disgraceful!’, ‘Look at the “artist’s” name. He clearly supports Islamic fundamentalism since our boys have been the undoing of the Taliban’ and ‘If he went back to wherever he is from and did this to one of that countries [sic] own he’d more than likely be beheaded’.
Messham-Muir says, ‘The controversy really did encapsulate the confluence of geopolitics and culture war politics that characterises both politics and conflict today.’
He also contrasts the culture war response to media allegations of war crimes by Ben Roberts-Smith around the same time as Violent Salt’s controversy, with commentators accusing investigations of being a “witch hunt” and a leftist “beat up”.
So, is Australia sensitive?
Abdullah maintains that he doesn’t believe the broad “Australian public” or institutions are easily offended or sensitive regarding his work, ‘but rather a vocal minority who feel threatened by my contributions to the conversation’. He emphasises that he doesn’t believe he is controversial and that his ‘political positions that have remained consistent throughout my practice align with how the majority of Australians think’.
Messham-Muir confirms this belief, saying, ‘We like to think of our public institutions as robust bastions of liberal democracy, where the difficult questions are asked. But then there’s the reality of running an organisation with a real-world duty of care for people potentially placed in a vulnerable situation.
‘In the Violent Salt case, there was concern for front-of-house volunteers and staff. So, the sensitivity, I think, is often a bureaucratic one of workplace safety and public liability rather than an aversion to risking offence,’ Messham-Muir continues.
Read: Self-representation and cultural references in the work of Telly Tuita
Although agreeing with these challenges, Alana Hunt adds, ‘I understand institutions are balancing a lot of factors. So are our politicians and our media. But, like all of us, they need to make decisions about how they want to work and what they stand for. And have the bravery to do it.’
In particular, Hunt draws from the ‘inability of arts organisations to reach a consensus and call for a ceasefire in Palestine’, questioning how calls for bombing to stop ‘have become taboo’.
She continues, ‘Since 7 October, censorship is unfolding across the arts in ways I have never imagined were possible. But rather than being frozen or silenced by that fear, I like to think of the gains that become possible by following what feels right and the beautiful camaraderies and solidarities that can be built amid that process. This is how we unpick that messy state of contradiction and compromise, and start to embody real forms of freedom for people in the world, and for artists, journalists and all forms of storytellers too.’
Hunt highlights that, fortunately, artists increasingly hold art institutions to account ‘on a whole range of issues from gender, race, class and accessibility, to the climate emergency, Indigenous rights and war’.
So, even if broadly, Australians may not exactly be overly sensitive to arts about war and violence, it is important to allow the arts to have more nuanced discussions rather than suppressing certain perspectives out of fear.
This article is published under the Amplify Collective, an initiative supported by The Walkley Foundation and made possible through funding from the Meta Australian News Fund.
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https://www.artshub.com.au/news/features/the-controversies-of-political-art-exploring-war-and-violence-2697420/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:57Z
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Tens of thousands of Jenkins servers have been exposed to a high-severity bug after a patch update. This flaw enables malicious actors to execute harmful code remotely on affected systems. Around 45,000 Jenkins servers are said to be affected and open to critical remote code execution (RCE) attacks, called CVE-2024-23897.
Around 45K exposed Jenkins instances vulnerable to CVE-2024-23897 (Arbitrary file read vulnerability through the CLI can lead to RCE). If you run Jenkins & receive an alert from us make sure to read Jenkins advisory: https://t.co/aPPOHT1WXx
World map: https://t.co/GNVwKGM1R9 pic.twitter.com/Zb9Do5BOi8
— Shadowserver (@Shadowserver) January 29, 2024
In an advisory on the Jenkins website, it said that the severity of the situation has been marked as critical, as it “allows attackers to read arbitrary files on the Jenkins controller file system using the default character encoding of the Jenkins controller process.”
The open source project recently issued two updates to rectify this security issue. They strongly advise users to implement these patches promptly to minimize potential risks. The automation server for the CI/CD system is used by developers as a testing stage to try different processes.
The Register reports that the majority of the affected servers are located in the US and China, with counts of 15,806 and 11,955 respectively. Following these are India with 3,572 servers, Germany with 3,487, the Republic of Korea with 2,204, France with 1,482, and the UK with 1,179 vulnerable servers.
Despite the vulnerability being discovered by Sonar’s Vulnerability Research Team on January 24th, it remains unfixed, leaving it susceptible to potential attacks.
How severe is the attack?
CVE-2024-23897 is ranked at a high severity score of 9.8, which is seen to be serious. This vulnerability exploits a feature in Jenkins’ inherent command line interface (CLI), which is activated by default in versions up to and including Jenkins 2.441.
This vulnerability in #Jenkins is serious CVE-2024-23897
POCs have been published https://t.co/nGtbf8fehdhttps://t.co/pzY0NSL5bA
report by @SonarSource https://t.co/VNAUg2PDN8 pic.twitter.com/vbiWGmj47M
— Florian Roth (@cyb3rops) January 26, 2024
According to BleedingComputer, there is potential for attackers to decrypt stored secrets, delete items from Jenkins servers, and download Java heap dumps. It also suggested that there had already been several possible “genuine attempts at exploitation.”
In 2023, Jenkins was considered one of the best developer tools of the year due to its extensibility and adaptability. However, cybersecurity firm Armis has reported that cyber attacks more than doubled in 2023. They warn that numerous businesses worldwide continue to underestimate the escalating threat to cybersecurity.
Featured image: Canva / The Jenkins Project
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https://readwrite.com/around-45k-jenkins-servers-still-vulnerable-to-attacks-due-to-critical-flaw/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:57Z
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The International Olympic Committee is still not impressed with Italy's determination to spend about $90 million rebuilding a historic bobsled track for the 2026 Winter Games.
The IOC's latest statement Wednesday on the public rift came one day after local organizers of the Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Olympics moved ahead with a plan to revive a century-old sliding track in the Dolomites ski resort.
Aiming to avoid construction costs and potential white elephant venues, the IOC wants the Winter Games, opening in just two years' time, to use an existing track — with two nearby options in St. Moritz, Switzerland and Igls, Austria.
The issue has become one of Italian national pride to avoid paying another country to stage 12 of the 116 medal events.
"The IOC firmly believes that the existing number of sliding centers, globally, is sufficient for the current number of athletes and competitions in the sports of bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton," the Olympic body said in a statement.
SEE MORE: Lions vs. 49ers draws larger TV audience than Chiefs vs. Ravens
The IOC's opposition to an Italian renewal project on such a tight schedule — either at Cortina or Cesana, the now-closed sliding track at the 2006 Turin Olympics that was previously considered — has been publicly clear since its annual meeting in October held in Mumbai, India.
"(Only) existing and already operating tracks should be considered due to the very tight timeline remaining," the IOC said in a statement, stating it had been "unequivocal that no permanent venue should be built without a clear and viable legacy plan."
Italy's deputy prime minister detailed his country’s position Tuesday.
"It is not acceptable for the bobsled races to take place outside Italy," Antonio Tajani said on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. "We will do everything to achieve the goal."
Still, the Italian organizing committee aims to have a back-up plan if renovating the Cortina track used at the 1956 Winter Games is not ready by March next year.
The committee said after a board meeting Tuesday its plans rest on signing a contract with a Parma-based construction company that has offered to rebuild the Cortina track for $89 million.
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com
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https://www.wtxl.com/ioc-pushes-back-on-90m-plan-to-rebuild-olympics-bobsled-track
| 2024-01-31T23:33:57Z
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Travis Kelce says he won’t be able to attend the Grammy Awards with Taylor Swift
The NFL star said he will be getting ready for the Super Bowl.
NFL player Travis Kelce has said he will be unable to support girlfriend Taylor Swift in-person at the 2024 Grammy Awards.
Pop superstar Swift, 34, has six Grammy nominations this year in categories that include record of the year, album of the year and song of the year.
Kelce, 34, who is a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, said he will not make the awards ceremony as he has to get ready for the Super Bowl – the annual championship game.
Speaking to The Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday, he said: “I wish I could go support Taylor at the Grammys and watch her win every single award that she’s nominated for, but I think I got practice on Sunday… is it Saturday or Sunday? I know I got practice Saturday, but Sunday is a travel day.
“Unfortunately, I gotta get ready for this big ol’ Super Bowl that we got in a week.”
He also told the show that his career was his main focus at the moment.
He said: “Football is my main focus right now.
“There’s a lot of people counting on me in this building, in this city, in this organisation.
“So this is my number one focus.”
Speaking further on his relationship with Swift, he said: “Hopefully everybody realises that we’re just two people in a relationship supporting each other and having fun with it.
“It’s nothing more than that.
“And how much the world wants to paint the picture and make us the enemy, we just have fun with it, and we enjoy every single bit of it and sure enough I love it when Taylor comes and supports me and enjoys the game with the fans, and friends.
“It’s been nothing but just a wonderful year.”
Kelce is heading to the Super Bowl after Chiefs beat the Baltimore Ravens 17-10 on Sunday.
The Chiefs will now face the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas on February 11.
The pop star, who was in a suite in the corner of the M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore during the game, could be seen cheering and jumping up and down after Kelce caught a 19-yard touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes midway through the first quarter.
Fans have speculated whether Swift will be able to attend the showdown and support Kelce but she has concerts scheduled for Tokyo, including a date on February 10.
Swift’s 2022 album Midnights is nominated for best album and best vocal pop album at the Grammys this year, which is taking place on February 4.
The record, which went to number one on both sides of the Atlantic, was the most the streamed album on Spotify in the UK for 2023.
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https://www.shropshirestar.com/entertainment/showbiz/2024/01/31/travis-kelce-says-he-wont-be-able-to-attend-the-grammy-awards-with-taylor-swift/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:57Z
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Love Island's Millie Court looks incredible in a strapless black dress as she cosies up to Liam Reardon at the Legends Of Rugby dinner
Millie Court looked more loved up that ever as she cosied up to boyfriend Liam Reardon at the Legends Of Rugby Dinner in London on Wednesday night.
The Love Island winners were all smiles as they posed for photos during the romantic date night.
Millie looked incredible in a stylish strapless black minidress which she teamed with semi-sheer tights.
The reality star elevated her frame in a pair of chic black bow heels and accessorised with a pair of chunky gold hoop earrings.
Leaving her long brunette tresses loose, she added a pop of colour to the look by toting her belongings around in an eye catching red handbag.
Millie Court looked more loved up that ever as she cosied up to boyfriend Liam Reardon at the Legends Of Rugby Dinner in London on Wednesday night
The Love Island winners were all smiles as they posed for photos during the romantic date night
Meanwhile Liam dressed effortlessly cool in a black oversized shirt which he teamed with a pair of leather trousers and trainers.
It comes after Millie was left fuming at boyfriend Liam after he shared an epic photoshop fail in a gallery of snaps last year.
The reality star couple were seen cozying up and beaming for a sweet selfie while on a boat trip but fans were quick to point out that Millie's face looked disorientated.
Seemingly unaware of the photoshop fail, Liam shared on Instagram: 'Some bits from Summer that didn’t make the gram. So here they are, enjoy.'
Millie was quick to take to the comments and call her boyfriend out, writing: 'WTF [what the f**k] babe xoxo', before later commenting 'LOOOOL'.
The TV personality later revealed that fans genuinely think she looked that way, writing on her Snapchat Story: 'Na are people ok they're actually commenting thinking Liam's "forgot" to edit me to how my "insta" looks. LOOOOOOL are people stupid?'
She added that people are 'Saying I've had TOO MUCH FILLER AND BOTOX НАНАНАНАНАН.'
Fans found the snap of the couple hilarious, writing: 'hahahaha i have died at the 4th pic is he even aware'; He’s done you dirty', while a third penned: 'Wouldn't have that lol dirty move lol'
Millie looked incredible in a stylish strapless black minidress which she teamed with semi-sheer tights
The reality star elevated her frame in a pair of chic black bow heels and accessorised with a pair of chunky gold hoop earrings
Leaving her long brunette tresses loose, she added a pop of colour to the look by toting her belongings around in an eye catching red handbag
Meanwhile Liam dressed effortlessly cool in a black oversized shirt which he teamed with a pair of leather trousers and trainers
Millie was all smiles as she beamed wearing a glamorous palette of makeup including blushed cheeks and a swipe of nude lipstick
'When you photo shop @your self and forget about ya gf'; 'Take care of Millie in the photoshop app too my boy'; 'Omg 4th pic lol you'd be dumped.'
The post comes after Millie and Liam detailed how they came to rekindle their relationship last year.
The reality stars won the seventh series of the hit ITV2 show Love Island in 2021 and embarked on a year-long relationship, before splitting in July 2022.
However, rumours began to swirl last year that they had reconciled with the pair eventually confirming their romance was back on.
Speaking to MailOnline, Millie and Liam discussed how they decided to give things a second chance, saying their relationship is now 'better than ever'.
Liam said: 'I think the break we had really helped a lot. I never felt like I never wanted to see her again.'
Millie added that the fact that their split hadn't been bitter meant that the couple always felt the breakup was temporary.
She explained: 'It didn't end sourly, it wasn't that kind of breakup. It was a decision that we needed a break.
'I think we both knew it wasn't going to be something that ended forever. I think we knew it was something we wanted to revisit but it was time that we needed.'
She gushed: 'We managed to make it work again and now it's better than ever.'
It comes after Millie was left fuming at boyfriend Liam after he shared an epic photoshop fail showing her face distorted in a gallery of snaps
Seemingly unaware of the photoshop fail, Liam shared on Instagram: 'Some bits from Summer that didn’t make the gram. So here they are, enjoy'
Oh dear: Millie was quick to take to the comments and call her boyfriend out, writing: 'WTF [what the f**k] babe xoxo', before later commenting 'LOOOOL'
Millie also pointed out: 'Liam was 21 when he went on the show and had his birthday in there and he's 24 now and I'm coming up to 27! So we're maybe a bit more mature as well.'
Despite speculation surrounding the pair, they made a conscious choice to keep their rekindled relationship private at the start and only recently publicly confirmed their reunion.
Explaining the decision, Liam said that they had chosen to keep things quiet to avoid the intense scrutiny that had come when they first got together, admitting that it had played a role in causing their breakup.
He explained: 'People have private lives and can't put everything on social media. And we were on the building blocks of our relationship together.
'We went our separate ways last year and that was partly because so many people felt like they were involved in our relationship and stuck their noses in.
'Some people obviously were being friendly but sometimes you just want a bit of privacy.
'We decided if we're going to make this work, we have to make it work for us and not let other people interfere. Especially in the early stages.'
Millie chimed in to add: 'We just wanted to work on us and have fun and build our relationship and not have anyone's opinions on it at that time.'
Fans also found the snap of the couple hilarious, one wrote: 'hahahaha i have died at the 4th pic is he even aware' while another added: 'lol he'd be dumped'
And Liam continued: 'A lot of people feel like they are being lovely which we do appreciate the support, but sometimes it can be too much.
'When you're going through a breakup as well and everyone's going, "Oh you should've stayed together!"
'As much as we do live our lives on social media, we do want our privacy as well.'
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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-13029943/Love-Islands-Millie-Court-looks-incredible-strapless-black-dress-cosies-Liam-Reardon-Legends-Rugby-dinner.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
| 2024-01-31T23:33:57Z
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Corteva Inc. CTVA shares are trading higher in Wednesday's after-hours session after the company reported its fourth-quarter earnings results. Here's a look at the details.
What To Know: Corteva reported quarterly adjusted earnings of 15 cents per share which beat the analyst estimates of six cents, a 6.25% decrease over earnings of 16 cents per share from the same period last year.
The company reported quarterly sales of $3.71 billion which surpassed analyst expectations of $3.62 billion. The figure represents a 3.08% decrease over sales of $3.83 billion from the same period last year.
Corteva did however see several metrics decline, including a net sales decrease of 3%, versus the same period last year, and an organic sales decrease of 8%. Volume declined 9% compared to the same period last year with Latin America contributing to the decrease due to, "ongoing headwinds in the Crop Protection segment and strategic product exits."
It is also worth noting that operating EBITDA rose 4% in the quarter $386 million, compared to the prior year.
The company sees 2024 net sales between $17.4 billion and $17.7 billion, versus the estimate of $17.608 billion. Adjusted earnings are anticipated to be between $2.70 and $2.90 per share, versus the $3.01 estimate.
Corteva also plans to repurchase approximately $1.0 billion shares in 2024.
"Corteva's 2023 results reflect the execution of our value creation strategy, including its focus on productivity, differentiated product mix, and cost discipline. This, alongside a stand-out performance from our Seed business, allowed us to deliver growth in earnings, cash and margin despite an ongoing imbalance in the global crop protection industry," said Chuck Magro, Corteva CEO.
"Overall agriculture fundamentals remain constructive, with record-setting demand for grain, oilseeds, meat and biofuels continuing into 2024."
CTVA Price Action: Shares of Corteva were up 4.55% at $47.55 in the after-hours session at the time of publication, according to Benzinga Pro.
Related Link: Nextracker Stock Shines After-Hours: Company Reports Q3 Results Above Estimates, Raises FY 2024 Guidance
Photo: Albrecht Fietz from Pixabay
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/01/36879287/corteva-posts-solid-q4-earnings-issues-fy-2024-guidance-announces-1-0b-repurchase-plan-stock-rises
| 2024-01-31T23:33:58Z
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WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will visit the eastern Ohio community that was devastated by a fiery train derailment almost one year ago, accepting an invitation from the East Palestine mayor to see firsthand how the cleanup of spilled toxic chemicals and the recovery are coming along.
Mayor Trent Conaway, a conservative who does not support Biden, said Wednesday he extended the invitation to the Democratic president because he thinks the visit will be good for his community.
''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.
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https://m.startribune.com/biden-accepts-mayors-invitation-to-visit-east-palestine-ohio-a-year-after-train-derailment/600339875/
| 2024-01-31T23:33:57Z
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MISSOULA — High pressure remains in place today with some areas seeing sunshine and very mild weather. While others are stuck under the inversions with fog and temperatures in the 30s and 40s.
Expect this same set up again Thursday with one more day of high pressure.
A low pressure system will bring scattered mountain snow along with valley rain to western Montana Friday. High temperatures will be mostly in the 40s.
Another system will bring another round of mountain snow along with valley rain/snow Saturday.
The best chance for accumulating valley snow looks to be Saturday night into Sunday morning.
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https://www.kpax.com/weather/weather-forecast-one-more-day-of-high-pressure-thursday
| 2024-01-31T23:33:59Z
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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
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https://kansaspublicradio.org/npr-news/2024-01-31/for-chicagos-new-migrants-informal-support-groups-help-ease-the-pain-and-trauma
| 2024-01-31T23:34:00Z
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Larry David addresses controversial FTX 2022 Super Bowl commercial: "Like an idiot, I did it"
Larry David expressed some contrition over taking part in a high-profile 2022 Super Bowl commercial for the cryptocurrency exchange FTX, the founder of which was last year found guilty of fraud, conspiracy and money laundering.
"You know, I asked people, friends of mine who were well-versed in this stuff, 'Should I do this ad? Is there anything wrong with this, me doing this? Is this okay?'" David told The Associated Press on Tuesday at the Los Angeles premiere of the final season of "Curb Your Enthusiasm," which David created and stars in.
"And they said 'Yeah, this is totally on the up and up. Yeah. It's fine. Do it.' So, like an idiot, I did it," he said.
The commercial, which aired during the 2022 Super Bowl, features the "Seinfeld" co-creator casting doubt on a number of inventions and ideas throughout history, including the wheel, the fork, coffee, the lightbulb and space travel.
Finally, David is presented with FTX, to which he responds, "I don't think so. And I'm never wrong about this stuff." Viewers are then advised not to miss out on "the next big thing."
A proposed class-action lawsuit filed in federal court in Florida in 2022 accused David, former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried and celebrities such as NFL quarterback Tom Brady and supermodel Gisele Bundchen of defrauding investors who lost money in the cryptocurrency exchange's sudden collapse. Brady and Bundchen were among the athletes and entertainers who promoted FTX as part of the exchange's $20 million ad campaign.
"I mean, a class action lawsuit, which I would love to be part of, cause part of my salary was in crypto," David told AP at the premiere. "So I lost a lot of money."
In court papers filed in April 2023, David and the celebrities named asked for the case to be dismissed, saying they did not cause investors' losses, Reuters reported.
Bankman-Fried was found guilty late last year on seven counts of fraud, conspiracy and money laundering, charges that each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. He was also convicted of conspiracy to commit commodities fraud and conspiracy to commit securities fraud, which each carry a five-year maximum sentence.
"Sam Bankman-Fried perpetrated one of the biggest frauds in American history, a multibillion-dollar scheme designed to make him the king of crypto," Damian Williams, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a news briefing following the verdict. "Here's the thing: the cryptocurrency industry might be new. The players like Sam Bankman-Fried might be new. This kind of fraud, this kind of corruption, is as old as time, and we have no patience for it."
—Kate Gibson contributed reporting.
for more features.
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https://www.cbsnews.com/news/larry-david-ftx-super-bowl-commercial-curb-your-enthusiasm/
| 2024-01-31T23:34:01Z
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- US indexes saw red on Wednesday after Fed waffled on early rate cuts.
- Market expectations of faster, sooner rate cuts ran against a hard wall.
- US Fed continues to wait for further signs that inflation will ease.
US equity indexes declined across the board on Wednesday, faltering after market hopes for a faster pace of rate cuts from the Federal Reserve (Fed) discovered just how far ahead of policymakers they’ve run. Before the Fed’s monetary policy statement and Fed chairman Jerome Powell’s press conference, money markets were pricing in nearly a 60% chance of a rate cut from the US central bank by the beginning of March.
Jerome Powell speaks on policy outlook after deciding to keep interest rate unchanged
Post-Fed, rate swaps have receded on rate trim expectations, with March priced in at 64% chance of another rate hold, but May’s Fed rate call is now fully priced in for at least 25 basis points in rate cuts according to the CME’s FedWatch Tool.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) trimmed 317 points to close down 0.82% at $38,150.30, with the Standard & Poor’s 500 (SP500) index shedding nearly 80 points, ending Wednesday at $4,845.65, down 1.61%.
The NASDAQ Composite equity index got hit the hardest amidst a tech sector pullback, tumbling over 345 points to end Wednesday at $15,164.01, down a blustery 2.23%.
S&P 500 technical outlook
The S&P 500 large-cap index saw it’s lowest bids in over a week, ending firmly planted in the red after falling back below the $4,900.00 handle. Intraday momentum has the SP500 geared for a downside run at the 200-hour Simple Moving Average (SMA) near $4,835.00, with the next technical support zone priced in from last week’s intraday swing highs into $4,800.00.
Despite Wednesday’s turnaround, the SP500 remains firmly planted in bull country, with the index facing its second down week out of the last 14 consecutive trading weeks, assuming investors are unable to drag the index back over Monday’s opening bids near $4,886.00 before Friday’s closing bell.
S&P 500 hourly chart
S&P 500 daily chart
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AUD/USD stays steady post-Fed decision, markets weigh Powell’s remarks
The AUD/USD begins Thursday’s Asian session unchanging hands around 0.6566 as the US Fed decides to hold rates and opens the door to ease policy in 2024. Even though the initial reaction to the statement was muted, Fed’s Powell press conference underpinned the Greenback.
EUR/USD puts 1.0800 to the test after steady Fed
EUR/USD traded in quite a volatile fashion on Fed-day, coming under further selling pressure and challenging the 1.0800 neighbourhood after Chief Powell deemed a rate cut in March unlikely.
Gold reverses daily highs near $2050
The late bounce in US yields across the curve and the greenback forced gold prices to leave behind the earlier uptick to fresh two-week highs around the $2050 mark per troy ounce.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse on $112.5 million hack
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has come foreward to articulate that "NO Ripple-managed wallets were compromised." Given some irresponsible speculation and reporting, I want to reiterate that NO Ripple-managed wallets were compromised.
Fed Quick Analysis: Powell only slaps investors on the wrist, risk-on reversal on the cards Premium
Markets do not like uncertainty – or the lack of confidence, which the Federal Reserve (Fed) has expressed. A deeper look at the bank's pushback reveals its weakness and could trigger a reversal.
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https://www.fxstreet.com/news/us-equities-decline-after-feds-powell-pulls-the-plug-on-march-cut-202401312306
| 2024-01-31T23:34:01Z
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‘Speculators hold back mining development’
Farirai Machivenyika-Senior Reporter
ONLY 40 of the more than 300 exclusive prospecting orders issued by the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development are being used with the rest believed to be held for speculative purposes and blocking access to minerals for genuine miners.
This week, officials from the Mines Ministry led by Permanent Secretary Mr Pfungwa Kunaka appeared before the National Assembly Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development chaired by Bindura South legislator Cde Remigious Matangira to describe the extent of the problem of unused exclusive prospecting orders.
An exclusive prospecting order confers exclusive rights to prospect for specified minerals in any identified location and are issued for three years, renewable up to a maximum of six years.
Chief Ministry geologist Mr Forbes Mugambate said the vast majority of exclusive prospecting orders were not being used and, more importantly, were blocking others from prospecting and mining on the covered land.
“That is where the major problem is. All this other ground that the over 270 EPOs apply to is closed to other players,” he said.
Any land that is under an exclusive prospecting order cannot be used by anyone unless they get permission from the order’s holder.
Cde Matangira said there were allegations that some holders of exclusive prospecting orders were charging prospective miners up to US$50 000 to gain access to the land with reports that some holders were Ministry employees.
Mr Kunaka said the Ministry was going through all the exclusive prospecting orders to ascertain whether they were of any benefit to the country.
“No EPO will be spared under this process that we are undertaking. I think the issue is to gather the facts around each application, we see whether or not there is anything we derive as a country in terms of benefit, if there is no benefit we will set these aside.
“Minister Zhemu Soda is looking at these issues with the guidance of the principal, President Mnangagwa. Just bear with us and have confidence that we are now on the path of dealing with these flaws which are outstanding. That is the assurance I can give for now,” Mr Kunaka said.
He said the vetting exercise is expected to be complete by the end of this quarter.
Cde Matangira said the President’s wish was for the mining industry to anchor the country’s development.
“The President wants the mining industry to be the cornerstone of the country’s development through value addition to the country’s minerals,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Kunaka said the Ministry was failing to monitor whether mining companies were observing safety and environmental protection guidelines in their operations.
“We have adequate manpower but if we could get more resources like vehicles and fuel, we could have more inspections. At the moment our staff are spending more time in the offices than in the field,” he said, adding that some companies were last inspected five years ago.
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https://www.herald.co.zw/speculators-hold-back-mining-development/
| 2024-01-31T23:34:02Z
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UMC Health System announces opening of UMC Café
UMC Health System announced the opening of the UMC Café as Wednesday.
Revitalizing the UMC Main Campus cafeteria within the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) is an initiative aimed at enhancing the overall well-being of our patients and visitors during their hospital stay, according to a news release.
The UMC Café is more than just a dining facility; it's a space designed to create a comforting and welcoming atmosphere for individuals going through challenging times.
Key Features of the new Café:
Warm and Inviting Atmosphere: UMC Café is designed to provide a cozy and welcoming environment, offering a respite for patients and visitors.
Nutritious and Delicious Options: Our menu is crafted with care, focusing on providing nourishing and flavorful food choices that cater to diverse tastes and dietary needs.
Supportive Staff: UMC Café staff is dedicated to delivering exceptional service with a friendly and empathetic approach, ensuring that every individual feels valued and cared for.
Community Engagement: UMC Café serves as a hub for community engagement, fostering connections and a sense of belonging among patients, visitors, and healthcare professionals across UMC and TTUHSC.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: UMC Health System announces opening of UMC Café
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https://news.yahoo.com/umc-health-system-announces-opening-225301470.html
| 2024-01-31T23:34:02Z
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PTC (NASDAQ:PTC – Get Free Report) issued an update on its second quarter earnings guidance on Wednesday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of $1.10-1.30 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.24. The company issued revenue guidance of $2.05-2.065 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $575.27 million. PTC also updated its FY24 guidance to $4.50-5.20 EPS.
Analyst Ratings Changes
A number of research analysts have issued reports on PTC shares. KeyCorp upped their price target on shares of PTC from $177.00 to $190.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, January 12th. Piper Sandler raised their target price on PTC from $155.00 to $177.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 9th. Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on PTC from $200.00 to $205.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, January 19th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded PTC from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $130.00 to $200.00 in a research note on Thursday, January 4th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on PTC from $184.00 to $195.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, PTC currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $178.08.
Check Out Our Latest Research Report on PTC
PTC Price Performance
PTC (NASDAQ:PTC – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 1st. The technology company reported $0.71 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.79 by ($0.08). The firm had revenue of $546.62 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $559.34 million. PTC had a return on equity of 13.57% and a net margin of 11.71%. On average, equities analysts forecast that PTC will post 3.43 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Insider Transactions at PTC
In other news, CFO Kristian Talvitie sold 1,588 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $158.32, for a total transaction of $251,412.16. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 47,128 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,461,304.96. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, insider Catherine Kniker sold 1,477 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $154.82, for a total transaction of $228,669.14. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 15,194 shares in the company, valued at $2,352,335.08. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CFO Kristian Talvitie sold 1,588 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $158.32, for a total transaction of $251,412.16. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 47,128 shares in the company, valued at $7,461,304.96. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 37,435 shares of company stock valued at $5,898,868. Corporate insiders own 1.17% of the company’s stock.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On PTC
A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of PTC. American Century Companies Inc. boosted its position in PTC by 205.5% in the 1st quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 8,606 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $927,000 after buying an additional 5,789 shares during the period. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. grew its stake in PTC by 84.4% during the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 2,928 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $316,000 after purchasing an additional 1,340 shares in the last quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund purchased a new stake in PTC during the 1st quarter worth about $110,000. MetLife Investment Management LLC raised its position in PTC by 42.9% in the 1st quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 33,353 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $3,593,000 after purchasing an additional 10,013 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Panagora Asset Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of PTC by 128.5% in the 1st quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 10,904 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $1,175,000 after buying an additional 6,133 shares during the period. 92.23% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
PTC Company Profile
PTC Inc operates as software company in the Americas, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. The company provides Windchill, a suite that manages all aspects of the product development lifecycle(PLM) that provides real-time information sharing, dynamic data visualization, collaborate across geographically distributed teams, and enabling manufacturers to elevate product development, manufacturing, and field service processes; ThingWorx, a platform for Industrial Internet of Things; ServiceMax, a field service management solutions enable companies to asset uptime with optimized in-person and remote service and technician productivity with mobile tools.
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https://www.com-unik.info/2024/01/31/ptc-nasdaqptc-issues-q2-earnings-guidance.html
| 2024-01-31T23:34:02Z
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Sheffield Wednesday’s winless run extended to three matches as they recorded a 0-0 draw at home to Watford in the Championship.
The Owls sit five points from safety after failing to take a number of chances at Hillsborough, while the visitors’ fourth draw in five league games left them three points off the play-off places.
Both sides looked eager to return to winning ways in an entertaining first period in which they each hit the woodwork, firstly the visitors through Matheus Martins before Ike Ugbo rattled the inside of the post for Wednesday.
The hosts went within inches of a breakthrough in the second half when Di’Shon Bernard was denied by Ben Hamer, but they could not find a winner.
Watford looked the more dangerous through the early stages down the right side and Vakoun Bayo’s deflected goal-bound effort tested the concentration of James Beadle.
The Yorkshire side settled into the contest and skipper Barry Bannan let rip with a rocket from 25 yards which was tipped behind by a diving Hamer.
Watford were denied an opener by the frame of the goal on the half-hour mark.
After Tom Dele-Bashiru was brought down just outside the box, Martins’ central free-kick deflected off the wall and Beadle could only watch on as the ball hit a post.
Watford were knocking on the door and should have taken the lead when Dele-Bashiru slipped through Bayo, he passed beyond the onrushing Beadle into the path of Martins who somehow hit the side-netting with an empty goal at his mercy.
It was Wednesday’s turn to strike the post just before the break when Ugbo rifled an effort on to the inside frame of the goal. Anthony Musaba could only guide his rebounded header into the grateful grasp of Hamer.
The chances continued in the second half and Watford went close when Ismael Kone drilled just wide of the target.
Wednesday’s decision making in defence allowed the visitors to put pressure on the goal and the Hornets came close once again when substitute Yaser Asprilla dispossessed Pol Valentin before firing straight at Beadle.
Wednesday thought they had finally opened the scoring midway through the second half. Bannan’s inswinging free-kick found Bernard at the back post who thought he nudged beyond Hamer, only for the Hornets keeper to stop the ball on the line at the second time of trying.
Bannan’s set-pieces were causing problems for the away side and the Owls captain delivered a floater on to the head of Michael Smith who diverted wide.
Wednesday continued to fight until the final whistle but Hamer was once again the saviour for Watford who magnificently kept out Musaba’s 20-yard strike which looked to be heading into the top corner.
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https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/sport/6359648/sheffield-wednesdays-winless-run-continues-with-draw-against-watford/
| 2024-01-31T23:34:02Z
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PITTSBURGH — Packed in a robotics facility in Hazelwood, state leaders gathered to unveil what they call a monumental blueprint for the future.
“This economic strategy is more than a document, this is our economic rebirth,” said Darrin Kelly who’s the President of Allegheny Fayette Central Labor Council.
It’s a plan that has not existed in the state in decades. Governor Josh Shapiro laid out five priority sectors to invest in: agriculture, energy, life sciences, manufacturing and robotics technology.
“It’s about how we become more competitive and create more opportunities for our communities, businesses and residents,” said Secretary Rick Siger who’s with the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.
So how do you do that? Shapiro said it starts with investing in site development, then speeding up the rate we do business plus opening the doors to everyone to be at the table.
“We are going to put significant capital behind targeted innovation funds to provide support for startups, entrepreneurs in the tech sector,” Shapiro said.
Lastly, he hopes to invest in regional communities by building up small businesses with an investment of $25 million.
His plan in total calls for $40.5 million, he said the state will hear just how he plans to fund it all in his budget address next week.
“Industries right here in Southwestern Pennsylvania quite literally built our nation, helped us win wars, yet for too many they are reading about it in our history books,” Shapiro said.
Shapiro believes this plan is the answer to growth for the state. He wants it to be implemented over ten years and something that is talked about daily not just shoved back on the bookcase.
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https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/gov-josh-shapiro-visits-pittsburgh-lay-out-plan-economic-development/HNZ4KP26MJGFNK7CGB5ORHO32Q/
| 2024-01-31T23:34:03Z
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The region of Central Asia has an ancient history. Within it are some of the greatest historical urban centres, alongside some of the oldest nomadic traditions that continue to thrive, having maintained an unbroken, intrinsic relationship to the land.
Throughout its history, Central Asia has weathered the rise and fall of many empires, yet that of the Soviet Union toward the close of the 20th century has brought a unique set of political, social and cultural challenges amid a time of historical transformations. Alongside far-reaching geopolitical shifts, the region is confronting an unprecedented environmental crisis.
Central Asia bears the burden of environmental disasters inherited from the Soviet era, through decades of mismanaged water resources, extensive mining and widespread dumping of waste throughout the region. What was once known as a haven for life, trade and cultural influences through the Silk Road, is becoming a literal and figurative desert. Massive lakes have dried up, desertification has accelerated and states are even risking war over water rights. The region is on the frontline of the environmental and social impact of an age where human activity is reshaping the “natural” world – the dawn of the Anthropocene epoch.
Faced with this unprecedented but undeniable reality, contemporary Central Asian artists have undertaken diverse projects and artworks to depict and elucidate the fragility and uncertainty of life in the region today. They are playing a unique role in portraying the region, with works grounded in the intention of representing their region accurately in the modern era, while also serving as a source of inspiration for people from other regions.
These artists do not interpret environmental issues in a restrictive or narrow sense; rather, they are finding multifaceted, intersectional ways of examining wider contemporary themes and present day struggles connected with the deteriorating environment.
In this article:
Reframing local discourse on the environment
During New York Jewellery Week 2021, much of the world was (re-)introduced to a contemporary Central Asian artistic scene via the News from Central Asia show. The exhibition featured artists from all five ex-Soviet Central Asia republics (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) for the first time in a single exhibition.
Curator Aida Sulova asked each artist to craft experimental jewellery pieces that would encapsulate a specific Central Asian theme and present the current dynamics of the region to an audience that would likely be unfamiliar with it.
The environment was a prominent theme throughout the exhibition: Jol Jol’s Jetysu presented a golden tiara adorned by the shapes of the seven rivers that flow into the disappearing Lake Balkhash in Kazakhstan; and Dilyara Kaipova’s Curse of Cotton traced rampant desertification as a result of the massive Uzbek cotton industry, and shone a light on the issue of forced labour.
According to Sulova, there previously had been a perception that environmental protection was merely an issue for nature enthusiasts and scientists, a niche concern that would not affect the average person in the region. Yet, as the theme of News highlighted, the show has made it abundantly clear that the declining environment is now a headline issue in the international contemporary art scene.
Another of Sulova’s initiatives is Once Upon A Plastic Bag, an art-activism project designed to address the pervasive waste issue in Kyrgyzstan. As part of the project, Sulova launched the Trash Can Initiative, adorning bins across the capital city of Bishkek with painted mouths devouring plastic bottles. These serve as a poignant reminder that what we discard not only impacts the environment, but also has repercussions on our own well-being.
The links between environmental art, activism and social change are also being teased out on a macro level in neighbouring Kazakhstan. Saule Suleimenova is a Kazakh artist who uses plastic bags as a medium to illustrate modern Kazakh society and reflect on modernity and waste in the Great Steppe. Her exhibition in Almaty, We Are Ordinary People, drew nearly 100,000 attendees, with a centrepiece that reflected on the Bloody January protests, which occurred in January 2022 in Kazakhstan.
Originally a single-issue protest against a steep petroleum price increase, the response morphed into a general movement for widespread political change, ending in a brutal military crackdown. The public impact of Suleimenova’s show was deep and immediate – the Kazakh authorities released the names of all Bloody January’s victims the day after the exhibition ended.
Meanwhile, activist-run spaces that use environmental art as grassroots activism have emerged in the area, such as the Trash Museum of Bishkek, which opened in October 2023.
The Museum is a public institution raising issues connected with waste, situated within a shipping container on an active landfill in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. It reexamines the historical evolution and current state of the local Kyrgyz people’s relationship with the land, by delving into Bishkek’s “trash history” from the 1920s to the present. Instead of ignoring this inconvenient reality, the Museum uses it to showcase the unglamorous, yet entirely real and noteworthy aspects of Kyrgyz history.
Voices of indigenous communities in Central Asia
As is the case for all Indigenous communities, the relationship between the land and its people is a key element of Central Asian society. Although it may seem obvious, critically examining the land and the changes it is going through has only now garnered the attention it deserves, after being largely overlooked in Central Asian art until these recent efforts.
In the Soviet era, much Indigenous produced art and craft was relegated to being “heritage pieces”, artificial legacies engineered under the state’s control. This meant that formal artworks purportedly representing the environment were anachronistic, and precluded any investigation into the effects of Soviet-era programs on the land.
Environmental art in the region has now carved out a critical new role in the reclamation of indigeneity and renewed expression of ancestral heritage. The end of a 200-year long Russian occupation over Central Asia in 1991 opened up new possibilities for dialogue and a revitalised attachment to the land. Many Central Asians had felt suffocated in their own homelands, as Russia’s imperial rule forced them into an externally imposed monoculture.
Since the Soviet Union’s collapse, Indigenous peoples have access to the land once again; yet, as the environment of the region has changed, so have the artistic perspectives on the evolving relationship between the peoples and the land.
Almagul Menlibayeva’s video-photography project Transoxiana Dreams presents a modern and decolonial voice on the local cataclysmic experience of the alarming disappearance of the Aral Sea from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. It was once the fourth biggest lake in the world, approximately the size of Belgium, but is now a barren desert due to Soviet-era water management policies geared to the mass-production of cotton in the area.
Menlibayeva’s work combines ancient mythology with modernist imagery, mixing ships in the barren desert with enigmatic and alluring four-legged female creatures resembling centaurs, recalling how the area’s nomadic Indigenous people were depicted by the ancient Greeks.
From an ecological perspective, Menlibayeva is attempting to show what happens when Indigenous people, while still on their own land, are surrounded by colonial powers exploiting the environment and transforming the landscape in the process of extracting resources. The artistic impulse combines with the drive to reclaim true occupancy of the land – a step towards provoking dialogue and driving practical action to reverse destructive environmental trends.
Read: Orientalism, a stain that taints Australian opera?
Given that Central Asia is at the frontline of what science tells us may be a global environmental catastrophe, contemporary Central Asian artists and their role in portraying and elucidating environmental issues offers a vital lesson on the power of artistic expression as a form of advocacy and as a potential catalyst for social transformation. Art can serve as a potent tool for raising awareness, inspiring action and fostering a deeper connection between people and their environment.
The works outlined here are compelling illustrations of how the environmental crisis in Central Asia – as well as for other regions around the world – is interconnected with broader social, political and cultural challenges.
The region’s experience exemplifies at once the potential inspiration and the confronting insights drawn from an approach that addresses the complex interplay between cultural expression, environmental degradation and decolonisation.
This article is published under the Amplify Collective, an initiative supported by The Walkley Foundation and made possible through funding from the Meta Australian News Fund.
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https://www.artshub.com.au/news/opinions-analysis/why-you-should-pay-attention-to-central-asia-ecological-art-2699454/
| 2024-01-31T23:34:03Z
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BetMGM confirmed its arrival on the British gambling landscape back in August 2023 and as they prepare to mark the first half-year period, the company believes the results vindicate the “big splash” in the UK.
As reported by i Gaming Business, high-profile sports sponsorships, glitzy ‘Vegas style’ advertising and an engaging customer experience are all said to have contributed to the initial success which has gone above and beyond the expectations of BetMGM’s UK director, Sam Behar.
“It’s been an unbelievable first five months entering the UK, especially given the way we did. We had a unique ambition to make things work and we’ve certainly made a big splash, which is excellent,” he said.
“Of course, we always thought it would, but it’s made a much bigger impact than even we could have anticipated and, even though we had high hopes, we even exceeded those expectations. It’s fair to say punters really like our product, especially the Vegas experience that we’ve brought to the UK,” added Behar.
MGM has appeared to carve a slice of the pie for itself by providing an alternative. That has been made possible by focusing on engagement and the customer experience for users.
Data utilization has been a driver for the company, steering its direction with further credit given to its own exclusive products such as the MGM Grand Gamble slot game.
That’s Entertainment
BetMGM has attempted to bring the glamour of its Las Vegas image into its online casino offering, whilst shaking up the traditional sportsbook market for British customers. On this, Behar confirmed the deliberate ploy to combine US elements with a distinct UK-based identity.
Their endeavors have been helped by a bold television advertisement featuring American comedian Chris Rock and a lion gliding along London’s famed River Thames in a golden speedboat, whilst supplementary ads have run on Sky Sports, a major UK broadcaster.
The brand aims to be more than a disruptor. It wants to be loud, to be brash, to be an entertainer and to provide something different.
Sponsorship and alignment are also part of the plan with high-profile deals in place with Premier League soccer clubs Manchester City, Wolves, Brighton, Aston Villa and Newcastle. MGM branding is apparent at all of those stadiums, with the marketing plan extending to title sponsorship of Darts’ Premier League.
The UK operation is a joint venture between MGM and Entain, a major international gambling company, listed on the London Stock Exchange.
Image: Pixabay/Pexels
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https://readwrite.com/betmgm-backs-big-splash-into-uk-market/
| 2024-01-31T23:34:03Z
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- Midway received $750,000 in grant money to fix roads in the neighborhood.
- Leaders says the paving process will take 6 months, and neighbors are overjoyed.
- Watch the video to see which roads will be paved and hear from one of those neighbors.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
I'm Ashley Engle in the Midway neighborhood. Right now, I’m, standing on Mine Road which is one of the roads that Midway leaders are planning to pave. I spoke to one woman who lives on this road, and she says, "Thank you! Thank you, Lord Jesus, that they are finally doing it!"
It's a project that's been a long time coming.
"We've been getting promise after promise that they were going to do it and now it’s finally getting done."
Emma Lee says she and other neighbors have been asking the city to do it for over 20 years. Emma and I took a walk down mine road, and she showed me how run-down it was.
The first thing I noticed: it wasn't paved. It's a dirt road.
"We're tired of driving through mud when its wet we are tired of dust flying all over the place when its dry."
Midway was awarded a $750,000 grant to address 6 roads that needed to be paved.
The roads that will be paved are McCray Martin Road, Mine Road, Willies Lane, Imani Circle, Lawson Road and Silver Hill Road.
"The need for this project is bigger than what we are able to do at this time, but it's a start to have better roads and streets for the citizens of Midway."
City staff and its engineering firm has worked to survey those roads and held meetings to talk to neighbors to see how this project will impact them.
"The city came to us and said they wanted to pave McCray Martin, Imani Circle, Silver Hill Road and gave us the list of roads and then we went out like you said and did the cite visits on each road and based on our engineering and evaluation we determined what improvements specifically needed to be made at each location."
A project that Emma can't hold her excitement in for them to get started.
"The first thing I’m going to do is come out here with my camera and so everybody can know what’s happening and I’m going to be jumping for joy.”
Now that roads are getting paved neighbors here are hopeful that the city will continue to look at things like adding more streetlights to the neighborhood.
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https://www.wtxl.com/news/local-news/thank-you-lord-jesus-midway-neighbors-react-to-new-city-paving-project
| 2024-01-31T23:34:03Z
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Woman and two children in hospital after ‘corrosive substance attack’
Police responded to the incident near Clapham Common, south London, at around 7.25pm on Wednesday.
A woman and her two young children have been taken to hospital after a man threw a suspected corrosive substance at them in south London.
Police responded to the incident in Lessar Avenue near Clapham Common at around 7.25pm on Wednesday.
Three other members of the public were also taken to hospital after the incident.
Their injuries are thought to have been suffered as they came to the aid of the woman and her children.
The Metropolitan Police said three officers who responded to the incident were also injured.
Detective Superintendent Alexander Castle said the officers’ injuries were “minor”.
“While tests are ongoing to determine what the substance is, at this stage we believe it to be a corrosive substance,” he said.
“A man was seen fleeing the scene. We are drawing on resources from across the Met to apprehend this individual and work is ongoing to determine what has led to this awful incident.”
No arrest has been made and police said they will give an update on the conditions of the injured people as soon as they can.
Marina Ahmad, Labour’s London Assembly member for Lambeth & Southwark, posted on X: “There has been a traffic collision with a man assaulting occupants in a car and throwing acid. Victims include children.”
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https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/uk-news/2024/01/31/woman-and-two-children-in-hospital-after-corrosive-substance-attack/
| 2024-01-31T23:34:04Z
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Gloria Hunniford, 83, turns heads in a velvet gold coat as she makes a rare public appearance with husband Stephen Way, 80, at The King And I press night
Gloria Hunniford cosied up to rarely seen husband Stephen Way at The King And I press night at the Dominion Theatre in London on Wednesday.
The TV presenter, 83, turned heads in an eye catching gold velvet coat which she donned over a black blouse and trousers.
She accessorised with a bold yellow necklace and toted her belongings around in a large woven handbag.
The Loose Women panellist was all smiles as she completed her evening look with a stunning palette of makeup including a swipe of red lipstick.
She beamed as she posed with husband Stephen, 80, who she married in 1998, as he dressed smart in a black suit complete with a silver tie and scarf.
Gloria Hunniford cosied up to rarely seen husband Stephen Way at The King And I press night at the Dominion Theatre in London on Wednesday
The TV presenter, 83, turned heads in an eye catching gold velvet coat which she donned over a black blouse and trousers
Meanwhile Great British Bake Off judge Prue Leith commanded attention in a multi-coloured patterned long cardigan.
She added a stylish orange jumper and navy trousers underneath and kept comfortable in a pair of trainers.
This Morning's Gyles Brandreth seemed in high spirits as he showed off his heart jumper as he posed for photos on the red carpet.
Alice Beer looked incredible in a black jumpsuit which she teamed with a stunning long green wool coat.
Elsewhere David Seaman and Frankie Poultney cosied up as they posed for photos together ahead of the show.
It comes after Gloria's husband Stephen was left partially blind after suffering a second stroke last year
He lost the sight in his right eye and he has said it is not expected to return.
He told the Mirror: 'I woke up in the morning and there was blood in the eye and that was it. I can see a little but not that good.'
Speaking of the blood vessel damage that is causing the sight loss, he added: 'It is from the heart to the eye, and then from the eye to the brain, so it is damaged. It is the first time I have had something like this with the eye.
She accessorised with a bold yellow necklace and toted her belongings around in a large woven handbag
The Loose Women panellist was all smiles as she completed her evening look with a stunning palette of makeup including a swipe of red lipstick
Meanwhile Great British Bake Off judge Prue Leith commanded attention in a multi-coloured patterned long cardigan
She added a stylish orange jumper and navy trousers underneath and kept comfortable in a pair of trainers
This Morning's Gyles Brandreth seemed in high spirits as he showed off his heart jumper as he posed for photos on the red carpet
'I had to go to hospital – then Northfield [Hospital, West London] and then neurology but thankfully it was not a long wait at A&E. I just went straight through. I am coping OK with it all. It’s fine but just disorientating.'
It comes after Gloria revealed how she was rushed to A&E by ambulance before being diagnosed with sepsis of the kidney in March.
The star said she was left 'flattened' and 'drained of all energy' following the ordeal earlier this year.
Gloria first underwent surgery for kidney stones, where doctors put in a stent, however after the operation she began to feel unwell.
She was then went under the knife for a second time, telling the Mirror: 'The last thing [Doctors] said before I went to theatre was: "When I take this stent out you are going to feel so much better.
'But the next thing I knew coming out of the anesthetic, was a nurse saying to me, "Don't worry, don't panic but we are having to transfer you by ambulance to a different hospital because we can't get your blood pressure up".'
Gloria was then sent to a nearby A&E in Maidstone, Kent where doctors informed her she had sepsis of the kidney.
Sepsis occurs when the body reacts to an infection by attacking its own organs and tissues. Around 44,000 people die from sepsis every year in the UK. Worldwide, someone dies from the condition every 3.5 seconds.
Alice Beer looked incredible in a black jumpsuit which she teamed with a stunning long green wool coat
Elsewhere David Seaman and Frankie Poultney cosied up as they posed for photos together ahead of the show
She revealed her relief that the disease had not spread beyond the kidney, saying: 'I guess that's why I felt so awful and it did flatten me for a while.'
Despite doctors saying it could take six months to return to normality, Gloria was back at work within weeks.
The host, who fronts Loose Women and BBC's Rip Of Britain went on to tell the publication she is now back to '98%' health.
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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-13030105/Gloria-Hunniford-83-turns-heads-velvet-gold-coat-makes-rare-public-appearance-husband-Stephen-Way-80-King-press-night.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
| 2024-01-31T23:34:04Z
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ST. LOUIS, Jan. 31, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BellRing Brands, Inc. BRBR ("BellRing"), a holding company operating in the global convenient nutrition category, today announced that its Executive Chairman, Robert V. Vitale, has ended his medical leave and resumed his full duties as Executive Chairman, effective today, January 31, 2024.
About BellRing Brands, Inc.
BellRing Brands, Inc. is a rapidly growing leader in the global convenient nutrition category offering ready-to-drink shake and powder protein products. Its primary brands, Premier Protein® and Dymatize®, appeal to a broad range of consumers and are distributed across a diverse network of channels including club, food, drug, mass, eCommerce, specialty and convenience. BellRing's commitment to consumers is to strive to make highly effective products that deliver best-in-class nutritionals and superior taste. For more information, visit www.bellring.com.
Contact:
Investor Relations
Jennifer Meyer
jennifer.meyer@bellringbrands.com
(415) 814-9388
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/24/01/g36878121/bellring-brands-executive-chairman-rob-vitale-returns-from-medical-leave
| 2024-01-31T23:34:04Z
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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California residents don't have to pay for and pass a background check every time they buy bullets, a federal judge has ruled.
The Tuesday ruling by U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez took effect immediately. California Attorney General Rob Bonta asked Benitez on Wednesday to delay the ruling to give him time to appeal the decision. It's unclear if Benitez will grant that request.
Many states, including California, make people pass a background check before they can buy a gun. California goes a step further by making people pass a background check, which cost either $1 or $19 depending on eligibility, every time they buy bullets. A few other states also require background checks for buying ammunition, but most let people buy a license that is good for a few years.
Benitez said California's law violates the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution because if people can't buy bullets for their guns, they can't use their guns for self-defense. He criticized the state's automated background check system, which he said rejected about 11% of applicants, or 58,087 requests, in the first half of 2023.
''How many of the 58,087 needed ammunition to defend themselves against an impending criminal threat and how many were simply preparing for a sporting event, we will never know,'' Benitez wrote. ''What is known is that in almost all cases, the 322 individuals that are rejected each day are being denied permission to freely exercise their Second Amendment right — a right which our Founders instructed shall not be infringed.''
Bonta said Benitez's ruling puts public safety at risk because it would immediately let people who are not legally allowed to have ammunition to buy it — including convicted felons, people with mental illnesses and those with some domestic violence convictions.
''We will not stop in our efforts to protect the safety of communities and Californians' rights to go about their business without fear of becoming victims of gun violence, while at the same time respecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners,'' Bonta said.
Chuck Michel, president and general counsel of the California Rifle & Pistol Association, said California's requirement for a background check on all ammunition purchases ''has not made anyone safer.''
''But it has made it much more difficult and expensive for law-abiding gun owners to exercise their Second Amendment right to defend themselves and their family,'' he said.
California has some of the nation's toughest gun laws. Many of them are being challenged in court in light of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that set a new standard for interpreting gun laws, stating they must be consistent with the nation's historical tradition of firearm regulation.
Benitez has already struck down two other California gun laws — one that banned detachable magazines that have more than 10 bullets and another that banned the sale of assault-style weapons. Those decisions have been appealed. Other gun laws being challenged include rules requiring gun stores to have digital surveillance systems and restricting the sale of new handguns.
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https://m.startribune.com/californians-dont-have-to-pass-a-background-check-every-time-they-buy-bullets-federal-judge-rules/600340045/
| 2024-01-31T23:34:05Z
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CANTON, Ohio — A Steeler wing to the Hall of Fame!
Franco Harris’ words are officially a reality in Canton.
“Six Vince Lombardi trophies, six NFL Super Bowl Championship rings, and 27 bronze busts on display for the first time ever under one roof,” Jon Kendle, the Hall of Fame Vice President of Archives and Exhibits detailed.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame opened “A Legacy Forged in Black and Gold,” a new temporary exhibit highlighting the history of the Steelers franchise.
“They have such a rich history and you know an organization that really does it the right way,” said Kendle.
It has fans from Pittsburgh across the country flocking to Canton.
“Just feeling that history and then walking through, having the history of football and then seeing how the Steelers played that role in the football, the team I love and a sport I love,” Steelers fan Kathleen Pravlik said.
It isn’t just the Super Bowl memorabilia. Pieces from iconic moments in Steelers history span multiple rooms of the Hall,
“We have a Rooney legacy case,” said Kendle. “We’ve got, you know a case that that is really Franco Harris heavy. Bill Nunn, you know, having his binoculars in our collection I think is a really cool piece.”
One piece in particular is catching a whole lot of eyes - Jack Lambert’s shoe from 1983, a few years before he retired.
“I can’t believe how big it is, and then how they had it taped just to protect his toe,” said Pravlik.
“It’s a shoe and it’s got a bunch of padding on that toe,” added Kendle.
And for those who trek to Canton to take the display all in -- there’s one phrase that can be heard anywhere you turn: Go Steelers!
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https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/new-exhibit-celebrating-steelers-history-now-open-pro-football-hall-fame/MDOJ67TJMZG2ZLTWWUPPBCM7OI/
| 2024-01-31T23:34:06Z
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Top tech CEOs were being grilled in Washington by lawmakers, who said the companies have failed to protect children from being subjected to sexual abuse and exploitation on their websites.
The executives include Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, X's Linda Yaccarino and TikTok's Shou Zi Chew, among others.
The social media apps have "given predators powerful new tools to exploit children," said Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., at the kickoff of the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday. He noted that the powerful apps "have changed the way we live, work and play."
The hearing is one of several over the past year as pressure builds for federal regulators to do more to hold tech companies accountable for children's safety online. Lawmakers have spoken out, have written letters to the CEOs and are pushing five separate bills that cover social media and child safety.
States have also targeted the social media companies. Last year, 13 states passed laws to protect kids on social media, and more states are expected to do the same.
"You have blood on your hands," Sen. Lindsey Graham tells Zuckerberg
Of the companies testifying on Wednesday, Meta has especially come under fire for allegedly creating a toxic environment for children. In October, a group of more than 40 states sued the company for allegedly designing Facebook and Instagram to be addictive.
Separately, New Mexico's attorney general filed another suit against Meta, alleging it fails to remove child sexual abuse material from its platforms and also makes it easy for adults to solicit minors.
That lawsuit came after a Facebook whistleblower, Arturo Bejar, testified before a Senate Judiciary subcommittee in November. Based on data he collected while working at Facebook, he said he found that 24% of teens had received unwanted sexual advances. And when harmful posts are reported, he said, only 2% are taken down.
During Wednesday's hearing, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., laid into Zuckerberg.
"Mr. Zuckerberg," Graham began, "you have blood on your hands. You have a product that's killing people."
The packed audience, which included parents, survivors and child advocates, erupted in applause.
Zuckerberg has testified several times before members of the Senate, and he voluntarily agreed to speak again on Wednesday. In his opening statement, he said, "Keeping young people safe online has been a challenge since the internet began."
"No matter how much we invest or how effective our tools are, there's always more to learn and more improvements to make," Zuckerberg added.
Internal emails show Zuckerberg declined to hire staff to protect children online
In the lead-up to Wednesday's hearing, Meta rolled out new tools geared toward protecting kids online. Those include barring children under age 18 from seeing posts about suicide, self-harm and eating disorders. The company says it has around 40,000 people working on safety and security issues.
But just hours before the hearing began, lawmakers released 90 pages of internal emails that showed Meta has refused to fully commit to improving child safety on its platforms. At one point in 2021, the emails show, Zuckerberg declined a proposal to hire 45 new staff members dedicated to children's well-being.
The emails show top executives at Meta discussing budget and head count, as well as the fact that if they didn't address the issue they'd face increased regulatory risk and external criticism.
"This work & narrative has of course become a more critical focal point for policymakers, regulators et al in recent weeks — this is not likely to diminish going forward," Nick Clegg, Meta's president of global affairs wrote in a 2021 email to Zuckerberg.
The internal emails were produced in response to a letter that Senators Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., sent to Meta in November.
Five federal bills introduced
Of the other executives to testify, TikTok's Chew has also appeared before Congresslast year, but this is the first time lawmakers have grilled X's Yaccarino and the two other CEOs: Snap's Evan Spiegel and Discord's Jason Citron. Chew volunteered to speak on Wednesday, but Yaccarino, Spiegel and Citron agreed only after being subpoenaed.
Snap has come out as the sole social media company to throw its support behind the Kids Online Safety Act, which is one of the bills that lawmakers are hoping to bring to the Senate floor this year. If passed, it would hold tech companies accountable for feeding teens toxic content.
"Many of the largest and most successful internet companies today were born here in the United States of America, and we must lead not only in technical innovation but also in smart regulation," Snap's Spiegel said in his opening remarks on Wednesday.
Throughout the hearing, several of the senators tried to get the tech CEOs to agree to back legislation. All of the executives said more had to be done and they agree with regulation, but besides Spiegel, none said they'd fully back one of the bills.
At one point Senator Chris Coons, D-Del., tried to get the CEOs to support legislation he and several other senators introduced, the Platform Accountability and Transparency Act.
"Is there any one of you willing to say now that you support this bill?" Coons asked the CEOs.
After the question didn't elicit a response, he followed up with: "Mr. Chairman, let the record reflect a yawning silence from the leaders of the social media platforms."
Child safety groups and parents joined lawmakers for several press conferences on Wednesday. They echoed the senators' demands that more has to be done to protect kids online.
"Parents used to worry about where their kids were at 10 p.m.," said Imran Ahmed, CEO and founder of the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate. "These days, they may be physically present, but we don't know who they're spending time with online and what they're being exposed to every day."
Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
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https://kansaspublicradio.org/npr-news/2024-01-31/you-have-blood-on-your-hands-senator-tells-mark-zuckerberg-for-failing-kids-online
| 2024-01-31T23:34:07Z
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Suspected drug dealer assaults Deputy Minister
Herald Reporter
A SUSPECTED drug dealer is on the run after he allegedly assaulted the Deputy Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Tongai Mnangagwa following a misunderstanding over parking space on Tuesday night.
According to a police report seen by The Herald, Deputy Minister Mnangagwa, his associates and aides parked their convoy outside an apartment block Trude Mansions at the corner of Sixth Street and Fife Avenue in Harare’s Avenues area.
The Deputy Minister and his associates attended a party at the apartment block and when he went to his car afterwards, the suspect, Antony Mwedziwendira, confronted him complaining about his vehicles having been blocked in the parking lot during the party.
The accused person charged towards the Deputy Minister and assaulted him with open hands prompting the former’s aides to intervene.
Mwedziwendira allegedly went on to assault one of the aides once with open hands on the face.
On realising that he was dealing with a Deputy Minister, the accused person fled the scene leaving behind four vehicles, a BMW, a VW and two Mercedes Benz sedans. A report was made at ZRP Milton Park. The vehicle was searched and an assortment of illicit drugs and substances was found in some of them.
Two passports, one of them in the name of Mwedziwendira were found.
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https://www.herald.co.zw/suspected-drug-dealer-assaults-deputy-minister/
| 2024-01-31T23:34:08Z
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A Volusia County teachers union may soon be forced to close
A new state law mandates union membership be at least 60-percent for the union to continue operating and the Volusia United Educators, or VUE, could be dipping below that.
▶ WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS
However, union representatives said the recertification process is between them and the state and they feel blindsided by a recent move by the school board.
“Quite frankly, the board has inserted themselves in a process where they do not have a role and we believe it is intentional and it is malicious,” said VUE President Elizabeth Albert.
Read: Jury recommends death in resentencing trial of convicted killer Bessman Okafor
The school district notified the Florida Public Employees Relations Commission, or PERC, that union representation did not meet the threshold in time for recertification.
In a statement to Eyewitness News, a district spokesperson said: “The certification VUE turned in did not reconcile with their PERC filing, and our legal representative responded to their recertification petition to provide PERC with the information we had from VUE’s solidarity reports. It was an accounting of information only and a timeline. There is an obligation for districts to do their due diligence to ensure that statute is followed.”
Read: Federal judge dismisses Disney’s lawsuit against DeSantis
Albert said according to the Florida Education Association, Volusia United Educators is the only union in the state dealing with this issue.
She added if a union does not maintain 60-percent membership, there is an option for an election. She believes if there is an opportunity to take that step, the union would be safe.
Read: In need of an island vacation? This airline will soon offer direct flights from Orlando
“This current situation has led to an absolute new momentum and revitalization of our recruitment efforts and we have people knocking at our door to join,” said Albert.
The union maintains that the only reason membership has fallen recently, is because the union can no longer obtain dues through payroll deduction, so it is in a transition period.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
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https://news.yahoo.com/volusia-county-teachers-union-may-230240127.html
| 2024-01-31T23:34:08Z
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How do we metabolise RENT: The Musical almost 30 years after its Broadway debut? The postmodern, queer, anarchist rock opera revolutionised the boundaries of popular musicals. The latest Australian production, staged by LPD and Sugary Rum Productions and touring nationally across 2024, delivers on the show’s infectious youthful exuberance.
An enthusiastic crowd on Brisbane’s opening night gave the cast a lengthy and heartfelt standing ovation. The production hums with electricity throughout, from the grotesque to the sublime. Not all performances are consistent or refined, but they will likely only grow in confidence throughout the season.
RENT: The Musical in 2024
If this is your first time around, RENT is loosely based on the Puccini opera La Bohème. In New York’s East Village in 1991, a group of artists face eviction from their rundown apartment building. They battle AIDS, drug addiction and homelessness, along with all of the drama of young love.
The piece was written by Jonathan Larson, who tragically died at the age of 35, just a day before the first Off-Broadway performance of Rent. He was posthumously awarded the Pulitzer Prize and three Tony Awards for his work on the musical. RENT typically stands beside Tony Kushner’s Angels in America as a work that is essential to the American queer canon dealing with AIDS.
The show is known for its Act Two opener, ‘Seasons of Love’, but the show’s approach to music is eclectic, featuring tango, rock and pop. Larson was not afraid of the surreal, and the show lacks any kind of formulaic structuring that marked the Disney adaptations and Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals of the same period. RENT includes a large comic piece about protest performance art, orgy scenes adjacent to death scenes and character arcs that are occasionally rushed or forgotten.
Regardless, it has stood the test of time, proving particularly useful as a staging ground for new generations of musical theatre talent (everyone in the cast is typically in their 20s) and is an important and emotional piece for many.
Watching RENT in 2024, it lacks the true political punch that Larson would’ve originally intended. There is a large cognitive dissonance in watching the show with a middle-class, privileged audience in a large, government-funded theatre. RENT is so specifically about New York and the 90s that the show can become an intellectual museum piece or an act of nostalgia. This is a shame, because of course the essential issues of class (have you tried renting in an Aussie capital city lately?) are still incredibly salient.
Watching the show now also reminds of us how conservative we’ve become. Larson’s bold experimentation with form queers the very idea of musical theatre. Next to it, Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen and Come from Away are positively tame and heteronormative. What shows nowadays are going to be brave enough to include a 10-minute performance art piece about cows in the middle of their first act?
RENT: The Musical playing in Australia
The 2024 production is a success. Dann Barber’s set contains platforms that contort and spin to bring the New York streets to life. Paul Jackson’s lighting design constantly breaks the fourth wall and invites the audience to become an engaged rock crowd. Ella Butler’s costumes capture the colours and layers of 90s fashion – which actually wouldn’t look out of place for any urban youth today. Luca Dinardo’s choreography is a joy to watch.
The vocal talent across the board is spellbinding. The show gives plenty of opportunities for the young cast to play vocal gymnastics and they do so with alacrity.
On the show’s first evening, not all of the cast found the nuance in their characters – missing gags or specificities that would’ve allowed for greater depth. Shaun Rennie’s direction is competent and emphasises the show’s operatic nature, occasionally at the cost of the characters’ grounded humanity.
Calista Nelmes’ Maureen is fearless, electrifying and the complete embodiment of the chaotic, courageous, life-affirming lesbian that is RENT‘s plum role. Her late entrance in the first act lifts everyone into a new energy. Her complete surrender to Maureen’s performance art is a piece of comic mastery that is the most enjoyable part of the entire show. Nelmes is worth the ticket price alone.
Carl De Villa’s Angel is appropriately tender and tragic. De Villa’s performance strikes as effortless, but bears all the marks of a master musical theatre performer, balancing comedy, stunning vocals and captivating stage presence. They find a very capable romantic partner in Nick Afoa’s Collins.
Martha Berhane’s Mimi, a role that demands vulnerability and dauntless choreography, faithfully takes on the role of rock goddess for ‘Out Tonight’. Nelmes and Thndo’s rendition of ‘Take Me or Leave Me’ is another highlight. ‘What You Own’ comes late in the piece, but provides an excellent showcase for Jerrod Smith and Noah Mullins.
Read: Performance review: Viva Korea, Riverside Theatres
This production of RENT will be a success in 2024, especially for a new generation of musical theatre lovers who can appreciate the show’s originality and message of love.
RENT: The Musical
QPAC
Book, Music and Lyrics: Jonathan Larson
Director: Shaun Rennie
Musical Director: Andrew Worboys
Associate Musical Director: Dylan Pollard
Choreographer: Luca Dinardo
Lighting Designer: Paul Jackson
Sound Designer: Evan Drill
Set Designer: Dann Barber
Costumer Designer: Ella Butler
Associate Director: Leah Howard
Performance and Concept Consultant ‘Over the Moon’: Sarah Enright
Cast: Noah Mullins, Jerrod Smith, Martha Berhane, Calista Nelmes, Thndo, Nick Afoa, Carl De Villa, Tana Laga’aia, Anna Francesca Armenia, Kelsi Boyden, Mariah Gonzalez, Sam Harmon, Lawrence Hawkins, Josslynn Hlenti, Hannah McInerney, Sam Richardson, Chad Rosete and Theodore Williams
Tickets: $56-$169
RENT will be performed at QPAC until 11 February 2024 before touring to Melbourne from 17 February, Newcastle from 15 March, Perth from 11 May and Canberra from 7 June.
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https://www.artshub.com.au/news/reviews/__trashed-16-2699281/
| 2024-01-31T23:34:09Z
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