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Reality TV figure facing sex trafficking charge in Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS (AP) - A rapper and former reality TV figure is facing a felony sex trafficking charge in Las Vegas in an ongoing criminal investigation alleging that he used his large social media following to recruit women as prostitutes, according to police.
Records showed Wednesday that Kevin Lamont Barnes Jr., 37, was arrested Monday and released Tuesday without bail from the Clark County Detention Center pending a preliminary hearing of evidence May 10.
Barnes, who uses the name Chopper and was featured on the early 2000´s MTV reality series "Making the Band," was represented in court by a public defender. It was not immediately clear later if he had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
Details of the investigation were not immediately made public by police or prosecutors.
The celebrity website TMZ said it obtained documents showing that an undercover vice detective posing as a sex worker said Barnes used social media to tell the person to travel to Charlotte, North Carolina, to become part of his "team."
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that after his MTV stint, Barnes became a member of the hip-hop group Da Band, formed by Sean "P. Diddy" Combs. | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-10760947/Reality-TV-figure-facing-sex-trafficking-charge-Las-Vegas.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | 2022-04-27T21:30:52Z | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-10760947/Reality-TV-figure-facing-sex-trafficking-charge-Las-Vegas.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | false |
SACRAMENTO (AP) _ The winning numbers in Wednesday afternoon's drawing of the California Lottery's "Daily 3 Midday" game were:
4-1-1
(four, one, one)
SACRAMENTO (AP) _ The winning numbers in Wednesday afternoon's drawing of the California Lottery's "Daily 3 Midday" game were:
4-1-1
(four, one, one) | https://www.lakecountystar.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Daily-3-Midday-game-17131398.php | 2022-04-27T21:36:37Z | https://www.lakecountystar.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Daily-3-Midday-game-17131398.php | true |
Lawmakers have approved more than $2 million dollars in funding to support climate education in Maine's public schools. The Climate Education Bill will establish a three-year pilot program to provide professional development funding for teachers to study climate education and bring it back to their classrooms. Kosis Ifeji of the Nature Based Education Consortium said the bill will prioritize funding for schools that lack climate science education.
"It's important that all students have access to climate education, but specifically for people in low income communities," Ifegi said. "We have to make sure it's equitable for them and that they're not left behind."
Ifegi, a Bangor High School senior, said she did not have climate education and has spoken with students across the state who want to learn climate science at their schools. The Nature Based Education Consortium is a network of organizations focused on building access to outdoor learning opportunities for all Maine youth.
Melissa Leutje, a science teacher at Kennebunk High School, said inspiring students to address climate change can start in school.
"What can we do collectively and individually to move the needle a little bit?" Leutje said. "A good climate education program across the entire state — that's going to be huge. It starts there."
Students and educators from the Nature Based Education Consortium crafted the bill. The Climate Education Bill will also create a position at the Maine Department of Education to help districts apply for and implement climate education professional development. Nearly 100 students, teachers, and organizations testified in support of the bill. | https://www.mainepublic.org/environment-and-outdoors/2022-04-27/lawmakers-approve-2-million-in-funding-to-expand-climate-education-in-maine-schools | 2022-04-27T21:37:27Z | https://www.mainepublic.org/environment-and-outdoors/2022-04-27/lawmakers-approve-2-million-in-funding-to-expand-climate-education-in-maine-schools | true |
WATCH: Mountain lion scared off by automatic doors
Published: Apr. 27, 2022 at 3:27 PM CDT|Updated: 1 hour ago
TUCSON, Ariz. (Gray News) – A mountain lion in Arizona was apparently not ready to indulge in the resort treatment.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department released a video of the mountain lion on social media walking outside of the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson Monday. The animal quickly changes its mind when it passes by the automatic doors, which open and scare the feline, causing it to run away.
The department said the mountain lion was probably young and learning its way around the area due to the way it reacted to the doors.
The department said that, although mountain lions are common in the Sabino Canyon area, they have only received a few reports of incidents with them.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/04/27/watch-mountain-lion-scared-off-by-automatic-doors/ | 2022-04-27T21:39:42Z | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/04/27/watch-mountain-lion-scared-off-by-automatic-doors/ | false |
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (AP) _ The St. Joe Co. (JOE) on Wednesday reported first-quarter profit of $13.4 million.
The Panama City Beach, Florida-based company said it had net income of 23 cents per share.
The real estate development company posted revenue of $64.9 million in the period.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on JOE at https://www.zacks.com/ap/JOE | https://www.registercitizen.com/business/article/St-Joe-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17131611.php | 2022-04-27T21:41:11Z | https://www.registercitizen.com/business/article/St-Joe-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17131611.php | false |
Scholarships created to support inclusivity in the tech industry
MIAMI, April 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- To celebrate the success of the 2022 eMerge Americas conference, eMerge Americas and Ironhack announced $200,000 in scholarship diversity funds to develop local tech talent and support the growth of the #MiamiTech ecosystem. Ironhack is building the leading global talent marketplace for emerging tech talent that is powered by their 10,000 and counting bootcamp alumni with the goal of becoming the most outcomes-focused institution in the world.
The fund will consist of 50 partial scholarships ranging from $2,000 to $9,500 to be put towards Ironhack tuition. The scholarship will prioritize women and underrepresented minorities (i.e. Black, Latino/Hispanic, Native American) who are at least 18 years of age on the date of entry.
Interested individuals can apply starting on April 19, 2022 at https://www2.ironhack.com/emerge to begin the application process. Cohorts are available starting in May for in-person, remote and hybrid courses. Applicants can choose between courses offered on Web Development, UX/UI Design and Data Analytics.
Accessible and equitable tech education is integral for the future of workforce development. As companies continue to relocate to Florida, eMerge Americas and Ironhack's scholarship initiative aims to connect local talent with the necessary credentials to secure tech jobs and make high-skilled career opportunities available to all.
"Our mission at eMerge Americas to transform Miami into the tech hub of the Americas goes far beyond simply recruiting tech workers and startups. In order to truly give back to the community and continue its exponential growth, it is vital that we empower those who already call Miami home with the tools they need to land a good paying job in a booming industry. Our partnership with Ironhack and this scholarship fund does just that." - Felice Gorordo, CEO of eMerge Americas.
"eMerge has been a crucial component to the growth of Florida over the years. Partnering with eMerge allows us to make sure we're empowering diverse talent in our local communities with future-proof careers in tech and making sure everyone can benefit from this movement." - Ariel Quinones, Ironhack Co-Founder and Co-CEO
Ironhack's U.S. operations have been headquartered in Miami since 2015 with campuses throughout Europe and Latin America. Ironhack is paving the way in edTech to fill the industry's employment gap and enterprise training. In January 2021, Ironhack secured $20 million in a Series B round led by Lumos Capital and was listed as a GSV EdTech 150, one of the most transformative companies in digital learning.
Ironhack's educational programs provide students with the technical training and industry introductions they need to be employable after graduation. Every student gets access to the most in-demand digital skills through live and hands-on training and can build the foundation to transform their career and become a developer, a UX/UI designer or a data analyst regardless of their previous experience.
About eMerge
eMerge Americas is a venture-backed platform focused on transforming Miami into the tech hub of the Americas. The eMerge signature event, launched in 2014, is a global tech conference held annually at the Miami Beach Convention Center, attracting more than 16,000 attendees from 40 countries and over 3,900 unique participating organizations. In addition to the annual conference, eMerge organizes and hosts year-round executive summits, innovation challenges, startup pitch competitions, masterclasses, webinars, as well as publishes venture activity and investment insights reports. For the last decade, eMerge has served as a catalyst for innovation and investment across the Americas, working at the forefront of building the South Florida entrepreneurial and tech ecosystem. Visit www.emergeamericas.com for more information.
About Ironhack :
Ironhack is building the leading global talent marketplace for emerging tech talent that is powered by our 10,000 and counting bootcamp alumni with the goal of becoming the most outcomes focused institution in the world. Founded in 2013, Ironhack has operations in 8 countries and 160 employees and was listed as a GSV EdTech 150, one of the most transformative companies in digital learning.
Photo Drive: PR Photos
Media contact: press@emergeamericas.com
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SOURCE eMerge Americas | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/27/emerge-americas-ironhack-present-200000-tech-scholarships/ | 2022-04-27T21:41:40Z | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/04/27/emerge-americas-ironhack-present-200000-tech-scholarships/ | true |
SUNNY ISLES BEACH, Fla., April 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Icahn Enterprises L.P. (Nasdaq:IEP) announced today that it will discuss its first quarter 2022 results on a conference call and webcast on Friday, May 6, 2022 - 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. The webcast can be viewed live on Icahn Enterprises L.P.'s website at www.ielp.com. It will be archived and made available at www.ielp.com under the Investor Relations section. The toll-free dial-in number for the conference call in the United States is (866) 393-0676. The international number is (253) 237-1149. The passcode to access the conference call is 2598586.
Icahn Enterprises L.P., a master limited partnership, is a diversified holding company engaged in seven primary business segments: Investment, Energy, Automotive, Food Packaging, Real Estate, Home Fashion and Pharma.
Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This release may contain certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, many of which are beyond our ability to control or predict. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "will" or words of similar meaning and include, but are not limited to, statements about the expected future business and financial performance of Icahn Enterprises and its subsidiaries. Actual events, results and outcomes may differ materially from our expectations due to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including risks related to economic downturns, substantial competition and rising operating costs; risks related to the severity, magnitude and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the global economy, financial markets and industries in which our subsidiaries operate; the impacts from the Russia/Ukraine conflict, including economic volatility and the impacts of export controls and other economic sanctions, risks related to our investment activities, including the nature of the investments made by the private funds in which we invest, declines in the fair value of our investments as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, losses in the private funds and loss of key employees; risks related to our ability to continue to conduct our activities in a manner so as to not be deemed an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; risks related to our energy business, including the volatility and availability of crude oil, other feed stocks and refined products, declines in global demand for crude oil, refined products and liquid transportation fuels as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, unfavorable refining margin (crack spread), interrupted access to pipelines, significant fluctuations in nitrogen fertilizer demand in the agricultural industry and seasonality of results; risks related to our automotive activities and exposure to adverse conditions in the automotive industry, including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; risks related to our food packaging activities, including competition from better capitalized competitors, inability of our suppliers to timely deliver raw materials, and the failure to effectively respond to industry changes in casings technology; supply chain issues; inflation, including increased costs of raw materials and shipping, including as a result of the Russia/Ukraine conflict; labor shortages and workforce availability; risks related to our real estate activities, including the extent of any tenant bankruptcies and insolvencies; risks related to our home fashion operations, including changes in the availability and price of raw materials, and changes in transportation costs and delivery times; and other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Additionally, there may be other factors not presently known to us or which we currently consider to be immaterial that may cause our actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Past performance in our Investment segment is not indicative of future performance. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
Investor Contact:
Ted Papapostolou, Chief Financial Officer
(305) 422-4100
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SOURCE Icahn Enterprises L.P. | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2022/04/27/icahn-enterprises-lp-announces-q1-2022-earnings-conference-call/ | 2022-04-27T21:43:13Z | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2022/04/27/icahn-enterprises-lp-announces-q1-2022-earnings-conference-call/ | true |
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Texas National Guard member who drowned on the U.S.-Mexico border while on duty was not equipped with a flotation device when he jumped in the Rio Grande to help a migrant who was struggling to swim across, state officials said Wednesday.
Spc. Bishop Evans, who was missing three days before search crews found his body Monday, was among the more than 6,100 guard members stationed on the border as part of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott's massive border security mission known as Operation Lone Star. The mission has 43 flotation devices for guard members who are assigned to boat missions, Maj. Gen. Thomas Suelzer said. Evans was not a boat crew member.
Requests for more flotation devices were first made in February but have been delayed by supply chain issues, Suelzer told lawmakers in the Texas Capitol while facing questions about Evans' death, low morale and equipment shortages that have rattled the yearlong mission. Guard leaders defended not issuing all soldiers flotation devices because, they said, many are stationed on land.
Suelzer said that since Evans' death, guard members have been instructed not to go in the water unless they have special training.
“(He) was a human being," Suelzer said. “He saw a human being drowning and he jumped in the water to save them."
Migrant rescues by Border Patrol are common along Texas' 1,200-mile (1,930-kilometer) border with Mexico. Attempted crossings are sometimes deadly.
Brig. Gen. Monie Ulis said that guard members mostly stay on the banks to help migrants, and that he could recall only four or five instances where a guard member went into the water.
Evans is at least the fifth guard member who has died during the mission, a number that included suicides, said state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, a Democrat has called for an inquest into the deaths. The mission includes thousands of state troopers, patrol boats on the Rio Grande and surveillance aircraft, and costs the state more than $2 million a day, said Steve McCraw, the director of the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Abbott gave guard members unusual authority last year to detain and arrest migrants, but most on the mission are assigned to observation posts. Guard leaders acknowledged morale problems, including equipment shortages and sparse living conditions, but said improvements have been made in recent months.
“Average morale would be about a seven," Ulis said. “Far above when we first started." | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/Guardsmen-who-drowned-on-Texas-border-had-no-17131676.php | 2022-04-27T21:44:55Z | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/Guardsmen-who-drowned-on-Texas-border-had-no-17131676.php | false |
BEVERLY, Mass. (AP) _ Atlantic Tele-Network Inc. (ATNI) on Wednesday reported a first-quarter loss of $948,000, after reporting a profit in the same period a year earlier.
The Beverly, Massachusetts-based company said it had a loss of 13 cents per share.
The provider of telecommunications services posted revenue of $172 million in the period.
Atlantic Tele-Network shares have increased 1.5% since the beginning of the year. In the final minutes of trading on Wednesday, shares hit $40.55, a fall of 15% in the last 12 months.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on ATNI at https://www.zacks.com/ap/ATNI | https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Atlantic-Tele-Network-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17131633.php | 2022-04-27T21:45:02Z | https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Atlantic-Tele-Network-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17131633.php | false |
Mexico ‘crime scene’ skulls turn out to be from A.D. 900
When Mexican police found a pile of about 150 skulls in a cave near the Guatemalan border, they thought they were looking at a crime scene, and took the bones to the state capital.
It turns out it was a very cold case.
It took a decade of tests and analysis to determine the skulls were from sacrificial victims killed between A.D. 900 and 1200, the National Institute of Anthropology and History said Wednesday.
“Believing they were looking at a crime scene, investigators collected the bones and started examining them in Tuxtla Gutierrez,” the state capital, the institute, known as INAH, said in a statement.
The police in 2012 weren’t being stupid; the border area around the town of Frontera Comalapa in southern Chiapas state has long been plagued by violence and immigrant trafficking. And pre-Hispanic skull piles in Mexico usually show a hole bashed through each side of every skull, and were usually found in ceremonial plazas, not caves.
But experts said Wednesday the victims in the cave had probably been ritually decapitated and the skulls put on display on a kind of trophy rack known as a “tzompantli.” Spanish conquistadores wrote about seeing such racks in the 1520s, and some Spaniards’ heads even wound up on them.
While usually strung on wooden poles using holes bashed through them — the common practice among the Aztecs and other cultures — experts say the cave skulls may have rested atop poles, rather than being strung on them.
Interestingly, there were more females than males among the victims, and none of them had any teeth.
In light of the cave experience, archaeologist Javier Montes de Paz said people should probably call archaeologists, not police.
“When people find something that could be in an archaeological context, don’t touch it and notify local authorities or directly the INAH,” he said.
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You may occasionally receive promotional content from the San Diego Union-Tribune. | https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/nation-world/story/2022-04-27/mexico-crime-scene-skulls-turn-out-to-be-from-a-d-900 | 2022-04-27T21:46:00Z | https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/nation-world/story/2022-04-27/mexico-crime-scene-skulls-turn-out-to-be-from-a-d-900 | false |
POLITICO Playbook PM: How McCarthy survived
THE NINE LIVES OF KEVIN MCCARTHY — House Minority Leader KEVIN MCCARTHY emerged from the House GOP conference this morning unscathed, buoyed by his rank-and-file members at a time when he has been incredibly vulnerable.
For those of us who have covered McCarthy’s fraught relationship with the far-right for years, this moment — particularly the slack Trump allies have decided to cut him when he’s weakest — has been quite a turnabout. A few years ago, the sorts of revelations he’s faced in recent days — as audio tapes revealed him criticizing DONALD TRUMP and his own members in the wake of Jan. 6 — would have ended his career, souring his relationship with conservatives in a way that he could never recover.
Not so, we’re learning today. McCarthy got a standing ovation after he told the room that the clips of the tapes were taken out of context, and implored them not to let the headlines divide the GOP before the midterms.
And it wasn’t just McCarthy allies downplaying everything, but actual members who could cause real headaches for him if they wanted.
- Rep. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-Ga.) blamed the media for the brouhaha, and encouraged members not to go after each other.
- Rep. JIM JORDAN (R-Ohio), who almost single-handedly helped deny McCarthy the speakership in 2015, continues to say McCarthy will be the next speaker of the House.
- Other members McCarthy had singled out as dangerous on the tapes told the room they wanted to move on.
SO HOW DID HE DO IT? The reaction from his members is a real testament to the fact that McCarthy’s strategy for winning over the right is working — as odious as it may seem to some observers. Since he was denied the speakership in 2015, McCarthy has made a conscious effort to make inroads with the people who kept him from his dream job. Here are some of the tactics he’s used:
1. Not castigating his members in public. How many times has the media blasted McCarthy for refusing to publicly censure Republican members who have said incendiary things or even attended, for example, white supremacist events? He’s made it a habit of rebuking his members in private only — if he does at all. And that clearly won him chits with these types.
2. Bringing the far-right into the fold. McCarthy has extended a hand to members like Jordan, who are now considered a part of the GOP team instead of outside agitators. Jordan has been a ranking member for a while now, and will likely be chairman of the House Judiciary Committee next year if Republicans flip the House. McCarthy has also made a point of inviting members like Greene to private meetings to make them feel like they’re part of the team.
3. Don’t forget the money. McCarthy is raising a record amount of money and doling it out to Republican members and candidates. Lawmakers remember this sort of thing — favors that McCarthy can cash in on in moments like this.
4. Taking advantage of a weakened House Freedom Caucus. This isn’t McCarthy’s doing, per se. But he has clearly benefited from what House Republicans say is a weaker and more disorganized group of rabble-rousers. We’ve heard quite a few members say that “the Freedom Caucus Greats” as they’ve been called — MARK MEADOWS and Jordan, who as the group’s first two chairmen, made McCarthy’s life hell for a long time — are gone or have been won over. Those who remain are more unpredictable, yes, but Republicans on the Hill say they're not as skilled at using every bit of leverage they can over the soon-to-be GOP speaker. (As we’re seeing in this very moment.)
TO BE FAIR, all of this would have looked quite different had Trump decided to turn on McCarthy. Instead, Trump’s early approval after the first of the audio recordings was released was perhaps the biggest factor in McCarthy’s salvation.
The GOP leader also clearly benefited from the fact that many Republicans weren’t surprised that he denied unflattering-but-factual reporting. (As we’ve previously reported, even among his members, McCarthy has a reputation for having a slippery relationship with the truth.) Moreover, what the audio revealed — his concerns both with Trump and the inflammatory remarks some of his members were making on Twitter after Jan. 6 — weren’t exactly unique to him: many of his members shared these concerns privately and never voiced them.
But there’s no denying that after this week, McCarthy’s ability to put down a possible rebellion will be seen as a key and promising moment in his quest for the speakership. McCarthy has demonstrated a surprising amount of control over both his rank-and-file and members of the far-right — and shown that he’s closer to winning the gavel than perhaps anyone thought.
Good Wednesday afternoon.
REMEMBERING MADELEINE ALBRIGHT — A large crowd of official Washington gathered at the Washington National Cathedral this morning to honor the life of MADELEINE ALBRIGHT, the first female secretary of State, who died on March 23. President JOE BIDEN, former President BILL CLINTON and former Secretary of State HILLARY CLINTON all delivered remarks and shared stories of their working and personal relationships with Albright.
- Biden: “I think part of the reason why Madeleine was such a successful diplomat was that she understood something I've always believed … all politics, especially national politics, was personal. … She could go toe-to-toe with the toughest dictators, then turn around and literally teach a fellow ambassador how to do the macarena on the floor of the U.N. Security Council. You all think I’m kidding. I’m not kidding. She thought it was too difficult to teach me how to dance, though. She was right.”
- Bill Clinton: “She had a full, hopeful life because she knew what she believed in. She knew what she was for. She knew what she was against. And she wanted other people to feel the same way and then to talk about it instead of kill each other over it.”
- Hillary Clinton: “She didn't just help other women. She spent her entire life counseling and cajoling, inspiring and lifting up so many of us who are here today. So the angels better be wearing their best pins and putting on their dancing shoes, because if, as Madeleine believed, there's a special place in hell for women who don’t support other women, they haven’t seen anyone like her yet.”
Among the attendees, per the White House pool: children ANNE, ALICE and KATHARINE ALBRIGHT, sister KATHY SILVA, brother JOHN KORBEL, former President BILL CLINTON and HILLARY CLINTON, former President BARACK OBAMA and MICHELLE OBAMA, former VP AL GORE, Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN, Defense Secretary LLOYD AUSTIN, VA Secretary DENIS MCDONOUGH, Speaker NANCY PELOSI, House Majority Leader STENY HOYER, Senate Minority Leader MITCH MCCONNELL.
THE WHITE HOUSE
HIT THE ROAD, JOE — Biden will travel to Alabama next week to visit a Lockheed Martin facility, AL.com’s William Thornton reports. The facility manufactures “weapon systems such as Javelin anti-tank missiles,” which are “among aid being provided to Ukraine as a defense measure since the Russian invasion.”
THE PANDEMIC
THE WHCD HEADACHE — As Washington prepares to go all-out for the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner this weekend, organizers have assured attendees that they are taking precautions to be as Covid-safe as possible. “Yet some White House officials and experts worry those measures are insufficient and this weekend’s events may become another high-profile superspreader event, said three administration officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the issue. Behind the scenes, one prominent covid expert is scrapping with organizers hesitant to install devices that disinfect the air using ultraviolet light, with party planners worried the devices would interfere with the program,” WaPo’s Dan Diamond and Paul Farhi report.
“DON MILTON, a University of Maryland environmental scientist who has advised the White House and others on airborne transmission, said his offer to have a company install the devices at no charge was rebuffed by both the correspondents association and the Washington Hilton, which is hosting the event. … But WHCA officials said the conversations with Milton and Far UV came too late in their planning, and that they feared the lights might irritate the eyes of attendees, interfere with servers trying to navigate the ballroom — and even make someone like Biden look blue when addressing the crowd.”
WHERE THINGS STAND — ANTHONY FAUCI told WaPo that the worst days of the pandemic appear to be over. “We’re really in a transitional phase, from a deceleration of the numbers into hopefully a more controlled phase and endemicity,” he said.
“‘Right now we’re at a low enough level that I believe that we’re transitioning into endemicity. … We’re not in the full-blown explosive pandemic phase. That does not mean that the pandemic is over,’ Fauci said. ‘A pandemic means widespread infection throughout the world. … In our country we’re transitioning into more of a controlled endemicity,’” writes WaPo’s Bryan Pietsch and Joel Achenbach. “Fauci’s comments are likely to fuel debate about how the country should handle this moment.”
— Despite Fauci’s declaration, he still made the decision to skip the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner this weekend over Covid concerns. But the plan as of now is for Biden to go forward in attending — and it sounds like he has the experts on his side for the most part: “In interviews, public health experts were largely, though not entirely, supportive of Mr. Biden’s choice. The organizers of the dinner are taking precautions, including requiring all attendees to be vaccinated and to provide proof of a negative Covid test taken that day. With vaccines and antiviral drugs available, some experts said, the time for shunning large gatherings is in the past, at least for most healthy people,” NYT’s Sheryl Gay Stolberg writes.
As for the propriety of the glitzy event itself, some aren’t so sure about that: “‘Well, there is a question of whether it’s EVER appropriate to engage in an exercise in gaudy, celebrity-drenched self-adulation,’ DAVID AXELROD, a Democratic strategist who served as a senior adviser to former President Barack Obama, wrote in an email, ‘but that’s a separate question.’”
THE REAL-WORLD EFFECT —“‘It's insanity’: Providers end Covid care for uninsured in the wake of congressional inaction,” by Megan Messerly and Krista Mahr
JAN. 6 AND ITS AFTERMATH
HEADS UP — Former Rep. DENVER RIGGLEMAN (R-Va.) is “stepping down from his role as a senior technical adviser on the [Jan. 6] committee to take a position with a non-profit in Ukraine,” CNN’s Ryan Nobles and Jamie Gangel report.
AMERICA AND THE WORLD
U.S. SECURES A HOMECOMING — “TREVOR REED, a former Marine from Texas who had been held in a Russian prison, has been released as part of an international prisoner exchange, according to statements from the White House and Russia's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday,” ABC’s Patrick Reevell Kevin Shalvey and Guy Davies report. “Reed was exchanged for Russian pilot KONSTANTIN YAROSHENKO, a convicted drug trafficker, Russian officials said.”
ALL POLITICS
BIG REDISTRICTING READ — Most of the House lines for 2022 are set, a few major court cases in key states notwithstanding. But a number of redistricting challenges are already pitching forward into 2024 and beyond. In other words: Buckle up, because the quarreling over every inch of the electoral map isn’t ending anytime soon. “The long-term legal activity means that while both parties are preparing to fight on the House battlefield drawn for this year, they are also getting ready for the conflict over political lines to extend far beyond the normal redistricting period that follows each decennial Census — with the potential to change the House map significantly over the next decade,” Zach Montellaro reports.
THE NEW VOTING POWERS — A new report released today finds that roughly 1.1 million Muslim voters cast a ballot in the 2020 election, “turning out in numbers large enough to swing the presidential race in key battleground states,” Holly Otterbein writes. The analysis from Emgage
CONGRESS
WARREN’S PIECE — Sen. ELIZABETH WARREN (D-Mass.) is a very strategic thinker by nature. But lately, the progressive has been conspicuously sticking her neck out in the caucus — from penning op-eds to sitting for podcast interviews to blitzing the Sunday shows. Why? She sees the writing on the midterm wall, and she doesn’t like what it says, Burgess Everett writes.
“‘We’ve got nearly 200 days. If we don’t deliver, if we don’t get up off our rear ends and make it happen, we’re in real trouble,’ the Massachusetts Democrat said in an interview in her office on Tuesday. ‘But if we do deliver, if we can get some tangible results that touch people’s lives, then we can go to the polls in November with our heads held high.’ … Summing up her role in the fractious Democratic Party at the moment, Warren said: ‘My job right now is to light the fire of urgency. We can’t waste a single day.’”
TRUMP CARDS
AS THE TRUMPWORLD TURNS — CNN’s Gabby Orr has a report on the soured relationship between Trump and the Club For Growth, and what it means for the new GOP. “Not since ANTHONY SCARAMUCCI was fired a mere 10 days into his White House gig has someone fallen out of Donald Trump's favor as quickly as DAVID MCINTOSH. At an April 9 rally in North Carolina, the former president appeared delighted with the Club for Growth chief. … But the duo's partnership came to a screeching halt last week after the Club for Growth refused to end its negative ad campaign against Ohio Senate candidate J.D. VANCE. …
“[F]our people familiar with the situation said the Club for Growth is grappling with frustrated board members and donors, who worry its influence will plunge if it doesn't quickly patch things up with Trump. It’s the latest episode in the former president’s quest for singular influence over the GOP, further underscoring Trump's expectation that allies either bend to his will or get out of his way. But even if the Club acquiesced to regain its foothold in Trump's post-presidency operation, some of his allies plan to urge the former President to keep the group at arm’s length.”
PLAYBOOKERS
OUT AND ABOUT — The Motion Picture Association hosted a private screening of Just Vision’s new documentary, “Boycott,” on Tuesday night. The film chronicles three Americans who, when forced to choose between their jobs and their political beliefs, launch legal battles that expose an attack on freedom of speech across 33 states. SPOTTED: director Julia Bacha, producer Suhad Babaa, protagonists Alan Leveritt and Brian Hauss, moderator Rebecca Abou-Chedid, Emily Lenzner, Matthew Duss, Lulu Garcia-Navarro, Shamil Idriss, Alencia Johnson, Reggie Love, Tom Perriello, Gerald Sprayregen, Kimball Stroud, Liz Sizer, Héctor Sánchez Barba, Pia Carusone and Edward Ayoob.
— SPOTTED at a reception in honor of Polish Ambassador Marek Magierowski at Cosmos Club on Tuesday night: David and Adele Malpass, Georgette Mosbacher, Melinda Haring, Patricia Harrison, Vivian Salama and Steve Clemons.
— SPOTTED at an event celebrating the launch of Paul Mango’s new book, “Operation Warp Speed: Inside the Operation that Beat Covid, the Critics, and the Odds” ($24.95), on Tuesday night at the Monocle, where Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and former HHS Secretary Alex Azar delivered remarks: Rep. Dan Meuser (R-Pa.), Matt Hepburn, Robert Kadlec, Moncef Slaoui, Paul Ostrowski, David Urban, Bryan Shuy, John O’Brien, Judy Stecker, Brian Blase, Michael Pratt, Robert Charrow, Brian Morgenstern, Pete Sloane, Shannon Penberthy, Al Regnery and Nina Schaefer.
MEDIA MOVE — Blake Jones is joining POLITICO as a California education reporter. He previously was a reporter for the Idaho Education News.
TRANSITION — Anthony Rapa is now a partner and national security team lead at Blank Rome’s Washington D.C. office. He previously was a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP. | https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook-pm/2022/04/27/how-mccarthy-survived-00028230 | 2022-04-27T21:47:23Z | https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook-pm/2022/04/27/how-mccarthy-survived-00028230 | true |
- Revenues of $938 million increased 13% year-over-year
- Operating income totaled $18 million and adjusted EBITDA[1] totaled $151 million, or 16% adjusted EBITDA margins representing increases of 238%, 48% and 380 basis points year-over-year respectively
- Cash used in operating activities was $64 million and negative free cash flow[1] was $64 million mainly driven by working capital requirements
- Innovation focus highlighted with commercialization of new technology and expanded Managed Pressure Drilling and Tubular Running Services offerings
- OTC Asia Spotlight on New Technology Award for our Memory Raptor™ Cased-Hole Evaluation System
HOUSTON, April 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Weatherford International plc (NASDAQ: WFRD) ("Weatherford" or the "Company") announced today its results for the first quarter of 2022.
Revenues for the first quarter of 2022 were $938 million, an increase of 13% year-over-year and a decrease of 3% sequentially. Operating income was $18 million in the first quarter of 2022, compared to an operating loss of $13 million in the first quarter of 2021 and an operating income of $33 million in the fourth quarter of 2021. The Company's first quarter of 2022 net loss was $80 million, compared to a net loss of $116 million in the first quarter of 2021 and a net loss of $161 million in the fourth quarter of 2021.
First quarter 2022 cash flows used in operations were $64 million, compared to cash flows provided by operations of $74 million in the first quarter of 2021 and $88 million in the fourth quarter of 2021. Capital expenditures were $20 million in the first quarter of 2022, compared to $15 million in the first quarter of 2021 and $41 million in the fourth quarter of 2021.
- Adjusted EBITDA[1] was $151 million, an increase of 48% year-over-year and a decrease of 2% sequentially
- Unlevered free cash flow[1] was negative $47 million, a decrease of $141 million year-over-year and a decrease of $194 million sequentially
- Free cash flow[1] was negative $64 million, a decrease of $134 million year-over-year and a decrease of $113 million sequentially
- Restructuring charges of $20 million during the quarter primarily reflect investments in fulfillment initiatives
- Other charges, net of $19 million primarily relate to the write-down of all of our assets in Ukraine, excluding cash
Girish Saligram, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "We delivered solid results in line with our guidance, despite the significant headwinds of supply chain, inflation, logistics and geopolitical events that marked the first quarter. Our first-quarter adjusted EBITDA margins of 16% aligned with the high end of our guidance range and our results encourage increasing confidence in our operating strategy. Revenue growth across all our reportable segments on a year-over-year basis gives a firm foundation to our view of 2022 being a year of top line growth, margin expansion and free cash flow generation.
We entered 2022 with a growth and execution mindset, as outlined in our focus areas and strategic vectors. Central to this is improving the Company's fulfillment strategy to drive profitable growth with a leading-edge industrial approach to our core operations of manufacturing, supply chain, and repair and maintenance, across all product lines globally. We took $20 million of restructuring charges, which is an essential investment in our fulfillment strategy to drive expanded margins. I am excited by our breadth of technology, specialty services differentiation, and our best-in-class team, which positions us for long-term success as the energy industry continues its evolution."
Notes:
[1] EBITDA represents income before interest expense, net, loss on extinguishment, bond redemption, income tax, depreciation and amortization expense. Adjusted EBITDA excludes, among other items, restructuring expense, share-based compensation expense, as well as impairment of property plant and equipment, right-of-use assets, and inventory. Free cash flow is calculated as cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities, less capital expenditures plus proceeds from the disposition of assets. Unlevered free cash flow is calculated as free cash flow plus cash paid for interest. EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, free cash flow and unlevered free cash flow are non-GAAP measures. Each measure is defined and reconciled to the most directly comparable GAAP measure in the tables below.
Operational Highlights
- Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) awarded Weatherford a five-year contract with an optional two-year extension to provide wireline logging and perforating services. We were selected for our expertise in cased-hole reservoir characterization and monitoring, extensive pipe recovery capabilities, and world-class perforation services.
- Weatherford received a three-year contract to provide cemented liner hangers for a bp-operated business in Azerbaijan with the potential for increased scope in the future. Superior run-in features, combined with our Company's high level of service quality and strong presence in the region, were instrumental in securing this award.
- Weatherford received two five-year artificial lift awards from Tatweer Petroleum in Bahrain to deliver, install and service beam pumping units and downhole pumps.
- Cairn awarded Weatherford a five-year integrated artificial lift and production automation contract across its workover and rigless activities in Western India. The contract, which is slated to commence in the third quarter of 2022, will enable greater production optimization and help drive collaboration between the operator and its service partners.
Technology Deployments
- Weatherford continues to innovate in Tubular Running Services (TRS) portfolio with our latest product enhancement, The Soloist™. This torque-turn monitoring solution strengthens our market-leading services to enable single-person operation and simplified remote viewing while running tubing or casing in the hole.
- On an operation with Hamburg Energy, we deployed our Magnus® rotary steerable system from top to total depth in the geothermal well, drilling all three sections—a first for the system on this well type. We also used market-leading evaluation tools to analyze and log both cased- and open-hole sections and cement bonds. This operation is another great example of our strong positioning in the Geothermal space, which is an important element of the energy transition.
- Weatherford has formed a collaboration with Sub Sea Services that will transform Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD) from an add-on to a seamlessly integrated part of the drilling rig. The collaboration will integrate field-proven Weatherford technologies—the rotating control device and the annular isolation device—with a remotely operated pull-in system from Sub Sea Services. The result will be an industry-first complete integration of MPD and typical riser auxiliary lines into a single automated connection for all drilling operations.
- Following the commercialization of our Managed Pressure Wells solution, Weatherford integrated and deployed it on the Maersk Viking ultra-deepwater drillship, securing the rig's attractive position in a region where MPD capabilities are in high demand. The Maersk Viking is currently drilling with the Weatherford MPD system for a major operator in Malaysia. This integration shows the strategic importance of collaboration with drilling contractors and provides significant MPD benefits to customers.
Liquidity
We closed the first quarter of 2022 with total cash of approximately $1.1 billion as of March 31, 2022, down $57 million sequentially. Unlevered free cash flow of negative $47 million was down $194 million sequentially, and free cash flow of negative $64 million was down $113 million versus the fourth quarter of 2021. This is primarily due to working capital requirements.
Results by Reportable Segment
Drilling & Evaluation ("DRE")
First quarter 2022 DRE revenues of $292 million increased by $56 million, or 24% year-over-year, largely due to higher demand for managed pressure drilling and wireline services, primarily in Latin America, and the Middle East/North Africa/Asia. DRE revenues increased by $5 million, or 2% sequentially, due to increased seasonal activity in North America, primarily in Canada.
First quarter 2022 DRE segment adjusted EBITDA of $59 million increased by $30 million, or 103% year-over-year, largely due to higher demand for managed pressure drilling and drilling services, and primarily in Latin America and increased by $4 million, or 7% sequentially, primarily due to improving gross margins.
Well Construction and Completions ("WCC")
First quarter 2022 WCC revenues of $344 million increased by $21 million, or 7% year-over-year, largely due to higher demand for cementation products and activity in North America. Revenues decreased by $4 million, or 1% sequentially, primarily due to a decline in international activity.
First quarter 2022 WCC segment adjusted EBITDA of $67 million increased by $17 million, or 34% year-over-year, mostly due to higher demand for cementation and completions products, with improvement primarily in the Middle East/North Africa/Asia. WCC segment adjusted EBITDA decreased by $5 million, or 7% sequentially, due to lower international contract consumption.
Production and Intervention ("PRI")
First quarter 2022 PRI revenues of $286 million increased by $27 million, or 10% year-over-year, due to higher demand for intervention, and pressure pumping services primarily in the Middle East/North Africa/Asia, and Latin America, respectively. Revenue decreased by $12 million, or 4% sequentially, due to logistical challenges impacting North America and a decline in customer activity in the Middle East/North Africa/Asia.
First quarter 2022 PRI segment adjusted EBITDA of $39 million decreased $2 million, or 5% year-over-year, mainly due to higher logistics costs and supply chain challenges impacting our delivery schedule for products in North America, partially offset by activity improvements in the Middle East/North Africa/Asia. PRI segment adjusted EBITDA decreased by $8 million or 17% sequentially, due to logistical challenges impacting North America and inflation across international markets.
About Weatherford
Weatherford is a leading global energy services company. Operating in approximately 75 countries, the Company answers the challenges of the energy industry with its global talent network of approximately 17,000 team members and approximately 350 operating locations, including manufacturing, research and development, service, and training facilities. Visit https://www.weatherford.com/ for more information or connect on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube.
Conference Call Details
Weatherford will host a conference call on Thursday, April 28, 2022, to discuss the results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022. The conference call will begin at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time (8:00 a.m. Central Time).
Listeners are encouraged to download the accompanying presentation slides which will be available in the investor relations section of the Company's website.
Listeners can participate in the conference call via a live webcast at https://www.weatherford.com/en/investor-relations/investor-news-and-events/events/, or by dialing +1 877-328-5344 (within the U.S.) or +1 412-902-6762 (outside of the U.S.) and asking for the Weatherford conference call. Listeners should log in or dial in approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the call.
A telephonic replay of the conference call will be available until May 12, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. To access the replay, please dial +1 877-344-7529 (within the U.S.) or +1 412-317-0088 (outside of the U.S.) and reference conference number 6100377. A replay and transcript of the earnings call will also be available in the investor relations section of the Company's website.
Contacts
For Investors:
Mohammed Topiwala
Director, Investor Relations and M&A
+1 713-836-7777
investor.relations@weatherford.com
For Media:
Kelley Hughes
Director, Global Communications
+1 713-836-4193
kelley.hughes@weatherford.com
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains projections and forward-looking statements concerning, among other things, the Company's quarterly and full-year revenues, operating income and losses, segment adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, free cash flow, unlevered free cash flow, forecasts or expectations regarding business outlook, prospects for its operations, capital expenditures, expectations regarding future financial results, and are also generally identified by the words "believe," "project," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "outlook," "budget," "intend," "strategy," "plan," "guidance," "may," "should," "could," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," and similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs of Weatherford's management and are subject to significant risks, assumptions, and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated in our forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are only predictions and may differ materially from actual future events or results, including the price and price volatility of oil and natural gas; the extent or duration of business interruptions, demand for oil and gas and fluctuations in commodity prices associated with the Russia Ukraine conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic; general global economic repercussions related to U.S and global inflationary pressures, the Russia Ukraine conflict, and the COVID-19 pandemic; the macroeconomic outlook for the oil and gas industry; and operational challenges relating to the Russia Ukraine conflict, sanctions imposed by various countries relating to the Russia Ukraine conflict, and the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus and COVID-19 variants, including logistical challenges, protecting the health and well-being of our employees, remote work arrangements, performance of contracts and supply chain disruptions; our ability to generate cash flow from operations to fund our operations; and the realization of additional cost savings and operational efficiencies.
These risks and uncertainties are more fully described in Weatherford's reports and registration statements filed with the SEC, including the risk factors described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on any of the Company's forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to correct or update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law, and we caution you not to rely on them unduly.
We report our financial results in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). However, Weatherford's management believes that certain non-GAAP financial measures (as defined under the SEC's Regulation G and Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K) may provide users of this financial information additional meaningful comparisons between current results and results of prior periods and comparisons with peer companies. The non-GAAP amounts shown in the following tables should not be considered as substitutes for operating income, provision for income taxes, net income or other data prepared and reported in accordance with GAAP, but should be viewed in addition to the Company's reported results prepared in accordance with GAAP.
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PRINCETON, N.J. (AP) _ Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (EPRT) on Wednesday reported a key measure of profitability in its first quarter. The results topped Wall Street expectations.
The real estate investment trust, based in Princeton, New Jersey, said it had funds from operations of $48.9 million, or 38 cents per share, in the period.
The average estimate of five analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for funds from operations of 37 cents per share.
Funds from operations is a closely watched measure in the REIT industry. It takes net income and adds back items such as depreciation and amortization.
The company said it had net income of $26.7 million, or 21 cents per share.
Essential Properties, based in Princeton, New Jersey, posted revenue of $70.1 million in the period, also beating Street forecasts. Four analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $65.8 million.
Essential Properties expects full-year funds from operations in the range of $1.50 to $1.53 per share.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on EPRT at https://www.zacks.com/ap/EPRT | https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Essential-Properties-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17131465.php | 2022-04-27T21:48:20Z | https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Essential-Properties-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17131465.php | true |
LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Kilroy Realty Corp. (KRC) on Wednesday reported a key measure of profitability in its first quarter. The results beat Wall Street expectations.
The Los Angeles-based real estate investment trust said it had funds from operations of $137.8 million, or $1.16 per share, in the period.
The average estimate of four analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for funds from operations of $1.09 per share.
Funds from operations is a closely watched measure in the REIT industry. It takes net income and adds back items such as depreciation and amortization.
The company said it had net income of $53.1 million, or 45 cents per share.
The real estate investment trust posted revenue of $265.5 million in the period.
Kilroy Realty expects full-year funds from operations to be $4.44 to $4.58 per share.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on KRC at https://www.zacks.com/ap/KRC | https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Kilroy-Realty-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17131624.php | 2022-04-27T21:50:42Z | https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Kilroy-Realty-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17131624.php | true |
BROOMFIELD, Colo. (AP) _ Noodles & Co. (NDLS) on Wednesday reported a loss of $6.4 million in its first quarter.
On a per-share basis, the Broomfield, Colorado-based company said it had a loss of 14 cents. Losses, adjusted for non-recurring costs, were 13 cents per share.
The results exceeded Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for a loss of 17 cents per share.
The restaurant chain posted revenue of $112.6 million in the period, which missed Street forecasts. Three analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $113.1 million.
For the current quarter ending in July, Noodles & Co. said it expects revenue in the range of $130 million to $133 million. Analysts surveyed by Zacks had expected revenue of $117.1 million.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on NDLS at https://www.zacks.com/ap/NDLS | https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Noodles-Co-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17131456.php | 2022-04-27T21:52:27Z | https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Noodles-Co-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17131456.php | false |
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) _ Paypal Holdings Inc. (PYPL) on Wednesday reported first-quarter earnings of $509 million.
The San Jose, California-based company said it had net income of 43 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for stock option expense and amortization costs, were 88 cents per share.
The results met Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of 15 analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was also for earnings of 88 cents per share.
The technology platform and digital payments company posted revenue of $6.48 billion in the period, which topped Street forecasts. Eleven analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $6.41 billion.
For the current quarter ending in July, Paypal expects its per-share earnings to be 86 cents.
The company expects full-year earnings in the range of $3.81 to $3.93 per share.
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Pauline Hanson to preference LABOR in key seats in a bitter blow to Scott Morrison's re-election hopes
- Senator Hanson will push supporters to preference Labor over Liberal MPs
- She is set to punish Liberals after supporters told to preference Jacqui Lambie
- One Nation still plans to support Liberal conservatives and Nationals over ALP
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson says her party will push its supporters to preference Labor over vulnerable moderate Liberal MPs in key seats.
Senator Hanson has accused the Liberals of a 'dirty deal with the devil' by recommending its voters give their preferences to the Jacqui Lambie Network (JLN) ahead of One Nation in the Tasmanian Senate race.
The One Nation leader told The Australian her party would look to punish the Liberals with low placings on how-to-vote cards in selected marginal seats from Victoria to Queensland.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson says her party will push its supporters to preference Labor over vulnerable moderate Liberal MPs in key seats
Bass MP Bridget Archer, who holds the Morrison government's most marginal seat, and Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch, who faces pressure from the ALP, are understood to be at the top of a list of moderate Liberals Senator Hanson will target.
One Nation is also set to preference Labor over Liberal moderate MPs facing Climate 200 backed candidates such as Tim Wilson in Goldstein and Trent Zimmerman in North Sydney.
'We're not letting them get away with this dirty deal with the devil,' Senator Hanson told The Australian, referring to the Tasmanian senate race.
Senator Hanson has accused the Liberals of a 'dirty deal with the devil' by recommending its voters give their preferences to the Jacqui Lambie Network (JLN) ahead of One Nation in the Tasmanian Senate race
'One Nation will now look at Liberal-held seats across the country.'
One Nation still plans to support Liberal conservatives and Nationals over ALP candidates.
'Labor is rotten to the core but the Liberals are just as bad because they only pretend to fight for conservative Australian values,' Senator Hanson said.
'Their hypocritical deal with JLN is the last nail in the Morrison government's coffin.'
One Nation polled at 3 per cent in the latest Newspoll. | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10760999/Pauline-Hanson-preference-LABOR-key-seats-accusing-Liberal-making-dirty-deal-devil.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | 2022-04-27T21:53:38Z | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10760999/Pauline-Hanson-preference-LABOR-key-seats-accusing-Liberal-making-dirty-deal-devil.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | true |
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Pinterest Inc. (PINS) on Wednesday reported a loss of $5.3 million in its first quarter.
The San Francisco-based company said it had a loss of 1 cent per share. Earnings, adjusted for stock option expense and amortization costs, were 10 cents per share.
The results surpassed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of five analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 4 cents per share.
The digital pinboard and shopping tool company posted revenue of $574.9 million in the period, which also beat Street forecasts. Six analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $568.3 million.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on PINS at https://www.zacks.com/ap/PINS | https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Pinterest-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17131402.php | 2022-04-27T21:53:41Z | https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Pinterest-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17131402.php | true |
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) _ ServiceNow Inc. (NOW) on Wednesday reported first-quarter profit of $75 million.
On a per-share basis, the Santa Clara, California-based company said it had profit of 37 cents. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, were $1.73 per share.
The results beat Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of 13 analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $1.69 per share.
The maker of software that automates companies' technology operations posted revenue of $1.72 billion in the period, also beating Street forecasts. Nine analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $1.69 billion.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on NOW at https://www.zacks.com/ap/NOW | https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/ServiceNow-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17131458.php | 2022-04-27T21:54:18Z | https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/ServiceNow-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17131458.php | false |
PLANO, Texas (AP) _ Tyler Technologies Inc. (TYL) on Wednesday reported first-quarter profit of $40 million.
The Plano, Texas-based company said it had net income of 94 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, were $1.90 per share.
The results beat Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $1.77 per share.
The information management software provider posted revenue of $456.1 million in the period, which also beat Street forecasts. Three analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $435.3 million.
Tyler Technologies expects full-year earnings in the range of $7.48 to $7.64 per share, with revenue in the range of $1.84 billion to $1.87 billion.
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DUBLIN, April 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Carpet and Rugs Market (2022-2027) by Type, Material, Distribution Channel, Application, Geography, Competitive Analysis and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
The Global Carpet and Rugs Market is estimated to be USD 112.69 Bn in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 143.14 Bn by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 4.9%.
Market dynamics are forces that impact the prices and behaviors of the Global Carpet and Rugs Market stakeholders. These forces create pricing signals which result from the changes in the supply and demand curves for a given product or service. Forces of Market Dynamics may be related to macro-economic and micro-economic factors. There are dynamic market forces other than price, demand, and supply. Human emotions can also drive decisions, influence the market, and create price signals.
As the market dynamics impact the supply and demand curves, decision-makers aim to determine the best way to use various financial tools to stem various strategies for speeding the growth and reducing the risks.
Company Profiles
The report provides a detailed analysis of the competitors in the market. It covers the financial performance analysis for the publicly listed companies in the market. The report also offers detailed information on the companies' recent development and competitive scenario. Some of the companies covered in this report are Abbey Carpet & Floor, Cormar Carpets, Avalanche Flooring, Inc., Axminster Carpets Ltd, Beaulieu International Group, Victoria PLC,, , etc.
Countries Studied
- America (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, United States, Rest of - Americas)
- Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Rest of - Europe)
- Middle-East and Africa (Egypt, Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Rest of MEA.
- Asia-Pacific (Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Taiwan, Rest of Asia-Pacific)
Competitive Quadrant
The report includes Competitive Quadrant, a proprietary tool to analyze and evaluate the position of companies based on their Industry Position score and Market Performance score. The tool uses various factors for categorizing the players into four categories. Some of these factors considered for analysis are financial performance over the last 3 years, growth strategies, innovation score, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc.
Ansoff Analysis
The report presents a detailed Ansoff matrix analysis for the Global Carpet and Rugs Market. Ansoff Matrix, also known as Product/Market Expansion Grid, is a strategic tool used to design strategies for the growth of the company. The matrix can be used to evaluate approaches in four strategies viz. Market Development, Market Penetration, Product Development and Diversification. The matrix is also used for risk analysis to understand the risk involved with each approach.
The analyst analyses Global Carpet and Rugs Market using the Ansoff Matrix to provide the best approaches a company can take to improve its market position.
Based on the SWOT analysis conducted on the industry and industry players, the analyst has devised suitable strategies for market growth.
Why buy this report?
- The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Global Carpet and Rugs Market. The report includes in-depth qualitative analysis, verifiable data from authentic sources, and projections about market size. The projections are calculated using proven research methodologies.
- The report has been compiled through extensive primary and secondary research. The primary research is done through interviews, surveys, and observation of renowned personnel in the industry.
- The report includes an in-depth market analysis using Porter's 5 forces model and the Ansoff Matrix. In addition, the impact of Covid-19 on the market is also featured in the report.
- The report also includes the regulatory scenario in the industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision. The report discusses major regulatory bodies and major rules and regulations imposed on this sector across various geographies.
- The report also contains the competitive analysis using Positioning Quadrants, the analyst's competitive positioning tool.
Key Topics Covered:
1 Report Description
2 Research Methodology
3 Executive Summary
4 Market Dynamics
4.1 Drivers
4.1.1 Growing Consumer Interest in Interior Decoration
4.1.2 Increasing Demand for Environment-Friendly Carpets
4.1.3 Rapid Urbanization and Globalization
4.1.4 Rising in the Number of Renovation and Remodeling Activities
4.2 Restraints
4.2.1 High Prices of Raw Materials
4.3 Opportunities
4.3.1 Increases Number of Construction Activity in Emerging Countries
4.3.2 Upsurging Importance of Organized Retailing
4.4 Challenges
4.4.1 Disposal of Wastes
5 Market Analysis
5.1 Regulatory Scenario
5.2 Porter's Five Forces Analysis
5.3 Impact of COVID-19
5.4 Ansoff Matrix Analysis
6 Global Carpet and Rugs Market, By Type
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Tufted
6.3 Woven
6.4 Needle-punched
6.5 Knotted
6.6 Others
7 Global Carpet and Rugs Market, By Material
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Nylon
7.3 Polyester
7.4 Polypropylene (Olefin)
7.5 Wool
7.6 Others
8 Global Carpet and Rugs Market, By Distribution Channel
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Mass Merchandisers
8.3 Home Centers
8.4 Specialty Stores
9 Global Carpet and Rugs Market, By Application
9.1 Introduction
9.2 Residential
9.3 Commercial
10 Americas' Carpet and Rugs Market
10.1 Introduction
10.2 Argentina
10.3 Brazil
10.4 Canada
10.5 Chile
10.6 Colombia
10.7 Mexico
10.8 Peru
10.9 United States
10.10 Rest of Americas
11 Europe's Carpet and Rugs Market
11.1 Introduction
11.2 Austria
11.3 Belgium
11.4 Denmark
11.5 Finland
11.6 France
11.7 Germany
11.8 Italy
11.9 Netherlands
11.10 Norway
11.11 Poland
11.12 Russia
11.13 Spain
11.14 Sweden
11.15 Switzerland
11.16 United Kingdom
11.17 Rest of Europe
12 Middle East and Africa's Carpet and Rugs Market
12.1 Introduction
12.2 Egypt
12.3 Israel
12.4 Qatar
12.5 Saudi Arabia
12.6 South Africa
12.7 United Arab Emirates
12.8 Rest of MEA
13 APAC's Carpet and Rugs Market
13.1 Introduction
13.2 Australia
13.3 Bangladesh
13.4 China
13.5 India
13.6 Indonesia
13.7 Japan
13.8 Malaysia
13.9 Philippines
13.10 Singapore
13.11 South Korea
13.12 Sri Lanka
13.13 Thailand
13.14 Taiwan
13.15 Rest of Asia-Pacific
14 Competitive Landscape
14.1 Competitive Quadrant
14.2 Market Share Analysis
14.3 Strategic Initiatives
14.3.1 M&A and Investments
14.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations
14.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements
15 Company Profiles
15.1 Abbey Carpet & Floor
15.2 Cormar Carpets
15.3 Avalanche Flooring, Inc.
15.4 Axminster Carpets Ltd
15.5 Beaulieu International Group
15.6 Couristan, Inc.
15.7 Dixie Group, Inc.
15.8 Engineered Floors LLC
15.9 Floor Coverings International
15.10 Foamex International Inc
15.11 Ikea Group
15.12 Interface Inc.
15.13 Invista
15.14 Kraus Carpet Mills Ltd.
15.15 Lowe's Companies, Inc.
15.16 Mannington Mills, Inc.
15.17 Milliken & Company
15.18 Mohawk Industries Inc.
15.19 Oriental Weavers Company for Carpet
15.20 Shaw Industries Group, Inc.
15.21 Stark Carpet Corp.
15.22 Tai Ping Carpets International Limited
15.23 Tarkett S.A.
15.24 The Home Depot, Inc.
15.25 Victoria PLC
16 Appendix
For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/71bi14
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SOURCE Research and Markets | https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-worldwide-carpet-and-rugs-industry-is-expected-to-reach-143-billion-by-2027-301534533.html | 2022-04-27T21:55:04Z | https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-worldwide-carpet-and-rugs-industry-is-expected-to-reach-143-billion-by-2027-301534533.html | true |
By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — One of the dozens of police officers injured during the U.S. Capitol riot testified Wednesday that he didn’t punch or instigate a fight with a man in the mob, a retired New York City police officer charged with attacking the officer.
Thomas Webster, whose trial on an assault charge started this week, claims he was acting in self-defense when he tackled Metropolitan Police Department officer Noah Rathbun outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Rathbun said he reached out with an open left hand and pushed Webster in the face after the New York man shoved a bike rack at him. Rathbun said he was trying to move Webster back from a security perimeter that he and other officers were struggling to maintain behind rows of bike racks.
“I just think it’s unfortunate to be in the nation’s capital and be treated like that by another citizen,” Rathbun said during the second day of Webster’s trial.
Webster’s trial is the first among dozens of Capitol riot defendants charged with assaulting police on Jan. 6, 2021. His trial is the fourth before a jury and the sixth overall.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Kelly showed jurors five videos that captured the encounter between Webster and Rathbun from different angles, including a close-up view from the body camera on Rathbun’s chest.
The videos show Webster shoving a bike rack at Rathbun before swinging the flag pole at the officer in a downward chopping motion, striking a metal barricade in front of the officer. After Rathbun grabbed the broken pole and retreated, Webster charged at the officer and tackled him to the ground.
Rathbun said he started choking and couldn’t breathe when Webster grabbed his gas mask and the chin strap pressed against the officer’s neck.
“That’s not a position that anyone wants to be in,” Rathbun said.
Webster’s lawyer, James Monroe, told jurors during the trial’s opening statements on Tuesday that Rathbun “started this whole thing” by punching Webster. Monroe asserts that a video shows Webster making a motion with his arm to goad Webster into fighting.
“That was a motion to back up,” Rathbun said during the defense lawyer’s cross-examination. “That wasn’t a motion to move forward.”
Rathbun’s body camera captured Webster shouting profanities and insults at the officer before they made any physical contact. Rathbun said it would never be permissible for him to hit somebody in response to verbal abuse.
Webster was carrying a U.S. Marine Corps flag on a metal pole on Jan. 6. Rathbun said he noticed that other people in the mob were carrying signs expressing support for police.
“But the things they were saying were clearly hostile,” he added.
Webster faces six counts, including a charge that he assaulted Rathbun with a dangerous weapon, a metal flag pole. He isn’t accused of entering the Capitol on Jan. 6.
Rathbun took a deep breath and briefly paused when Kelly asked him how he feels about the incident more than a year later.
“I think it’s sad,” he said. “This whole incident is tragic, but I try not to think about it.”
Rathbun reported a hand injury from a separate encounter with a rioter inside the Capitol’s Rotunda. He didn’t report any injuries caused by Webster, but jurors saw photos of leg bruises that Rathbun attributed to his confrontation with the retired officer.
A Metropolitan Police Department detective, Jonathan Lauderdale, said Rathbun initially didn’t recall his encounter with Webster when he asked him about the incident. Rathbun said seeing the body camera video refreshed his memory.
Webster retired from the NYPD in 2011 after 20 years of service. His department service included a stint on then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s private security detail. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1985 to 1989 before joining the NYPD in 1991.
More than 780 people have been charged with riot-related federal crimes. The Justice Department says over 245 of them have been charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.
The first three Capitol riot defendants to get a jury trial were convicted of all charges in their respective indictments.
In a pair of bench trials, a different federal judge heard testimony without a jury before acquitting one defendant and partially acquitting another.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/04/27/officer-describes-fending-off-capitol-rioter-at-mans-trial/ | 2022-04-27T22:01:51Z | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/04/27/officer-describes-fending-off-capitol-rioter-at-mans-trial/ | false |
By STEVE KARNOWSKI and MOHAMED IBRAHIM
Associated Press
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minneapolis Police Department has engaged in a pattern of race discrimination for at least a decade, including stopping and arresting Blacks at a higher rate than whites, using force more often on people of color and maintaining a culture where racist language is tolerated, a state investigation launched after George Floyd’s killing found.
The report released Wednesday by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights following a nearly two-year investigation said the agency and the city would negotiate a court-enforceable agreement to address the long list of problems identified in the report, with input from residents, officers, city staff and others.
The report said police department data “demonstrates significant racial disparities with respect to officers’ use of force, traffic stops, searches, citations, and arrests.” And it said officers “used covert social media to surveil Black individuals and Black organizations, unrelated to criminal activity, and maintain an organizational culture where some officers and supervisors use racist, misogynistic, and disrespectful language with impunity.”
Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero said during a news conference after the report was released that it doesn’t single out any officers or city leaders.
“This investigation is not about one individual or one incident,” Lucero said.
Asked how long the agreement with the city, known as a consent decree, might have to remain in force, Lucero said, “As long as it takes to do it right.”
The report said the city and police department “do not need to wait to institute immediate changes to begin to address the causes of discrimination that weaken the City’s public safety system and harm community members.” It listed several steps that the city can take now, including implementing stronger internal oversight to hold officers accountable for their conduct, better training, and better communication with the public about critical incidents such as officer-involved shootings.
National civil rights attorney Ben Crump and his partners, who won a $27 million settlement from the city for the Floyd family, called the report “historic” and “monumental in its importance.” They said they were “grateful and deeply hopeful” that change is imminent.
“We call on city, state, and Police leaders to accept the challenge of these findings and make meaningful change at last to create trust between communities of color in Minneapolis and those who are sworn to protect and serve them,” the lawyers said in a statement.
Messages to Mayor Jacob Frey and the police department seeking comment on the report weren’t immediately returned. Lucero said the city got its first look at the report Wednesday morning.
The Department of Human Rights launched its investigation barely a week after Floyd’s death on May 25, 2020. Then-Officer Derek Chauvin used his knee to pin the Black man to the pavement for 9 1/2 minutes in a case that sparked protests around the world against police racism and brutality. Chauvin, who is white, was convicted last spring of murder. Three other fired officers — Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng — were convicted this year of violating Floyd’s civil rights in a federal trial and they face a state trial starting in June.
State investigators reviewed a decade’s worth of information, including data on traffic stops, searches, arrests and uses of force, and examined policies and training. The review included around 700 hours of body camera video and nearly 480,000 pages of city and police department documents. Lucero said investigators interviewed officers throughout the department and “overwhelmingly, we found officers being very forthcoming.” The investigators also invited citizens to submit their own stories of encounters with Minneapolis police.
The Minnesota Department of Human Rights is the state’s civil rights enforcement agency. Its duties include enforcing the Minnesota Human Rights Act which, among other things, makes it illegal for a police department to discriminate against someone because of their race.
“Race-based policing is unlawful and especially harms people of color and Indigenous individuals — sometimes costing community members their lives,” the report said.
The department has come under pressure from multiple directions since Floyd’s death. The U.S. Department of Justice is also investigating Minneapolis policing practices, though it is not thought to be close to a conclusion.
Several City Council members and residents have pushed to replace the department with a new public safety unit that they argue could take a more comprehensive public health approach to policing, including dropping a required minimum number of police officers. Voters rejected the idea last year.
Mayor Jacob Frey and Chief Medaria Arradondo, before his retirement in January, also made a range of changes in department policies and practices, including requiring officers to document their attempts to de-escalate situations, and no longer stopping motorists for minor traffic violations.
But community anger at police flared anew in February when police officers serving a no-knock warrant shot and killed Amir Locke, a 22-year-old Black man who was staying on a couch in his cousin’s apartment. Prosecutors declined to charge the officer who shot Locke, saying body camera video showed him pointing a gun at the officer, a claim his family disputed. The city has since banned no-knock warrants except in the most extreme circumstances, such as a hostage situation.
___
Find AP’s full coverage of the death of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd
___
Ibrahim is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/04/27/post-floyd-probe-finds-discrimination-by-minneapolis-police-4/ | 2022-04-27T22:02:24Z | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/04/27/post-floyd-probe-finds-discrimination-by-minneapolis-police-4/ | true |
PHOENIX — Upset with the just-ended 2-year state of emergency, state lawmakers gave final approval Wednesday to curbing the power of the governor.
Just not this governor.
On a 31-27 vote the House voted to spell out that public health emergencies can be declared for not more than 30 days. SB 1009 also says that can be extended three times.
But at 120 days, the emergency would self-destruct unless the House and Senate gave their approvals. And those extensions would have to be renewed every 30 days.
And to prevent abuses, it would prohibit the governor from proclaiming a new state of emergency based on the same conditions unless the Legislature approves.
The measure, which was previously approved by the Senate, now goes to Gov. Doug Ducey.
Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, R-Scottsdale, told Capitol Media Services she expects him to sign it. And one reason, she acknowledged, is that the measure is crafted so it does not take effect until Jan. 2, 2023, the day a new governor will be sworn in.
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"This is a legislative change,'' Ugenti-Rita said. "So I obviously need his support and need a signature.''
And she said that she made changes from her original plan to satisfy Ducey.
But Ugenti-Rita, who is not seeking reelection to the Senate, said that the change is necessary — even if it does not take effect until next year.
The measure is a direct outgrowth of the decision by Ducey to declare an emergency in early 2020 following the outbreak of COVID-19. He only rescinded that order last month, more than two years later.
Ugenti-Rita said curbs are necessary.
"Having an executive who has the power to close down businesses and unilaterally make decisions that have dramatic consequences and can be abused is not in the best interest of the public,'' she said.
She also pointed out that nothing in the legislation precludes a future governor from declaring a state of emergency when he or she believes it is necessary.
"But what it will bring back is a balance of power,'' Ugenti-Rita said, requiring the chief executive to consult with — and get the approval of — state lawmakers after 120 days. At that point, she said, legislators could allow the emergency to be continued or simply expire.
None of the Democrats in the House voted in support.
"We can have a disagreement in terms of why an executive order is called and the reasons behind that,'' said Rep. Marcelino Quinonez, D-Phoenix.
"We can have a disagreement all day long about whether it's warranted or not,'' he continued. "But we can't have an agreement about its effectiveness.''
And Quinonez said what the legislation requires when future emergencies are declared would create a "logistical nightmare.''
Ducey press aide C.J. Karamargin said the governor does not comment on measures that have not yet reached his desk.
But he acknowledged that the provision was incorporated into a much larger measure that the governor actually signed last year. That entire bill, however, was voided by the Arizona Supreme Court which said it was illegal for lawmakers to pack a variety of unrelated provisions into a single piece of legislation.
On Twitter: @azcapmedia | https://tucson.com/news/local/limiting-emergency-powers-of-future-governors-awaits-duceys-signature/article_9099026c-c64e-11ec-be11-e79babffc11f.html | 2022-04-27T22:04:50Z | https://tucson.com/news/local/limiting-emergency-powers-of-future-governors-awaits-duceys-signature/article_9099026c-c64e-11ec-be11-e79babffc11f.html | false |
When the Overwatch 2 beta started this week, it included a new feature that wasn’t available during the alpha. It has a revamped scoreboard that makes every player’s core stats visible to the entire lobby: kills, assists (which aren’t yet being tracked), deaths, healing and damage. I was iffy on it at the outset, but after chewing on it for a bit, I’ve realized why it’s bothering me at a deeper level.
The original game kept everyone’s in-game stats private. The end-of-match cards put a spotlight on a few players who performed well. The fire system (which may come back to Overwatch 2 at some point) let everyone in a lobby see if a player was doing particularly well. The medal system allowed each player to see how well they were doing compared with their teammates.
In Overwatch 2, many stats are now out in the open. That will give players more ammunition to flame others, whether they’re on the same team or the opposite side.
Overwatch has always had a sizable level of toxicity in the player base. That sucks, but it’s par for the course for a competitive multiplayer game. Keeping each player’s in-game stats private helped minimize performance-based flaming to a certain extent.
If this new version of the scoreboard sticks around, it’ll undoubtedly foster a culture where players are telling each other to “get good.” It could lead to more insults being chucked around.
That seems at odds with what, to me, are the fundamental tenets of Overwatch: positivity, optimism, inclusivity and teamwork. Barraging a player who’s maybe not performing at their best runs contrary to that philosophy.
To be clear, I don’t think Overwatch should be a completely sanitized experience. There’s always room for players to make jokes at each other’s expense and laugh at them for missing a jump and falling off the map. I have no issue with a little teabagging if it’s not meanspirited.
Transparency and keeping people honest and somewhat accountable are good things in nearly every walk of life. But Overwatch is about so much more than pure numbers.
The scoreboard won’t reflect whether a well-timed Mercy rez turns the tide of a team fight, or whether a Mei wall saved an entire team from a D.Va bomb. K/D/A numbers can help tell the story of a match, but I worry that players will place too much onus on them and fail to look at the bigger picture when assessing their team’s performance.
Besides, the scoreboard fails to reflect the most important stat of all in Overwatch: objective time. It doesn’t matter if your team constantly wipes most of your opponents. If no-one’s paying attention to the payload and a Sombra is guiding it along, you’ll lose.
Kills are not the most important element of an Overwatch match. The objective indicator at the top of the screen is what everyone should be paying attention to, not numbers that can be hard to parse in the few seconds you might have to look at the scoreboard.
Overwatch has always stood out to me because of the inclusivity, optimism and focus on teamwork at its core. Putting more emphasis on individual impact by making stats visible to everyone runs contrary to all of those facets, which helped me fall in love with the original game.
Masking in-game stats gave players the choice to reveal their numbers. For now, at least, there’s nowhere to hide in Overwatch 2. I think that move is for the worse. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/krisholt/2022/04/27/overwatch-2s-new-scoreboard-feels-philosophically-wrong/ | 2022-04-27T22:11:17Z | https://www.forbes.com/sites/krisholt/2022/04/27/overwatch-2s-new-scoreboard-feels-philosophically-wrong/ | false |
Mauro Icardi's wife Wanda Nara has denied having an affair with the Argentine's former Inter Milan team-mate Marcelo Brozovic after delivering a statement during her court case against a journalist.
The couple got together off the back of a relationship that Nara had with Icardi's former team-mate Maxi Lopez. She was married to Lopez when her and Icardi got together, and although Icardi left Italy in 2019 to join Paris Saint Germain, Nara has been in a legal battle with journalist Fabrizio Corona ever since.
Corona's story claimed that Nara had an affair with Brozovic while Icardi was at Inter, and it has since been revealed that the Argentine felt 'forced' to leave Italy. But Nara has spoken out about the false allegations and the damage caused in court.
Nara spoke in court on Wednesday and said: "I never had a relationship with Marcelo Brozovic. We are a traditional family and this story caused us problems, both within the family and outside.
"My children went to school and they were bullied, it caused problems for my husband and for me, seeing as I am his agent. Nothing in the story is true."
Icardi was thriving at Inter but left on Deadline Day in September 2019 to join PSG on loan, with an obligation to buy which was later triggered. And Nara added: "That story started all the problems and Mauro was forced to change club.
"Inter really made this situation weigh on him. They told him he had to move on, he had to change agent, they took away the captain’s armband and I don’t think it was due to his performances on the pitch. This whole thing caused huge issues with the club and directors."
Icardi and Nara have been posting regular relationship updates to their social media in recent months, as the pair have both split up and then got back together on multiple occasions. Instagram has been their usual platform to inform their fans and followers, as the case has clearly taken a toll.
The PSG star reportedly still lives with Nara, and the children that she had with former partner Lopez. The pair also have had two children together since marrying in 2014. | https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/wanda-nara-affair-mauro-icardi-26817290 | 2022-04-27T22:16:28Z | https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/wanda-nara-affair-mauro-icardi-26817290 | true |
LAFAYETTE, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) — Lafayette-based Wabash (NYSE: WNC) is reporting first quarter net income of $12 million, up from $3.2 million during the same period a year ago. The trailer manufacturer says Q1 net sales increased nearly 40% over the prior year as the company responds to strong customer demand.
Wabash, formerly known as Wabash National, says the backlog of orders is approximately $2.3 billion, an increase of $800 million compared to the same quarter last year.
“Evidenced by record first quarter backlog, demand across our portfolio of solutions remains strong,” said Brent Yeagy, president and chief executive officer. “With our customer base and supply chain both overwhelmingly levered to the United States, we are largely insulated from international volatility and fortunately situated to benefit from improving labor market trends and new and existing customers that are utilizing trailers in new and interesting ways.”
The company says it shipped 11,695 new trailers during the first quarter, compared to 9,600 during the same period the previous year. Click here to view the earnings report. | https://www.wishtv.com/news/inside-indiana-business/wabash-income-soars-in-first-quarter/ | 2022-04-27T22:21:44Z | https://www.wishtv.com/news/inside-indiana-business/wabash-income-soars-in-first-quarter/ | false |
Cool and wet weather is likely through the weekend
Another round of showers and storms is possible Saturday
ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – It seems like we can’t catch a break lately with temperatures. Highs are still expected to stay below average into the first week of May.
Where is all the warmth right now? Well, it’s not too far to our south. Highs Wednesday warmed into the 70s and 80s in Des Moines and Omaha. High temperatures across Minnesota were in the middle and upper 40s. This trend will continue on Thursday.
Temperatures Thursday will be in the middle and upper 40s with mostly cloudy skies. Highs in NE Iowa might be able to warm into the lower 50s through the afternoon. Isolated rain chances are possible before 7 a.m. Thursday and again through the afternoon and evening. Rainfall amounts are expected to be less than a tenth of an inch. Winds will be strong out of the southeast around 10-20 mph.
Temperatures will warm into the upper 50s on Friday with strong southeasterly winds. Winds Friday could gust near 25-30 mph. Rain returns on Saturday with the chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms through the afternoon and evening. Isolated showers could linger into Sunday. Temperatures will stay steady in the middle 50s through Wednesday of next week.
Nick
Copyright 2022 KTTC. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/2022/04/27/cool-wet-weather-is-likely-through-weekend/ | 2022-04-27T22:23:29Z | https://www.kttc.com/2022/04/27/cool-wet-weather-is-likely-through-weekend/ | true |
BEIJING, April 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Associate Professor of Strategy and Economics, Brian Viard, from Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business, Professor Shihe Fu from Xiamen University, and Professor Peng Zhang from The Chinese University of Hong Kong have developed an approach to measure cross-border pollution spillovers and their effects on manufacturing productivity.
The paper – "Trans-boundary air pollution spillovers: Physical transport and economic costs by distance," published in the Journal of Development Economics in March 2022 – has major policy implications for cities around the world battling the effects of air pollution.
Ambient air pollution is estimated to have generated costs equal to 4.4% of global GDP in 2016. Low- and middle-income countries are particularly affected with 92% of all air pollution-related deaths estimated to occur there. Governments are struggling to implement strategies that will curb air pollution without stifling economic activity.
The paper's author, Brian Viard, said, "A tricky problem that governments face is how to achieve coordination across different cities with the least economic damage. This is difficult because air pollution drifts so that when one city reduces its pollution not only that city benefits but its neighbors do also. Governments need to ensure that cities are rewarded for these spillovers. What we do in this paper is quantify how large these spillovers are and how far they extend in their impact on China's manufacturing productivity. The government can use these estimates to assign the geographic scope of environmental regulation and the incentives provided to local governments to reduce pollution most efficiently."
Abstract:
The economic costs of trans-boundary pollution spillovers versus local effects is necessary to evaluate centralized versus decentralized environmental policies. Directly estimating these for air pollution is difficult because spillovers are high-frequency and vary with distance while economic outcomes are usually measured with low-frequency and local pollution is endogenous. We develop an approach to quantify local versus spillover effects as a flexible function of distance utilizing commonly-available pollution and weather data. We estimate spillovers of particulate matter smaller than 10 micrograms (PM10) on manufacturing labor productivity in China. A one μg/m3 annual increase in PM10 locally reduces the average firm's annual output by CNY 45,809 (0.30%) while the same increase in a city 50 kilometers away decreases it by CNY 16,248 (0.11%). This effect declines rapidly to CNY 2,847 (0.02%) for an increase in a city 600 kilometers away and then slowly to zero at 1,000 kilometers. The results suggest the need for supra-provincial environmental policies or Coasian prices quantified under the approach.
Research article:
Shihe Fu, V. Brian Viard, Peng Zhang. "Trans-boundary air pollution spillovers: Physical transport and economic costs by distance" Journal of Development Economics 155, (March 2022)
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SOURCE Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB) | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2022/04/27/environmental-lessons-china-3-academics-release-cutting-edge-research-air-pollution-policy-its-economic-impact/ | 2022-04-27T22:24:51Z | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2022/04/27/environmental-lessons-china-3-academics-release-cutting-edge-research-air-pollution-policy-its-economic-impact/ | true |
AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — As U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson – Texas District 13 continues to be under investigation by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ethics, more information has been released on what caused this investigation.
According to previous reports by MyHighPlains.com, the committee announced the extension of the investigation into Jackson, something that was transmitted to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ethics by the Office of Congressional Ethics in late December 2021. In a statement provided to MyHighPlains.com at the time, Jackson’s office said that Jackson has cooperated with the Office of Congressional Ethics by providing “detailed explanations regarding questions they had about his campaign finance report.”
Officials from Jackson’s office told MyHighPlains.com that the complaint was brought forward to the Office of Congressional Ethics regarding charges from Jackson’s campaign account, titled “Texans for Ronny Jackson,” to the Amarillo Club, a members-only business club located in downtown Amarillo.
According to data from the Federal Election Commission, the campaign has reported 17 charges at the Amarillo Club from October 2020 through March 2022, totaling more than $6,700. These charges included:
- Membership Fees – $649.50 on 10/19/20
- Membership Fees – $175.37 on 11/11/20
- Food/Beverage – $275.37 on 1/11/21
- Food/Beverage – $175.37 on 2/9/21
- Food/Beverage – $175.37 on 3/11/21
- Dues – $175.37 on 4/12/21
- Dues – $175.37 on 5/11/21
- Food/Beverage – $3,297.43 on 6/14/21
- Membership Food/Beverage – $281.87 on 7/12/21
- Membership Food/Beverage – $175.37 on 8/11/21
- Membership Food/Beverage – $175.37 on 9/13/21
- Registration Fees – $175.37 on 10/12/21
- Registration Fees – $175.37 on 11/15/21
- Registration Fees – $175.37 on 12/13/21
- Food/Beverage – $175.36 on 1/12/22
- Food/Beverage – $175.36 on 2/10/22
- Food/Beverage – $175.36 on 3/09/22
According to its website, the Amarillo Club started as a “Business Men Club” in 1947, growing into a place where events can be hosted on the 30th and 31st floors of the FirstBank Southwest Tower in downtown Amarillo. The website states that there are more than 850 members of the club.
According to the FEC’s website, various charges to a country club, health club, recreational facility or other nonpolitical organization are not allowed uses for campaign finance dollars unless “they are part of the costs of a specific fundraising event that takes place on the organization’s premises.”
In a statement provided to MyHighPlains.com from Casey Nelson, the spokesperson for Jackson’s campaign, she stressed that the charges were allowed because they were for campaign matters.
“These costs are strictly associated with campaign and fundraising events,” Nelson said in the statement. “Rep. Jackson, nor any member of his family, have ever been to the Amarillo Club for personal use.”
Another official from Jackson’s office said that Jackson provided receipts for each of the instances listed at the Amarillo Club and had explanations for all of the charges, using them for events and matters that are within the bounds of proper expenditures of campaign finance dollars.
The other official stressed that this is a normal way for politicians to use campaign funds, providing an example of lawmakers using the Capitol Hill Club in Washington D.C. for various campaign events, as well as political and fundraising activities. Lawmakers are allowed to spend campaign money on memberships to clubs like the Amarillo Club if the lawmakers do not use the membership for personal matters as well as if the cost of renting a room at the location to conduct a campaign-related event is above the cost of the membership to the club.
The other official from Jackson’s office expects this matter to be dismissed. According to previous reports, officials from the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ethics said it will announce its course of action in this matter on or before May 23.
When asked, officials with the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ethics had no comment regarding this story. MyHighPlains.com has also reached out to the Office of Congressional Ethics and has not heard back as of this writing. | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/news/jackson-officials-comment-on-continued-campaign-finance-investigation/ | 2022-04-27T22:25:50Z | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/news/jackson-officials-comment-on-continued-campaign-finance-investigation/ | false |
- Full results from the registration-enabling Phase 2 cohort of the KRYSTAL-1 study evaluating adagrasib in patients with pre-treated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring a KRASG12C mutation
- Late-breaking data on adagrasib in patients with KRASG12C-mutated NSCLC with active and untreated central nervous system (CNS) metastases
- Company to host Virtual Investor Event on Monday, June 6, 2022 at 8 PM ET/7 PM CT to discuss highlights from ASCO 2022
SAN DIEGO, April 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mirati Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: MRTX), a clinical-stage targeted oncology company today announced the presentation of new clinical research showcasing the potential of its investigational KRASG12C inhibitor, adagrasib, in a study of patients with KRASG12C-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting taking place June 3 to 7, 2022 in Chicago, IL.
"Mirati continues to develop adagrasib with the goal of having a meaningful impact on patients with lung cancer," said Charles Baum, M.D., Ph.D., president, founder and head of research and development, Mirati Therapeutics, Inc. "Our data at this year's ASCO congress includes important insights into adagrasib's clinical profile in patients with NSCLC who harbor a KRASG12C mutation, including those with active and untreated CNS metastases, which is a serious and potentially fatal complication for these patients. We believe adagrasib has the potential to transform the lives of those with KRAS-mutated cancers including lung, colorectal, pancreatic and other tumors that carry the KRASG12C mutation."
The adagrasib New Drug Application (NDA) is currently being reviewed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Accelerated Approval (Subpart H) as a treatment for patients with NSCLC harboring the KRASG12C mutation who have received at least one prior systemic therapy. The application is being reviewed under the FDA Real Time Oncology Review (RTOR) pilot program, which aims to explore a more efficient review process that ensures safe and effective treatments are made available to patients as early as possible. Adagrasib has also achieved Breakthrough Therapy Designation in the U.S. as a potential treatment for patients with NSCLC harboring the KRASG12C mutation who have received at least one prior systemic therapy.
Mirati presentations at the 2022 ASCO Annual Meeting include:
Presentation Title: KRYSTAL-1: Activity and Safety of Adagrasib (MRTX849) in Patients with Advanced/Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Harboring a KRASG12C Mutation
Author: Alexander I. Spira
Abstract Number: 9002
Session: Lung Cancer—Non-Small Cell Metastatic
Presentation Date/Time: Friday, June 3, 2022 at 2:24 to 2:36 PM ET/1:24 to 1:36 PM CT
Presentation Title: Activity of Adagrasib (MRTX849) in Patients with KRASG12C-Mutated NSCLC and Active, Untreated CNS Metastases in the KRYSTAL-1 Trial
Author: Joshua K Sabari
Abstract Number: LBA9009
Session: Clinical Science Symposium/Including the Excluded: Advancing Care for All Patients With Lung Cancer
Presentation Date/Time: June 6, 2022 at 5:30 to 5:42 PM ET/4:30 to 4:42 PM CT
Mirati will also host an exhibit at the 2022 ASCO Annual Meeting at booth number 2097.
Virtual Investor Event
Mirati Therapeutics will host an Investor Event on Monday, June 6, 2022 at 8:00 PM ET / 7:00 PM CT.
Investors and the general public are invited to register and listen to a live webcast of the event through the "Investors and Media" section on Mirati.com. A replay of the event will be available shortly after the conclusion of the event.
About Adagrasib (MRTX849)
Adagrasib is an investigational, highly selective, and potent oral small-molecule inhibitor of KRASG12C that is optimized to sustain target inhibition, an attribute that could be important to treat KRASG12C-mutated cancers, as the KRASG12C protein regenerates every 24-48 hours. Adagrasib is a being evaluated as monotherapy and in combination with other anti-cancer therapies in patients with advanced KRASG12C-mutated solid tumors, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), colorectal cancer and pancreatic cancer. For more information visit Mirati.com/science.
Mirati has an Expanded Access Program (EAP) for investigational adagrasib for the treatment of eligible patients with KRASG12C-mutated cancers, regardless of tumor type, in the U.S. Learn more about the EAP at Mirati.com/expanded-access-policy.
About Mirati Therapeutics, Inc.
Mirati Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company whose mission is to discover, design and deliver breakthrough therapies to transform the lives of patients with cancer and their loved ones. The company is relentlessly focused on bringing forward therapies that address areas of high unmet medical need, including lung cancer, and advancing a pipeline of novel therapeutics targeting the genetic and immunological drivers of cancer. Unified for patients, Mirati's vision is to unlock the science behind the promise of a life beyond cancer. For more information about Mirati, visit us at Mirati.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements regarding the business of Mirati Therapeutics, Inc. ("Mirati"). Any statement describing Mirati's goals, expectations, financial or other projections, intentions or beliefs, development plans and the commercial potential of Mirati's drug development pipeline, including without limitation adagrasib (MRTX849), sitravatinib, MRTX1133, MRTX1719 and MRTX0902 is a forward-looking statement and should be considered an at-risk statement. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, particularly those challenges inherent in the process of discovering, developing and commercialization of new drug products that are safe and effective for use as human therapeutics, and in the endeavor of building a business around such drugs.
Mirati's forward-looking statements also involve assumptions that, if they never materialize or prove correct, could cause its results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although Mirati's forward-looking statements reflect the good faith judgment of its management, these statements are based only on facts and factors currently known by Mirati. As a result, you are cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These and other risks concerning Mirati's programs are described in additional detail in Mirati's quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and annual reports on Form 10-K, which are on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") available at the SEC's Internet site (www.sec.gov). Mirati assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements, except as required by law.
Mirati Contacts:
Investor Relations: ir@mirati.com
Media Relations: media@mirati.com
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SOURCE Mirati Therapeutics, Inc. | https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_business/mirati-therapeutics-to-present-new-research-at-the-2022-asco-annual-meeting-showcasing-clinical-advances/article_d311f20a-b425-5d15-8230-8443ec4f483b.html | 2022-04-27T22:26:58Z | https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_business/mirati-therapeutics-to-present-new-research-at-the-2022-asco-annual-meeting-showcasing-clinical-advances/article_d311f20a-b425-5d15-8230-8443ec4f483b.html | true |
SINGAPORE, April 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Growing fresh fruits and vegetables, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, skill-building, and creating green spaces are all benefits of a community garden. On Friday, 22 April, 2022, Singapore American School (SAS) celebrated alongside GROs in Woodgrove Division led by Grassroots Adviser, Ms Hany Soh, marking the opening of a new community garden that will sow future harvests for community residents interested in gardening.
Located in a quiet enclave of Woodgrove, next to the West Fields at SAS, the garden offers 99 plots for neighbouring residents, 20 of which are allocated to Woodgrove Community. Gardeners come in every day to nurture their greens, find a space to relax and bond, and socialize with fellow gardeners. Accessible by foot and paths around the site are wide, and the garden is open for all to enjoy every day during daylight hours.
According to community gardener Tan Wee Book, "This is so meaningful for us, allowing our family an opportunity to bond as we come and work on our plot." Community gardeners have planted a variety of flora — fruits, vegetables, and flowering plants, making this a space that supports a variety of passions. The garden reflects the purpose it serves — engaging, educating, and building relationships that last beyond the growing season.
"The community plays a key role in the stewardship for nature, and this partnership with Woodgrove Community is instrumental in encouraging cooperation, volunteerism, a respect for diversity, and ecological awareness among those who engage in this work," said SAS Superintendent Tom Boasberg.
"Woodgrove is our home, and we enjoy finding new ways to partner with and give back to the local community. Each year we support the annual Halloween event, invite community members to join our Fourth of July BBQ, and connect our students directly with local students to serve in a variety of ways. We are excited to create a new place where community members can come together to enjoy the fruits of their work," said Superintendent Boasberg.
For residents around Woodgrove living in flats or houses without gardens, having an attractive, welcoming green space within walking distance for quiet recreation enhances mental and emotional well-being. Along with the benefits of being outside and working alongside others, the garden also provides chance to build a space that everyone can enjoy and use. Ms Hany Soh, Adviser to Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC GROs (Woodgrove) shared, "We are happy that Woodgrove residents now have new community gardens where they can come together to try their hand at gardening and pick up green tips from one another. We hope this shared passion in the joys of gardening will strengthen bonds between neighbours and families, and knit our community closer together."
ABOUT SINGAPORE AMERICAN SCHOOL
Singapore American School enjoys a global reputation of excellence and innovation in education and annually graduates students who attend the best universities in the world. SAS prides itself on a culture of excellence, extraordinary care, and possibilities, providing an educational environment where engaged students learn to think critically, develop the skills necessary to succeed throughout their lives, and pursue passions in a range of disciplines.
SAS is proud of its exemplary faculty, 82 percent of whom hold master's degrees or doctorates. The school invests heavily in professional development and regularly sends teachers across the globe to share best practices with other leading educational institutions.
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SOURCE Singapore American School | https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_food_beverages/growing-together-new-community-garden-for-woodgrove-residents/article_2d773bda-f254-5521-a843-14f1a9b24b65.html | 2022-04-27T22:29:26Z | https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_food_beverages/growing-together-new-community-garden-for-woodgrove-residents/article_2d773bda-f254-5521-a843-14f1a9b24b65.html | true |
Brexit: UK government 'squarely responsible' for protocol deal
- Published
Responsibility for the Northern Ireland part of the Brexit deal lies "fairly and squarely with the UK government", a former top Stormont civil servant has said.
Dr Andrew McCormick, who was the executive's lead on Brexit, said the UK government understood the implications of the NI Protocol.
He dismissed any notion the protocol was "anti-democratic".
The UK and EU have been negotiating possible changes to the protocol.
The protocol was agreed by the UK and the EU in October 2019 and came into force in January 2021.
It prevents a hard Irish border by keeping Northern Ireland inside the EU's single market for goods.
That also creates a new trade border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.
The deal is opposed by unionists, who argue it undermines Northern Ireland's place in the UK.
The UK government has since said it was a huge compromise on their part, and accused the EU of applying it too rigidly.
The EU accepts that the protocol is causing difficulties for businesses and has proposed a package of measures to reduce its practical impacts.
Dr McCormick, who witnessed the initial Brexit negotiations first hand, criticised the UK government's attitude towards the protocol in an article for the Constitution Society.
"It is hard to imagine anything (other than Brexit itself) with greater democratic legitimacy under the UK constitution.
"There is little credibility in any argument that the UK government either did not anticipate the implications of what it had agreed, or was constrained and unable to choose any other option.
"The facts and choices had been spelt out clearly over the whole period from 2016 onwards and the detail of the provisions (notably most of the applicable EU law contained in Annex 2 to the Protocol) were known at latest in autumn 2018."
Dr McCormick, who retired last year as director general of International Relations for the Northern Ireland Executive Office, said "no credible solution better than the protocol has been identified".
"Hence, its collapse would create uncertainty and instability - which cannot be in the interests of those who want Northern Ireland to succeed," he added.
Meanwhile, former Brexit minister Lord Frost has claimed the protocol was only supposed to be temporary.
Speaking at a meeting hosted by the centre-right think tank Policy Exchange on Wednesday, he accused the EU of treating his negotiating team as "the supplicant representatives of a renegade province".
He said he had assumed it would last only until Stormont voted on whether to keep the accord in 2024.
In the Commons on Wednesday, Labour told UK ministers to stop threatening action over the protocol and "get a grip" on talks with the EU.
Shadow Northern Ireland minister Tonia Antoniazzi said: "Will the Government get a grip on treating negotiations with the respect they deserve and use something called statecraft and diligence to fund a settlement with the European Union?"
Labour issued the warning ahead of Prime Minister Boris Johnson telling MPs of the need to rectify the issue for the sake of the Good Friday Agreement - the 1998 peace deal which helped bring an end to the Troubles.
The prime minister said there was "clearly an economic cost" to the protocol, adding it was "now turning into a political problem". | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-61252259?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA | 2022-04-27T22:29:35Z | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-61252259?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA | false |
With the just-announced collaboration between Miko and A Parent Media Co. Inc. ("APMC") (owner of Kidoodle.TV), families can explore Kidoodle.TV's ever-growing kids' content catalog on their Miko 3 robots. That includes kid favorites like "Booba," "Big B Statz Roblox," "SuperHeroKids," "Talking Tom Shorts" and "T-Rex Ranch" — plus dozens of other shows available ad-free on Miko 3.
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 27, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The world's leading kids' streaming platform has just arrived on the little robot loved by millions of children around the globe.
With the just-announced collaboration between Miko and A Parent Media Co. Inc. ("APMC") (owner of Kidoodle.TV), families can explore Kidoodle.TV's ever-growing kids' content catalog on their Miko 3 robots. That includes kid favorites like "Booba," "Big B Statz Roblox," "SuperHeroKids," "Talking Tom Shorts" and "T-Rex Ranch" — plus dozens of other shows available ad-free on Miko 3.
The arrangement is a natural fit for the two innovative kids' tech companies, said Sneh Vaswani, Miko co-founder and CEO. By pairing Kidoodle.TV's Safe Streaming™ service with Miko's AI-powered interactions, kids can interact with content in a whole new way, he added.
"Kidoodle.TV and Miko share a passion for innovation and a commitment to providing a safe, interactive tech experience for kids," Vaswani said. "We're excited to bring Kidoodle.TV's content to the millions of children who love hanging out with their Miko 3."
"As a leading kids' streaming brand on platforms like Roku and Amazon Fire TV, Kidoodle.TV is embracing the next wave of kids' entertainment through its Miko partnership," said Daniel Riddell, Chief Technology Officer at APMC for Kidoodle.TV.
"We're very excited about immersive entertainment delivered through embedded devices like Miko," Riddell said. "With Miko, kids can engage with content while interacting with a robot that's fully age-appropriate."
Kidoodle.TV is the latest kids' content powerhouse to join the Miko platform. With a single Miko Max subscription, children get unlimited access to content from Kidoodle.TV, Da Vinci Kids, Lingokids, Cosmic Kids, Kidloland and more.
Visit miko.ai or email emily@miko.ai for more on Miko 3's content partners, features, technology and penchant for seriously fun learning.
About Miko
Founded in 2015, Miko is an advanced consumer robotics innovation lab passionate about bringing the best of technology to young learners everywhere. Home to the world's leading educators, engineers, psychologists and content developers, Miko takes learning to a whole new level through state-of-the-art artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT. The company has a global mindset, 170 employees and offices in the innovation hubs of Silicon Valley and Mumbai.
About APMC and Kidoodle.TV®
Kidoodle.TV® is a family-focused Safe Streaming™ service committed to ensuring children have a safe alternative to stream their favorite TV shows and movies. Available in over 160 countries and territories on thousands of connected devices, Kidoodle.TV provides peace of mind with every show available on Kidoodle.TV strictly vetted by caring people committed to Safe and Free Streaming for Kids™. Kidoodle.TV is available on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Fire TV, LG, Samsung, VIDAA-enabled Hisense TVs, Chromecast, Roku, Vizio SmartCast Amazon, Jio, Xfinity X1, Connected TVs, HTML5 Web, and many other streaming media devices including Miko 3. Kidoodle.TV is owned and operated by A Parent Media Co. Inc., a family-based company. Kidoodle.TV is certified by the kidSAFE® Seal Program and is the proud recipient of the Mom's Choice Award®, a Stevie® Award, platinum winner of the Best Mobile App Award, and Parents' Picks Award – Best Elementary Products. Visit http://www.kidoodle.tv to learn more.
*Content availability varies by location.
Media Contact
Emily Hubbell, Miko, 1 4436174378, emily@miko.ai
SOURCE Miko | https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_stocks/miko-and-kidoodle-tv-collaboration-delivers-immersive-kids-experience/article_b267c96f-4da6-5235-a0c0-860ffb878351.html | 2022-04-27T22:35:38Z | https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_stocks/miko-and-kidoodle-tv-collaboration-delivers-immersive-kids-experience/article_b267c96f-4da6-5235-a0c0-860ffb878351.html | false |
PRESTON, Md., April 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PSB Holding Corp. (OTCQX:PSBP) (the "Company"), the parent company of Provident State Bank, Inc. ("Provident" or the "Bank"), reported net income of $1.00 million ($.65 per diluted common share) for the three months ended March 31, 2022 compared to $1.21 million ($.80 per diluted common share) for the three months ended March 31, 2021, representing a decline of 17.5%. The decline in net income was primarily attributable to a reduction in revenue associated with the Small Business Administration ("SBA") Payroll Protection Program ("PPP").
Performance Review
Small Business Administration's Payroll Protection Program
The Bank's participation in the SBA's PPP, established in April 2020, contributed more significantly to financial performance during the first quarter of 2021 as compared to the first quarter of 2022. During the three months ended March 31, 2021, Provident originated PPP loans totaling $29.27 million and recognized fee income net of costs (amortized as a loan yield adjustment) of $667,000. PPP loan principal forgiven by the SBA and principal payments received totaled $17.35 million during the first quarter 2021. During the same period of 2022, no PPP loans were originated as the program was closed, $1.08 million in loans were forgiven and net fee income totaling $49,000 was recognized. As of March 31, 2022, all PPP loans had been forgiven or repaid in full and all related fee income had been recognized.
Net Interest Margin
The net interest margin ("NIM") was 3.05% during the first quarter 2022 compared to 3.45% during the same period in 2021. The NIM benefited from higher PPP revenue as noted above during the first quarter 2021.
First Quarter 2022 Compared to First Quarter 2021
In addition to the reduced revenue associated with PPP lending activities previously noted, net income during the first quarter 2022 compared to the same period in 2021 was impacted by lower gain on sale of loans of $66,000 and higher salaries and benefits expense of $152,000, offset by lower interest expense of $260,000, lower loan loss provision expense of $65,000, higher deposit service charge income of $58,000 and lower occupancy expense of $51,000. Gain on sale of loans totaled $194,000 during the three months ended March 31, 2022 compared to $260,000 during the same period in 2021. The decline in mortgage banking activity was largely driven by rising interest rates. The increase in salaries and benefits was largely driven by a reduction in salary deferrals associated with loan origination activity totaling $80,000 and an increase in deferred compensation expense of $33,000. Lower interest expense reflected the continued benefit of the repricing of the Bank's time deposit portfolio to lower interest rates. Higher deposit service charge income reflected increased transaction-based fee income including overdraft fees and ATM transaction fees.
Balance Sheet and Asset Quality
Assets totaled $576.1 million at March 31, 2022, increasing $4.4 million or .8% compared to March 31, 2021. Deposits and repurchase agreements totaled $510.5 million at March 31, 2022 compared to $485.6 million at March 31, 2021, representing growth of 5.1%. Gross loans, exclusive of PPP loans, totaled $361.8 million at March 31, 2022, representing an increase of $27.1 million or 8.1% compared to March 31, 2021. Stockholders' Equity totaled $44.9 million at March 31, 2022 compared to $51.6 million at December 31, 2021 and $48.6 million at March 31, 2021. The decrease in stockholders' equity was driven by growth in unrealized losses associated with the Bank's investment portfolio held as available for sale ("AFS"). As of March 31, 2022, accumulated other comprehensive losses associated with the AFS portfolio totaled $8.5 million compared to $846,000 at December 31, 2021 and a gain of $39,000 at March 31, 2021. The significant increase in unrealized losses at March 31, 2022 was largely driven by a dramatic jump in market rates during the month of March 2022 as the market attempted to digest commentary from the Federal Reserve regarding its plan to combat inflationary pressures. These unrealized losses are not included in regulatory capital and the Bank remained well capitalized at March 31, 2022. As of March 31, 2022, non-performing assets and past due loans 30 days or more were .54% of total assets compared to .38% at the end of 2021 and .34% at March 31, 2021.
President and Chief Executive Officer Melissa Quirk commented on the Company's performance stating, "We are pleased with our performance during the first quarter of 2022 given the loss of revenue associated with PPP lending activities. While challenges lie ahead as inflation and increasing interest rates pressure the economy, our team will continue to work to grow the bank in a prudent and efficient manner."
PSB Holding Corp. is the holding company of Provident State Bank, Inc., a full-service financial institution serving the eastern shore of Maryland since 1904. Provident State Bank, Inc. has ten locations in Preston, Federalsburg, Ridgely, Denton, Easton-Elliot Road, Easton-Harrison Street, Secretary, Cambridge, Salisbury and Lewes (Delaware). For more information on PSB Holding Corp. and Provident State Bank, Inc., visit www.providentstatebank.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Forward-looking statements relating to PSB Holding Corp. and its subsidiary, Provident State Bank, Inc. may include plans, strategies, objectives, expectations, intentions and adequacy of resources. All statements other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding business strategy, future events, activities, performance, and plans and objectives for future operations, are forward-looking statements. Therefore, the illustrative value of forward-looking statements made in or pursuant to this press release should not, under any circumstances, be considered a guaranty or promise that such future events, activities, occurrences or performances will take place.
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SOURCE PSB Holding Corp. | https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_stocks/psb-holding-corp-reports-first-quarter-2022-results/article_78bfb465-8c36-512b-a468-5c9a036eec6f.html | 2022-04-27T22:36:15Z | https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_stocks/psb-holding-corp-reports-first-quarter-2022-results/article_78bfb465-8c36-512b-a468-5c9a036eec6f.html | false |
Mondial Software has forged a new partnership with Pilot Solutions, which operates channel enablement programs for SAP Business One ISVs and VARs. With last year's release of Mondial's real-time integration connector for SAP Business One, the company extended its product to offer enhanced financial reporting capabilities to SAP's small and midsize customers.
BEDFORD, N.H., April 27, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- BEDFORD, New Hampshire, APRIL 20, 2022. Mondial Software today announces a new partnership with Pilot Solutions, which operates channel enablement programs for SAP Business One ISVs and VARs. With last year's release of Mondial's real-time integration connector for SAP Business One, the company extended its product to offer enhanced financial reporting capabilities to SAP's small and midsize customers.
This new partnership will accelerate Mondial's business in the SAP space, leveraging Pilot Solutions' combined 30 years of experience in the SAP channel. Pilot Solutions will offer channel enablement for partners interested in selling the Mondial solution, and will extend their consulting services for SAP Business One customers to include enhanced automation of financial reporting and closing processes.
Mondial is especially well-suited for companies who need to produce consolidated financial statements, and who required multi-GAAP, multi-ledger reporting. With SAP's global presence in the SME space, that makes Mondial a perfect fit for the SAP Business One channel.
Mondial's product extracts financial data for multiple companies operating under the same corporate umbrella, – even if those companies run different ERP systems, have incompatible charts of accounts, or operate with overlapping accounting periods. Mondial combines subledger data from multiple sources and in multiple currencies, normalizes it, and presents the information in full compliance with GAAP, IFRS, and other regulatory standards.
Mondial connects to all group companies in real time, offering a centralized cloud-based hub in which to enter eliminations and perform consolidations. The result is a single, centralized, automated and fully auditable ledger that serves as a single source of truth for financial reports.
"Mondial's product is a great value for any SAP Business One customer," said Greg Robinson of Pilot Solutions. "That's especially true for businesses that operate multiple entities and need a way to produce consolidated financial statements more efficiently. The product produces a very rapid ROI because it eliminates so much of the manual effort that usually accompanies those kinds of processes. For companies that need to report their results in both IFRS and US-GAAP, – or in accordance with any other standard, – Mondial is invaluable."
"We're delighted to be partnering with Pilot Solutions to develop and support a global partner channel for the SAP Business One market," said Mondial's CEO Mark Richardson. "As veterans of the SAP Business One channel, they understand the dynamics of the SME market and the SAP partner organizations in particular. Pilot also has deep domain expertise in ERP software, with experience in training, implementation and project management services for SAP Business One partners and customers. We see that as a winning combination."
About Mondial Software
Mondial Software is a global provider of cloud-based tools for multi-ERP financial reporting and consolidations. Founded by a team of experienced accounting professionals whose career tenure includes work at Epicor, Sage, SAP, Avalara and Plex Systems; Mondial serves customers throughout the world. For more information, visit http://www.mondialsoftware.com
About Pilot Solutions
Pilot Solutions supports Value Added Resellers and Software Solution Providers in the SAP Business One channel with go-to-market enablement and consulting services, including project management, integration development, localization, technical support, analytics, cloud management, and regulatory compliance. For more information, visit http://www.pilotsolutions.net.
Media Contact
Mark Richardson, Mondial Software, 1 (888) 248-1071, mark.richardson@mondialsoftware.com
SOURCE Mondial Software | https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_technology/mondial-announces-sap-business-one-partnership-with-pilot-solutions/article_9cb2ac86-13c5-569c-90ef-45a15e74455c.html | 2022-04-27T22:39:43Z | https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_technology/mondial-announces-sap-business-one-partnership-with-pilot-solutions/article_9cb2ac86-13c5-569c-90ef-45a15e74455c.html | false |
LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — Police in Lancaster County are investigating a hit-and-run crash that killed a pedestrian Wednesday morning in West Lampeter Township.
The incident occurred around 7 a.m. on the 1800 block of Rockvale Road, West Lampeter Township Police say.
Officers who were dispatched for the report of an unconscious man on the roadway discovered the victim lying on the side of the road, suffering from serious head injuries, according to police. A damaged scooter was found nearby.
The Lancaster County Coroner's Office was also dispatched to the scene. Police say the victim, 43-year-old Samuel S. King of Houser Road in West Lampeter Township, was pronounced dead.
After a daylong investigation, police located the suspected striking vehicle at about 2:30 p.m.
Police have not yet released the identity of the suspect.
The crash remains under investigation.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact West Lampeter Township Police. | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/lancaster-county/samuel-king-killed-pedestrian-hit-and-run-lancaster/521-82d12281-16fa-41b7-80b7-82fc1ff7dd70 | 2022-04-27T22:42:58Z | https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/lancaster-county/samuel-king-killed-pedestrian-hit-and-run-lancaster/521-82d12281-16fa-41b7-80b7-82fc1ff7dd70 | true |
RUSTON, La. (AP) _ Origin Bancorp Inc. (OBNK) on Wednesday reported first-quarter earnings of $20.7 million.
The bank, based in Ruston, Louisiana, said it had earnings of 87 cents per share.
The results did not meet Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 88 cents per share.
The bank holding company posted revenue of $74.2 million in the period. Its revenue net of interest expense was $68.4 million, beating Street forecasts.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on OBNK at https://www.zacks.com/ap/OBNK | https://www.mrt.com/business/article/Origin-Bancorp-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17131614.php | 2022-04-27T22:43:11Z | https://www.mrt.com/business/article/Origin-Bancorp-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17131614.php | true |
Abbie Quinnen offers a glimpse of her midriff in a black crop top as she cosies up to boyfriend AJ Pritchard on a night out
Abbie Quinnen and AJ Pritchard put on a cosy display as they stood arm-in-arm at Gravity in London on Wednesday.
The dancer, 24, gave a glimpse at her midriff as she wore a black crop top with a plunging neckline.
She wore a pair of bright white trousers as she posed with former Strictly Come Dancing professional AJ, 27, who went for double denim for the couple's night out at the active entertainment venue.
Loved-up: Abbie Quinnen, 24, and AJ Pritchard, 27 put on a cosy display as they stood arm-in-arm at Gravity in London on Wednesday
He wore a black T-shirt underneath his charcoal denim jacket which he teamed with a pair of navy blue jeans.
The former I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! campmate wore a pair of white trainers with black stripes and red laces.
Abbie completed her look by wearing a pair of high-heeled black boots while she carried with her a white handbag.
In style: The dancer gave a glimpse at her midriff as she wore a black cropped top with a plunging neckline
Abbie's outing comes after she took a 'massive' life step last week as she got behind the wheel of a car for her 'first ever driving lesson'.
Taking to Instagram, the beauty told her 88.2 thousand followers that she had been putting getting her license off for many years.
She said: 'Today is a massive massive day for me it is my first ever driving lesson.
Fashion focus: She wore a pair of bright white trousers and completed her look by wearing a pair of high-heeled black boots while she carried with her a white handbag
Keeping it casual: AJ went for double denim for the couple's night out at the active entertainment venue
'I know I'm nearly 25 and I've never had a driving lesson.'
She continued: 'I feel like I have an excuse because I went to dance school in London from the age of 11 and then college in London and then I went away on a cruise.
'I kind of have been putting it off because I was in a car accident when I was 19 and now whenever I am in a car I get super super panicky.'
Ready to role: Abbie's outing comes after she took a 'massive' life step last week as she got behind the wheel of a car for her 'first ever driving lesson' | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-10760815/Abbie-Quinnen-offers-glimpse-midriff-black-crop-top.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | 2022-04-27T22:45:09Z | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-10760815/Abbie-Quinnen-offers-glimpse-midriff-black-crop-top.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | true |
Business sentiment improves for May on expectations for more demand
SEOUL, April 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korean's business sentiment improved for May amid expectations that the government's move to lift pandemic-related curbs could boost demand, a central bank poll showed Thursday.
The business sentiment index (BSI) for local companies came to 86 for May, up three points from the previous month, according to the survey by the Bank of Korea (BOK).
The index measures corporate prospects for business conditions in the following month. A reading below 100 means pessimists outnumber optimists.
The rise came as the government recently lifted most social distancing rules, except for the mask mandate, as part of efforts to return to normal from the pandemic.
The BSI for manufacturers rose from 85 to 88 over the same period and the index for non-manufacturing firms declined from 82 to 85.
The sentiment for manufacturers, in particular, improved in the hope that demand for such products as cosmetics and others will mount, the BOK said.
The BSI for large companies increased from 91 to 92 over the cited period, with that for smaller firms rising five points to 83.
The BSI for exporters stayed unchanged at 93, while the index for domestic demand-oriented businesses improved from 80 to 85, the survey showed.
The survey was conducted on a total of 2,828 firms, including 1,677 manufacturers, from April 13-20, the BOK said.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)
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(LEAD) Incoming gov't to determine whether to lift outdoor mask mandate in late May
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(5th LD) In military parade, N. Korean leader vows to strengthen nuclear power
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(LEAD) Controversy erupts over education minister nominee's family receiving Fulbright scholarships | https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20220427009700320 | 2022-04-27T22:46:52Z | https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20220427009700320 | false |
BURLINGAME, Calif. (AP) _ Innoviva Inc. (INVA) on Wednesday reported first-quarter profit of $15.8 million.
On a per-share basis, the Burlingame, California-based company said it had net income of 20 cents. Earnings, adjusted to extinguish debt, were 42 cents per share.
The biopharmaceutical company posted revenue of $90.1 million in the period.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on INVA at https://www.zacks.com/ap/INVA | https://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/Innoviva-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17131779.php | 2022-04-27T22:47:31Z | https://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/Innoviva-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17131779.php | false |
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. (AP) — Officials have identified a man who was killed in an exchange of gunfire with a state trooper and sheriff’s deputy on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
The man killed in the shootout Monday was identified as William Brink, 24, of Salisbury, the attorney general’s office said in a news release Wednesday. The officers involved have been identified as Cpl. Jason Dykes, who has been with Maryland State Police for 17 years, and Sgt. Kevin Goepfert and Deputy 1st Class Anthony Jackson of the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office.
Goepfert has been with the sheriff's office for 13 years and Jackson has been with the sheriff's office for three years.
Sheriff’s deputies responded to a Westover convenience store about noon Monday after a 911 caller reported that a man pointed a handgun at him and demanded money, then fled, officials said. A short time later, a deputy in the Princess Anne area spotted a man who matched the 911 caller’s description and approached him, officials said. The deputy and the man both fired their weapons and the man fled.
When he was found, officials said Brink fired again and was struck when a trooper and deputy returned fire. He died at a hospital.
The office of the attorney general’s Independent Investigations Division is investigating the fatal shooting. | https://www.mrt.com/news/article/Officials-ID-man-killed-in-shootout-with-trooper-17131774.php | 2022-04-27T22:48:03Z | https://www.mrt.com/news/article/Officials-ID-man-killed-in-shootout-with-trooper-17131774.php | false |
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Jo Anne Mann Sheffield went to be with her Lord and Savior on April 26, 2022 at the Sanctuary Hospice House. Jo Anne was born on October 22, 1931, to John and Evie Smith Mann in the Palmetto community. Upon the death of her mother two weeks after she was born, Jo Anne went to live with her grandparents, Jim and Lula Smith. She attended Itawamba County schools where she met her future husband, Charles Thomas Sheffield. Soon after she married, she attended cosmetology school and opened a beauty salon in her home in Mooreville while her children were young. Later she went to nursing school and worked for Dr. Charles Wikle, Oral Surgeon, and then for North Mississippi Medical Center surgical department for 25 years. In her earlier years Jo Anne loved working with children in Sunday school and choir. Christmas was her favorite holiday, and her passion for entertaining was unmatched. Christmases at "Grandmother's" house were memory-making events. Her excellent culinary skills were also on display during her Christmas festivities. Her table held many desserts including several of her grandsons' favorites. Her flower gardens were dazzling with beautiful plants, which she was quick to share and exchange flower cuttings with her friends and neighbors. Jo Anne was an active member of Harrisburg Baptist Church where she was a member of the Merry Makers, Heritage Singers, and the Walter Scott Sunday School Class. She loved her Lord and her family fiercely. Some of her favorite times were spent with her grandsons and great-grandsons, who always brought a smile to her face. She and her husband had been residents at Mitchell Center Assisted Living at Traceway before her husband's death. She continued to remain there where she received excellent care. A service celebrating Jo Anne's life will be held at 3PM, Saturday, April 30th, 2022, in the Sadie Holland Memorial Chapel at Holland Funeral Directors-Tupelo, with Dr. Forrest Sheffield and Rev. David Smith officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Burial will be at Tupelo Memorial Park. There will be no graveside service. Jo Anne is survived by two daughters, Judy Loden (Jerry) and Joan Dozier Weathers (Larry) all of Tupelo; four grandsons, Jason Patrick Loden (Beth), Plano, Texas; Justin Samuel Loden (Stacey), Tupelo; Evan Charles Dozier (Chara), Austin, Texas; and Jordan Sheffield Dozier, Tupelo; five great-grandsons, Connor Patrick Loden, Ethan Thomas Loden, Charles Michael Loden, William Craig Dozier, and Noah Eddie Dozier; six half-sisters; Laura Mae Harris, Shirley Williams, Carolyn Wyley, Katherine Timms, Linda Broom, and Judy Newell; one sister-in-law, Cissy Sheffield; several nieces and nephews; Jo Anne's two sitters who lovingly cared for her, Michelle Doss and Theresa Garmon. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 73 years, Charles Thomas Sheffield, who died on December 27, 2021; a son-in-law, Eddie Craig Dozier; two sisters, Elaine Wilburn and Hazel Sheffield; one brother, Rex Mann; one niece, Martha Morris; and her parents and grandparents. Pallbearers will be her four grandsons and Johnny Mann, Thomas Jennings, and Meredith Walker, M.D. Honorary Pallbearers will be great-grandsons, the Walter Scott Sunday School Class, and employees of Mitchell Center Assisted Living. Memorials may be made to Sanctuary Hospice House, P.O. Box 2177, Tupelo, MS 38803 or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105. Condolences to the family may be posted at hollandfuneraldirectors.com. Those who cannot attend may view the service Saturday at 3PM or anytime thereafter at hollandfuneraldirectors.com/livestreaming.
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NEW YORK (AP) _ Paramount Group Inc. (PGRE) on Wednesday reported a key measure of profitability in its first quarter.
The real estate investment trust, based in New York, said it had funds from operations of $54.6 million, or 25 cents per share, in the period.
Funds from operations is a closely watched measure in the REIT industry. It takes net income and adds back items such as depreciation and amortization.
The company said it had net income of $3.4 million, or 2 cents per share.
The real estate investment trust that owns office buildings, based in New York, posted revenue of $183.7 million in the period.
Paramount Group expects full-year funds from operations in the range of 93 cents to 97 cents per share.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on PGRE at https://www.zacks.com/ap/PGRE | https://www.expressnews.com/business/article/Paramount-Group-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17131706.php | 2022-04-27T22:56:59Z | https://www.expressnews.com/business/article/Paramount-Group-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17131706.php | true |
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed four pieces of legislation into law Wednesday aimed at easing a shortage of teachers and classroom aides in public schools — an issue across the U.S.
The new laws lower the fee to reinstate a lapsed teaching certificate, allow student teaching by college seniors, lower the minimum age for classroom aides and extend the number of days in a row a short-term substitute can spend in one classroom if a disaster is declared. Pritzker signed the bills during a ceremony at Springfield High School, just two blocks from the Capitol.
The Illinois State Board of Education estimates that there will be about 4,120 openings in public schools this fall. That includes 1,700 teachers and 1,240 paraprofessionals, who are qualified, but unlicensed, educators who help teachers.
It's not a new situation and predates the COVID-19 pandemic. But the coronavirus, which forced schools into a roller-coaster of openings and closings, scheduling and staffing, worsened matters. Several lawmakers have been focused on getting classrooms staffed with qualified people.
Rep. Sue Scherer, a Decatur Democrat and former teacher, said a retired teacher who is a constituent wanted to help out because of the crisis before learning it would cost him $500 to reinstate his license. Scherer's legislation, run through the Senate by Democrat Meg Loughran Cappel of Shorewood, lowers that fee to $50 immediately.
A law taking effect Jan. 1, 2023, allows college students in education programs to be substitutes if they have at least 90 credit hours. The sponsors were Rep. Anne Stava-Murray, a Chicago Democrat, and Loughran Cappel.
A third law, sponsored by Chicago Democratic Sen. Cristina Pacione-Zayas and Bolingbrook Democratic Rep. Dagmara Avelar, lowers the age paraprofessionals may work to 18 from 19.
Finally, a law sponsored by Stava-Murray and Springfield Democratic Sen. Doris Turner, that takes immediate effect means short-term substitutes now will be limited to 15 straight days in one classroom, up from five days, if the state is under a disaster declaration.
___
The bills were HB4246, HB4798, SB3988 and SB3907.
___
Follow Political Writer John O’Connor at https://twitter.com/apoconnor | https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/Pritzker-signs-4-laws-to-tackle-shortage-of-17131916.php | 2022-04-27T23:01:36Z | https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/Pritzker-signs-4-laws-to-tackle-shortage-of-17131916.php | false |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Energy Department on Wednesday authorized additional exports of liquefied natural gas, or LNG, from planned terminals in Texas and Louisiana.
The orders allow Golden Pass LNG Terminal near Port Arthur, Texas, and Magnolia LNG Terminal in Lake Charles, Louisiana, to export additional natural gas as LNG to any country not prohibited by U.S. law or policy.
The $10 billion Golden Pass LNG export project is expected be operational in 2024, with Magnolia coming online by 2026. The two terminals are expected to produce more than 3 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day.
The approvals come as the United States seeks to boost LNG exports to Europe amid Russia's war with Ukraine. The Energy Department approved expanded permits for two other LNG terminals in Texas and Louisiana last month.
Cheniere Energy Inc. said its Sabine Pass facility in Louisiana and its Corpus Christi plant in Texas have been improved and are making more gas than covered by previous export permits.
Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said last month that the U.S. “is exporting every molecule of liquefied natural gas that we can” to help European buyers of Russian fuel.
U.S. LNG exports have reached new highs of about 12 billion cubic feet per day and are expected to grow to more than 13 billion cubic feet by the end of the year, with most going to Europe, the Energy Department said.
The U.S. and its allies also have released oil from their strategic reserves to counter Russia's aggression. The U.S. has banned imports of Russian oil.
The U.S. and other countries “will act quickly to hedge against energy disruptions,'' Granholm said at the International Energy Agency’s ministerial meeting in Paris. “We will not allow Vladimir Putin to wedge our nations apart.”
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, hailed the new permits Wednesday as “a tremendous victory for Texans, American jobs, trade and our European allies who will now have greater access to our clean natural gas exports.''
A source familiar with his thinking said Cruz planned to release a Senate hold on Brad Crabtree, President Joe Biden's nominee to be assistant Energy secretary for fossil energy and carbon management.
Golden Pass is jointly owned by ExxonMobil Corporation and Qatar Petroleum International Limited, while Magnolia is owned by the Glenfarne Group LLC. | https://www.lakecountystar.com/news/article/Energy-Dept-OKs-expanded-LNG-exports-from-Texas-17131740.php | 2022-04-27T23:02:58Z | https://www.lakecountystar.com/news/article/Energy-Dept-OKs-expanded-LNG-exports-from-Texas-17131740.php | false |
A New York judge has determined that Cushman & Wakefield, one of the world’s largest real estate firms, broke its own rules to appease the Trump Organization and the former American president’s chronic practice of inflating the value of his properties.
Judge Arthur F. Engoron’s surprising assertions were included in his court order on Wednesday, in which he formally directed Cushman & Wakefield to turn over documents to the New York attorney general’s office.
New York attorney general Letitia James is investigating the Trump Organization over what prosecutors have determined to be a long-running pattern of hyping the value of golf resorts and buildings in California and New York, as part of a scheme to commit bank and insurance fraud.
Judge Demands Trump Org Quit Stalling on Turning Over Evidence
In his order, the judge indicated he has personally reviewed sensitive documents in the privacy of his court chambers that indicate Cushman & Wakefield employees played along—a damning revelation that could open the global corporation to accusations of conspiring along with the Trump Organization.
“This court has reviewed numerous documents in camera demonstrating that C&W was not consistent in adhering to its internal quality control practices when conducting appraisals on behalf of the Trump Organization,” he wrote.
By enforcing the AG’s subpoenas, Engoron’s court order adds key support to the New York investigation, which is heating up in what could be the final phases of the probe. When the investigation concludes, James will be able to sue the Trump Organization and others for violations of the state’s business laws—and seek to shut them down permanently and seek monetary damages.
“It is within the OAG’s purview to investigate C&W’s appraisals to determine if C&W has appropriately and accurately disclosed to regulators and other governmental authority whether its internal quality controls were followed,” Engoron added.
New York AG Investigates Real Estate Giant for Helping Trump
Sawnie A. McEntire, a Texas lawyer representing the real estate services firm, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In its multi-year investigation, the AG’s office has already amassed hundreds of thousands of documents that describe how Trump valued his Trump Tower skyscraper on New York City’s Fifth Avenue, his private golf club and forested Seven Springs estate north of the city, and his other golf club near Los Angeles.
Some of the evidence made public by James in January revealed the ridiculous lengths which Trump went to inflate the value of his properties, including one instance in which he lied by simply tripling the size of his already humongous three-story penthouse at Trump Tower. The twice-impeached former president’s company repeatedly turned to Cushman & Wakefield to assess the value of those properties.
Investigators contend they need additional evidence from Cushman & Wakefield to see if the firm played fast and loose with other clients. The firm has been pushing back, claiming that handing over that kind of proprietary data to law enforcement would violate the corporation’s rights to keep them secret.
In court on Monday, the AG’s attorneys detailed how their investigators had caught Cushman & Wakefield employees lying in ways that would benefit the Trump Organization.
Assistant attorney general Austin Thompson laid out how the firm’s appraisers routinely abdicated their responsibilities and just defaulted to whatever the Trump company and its outside lawyer, Sheri Dillon, wanted from them. He cited two instances in Los Angeles and Seven Springs when appraisers claimed they created value assessments that factored in planned real estate development timelines—except the appraisers just filled in the blanks as they were told.
“In both instances, a Cushman appraiser appears to have crafted the development timeline and falsely attributed it to somebody else,” Thompson said in court on Monday.
Thompson said that when investigators sought necessary records from the company, it responded in a way that was “intransigent and incalcitrant”—handing over documents without any explanation or context, leaving attorneys without a clue how to sort through the evidence.
Read more at The Daily Beast.
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Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast’s unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. | https://www.thehamdenjournal.com/world/judge-says-real-estate-giant-broke-rules-for-trump/163288/ | 2022-04-27T23:03:02Z | https://www.thehamdenjournal.com/world/judge-says-real-estate-giant-broke-rules-for-trump/163288/ | false |
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WFO MIDLAND/ODESSA Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, April 27, 2022
_____
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX
446 PM CDT Wed Apr 27 2022
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of western Pecos, south
central Reeves and east central Jeff Davis Counties through 530 PM
CDT...
At 446 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 7
miles southeast of Balmorhea State Park, or 20 miles northeast of
Fort Davis, moving east at 15 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Balmorhea, Balmorhea Lake, Balmorhea State Park, Saragosa and
Toyahvale.
This includes Interstate 10 between mile markers 203 and 222.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
LAT...LON 3103 10382 3107 10349 3075 10347 3081 10384
TIME...MOT...LOC 2146Z 273DEG 14KT 3084 10373
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.middletownpress.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-MIDLAND-ODESSA-Warnings-Watches-and-17131827.php | 2022-04-27T23:05:38Z | https://www.middletownpress.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-MIDLAND-ODESSA-Warnings-Watches-and-17131827.php | false |
New York's highest court has rejected new congressional maps that had widely been seen as favoring Democrats.
The state's Court of Appeals agreed Wednesday with a group of Republican voters who say that the district boundaries had been unconstitutionally gerrymandered and that the Legislature didn't follow proper procedure in passing the maps.
A lower court had also ruled that the maps were unconstitutional. It had given the Legislature an April 30 deadline to come up with new maps or else leave the task to a court-appointed expert. The court says it will "likely be necessary" to move the congressional and state Senate primary elections from June to August.
Opinion, written by Chief Judge Janet DiFiore, said, “Prompt judicial intervention is both necessary and appropriate to guarantee the People’s right to a free and fair election.” | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national/new-york-high-court-rejects-congressional-maps-drawn-by-democrats | 2022-04-27T23:13:39Z | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national/new-york-high-court-rejects-congressional-maps-drawn-by-democrats | true |
TORONTO (AP) _ Lundin Mining Corp. (LUNMF) on Wednesday reported first-quarter profit of $345.1 million.
On a per-share basis, the Toronto-based company said it had profit of 47 cents. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring gains, were 40 cents per share.
The base metals mining company posted revenue of $991.1 million in the period.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on LUNMF at https://www.zacks.com/ap/LUNMF | https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Lundin-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17131910.php | 2022-04-27T23:15:44Z | https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Lundin-Q1-Earnings-Snapshot-17131910.php | false |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — People who get hurt because of a doctor's negligence in California could soon get a lot more money in malpractice lawsuits under an agreement reached Wednesday that — if approved by the state Legislature — would avoid a costly fight at the ballot box this November while resolving one of the state's longest-running political battles.
California does not limit how much money patients can win in malpractice cases for economic damages, which include things that can be counted such as medical expenses and lost wages. But since 1975, state law has limited how much money patients can win for things that can't be counted — such as pain and suffering — to $250,000.
Trial attorneys and patients' rights groups have tried and failed for decades to raise that limit, noting it sometimes costs more than that to take one of these complex lawsuits to trial. Doctors have usually opposed raising the limits, saying it would result in soaring malpractice insurance premiums that could put some community health clinics out of business.
With neither side budging, California voters were set to settle the issue in November. A ballot measure would ask voters to tie the limit to inflation, immediately increasing it to about $1.2 million. The two sides had collectively raised about $35 million in what was expected to be one one of the most fiercely contested ballot measure campaigns this year.
But Wednesday, supporters of raising the limit agreed to withdraw the measure from the November ballot. Instead, they supported a new bill in the state Legislature that would gradually increase the limit over the next 10 years. The bill has the support of the California Medical Association, the Consumer Attorneys of California, Californians Allied for Patient Protection, state legislative leaders and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who said he would sign it into law.
“This is an important victory for the stability and health of our health care system, and for patients across California,” Newsom said.
The agreement would, beginning next year, raise the limit to $350,000 for people who were injured and $500,000 for the families of people who die. Those limits would gradually increase over the next decade until 2033, when they reach $750,000 for injured patients and $1 million for families of deceased patients. After that, the limits would increase 2% each year to keep up with the cost of inflation.
Patients could win more money than that because the limit would be applied to both medical providers and institutions. That means a patient suing a doctor and a hospital could win up to $350,000 from each. Patients could also win damages from a third provider or institution if they are unaffiliated with the first two.
Gradually raising the limit over 10 years makes sure medical malpractice insurance premiums don’t rise too quickly for doctors, said Dustin Corcoran, CEO of the California Medical Association.
“What you see is a reflection of listening, understanding and appreciating where both coalitions were coming from,” Corcoran said.
Medical negligence cases are some of the most expensive cases to bring and the hardest to prove because jurors, in general, trust doctors, according to Craig Parks, president of Consumer Attorneys of California. Parks said he rejects nearly all of medical malpractice lawsuits “because I have to explain to the poor victims that the law is what it is and it just makes the pursuit of the claim not worth it from a monetary standpoint.”
He said he hopes this new compromise brings the two sides to a point where they can work together more on future legislation.
“It has taken hundreds of people fighting this fight over the years to get us to this point,” Parks said.
Once approved and signed into law, the limits would only apply to malpractice cases filed after Jan. 1. That means it won't apply to the case of Charles Johnson, whose wife, Kira, died in 2016 after her bladder was cut during a C-section. Johnson's case is scheduled to go to trial next month.
Still, news of the agreement was a relief to Johnson, who has led the campaign to increase the limits.
“What all of these families will tell you is, far beyond the financial impact, we want justice and we want transparency and accountability,” he said. “Although this piece of legislation won't affect Kira's case, it makes me feel good that other families will have access to civil justice.” | https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/California-to-increase-awards-in-medical-17131915.php | 2022-04-27T23:16:58Z | https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/California-to-increase-awards-in-medical-17131915.php | true |
You need to enable JavaScript to run this app. | https://sportspyder.com/nba/dallas-mavericks/articles/39304050 | 2022-04-27T23:19:12Z | https://sportspyder.com/nba/dallas-mavericks/articles/39304050 | false |
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Nevada is getting a new top federal prosecutor following the confirmation of Democratic state Assembly leader Jason Frierson as U.S. Attorney in Las Vegas.
Democratic U.S. Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen hailed Frierson’s confirmation Wednesday, noting the position had remained open since the February 2021 resignation in of Nicholas Trutanich. Frierson also worked as a deputy Clark County public defender.
“Jason Frierson is a passionate, dedicated, and deeply knowledgeable Nevadan who will make an excellent U.S. Attorney for Nevada,” Cortez Masto said.
The appointment to the U.S. Attorney post is a four-year term.
Frierson will replace Christopher Chiou, the former first assistant U.S. attorney in Nevada who was made interim head of the office when Trutanich, a former top deputy Nevada state attorney general, left the job after Democratic President Joe Biden took office.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Nevada has some 120 employees in Las Vegas and Reno.
Frierson's appointment comes a little more than a week after the FBI named Spencer Evans as the new special agent in charge of the bureau's Las Vegas field office.
Evans has held various investigative and leadership positions since joining the FBI in 2004, and was a deputy assistant director at FBI Headquarters in Washington. In Las Vegas, he replaced Special Agent in Charge Aaron Rouse, who retired in February after 25 years with the bureau. | https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Nevada-Assembly-leader-named-new-US-Attorney-in-17131829.php | 2022-04-27T23:19:19Z | https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Nevada-Assembly-leader-named-new-US-Attorney-in-17131829.php | true |
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WFO BROWNSVILLE Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, April 27, 2022
_____
AREAL FLOOD ADVISORY
Flood Advisory
National Weather Service Brownsville TX
510 PM CDT Wed Apr 27 2022
...FLOOD ADVISORY WILL EXPIRE AT 515 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON...
The Flood Advisory will expire at 515 PM CDT this afternoon for a
portion of Deep South Texas, including the following counties,
Hidalgo and Willacy.
The heavy rain has ended. Flooding is no longer expected to pose a
threat. Light to moderate rain is still possible in this area for
the next half to one hour. Please continue to heed remaining road
closures.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.milfordmirror.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-BROWNSVILLE-Warnings-Watches-and-17131885.php | 2022-04-27T23:36:36Z | https://www.milfordmirror.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-BROWNSVILLE-Warnings-Watches-and-17131885.php | false |
Last November, I wrote about The Will To See, Bernard-Henri Levy’s very impactful and meaningful documentary and book of the same name about his 2020 reporting during the pandemic from accursed locales such as the Moriah Refugee Camp on the Greek Island of Lesbos, Libya, Afghanistan (just before the Taliban takeover), Donbas Ukraine, and Mogadishu. Here is my review.
The Will To See documentary is now being released theatrically in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington D.C. with Bernard-Henri Levy appearing in person at several of the screenings (see list below).
At a time when so many of us have stayed local or inside, and where reporting from danger spots has been curtailed, it is more important than ever to hear Levy’s reports.
Theatrical Release Details
Opens in New York – Friday, April 29
Director Bernard-Henri Lévy in-person for evening Q&A on 4/29
Opens in Los Angeles – Friday, April 29
Director Bernard-Henri Lévy in-person for evening Q&A on 4/30
Opens in San Francisco – Friday, April 29
Director Bernard-Henri Lévy in-person for evening Q&A on 5/1
Opens in Washington, DC – Friday, April 29
Director Bernard-Henri Lévy in-person for special sneak preview screening and Q&A on 4/27 | https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomteicholz/2022/04/27/bernard-henri-levy-to-appear-at-screenings-of-his-documentary-the-will-to-see/ | 2022-04-27T23:42:24Z | https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomteicholz/2022/04/27/bernard-henri-levy-to-appear-at-screenings-of-his-documentary-the-will-to-see/ | false |
You need to enable JavaScript to run this app. | https://sportspyder.com/nfl/arizona-cardinals/articles/39305410 | 2022-04-27T23:44:19Z | https://sportspyder.com/nfl/arizona-cardinals/articles/39305410 | true |
(LONDON) — Britain’s top diplomat says Western allies should send tanks, planes and other heavy weapons to Ukraine, saying “inaction would be the greatest provocation.”
NATO nations have supplied Ukraine with military supplies including missiles and armored vehicles. But so far they have been reluctant to send fighter planes for fear of escalating the conflict.
U.K. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said “this is a time for courage, not caution.” Despite Truss’ call for jets, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesman said there were “no plans” for the U.K. to send planes to Ukraine.
Truss also said Russia’s attack on Ukraine must be a wake-up call for international institutions. She called for a new focus on “military strength, economic security and deeper global alliances.” | https://www.kxxv.com/news/national/russia-ukraine-conflict/top-british-diplomat-urges-western-allies-to-supply-ukraine-with-more-tanks-planes | 2022-04-28T00:06:09Z | https://www.kxxv.com/news/national/russia-ukraine-conflict/top-british-diplomat-urges-western-allies-to-supply-ukraine-with-more-tanks-planes | true |
DETROIT (AP) _ The winning numbers in Wednesday evening's drawing of the Michigan Lottery's "Daily 3" game were:
5-4-8
(five, four, eight)
DETROIT (AP) _ The winning numbers in Wednesday evening's drawing of the Michigan Lottery's "Daily 3" game were:
5-4-8
(five, four, eight) | https://www.mrt.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Daily-3-game-17132070.php | 2022-04-28T00:09:11Z | https://www.mrt.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Daily-3-game-17132070.php | false |
The only daily TV news package to focus on Nova Scotians and their stories
CBC News Nova Scotia
News Halifax (Late Night)
CBC News Newfoundland
CBC News BC
News | https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2027639363720 | 2022-04-28T00:11:50Z | https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2027639363720 | true |
DETROIT (AP) _ The winning numbers in Wednesday evening's drawing of the Michigan Lottery's "Daily 4" game were:
0-6-9-8
(zero, six, nine, eight)
DETROIT (AP) _ The winning numbers in Wednesday evening's drawing of the Michigan Lottery's "Daily 4" game were:
0-6-9-8
(zero, six, nine, eight) | https://www.seattlepi.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Daily-4-game-17132069.php | 2022-04-28T00:16:56Z | https://www.seattlepi.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Daily-4-game-17132069.php | false |
By BARBARA ORTUTAY
AP Technology Writer
Facebook parent Meta’s first quarter profit and its count of daily users jumped past Wall Street’s expectations despite the company’s slowest revenue growth since going public a decade ago. Shares were up sharply in after-hours trading.
The company earned $7.47 billion, or $2.72 per share, in the January-March period. That’s down 21% from $9.5 billion, or $3.30 per share, in the same period a year earlier.
Revenue rose 7% to $27.91 billion from $26.17 billion — the slowest growth rate in a decade for the online advertising powerhouse that generally reports sales growth in the double digits.
Analysts, on average, were expecting earnings of $2.56 per share on revenue of $28.28 billion, according to a poll by FactSet.
Meta cut a sharp contrast with Google parent Alphabet, which on Monday reported what analysts called disappointing earnings, with profit below Wall Street’s expectations. Google also reported a revenue growth slowdown, but for Meta this appeared to have been mitigated by an increase in daily active users that “was enough to send the shorts covering and the stock surging,” said Jesse Cohen, senior analyst at Investing.com.
“That being said, it was a mixed report overall as the social media giant continues to struggle with slowing revenue growth amid reduced ad spending amid the current inflationary environment,” Cohen said.
Recent privacy changes by Apple have made it harder for companies like Meta to track people for advertising purposes, which also puts pressure on the company’s revenue. For months now, Meta has been warning investors that its revenue can’t continue to grow at the breakneck pace they are accustomed to, so it’s likely that the quarter’s single-digit revenue growth was already baked into investor expectations.
Meta said Facebook had 1.96 billion daily active users on average for March 2022, an increase of 4% year-over-year.
Shares of the Menlo Park, California-based company rose $23.05, or 13.2%, to $198 in after-hours trading Wednesday. The stock has taken a hit this week amid news of Elon Musk’s Twitter buyout and ended regular trading down 3.3% at $174.95.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/ap-news/2022/04/27/facebook-parent-meta-stock-soars-despite-growth-slowdown-4/ | 2022-04-28T00:33:07Z | https://wtmj.com/ap-news/2022/04/27/facebook-parent-meta-stock-soars-despite-growth-slowdown-4/ | true |
Germany top buyer of Russian energy since war began
BERLIN (AP) - Germany was the biggest buyer of Russian energy during the first two months since the start of the war in Ukraine, an independent research group said Thursday.
A study published by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air calculates that Russia earned 63 billion euros ($66.5 billion) from fossil fuel exports since Feb. 24, the date Russian troops attacked Ukraine.
Using data on ship movements, real-time tracking of gas flows through pipelines and estimates based on historical monthly trade, the researchers reckoned Germany alone paid Russia about 9.1 billion euros for fossil fuel deliveries in the first two months of the war.
Claudia Kemfert, a senior energy expert at the German Institute for Economic Research who was not involved in the study, said the figures were plausible given the recent sharp increase in prices for fossil fuels. Last year Germany paid about 100 billion euros in total for imports of oil, coal and gas - a quarter of which went to Russia, she said.
The German government said it couldn't comment on estimates and declined to provide any figures of its own, saying these would need to come from companies that procure the coal, oil and gas.
Germany has faced strong criticism for its reliance on Russia fossil fuels despite warnings from allies that this could endanger its own and European security. Then-Chancellor Angela Merkel pushed back last year against U.S. efforts to sanction a Russian gas pipeline to Germany, a decision strongly backed by her successor, Olaf Scholz, whose Social Democratic Party have long advocated energy cooperation with Russia.
FILE - A gas tank is seen at a chemical plant in Oberhausen, Germany, on April 6, 2022. European governments were poised to ban on Russian coal imports despite the near-certainty of higher utility bills and inflation. But the limited energy sanction only underlined inability to agree on a much more sweeping ban on oil and gas that would hit Russia much harder but risk inflation and recession at home. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)
The pipeline was only frozen by Scholz's new center-left government shortly before Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It has since scrambled to find alternative energy supplies, particularly for Russian natural gas, which now accounts for 35% of Germany's total imports.
Kemfert said a recent pledge by the German government to produce electricity only from renewable sources by 2035 was welcome.
"But as long as Germany continues to buy fossil fuels, whether from Russia or other autocracies, it undermines both its own credibility and its energy security," she said.
The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, which is based in Finland and funded through grants and research contracts, said the second biggest importer of Russia fossil fuels in the two months since the outbreak of war was Italy (6.9 billion euros), followed by China (6.7 billion euros).
As a whole, the European Union accounted for 71% of Russia´s total income from oil, gas and coal, worth approximately 44 billion euros, it said. | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-10761217/Germany-buyer-Russian-energy-war-began.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | 2022-04-28T00:33:12Z | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-10761217/Germany-buyer-Russian-energy-war-began.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | false |
Florida school shooting judge reverses; confusion follows
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - The judge overseeing the penalty trial of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz reversed herself Wednesday and said she is not dismissing more than 200 potential jurors who survived a first round of screening earlier this month.
In the latest confusing turn since jury selection began three weeks ago, Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer overturned her Monday decision to start jury selection anew because of a possible mistake she made. She had said then that she would throw out 243 potential jurors who said they could serve from June to September, the expected length of the trial.
Now, she said, she will order 11 potential jurors she dismissed on April 5 without questioning to be brought back to court this Monday to be queried by the attorneys. Referring to the 243 potential jurors that had faced dismissal, she said, the first 40 would now be brought back for the start of the second round.
The decision left attorneys from both sides confused, including the lead prosecutor Mike Satz, who served as the Broward County state attorney for 44 years before leaving office last year. He is now working for his successor on a special assignment to lead the Cruz prosecution team. At one point Satz interrupted Scherer to ask her what exactly her plan was.
Scherer has been a judge for 10 years, but is overseeing her first death penalty case. She was appointed shortly after Cruz, 23, murdered 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14, 2018. She was selected using the random method used in Florida.
Cruz pleaded guilty in October. Scherer, the prosecutors and defense attorneys are picking 12 jurors and eight alternates in a three-step process. Those selected will decide if the former Stoneman Douglas student is sentenced to death or life in prison without parole.
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz speaks with Assistant Public Defender Melisa McNeill prior to the start of the day's jury pre-selection in the penalty phase of his trial at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Wednesday, April 27, 2022. Attorneys for Cruz argued Wednesday that he should no longer face a possible death sentence, accusing both the judge and prosecutors of acting in bad faith when 240 potential jurors were dismissed this week. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP, Pool)
The issue at the core of the dispute arose April 5, the second day of jury selection, over Scherer´s handling of a group of 60 potential jurors. It was the fifth such panel to appear in court.
With every other group, Scherer only asked if the potential jurors had any hardships that would make it impossible for them to serve from June through September. Those who say they could serve are being told to return next month for further questioning.
With the fifth group, however, Scherer asked if any would not follow the law if chosen - a question that wasn't supposed to be asked until the second or third phase. Twelve hands went up.
Scherer dismissed them without further questioning, drawing an objection from both prosecutors and Cruz´s attorneys. They wanted to make sure they were not simply trying to avoid jury service. Florida jury candidates are always questioned before dismissal.
Scherer tried to have the jurors returned, but all except one had left the courthouse. She said the Broward County Sheriff´s Office would deliver summonses to the other 11 to come back to court this past Monday, but that was not done for unexplained reasons.
She originally said they would be told to return next week, but prosecutors convinced her over defense objections to start the process anew and dismiss all 243 jurors who had been selected to that point. The prosecution argued that Scherer's error was so great that if Cruz gets a death sentence, an appellate court could overturn it and order a retrial. The defense wanted her to suspend proceedings until the 11 could be brought in next week.
That led the defense to file a motion Wednesday alleging that Cruz's constitutional rights to due process and against double jeopardy had been violated. They accused Scherer and prosecutors of acting in "bad faith" and wanted her to immediately sentence Cruz to life, throwing out the death penalty. Prosecutors angrily called that accusation "baseless."
Scherer called the defense's motion "a stretch" and dismissed it, but that's when she reversed herself.
Scherer then told both sides to work together over the next few days to devise how they want to proceed starting Monday. It remained unclear what will happen with 155 jurors who passed the first round this week and whether they will be brought back next month. If they are still in play, that would give the lawyers a pool of nearly 400 to winnow through.
The jurors eventually selected will decide whether aggravating factors - the multiple deaths, Cruz´s planning and his cruelty - outweigh mitigating factors such as the defendant´s lifelong mental and emotional problems, possible sexual abuse and the death of his parents.
For Cruz to receive the death penalty, the jury must vote unanimously for that option. If one or more jurors vote against it, he will be sentenced to life without parole.
Nikolas Cruz speaks with Assistant Public Defender Melisa McNeill prior to the start of the day's jury pre-selection in the penalty phase of his trial at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Wednesday, April 27, 2022. Attorneys for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter argued Wednesday that he should no longer face a possible death sentence, accusing both the judge and prosecutors of acting in bad faith when 240 potential jurors were dismissed this week. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP, Pool)
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz enters the courtroom prior to the start of the day's jury pre-selection in the penalty phase of his trial at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Wednesday, April 27, 2022. Attorneys for Cruz argued Wednesday that he should no longer face a possible death sentence, accusing both the judge and prosecutors of acting in bad faith when 240 potential jurors were dismissed this week. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP, Pool)
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz is escorted to the defense table prior to the start of the day's jury pre-selection in the penalty phase of his trial at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Wednesday, April 27, 2022. Attorneys for Cruz argued Wednesday that he should no longer face a possible death sentence, accusing both the judge and prosecutors of acting in bad faith when 240 potential jurors were dismissed this week. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP, Pool)
Judge Elizabeth Scherer presides during jury pre-selection in the penalty phase of the trial of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Wednesday, April 27, 2022. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP, Pool)
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz speaks with assistant Public Defender Gabe Ermine and paralegal Melissa Sly during jury pre-selection in the penalty phase of his trial at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Wednesday, April 27, 2022. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP, Pool)
Capital defense attorney Casey Secor speaks with assistant Public Defenders Tamara Curtis, left, and Melisa McNeill, and sentence mitigation specialist Kate O'Shea, right, during a break in jury pre-selection in the penalty phase of the trial of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Wednesday, April 27, 2022. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP, Pool)
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz speaks with assistant Public Defender Gabe Ermine and paralegal Melissa Sly during jury pre-selection in the penalty phase of his trial at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Wednesday, April 27, 2022. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP, Pool)
Judge Elizabeth Scherer removes her headset after participating in a sidebar discussion during jury pre-selection in the penalty phase of the trial of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Wednesday, April 27, 2022. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP, Pool) | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-10761219/Florida-school-shooting-judge-reverses-confusion-follows.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | 2022-04-28T00:33:19Z | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-10761219/Florida-school-shooting-judge-reverses-confusion-follows.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 | true |
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
© 2022 Good Karma Brands Milwaukee, LLC. | https://wtmj.com/entertainment/2022/04/27/ap-top-entertainment-news-at-513-p-m-edt-4/ | 2022-04-28T00:34:20Z | https://wtmj.com/entertainment/2022/04/27/ap-top-entertainment-news-at-513-p-m-edt-4/ | false |
By MATTHEW BARAKAT
Associated Press
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — May 27, 2016, was the day that Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s marriage went from private misery to public, career-killing spectacle.
Heard, who had just filed for divorce, arrived at a Los Angeles courthouse that day to seek a temporary restraining order, showing up with a clear mark on her face, which she said Depp inflicted during a fight six days prior. Photographers captured the scene, and the allegations became tabloid fodder across the globe.
Depp says he never hit her, and now he’s suing Heard for libel in Fairfax County Circuit Court. On Wednesday, jurors in the case heard from police officers who responded to the couple’s penthouse immediately after the fight. None of the officers saw the red mark that was so prominent six days later.
Officer Tyler Hadden, one of the officers who responded to the couple’s penthouse apartment on May 21, 2016, said Heard refused to talk to officers and had no signs of an injury, although he acknowledged she’d been crying and was red-faced.
“Just because I see a female with pink cheeks and pink eyes doesn’t mean something happened,” he said in a recorded deposition played for jurors Wednesday.
Depp had already left the penthouse by the time officers arrived. Officers said they had no idea who Heard was, or that she was married to Depp. He said neither Heard nor anyone at the penthouse complex was willing to tell him or the other officers who Heard’s husband was.
Jurors heard similar testimony Tuesday from an officer who accompanied Hadden to the penthouse.
An officer who made a follow-up visit that night, William Gatlin, testified Wednesday that he saw no injuries either, though he acknowledged that his visit was brief and he got no closer than 10 feet (3 meters) from Heard. He said his check was a perfunctory one because it appeared that the call was just a duplicate to the one that Hadden had already responded to.
The jury saw bodycam video of Gatlin’s response, which was less than two minutes. Heard could only be seen at a distance.
Heard’s lawyers, in their questions, have suggested that Heard could have covered her injuries with makeup, because at that point she still wanted to protect Depp. They also asked officers why they didn’t investigate a potential case of domestic violence more thoroughly.
The officers’ testimony is some of Depp’s best evidence that Heard contrived the allegations against her ex-husband. It complements earlier testimony from witnesses who say they saw Heard and her sister practicing fake punches in the days after the attack.
It’s far from definitive, though. Heard’s lawyers have yet to put on their case, and some of her friends say they were at the penthouse when Depp allegedly attacked her.
And even if jurors were to conclude that Depp never assaulted his wife on May 21, they have heard evidence of other alleged assaults before and during the couple’s brief marriage.
Depp sued Heard for libel after she wrote an op-ed piece piece in The Washington Post in 2018 referring to herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse.” The article doesn’t mention Depp by name, but his lawyers say the article defames him nevertheless because it’s a clear reference to the highly publicized allegations Heard made when she filed for divorce in 2016 and obtained a temporary restraining order as well.
Jurors also heard recorded testimony Wednesday from Christian Carino, an agent who represented Depp and Heard and was friends with both. He said he believes the abuse allegations scuttled Depp’s participation in a sixth “Pirates of the Caribbean” film, but he did not pin the loss of that film specifically on Heard’s 2018 op-ed piece.
Heard’s lawyers told jurors in opening statements that there must be proof that the Post article specifically damaged Depp’s reputation for him to prevail in a libel case.
Carino also testified that Heard twice tried to reconcile with Depp, even after she filed for divorce — once in 2016 and again in 2017. At one point in 2016 he brokered a meeting between Heard and a reluctant Depp that ended in a fight.
He also testified briefly about Heard’s subsequent relationship with tech entrepreneur Elon Musk. Heard texted Carino in 2017 professing sadness about her breakup with Musk. Carino seemed incredulous, and texted in response to Heard, “You told me a thousand times you were just filling space.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/entertainment/2022/04/27/officers-no-injuries-on-amber-heard-after-fight-with-depp-5/ | 2022-04-28T00:34:32Z | https://wtmj.com/entertainment/2022/04/27/officers-no-injuries-on-amber-heard-after-fight-with-depp-5/ | true |
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WMBB) — Real estate investor Crystal Ball’s home for sale in Panama City Beach, Florida, comes with a unique feature included: a free ex-husband.
The listing for the house at 3819 Quail St. went viral on social media after it was shared on the popular Twitter account Zillow Gone Wild. Ball said she is selling the $699,000 home to potential investors with her ex-husband as the tenant.
The photos feature Richard Chaillou in silly poses showing off different rooms in the home.
In the listing, Ball described Chaillou as a “wonderfully rehabbed ex-husband” with extra-large ears who is a dream in the kitchen. She said the divorce has not been easy for the pair, but humor has gotten them through it.
“I used comedy and humor to get through a very, very difficult situation, and I was able to maintain an intact relationship with him,” Ball said. “We co-parent very closely. He’s a phenomenal father.”
Ball also said it has been a valuable learning experience, both in work and life.
“That’s kind of what real estate investing has taught me,” she said. “If I maintain a good sense of ambiguity through all the ups and downs in life and just use comedic relief and humor to get through it… Now I still have a very high level of data I use to do my job, but it creates a better outcome for everyone, and that’s what I’ve done. The kids are happy.”
Ball said it’s common for real estate investment properties to be sold with current tenants, so she plans to sell the property, and her ex-husband will do a lease-back for the first two years.
However, she said the quirky listing hasn’t come without backlash from “haters on the internet.” The listing was also removed from Zillow and MLS, but Ball said she plans to add the home to “for sale by owner” websites.
“Social media has changed the way we communicate,” Ball said. “A lot of the homes I sell, or a lot of the clients I connect, is done through social media.” | https://www.wane.com/news/real-estate-listing-including-rehabbed-ex-husband-goes-viral/ | 2022-04-28T00:34:33Z | https://www.wane.com/news/real-estate-listing-including-rehabbed-ex-husband-goes-viral/ | true |
Aaron Rodgers' latest split from Shailene Woodley has put him on a path to "learn more about himself." A source tells ET that the NFL star "is taking some time for himself right now" and that "he's spending time with close friends and loved ones" while also staying busy.
Breakups are never easy -- especially the second time around -- but the Green Bay Packers quarterback can take solace in the fact that there's a support system that goes beyond friends and family.
"Aaron feels like he is in a pretty spiritual place in his life," the source added. "He wants to explore that side of himself more and learn more about himself."
Rodgers and Woodley called things off for good just two months after calling off their engagement in February. According to multiple reports, despite attempts to repair their romance, Woodley and Rodgers are no longer together.
They ended their engagement about a year after announcing that they were getting married. A source told ET at the time that although the two had ended things, they were still friends and plan to remain so.
"They tried to make their relationship work but with busy careers in different industries, it was hard to see one another," the source said. "The two have no animosity toward one another and plan to remain as friends."
Following their breakup, Rodgers and Woodley were spotted on numerous occasions -- from shopping at a Los Angeles-area grocery store to attending a wedding in March.
Rodgers and Woodley started dating in 2020 and kept the relationship under wraps until Rodgers announced at the NFL Honors event in February 2021 that he'd popped the question to Woodley.
RELATED CONTENT: | https://www.kare11.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-tonight/aaron-rodgers-is-in-a-spiritual-place-amid-his-latest-split-from-shailene-woodley/603-c063082a-7bed-4f74-ba63-2e0f3f948600 | 2022-04-28T00:36:07Z | https://www.kare11.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-tonight/aaron-rodgers-is-in-a-spiritual-place-amid-his-latest-split-from-shailene-woodley/603-c063082a-7bed-4f74-ba63-2e0f3f948600 | true |
By ANDREW SELSKY
Associated Press
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — In 1994, Kyle Hedquist led a teenager down a remote logging road, then shot her in the back of the head because he feared she might tell police about burglaries he’d committed.
This month, Oregon. Gov. Kate Brown granted clemency to Hedquist, who was serving a life sentence without parole after being convicted of murdering Nikki Thrasher when he was 17. Brown’s act is unleashing a storm of criticism from prosecutors and law enforcement.
“The executive clemency granted by Gov. Brown in this case is shocking and irresponsible,” Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin said Tuesday in a statement. Hedquist, now 45, was convicted in Douglas County Circuit Court in 1995.
On Tuesday, Brown defended her clemencies, comparing them to President Joe Biden’s granting of clemency Tuesday to 78 people, though those were all for nonviolent crimes.
“Teenagers, even those who have committed terrible crimes, have a unique capacity for growth and change,” Brown said in social media posts in which she applauded Biden’s action, adding: “We are a state and a nation of second chances.”
The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 2012 ruling, said only the rare, irredeemable juvenile offender should serve life in prison, but that applies in federal cases.
Some two dozen states have banned sentencing juveniles to life without parole, according to the Washington, D.C.-based Sentencing Project, which advocates for humane responses to crime. The Democrat-dominated Oregon Legislature passed such a law in 2019, but the state Supreme Court has ruled it’s not retroactive.
The clemency of Hedquist has fueled Republican complaints that Brown, a Democrat who is not running for reelection this year because of term limits, is soft on crime.
“As with many others, the facts of this case are outrageous and brutal,” Oregon Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp said Tuesday. “The Governor continues to let violent criminals out of prison, and Democrats in the majority remain silent.”
However, Brown said she has denied most clemency requests.
“Clemency is an action I reserve for individuals who have demonstrated that they have made incredible changes in their lives to rehabilitate themselves, take accountability for their crimes, and dedicate themselves to making their communities a better place,” Brown said.
While locked up in the Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem, Hedquist spent over 20 years volunteering for hospice care services, said Liz Merah, Brown’s spokeswoman.
Hedquist wrote about caring for the dying inmates in a piece that was awarded “honorable mention in memoir” in PEN America’s 2019 Prison Writing Contest.
“I couldn’t have known all those years ago that death would bring my humanity back,” Hedquist wrote. “So I sat, I listened, their teary-eyed regurgitation of their crimes burned my ears, they left a bitter taste in my mouth as I consumed the confessions … but somehow just being with them and listening lightened their burden before death stepped in to take them.”
This month, Hedquist was released to the Salem home of a former prison chaplain after a suitable place could not be found for him in Douglas County, where Hedquist was from.
Marion County District Attorney Paige Clarkson and Sheriff Joe Kast, whose county includes Salem, issued a public safety notice Saturday in which they expressed “significant safety concerns surrounding the sudden and ill-planned governor’s commutation.”
“Hedquist tricked the victim into driving him to a rural Douglas County location where he shot the victim execution-style in the back of the head and dumped her body along the road,” Clarkson and Kast said. “Hedquist admitted killing her to eliminate a witness in hope of preventing his own capture.”
Brown accused “several district attorneys” of scoring political points by stoking public fears in these cases. Oregonians granted clemency have demonstrated they have turned their lives around and pose a low risk to the public, she said.
Merah, Brown’s spokeswoman, said Hedquist’s conditions of sentence commutation include lifetime supervision and GPS ankle monitoring for at least six months.
“If Mr. Hedquist violates any terms of his post-prison supervision, the governor can revoke his commutation,” Merah said.
Since taking office in 2015, Brown has granted 1,148 sentence commutations — 963 of them to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in prisons, Merah said. Also among the total were 41 commutations for inmates who fought wildfires and 72 who committed crimes as juveniles and were sentenced to more than 15 years. Brown also granted 63 pardons. Commutations reduce prison terms, while pardons forgive defendants of crimes.
The number of clemencies from governors varies widely across the nation.
— Democratic Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee, in office since 2013, has issued 1,266 clemency orders, including 422 because of the pandemic and 35 for marijuana convictions.
— California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat in office since 2019, has granted 112 pardons, 109 commutations and 34 reprieves.
— Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican who took office in 2019, has granted clemency to 17 people. The Republican governors of Mississippi, South Carolina and Idaho have issued zero clemencies during their terms.
— Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, has granted 293 clemency actions since 2020, including 275 pardons and 18 commutations. Parson said there was a backlog of clemency requests when he took office following the 2018 resignation of fellow GOP Gov. Eric Greitens.
— Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat in office since 2015, issued 159 pandemic-related temporary reprieves for inmates. Of that number, 62 were returned to custody and Wolf commuted the sentences of 97. His office said he has issued 1,996 pardons — more than any other governor in more than 20 years.
___
Associated Press writers Donald Thompson in Sacramento, California; Rachel La Corte in Olympia, Washington; Emily Wagster in Jackson, Mississippi; Meg Kinnard in Columbia, South Carolina; Rebecca Boone in Boise, Idaho; Kimberlee Kruesi in Nashville, Tennessee; David Lieb in Jefferson City, Missouri; and Mark Scolforo in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/04/27/oregon-governors-clemency-of-murderer-unleashes-criticism-2/ | 2022-04-28T00:38:27Z | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/04/27/oregon-governors-clemency-of-murderer-unleashes-criticism-2/ | false |
DETROIT (AP) _ The winning numbers in Wednesday evening's drawing of the Michigan Lottery's "Poker Lotto" game were:
QH-AS-4C-7C-4S
(QH, AS, 4C, 7C, 4S)
DETROIT (AP) _ The winning numbers in Wednesday evening's drawing of the Michigan Lottery's "Poker Lotto" game were:
QH-AS-4C-7C-4S
(QH, AS, 4C, 7C, 4S) | https://www.sfgate.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Poker-Lotto-game-17132072.php | 2022-04-28T00:47:54Z | https://www.sfgate.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Poker-Lotto-game-17132072.php | false |
NEW ALBANY, Ind. (AP) — A former Indiana state trooper cleared of killing his wife and their two children at a third trial after spending 13 years in prison will receive $4.6 million from the state to settle a federal lawsuit, his attorneys said Wednesday.
David Camm's settlement was reached in January, entered into court in February and confirmed Wednesday by his attorneys.
“There is not enough money in the world to compensate David Camm for what he has been through,” one of the attorneys, Garry Adams, said in a statement.
Camm, 58, was convicted by two different juries in the shooting deaths of his wife, Kim, 35, and his children, Brad, 7, and Jill, 5, on Sept. 28, 2000, in the garage at their Georgetown, Indiana, home in Floyd County. Both times he won appeals that sent his case back for retrial. The jury at his third trial in 2013 acquitted him.
Camm has always maintained he was playing basketball at a church during the slayings. At least 11 witnesses corroborate his story, but prosecutors said Camm raced home, committed the crimes and returned.
The federal lawsuit alleged several investigators falsified evidence and relied on the opinion of unqualified experts. It named as defendants the lead Indiana State Police investigator in the case and two blood stain pattern analysis expert witnesses.
According to the lawsuit, a state police photographer who had never been to a fresh blood scene determined that the splatter on Camm’s shirt meant he was present when the shots were fired.
As part of the federal settlement, Camm agreed not to bring any further legal action against the defendants, the state, the Indiana State Police, and the estate of Stan Faith, the original prosecutor.
Camm was awarded $450,000 in a settlement with Floyd County in 2016. He also has received an undisclosed amount from insurance carriers for expert witnesses who testified against him, Adams said.
Another man — Charles Boney — was arrested in 2005 and convicted of murder and conspiracy after DNA evidence linked him to the crime scene. Prosecutors maintained that Boney helped with the killings, but that Camm actually pulled the trigger.
Before his arrest in the slayings, Boney had a lengthy criminal record, including attacks on women, and had been represented by Faith in previous cases.
The Indiana Attorney General’s Office, which represented the state, did not respond to a request for comment.
Camm left the Indiana State Police about four months before the slayings. | https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Ex-Indiana-trooper-cleared-in-slayings-wins-4-6M-17132109.php | 2022-04-28T00:48:25Z | https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Ex-Indiana-trooper-cleared-in-slayings-wins-4-6M-17132109.php | true |
VANCOUVER, Washington (KOIN) — If you receive a phone call or text from someone threatening to harm someone you know unless you give them money, police say it’s a scam.
Police in Vancouver, Washington, issued a scam alert Tuesday after several people reported receiving phone calls or texts from someone claiming one of their family members or co-workers had been injured and they need to send money – or they would kill the alleged person.
There were no injuries to any family members mentioned in the calls, according to police.
The Federal Trade Commission warns such schemes are not uncommon, with scammers demanding money, or else passwords, account numbers or Social Security numbers. Often, scammers will portray themselves as being affiliated with a bank or business and will say they’re inquiring about your accounts with them.
Spam text messages will also often contain links that can install spyware or malware on your phone, so you should never click links from an unknown number or when you receive such a message out of the blue. The practice has even been dubbed “smishing.”
The FTC says U.S. residents lost $131 million to scam text messages in 2021.
Scammers are also trying out new tricks.
WFLA in Tampa, Florida, reported consumers who say they received text messages from their own phone numbers. The messages allege to be on behalf of a user’s wireless provider saying their monthly phone bill has been paid and offering a “free gift.”
The Federal Communications Commission says the COVID-19 pandemic also presented an opportunity for scammers to target people in need. As a rule of thumb, you should always be cautious of text messages that are from unidentified numbers or seem out of the ordinary. | https://www.wivb.com/news/crime/scam-alert-police-warn-of-texts-calls-threatening-to-kill-family-members/ | 2022-04-28T00:49:15Z | https://www.wivb.com/news/crime/scam-alert-police-warn-of-texts-calls-threatening-to-kill-family-members/ | true |
WFO SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, April 28, 2022
_____
WIND ADVISORY
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Hanford CA
451 PM PDT Wed Apr 27 2022
...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 11 PM PDT
THURSDAY...
* WHAT...West winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts around 55 mph
expected.
* WHERE...Indian Wells Valley, Mojave Desert Slopes and Mojave
Desert in eastern Kern County.
* WHEN...From 11 AM to 11 PM PDT Thursday.
* IMPACTS...Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects.
Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may
result.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high
profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.sfchronicle.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-SAN-JOAQUIN-VALLEY-Warnings-Watches-and-17132064.php | 2022-04-28T00:49:44Z | https://www.sfchronicle.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-SAN-JOAQUIN-VALLEY-Warnings-Watches-and-17132064.php | true |
CHICAGO, April 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Morningstar, Inc. (Nasdaq: MORN), a leading provider of independent investment research, posted strong first-quarter revenue growth, highlighting continued momentum across the business.
"We're guiding investors through a time of heightened volatility, and pleased that our organic growth remains strong," said Kunal Kapoor, Morningstar's chief executive officer. "We're also increasing investments in compensation and benefits for our teams globally while supporting continued funding of strategic growth initiatives."
First-Quarter 2022 Financial Highlights
- Revenue increased 16.3% to $457.0 million; organic revenue grew 18.1%.
- Operating income decreased 16.1% to $56.4 million; adjusted operating income declined 10.6%. First-quarter results included an increase in stock-based compensation expense related to higher scheduled incentives and overachievement of targets under the PitchBook management bonus plan, which contributed 8.2 and 5.9 percentage points to the operating income and adjusted operating income declines, respectively.
- Diluted net income per share decreased 16.5% to $1.06 versus $1.27 in the prior-year period. Adjusted diluted net income per share decreased 18.5% to $1.41.
- Cash provided by operating activities was $23.5 million in the quarter, a decrease of 63.4%. Free cash flow was negative $4.5 million compared to positive $41.5 million in the prior year. Cash flow was impacted by higher bonus payouts in the first quarter of 2022 related to 2021 annual performance.
- Share repurchases totaled $110.6 million during the quarter.
Overview of Financial Results
First-Quarter 2022 Results
Revenue for the period increased 16.3% to $457.0 million. Organic revenue, which excludes all M&A-related revenue, accounting changes, and foreign currency effects, grew 18.1% compared with the prior-year period, reflecting broad-based revenue growth across products and geographies.
License-based revenue grew 17.2% year over year, or 18.8% on an organic basis. PitchBook, Morningstar Sustainalytics, Morningstar Data, and Morningstar Direct all provided meaningful contributions to organic revenue growth in the quarter. Asset-based revenue increased 11.6% year over year, or 14.9% organically. Morningstar Indexes was the largest contributor to organic revenue growth driven by assets under management (AUM), along with positive performance in both Investment Management and Workplace Solutions. As experienced in similar historical periods of market volatility, the structure of certain contracts and the timing of client asset reporting can result in a one-quarter lag between market movements and the impact on earned revenue in these areas. Transaction-based revenue increased 17.3% year over year, or 18.3% on an organic basis, as robust issuance activity in U.S. structured finance asset classes drove revenue growth for DBRS Morningstar.
Operating expense increased 23.0% to $400.6 million in the first quarter. The largest contributors to operating expense growth were compensation, professional fees, commissions, and stock-based compensation.
- Compensation costs increased $41.6 million in the quarter. This reflects growth in headcount across key areas of the Company including product and software development, data collection and analysis, sales, and service support, in addition to more substantial annual merit increases to employees effective Jan. 1, 2022. The growth in headcount was highest in Morningstar Sustainalytics, PitchBook, DBRS Morningstar, and the Wealth Management product areas to support strategic growth initiatives. Higher benefit costs, including 401(k) plan contributions and healthcare costs, in addition to non-cash increases in vacation accruals and sabbatical expense, contributed to the variance.
- Professional fees increased $10.4 million primarily due to higher legal fees, the use of third-party resources for software and product development, and M&A-related expenses.
- Commission costs increased $6.5 million in the quarter due to strong sales performance and higher amortization of capitalized commissions related to prior-year sales performance.
- Stock-based compensation increased $5.7 million, primarily due to the PitchBook management bonus plan.
First-quarter operating income was $56.4 million, a decrease of 16.1% compared with the prior-year period. Adjusted operating income, which excludes intangible amortization expense and all M&A-related expenses and earn-outs, was $82.5 million in the first quarter of 2022, a decrease of 10.6% compared with the prior-year period. First-quarter operating margin was 12.3%, compared with 17.1% in the prior-year period. Adjusted operating margin was 18.1% in the first quarter of 2022, versus 23.6% in the prior-year period. The year-over-year decline in margin resulted from the increased investment in headcount, compensation and benefits, and continued funding of strategic growth initiatives.
Net income in the first quarter of 2022 was $46.1 million, or $1.06 per diluted share, compared with $54.9 million, or $1.27 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2021, a decrease of 16.5% on a per share basis. Adjusted diluted net income per share decreased 18.5% to $1.41 in the first quarter of 2022, compared with $1.73 in the prior-year period, excluding non-operating gains, intangible amortization expense, and all other M&A-related expenses.
The effective tax rate was 27.3% versus 20.4% in the prior-year period. The increase in tax rate was primarily attributable to additional reserves recorded for uncertain tax positions that increased the liability for unrecognized tax benefits in the first quarter.
Product Area Highlights
Morningstar is executing its strategy and investing for long-term growth. On a consolidated basis, PitchBook, DBRS Morningstar, Morningstar Sustainalytics, Morningstar Data, and Morningstar Direct were the top five contributors of organic revenue growth in the first quarter of 2022. (For performance of the largest product areas and key metrics, refer to the Supplemental Data table contained in this release.)
Highlights of these and other products include:
License-based
- PitchBook grew revenue by 49.4% and licenses by 41.1% in the first quarter, a strong start to 2022. Several product releases over the past year helped contribute to revenue performance, including further investment in public equity data, the integration of ESG Risk Ratings from Morningstar Sustainalytics, and enhancements to PitchBook's proprietary Investor Style Summary analysis tool. PitchBook's continued focus on execution within core data operations and go-to-market activities from marketing and sales delivered strong growth in revenue and bookings.
- Morningstar Data grew revenue by 7.7%, or 9.7% on an organic basis, in the first quarter with positive contributions across geographies. In the quarter, revenue growth was driven by both fund data and equity data and increased demand from the ongoing change in regulatory landscape, creating new requirements and demand for solutions to support client needs.
- Morningstar Direct grew first-quarter revenue by 8.3%, or 10.2% organically, on strong demand in both the U.S. and Europe. Direct licenses increased by 6.3% in the quarter and benefited from new users and client renewals due to the continued investment in functionality, new data sets, and access to research that enables users to extract more value from the platform.
- Morningstar Sustainalytics revenue grew 42.0%, or 47.7% on an organic basis, in the first quarter with continued momentum in all key product lines. Sales of EU Action Plan solutions were robust in the institutional and wealth segments and there was increased demand for ESG data for client reporting purposes. The number of corporate issuers licensing Morningstar Sustainalytics' ratings across all geographies grew throughout the quarter along with further expansion in second-party opinions.
- Advisor Workstation grew revenue 1.8%, or 1.9% on an organic basis, in the first quarter with steady demand across North America for solutions addressing the regulatory need for advisors to demonstrate how investment decisions align with client best interest. Demand for personalized financial planning was strong and new information on third-party model portfolios, sustainability metrics, and structured products supported higher client retention.
Asset-based
- Investment Management revenue increased 4.8%, or 13.1% on an organic basis, in the first quarter led by growth in Morningstar Managed Portfolios in the U.S. For the quarter, assets under management and advisement increased 6.9% versus the prior year, helped by positive net flows. Assets grew to $51.1 billion in the quarter, with Managed Portfolios now representing more than 60% of that total.
- Workplace Solutions grew revenue by 5.6% in the first quarter, driven by the performance in Morningstar Retirement Manager from both new and existing plans. Assets under management and advisement increased 9.2% in the quarter to $213.9 billion, primarily from growth in managed account offerings.
- Morningstar Indexes increased revenue by 59.4%, or 54.1% on an organic basis, in the first quarter. Despite market volatility, index products had strong asset flows into investible products linked to Morningstar Indexes and higher levels of index licensing. Moorgate Benchmarks, a company Morningstar acquired in 2021, has also begun contributing to reported revenue in Europe.
Transaction-based
- DBRS Morningstar grew first-quarter revenue 16.7%, or 17.6% on an organic basis. Growth was led by the U.S. as a result of continued strong issuance volumes and market coverage in the U.S. commercial and residential mortgage-backed securities. This growth was somewhat offset by declines in both Canada and Europe. The decline in Canada was driven by lower corporate and financial institution issuance volume after consecutive years of record issuance, while European market volatility impacted by the geopolitical environment created credit issuance delays within the region.
Balance Sheet and Capital Allocation
As of March 31, 2022, the Company had cash, cash equivalents, and investments totaling $544.9 million and $504.4 million of long-term debt, compared with cash, cash equivalents, and investments of $546.1 million and $359.4 million of long-term debt as of Dec. 31, 2021.
Cash provided by operating activities was $23.5 million for the first quarter of 2022, compared with $64.2 million in the prior-year period. The decline in cash flow was primarily due to the impact of higher bonus payouts in the quarter related to 2021 financial performance.
In the first quarter of 2022, the Company repurchased $110.6 million of its shares, paid $15.5 million in dividends, and spent $7.8 million on acquisitions and other minority investments.
On April 4, 2022, Morningstar announced an agreement to acquire Leveraged Commentary & Data (LCD), a market leader in news, research, data, insights, and indexes for the leveraged finance market from S&P Global. The purchase price is up to $650.0 million in cash, comprised of $600.0 million at closing, subject to certain adjustments, and a contingent payment of up to $50.0 million six months after closing. In conjunction with the announcement, the Company entered into a financing commitment for up to $1.1 billion to support the transaction. The financing is comprised of a five-year term facility and revolving credit facility, which will replace the Company's existing credit facility, and will be used to finance a portion of the purchase price and for other general corporate purposes.
Comparability of Year-Over-Year Results
In addition to intangible amortization expense and M&A-related expenses, certain other items, as detailed below, affected the comparability of first quarter of 2022 results versus the same period in 2021.
First-Quarter 2022 Results
- Diluted and adjusted net income per share in the current period included $0.13 of non-operating gains.
- First-quarter 2022 results include a $5.7 million year-over-year increase in stock-based compensation, primarily due to higher scheduled incentives and overachievement of targets under the PitchBook management bonus plan. This reduced diluted net income per share by $0.13.
Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
The tables at the end of this press release include a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measures used by the Company to comparable GAAP measures and an explanation of why the Company uses them.
2022 Shareholders' Meeting
Shareholders, prospective shareholders, analysts, and other interested parties are cordially invited to attend our 2022 Annual Shareholders' Meeting at 9 a.m. Central Time on Friday, May 13, 2022, at Morningstar's corporate headquarters at 22 W. Washington St. in Chicago. If you would like to attend, either in person or virtually, please register here. The meeting will cover the official business described in Morningstar's proxy statement and include presentations from Morningstar's management team, along with a live question and answer period open to participants both on site and online.
Investor Communication
Morningstar encourages all interested parties —including securities analysts, current shareholders, potential shareholders, and others— to submit questions in writing. Investors and others may send questions about Morningstar's business to investors@morningstar.com. Morningstar will make written responses to selected inquiries available to all investors at the same time in Form 8-Ks furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission, generally every month.
About Morningstar, Inc.
Morningstar, Inc. is a leading provider of independent investment research in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The Company offers an extensive line of products and services for individual investors, financial advisors, asset managers and owners, retirement plan providers and sponsors, and institutional investors in the debt and private capital markets. Morningstar provides data and research insights on a wide range of investment offerings, including managed investment products, publicly listed companies, private capital markets, debt securities, and real-time global market data. Morningstar also offers investment management services through its investment advisory subsidiaries, with approximately $265.0 billion in assets under advisement and management as of March 31, 2022. The Company has operations in 29 countries. For more information, visit www.morningstar.com/company. Follow Morningstar on Twitter @MorningstarInc.
Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements as that term is used in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on our current expectations about future events or future financial performance. Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain, and often contain words such as "may," "could," "expect," "intend," "plan," "seek," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," or "continue." These statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause the events we discuss not to occur or to differ significantly from what we expect. For us, these risks and uncertainties include, among others, failing to maintain and protect our brand, independence, and reputation; liability related to cybersecurity and the protection of confidential information, including personal information about individuals; liability for any losses that result from an actual or claimed breach of our fiduciary duties or failure to comply with applicable securities laws; compliance failures, regulatory action, or changes in laws applicable to our credit ratings operations, or our investment advisory, ESG, and index businesses; failing to respond to technological change, keep pace with new technology developments, or adopt a successful technology strategy; the failure to recruit, develop, and retain qualified employees; inadequacy of our operational risk management and business continuity programs in the event of a material disruptive event, including an outage of our database, technology-based products and services or network facilities; failing to differentiate our products and services and continuously create innovative, proprietary, and insightful financial technology solutions; prolonged volatility or downturns affecting the financial sector, global financial markets, and global economy and its effect on our revenue from asset-based fees and credit ratings business; failing to maintain growth across our businesses in today's fragmented geopolitical, regulatory and cultural world; liability relating to the information and data we collect, store, use, create, and distribute or the reports that we publish or are produced by our software products; the failure of acquisitions and other investments to be efficiently integrated and produce the results we anticipate; the impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic and government actions in response thereto on our business, financial condition, and results of operations; challenges faced by our non-U.S. operations, including the concentration of data and development work at our offshore facilities in China and India; our indebtedness could adversely affect our cash flows and financial flexibility; and the failure to protect our intellectual property rights or claims of intellectual property infringement against us. A more complete description of these risks and uncertainties can be found in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. If any of these risks and uncertainties materialize, our actual future results and other future events may vary significantly from what we expect. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements as a result of new information or future events.
Media Relations Contact:
Stephanie Lerdall, +1 312-244-7805, stephanie.lerdall@morningstar.com
©2022 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
MORN-E
Morningstar, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Reconciliations of Non-GAAP Measures with the Nearest Comparable GAAP Measures (Unaudited)
To supplement Morningstar's condensed consolidated financial statements presented in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Morningstar uses the following measures considered as non-GAAP by the Securities and Exchange Commission, including:
- consolidated revenue, excluding acquisitions, divestitures, adoption of new accounting standards or revision to accounting practices (accounting changes), and the effect of foreign currency translations (organic revenue),
- consolidated operating income, excluding intangible amortization expense and all mergers and acquisitions (M&A)-related expenses (including M&A-related earn-outs) (adjusted operating income),
- consolidated operating margin, excluding intangible amortization expense and all M&A-related expenses (including M&A-related earn-outs) (adjusted operating margin),
- consolidated diluted net income per share, excluding intangible amortization expense, all M&A-related expenses (including M&A-related earn-outs), and non-operating gains/losses (adjusted diluted net income per share), and
- cash provided by or used for operating activities less capital expenditures (free cash flow).
These non-GAAP measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies.
Morningstar presents organic revenue because the Company believes this non-GAAP measure helps investors better compare period-over-period results. We exclude revenue from acquired businesses from our organic revenue growth calculation for a period of 12 months after we complete the acquisition. For divestitures, we exclude revenue in the prior-year period for which there is no comparable revenue in the current period.
In addition, Morningstar presents free cash flow solely as supplemental disclosure to help investors better understand how much cash is available after making capital expenditures. Morningstar's management team uses free cash flow to evaluate its business. Free cash flow should not be considered an alternative to any measure required to be reported under GAAP (such as cash provided by (used for) operating, investing, and financing activities).
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by
Ramya Subramanian
The Coronavirus pandemic has affected millions of lives worldwide, and its propagation especially disrupted the healthcare industries of approximately 186 countries. India's
Cancer Care segment too has unfortunately been severely impacted on account of the pandemic. One of the major obstacles in this case being that approximately 70 per cent of cancer patients are located in semi-rural and rural regions, while 95 per cent of the
Cancer Care facilities are situated in urban locations.
Let us take a broad overview of some of the challenges that India continues to face in the treatment of cancer:
Lack of skilled healthcare staffEvery element of healthcare, particularly cancer care, has been touched by technology. Even in the most remote parts of the country, telemedicine has enabled digital consultations and counselling. Regardless, it is not attainable by the patients because of a shortage of competent and skilled staff. According to the WHO, India's trained healthcare workforce falls short of the minimal requirement of 22.8 qualified professionals per 10,000 people. In many low and middle-income countries such as ours, unskilled health workers are often the initial point of contact for rural and disadvantaged people, which poses a grave threat to cancer patients.
Low cancer detection rateWhile multi-specialty cancer-specific hospitals can aid in quick screening and early detection, the general hospitals with cancer facilities lack in this, hence, resulting in a low cancer detection rate in India. To lower the cancer burden, private and public hospitals must work together to develop a shared platform. In my view, the present healthcare infrastructure needs to be improved, particularly in rural regions. Local hospitals and medical colleges offer surgery, chemotherapy, and palliative care facilities but radiation therapy facilities are still scarce. According to a study, the country has approximately 267 radiotherapy machines, which is insufficient to manage India’s current and projected cancer burden.
Cancer care is hampered by fear and stigmaRegardless of the epidemic, a high standard of cancer care remains considerably hampered by stigma and fear. Despite WHO's renewed focus on cancer care and screening measures and public awareness programmes in place, most people with cancer suspicions do not see an oncologist promptly. Breast cancer, for example, can be cured if detected early enough. Social stigma, poor impressions of the disease, and fear over deformity, on the other hand, discourage patients from seeking help from family, peers, or general practitioners. The patient's hesitation to initiate and maintain treatment is aggravated by their anxiety about the treatment and its cost. Hence, many may turn to traditional therapy due to their inability to cope, and by the time they see an oncologist, cancer has often gone beyond the curable stage. Furthermore, not all patients seek treatment at specialised cancer centres due to financial constraints or an inability to withstand the therapy's severe side effects.
As cancer treatment advances, newer and more personalized medicines can lower tumour burden without having a negative impact on the patient's life. Each type of cancer is unique, and the doctor/trained counsellor can thoroughly explain each aspect of cancer care—its nature, therapy options, treatment time, cost of treatment, and impact on daily activities—to mentally prepare them for the course of treatment and its possible side-effects. It's critical to have a comprehensive awareness programme that sets the patient's expectations at every stage of the treatment. Cancer patient support groups can also be highly beneficial since they stand by the sufferer's side, providing mental and emotional support.
Over the past 30 years, India has achieved significant strides in cancer treatment. However, in India and elsewhere, the future of cancer care lies in preventing tumours that can be avoided and developing more individualized medicines. The government should take initiatives to raise cancer awareness and establish cancer patient support groups, particularly in rural areas. This will ease people's anxieties and encourage them to seek help, thereby mitigating one of India's most critical challenges when it comes to cancer treatment.
Ramya Subramanian, COO, CEO and Co-Founder of Docty
(DISCLAIMER: The views expressed are solely of the author and ETHealthworld does not necessarily subscribe to it. ETHealthworld.com shall not be responsible for any damage caused to any person / organisation directly or indirectly.) | https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/amp/news/industry/indias-obstacles-in-the-treatment-of-cancer/91134489 | 2022-04-28T01:00:29Z | https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/amp/news/industry/indias-obstacles-in-the-treatment-of-cancer/91134489 | true |
by
Vaibhav MalooSeventeen million children missed out on lifesaving vaccines in 2020 – the year the Covid-19 struck the world – leaving them vulnerable to diseases like measles, tetanus and diphtheria. In the same year, the number of completely unvaccinated children increased by 3.4 million and only 19 new vaccines could be introduced. This number is less than half when compared to any year in the past two decades.
While the coronavirus left almost no part of the world unaffected, its indirect effects are also indelible as it put a harsher spotlight on the vulnerability of immunisation systems worldwide. Studies show that disruptions in routine and proactive health services like vaccinations are more likely to increase morbidity and mortality, leaving women and children particularly vulnerable in coming years.
Pandemic-related disturbances have also jeopardised previous gains in immunisation services, with long-lasting implications on the eradication and elimination efforts being made for diseases that are vaccine preventable.
There is an urgent and global need to bring immunisation efforts back on track especially as educational institutions restart physical classes in the shadow of the ravaging pandemic.
Before the pandemic struck, the WHO had devised the Global Vaccine Action Plan (GAVP) to prevent deaths due to diseases that can be prevented through vaccination. This envisaged increasing access to shots, thereby boosting coverage. The plan had been to have all countries increase their vaccination coverage by 90 percent nationally by 2020.
Polio campaign: A case in pointPerhaps, the world – and India currently – can take a leaf out of our polio eradication success story. At a time when the nation was hyper-endemic for polio, with an average of 1,000 children getting paralysed each day, the government of India launched the
Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme in 1994. This is when the country accounted for around 60% of the global polio cases. The coverage of the polio drive was so far and so wide that within two decades, India received the ‘Polio-free certification’ from WHO in 2014. The last polio case was reported in Howrah in West Bengal on January 13, 2011.
The blueprint was simple and rooted in basic civic machinery – warranting high commitment at the entry-level led to key stakeholders such as policymakers, frontline workers and community volunteers joining forces and ensuring equitable access to vaccines for everyone even in the remotest parts of the country. This made the eradication of polio possible in India, while also addressing the social and cultural concerns regarding vaccine hesitancy in less developed areas with poor health systems by involving communities and local leaders for micro-level communication and community mobilisation.
And now, the Centre has made polio vaccine doses a part of its annual immunisation programme to maintain population immunity.
As the fastest-growing economy, riding on this success and following the blueprint of polio eradication, India is uniquely placed to attain full immunisation against all preventable diseases for children as well as adults and achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of “ending preventable child deaths by 2030”.
Complete immunisation will also help the country strengthen its healthcare systems and bring about a holistic universal and preventive approach to avoiding future pandemics.
A job well begun…One of the biggest and most overarching effects of the novel coronavirus outbreak was its impact on mobility. A Lancet study found that outreach services that are usually used in many low-income and middle-income countries, and entail regular visits to deliver routine vaccination services to communities, particularly those with poor access to health facilities, were heavily hit during the pandemic leading to vaccine coverage inequities.
While global efforts are being made to get back to pre-Covid coverage, the urgency to identify vulnerable populations who have been affected during these disruptions is crucial for full recovery.
India has been running an exhaustive immunisation programme since 1978; it is one of the largest such initiatives in the world and the most crucial public health interventions in the country. Under the Expanded Programme of Immunisation (EPI) or the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP), vaccines against diphtheria, tetanus, measles, severe childhood tuberculosis and hepatitis B, pertussis, and hiaemophilus influenza type b and diarrhea are provided to kids.
Recently,
Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for
Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), stated that due to the government’s immunisation push under Mission Indradhanush 4.0, last year, the number of vaccinated children between the age group of 12 months to 23 months increased by 14.4 percent. Stating the findings of the
National Family Health Survey – 5 (NHFS-5), he added that the number of vaccinated children in this age group increased to 76.4 percent in 2019-20 as opposed to 62 percent in 2015-16.
Way forwardAs we slowly emerge from the dark shadows of Covid-19, this year, the MoHFW has prioritised 378 districts to implement IMI- 4.0 which will focus on improving immunisation coverage through need-based interventions during vaccine drives based on a comprehensive gap analysis and enhanced accountability frameworks. The gains achieved will then need to be sustained through strengthening health systems and microplanning by incorporating IMI sessions into routine immunisation micro plans.
While acknowledging the impact of these initiatives, emphasis should also be on a supplemental and more aggressive action plan that covers all left-outs and dropouts in select districts and urban cities with low routine immunisation coverage within a specific time frame.
Additionally, understanding the enormousness of the disruptions in immunisation services will evidently provide a window into potential vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks in the future. To work towards a more equitable world, urgent actions are necessary to ensure we not only catch up to our pre-Covid efforts, but surpass them to mitigate the far-reaching impact of the virus. By ensuring a targeted approach towards vulnerable communities, boosted health information systems to spread awareness around immunisation drives, synergising efforts around our globally-acclaimed COVID-19 vaccine rollout programme, and restructuring health systems to build resilience, we can recover and rebuild a healthier tomorrow.
Vaibhav Maloo, MD,
Enso Group
(DISCLAIMER: The views expressed are solely of the author and ETHealthworld does not necessarily subscribe to it. ETHealthworld.com shall not be responsible for any damage caused to any person / organisation directly or indirectly.) | https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/more-than-a-shot-in-the-arm/91134593 | 2022-04-28T01:01:00Z | https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/more-than-a-shot-in-the-arm/91134593 | true |
The Oakland Police Department came closer to exiting federal oversight after a judge said Wednesday that he plans to take the next step in ending control of the troubled agency.
Judge William H. Orrick said he expected to issue an order in the next week that will detail when the department can enter into its probationary one-year period to end oversight.
The judge’s decision Wednesday marks a victory for a department that has gone through multiple scandals and 11 police chiefs in nearly 20 years. The federal oversight has cost the city millions of dollars, and the road to ending it has been bumpy. The department has seemed tantalizingly close to ending the oversight in the past, but subsequent problems kept it under scrutiny.
A class-action lawsuit in 2000 resulted in the arrangement. Six men in West Oakland argued they were falsely arrested on drug charges and accused four officers, known as “the Riders,” of assaulting and conspiring to frame them. The officers were found not guilty in a criminal trial, but the civil case resulted in a settlement that required the department to complete 51 tasks to improve the way it tracks, trains and disciplines officers.
Many proponents said oversight was necessary to bring reform to a troubled department. The department’s former brass said the result is an agency that can be a model of progress nationwide, while others caution that the department can’t let up on repairing its relationship with residents who still mistrust it.
Orrick heaped praise on Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong and his “laser focus” on the reform goals — a stark difference in the judge’s statements from just two years ago when he criticized city leaders after police lost ground on complying with tasks.
But Orrick said, “there is some work that needs to happen.”
Orrick said he expected the department would have reached total compliance by now, but it still has one task to complete: reducing disparities in discipline among officers. The judge said that task is “critical in ending the court’s oversight.” He also said he hoped that the department would have fully completed and adopted a social media and cell phone policy by now — the result of a racist and sexist Instagram account set up by a former officer. Nine Oakland officers were disciplined for engaging with the content.
Mayor Libby Schaaf said in court that the city and department are committed to continuing their work toward achieving reform.
“Oakland leaders are united in our deep commitment to this continual journey with and without court oversight,” Schaaf said.
“We intend to continue to hold ourselves to a higher standard,” she added.
Last week, the city attorney’s office and attorneys in the case filed a joint statement to Orrick saying that they are open to starting the one-year transition to a probationary period to end federal oversight. Their joint statement marked a major moment in which all the attorneys in the case agreed on the next steps.
Robert Warshaw, the court-appointed monitor, said in his report released Wednesday that the Police Department has reached “a significant milestone” by complying with all tasks but one.
He praised Armstrong’s tenacity and commitment.
Last year, when Armstrong was appointed to the role of top cop, he said bringing the department into compliance with the federal mandate would be a major priority.
On Wednesday, plaintiffs attorneys John Burris and Jim Chanin applauded Armstrong’s work.
“You are on the verge of succeeding in an effort which no one in the Oakland Police Department has accomplished in nearly 20 years,” Chanin said.
A judge appointed Warshaw as the department’s monitor in 2010. In 2014, he was given more power as the compliance director. The city has spent nearly $30 million on all monitor-related expenses, including Warshaw and his team.
Warshaw’s critics argue that he was more interested in getting paid than helping the department achieve compliance. One of his biggest critics was former police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick, whose 2020 termination was due in part to Warshaw’s critical reports on the department’s reform efforts.
Kirkpatrick told The Chronicle on Wednesday that she is “personally glad that Oakland is finally being able to make a case in front of the judge to say it’s time.”
Kirkpatrick said the department’s rank and file have “embraced reform” in their efforts to de-escalate and transform the culture of the department. Kirkpatrick said past scandals — including the Riders case and a sexual misconduct case involving a teenager — were “not reflective of who these men and women actually are and yet they carried the scars of that.”
In 2016, the attorneys in the case, the city and Warshaw were prepared to end the oversight, but changed their minds after allegations came to light that several officers were involved in the sex scandal.
Former Police Chief Howard Jordan said Wednesday’s decision is a positive step.
“It shows that the department has really embraced accountability, reforms, and that they are a model agency for the police profession,” he said.
Former interim Police Chief Susan Manheimer said the judge’s comments are a testament to the department’s “painstaking focus on achieving compliance.”
“The only way that OPD can move forwards is really working with the community,” Manheimer said.
Rashidah Grinage, a spokeswoman for Oakland’s Coalition on Police Accountability, said the department should keep in mind that there is a “new sheriff in town” with the hiring in December of the city’s first independent inspector general, who is meant to ensure the department complies with its policies.
The inspector general, hired by the police commission, is tasked with “making sure that there is no backsliding,” Grinage said.
In a news conference after the hearing, Armstrong and Schaaf called the judge’s decision a milestone.
“I’m optimistic that we have proven to the public that we have reformed,” Armstrong said. “We have more work to do.”
Sarah Ravani (she/her) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani | https://www.sfchronicle.com/eastbay/article/Oakland-police-move-closer-to-ending-20-years-of-17132088.php | 2022-04-28T01:29:51Z | https://www.sfchronicle.com/eastbay/article/Oakland-police-move-closer-to-ending-20-years-of-17132088.php | false |
The Indiana State Police is partnering with the Drug Enforcement Administration on Saturday for the 22nd national Prescription Drug Take Back Initiative.
Organizers say the goal is to prevent prescription drug abuse and theft through proper disposal of prescription drugs, a department media release noted.
Collection sites will be set up for expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs — in liquid and pill form — and those will then be properly disposed of without threat to the environment.
Vaping pens without batteries and vaping cartridges will also be permitted, per the release, though needles of any kind will not be accepted.
Medication drop-offs will be allowed between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday at any ISP Post throughout the state — except Lowell in northern Indiana — and the service is free and anonymous.
To locate the ISP post nearest you, visit https://www.in.gov/isp/districts/on-the-map/. | https://www.kokomotribune.com/news/isp-participates-in-drug-take-back-day/article_c5cf968e-c63b-11ec-b75d-ab447a8e0d17.html | 2022-04-28T01:37:05Z | https://www.kokomotribune.com/news/isp-participates-in-drug-take-back-day/article_c5cf968e-c63b-11ec-b75d-ab447a8e0d17.html | true |
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CHARLESTON — Attorneys for pharmaceutical companies spent most of Wednesday cross-examining an expert witness who previously testified on how West Virginia was an “outlier” and a leader, compared to the rest of the nation, in the volume of opioid prescriptions written and filled over the past 20 years.
Lacey Keller, co-founding analyst for Denver-based MK Analytics, was called by the state last week to share an analysis she performed on prescription practices in West Virginia. Her analysis found that opioid prescriptions in the state peaked between 2009 and 2011, and declined slightly through 2017.
Through the 20 years she studied — from 1997 to 2017 — Keller also reported that the state was home to 12 of the top 50 opioid-prescribing doctors in the nation.
On Wednesday, attorneys for defendants Teva Pharmaceutical Industries LLC and a group of companies owned by Allergan Finance LLC, attempted to point out flaws in Keller’s analysis.
They argued that it was mostly based on overall opioid prescriptions, not just those belonging to their clients’ companies, and, thus, was insufficient evidence to prove that the companies were responsible for the state’s influx of opioids.
Maria Rivera, representing Allergan, said the data sources Keller used for the analysis could not prove the prescriptions filled in the state were actually used within it.
Last week, Keller presented a map that showed how many Teva and Allergan pills were prescribed in West Virginia and the bordering counties in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio.
Teva distributed 685,760,248 pills in West Virginia. The company distributed 505,720,044 in the counties surrounding West Virginia.
Allergan distributed more than 6 million pills in West Virginia and more than 5.6 million in the counties bordering the state.
Nancy Patterson, an attorney for Teva, pointed out fields where Keller is not considered an expert. Those included topics such as the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Food and Drug Administration and suspicious-order monitoring compliance reports.
In redirect, attorneys for West Virginia argued that the companies had the same information and data available to them that Keller did in creating her analysis. With that data, they should have had mechanisms available to pause and investigate any suspicious opioid orders.
Throughout the second part of Wednesday’s testimony, the court heard several prerecorded video depositions from current and former Teva executives.
Andy Boyer, who served as president and CEO of Teva in North America until 2018, and Jinping McCormick, who worked as the director of marketing for drug company Actavis before it was acquired by Teva in 2016, spoke to the differences between the company’s branded and generic marketing efforts.
Joseph Tomkiewicz, who took over as Teva’s head of Diversion Control and DEA Compliance in 2014, explained how the company monitored and flagged suspicious orders before and after he came on board.
Attorneys questioning Tomkiewicz used an internal audit and other reports on his department to illuminate holes in what the audit called a “rudimentary” system.
While Boyer testified that Teva was “certainly” in the top three companies involved in opioid sales and prescriptions at this time, the suspicious-order monitoring system it had in place only pended 10 out of thousands of orders a week.
Upon his hiring, Tomkiewicz — who previously worked in DEA compliance at AmerisourceBergen, where he said the system pended thousands of orders a week — began working on a new monitoring system to replace the one in use. The new system was implemented 21/2 years after a caustic review of the existing system.
Named DEF OPS — standing for “defensible order pending system” — the new suspicious-order monitoring system flagged about 500 suspicious orders a month. In an average month, Tomkiewicz said, all but 25 of those orders were released within minutes to one day, with limited — if any — investigative review by the company.
Through this trial, West Virginia is trying to prove that the named companies and their subsidiaries used deceptive marketing practices that led to the substance abuse epidemic in the state.
Attorney General Patrick Morrisey — who was in the courtroom Wednesday for about 42 minutes — originally filed the lawsuit in Boone County Circuit Court. It later was moved to West Virginia’s Mass Litigation Panel, where Mercer County Circuit Judge Derek Swope became the presiding judge.
In this case, the state alleges the pharmaceutical companies created a public nuisance and violated the West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act by mischaracterizing and failing to disclose the serious risk of addiction of prescription opioids medications.
West Virginia also alleges the companies overstated the benefits of chronic opioid therapy and promoted the idea that doctors should prescribe higher dosage amounts without disclosing the greater risk involved.
Attorneys for the pharmaceutical companies have argued that their sales representatives appropriately and legally marketed their opioid medications and that their respective opioid medications took up so little of West Virginia’s overall opioid market share — with nearly every relevant medication taking up less than 1% of the total — that they couldn’t be declared a public nuisance.
The state is seeking an injunction to require the companies to accurately disclose the “significant risk and limited benefits” of opioid drugs and not to market opioid medications as front-line treatment for chronic pain.
The state additionally wants Swope to assess civil and other financial penalties against the companies. Those penalties would be dispersed among 54 of West Virginia’s 55 county governments and other municipal governments.
There originally were three defendants in the lawsuit, but Johnson & Johnson and the state reached a $99 million settlement last week. Johnson & Johnson is the parent company to Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., which no longer is a defendant in the case, as per the settlement.
The trial will resume at 8:30 a.m. Thursday. | https://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/drug-company-attorneys-cross-examine-witness-teva-exec-explains-rudimentary-suspicious-order-monitoring-system-in/article_03543433-810e-58bd-aa5a-1c84bfda20d3.html | 2022-04-28T01:39:28Z | https://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/drug-company-attorneys-cross-examine-witness-teva-exec-explains-rudimentary-suspicious-order-monitoring-system-in/article_03543433-810e-58bd-aa5a-1c84bfda20d3.html | true |
Biden going to SKorea, Japan in May to discuss China, NKorea
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will travel next month to South Korea and Japan, his first trip to Asia since taking office last year, to consult with allies on growing threats from China and North Korea.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced the May 20-24 trip Wednesday. Both allies host significant U.S. military contingents, and the trip comes as North Korea has escalated its nuclear missile testing and China has grown more assertive in the region.
Biden will meet separately with newly elected President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan, Psaki said.
In Tokyo, Biden will also meet with the so-called “Quad” — which also includes Australia, Japan and India — as they aim to forge stronger partnerships to contain China in the Indo-Pacific.
It will be Biden’s fourth foreign trip as president. He traveled to Poland and Belgium in March following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/28/biden-going-skorea-japan-may-discuss-china-nkorea/ | 2022-04-28T01:53:53Z | https://www.kold.com/2022/04/28/biden-going-skorea-japan-may-discuss-china-nkorea/ | false |
The US left $7 billion of military gear - including 78 aircraft, 12,000 Humvees and thousands of air-to-ground weapons - in Afghanistan after Biden's chaotic 2021 withdrawal, according to Pentagon report
- Pentagon report details billion of dollars in arms left in Afghanistan after exit
- It was prepared for Congress, and obtained by CNN
- It says $7 billion in hardware was left behind last year after chaotic withdrawal
- That includes $1 billion of aircraft and some 22,000 military Humvees
- The details will provide ammunition for critics who say President Biden should have done a better job of ensuring weapons did not fall into Taliban hands
- Some 9,524 air-to-ground munitions were also left in the country
A Pentagon report reveals that billions of dollars in weapons and military equipment transferred to the Afghan government was left behind in Afghanistan after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from the country.
In all, about $7 billion worth of hardware remained in the country after the Taliban seized control, according to the report prepared for Congress which was obtained by CNN.
That includes almost $1 billion of aircraft - rendered inoperable and dumped at Hamid Karzai International Airport - some 22,000 military Humvees and almost all the communications equipment supplied during the course of the conflict.
In the weeks after the U.S. withdrawal and the collapse of Kabul, Taliban troops delighted in posing for pictures with sophisticated night vision goggles and driving abandoned vehicles.
It means the equipment is now in the hands of the foe that the U.S. was trying to vanquish.
A new Pentagon report revealed the full extent of U.S. weapons and military equipment supplied to the Afghan armed forces but left behind when President Joe Biden ordered the withdrawal of American troops last year. The U.S. left behind about $7 billion in gear, it said
A Taliban fighter poses with a US-made Afghan air force Blackhawk helicopter at Kandahar airfield in August last year, as weapons fell into the hands of the country's new rulers
Taliban forces showed off their new military hardware during a victory parade in Kandahar last September as they celebrated the retreat of U.S. forces and their capture of Afghanistan
Republicans have raised the alarm about leaving behind deadly technology and former President Donald Trump has repeatedly condemned his successor for failing to bring out more of the gear.
But the report says the Defense Department has no plans to return to Afghanistan to 'retrieve or destroy.'
Instead it describes how 'much of the remaining equipment' requires 'specialized maintenance that DoD contractors previously provided' to Afghan troops 'in the form of technical knowledge and support.'
Even so, the list of equipment left behind reads like a Taliban wishlist of armaments.
It includes a total of 9,524 air-to-ground munitions - which can include bombs, machine guns, air-to-surface missiles, rockets, air-launched cruise missiles, carried by warplanes - valued at $6.54 million.
A Taliban fighter takes a picture of a damaged MD 530 helicopter that was abandoned at Kabul airport by retreating troops
Taliban fighters sit on an Afghan army Humvee on August 15. Much of the equipment the US has given Afghanistan has 'fallen into the hands of the Taliban,' according to a US official
The Taliban last year released propaganda footage of body armour-clad 'special forces' with night vision goggles, which may have come from abandoned Afghan army stores
The U.S. left 78 aircraft in Kabul, according to the report.
And more than 40,000 of almost 100,000 vehicles supplied to Afghan forces remain in the country.
'The operational condition of the remaining vehicles' is 'unknown,' the report is quoted as saying.
More than 300,000 of 427,300 weapons delivered to Afghan security forces were left behind, as Kabul's opposition to the Taliban crumbled and troops melted away.
The report also said 'nearly all' 42,000 pieces of night vision, surveillance, 'biometric and positioning equipment' had been left in Afghanistan.
The Taliban has released propaganda footage of body armor-clad 'special forces' with night vision goggles.
The extremists also released footage in August last year as they tested a captured $6m US-made Blackhawk helicopter by taxi-ing it around an airfield.
A Russian Mi-17 helicopter is pictured alongside Taliban fighters after it was seized from retreating western troops
The Taliban used weaponry left behind by American troops (pictured: Taliban using US armoured vehicle) to crush the last pockets of resistance to its takeover of Afghanistan
At the time of the Taliban takeover, the Afghan military had more than 150 aircraft, according to a report published last month by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.
It included four C-130 transport aircraft, 23 Brazilian-made A-29 'Super Tucano' turboprop ground-attack aircraft, 45 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, and 50 smaller choppers.
Afghan forces were also given more than 30 military versions of Cessna single-engine fixed-wing aircraft.
The Taliban also showed off advance weaponry weaponry left behind by American troops last September as they tried to crush the last pockets of resistance to its takeover of Afghanistan.
The rebels appeared outgunned by Taliban fighters using US armored vehicles, mortar missiles and high-powered artillery.
Videos showed Taliban gunmen brandishing US military M4 and M16 rifles and wearing night-vision goggles. | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10760917/The-left-7-billion-military-gear-including-78-aircraft-12-000-Humvees-Afghanistan.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ito=1490&ns_campaign=1490 | 2022-04-28T01:55:29Z | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10760917/The-left-7-billion-military-gear-including-78-aircraft-12-000-Humvees-Afghanistan.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ito=1490&ns_campaign=1490 | true |
S. Korea to divert gas supplies to Europe over Ukraine crisis
SEOUL, April 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea plans to send part of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies to Europe to help ease an energy crisis over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, officials said Thursday.
Concerns have grown over natural gas supply disruptions in Europe amid the ongoing crisis surrounding Ukraine, as Russia is the biggest provider of gas to Europe.
On Wednesday, Russia's state-owned gas producer Gazprom said it had cut off natural gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria after the nations refused to pay for shipments in rubles.
South Korea has decided to divert some of its LNG gas cargo to Europe, as Seoul has "some room" for such support in spring time, an industry ministry official said.
He refused to give details about when and how much South Korea will offer, but the envisioned shipment would be sent to Europe before summer though the volume would "not be that much" as Seoul usually manages the gas supplies tightly.
The decision appears to have been made upon a request from the United States or European nations, another official said.
In February, Washington asked for South Korea's gas support for Europe, but the Seoul government turned down the request at that time, according to media reports.
The import price of natural gas for South Korea stood at US$1,013.35 per ton as of end-March, up 20.08 percent from the previous month. The comparable figure for March 2021 was $438.42, according to government data.
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)
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(2nd LD) N.K. leader says inter-Korean ties can improve as much as one wants: Cheong Wa Dae
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Moon urges incoming administration to make efforts to resume dialogue with N. Korea
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(LEAD) DP floor leader asks Assembly speaker to convene plenary session for prosecution reform legislation
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Biden likely to visit S. Korea from May 20-22: sources
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(4th LD) Yoon's delegation arrives in Japan with letter outlining will for 'new relations'
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N. Korea apparently struggling to secure 'advanced' nuclear technology: expert
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Incoming gov't to determine whether to lift outdoor mask mandate in late May
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(LEAD) Incoming gov't to determine whether to lift outdoor mask mandate in late May
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Yoon committed to keep pledge of giving 2 mln won monthly wage to soldiers: spokesperson
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(LEAD) Controversy erupts over education minister nominee's family receiving Fulbright scholarships | https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20220428003900320 | 2022-04-28T01:56:13Z | https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20220428003900320 | true |
TAMPA, Fla., April 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Heritage Insurance Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: HRTG) ("Heritage" or the "Company"), a super-regional property and casualty insurance holding company, announced today that it expects to incur approximately $45.0 million of net current accident quarter catastrophe losses and $18.8 million of net current accident quarter other weather losses in first quarter 2022, compared to $15.4 million and $16.1 million, respectively, for the same period in 2021. Total net current accident quarter weather losses were approximately $63.8 million in the first quarter of 2022, compared to $31.4 million in the same period the year prior.
These preliminary, unaudited financial estimates are based on information available to management as of the date of this press release, remain subject to the completion of normal quarter-end accounting procedures and adjustments, and are subject to change. The Company's independent registered public accounting firm has not completed its review of the Company's results for the quarter ended March 31, 2022. During the course of the preparation of our consolidated financial statements and related notes, and completion of the Company's financial close and procedures for the three months ended March 31, 2022, adjustments to the preliminary estimates may be identified, and such adjustments may be material. In addition, other developments may arise between now and the time the financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2022 are finalized. The Company undertakes no obligation to update the information in this press release in the event facts or circumstances change after the date of this press release.
As previously announced, Heritage is scheduled to report first quarter 2022 financial results after the market closes on Thursday, May 5, 2022, followed by a 9:30 am ET conference call on Friday, May 6, 2022.
Conference Call Details:
Participant Dial-in Numbers Toll Free: 1- 888-346-3095
Participant International Dial In: 1- 412-902-4258
Telephone participants should ask to be joined into the Heritage Insurance Holdings call.
Webcast:
A live audio webcast of the earnings call will be available in the investors section of the company's website. The call will be archived and available for replay.
Financial information, including material announcements about Heritage, is routinely posted on investors.heritagepci.com.
About Heritage
Heritage Insurance Holdings, Inc. is a super-regional property and casualty insurance holding company. Through its insurance subsidiaries and a large network of experienced agents, the Company writes approximately $1.2 billion of gross personal and commercial residential premium across its multi-state
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those discussed herein. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, words such as "may," "will," "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "could," "would," "estimate," "or "continue" or the other negative variations thereof or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements. This release includes forward-looking statements relating to (i) opportunities for future growth in geographies and the impact of distribution partnerships on that growth and (ii) the impact of our strategic initiatives on our financial results and our profitability position for 2021 and beyond. The risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ from those expressed or implied herein include, without limitation: the success of the Company's underwriting and profitability initiatives; the continued and potentially prolonged impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy, demand for our products and our operations; inflation and other changes in economic conditions (including changes in interest rates and financial and real estate markets), including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; the impact of new federal and state regulations that affect the property and casualty insurance market; the costs of reinsurance, the collectability of reinsurance and our ability to obtain reinsurance coverage on terms and at a cost acceptable to us; assessments charged by various governmental agencies; pricing competition and other initiatives by competitors; our ability to obtain regulatory approval for requested rate changes, and the timing thereof; legislative and regulatory developments; the outcome of litigation pending against us, including the terms of any settlements; risks related to the nature of our business; dependence on investment income and the composition of our investment portfolio; the adequacy of our liability for losses and loss adjustment expense; our ability to build and maintain relationships with insurance agents; claims experience; ratings by industry services; catastrophe losses; reliance on key personnel; weather conditions (including the severity and frequency of storms, hurricanes, tornadoes and hail); changes in loss trends; acts of war and terrorist activities; court decisions and trends in litigation; and other matters described from time to time by us in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 9, 2021 and subsequent filings. The Company undertakes no obligations to update, change or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, additional or subsequent developments or otherwise.
Investor Contacts:
Kirk Lusk
Chief Financial Officer
klusk@heritagepci.com
Mike Houston and Jeff Schoenborn
Lambert
HRTG@lambert.com
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SOURCE Heritage Insurance Holdings, Inc. | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/27/heritage-announces-preliminary-first-quarter-2022-weather-losses/ | 2022-04-28T01:56:58Z | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/27/heritage-announces-preliminary-first-quarter-2022-weather-losses/ | true |
WAX Studios Web3 gaming vision is to put the fun back into P2E via new player-versus-player competitions crafted by legendary game designer Richard Garfield
GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands, April 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WAX Studios, a gaming and blockchain services studio created by the founders of the WAX Blockchain, has partnered with Magic: the Gathering creator Richard Garfield to create a player-versus-player (PvP) gaming experience within WAX Studios' highly successful play-to-earn (P2E) non-fungible token (NFT) game, Blockchain Brawlers.
The partnership will deliver a new PvP layer within WAX Studios' Blockchain Brawlers game, which was released to major fanfare earlier this month. In the first two weeks of launch alone, the game's native token, BRWL, garnered over $431 Million in volume.
Blockchain Brawlers is the first game from WAX Studios, with its gaming initiatives led by Chief Gaming Officer Michael Rubinelli. Rubinelli, a 25-year veteran of the gaming industry, who is cited as being instrumental in the rise of the free-to-play business model that revolutionized gaming.
Into the mix now comes Richard Garfield, a mathematics professor and a game designer whose most successful game, Magic: The Gathering, is credited with ushering in the trading card game genre. WAX Studios's unique take on Web3 gaming is to combine P2E monetization with the PvP gameplay, alongside the creativity and desirability of Garfield's game design genius.
Richard Garfield, inventor and game designer, said: "It's a pleasure to bring a PvP element to Blockchain Brawlers. I am aiming for a game that is entertaining and immersive with real strategic choices and opportunity for risk taking — yet easy enough to learn that it opens up Blockchain Brawlers to a broad player audience."
Michael Rubinelli, CGO of WAX Studios, said: "We set up WAX Studios because we feel Web3 gaming is in urgent need of redefinition. Right now, it's more about farming than having fun. Bringing in Richard Garfield and his beautiful, mathematical, and strategy-driven mind to the creative team behind our new PvP layer will boost Blockchain Brawlers to entirely new levels and raise the bar on Web3 gaming."
Within Blockchain Brawlers, players compete in pro-wrestling style matches, earn BRWL tokens, and craft their way to success. Players can use their earnings to construct better equipment, including wrestling rings and weapons, to earn more BRWL.
WAX Studios has stellar ambitions for Brawlers and is aiming to maximize participation by attracting mainstream gamers to its web3 games. The team says it wants as many people to go head-to-head as possible to create excitement and a variety of opponents. There are also plans to develop secondary market opportunities to ensure users have a solid outlet for crafted items, generally lacking in other P2E games.
Through its carbon-neutral blockchain, WAX is fast becoming a powerhouse in the Play-to-Earn and non-fungible token (NFT) gaming sector. The WAX blockchain currently has over 12,000,000 active user accounts and boasts five blockchain games in the top 25 by users, including the actual top 3. WAX also cites the most activity, with nearly 20 million daily operations according to Blocktivity.
WAX has also had tremendous success onboarding major IPs into early Web3. At the start of 2022, WAX performed the largest NFT drop in history — one to each of the first 10 million accounts registered.
About Blockchain Brawlers
Created by WAX Game Studios, Blockchain Brawlers is the rowdiest play-to-earn game in metaverse history, featuring a hilarious and entertaining cast of NFT characters. Powered by BRWL tokens, each Brawler NFT plays an integral role in the Blockchain Brawlers play-to-earn game as players brawl, earn, and craft their way to fame and fortune.
About WAX - The King of NFTs
The Worldwide Asset eXchange™ (WAX), aka the King of NFTs, is the world's #1 blockchain, as measured by number of users and transactions, according to Dappradar.com. WAX's mission is to bring NFTs to the mass market in the safest, most secure, environmentally friendly, and easy-to-use marketplace in the world. WAX is also the leading entertainment NFT network — in 2018, WAX introduced vIRLs®, giving consumer product companies the ability to directly link NFTs to physical consumer products. Co-founded in 2017 by William E. Quigley and Jonathan Yantis, WAX has facilitated the trade of more than 100 million digital collectables including Mattel, Hasbro, Major League Baseball (via Topps MLB collectables), Funko Digital POP!, Capcom's "Street Fighter," World Series of Poker and world-renowned entertainers Deadmau5 and Weezer. WAX is also the leading play-to-earn games and entertainment NFT network in the metaverse and is home to many of the leading blockchain games including Alien Worlds, Splinterlands, Farmers World and Farming Tales. For more information, please visit https://wax.io and follow along on Twitter and Discord.
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SOURCE WAX | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/27/magic-gathering-designer-richard-garfield-partners-with-wax-studios-deliver-pvp-gaming-mode-blockchain-brawlers/ | 2022-04-28T01:58:03Z | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/27/magic-gathering-designer-richard-garfield-partners-with-wax-studios-deliver-pvp-gaming-mode-blockchain-brawlers/ | false |
In honor of National Animal Advocacy Day (April 30), actors Eric McCormack and Edie Falco join the ASPCA to support Goldie's Act, federal legislation that will protect dogs in puppy mills
WASHINGTON, April 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) released new data from a national poll conducted by Lake Research Partners that revealed 77 percent of Americans support federal legislation that would end puppy mills. Additionally, 71 percent of Americans support federal legislation that would require the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to increase enforcement of the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA) with support extending across political party, age, gender and regardless of whether the respondent lived in a rural or urban setting. The new data were released in advance of National Animal Advocacy Day, celebrated annually on April 30 to encourage all animal advocates to get involved in the legislative process and make a real difference for the animals in their community.
Last year, the ASPCA assisted the Animal Rescue League of Iowa (ARL) with the rescue of more than 500 dogs who were living in horrific conditions at a USDA-licensed dog breeding facility in Iowa. Despite observing over 200 violations of the AWA at this facility – including dogs who were sick and dying from injuries and disease, dogs housed in cages that were too small to turnaround, and dogs standing in waste – the USDA continued to permit the licensee to operate, never confiscating any dogs who were suffering and never issuing any penalties against the breeder.
This case is part of an ongoing pattern of the USDA failing to enforce the AWA, even when conditions are extremely poor, and dogs are dying. In response to this disturbing case, the ASPCA worked with a bipartisan group of federal lawmakers including U.S. Reps. Cindy Axne (D-Iowa), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.), Susan Wild (D-Pa.) and Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.), to introduce Goldie's Act (H.R. 6100), named in honor of a Golden Retriever who suffered extreme neglect and died before she could be rescued from this USDA-licensed facility in Iowa. USDA inspectors did not intervene but instead documented Goldie's deteriorating condition for months and though they had the authority to save her, they did nothing.
"For decades, the USDA has failed to enforce the law intended to protect dogs in puppy mills, and this research confirms that Americans overwhelmingly support stronger enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act to protect dogs and hold puppy mills accountable," said Nancy Perry, senior vice president of ASPCA Government Relations. "Goldie's Act will require the USDA to do its job to protect dogs in federally licensed facilities and we are grateful to have influential advocates like Eric McCormack and Edie Falco using their voices to speak out against puppy mill cruelty. We thank Representatives Axne, Fitzpatrick, Quigley, Malliotakis, Wild, and Buchanan for introducing this lifesaving bill and we urge Congress to pass Goldie's Act to ensure dogs receive the protection they deserve."
Goldie's Act would require the USDA to conduct more frequent and meaningful inspections, confiscate dogs who are suffering, and impose deterring monetary penalties against licensees who violate the law. It will also require the USDA to share information about suspected cruelty and neglect with law enforcement agencies.
In honor of National Animal Advocacy Day (April 30), the ASPCA is hosting a week of action from April 25-30 to urge the public to contact their members of Congress and ask them to pass Goldie's Act. To raise awareness about the bill, the ASPCA released a new video and has enlisted the support of award-winning actors Eric McCormack and Edie Falco to encourage the public to get involved. Last week, McCormack and his rescue dog, Wallace, participated in an Instagram Live discussion hosted by the ASPCA, and Falco, whose dog Sami was rescued from a puppy mill, is lending her voice in a recorded message and sending an email message to animal advocates.
"As an animal lover, it's unconscionable to me that the USDA's failed policies have allowed horrific cruelty to proliferate at federally licensed puppy mills for decades," said McCormack. "The shocking inhumanity at the USDA-licensed facility in Iowa that led to the death of Goldie cannot be tolerated, and I encourage everyone to speak out against this abhorrence to hold puppy mills accountable."
"My dog Sami spent two years living in a box, in the dark, without a name. She was forced to have puppies who were sold to pet stores, and that was her life," said Falco. "I'm grateful that my dog Sami was rescued, but thousands of other dogs like Goldie aren't as lucky and these dogs will continue to suffer in puppy mills across the country if the USDA doesn't do its job. Goldie's story is tragic, but we can prevent other dogs from meeting her fate by urging Congress to pass Goldie's Act."
For more information about the ASPCA's efforts to protect dogs in commercial breeding facilities or to support Goldie's Act, please visit www.aspca.org/goldiesactweek.
About the ASPCA®
Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) was the first animal welfare organization to be established in North America and today serves as the nation's leading voice for vulnerable and victimized animals. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation with more than two million supporters nationwide, the ASPCA is committed to preventing cruelty to dogs, cats, equines, and farm animals throughout the United States. The ASPCA assists animals in need through on-the-ground disaster and cruelty interventions, behavioral rehabilitation, animal placement, legal and legislative advocacy, and the advancement of the sheltering and veterinary community through research, training, and resources. For more information, visit www.ASPCA.org, and follow the ASPCA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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SOURCE ASPCA | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/27/new-aspca-research-shows-large-bipartisan-majority-americans-support-federal-legislation-end-puppy-mills/ | 2022-04-28T01:58:28Z | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/27/new-aspca-research-shows-large-bipartisan-majority-americans-support-federal-legislation-end-puppy-mills/ | false |
(NEXSTAR) — Have you had any strange reactions to red meat or milk products recently? You may have developed new allergies to a certain type of sugar and a creature called the lone star tick may be to blame.
The potentially life-threatening allergic reaction is called alpha-gal syndrome, or AGS. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says AGS can be triggered by a bite from a lone star tick, which are present in most areas of the U.S., though are less common up north and out west.
Alpha-gal is a sugar molecule that’s found in most mammals and can also be found in their meat. Alpha-gal is found in pork, beef, lamb and venison. Allergic reactions include hives and rash, diarrhea, nausea, shortness of breath, low blood pressure and swelling of lips, throat, tongue and eyelids.
Reactions set in between two and six hours after contact, the CDC says. While symptoms range from mild to serious (anaphylaxis can occur), you should contact your doctor if you think you may have AGS.
While the CDC says more data is still needed, recent information points ever clearer to a rise in cases. Research published in Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology scholarly journal indicated an increase in positive test results from 1,110 in 2011 to 7,798 in 2018. At least 34,000 people had been diagnosed with the syndrome as of that time.
Researchers say treatment involves taking antihistamines and adjusting diets to avoid mammalian products. Over time and with physicians’ advice, people can re-introduce meats and mammal products back into diets.
Identifying lone star ticks
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station has a few ways to spot lone star ticks:
- Females have an obvious whitish dot on their backs
- Males don’t have the dot but have whitish markings at the edges of their bodies
- Nymphs (young) lone star ticks are more circular than adults, which are more egg-shaped. They’re also obviously smaller than adults
CAES says while adults are more active in spring and early summer, while nymphs are most active from April through summer. All lone star ticks are active in summer months.
Both the CDC and other researchers warn lone star ticks are likely not the only ticks causing spread pf AGS.
Ticks are also well-known to pose threat of Lyme disease spread to humans.
Tick safety measures include wearing long sleeves, pants tucked into socks and closed-toed shoes, using repellants on both clothing and exposed skin, and avoiding high grass or flora, if possible. Doing full body checks for ticks after being outside are also a must, and should be followed by a shower. Perform proper tick removal if you do find one on your skin. | https://www.cenlanow.com/health-2/this-tick-could-make-you-allergic-to-meat/ | 2022-04-28T01:59:52Z | https://www.cenlanow.com/health-2/this-tick-could-make-you-allergic-to-meat/ | false |
– Rexford Industrial Drives Substantial Positive ESG Impacts in 2021 –
LOS ANGELES, April 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Rexford Industrial Realty, Inc. (the "Company" or "Rexford Industrial") (NYSE: REXR), a real estate investment trust focused on creating value by investing in and operating industrial properties located throughout infill Southern California, today released its 2021 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report.
"At Rexford Industrial, we are working to create positive impacts through our differentiated business model, which integrates ESG factors into every decision we make," stated Michael Frankel and Howard Schwimmer, Co-Chief Executive Officers of the Company. "We reinvent legacy properties and breathe new life into urban infill communities, enabling us to create value that encompasses economic, community and environmental benefits. A robust ESG program is integral to our value creation strategy. Throughout 2021, we actively expanded upon our work to deepen our social and environmental impacts."
Rexford Industrial's 2021 ESG Report summarizes its robust ESG initiatives and future objectives, guided by its three strategic pillars of Environmental Stewardship, Community Welfare and a Culture of Respect and Excellence and in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Rexford Industrial's 2021 ESG milestones include:
- Exceeded 10% energy use reduction on repositioning projects
- Furthered its green building commitment through the issuance of a Green Bond to finance a low-carbon future
- Expanded its LEED program to include 52 LEED certified buildings, representing over 4.5 million square feet, completed, under development or in the near-term development pipeline
- Extended renewable energy investment to over 4MW of solar installations
- Formalized tenant engagement program supporting tenants' reduction of energy, water and waste footprint, and earned the Green Lease Leader Silver designation for a third consecutive year
- Established a Community Engagement Committee to support youth development, environmental sustainability and eradication of homelessness, achieving over 75% employee volunteer participation
- Launched numerous employee programs including a permanent flexible work model called RexFlex, parental leave, and increased advancement and financial support through tuition reimbursement
- Completed over 20 hours of learning and development training per employee, which included formalized ESG training
- Achieved 30% board gender diversity and maintained an overall team comprising approximately 50% diverse and 60% female employees
- Conducted climate-related scenario planning in line with the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), which included in the 2021 ESG Report
- Signed the UN Global Compact, joining organizations worldwide to support responsible business practices in human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption
In 2022, Rexford is committed to building green and continuing its path of recycling buildings and reinvigorating communities by delivering value-add ESG benefits. Looking forward, near term goals include its progress towards the establishment of science-based targets and a net zero carbon footprint commitment, expansion of the renewable energy program and solar investments, growing partnerships with tenants around ESG, achieving 2,000 hours of employee volunteer time, expansion of its internal learning platform and a continued focus on diversity, equity and inclusion.
With an ongoing ESG focus, Rexford is dedicated to investing in its team, communities and the environment to lead the way to a sustainable future.
The full report can be found under the ESG section of the Company's website at https://www.rexfordindustrial.com/ESG.
Rexford Industrial creates value by investing in, operating and redeveloping industrial properties throughout infill Southern California, the world's fourth largest industrial market and consistently the highest-demand, lowest supply market in the nation. The Company's highly differentiated strategy enables internal and external growth opportunities through its proprietary value creation and asset management capabilities. Rexford Industrial's high-quality, irreplaceable portfolio comprises 312 properties with approximately 38.2 million rentable square feet occupied by a stable and diverse tenant base. Structured as a real estate investment trust (REIT) listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker "REXR," Rexford Industrial is an S&P MidCap 400 Index member. For more information, please visit www.rexfordindustrial.com.
This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, which are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially. Forward-looking statements relate to expectations, beliefs, projections, future plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," or "potential" or the negative of these words and phrases or similar words or phrases which are predictions of or indicate future events or trends and which do not relate solely to historical matters. While forward-looking statements reflect the Company's good faith beliefs, assumptions and expectations, they are not guarantees of future performance. For a further discussion of these and other factors that could cause the Company's future results to differ materially from any forward-looking statements, see the reports and other filings by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, and the Company's most recent Form 10-Q. The Company disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect changes in underlying assumptions or factors, of new information, data or methods, future events or other changes.
Contact:
Investor Relations:
Stephen Swett
424 256 2153 ext. 401
investorrelations@rexfordindustrial.com
View original content:
SOURCE Rexford Industrial Realty, Inc. | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/27/rexford-industrial-releases-annual-environmental-social-governance-report/ | 2022-04-28T02:00:05Z | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/04/27/rexford-industrial-releases-annual-environmental-social-governance-report/ | false |
S. Korea to divert gas supplies to Europe over Ukraine crisis
SEOUL, April 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea plans to send part of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies to Europe to help ease an energy crisis over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, officials said Thursday.
Concerns have grown over natural gas supply disruptions in Europe amid the ongoing crisis surrounding Ukraine, as Russia is the biggest provider of gas to Europe.
On Wednesday, Russia's state-owned gas producer Gazprom said it had cut off natural gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria after the nations refused to pay for shipments in rubles.
South Korea has decided to divert some of its LNG gas cargo to Europe, as Seoul has "some room" for such support in spring time, an industry ministry official said.
He refused to give details about when and how much South Korea will offer, but the envisioned shipment would be sent to Europe before summer though the volume would "not be that much" as Seoul usually manages the gas supplies tightly.
The decision appears to have been made upon a request from the United States or European nations, another official said.
In February, Washington asked for South Korea's gas support for Europe, but the Seoul government turned down the request at that time, according to media reports.
The import price of natural gas for South Korea stood at US$1,013.35 per ton as of end-March, up 20.08 percent from the previous month. The comparable figure for March 2021 was $438.42, according to government data.
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END) | https://m-en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20220428003900320 | 2022-04-28T02:00:19Z | https://m-en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20220428003900320 | true |
Man indicted in deadly Harrison Twp. shooting
Apr. 27—A 27-year-old man was indicted in a 2020 shooting in Harrison Twp. that killed another man.
Allante Holland is facing three counts of murder, two counts of felonious assault and one count each of improperly discharging a firearm at or into a habitation, discharge of a firearm on or near prohibited premises and having weapons under disability in the death of 21-year-old Trevone Turner, according to Montgomery County Common Pleas Court records.
Holland is scheduled to be arraigned on May 12. He is currently in custody at the McDowell Federal Correctional Institution in West Virginia on unrelated charges.
Montgomery County sheriff's deputies responded to the 200 block of Fer Don Road in Harrison Twp. early on July 17, 2020, after receiving multiple reports of gunfire in the area.
One 911 caller said a group of people were shooting at his house and a person was laying in the road, according to dispatch records.
Crews found Turner shot in the back of the head and transported him to the hospital, where he died a few days later, according to the Montgomery County Prosecutor's Office.
Holland and the victim were part of a group of people that fired multiple shots at Fer Don Road residence, the prosecutor's office said.
Multiple houses and vehicles were shot and investigators found more than 20 shell casings in the area, according to the sheriff's office. No other injuries were reported. | https://news.yahoo.com/man-indicted-deadly-harrison-twp-011300597.html | 2022-04-28T02:00:58Z | https://news.yahoo.com/man-indicted-deadly-harrison-twp-011300597.html | false |
Luquinhas scores as Red Bulls defeat Orlando City 3-0
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Luquinhas scored and Carlos Miguel stopped one shot to lead the New York Red Bulls to a 3-0 win Sunday over Orlando City. Luquinhas put...
www.ourmidland.comORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Luquinhas scored and Carlos Miguel stopped one shot to lead the New York Red Bulls to a 3-0 win Sunday over Orlando City. Luquinhas put...
www.ourmidland.com | https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2582233199113/luquinhas-scores-as-red-bulls-defeat-orlando-city-3-0 | 2022-04-28T02:02:07Z | https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2582233199113/luquinhas-scores-as-red-bulls-defeat-orlando-city-3-0 | false |
WFO AMARILLO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, April 27, 2022
_____
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Amarillo TX
836 PM CDT Wed Apr 27 2022
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT
FOR NORTHEASTERN OLDHAM...NORTHWESTERN POTTER...SOUTHWESTERN MOORE
AND SOUTHEASTERN HARTLEY COUNTIES...
At 835 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 6 miles southwest of
Masterson, or 19 miles south of Dumas, moving east at 20 mph.
HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and half dollar size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Minor damage to roofs, siding, and trees is possible. Hail
damage to vehicles is expected.
Locations impacted include...
Four Way and Masterson.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.middletownpress.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-AMARILLO-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17132235.php | 2022-04-28T02:04:31Z | https://www.middletownpress.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-AMARILLO-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17132235.php | true |
WFO AMARILLO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, April 27, 2022
_____
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
The National Weather Service in Amarillo has issued a
* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
Northeastern Oldham County in the Panhandle of Texas...
Northwestern Potter County in the Panhandle of Texas...
Southwestern Moore County in the Panhandle of Texas...
Southeastern Hartley County in the Panhandle of Texas...
* Until 900 PM CDT.
* At 812 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 6 miles northeast
of Boys Ranch, or 22 miles southwest of Dumas, moving east at 20
mph.
HAZARD...Ping pong ball size hail and 60 mph wind gusts.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Minor damage to roofs, siding, and trees is possible.
People and animals outdoors will be injured. Expect hail
damage to roofs, siding, windows, and vehicles.
* Locations impacted include...
Boys Ranch, Masterson, Four Way and Valley De Oro.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 830 PM CDT
FOR NORTHEASTERN OLDHAM...SOUTHWESTERN MOORE AND SOUTHEASTERN HARTLEY
COUNTIES...
At 815 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Four Way, or 9
miles south of Dumas, moving east at 30 mph.
HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and half dollar size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Minor damage to roofs, siding, and trees is possible. Hail
damage to vehicles is expected.
Locations impacted include...
Dumas, Channing and Four Way.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.registercitizen.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-AMARILLO-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17132193.php | 2022-04-28T02:07:35Z | https://www.registercitizen.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-AMARILLO-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17132193.php | false |
Historic SpaceX mission launches
SpaceX launched four astronauts to the International Space Station for NASA Wednesday, including Jessica Watkins, the first Black woman making a long-term spaceflight.
Examined
Examined
How we can build a clean and renewable future
Apr 19The fight for Kyiv
Mar 11Examining extremism in the military
Apr 27Gun violence: An American epidemic?
Oct 25Border crisis: What’s happening at the US-Mexico border?
Jun 18Remembering George Floyd: A year of protest
May 25The source of COVID-19: What we know
Apr 07How did the GameStop stock spike on Wall Street happen?
Feb 12Why are people hesitant to trust a COVID-19 vaccine?
Dec 10How climate change and forest management make wildfires harder to contain
Sep 29Disparity in police response: Black Lives Matter protests and Capitol riot
Feb 232020 in review: A year unlike any other
Dec 22Examined: How Putin keeps power
Mar 12Why don’t the Electoral College and popular vote always match up?
Oct 29US crosses 250,000 coronavirus deaths
Nov 182nd Impeachment Trial: What this could mean for Trump
Feb 08Presidential transition of power: Examined
Dec 01How Donald Trump spent his last days as president
Jan 18How Joe Biden's inauguration will be different from previous years
Jan 15Belarus’ ongoing protests: Examined
Dec 04Trump challenges the vote and takes legal action
Nov 052020’s DNC and RNC are different than any before
Aug 17What is happening with the USPS?
Aug 20Voting in 2020 during COVID-19
Oct 13Disinformation in 2020
Oct 30
ABC News Specials on
Superstar: Patrick Swayze
The Kardashians -- An ABC News Special
24 Months That Changed the World
Have You Seen This Man?
Two Men at War
Putin's War: The Battle to Save Ukraine
Screen Queens Rising
X / o n e r a t e d - The Murder of Malcolm X and 55 Years to Justice
Homegrown: Standoff to Rebellion
Alec Baldwin: Unscripted
The Housewife and the Shah Shocker
City of Angels | City of Death
3212 UN-REDACTED
The Informant: Fear and Faith in the Heartland
Out of the Shadows: The Man Behind the Steele Dossier
Wild Crime
Final Hours, America’s Longest War
Superstar
The Housewife and the Hustler
Tulsa's Buried Truth | https://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/historic-spacex-mission-launches-84356522 | 2022-04-28T02:10:10Z | https://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/historic-spacex-mission-launches-84356522 | false |
WFO AMARILLO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, April 27, 2022
_____
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
The National Weather Service in Amarillo has issued a
* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
Northeastern Oldham County in the Panhandle of Texas...
Western Moore County in the Panhandle of Texas...
Southeastern Hartley County in the Panhandle of Texas...
* Until 830 PM CDT.
* At 738 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 4 miles north of
Channing, or 23 miles west of Dumas, moving northeast at 30 mph.
HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and half dollar size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Minor damage to roofs, siding, and trees is possible.
Hail damage to vehicles is expected.
* Locations impacted include...
Dumas, Hartley, Channing and Four Way.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.michigansthumb.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-AMARILLO-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17132134.php | 2022-04-28T02:12:06Z | https://www.michigansthumb.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-AMARILLO-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17132134.php | false |
Minot’s Roosevelt Park Zoo will be revealing the gender and names of their month-old tiger cubs on Thursday!
The zoo will also hold live events leading up to the announcement.
Staff says the cubs have been busy enjoying all the recent winter weather, staying active and keeping mom busy.
“She’s a great mom. As a first-time mom, you always worry, but instincts kicked in and she has done everything better than we could have asked,” said Zoo Director Jeff Bullock.
And if you can’t make it out to the event, the zoo will be live on Facebook for the announcement. | https://www.kxnet.com/news/top-stories/tiger-cubs-genders-names-to-be-revealed-thursday/ | 2022-04-28T02:19:13Z | https://www.kxnet.com/news/top-stories/tiger-cubs-genders-names-to-be-revealed-thursday/ | true |
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A former top-ranking State Department official is set to plead guilty for improperly helping a wealthy Gulf country try to influence U.S. policy and not disclosing on a government ethics form gifts he received from a disgraced political fundraiser.
Court records filed earlier this month say that Richard G. Olson, who was the State Department’s special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan at the end of the Obama administration, provided “aid and advice” to Qatar on lobbying activities in violation of a “revolving door” prohibition against such behavior for one year after leaving public service.
Olson, who also served as U.S. ambassador to Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, indicated in a signed filing earlier this month he intends to plead guilty. It’s unclear if he’s cooperating in other investigations.
The case represents one of the more high-profile efforts by the Justice Department in recent years to crack down on unreported or illegal influence campaigns funded by foreign governments aimed at altering U.S. policy.
Federal prosecutors also said that while at the State Department, Olson failed to disclose certain financial benefits he received from a California businessman named Imaad Zuberi. Once a major political donor, Zuberi is now serving a 12 year prison sentence for funneling illegal campaign contributions to politicos in both major parties and then peddling the resulting influence to foreign governments. The new court records do not use Zuberi’s name, but The Associated Press was able to identify him based on court filings in other cases, letters a Zuberi representative has sent to Congress, and interviews with Zuberi associates.
Neither the Justice Department or Olson’s attorney immediately returned requests for comment.
Shortly after Olson left the State Department, several Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, launched a blockade against Qatar that sparked a massive spending spree in Washington on lobbying and other efforts to influence U.S. policy.
Olson, Zuberi and retired Marine four-star Gen. John Allen traveled to Doha early in the diplomatic crisis to meet with top Qatari officials and discuss ways of resolving the issue, according to court records and a statement Allen’s spokesman provided to the AP last year.
Federal prosecutors write in Olson’s newly filed court records that shortly after the June 2017 trip, Olson, Zuberi, a Qatari official and Allen, who is only identified as “Person 3,” met with several Congressmen “for the purpose of convincing the U.S. lawmakers to support Qatar rather than its regional rivals in the Gulf Diplomatic Crisis.”
Emails that Zuberi’s representative submitted in a letter to Congress also show that Zuberi pushed for Olson and Allen to accompany Qatari officials to a White House meeting with then-National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster.
“We should shift this conversation to WhatsApp,” Allen replied. “I’ll let Rick speak for himself regarding his legal restrictions in dealing with the (U.S. Government).”
Allen, who is now president of the influential Brookings Institute think tank, told the AP last year that White House officials were aware of and supported his efforts to revolve the crisis as a private citizen.
“General Allen has never acted as an agent of the Qatari government,” his spokesman, Beau Phillips, said in a statement last year.
The newly filed court documents also show that Olson worked with Zuberi to win U.S. government approval for a preclearance facility at the Doha airport, which would allow U.S.-bound passengers to clear customs before they left Qatar.
Such approval would expand the number of U.S. cities the Doha airport could serve and give it an advantage over competitors in the Gulf, prosecutors said. As ambassador, Olson had worked to establish a preclearance facility at the Abu Dhabi International Airport in the UAE.
Zuberi became notorious for courting lawmakers and diplomats like Olson. In 2015, prosecutors said, Zuberi paid for Olson’s trip from New Mexico to London, where the then-ambassador met with Esam Janahi, a Bahraini businessman who offered Olson a one-year contract worth $300,000 a year. Janahi was not named in Olson’s court records, but the AP identified him through separate court filings and other records.
Zuberi detailed that aspect of his relationship with Olson last year in letters to members of Congress, in which a former federal law enforcement officer hired by Zuberi cited a host of irregularities in the fundraiser’s prosecution and described his lengthy prison sentence as a “miscarriage of justice.”
___
Mustian reported from New York. | https://www.koin.com/news/politics/former-top-state-official-to-plead-guilty-for-helping-qatar/ | 2022-04-28T02:20:11Z | https://www.koin.com/news/politics/former-top-state-official-to-plead-guilty-for-helping-qatar/ | true |
WFO AMARILLO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, April 27, 2022
_____
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Amarillo TX
836 PM CDT Wed Apr 27 2022
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT
FOR NORTHEASTERN OLDHAM...NORTHWESTERN POTTER...SOUTHWESTERN MOORE
AND SOUTHEASTERN HARTLEY COUNTIES...
At 835 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 6 miles southwest of
Masterson, or 19 miles south of Dumas, moving east at 20 mph.
HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and half dollar size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Minor damage to roofs, siding, and trees is possible. Hail
damage to vehicles is expected.
Locations impacted include...
Four Way and Masterson.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.sfchronicle.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-AMARILLO-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17132235.php | 2022-04-28T02:21:19Z | https://www.sfchronicle.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-AMARILLO-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17132235.php | false |
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