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ConflictsUkraineWhat endgame does NATO want in Ukraine?To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 videoConflictsUkraineWilliam Noah Glucroft2 hours ago2 hours agoUkraine's NATO partners are promising endless support to fight Russia yet also want to avoid an endless war. Their public messaging reflects this dilemma.https://p.dw.com/p/4OlXXAdvertisement | https://www.dw.com/en/what-endgame-does-nato-want-in-ukraine/video-65007963 | 2023-03-16 13:46:36 | 1 | https://www.dw.com/en/what-endgame-does-nato-want-in-ukraine/video-65007963 |
Updated January 3, 2023 at 12:44 PM ET
Players, coaches and football fans are anxiously awaiting updates about Damar Hamlin, the Buffalo Bills player who suffered a cardiac arrest during Monday night's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Hamlin's heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he was sedated and in critical condition as of early Tuesday morning.
In a statement released midday Tuesday, Hamlin's family thanked first responders, medical professionals, both football teams and fans around their country for their support, prayers and donations.
"Please keep Damar in your prayers," they said. "We will release updates as soon as we have them."
The 24-year-old's collapse — which happened in the first quarter, after he collided with a Bengals player — brought a rare early halt to the game and left onlookers both on and off the field distraught.
Players, teams and athletes from football and other sports have flooded social media with tributes and prayers. Among them is his alma mater, the University of Pittsburgh, where he spent five years playing for his hometown before joining the NFL in 2021.
"Damar Hamlin is the best of us," the Pitt football account tweeted.
Charting his path from Pittsburgh
Hamlin grew up playing both football and basketball in McKees Rocks, a borough in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area in Western Pennsylvania.
He made a name for himself in high school, leading his team to a 15-1 record, a WPIAL Class AAAA championship and PIAA state title in his senior year. Recruitment sites Rivals and 247Sports named Hamlin the top-rated defensive player in Pennsylvania and several Division 1 football schools pursued him.
But staying close to home was an easy decision, as Hamlin told the Point Park Globe in 2021.
"I was just so Pittsburgh. Everything was Pittsburgh for me," he said. "I wanted to give my city bragging rights, bring my city something and just give the city another reason to smile."
Hamlin's junior season was his first full season of college football because of injuries, but he would go on to start in 36 of his final 38 games, the Athletic reports. In his final season, he was named a captain by his teammates and earned a spot on both the All-ACC second team and the Reese's Senior Bowl all-star game.
He declared for the NFL draft in 2021 and was selected by the Bills in the sixth round.
Emerging as a team leader
Hamlin played sparingly as a rookie in his first pro season, but took over as a starting safety in September after his teammate Micah Hyde suffered a neck injury.
He has played in all 15 games so far, tallying 91 tackles (tied for second-most on the Bills), six tackles for loss, two pass breakups and 1.5 sacks this season.
Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazer recently praised Hamlin's development over the course of this season, ESPN reports, "including noting in the past couple of weeks that he has stepped up more as a vocal leader and improved as a tackler, with a lot thrown on his plate quickly after he had to step in for Hyde."
Hyde wasn't the only Bills player injured in that particular game. Dane Jackson — Hamlin's childhood friend and college teammate at Pitt — was taken off the field in an ambulance after suffering a neck injury. He returned to the field after missing one game.
Hamlin spoke about Jackson's injury — and the opportunity to play football, especially alongside a close friend — in an appearance on One Bills Live earlier this season, in a video clip that has since resurfaced on social media.
"I can't even describe it, but I cherish it every second that I can," Hamlin said. "Every second of every day. We just had our prayer, our DB prayer we do every Wednesday. He was next to me and I just grabbed his hand a little bit harder just because you know you never know when your last day could be that you get to experience something like this. I'm cherishing every moment that I can."
Keeping his community close
Hamlin is close to his family, by his own account and those of journalists who have covered him in the past.
In a clip of an interview shared by FOX Sports reporter Henry McKenna, Hamlin says he's "big on my family unit."
"My mom, my dad, my little brother, like that's pretty much my whole world, outside of any other thing going on; my life revolves around them," he said. "I don't really do too much without my mom and dad's opinion. Whether I take it or whether I don't ... sometimes I just want to hear it."
Years earlier, Hamlin told the Globe that he wanted to stay in Pittsburgh for college in part to be a role model for his brother, who was 2 years old at the time, and cited his parents as his personal role models.
In an interview with The Buffalo News just before the Bills played the Pittsburgh Steelers in October, Hamlin said he was expecting good turnout from family and friends — with the exception of his dad, who coaches his little brother's team and stayed behind for playoffs.
Buffalo News reporter Katherine Fitzgerald tweeted excerpts of the story on Tuesday.
Wanted to share a few things on Damar Hamlin from covering him to tell y’all more about him.
— katherine fitzgerald (@kfitz134) January 3, 2023
We talked for awhile before Bills played Steelers in October, as he’s from Pittsburgh. He’s so close to his family, so I asked who all was coming to Buffalo for it. Wasn’t expecting this: pic.twitter.com/1rE2cuyqdl
Pittsburgh sports journalist Amanda Godsey tweeted Monday night that her mind went straight to Hamlin's family after seeing him collapse, recalling that he seemed close to his parents and had his brother on his lap during a media session several years ago.
When I saw Damar Hamlin collapse, my first thought was of his family. Seemed to be very close to his parents, and I found this photo from 2019 when his little brother sat on his lap during a postgame media session.
— Amanda Godsey (@AmandaFGodsey) January 3, 2023
Praying for Damar and his family. pic.twitter.com/vZznGC6UKT
Several sports-related social media accounts shared a clip of the athlete embracing family members on the sidelines before Monday's game.
Let's take a break and watch a clip of
— Coaches Tribune (@coachestribune) January 3, 2023
Damar Hamlin giving his family some ❤️❤️❤️ prior to tonight’s game.
This is what needs to be seen right now.
🙏
pic.twitter.com/hsFYTQljB4
After his injury, fans showed their support for Hamlin by contributing millions of dollars to an online fundraiser that Hamlin started back in 2020 — before he went pro — aimed at buying toys for kids affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in his hometown. As of midday Tuesday it had raised more than $3.8 million, far surpassing its original goal of $2,500.
Hamlin wrote on the page that this fundraiser would be the first program of the Chasing M's Foundation, which he created to give back to his community (Hamlin is also the founder and CEO of Chasing M's, a clothing brand he developed while in college).
"As I embark on my journey to the NFL, I will never forget where I come from and I am committed to using my platform to positively impact the community that raised me," he said.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.knau.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-01-03/who-is-damar-hamlin-the-buffalo-bills-safety-keeps-pittsburgh-and-his-family-close | 2023-01-03 17:55:26 | 1 | https://www.knau.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-01-03/who-is-damar-hamlin-the-buffalo-bills-safety-keeps-pittsburgh-and-his-family-close |
Longtime "Wheel of Fortune" host Pat Sajak had a "depressing" moment with a contestant.
Jennifer, 76, who lives in Texas but was born in England, failed to solve the puzzle during Wednesday’s episode.
Not only did the game show player lose out during the bonus round, but her answer to the tricky puzzle was as disheartening as her loss.
'WHEEL OF FORTUNE' CONTESTANT BLASTED BY OUTRAGED FANS AFTER LOSING MILLION-DOLLAR PRIZE
The "Wheel of Fortune" puzzle spelled out "NOTH_N_ _ _ _ E S _O_" with the category Phrase.
"You have 10 seconds to try to talk it out, good luck," Sajak said.
"Nothing loves you," Jennifer answered.
An immediate laughter from the audience was heard after the player’s answer.
‘WHEEL OF FORTUNE’ CONTESTANT BLASTS PAT SAJAK FOR PUZZLE MISHAP
"Nothing… else… you… nothing," she attempted to guess again.
"That was a depressing solve," Sajak noted.
The puzzle was then revealed to be "Nothing fazes you."
After Jennifer failed to solve the puzzle correctly, Sajak revealed she lost out on her grand prize of a brand-new Lincoln car.
"Well, I’m sorry," Sajak sympathized.
The "Wheel of Fortune" social media account shared the viral moment with the caption that read, "We PROMISE that isn’t the puzzle," with a laughing emoji.
Fans were quick to comment on the puzzle mishap.
One fan agreed with Sajak and penned, "That was hilariously depressing."
Others laughed at Jennifer’s mistake, "Hahaha!! When she said ‘nothing loves you’ I’m laughing… seriously?" with a laughing-crying emoji and rolling eyes emoji.
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"Nothing loves you, she’s hilarious," another fan wrote.
Several other "Wheel of Fortune" fans sided with Jennifer.
"Not even fair!" one comment read.
"Tough letters, but definitely a fun saying."
Viewers were quick to notice her British accent and pointed out that she was a "very sweet" player.
Jennifer hasn't been the only contestant lately to take a risk during the beloved game show.
Last week, a player named Bradley snuck in a special message before solving the puzzle.
With just 10 seconds on the clock, the "Wheel of Fortune" contestant decided to give a special shoutout to his loved ones before solving the phrase.
"Sino, Kalani, Shiloh, Daddy loves you… Happy to hear that," Bradley proudly shouted, while solving the puzzle correctly.
Bradley didn’t appear to mind that he was racing against the clock, and he still won a brand-new car as his bonus round prize.
The contestant was ecstatic as he was seen enthusiastically clapping and running to his shiny new prize, a red Chevy SUV. | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/national/wheel-of-fortune-host-pat-sajak-calls-out-contestant-for-depressing-bonus-round-guess/article_246c37b7-61fd-5167-b779-e10203a6f14a.html | 2023-03-15 21:56:17 | 0 | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/national/wheel-of-fortune-host-pat-sajak-calls-out-contestant-for-depressing-bonus-round-guess/article_246c37b7-61fd-5167-b779-e10203a6f14a.html |
ROME (AP) —
Ukraine’s small-scale farmers, who are playing a critical role in feeding the population during the war, will be eligible for funding through the U.N.'s International Fund for Agricultural Development following Ukraine’s induction Wednesday into body, officials said.
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Small farmers in Ukraine “play a fundamental role in feeding the country” during the war, producing up to 80% of dairy, fruits and vegetables consumed by the population, IFAD said in a statement.
Farmers in the western provinces, where many people have fled to escape fighting in the east, “will require support to meet the increased demand for food,’’ the organization said.
The farms are also an important source of income for an estimated 13 million Ukrainians living in rural areas, as poverty and malnutrition are becoming more widespread, IFAD said. According to a recent report by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, many people living in rural areas are on the brink of poverty, with 44% living below subsistence levels and 7% suffering malnutrition.
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Membership in IFAD will give farmers access to both grants and loans, as well as supplementary funds, officials said. IFAD has provided more than $24 billion to fund projects in developing countries since 1978.
Ukraine’s membership in IFAD — in discussion since 2016 — also recognizes Ukraine’s role as a major global producer and exporter of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, as the ripple effects of the war shake the global supply chain.
“Despite the war, Ukraine is still committed to contributing to global food security, to defuse the food crisis and save millions of people from hunger," Yaroslav Melnyk, Ukraine’s ambassador to Italy, said after membership was conferred.
“However, this requires international assistance and investment, in particular ... support to increase exports and to perform the sowing and harvesting campaigns," he said. | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/world/article/ukraine-admitted-into-un-fund-that-supports-small-17785675.php | 2023-02-15 15:50:08 | 0 | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/world/article/ukraine-admitted-into-un-fund-that-supports-small-17785675.php |
A spate of drone strikes that Russian authorities blamed on Ukraine targeted areas in southern and western Russia, reflecting the Ukrainian military’s growing reach.
While the attacks apparently did not inflict any significant damage, their number and scope posed a new challenge to Russia as the war dragged into a second year. One assault came as close as 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Moscow.
Some observers said the strikes could be a rehearsal for a broader Ukrainian attack on facilities deep inside Russia.
Here is a look at drone attacks on Russia, their results and implications.
HAS UKRAINE LAUNCHED DRONE ATTACKS BEFORE?
Russian authorities have long accused Ukraine of launching regular drone attacks on power plants, oil refineries and other targets in western regions of Russia near the border.
Russian authorities also have reported repeated Ukrainian drone attacks on Crimea, most of which targeted the port of Sevastopol that hosts the main Russian naval base on the Black Sea peninsula that Moscow illegally annexed in 2014.
In December, the Russian military reported several Ukrainian drone attacks on long-range bomber bases deep inside Russia. The Russian Defense Ministry said the drones were shot down, but it acknowledged that their debris damaged some aircraft and killed several servicemen.
After each of those strikes, Ukrainian officials stopped short of openly claiming responsibility but emphasized the country’s right to strike any target in response to the Russian aggression.
In some cases, Ukrainian authorities took responsibility for the attacks deep behind the front line. That’s what happened when Ukraine’s top military officer took credit for ordering the August strikes on air bases in Crimea weeks after they occurred.
WHAT AREAS DID THE LATEST DRONE ATTACKS TARGET?
Late Monday, four small drones targeted the city of Belgorod, including one that reportedly flew into an apartment window.
Another drone was downed early Tuesday over the neighboring Bryansk region in western Russia, according to local officials.
On Tuesday, a drone also hit an oil refinery in the southern port of Tuapse in Russia’s Krasnodar region, damaging some equipment but missing oil reservoirs. Some Russian reports identified the aerial vehicle as an Israeli-made Aerostar drone.
Another drone, reportedly a massive Soviet-built jet-powered Tu-141 Strizh, fell into a field in the neighboring region of Adygea, damaging a farm building.
Finally, a drone crashed on the edge of a forest close to a gas compressor station near the village of Gubastovo, less than 100 kilometers (60 miles) southeast of Moscow. While it inflicted no damage, the drone appeared to target a major natural gas pumping facility and marked the closest strike yet to the Russian capital.
Russian reports identified the drone that fell near Gubastovo as a UJ-22, a small Ukrainian-made reconnaissance drone that also can carry about 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of explosives and has a range of autonomous flight of up to 800 kilometers (about 500 miles).
Ukrainian officials have not claimed responsibility for any of the attacks.
On Tuesday, Russian authorities also briefly closed the airspace over St. Petersburg, the country’s second-largest city. Some reports alleged that an unidentified drone was spotted in the area, while the Defense Ministry said the skies around the city were closed as part of air defense drills.
On Sunday, Belarusian opposition activists claimed a military air base outside Belarusia’s capital that hosts Russian warplanes came under attack by Belarusian guerrillas supporting Ukraine. They said the assault left a Russian A-50 early warning and control aircraft seriously damaged, although Tuesday’s satellite images showed no visible signs of damage to the aircraft. Some activists claimed the attack involved drones, while Belarusian and Russian officials made no comment.
Russia used the territory of its ally Belarus to invade Ukraine a year ago and maintained a contingent of troops, warplanes and other weapons on Belarusian territory.
WHAT DID RUSSIAN OFFICIALS SAY?
The Russian Defense Ministry said its anti-drone jamming systems helped fend off Tuesday’s attack in Tuapse, causing the drone to veer off its course and miss its intended target, and made another Ukrainian drone crash into a field in Adygea.
Andrei Vorobyov, the governor of the Moscow region who reported the drone attack near Moscow, said it apparently targeted civilian infrastructure but inflicted no damage.
In Belgorod, local officials reported minor damage from drone strikes and said that residents of an apartment hit by drone were evacuated.
Without directly referring to the latest drone attacks, Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded that authorities tighten protection of the border with Ukraine to prevent any incursions or attacks.
WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL IMPLICATIONS?
Tuesday’s attacks again signaled Russia’s vulnerabilities and apparent breaches in the country’s air defenses.
Some Russian commentators described the drone strikes as part of Ukrainian efforts to fuel tensions in Russia and rally the Ukrainian public amid a grinding battle for control of the country’s eastern industrial heartland known as the Donbas, where Russian forces are besieging the Ukrainian stronghold of Bakhmut.
But some Russian war bloggers warned that Tuesday’s strikes could be part of Ukrainian efforts to probe Russia’s defenses and detect its vulnerabilities ahead of a more massive drone attack that could be launched to support Ukraine’s future counteroffensive.
In an apparent reflection of official concerns about the increasing threat of Ukrainian drone attacks, the Russian military recently has deployed air defense systems in several locations around Moscow, including the rooftop of the main Defense Ministry building facing the Gorky Park. | https://www.qcnews.com/news/world-news/ap-drone-attacks-on-russia-underline-its-vulnerability/ | 2023-03-01 12:53:10 | 0 | https://www.qcnews.com/news/world-news/ap-drone-attacks-on-russia-underline-its-vulnerability/ |
MONROE, La. (AP) — For six decades, the City of Monroe has hosted the Miss Louisiana Pageant and that streak continues this week as those vying for the 2023 title look to replace the reigning titleholder, Gracie Reichman of Colfax.
Miss Louisiana Organization Executive Director Dewana Little introduced this year's 27 contestants during a news conference Monday at the Jack Howard Theatre in the Monroe Civic Center where the pageant will be held at 8 p.m. Saturday. Preliminary competitions will be on Thursday and Friday.
“We’re very excited. It’s going to be a great week," Little said. "We’re blessed to be here with our families. Everyone has their health and looks forward to a great week of fun and crowning of the new Miss Louisiana.”
Reichman, a kinesiology major at Louisiana Tech University, said the next few days are packed with excitement.
“Twenty-seven beautiful, accomplished young women from across our state are here to share their hearts, their passions, with each and everyone who attends this competition,” she said. "I’m so excited to be a part of it... we’ve only spent less than 24 hours together, but I know whoever I crown Miss Louisiana will be in great hands. I’m so proud of you all.”
The Miss Louisiana competition was first held in New Orleans in 1922 before moving to Lake Providence in 1959, The News-Star reported. The competition has been held in Monroe since 1963, and the organization plans on commemorating the milestone with a 60th Anniversary Gala Celebration at the end of Saturday's pageant. In addition, former Miss Louisiana titleholders are scheduled to appear during pageant festivities, the newspaper said. | https://www.mrt.com/news/article/miss-louisiana-pageant-kicks-off-in-monroe-18150157.php | 2023-06-13 17:20:37 | 0 | https://www.mrt.com/news/article/miss-louisiana-pageant-kicks-off-in-monroe-18150157.php |
ROCKVILLE, Md., Jan. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- REGENXBIO Inc. (Nasdaq: RGNX) today announced that it will present at the 41st Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, January 10, 2023.
41st Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference
Date: Tuesday, January 10, 2023
Fireside chat: 11:15 a.m. PT
Location: Westin St. Francis, San Francisco, CA
A live webcast of the fireside chat can be accessed in the Investors section of REGENXBIO's website at www.regenxbio.com. An archived replay of the webcast will be available in the Investors section of REGENXBIO's website for approximately 30 days following the presentation.
About REGENXBIO Inc.
REGENXBIO is a leading clinical-stage biotechnology company seeking to improve lives through the curative potential of gene therapy. REGENXBIO's NAV Technology Platform, a proprietary adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene delivery platform, consists of exclusive rights to more than 100 novel AAV vectors, including AAV7, AAV8, AAV9 and AAVrh10. REGENXBIO and its third-party NAV Technology Platform Licensees are applying the NAV Technology Platform in the development of a broad pipeline of candidates, including late-stage and commercial programs, in multiple therapeutic areas. REGENXBIO is committed to a "5x'25" strategy to progress five AAV Therapeutics from our internal pipeline and licensed programs into pivotal-stage or commercial products by 2025.
Contacts:
Dana Cormack
Corporate Communications
dcormack@regenxbio.com
Investors:
Chris Brinzey, ICR Westwicke
339-970-2843
chris.brinzey@westwicke.com
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE REGENXBIO Inc. | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2023/01/03/regenxbio-announces-presentation-41st-annual-jp-morgan-healthcare-conference/ | 2023-01-03 13:36:00 | 0 | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2023/01/03/regenxbio-announces-presentation-41st-annual-jp-morgan-healthcare-conference/ |
Since August 2021, San Francisco Unified’s Marina Middle School has lost almost a third of its staff, seen the departure of its longtime principal, and descended into what some educators familiar with the 670-student institution in one of The City’s wealthiest neighborhoods describe as barely controlled chaos.
Teachers, counselors and security staff who have left or are still working at at the Fillmore Street school report that recent incidents include students recording videos of themselves as they beat another student, three female students assaulting a special-education student, and a student bringing an air gun to school — all without documented suspensions at the time of those incidents.
Meanwhile, teachers and counselors report there are five to 15 students in the hallway much of the time while classes are in session. The students scream at teachers, throw food at each other and intimidate other students, some of whom are afraid to go to the bathroom.
“(Former) principal Ginny Daws told me herself that principals only keep their jobs if the reported number of suspensions are low,” said a longtime teacher who requested anonymity for fear of administrative retaliation. “That means students are kept in a school that is a serious threat to their safety. This erodes the climate.”
The security, behavioral and administrative problems at Marina Middle School are not unique to SFUSD or other California public schools. Mission Local reported a climate of chaos at Everett Middle School in April, where administrative negligence allegedly led to violence and loss of staff. The San Francisco Chronicle reported in February 2020 a “Lord of the Flies” environment at Aptos Middle School, where a small group of students “managed to wrest control of the school from the adults.”
Data about student behavior collected by the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences in May 2022 found in a survey of 850 school leaders nationwide that, compared to pre-COVID years, physical attacks or fights between students have increased 33%, classroom disruptions from student misconduct are up 56%, and student verbal abuse of teachers and other staff is up 48%. This follows similar data from the previous year.
Suspension as a last resort
What has not been widely reported is that some disciplinary problems could be an unintended consequence of California’s anti-suspension mandate, designed to protect the state’s most at-risk youth and stem the school-to-prison pipeline. Suspensions have been shown to do more harm than good. In an Aug. 19, 2021 letter to superintendents and charter school administrators, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond urged education leaders to “replace suspensions with support.”
“Sending a student home from school does not address the root cause of a student’s behavior; it removes students from the learning environment; and it has a disproportionate impact on African American students and students with disabilities, among other marginalized groups that are underperforming academically and overrepresented in our criminal justice system,” Thurmond said in the letter.
The letter followed a state bill that took effect July 1, 2020 prohibiting the suspension of middle school students for “disrupting school activities or otherwise willfully defying the valid authority of those school personnel engaged in the performance of their duties.” The bill is active through July 1, 2025.
San Francisco public schools follow — and in some respects have been ahead of — the state’s student discipline guidelines. Suspensions are designated as a last resort and permissible only if the school team has exhausted and documented all required interventions and supports for behavior.
The district’s adherence to state guidance makes sense, since it was among the first to practice restorative justice techniques — a criminal justice approach that focuses on the rehabilitation of offenders through reconciliation with victims and the community at large. SFUSD issued a restorative practices resolution in 2009, and in spring 2014 rolled out a district-wide training as part its board-approved Safe and Supportive Schools Resolution. This resolution also requires the district to collect and analyze discipline data and to report aggregate data to the school community on the district website.
Restorative justice without adequate training
But almost a decade later, some SFUSD insiders and U.S. public school researchers are arguing that restorative justice efforts to reduce suspensions have tied teachers’ and principals’ hands around discipline and consequences.
One of the problems at SFUSD and other districts is that it’s not always clear who is responsible for the behavior supports and interventions that make up restorative justice methods. Does it fall to principals, teachers, social workers, counselors, security guards?
Cassondra Curiel, president of United Educators of San Francisco, SFUSD’s teachers union, said her understanding is that restorative justice training has stopped since before the pandemic, “possibly because restorative justice trainers have been reassigned to teach in the classroom,” she said. But Curiel noted she can’t remember any wide-scale training since the method’s rollout.
When asked if restorative justice training has stopped, SFUSD spokesperson Dudnick replied training and materials are available online.
Harry Tupuola, who has over a decade of experience in San Francisco public schools and worked as a security guard at Marina Middle School from December 2017 to September 2022, said restorative justice can work “if you have a group of people really trying to help the kids. But you can’t just brush them off and not give them the services and help they need. Most of the population at Marina who need the help are African American, Latino and Middle Eastern kids.”
Tupuola resigned from Marina Middle School in September due to what he called “lack of administrative leadership.” He said, “administrators expected the security team and para-educators to run the school for them ... and to de-escalate the student incidents.”
Tupola said the administrators — specifically Principal Virginia Daws, who left Marina Middle School in early October for reasons unknown, and Assistant Principals Amanda Barnett and Katherine Brown, both hired in July 2021 — also asked him to watch the classroom in absence of a a substitute teacher “over 10 times,” the legality of which he questioned as he is not credentialed.
Perhaps more troubling, Tupuola said, was that the administrators failed to immediately call parents “as much as 20 times” when police arrived to deal with students fighting, possessing weapons or being suspected of criminal behavior off campus, which goes against SFUSD police interrogation regulations.
Former Principal Daws did return several requests for comment on these issues. Assistant Principals Amanda and Brown declined to be interviewed for this story. SFUSD spokesperson Dudnick wrote in an email, "Mr. Tupuola was not asked to serve as a substitute teacher at Marina Middle School."
Tupuola is among several current and former Marina Middle School staff who said the administrators have allowed about five to 20 students to walk around without attending class.
“They pretty much control the school and can do whatever they want,” he said. “They don’t want to expel the kids because it looks bad for the admins. They try to transfer them or get them in special ed — you know, brush them under the rug and just try to deal with them til the rest of the year when they graduate, so they (the administrators) don’t have blemishes on their school record.”
SFUSD’s Dudnick wrote in an email in response to this allegation: “There are myriad reasons why a student may be walking in the hallway during class. Hypothetically, a student may walk in the hallway during class to find their mentor or other supports.”
Marina Middle School is allocated three security guards, three counselors, a half-time nurse, a speech therapist and a social worker. Of these, the school currently has only two security guards and two counselors. On Dec. 8, one of the two remaining security guards was punched twice by a student, according to a staff member who must remain anonymous. The next day, both security guards staged a sickout to protest the school’s inadequate safety and security plan. This came weeks after longtime head counselor Kingsley Yee moved to another school and six days after Nancy Kohn Hsieh, the school’s social worker, resigned.
The lack of a school safety plan was raised by the teachers union in an Oct. 28 memo, which stated, “As of today, Marina Middle School lacks an updated, unique to Marina, comprehensive safety and disaster plan, in violation of Article 14 of the CBA, California Education Code Sections 32280-32289.5 and Article 1, section 28(c) of the California Constitution, which guarantees students the right to attend public schools that are ‘safe, secure, and peaceful.’”
Marina Middle School has shared behavior guidelines with its staff, with a list of dangerous behaviors that include: “mutual fight; brandishing/possession of a weapon (including pocket knives); and pushing, shoving, or hitting an adult.” But teachers and staff noted the behavior guidelines makes no reference to consequences or intervention protocols for these actions.
Accusations of undocumented suspensions
SFUSD’s process for suspending a student is lengthy and requires significant documentation shared between school and district administrators, to show all interventions have been exhausted. The suspension — and all actions that lead up to it — must be recorded on Synergy SIS (Student Information System) to which staff have access. When the student is set to return to school after a suspension, teachers and counselors are notified by email, so they can follow up on missed lessons and homework and generally help the student in a coordinated fashion.
But according to current and former Marina Middle School employees, suspensions between September 2021 and December 2022 have gone undocumented, which is forbidden per SFUSD’s own regulations. Current and former staff said they cannot go on record about these undocumented suspensions for fear they would be sued or never work in California public education again.
When asked how many students — not which students — had been suspended from Marina Middle School since August 2021, Dudnick, the SFUSD spokesperson, failed to give an aggregate number. Instead, she wrote The Examiner: “All incidents involving students are properly documented in SFUSD’s current student information system. Data related to a specific incident of suspension would include confidential student information, which district staff are legally not allowed to share.”
The Examiner’s filed an immediate disclosure California Privacy Rights Act/Sunshine Ordinance request for 2021-2022 suspension data from Marina Middle School on Friday, but SFUSD did not make the paper’s requested deadline of Tuesday and had not responded as of Wednesday afternoon. However, Assistant Principal Barnett did report to staff an in-school suspension on Monday, which one longtime teacher wrote “is one of the only emails I've ever received about a suspension even though my students have been suspended many times.” And on Tuesday, that same teacher reported administrators are going into student records and retroactively inserting suspension data.
During the week of Oct. 24, several staff were upset by the lack of disciplinary transparency around a student who brought a loaded BB gun (later identified as an air gun) to school and then went absent. One staff member emphasized to colleagues it was important for them and their support team members to be aware of these kinds of safety and disciplinary incidents to best support students. But not knowing whether a student was suspended, it was difficult to help them when they returned to the school or do anything preventative in terms of behavior.
Several teachers confirmed the October incident in question, which was also raised in a staff meeting. But when The Examiner asked the district about the incident and whether a suspension had occurred, spokesperson Dudnick responded: “There has not been an instance of a student bringing a BB gun to school.”
The district has also denied all other allegations in this story and claimed only 10 employees have left Marina Middle since August 2021; insiders report the number is actually 23.
“Many students in my class work hard and want to get an education,” said an anonymous teacher. “They want me to stop the kids who are constantly disrupting class, but I can’t. Troubled students need resources, and many of our human resources have left the building. We aren’t preventing those kids from going to prison; we’re just repeating the cycle of poverty and violence in a different way.” | https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/education/another-sf-middle-school-falls-into-disciplinary-chaos/article_468ccbce-9095-11ed-a69c-1b42852679ae.html | 2023-01-11 23:55:36 | 1 | https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/education/another-sf-middle-school-falls-into-disciplinary-chaos/article_468ccbce-9095-11ed-a69c-1b42852679ae.html |
Saturday Sports: July 1, 2023 By Miles Parks Published July 1, 2023 at 8:01 AM EDT Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email NPR's Miles Parks talks to Michele Steele of ESPN about the week in sports news. Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.wdiy.org/2023-07-01/saturday-sports-july-1-2023 | 2023-07-01 12:17:18 | 0 | https://www.wdiy.org/2023-07-01/saturday-sports-july-1-2023 |
NEW YORK, Aug. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Inotiv, Inc. ("Inotiv" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: NOTV). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980.
The investigation concerns whether Inotiv and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.
On May 20, 2022, Inotiv disclosed in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that "[o]n May 18, 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice ('DOJ'), together with federal and state law enforcement agents, executed a search and seizure warrant on" a Cumberland, Virginia facility of Inotiv's subsidiary Envigo RMS, LLC ("Envigo"). Inotiv further disclosed that "[o]n May 19, 2022, a complaint was filed against Envigo in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia. The complaint is a civil action by DOJ alleging violations of the Animal Welfare Act at the Cumberland, Virginia facility. The complaint seeks declaratory and injunctive relief and costs."
On this news, Inotiv's stock price fell $5.19 per share, or 28.31%, to close at $13.14 per share on May 23, 2022.
The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com
CONTACT:
Robert S. Willoughby
Pomerantz LLP
rswilloughby@pomlaw.com
888-476-6529 ext. 7980
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SOURCE Pomerantz LLP | https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2022/08/09/shareholder-alert-pomerantz-law-firm-investigates-claims-behalf-investors-inotiv-inc-notv/ | 2022-08-09 07:06:05 | 0 | https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2022/08/09/shareholder-alert-pomerantz-law-firm-investigates-claims-behalf-investors-inotiv-inc-notv/ |
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos are trading star-crossed pass rusher Bradley Chubb to Miami for a package that includes the Dolphins’ first-round draft pick next year.
The Broncos (3-5) also get running back Chase Edmonds and a 2024 fourth-rounder from the Dolphins (5-3), who are getting a 2025 fifth-rounder from Denver.
Chubb’s departure comes a year after the Broncos traded franchise sacks leader Von Miller, who helped the Rams win the Super Bowl in February before signing with the Buffalo Bills this offseason.
“Decisions like this are not easy,” GM George Paton said after a record-setting dozen players were dealt on NFL trade deadline day. “… but ultimately we always have to do what’s best for the team. And we don’t make this decision if we’re not confident in the players and the coaches on this team.”
Paton said the depth at edge rusher was strong enough for him to part with Chubb, and “the draft value was significant. We just believed it was too good to pass up at the end of the day. And it’s no secret we need picks. It’s going to help us continue to build our football team.”
The Broncos went 3-6 after Miller’s exit and Paton said he wanted fans and players alike to know this is no surrender.
“We believe in this football team,” Paton said. “We believe in our leadership. We believe in our depth.”
He also believes his lurching offense is going to come around.
Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler also were coveted by other teams, but Paton chose to keep his receiving group intact as the team tries to develop more chemistry on offense.
“We wanted to keep our young, talented receivers,” Paton said. “We started to get some rhythm in our last game versus Jacksonville and we just feel good about where we’re going. We’re trending in the right direction with Jeudy and Hamler and Courtland (Sutton) and we didn’t want to break that up.”
Paton worked out a secondary deal in acquiring fifth-year pass rusher Jacob Martin from the New York Jets in a trade that included an exchange of 2024 draft picks with the Broncos giving up a fourth-rounder and the Jets a fifth-rounder.
The first-round pick Paton obtained in the Chubb trade is the one that the Dolphins acquired from San Francisco that allowed the 49ers to move up and draft quarterback Trey Lance in 2021.
The Dolphins forfeited their own 2023 first-round selection and a third-round selection in the 2024 draft after an NFL investigation found that Miami violated the league’s anti-tampering policy regarding communication with Tom Brady.
Chubb was the fifth overall pick in the 2018 draft, a key part of Denver’s stellar defense and a locker room leader, although some Broncos fans still smart over John Elway’s bypassing of Wyoming QB Josh Allen, who went two picks later to Buffalo.
Chubb has 5½ sacks this season — although none in the past three weeks — and a pair of forced fumbles after coming off his first fully healthy offseason since his rookie year when he had a career-best 12 sacks playing alongside Miller.
With the Broncos (3-5) off to a bad start under the Nathaniel Hackett-Russell Wilson coupling, Paton found more value in what he could get for Chubb in next April’s draft than in the production he’d get from the former North Carolina State star over the next nine games.
Even if the Broncos’ record were flipped, Paton said, “we would have made the trade regardless. We just felt the value was too good. … Moving forward, we have other holes to fill on the offensive side of the ball.”
Paton had traded away his first- and second-round picks this year and next in the blockbuster deal that brought Wilson over from Seattle last spring.
By avoiding the megadeal on the horizon had he kept Chubb, Paton now has the financial flexibility to re-sign rising defensive line star Dre’Mont Jones to a big extension. “He is one of our core players,” Paton said. “We want him here a long time.”
Chubb said last week that the speculation he was a top trade target was “kind of cool,” in that “it lets you know that I’m playing good ball where other teams notice it as well.” But he added that he preferred to stay “in Denver long term. I’ve got my house. I got everything. I’m comfortable.”
Chubb is making nearly $14 million on his fifth-year option this season. But his career features almost as many missed games (25) as sacks (26).
He missed most of last season following surgeries on both ankles to remove bone spurs and didn’t have a single sack in seven games upon his return. He also missed most of 2019 with a torn ACL, but bounced back in 2020 with a Pro Bowl season.
Chubb’s departure comes at a time the Broncos are hurting in the pass rush department with Randy Gregory (knee) and Baron Browning (wrist) on IR. Paton said Gregory probably won’t be ready to return for Denver’s next game, at Tennessee on Nov. 13.
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AP Sports Writer Alanis Thames and AP Pro Football Writer Dennis Waszak Jr. contributed to this report.
___
More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://www.wjhl.com/sports/us-world-sports/ap-ap-source-broncos-trade-bradley-chubb-to-miami-dolphins/ | 2022-11-02 11:15:28 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/sports/us-world-sports/ap-ap-source-broncos-trade-bradley-chubb-to-miami-dolphins/ |
ORLANDO, Fla., May 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Coalition to Cure CHD2 (CCC) is pleased to announce its first-ever international research symposium and family conference to be held on June 2nd – 4th at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
CCC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and advancing research in CHD2-related disorders, a rare genetic condition that can severely affect the quality of life of those living with it. Certain changes in the CHD2 gene often result in refractory epilepsy, intellectual and developmental delays, and autism. To date, no treatments exist for CHD2-related disorders, but CCC is leading the charge to change that as soon as possible.
CCC's upcoming conference will bring together families, researchers, clinicians, and industry partners from all over the world to collaborate on advancing research in CHD2-related disorders. The event will host CHD2 researchers from more than six countries across three continents.
The family conference portion of the event will bring together more than 100 family members and researchers from around the world to discuss and learn about the latest research in CHD2. Families in attendance will also be able to share their triumphs and struggles with each other and learn from the experts how to manage this disease. For the scientists in attendance, they will have the opportunity to meet in-person with CHD2 patients and their families to learn firsthand what it is truly like to live with this debilitating condition.
CCC's international research symposium and family conference would not be possible without the endless planning hours of CCC's purely volunteer-led board of directors, and for the financial support of CCC's corporate sponsors: Mahzi Therapeutics, CURE Epilepsy, Epilepsy Alliance Florida, GeneDx, Invitae/Ciitizen, and Thisbe & Noah.
Attendance at the family conference can be either in person or virtual. To view the agenda and register to attend the conference, please visit www.curechd2.org/conference.
For more information about CCC and CHD2-related disorders, please visit www.curechd2.org.
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SOURCE Coalition to Cure CHD2 | https://www.kbtx.com/prnewswire/2023/05/03/coalition-cure-chd2-hold-first-ever-international-research-symposium-family-conference/ | 2023-05-03 13:35:19 | 1 | https://www.kbtx.com/prnewswire/2023/05/03/coalition-cure-chd2-hold-first-ever-international-research-symposium-family-conference/ |
By MARK KENNEDY
AP Entertainment Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Missy Elliott, Willie Nelson, Kate Bush, Iron Maiden, Cyndi Lauper, Soundgarden, Sheryl Crow and the late George Michael are the 2023 nominees for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, reflecting a mix of country, soul, hip-hop, metal, pop, rap-rock and grunge.
The Cleveland-based institution announced Wednesday the 14 artists and groups being considered for Rock Hall induction, also including Rage Against the Machine, The Spinners, A Tribe Called Quest, The White Stripes, Warren Zevon and Joy Division/New Order.
Artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years before they’re eligible for induction.
“This remarkable list of nominees reflects the diverse artists and music that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame honors and celebrates,” said John Sykes, chair of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation in a statement. “These artists have created their own sounds that have impacted generations and influenced countless others that have followed in their footsteps.”
Eight out of 14 nominees are on the ballot for the first time, including Crow, Elliott, Joy Division/New Order, Lauper, Michael, Nelson, The White Stripes and Zevon. This is the first year of eligibility for Elliott and The White Stripes.
A Tribe Called Quest and Bush were nominees last year and didn’t make the cut but now find themselves back in the running this year. Bush’s latest nod may be due to a new wave in popularity after the show “Stranger Things” featured her song “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God).”
Inductees will be announced in May and the ceremony will take place this fall. Nominees will be voted on by more than 1,000 artists, historians and music industry professionals. Fans can vote online or in person at the museum, with the top five artists picked by the public making up a “fans’ ballot” that will be tallied with the other professional ballots.
Last year, the nomination process was complicated by Dolly Parton, who gave the honor an enthusiastic embrace after temporarily turning it down. She initially said she did not want to take votes away from the remaining nominees and had not “earned that right.”
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Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2023/02/01/missy-willie-and-george-michael-among-rock-hall-nominees/ | 2023-02-01 15:07:40 | 0 | https://wtmj.com/national/2023/02/01/missy-willie-and-george-michael-among-rock-hall-nominees/ |
Down to the wire: YAIAA lacrosse championship game gets decided in the final seconds
Earlier this season, the York Catholic girls' lacrosse team needed to learn how to win close games.
The Irish didn't always need to in the past. They were always so talented and loaded with superstars. But after graduating a strong senior class, York Catholic continued to win this season while often overcoming deficits.
Those situations benefited them Friday in the YAIAA championship game.
York Catholic beat South Western 12-11, to win its second straight title. The Irish led by five goals at multiple points in the first half but needed a late rally to retake the lead in the final minutes.
South Western's final possession came up short when the York Catholic defense swarmed around Morgan Schneider as she wrapped around the net in the final seconds.
"It's experience. We've done that a few times this year," Irish coach Jim Mullen said about the late comeback. "In past years we would score so many it wasn't a problem with comebacks. Early on we had trouble with comebacks. But once we one a few close games and there were a couple we came from behind in, that really helped."
It was a valiant effort by South Western, which played most of the second half down three players due to penalty cards. Sophomore attack player Rachel Marshall also suffered a torn ACL during the game.
The key moment
York Catholic's early 8-3 lead was just 9-6 at halftime.
Then the Irish fell behind 11-10 with about 10 minutes to play when South Western's Paige Coates scored back to back goals.
Mustangs goalie Cam Storey then made a number of consecutive key saves.
But Irish sophomore Katie Bullen tied the game with 4:20 to play then assisted on the game-winner to her older sister Emma Bullen with 2:35 left.
"We just had to move the ball faster," Katie Bullen said. "We were getting a little nervous with it. We just had to stay locked in. We all love the game and wanted to win. We had to stay composed."
Stars of the game
Sophomore Delaney Staples led York Catholic with four goals. Katie Bullen had three goals and two assists and Emma Bullen had three goals.
Coates and Lexi Lexi Plesic had three goals for South Western.
Both goalies, Storey and York Catholic's Amanda Reed, made key saves throughout the game.
A fitting farewell
Senior Olivia Ebel played her final lacrosse game Friday. A senior attack player, Ebel has enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves. She will leave for advanced training at Fort Lee in Virginia next week.
Her teammates lifted her in the air after she gave a speech to them following the game.
They said it
"I'm super proud of our girls. They played hard. I have a lot of faith in them. We were down five or six and fought back. We were down three men and up one. It felt like such a long game." — South Western head coach Randy Kavanaugh
Up next
York Catholic (15-4) is the No. 6 seed in the District 3 Class 2A tournament and will play Cocalico at home Tuesday.
South Western is the No. 7 seed in Class 3A and will play Mifflin County at home Tuesday.
Matt Allibone is a sports reporter for GameTimePA. He can be reached at 717-881-8221, mallibone@ydr.com or on Twitter at @bad2theallibone. | https://www.ydr.com/story/sports/high-school/2023/05/20/yaiaa-lacrosse-york-catholic-girls-top-south-western-for-title/70237193007/ | 2023-05-20 17:32:10 | 1 | https://www.ydr.com/story/sports/high-school/2023/05/20/yaiaa-lacrosse-york-catholic-girls-top-south-western-for-title/70237193007/ |
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – If you’re looking to add a new fur-baby to your family, heads up. Crooks may be using social media to target you.
They can even do it through people you may know.
First, they hack someone’s profile. Then they post pictures of full-breed puppies, like Yorkies or golden doodles, saying they are only asking for a re-homing fee, which they want upfront. They will usually ask for it by gift card or Zelle.
Once people pay, the scammer disappears with the money and leaves them without a puppy.
Stephanie Ford with Friends of North Augusta Animals in Georgia explained that there are ways to spot these scammers.
“The first thing is to check out the profile of the person who is posting. Is it a new profile? Have they not posted in a while? The second is to use Google. Reverse image search what the person has posted. A lot of these scams, they just pull stock photos from the internet,” said Ford.
Ford said the best way to avoid these scammers is to adopt, don’t shop. Finding yourself a new furry family member at a local shelter or rescue saves a life and protects you as well.
Some scammers can also be found asking people for money to help support the injured dog they claimed to have found. But, you should be careful before you offer to help.
If you send a message to the scammer offering to help, they will often send you a link. The link is supposed to take you to a website where you can donate money to help with vet care.
What actually happens when you click on the link? You download a virus allowing them access to your information.
Ford advises people to pay attention when private messaging with someone about an injured animal, even if you think you are talking to a friend.
“You definitely want to be aware of the way they are talking to you. A lot of times, these scammers, English is not their first language. And so the way that your friend would speak to you might be, ‘Hi, how are you?’ But this person might say ‘Hi, I hope that you’re having a wonderful day.’ Very different from what you normally would get with a friend,” she explained.
Ford also advises people to always check out profiles of people claiming to be helping an injured animal. If it’s a brand new profile or the profile of a friend or acquaintance who hasn’t posted in a while, you should be suspicious.
Also, ask to speak to them on the phone. Scammers will do everything they can to avoid that.
Pet scams cost those living in North America more than $1.3 million last year, according to the Better Business Bureau. Though less than 2021’s $3 million level, the BBB says the average loss per victim rose by almost $100 to $850. | https://wgntv.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/beware-of-online-pet-scams-heres-what-to-watch-for/ | 2023-02-09 03:41:01 | 1 | https://wgntv.com/news/nexstar-media-wire/beware-of-online-pet-scams-heres-what-to-watch-for/ |
Practifi Propel Puts Executives in the Driver's Seat With New Advanced Analytics to Organize and Surface Mission-Critical Data
CHICAGO, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Practifi, a performance optimization platform for the wealth management industry, today announced the launch of its latest data visualization tool for wealth institutions, broker-dealers and RIAs. Tailored to the needs of a fast-growing industry that relies on informed business decisions for long-term success, Practifi Propel features pre-built power dashboards that help transform data into insight, action and excellence at scale, using the power of Practifi's award-winning business management platform.
Glenn Elliott, CEO and Co-Founder of Practifi, said, "High-performing wealth management firms must ensure they are on track to meet their goals by constantly monitoring the quality and source of new business and organic growth. But the insights they seek are often inaccessible when data is siloed and located on multiple platforms. We believe investing in a firm's data and analytics infrastructure ultimately amplifies the firm's core strengths – transforming the way the firm makes decisions. For financial advisors and other executives at the heart of business development, Practifi Propel offers a game-changing data visualization experience that uses best-of-breed technology to leverage the power of data analytics."
Practifi Propel is a unified analytics solution that helps management executives make intelligent, well-informed decisions regarding clients, profitability and overall business health. It offers a bird's eye view of a firm's fundamentals, client demographics and advisor performance while reducing a firm's risk exposure.
Propel includes two components: a data processing platform that organizes and snapshots the Practifi data model, and a suite of expertly-designed, industry-specific dashboards that transform data into powerful insights. The Propel data platform acts as the engine that classifies and aggregates data to uncover meaningful patterns and trends. Propel's power dashboards provide users a turnkey and highly interactive analytics experience, surfacing key business insights about profitability, client growth and business pipeline.
Elliott concluded, "Today's leading wealth management firms depend on data to drive personalized client experiences and increase business efficiencies. Practifi Propel abolishes the challenges of siloed technology and seamlessly connects systems so executives can gain critical insights and achieve greater success. Designed for the wealth management industry, our new tool uses the right data infrastructure and analytics engine to reduce the risk of lost revenue opportunities and power a more data-driven future."
About Practifi
Practifi is the performance optimization platform purpose-built for the wealth management industry. Practifi empowers teams to automate workflows, create rich client records, and access advanced analytics in a unified experience. With comprehensive APIs, a range of specialist wealth industry integrations, and an ecosystem of hundreds of integrated apps, our platform centralizes data and gives greater visibility across organizations. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with offices in Sydney, Australia, Practifi enables organizations across the globe to deepen loyalty with their clients and pioneer the future of wealth management. To learn more, visit practifi.com
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SOURCE Practifi | https://www.wagmtv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/practifi-delivers-data-driven-advanced-analytics-wealth-management-industry/ | 2022-09-13 20:47:35 | 1 | https://www.wagmtv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/practifi-delivers-data-driven-advanced-analytics-wealth-management-industry/ |
As the summer drifts forward, the hits — or rather, the wannabe hits — will just keep on coming. You may be planning to take some time off, but the TV outlets are not going to follow suit; your downtime is another one of their windows of opportunity, another chance to bump up their stock in the attention economy.
There will be mysteries and thrillers in the coming weeks, and I will be there for them. When done well, a good, twisty drama can be particularly satisfying, like putting together a puzzle while scratching an itch. Apple TV+ has been on a roll lately, with “Black Bird,” “Slow Horses,” and “Severance,” and so I’ve got my fingers crossed for the streamer’s “Surface” (July 29). Gugu Mbatha-Raw stars as a woman who lost her memory in what she is being told by her husband was a suicide attempt. Hmmm. Like the amnesiac protagonist in HBO Max’s “The Tourist,” she will need to secretly investigate her past to learn what really happened.
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Apple TV+ will also premiere a more comic mystery this summer, in which four sisters may or may not be responsible for the death of a toxic family member. Set in Ireland, “Bad Sisters” (Aug. 19) is a remake of a Belgian series from Sharon Horgan of “Catastrophe” and “This Way Up,” and it promises a few laughs amid the whodunit trickery. Likewise, Peacock is premiering a darky comic mystery that sounds a bit like — but lighter than — last summer’s excellent “The White Lotus.” Called “The Resort” (July 28), it’s about an unhappy couple, played by William Jackson Harper and Cristin Millioti, who get caught up in an unsolved mystery from 15 years earlier while vacationing in Mexico. The eight half-hour episodes, also starring Nick Offerman and Ben Sinclair from “High Maintenance,” are from “Lodge 49″ and “Palm Springs” writer Andy Siara.
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I’m especially interested in “The Patient” (Aug. 30), a straight-up psychological thriller on Hulu. Why? It’s from the creators of “The Americans,” Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg. Also, the concept is intriguing. Steve Carell plays a therapist who finds himself held captive by a patient who happens to be a serial killer, and who happens to be played by Domhnall Gleeson. The serial killer demands that the therapist cure him of his homicidal impulses, a topic that “The Sopranos” dealt with as well.
There will be fantasy and magic, too, as the summer begins to fade and the movie blockbusters trail off. The two biggies are HBO’s “House of the Dragon” (Aug. 21) and Amazon’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” (Sept. 2). The former is the first “Game of Thrones” spinoff, a prequel set two centuries before the original series. The 10-episode season will track the downfall of House Targaryen, and it will star Paddy Considine, Emma D’Arcy, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Eve Best, and Fabien Frankel, some of them in blond Targaryen wigs. “The Rings of Power,” considered the most expensive TV series ever made, will tell a new story set in the world of J.R.R. Tolkien’s books, perhaps to distinguish itself from the celebrated Tolkien movie series. It’s set millennia before “The Hobbit,” and a second season has already been ordered.
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Neil Gaiman is also on the summer’s fantasy docket with a series adaptation of his comic book series “The Sandman” (Aug. 5). Tom Sturridge stars in the Netflix series as Morpheus, joined by a star-stocked supporting cast including Gwendoline Christie, Charles Dance, Jenna Coleman, Joely Richardson, David Thewlis, Stephen Fry, Patton Oswalt, Mark Hamill, and OK I’ll stop now. Amazon’s “Paper Girls” (July 29) will blend sci-fi with coming-of-age adventures, as four newspaper delivery girls — played by Camryn Jones, Riley Lai Nelet, Sofia Rosinsky, and Fina Strazza — get caught in a battle between time travelers.
There will be comedies, naturally, for when you finish up the just-premiered new season of “What We Do in the Shadows.” Issa Rae of “Insecure” has created a new Miami-set series for HBO Max called “Rap Sh!t” (July 21). It stars Aida Osman and KaMillion as estranged high school friends who reunite to form a rap group. Over on Netflix, Neil Patrick Harris will star as a New Yorker whose boyfriend suddenly drops him after 17 years in “Uncoupled” (July 29). The show is from Darren Star (“Sex and the City”) and Jeffrey Richman (“Modern Family”), and looks into what it’s like to be a gay man looking for love in his 40s.
Greg Garcia of “My Name Is Earl” and “Raising Hope” will spring a new comedy on us called “Sprung” (Aug. 19). The setup of the show, which will be on Freevee, is that three nonviolent convicts who’ve been let out of prison due to the pandemic join forces to pull a Robin Hood act of sorts. The cast is promising, with Garret Dillahunt and Martha Plimpton from “Raising Hope” returning to the Garcia fold. And finally, Peacock is importing a British comedy about millennials in their 20s called “Everything I Know About Love” (Aug. 25) that features the wonderful Bel Powley (from “The Diary of a Teenage Girl” and “The Morning Show”). She and Emma Appleton star as part of a group of four friends and housemates dealing with romance and careers in London.
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Matthew Gilbert can be reached at matthew.gilbert@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewGilbert. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/07/15/arts/with-plenty-summer-still-ahead-tv-is-just-getting-warmed-up/ | 2022-07-15 11:37:40 | 1 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/07/15/arts/with-plenty-summer-still-ahead-tv-is-just-getting-warmed-up/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — A lawyer who previously advised Michael Cohen, the key government witness in the hush money payment investigation into Donald Trump, has been invited to appear Monday before a Manhattan grand jury that is considering potential charges against the former president, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Robert Costello had advised Cohen before the two had a falling out, and is prepared to offer testimony to the grand jury attacking the credibility of Cohen’s statements, according to the person, who insisted on anonymity to discuss secret legal proceedings.
Costello had contacted a lawyer for Trump saying that he had information that contradicted Cohen’s current statements and that could be exculpatory for Trump, the person said. The lawyer brought it to the attention of the district attorney’s office, which last week subpoenaed Costello’s law firm for records and invited him to provide testimony on Monday afternoon.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office declined to comment on Sunday. Prosecutors have not said when they expect to conclude their work or when or if Trump might be charged. The former president claimed in a post on Saturday that he would be arrested on Tuesday, though people close to him later said that he had been given no updates from prosecutors.
The New York Times first reported on Costello’s expected appearance before the grand jury.
Cohen is a former lawyer and fixer for Trump who has been a key witness in District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s investigation, meeting regularly with prosecutors and appearing before the grand jury earlier this month.
Cohen served prison time after pleading guilty in 2018 to federal charges, including campaign finance violations, for arranging the payouts to porn actor Stormy Daniels and model Karen McDougal to keep them from going public. Trump has denied the affairs.
Costello is a veteran New York lawyer who has represented Trump allies including his adviser Steve Bannon and his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani. Costello’s connection to Cohen was highlighted in the report of special counsel Robert Mueller, who investigated links between Russia and Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign as well as efforts to obstruct the probe.
According to the Mueller report, Cohen began speaking with Costello in April 2018, days after the FBI raided Cohen’s home, hotel room and office. Amid public speculation about whether Cohen would begin cooperating with investigators, Costello emailed Cohen to reassure him that he had had a “Very Very Positive” conversation with Giuliani and that “you have friends in high places.”
Cohen has waived his attorney-client privilege with Costello, which would allow Costello to describe their conversations, the person said.
___
Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP | https://www.wivb.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/source-lawyer-invited-to-testify-before-trump-grand-jury/ | 2023-03-20 21:11:52 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/source-lawyer-invited-to-testify-before-trump-grand-jury/ |
NEW YORK, Aug. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Juan Monteverde, founder and managing partner of the class action firm Monteverde & Associates PC (the "M&A Class Action Firm"), a national securities firm rated Top 50 in the 2018-2021 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report and headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City, is investigating Romeo Power, Inc. (RMO), relating to its proposed acquisition by Nikola Corp. Under the terms of the merger, RMO shareholders are expected to receive 0.1186 shares of Nikola per share they own. Click here for more information: https://www.monteverdelaw.com/case/romeo-power-inc. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.
We are a national class action securities litigation law firm that has recovered millions of dollars and is committed to protecting shareholders from corporate wrongdoing. We were listed in the Top 50 in the 2018-2021 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report. Our lawyers have significant experience litigating Mergers & Acquisitions and Securities Class Actions. Mr. Monteverde is recognized by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in Securities Litigation in 2013, 2017-2019, an award given to less than 2.5% of attorneys in a particular field. He has also been selected by Martindale-Hubbell as a 2017-2021 Top Rated Lawyer. Our firm's recent successes include changing the law in a significant victory that lowered the standard of liability under Section 14(e) of the Exchange Act in the Ninth Circuit. Thereafter, our firm successfully preserved this victory by obtaining dismissal of a writ of certiorari as improvidently granted at the United States Supreme Court. Emulex Corp. v. Varjabedian, 139 S. Ct. 1407 (2019). Also, in 2019 we recovered or secured six cash common funds for shareholders in mergers & acquisitions class action cases.
If you own common stock in RMO and wish to obtain additional information and protect your investments free of charge, please visit our website or contact Juan E. Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at jmonteverde@monteverdelaw.com or by telephone at (212) 971-1341.
Contact:
Juan E. Monteverde, Esq.
MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC
The Empire State Building
350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4405
New York, NY 10118
United States of America
jmonteverde@monteverdelaw.com
Tel: (212) 971-1341
Attorney Advertising. (C) 2022 Monteverde & Associates PC. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Monteverde & Associates PC (www.monteverdelaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.
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SOURCE Monteverde & Associates PC | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2022/08/09/shareholder-alert-mampa-class-action-firm-announces-investigation-romeo-power-inc-rmo/ | 2022-08-09 19:39:06 | 1 | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2022/08/09/shareholder-alert-mampa-class-action-firm-announces-investigation-romeo-power-inc-rmo/ |
Kyrie Irving’s relationship with Nike is officially over, the shoe and athletic apparel maker said Monday, a move that came a month after the company suspended the Brooklyn Nets guard as part of the fallout from him tweeting a link to a film containing antisemitic material.
It was not a surprise breakup, especially after Nike co-founder Phil Knight said in the days after the company suspended Irving that he had doubts there would be any reconciliation.
“Kyrie Irving is no longer a Nike athlete,” the company said in a statement.
Irving’s agent and stepmother, Shetellia Riley Irving, told The New York Times that the sides “mutually decided to part ways and we just wish Nike all the best.” Irving, without mentioning Nike by name, appeared to address the matter Monday on his Twitter account.
“Anyone who has even spent their hard earned money on anything I have ever released, I consider you FAMILY and we are forever connected,” the Nets guard wrote. “it’s time to show how powerful we are as a community.”
Irving has been wearing his signature line of Nike in recent games. It’s unknown if the formal ending of his relationship with Nike will affect that, at least in the short term. He had been a Nike athlete for the entirety of his NBA career, starting in 2011, and got his first signature shoe with the company in 2014.
When Nike suspended Irving in early November, the company was just days away from releasing the Kyrie 8, what would have been the latest in his signature line.
“At Nike, we believe there is no place for hate speech and we condemn any form of antisemitism,” the Beaverton, Oregon-based company said at the time.
Irving missed eight games before being reinstated by the Nets on Nov. 20. He apologized that day to those who felt threatened or hurt when he posted a link to the documentary, and acknowledged that he should have handled earlier chances to clarify whether he has antisemitic beliefs differently.
“I don’t stand for anything close to hate speech or antisemitism or anything that is going against the human race,” Irving said on the day the Nets reinstated him.
Irving has expressed no shortage of controversial opinions during his career. He repeatedly questioned whether the Earth was round before eventually apologizing to science teachers. Last year, his refusal to get a COVID-19 vaccine led to him being banned from playing in most of the Nets’ home games.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/sports/ap-nike-says-kyrie-irving-is-no-longer-one-of-its-athletes/ | 2022-12-06 19:49:48 | 0 | https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/sports/ap-nike-says-kyrie-irving-is-no-longer-one-of-its-athletes/ |
TOKYO, Oct. 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BLOCKSMITH&Co., a subsidiary of fellow game development studio KLab is collaborating with game developer Thirdverse Group to release the new Web3 game CAPTAIN TSUBASA -RIVALS-.
Game Overview
CAPTAIN TSUBASA -RIVALS- is a new blockchain-based game inspired by the manga series Captain Tsubasa, which was first serialized in the manga anthology Weekly Shonen Jump by publisher Shueisha in 1981. Captain Tsubasa has significantly influenced football players and enthusiasts not only in Japan, but around the world.
Players of CAPTAIN TSUBASA -RIVALS- can train characters from the original Captain Tsubasa comics and compete against other players. The game's main feature is that players can collect items through matches with other players, then exchange them for rewards such as new lead and support characters.
Comment from author of Captain Tsubasa
"Being a part of a game using new technologies, such as the blockchain and NFTs, is something new. Although the game is still in the works, I have high expectations for the experience it will bring for players. I hope that everyone will be able to enjoy this new game," said Yoichi Takahashi, author of Captain Tsubasa.
The goal of this project is to achieve a blockchain game model that users will enjoy for years to come. To achieve this, CAPTAIN TSUBASA -RIVALS- is being developed by some of the leading game studios in Japan, utilizing well-known Japanese IP to bring a classic character into the world of Web3.
Click here for more detail: https://www.blocksmithand.co.jp/news/detail/66
CAPTAIN TSUBASA -RIVALS- is set to launch by the end of 2022. For more information about the game, please visit the following website and social media channels:
- Official website: https://tsubasa-rivals.com/
- Twitter (Japanese): https://twitter.com/TsubasaRivalsJA
- Twitter (English): https://twitter.com/TsubasaRivalsEN
- Telegram: https://t.me/TsubasaRivals
- Discord: https://discord.com/invite/captain-tsubasa-rivals
- Medium: https://medium.com/@CAPTAIN-TSUBASA-RIVALS-
©︎Yoichi Takahashi/SHUEISHA
©BLOCKSMITH&Co.
©Thirdverse, Co., Ltd.
About BLOCKSMITH&Co.
BLOCKSMITH&Co. is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based game developer KLab, responsible for the development and distribution of KLab's Web3 services.
Website: www.blocksmithand.co.jp/en/
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/blocksmithandco-en/
Twitter: twitter.com/BLOCKSMITH_EN
About Thirdverse
Thirdverse Inc. is a virtual reality game development, distribution and management company paving the path to the metaverse.
Website: www.thirdverse.io/en/
Twitter (EN): twitter.com/Thirdverse_US/
Twitter (JP): twitter.com/Thirdverse_JP
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/thirdverse/
Medium: medium.com/@thirdverse
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SOURCE BLOCKSMITH&Co. | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/10/18/blocksmithampco-thirdverse-group-announce-new-web3-game-captain-tsubasa-rivals-/ | 2022-10-18 04:56:46 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/10/18/blocksmithampco-thirdverse-group-announce-new-web3-game-captain-tsubasa-rivals-/ |
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The head of the United Nations had just warned of a world gone badly wrong — a place where inequity was on the rise, war was back in Europe, fragmentation was everywhere, the pandemic was pushing onward and technology was tearing things apart as much as it was uniting them.
"Our world is in big trouble. Divides are growing deeper. Inequalities are growing wider. Challenges are spreading farther," Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Tuesday morning as he opened the general debate at the 77th U.N. General Assembly. And he was, on all counts, incontrovertibly correct.
Yet barely an hour later, here were two U.N. delegates — one Asian, one African — grinning and standing in the sun-dappled lobby of the U.N. Secretariat Building, thrilled to be there in person on this particular morning as they snapped photos of each other, laughing along the way as they captured the moment.
Hope: It can be hard to find anywhere these days, much less for the people who walk the floors of the United Nations, where shouldering the world's weight is central to the job description. After all, this is an institution that listened last year as the president of the not-yet-at-war nation of Ukraine described it as being "like a retired superhero who has long forgotten how great they once were."
And when world leaders are trying to solve some of humanity’s thorniest problems — or, to be frank, sometimes to impede solutions to those same problems — it's easy, from a distance, to lose sight of hope through the haze of negative adjectives.
Yet beneath the layers of existential gloom Tuesday — and this is no doubt a pandemic-exhausted group of people representing a world in a really bad mood from so many disquieting challenges — there were signs of brightness poking through like persistent clovers in the sidewalk cracks.
“For each and every one of us, the U.N. is a unique platform for dialogue and for cooperation," Swiss President Ignazio Cassis said. Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. spoke of his country being an “optimistic” nation for whom “solutions are within our collective grasp.”
“There’s one friend of mine who is a neurosurgeon who said my problem is I’m a congenital optimist,” U.S. President Joe Biden said on Wednesday ahead of a meeting with Guterres. “But I am optimistic. I think we can make things better.”
And David Kabua, president of the ocean-besieged Marshall Islands — a man who has little reason to express optimism these days — came to the United Nations and spoke of "this iconic hall, the symbol of humanity's hope and aspiration for world peace, prosperity, and international cooperation."
"As humanity strives to defend freedom and build lasting peace, the U.N.’s role is indispensable," said South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.
There were many other such moments Tuesday and Wednesday. Taken together, they are noteworthy: There seems a collective sense — echoed by leader after leader in different, sometimes oblique ways — that even when it disappoints or falters, the United Nations must be a place of hope amid the cold-eyed pragmatism.
Why is that? Part of it is the unswerving commitment since the U.N.'s very beginnings to the principle of multilateralism, a $10 word for playing nicely with each other. And to play nicely when your feuds are ancient or bloody or seemingly insurmountable — to even try — requires hope.
That's always been true, though. There's also something else, something unique to this year, to this moment. In the frightening early pandemic days of 2020, the U.N. General Assembly was all virtual, and leaders stayed home and made videos. Last year, despite a theme of "Building Resilience Through Hope," the hybrid General Assembly produced spotty leader attendance and little sense of the world congregating.
Now, though the pandemic persists, the U.N. grounds are alive with people from most of the planet's backgrounds and traditions, interacting and talking and generally doing what the United Nations was built to do — take nations and turn them into people, as the late Sen. William Fulbright used to say.
Even when nothing is in session, they're doing what the whole outfit was designed to do — figuring out, bit by bit, what the world should look like.
"It's the only place in international organizations where there is this effort to define what is collectively shared," says Katie Laatikainen, a professor of political science and international relations at Adelphi University in Garden City, New York, who studies the United Nations.
“They're working to figure out what it means to be part of the international community,” she says. “They’ve learned the language of appealing to the `we,' and it encourages others to define the `we’ and commit to the `we.’”
Guterres made sure to infuse that sensibility as he opened the proceedings with his doom-saturated speech. He told of a ship called the Brave Commander, loaded with Ukrainian grain and — helped by the warring nations of Ukraine and Russia — headed for the Horn of Africa, where it can help prevent famine.
It flew under a U.N. flag, and Guterres said it and the dozens of ships that followed were not only carrying grain; they were carrying “one of today's rarest commodities” — hope.
“By acting as one," he said, “we can nurture fragile shoots of hope.”
So, no: Hope is not absent at the United Nations this week. That much is certain. It’s contained, it’s muted, it’s tentative. But it is there, gossamer though it might be — even if some might find the notion naive. “Our opportunity is here and now,” said the president of the General Assembly, Csaba Kőrösi of Hungary.
The world, after all, is not an easy place. Was it ever? The second secretary-general of the United Nations, Dag Hammarskjöld, understood that. “The United Nations was not created in order to bring us to heaven,” he said, “but in order to save us from hell.”
___
Ted Anthony, AP's director of new storytelling and newsroom innovation, has been writing about international affairs since 1995 and has supervised U.N. General Assembly coverage since 2017. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/anthonyted and, for more AP coverage of the UNGA, visit https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations-general-assembly
Credit: Mary Altaffer
Credit: Mary Altaffer
Credit: Julia Nikhinson
Credit: Julia Nikhinson
Credit: Mary Altaffer
Credit: Mary Altaffer
Credit: Mary Altaffer
Credit: Mary Altaffer | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/at-un-despite-global-morass-hope-peeks-through-the-gloom/VGIODKJ4BNB2XJ3UBGKOC55QAQ/ | 2022-09-21 22:57:07 | 0 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/at-un-despite-global-morass-hope-peeks-through-the-gloom/VGIODKJ4BNB2XJ3UBGKOC55QAQ/ |
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — A Chinese rocket is set to crash on Saturday, July 30, but is there a chance that it could land in Ohio?
Morgantown native, scientist and host of Netflix show “Emily’s Wonder Lab,” Emily Calandrelli, has been posting updates on her social media accounts since July 23, the day before the rocket was first launched. Her updates are based on predictions by The Aerospace Corporation.
According to Aerospace, the rocket body was first launched from the Wenchange Space Launch Site in China at 6:22 Coordinated Universal Time (12:22 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time) on July 24.
As the estimated crash time gets closer, scientists have been able to narrow down where the rocket body might land. As of Friday at noon, they had it narrowed down to a crash time window of 12 hours and eight possible routes across the world. Three of those routes passed over the United States, and one passed over West Virginia. Counties near the possible crash route included Tyler, Wetzel, Doddridge, Harrison, Marion, Preston, Tucker, Taylor, Grant and Hardy counties.
As of an update at 12:35 p.m. (EDT) on Friday, the route that went over West Virginia had been eliminated from possible crash sites. There is still a chance that the rocket body will land somewhere in the U.S., but not in West Virginia. As of Friday at 12:35, the estimated landing time for the rocket was 2:05 p.m. (EDT).
For the latest updates on the rocket’s reentry and landing, check The Aerospace Corporation website, which is being updated regularly. | https://www.wdtn.com/news/ohio/rocket-crash-saturday-will-it-land-in-ohio/ | 2022-07-29 21:59:16 | 0 | https://www.wdtn.com/news/ohio/rocket-crash-saturday-will-it-land-in-ohio/ |
Spring forward: Daylight saving time arrives this weekend for most of US
If you’re looking forward to more daylight in the evenings, this will be good news. If you enjoy sleeping, not so much.
Daylight saving time officially begins at 2 a.m. Sunday for most of the U.S., meaning the majority of Americans will "spring forward" by setting their clocks ahead one hour.
When is daylight saving time?
Daylight saving time is observed from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. The USDOT has overseen the time change since 1966, when Congress transferred the responsibility from the Interstate Commerce Commission.
THE HISTORY OF DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME
Which states observe daylight saving time?
Everywhere in the U.S., except Hawaii and most of Arizona, observes the time change. To make matters more confusing, Navajo Nation in Arizona does observe DST. Some U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, also do not change their clocks twice a year.
Could daylight saving time become permanent?
In the past five years, states have increasingly pushed to remain on daylight saving time. According to the Farmers' Almanac, at least 33 have attempted to keep daylight saving time year-round through state legislative efforts.
Florida and California state lawmakers voted in 2018 to make daylight saving time permanent, but the change still requires approval from the U.S. House of Representatives. According to the USDOT, federal law allows an individual state not to observe daylight saving time. Still, it does not allow states to make DST permanent.
Congress regularly mulls the possibility of making daylight saving time year-round, citing health concerns about the effects of time changes.
BILL TO MAKE DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME PERMANENT REINTRODUCED IN SENATE
Check ‘em, change ‘em
Fire safety advocates also use the twice-a-year time change as a reminder for people to test their smoke detectors and change the batteries.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), smoke detectors are a critical part of home fire safety, but they’re not all created equal. Some smoke detectors have a 10-year battery that requires the entire alarm to be replaced once the battery dies, according to the NFPA.
10 THINGS TO CHANGE IN YOUR HOME WHEN YOU CHANGE YOUR CLOCKS
The NFPA said people should replace the batteries or unit right away if a smoke detector begins chirping.
Carbon monoxide detectors should also be checked. | https://www.fox5ny.com/news/daylight-saving-time-march-2023 | 2023-03-10 18:43:55 | 1 | https://www.fox5ny.com/news/daylight-saving-time-march-2023 |
- Interim analysis of B-Clear clinical study of bepirovirsen demonstrated end-of-treatment virologic response (VR) in patients with chronic hepatitis B
- Phase 3 clinical study evaluating bepirovirsen as a monotherapy is anticipated to start in the first half of 2023
- GSK to explore potential combination treatments to further reduce the global burden of chronic hepatitis B
CARLSBAD, Calif., June 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: IONS), today announced that GSK presented positive results from an interim analysis of the Phase 2b B-Clear clinical study of bepirovirsen (formerly IONIS-HBVRx), an investigational antisense medicine for the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (CHB).
The data were presented in an oral late-breaker session at the European Association for the Study of the Liver's (EASL) International Liver Congress™ 2022 in London, UK. The final results from the study will be submitted for presentation at a scientific congress later this year, and for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
"Chronic hepatitis B represents a significant healthcare challenge for which there is particular need for new treatments that provide a longer-lasting solution. Data from the Phase 2b B-Clear study demonstrated the potential of bepirovirsen to provide rapid reductions in hepatitis B surface antigen in both patients not on nucleoside analogue treatment and those on stable NA therapy. These findings, together with results of previous clinical studies, support GSK's plan to initiate a Phase 3 clinical study evaluating bepirovirsen," said Sanjay Bhanot, M.D., Ph.D., senior vice president, chief medical officer and metabolic and liver franchise leader at Ionis.
In the study, 28% of patients on standard of care, which is stable nucleoside/nucleotide analogue (NA), and 29% of patients not on NA treatment, experienced a virologic response (VR) on 300 mg of bepirovirsen weekly, following 24 weeks of treatment. Virologic response is defined as serum/plasma levels of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA and hepatitis B surface antigens (HBsAg) below the lower limit of quantification. Up to 68% of patients on NA therapy and up to 65% of patients not on NA achieved HBsAg <100 IU/mL at the end of treatment.
End-of-treatment virologic responses were observed in patients with high or low baseline HBsAg levels, who were hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg) negative or positive, and who were receiving NA treatment or not, indicating that bepirovirsen has the potential to treat broad segments of the CHB population. Durability of the responses is being assessed.
Treatment-related serious adverse events (SAEs) were observed in <1% of patients receiving NA treatment and 1% of patients who were not on NA. SAEs were reported in 3% and 4% of patients receiving NA treatment and those who were not on NA, respectively. There were no clinically meaningful differences in adverse events across treatment arms in either trial.
Chronic hepatitis B infection is caused by HBV and is a major global health concern, affecting nearly 300 million people worldwide.i,ii
Currently, nucleoside/nucleotide analogues are the recommended first-line therapy for patients with chronic HBV because they can inhibit viral replication. However, they cannot clear the virus and must be taken for life. Bepirovirsen is uniquely designed to reduce HBV replication and suppress HBsAg which could potentially lead to functional cure, largely defined as sustained, undetectable levels of hepatitis B virus DNA and HBsAg in the blood with or without generating protective antibodies after a finite course of treatment.
GSK is also exploring combinations of bepirovirsen and other therapeutic modalities in the following trials. Combination treatments could increase functional cure rates in more patients, thereby further reducing the global disease burden of CHB. Trials include:
- Phase 2b trial of bepirovirsen in sequential combination with pegylated interferon (PegIFN) treatment
- Phase 2 trial of bepirovirsen in combination with GSK's chronic hepatitis B targeted immunotherapy
The B-Clear Phase 2b study is investigating the efficacy and safety of 12- or 24-weeks treatment with bepirovirsen in people living with CHB on stable NA treatment or not on NA treatment at study start. The primary endpoints are the proportion of patients achieving HBsAg levels below the Lower Limit of Quantification (LLOQ), and HBV DNA levels below LLOQ sustained for 24 weeks without rescue medication after end of treatment with bepirovirsen.
The study consists of two parallel cohorts, one for patients receiving NA treatment and the other for patients who were not on NA. Patients from each arm were randomized to 1 of 4 treatment arms within each cohort, with treatment administered weekly with or without loading doses (LD) on days 4 and 11:
- Bepirovirsen 300 mg with LD for 24 weeks;
- Bepirovirsen 300 mg with LD for 12 weeks then 150 mg for 12 weeks;
- Bepirovirsen 300 mg with LD for 12 weeks then placebo for 12 weeks;
- Placebo with LD for 12 weeks then bepirovirsen 300 mg without LD for 12 weeks.
In both cohorts, virologic responses were observed at the end of treatment:
- For those patients receiving NA treatment (n=227), 24 weeks treatment of 300 mg bepirovirsen weekly resulted in HBsAg < LLOQ and HBV DNA < LLOQ in 28% of patients at end of treatment.
- For patients not on NA (n=230), 24 weeks treatment of 300 mg bepirovirsen weekly resulted in HBsAg < LLOQ and HBV DNA < LLOQ in 29% of patients at end of treatment.
- The durability of these responses is being assessed.
Hepatitis B virus infection is a serious health problem that can lead to significant and potentially fatal health conditions, including cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer. Chronic hepatitis B infection is caused by the hepatitis B virus and is a major global health concern, affecting nearly 300 million people worldwide.i,ii Chronic HBV infection is one of the most common persistent viral infections in the world. Currently available therapies, although effective in reducing circulating HBV DNA in the blood, do not efficiently inhibit HBV antigen production and secretion.
Bepirovirsen (formerly IONIS-HBVRx), also known as GSK3228836, is an investigational antisense medicine Ionis designed to reduce the production of viral proteins associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and replication, including hepatitis B surface antigen, which is present in both acute and chronic infections and is associated with a poor prognosis in patients with chronic HBV infection. GSK licensed bepirovirsen from Ionis under a collaborative development and licensing agreement.
For more than 30 years, Ionis has been the leader in RNA-targeted therapy, pioneering new markets and changing standards of care with its novel antisense technology. Ionis currently has three marketed medicines and a premier late-stage pipeline highlighted by industry-leading cardiovascular and neurological franchises. Our scientific innovation began and continues with the knowledge that sick people depend on us, which fuels our vision of becoming a leading, fully integrated biotechnology company.
To learn more about Ionis, visit www.ionispharma.com and follow us on Twitter @ionispharma.
This press release includes forward-looking statements regarding Ionis' business and the therapeutic and commercial potential of Ionis' technologies, bepirovirsen and other products in development. Any statement describing Ionis' goals, expectations, financial or other projections, intentions or beliefs is a forward-looking statement and should be considered an at-risk statement. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including those related to the impact COVID-19 could have on our business, and including but not limited to, those related to our commercial products and the medicines in our pipeline, and particularly those inherent in the process of discovering, developing and commercializing medicines that are safe and effective for use as human therapeutics, and in the endeavor of building a business around such medicines. Ionis' 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 Ionis' forward-looking statements reflect the good faith judgment of its management, these statements are based only on facts and factors currently known by Ionis. As a result, you are cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These and other risks concerning Ionis' programs are described in additional detail in Ionis' annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2021, and the most recent Form 10-Q quarterly filing, which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of these and other documents are available from the Company.
In this press release, unless the context requires otherwise, "Ionis," "Company," "we," "our," and "us" refers to Ionis Pharmaceuticals and its subsidiaries.
Ionis Pharmaceuticals® is a trademark of Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
i Trepo C, et al. Hepatitis B virus infection. Lancet. 2014 Dec 6; 384(9959): 2053-63. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(14)60220-8
ii World Health Organization, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hepatitis-b
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SOURCE Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | https://www.kbtx.com/prnewswire/2022/06/25/ionis-announces-presentation-positive-phase-2b-data-chronic-hepatitis-b-treatment-easl-international-liver-congress/ | 2022-06-25 13:26:47 | 0 | https://www.kbtx.com/prnewswire/2022/06/25/ionis-announces-presentation-positive-phase-2b-data-chronic-hepatitis-b-treatment-easl-international-liver-congress/ |
The Department of Health and Human Services issued clarifying guidance Monday that says federal law preempts state abortion bans in emergency situations.
The new guidance is in response to states enacting strict anti-abortion laws following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
In a letter to healthcare providers, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra says, "As frontline health care providers, the federal EMTALA statute protects your clinical judgment and the action that you take to provide stabilizing medical treatment to your pregnant patients, regardless of the restrictions in the state where you practice."
Becerra adds that the course of treatment is up to the physician or other qualified medical personnel.
"Stabilizing treatment could include medical and/or surgical interventions (e.g., abortion, removal of one or both fallopian tubes, anti-hypertensive therapy, methotrexate therapy etc.), irrespective of any state laws or mandates that apply to specific procedures," he said.
Becerra said that hospitals that don't comply with the guidance could lose their Medicare provider agreement or face civil monetary penalties.
According to the Associated Press, abortions are banned or restricted in more than 20 states. | https://www.ksby.com/news/national/biden-administration-says-federal-law-preempts-state-abortion-bans-during-emergencies | 2022-07-11 21:58:44 | 0 | https://www.ksby.com/news/national/biden-administration-says-federal-law-preempts-state-abortion-bans-during-emergencies |
Co-Sponsorship of Global Forums Aims to Harness Power of Hollywood Community for Edutainment Programs
LOS ANGELES, June 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) announced an agreement to co-sponsor a series of Global Forums with the Narrating Behavior Change Program of the World Bank to promote the growth of edutainment programming around the world; the use of entertainment media with educational objectives.
"This partnership seeks to connect Hollywood with the global development community by developing new creative programming with the goal of helping to promote important sustainability goals, which improve the lives of millions of people struggling with healthcare, environmental and other challenges," said Helen Hoehne, president of the HFPA. "The power of the Golden Globes® brand internationally over the past 80 years gives us the unique ability to reach audiences and governments interested in harnessing the power of edutainment."
Edutainment promotes and supports programs designed to combat poverty, gender inequality and climate change, among others. These issues are at the core of the environmental, social and governance (ESG) frameworks of investors, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries to address today's global challenges.
The first HFPA-World Bank Global Forum is scheduled for Wednesday July 27, 2022, from 11 AM-1 PM PT (2-4 PM ET) and will be made available on Zoom for a global audience. Panelists will include spokespeople from the HFPA and the World Bank, as well as development and entertainment representatives.
Founded in 1947 and with 189 member countries, the World Bank works in every major area of development with the goals to end extreme poverty and promote shared prosperity in a sustainable way. In partnership with researchers, development practitioners and media firms, the World Bank's edutainment program is rigorously testing edutainment innovations in the main entertainment hubs of developing countries, including India, Mexico and Nigeria.
"High-quality edutainment can positively reshape attitudes and behaviors of millions, from empowering girls to preventing gender-based violence, COVID-19 and HIV. However, its potential remains largely untapped. This series of Forums aims to help catalyze more interest and investment in this sector in the entertainment industry, building on HFPA's strong commitment to the SDGs and global presence," said Victor Orozco, Senior Economist and lead of the World Bank's edutainment research program.
These new HFPA-World Bank forums will tackle issues such as harnessing the power of entertainment and popular culture to support development goals and help educate, empower and motivate communities around the world to action.
While previous World Bank forums had focused on publicly funded productions for audiences in developing countries (see WB forum "Using Entertainment Media to Reach the SDGs"), the new HFPA-World Bank forums will explore the challenges and opportunities for public-private partnerships to systematically scale up investments in edutainment, including with the LA-based industry and its celebrities.
The working group for the global forums includes HFPA, the World Bank, and Michael Carbajal, an LA-based creative advisor.
ABOUT THE HOLLYWOOD FOREIGN PRESS ASSOCIATION:
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) was founded in 1943 – then known as the Hollywood Foreign Correspondents Association – by a group of entertainment journalists based in Los Angeles. During World War II, the non-profit organization established a cultural bridge between Tinseltown and millions around the world seeking an escape and inspiration through entertainment. The HFPA continues to do so today with a membership representing more than 55 countries.
Since 1944, the group has hosted the annual Golden Globe® Awards – the premier ceremony which honors achievements in both television and film. The licensing fees from the Golden Globe® Awards has enabled the organization to donate more than $50 million to more than 70 entertainment-related charities, film restoration, scholarship programs and humanitarian efforts over the last three decades. Its efforts include support for diversity programs in partnership with advocacy groups promoting greater access in Hollywood aimed at underserved communities. For more information, please visit www.GoldenGlobes.com and follow us on Twitter (@GoldenGlobes), Instagram (@GoldenGlobes), and Facebook (www.facebook.com/GoldenGlobes).
Media Contact: media@hfpa.org
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SOURCE HFPA | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/06/29/hollywood-foreign-press-association-partner-with-world-bank-support-edutainment-initiatives-international-development/ | 2022-06-29 21:26:35 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/06/29/hollywood-foreign-press-association-partner-with-world-bank-support-edutainment-initiatives-international-development/ |
Judge: District attorney can’t be co-counsel in Baldwin case
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico judge said Santa Fe’s district attorney shouldn’t serve as co-counsel in the manslaughter case against actor Alec Baldwin and a weapons supervisor in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer during a 2021 movie rehearsal. Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer on Monday said the district attorney should either lead the case on her own or turn it over entirely to another prosecutor.
Baldwin and movie armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed have pleaded not guilty to charges of involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 18 months in prison and fines.
Hutchins died shortly after being wounded Oct. 21, 2021, during rehearsals at a ranch on the outskirts of Santa Fe. Baldwin was pointing a pistol at Hutchins when the gun went off, killing her and wounding the director, Joel Souza, on the set of the Western movie “Rust.”
District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies is regrouping after the resignation of special prosecutor Andrea Reeb in the wake of missteps in the filing of initial charges against Baldwin and objections that Reeb’s role as a state legislator created conflicting responsibilities.
Carmack-Altwies has been preparing to appoint a new special prosecutor and also guide the complex case as co-counsel. But a defense attorney for Gutierrez-Reed objected to the arrangement, arguing it would be illegal under New Mexico law and fundamentally unfair to a 25-year-old defendant with limited financial resources.
Marlowe Sommer, the judge, said Monday during a court hearing by videoconference that the district attorney had misread key provisions of state law in assembling a team to prosecute the case.
“Basically, what I’m ruling, Ms. Carmack-Altwies, is that you are going to use (the law) in the way I’ve interpreted it, which means that you may not co-counsel, or you stay the course and not use a special prosecutor and prosecute it on your own,” Marlowe Sommer said.
Baldwin’s attorneys did not intervene in Monday’s arguments. A weekslong preliminary hearing in May will decide whether evidence against Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed is sufficient to proceed to trial.
Carmack-Altwies has several days to respond to the judge’s ruling.
The district attorney said her agency is contending with a shortage of staff attorneys and that a new special prosecutor will need her help in getting up to speed on the case quickly. She also said her continued involvement as co-counsel would provide an extra measure of accountability as an an elected prosecutor to political constituents.
Defense Attorney Jason Bowles said the district attorney was unfairly exceeding her authority.
“We are representing Hannah Gutierrez-Reed — she is a 25-year-old female who does not have all of those resources and does not have a war chest,” Bowles said. “And the state is essentially saying we get to put all this money together, a special taxpayer appropriation, to go after not only Mr. Baldwin, but also Hannah Gutierrez-Reed. That’s not what the statute was designed to do.”
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.weau.com/2023/03/27/judge-district-attorney-cant-be-co-counsel-baldwin-case/ | 2023-03-27 23:01:21 | 1 | https://www.weau.com/2023/03/27/judge-district-attorney-cant-be-co-counsel-baldwin-case/ |
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HOUSTON (AP) — Marcus Sasser scored a career-high 31 points, Jamal Shead added 20 points and six rebounds, and No. 1 Houston used a huge second half to beat South Florida 83-77 on Wednesday night.
Sasser scored 25 points and Shead had 13 as the backcourt mates combined to score 38 of Houston’s 46 second-half points. Sasser, a preseason All-American, finished 7 of 17 from the field, including 6 of 12 on 3-pointers. In the second half, Sasser and Shead combined to shoot 10 of 16 from the field and were 6 of 11 on 3s.
“My teammates were telling me it’s time step up,” Sasser said. “They were trying to get me going, giving me confidence. Being a senior on the team, being a leader, I’ve kind of seen it all. ... When you have good teammates, they trust you with the ball and feel like you can change the game.”
Tramon Mark scored 13 points for Houston (17-1, 5-0 American Athletic Conference), which won its eighth straight game.
Houston coach Kelvin Sampson appreciated his team's grit during a less-than-stellar performance.
“We’ve had a lot of nights where we’ve played poorly and won over the years, but it’s a beautiful win,” Sampson said. “That game was a thing of beauty. ... Get the win and go home.”
Tyler Harris scored a career-high 31 points, Russel Tchewa added 14 points and eight rebounds and Jamir Chaplin scored 14 points for the Bulls (7-10, 0-4), who lost their fourth straight.
South Florida coach Brian Gregory said Houston needed an All-American effort out of Sasser to beat the Bulls, and that’s what he gave the Cougars.
“It challenged our guys a little bit in terms of the competitiveness and toughness that you have to play with,” Gregory said. “We’re a good team. We’ve had second-half leads in all four games in our league. ... It’s disappointing where we’re at.”
Harris was 9 of 13 from the field, including 6 of 10 on 3-pointers.
Houston shot 42%, including 11 of 27 from the 3-point line. The Cougars forced South Florida into 18 turnovers and converted those into 13 points.
South Florida shot 49%, including 10 of 21 on 3-pointers.
“Every time it looked like we were about to stretch it out from 10 to 12 or 12 to 15 or something like that, they would bang a 3,” Sampson said. “They’ve been a poor 3-point shooting team and free throw (shooting team). Not tonight, but that’s how upsets occur. It’s nights like tonight.”
Trailing 53-48 with 14 1/2 minutes remaining, Houston went on a 20-4 run over the next 7 1/2 minutes to open up an 11-point lead on a 3-pointer by Shead. Sasser scored 13 points during the burst. The Bulls got no closer than six points the rest of the way.
Houston used a 10-0 run to open a 37-26 lead on a 3-pointer by Emanuel Sharp with three minutes left in the first half, but South Florida answered with a 10-0 run to end the half to cut the lead to one on a layup by Chaplin.
BIG PICTURE
South Florida: The Bulls fell to 0-6 all-time against No. 1-ranked teams. ... South Florida did not hit a field goal for nearly 8 1/2 minutes in the second half as Houston went on its run. ... The Bulls outrebounded Houston 36-30, and South Florida had a 26-22 edge in points in the paint.
Houston: Jarace Walker, who had scored more than 20 points in two straight games, was out of the lineup with an illness. ... The 36 first-half points by the Bulls were the most Houston has allowed before halftime this season, and the 77 points allowed was also a season high. ... Houston won its 12th straight over the Bulls.
FOUL TROUBLE
The teams combined for 45 fouls. Houston shot 22 of 32 from the free-throw line, led by Sasser, who was 11 of 14. The Bulls were 21 of 27 from the line, with Tchewa going 8 of 9.
UP NEXT
South Florida: At East Carolina on Sunday.
Houston: At Tulane on Jan. 17.
___
AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 | https://www.mrt.com/sports/article/Sasser-Shead-lead-No-1-Houston-past-South-17712343.php | 2023-01-12 05:01:14 | 1 | https://www.mrt.com/sports/article/Sasser-Shead-lead-No-1-Houston-past-South-17712343.php |
Momoa, who was driving a 1970 Oldsmobile, was not injured in the crash. The motorcyclist was knocked off his bike and sustained minor injuries.
The incident happened around 11 a.m. Sunday on Old Topanga Road, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The CHP says the motorcyclist crossed over the double yellow lines on Old Topanga Road and into the path of Momoa's oncoming car in the eastbound lanes.
The motorcycle hit the left front end of Momoa's Oldsmobile and the driver fell off the bike and to the ground.
Authorities say Momoa stayed at the scene to help the injured motorcyclist and flagged down a passing driver to call 911.
The rider of the motorcycle was identified as Vitaliy Avagimyan. He was brought to a Northridge hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
Momoa appeared in the 2021 Netflix film "Sweet Girl" with a 1970 Oldsmobile 442 muscle car that appears to be similar to the one he was driving on Sunday. | https://abc7ny.com/jason-momoa-motorcycle-accident-crash/12071108/ | 2022-07-25 11:19:39 | 0 | https://abc7ny.com/jason-momoa-motorcycle-accident-crash/12071108/ |
BEIJING (AP) — Chinese health officials defended their search for the source of the COVID-19 virus and lashed out Saturday at the World Health Organization after its leader said Beijing should have shared genetic information earlier.
The WHO comments were “offensive and disrespectful,” said the director of the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shen Hongbing. He accused the WHO of “attempting to smear China” and said it should avoid helping others “politicize COVID-19.”
The global health body’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said March 17 that newly disclosed genetic material gathered in Wuhan in central China, where the first cases were detected in late 2019, “should have been shared three years ago.”
“As a responsible country and as scientists, we have always actively shared research results with scientists from around the world,” Shen said at a news conference.
The origins of COVID-19 are still debated and the focus of bitter political dispute.
Many scientists believe it jumped from animals to humans at a market in Wuhan, but the city also is home to laboratories including China’s top facility for collecting viruses. That prompted suggestions COVID-19 might have leaked from one.
The ruling Communist Party has tried to deflect criticism of its handling of the outbreak by spreading uncertainty about its origins.
Officials have repeated anti-U.S. conspiracy theories that the virus was created by Washington and smuggled into China. The government also says the virus might have entered China on mail or food shipments, though scientists abroad see no evidence to support that.
Chinese officials suppressed information about the Wuhan outbreak in 2019 and punished a doctor who warned others about the new disease. The ruling party reversed course in early 2020 and shut down access to major cities and most international travel to contain the disease.
The genetic material cited by the WHO’s Tedros was uploaded recently to a global database but collected in 2020 at a Wuhan market where wildlife was sold.
The samples show DNA from raccoon dogs mingled with the virus, scientists say. They say that adds evidence to the hypothesis COVID-19 came from animals, not a lab, but doesn’t resolve the question of where it started. They say the virus also might have spread to raccoon dogs from humans.
The information was removed by Chinese officials from the database after foreign scientists asked the CDC about it, but it had been copied by a French expert and shared with researchers outside China.
A CDC researcher, Zhou Lei, who worked in Wuhan, said Chinese scientists “shared all the data we had” and “adhered to principles of openness, objectivity and transparency.”
Shen said scientists investigated the possibility of a laboratory leak and “fully shared our research and data without any concealment or reservation.”
Shen said the source of COVID-19 had yet to be found, but he noted it took years to identify the AIDS virus and its origin still is unclear.
“Some forces and figures who instigate and participate in politicizing the traceability issue and attempting to smear China should not assume that the vision of the scientific community around the world will be blinded by their clumsy manipulation,” Shen said. | https://www.ksn.com/news/health/ap-health/china-health-officials-lash-out-at-who-defend-virus-search/ | 2023-04-08 15:59:08 | 0 | https://www.ksn.com/news/health/ap-health/china-health-officials-lash-out-at-who-defend-virus-search/ |
St. Clare Hospital and Virginia Mason Medical Center were the only Washington state hospitals to make the rankings
SEATTLE and LAKEWOOD, Wash., July 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- St. Clare Hospital and Virginia Mason Medical Center have recently been recognized as two of the 148 Best Hospitals in America by Money (formerly Money Magazine), in partnership with The Leapfrog Group. The two Virginia Mason Franciscan Health hospitals were the only hospitals in Washington state to be recognized for this achievement.
Virginia Mason Franciscan Health is an integrated health system serving the Puget Sound region of Washington state, offering access to some of the country's most prestigious experts and hospitals that are internationally known for superior quality. With a team of 18,000 team members, including nearly 5,000 employed physicians and affiliated providers, we unite the brightest healthcare minds in the region to provide world-class clinical excellence at 11 hospitals and nearly 300 sites of care throughout the Puget Sound area. We are proud to be the home of Bailey-Boushay House, the first skilled-nursing and outpatient chronic care management program in the United States designed specifically to meet the needs of people with HIV/AIDS, and Benaroya Research Institute, which is internationally recognized for autoimmune disease research. We embrace our community's uniquely vibrant, active culture by providing holistic, personalized and patient-centered care. We are committed to caring for the most vulnerable in our communities, including the poor and underserved, providing more than $300 million in community benefit – free, subsidized, and reduced cost health care and programs.
Virginia Mason Franciscan Health was formed in 2021 by bringing together two leading health systems in Washington state. Our family of hospitals includes Virginia Mason Hospital, Seattle; St. Anthony Hospital, Gig Harbor; St. Clare Hospital, Lakewood; St. Elizabeth Hospital, Enumclaw; St. Francis Hospital, Federal Way; St. Joseph Medical Center, Tacoma; St. Michael Medical Center, Silverdale and Bremerton; St. Anne Hospital, Burien; Rehabilitation Hospital, Tacoma; and Wellfound Behavioral Health Hospital, Tacoma. Learn more at www.vmfh.org.
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SOURCE Virginia Mason Franciscan Health | https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/prnewswire/2022/07/14/virginia-mason-franciscan-health-hospitals-recognized-by-money-leapfrog-two-best-hospitals-america/ | 2022-07-14 02:47:49 | 1 | https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/prnewswire/2022/07/14/virginia-mason-franciscan-health-hospitals-recognized-by-money-leapfrog-two-best-hospitals-america/ |
NEW YORK, March 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --
WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of LivePerson, Inc. (NASDAQ: LPSN) resulting from allegations that LivePerson may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public.
SO WHAT: If you purchased LivePerson securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses.
WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=13260 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.
WHAT IS THIS ABOUT: On March 15, 2023, after the market closed, LivePerson issued a press release announcing its fourth quarter 2022 financial results disclosing that LivePerson reported a loss and revenue decline. In its press release, LivePerson also revealed that its subsidiary, WildHealth, received a notice that Medicare was suspending reimbursement for services rendered under the Medicare demonstrate program (the "Program") in which certain non-core services would be provided and reimbursed by Medicare. Accordingly, LivePerson stated that given the "inherent uncertainty as to the timing and amount of further reimbursement for services rendered under the Program, the Company has elected to take a reserve for revenue associated with services delivered under the Program in the fourth quarter of 2022 for which payment has not yet been collected."
On this news, LivePerson's stock price fell $5.64, or 57% to close at $4.13 per share on March 16, 2023, damaging investors.
WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.
Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Contact Information:
Laurence Rosen, Esq.
Phillip Kim, Esq.
The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-1060
Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
Fax: (212) 202-3827
lrosen@rosenlegal.com
pkim@rosenlegal.com
cases@rosenlegal.com
www.rosenlegal.com
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SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A. | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2023/03/24/rosen-national-trial-lawyers-encourages-liveperson-inc-investors-with-losses-excess-100k-inquire-about-securities-class-action-investigation-lpsn/ | 2023-03-24 23:00:16 | 0 | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2023/03/24/rosen-national-trial-lawyers-encourages-liveperson-inc-investors-with-losses-excess-100k-inquire-about-securities-class-action-investigation-lpsn/ |
NORFOLK, Va., Oct. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Kevin Stevenson, president and CEO of PRA Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: PRAA), delivered the keynote address at the Virginia Chamber of Commerce's 2022 Virginia Education and Workforce Conference in Richmond, Va., on behalf of Virginia's business leaders.
The conference, which was attended by more than 400 leaders in education, business, government and the community, focused on positioning Virginia's workforce for success.
With its global headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, PRA Group is a publicly traded company that has grown to become one of the largest acquirers of nonperforming loans in the world. For more than 25 years, the company's headquarters have remained in Virginia, where, among its 18 locations in Europe, the Americas and Australia, it has established its largest workforce.
A co-founder of PRA Group, Stevenson has made a long-term investment in Virginia's economic development and growth. His speech focused on the pivotal role education plays in strengthening and producing a sustainable and viable talent pipeline within the Commonwealth. Stevenson called the private sector to action, encouraging business leaders to invest in three main areas:
- Pathways to in-demand careers through work-based learning and internships,
- Philanthropic partnerships that create an economy for all based on equitable access,
- And strategic collaboration with higher education to create career pathways.
"The fact of the matter is, when Virginia companies contribute to education, we ensure the growth and longevity of our businesses. Our investments in education, nonprofits committed to access and enrichment and work-based learning opportunities are investments in the economic growth of Virginia. Let's leverage the resources we have here in Virginia to build the best workforce in the nation!" Stevenson said in his keynote.
Stevenson has led PRA Group in this philosophy since the company's founding in 1996. In Virginia alone, the global company supports organizations such as ACCESS College Foundation, An Achievable Dream and Junior Achievement of Greater Hampton Roads in addition to sponsoring STEM learning opportunities such as Virginia Living Museum's Amazing Pollinators exhibit and Old Dominion University's (ODU) Data Science Summer Camp. PRA Group also funds ODU's Strome College of Business and is a member of the 757 Regional Internship Collaborative and the RVA 757 Connects initiative.
PRA Group also hosts a paid summer internship program to promote work-based learning and recently launched an IT apprenticeship program for employees to explore pathways to in-demand careers.
To learn more about PRA Group's commitment to making an impact in Virginia and around the world, visit: https://www.pragroup.com/news-and-stories/.
About PRA Group
As a global leader in acquiring and collecting nonperforming loans, PRA Group returns capital to banks and other creditors to help expand financial services for consumers. With thousands of employees worldwide, PRA Group companies collaborate with customers to help them resolve their debt. For more information, please visit www.pragroup.com.
News Media Contact:
Elizabeth Kersey
Senior Vice President, Communications and Public Policy
757) 961-3525
Elizabeth.Kersey@PRAGroup.com
Investor Contact:
Najim Mostamand, CFA
Vice President, Investor Relations
(757) 431-7913
IR@PRAGroup.com
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SOURCE PRA Group | https://www.wkyt.com/prnewswire/2022/10/11/pra-groups-kevin-stevenson-gives-virginia-chambers-capstone-speech-investing-education/ | 2022-10-11 20:58:54 | 1 | https://www.wkyt.com/prnewswire/2022/10/11/pra-groups-kevin-stevenson-gives-virginia-chambers-capstone-speech-investing-education/ |
Third annual Business of Sustainability Index reveals increasing sustainability demand from Americans, especially among young people and parents
ATLANTA, April 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Despite inflation and economic uncertainty, more than two-thirds of Americans (68%) are willing to pay more for environmentally sustainable products compared to competitors that are not sustainable, according to the third Business of Sustainability Index ("BOSI") by PDI Technologies, a global leader delivering powerful solutions and insights that serve as the backbone of the convenience retail and petroleum wholesale ecosystem. The data demonstrate the steady growth in demand for sustainability across the U.S., compared to 64% and 66% of Americans saying they would pay more for sustainable products in BOSI 2021 and BOSI 2022, respectively.
Young people are especially open to paying more for sustainable products, with 77% of Gen Z (ages 18-26) and 72% of Millennials (ages 27-42) saying they would do so. Parents were also prepared to open their wallets for sustainability, with more than three-fourths (76%) noting they would pay more.
When asked about purchasing gasoline specifically, 64% of Americans said they would pay more at the pump if the carbon emissions were offset with sustainability efforts, such as planting trees. That number was even higher for Gen Z (76%), Millennials (67%), and parents (74%).
"Over the past three years, BOSI has measured Americans' accelerating demand for sustainability to help companies better understand how to meet those evolving needs," said Brandon Logsdon, President of Consumer Engagement, PDI Technologies. "The data is clear: Consumers overwhelmingly want sustainable products and are willing to pay more for them. Companies that understand sustainability as a strategic business asset are well positioned to gain market share and grow faster than their competitors."
Americans Report Difficulty Finding and Trusting Sustainable Offerings
While 79% of Americans say they want to buy from brands that are environmentally friendly, most don't know how to identify these companies. This is overwhelmingly true for Gen Z (91%), Millennials (80%), and parents (85%).
There is also a growing dissatisfaction with how companies are approaching sustainability. Nearly half (45%) of consumers say they believe American corporations are doing a poor job when it comes to reducing their carbon footprint and the footprint of the products or services they sell, an increase from 41% in BOSI 2022. Noticeably, 37% of Gen Z wants corporate profits to support environmental organizations, a nine-point increase over all respondents (28%). Read the full BOSI report online.
"Consumers want sustainability but struggle to find it. Even when they do, they often don't trust the environmental claims companies make. Leveraging internal tools and third-party accreditation to help measure, track, and communicate progress will continue to differentiate the sustainability gains of their products, services, and overall enterprises," Logsdon continued.
PDI Sustainability Solutions was established in March 2022 when PDI acquired GreenPrint, which administered BOSI in 2021 and 2022. With its current programs and forward-looking innovations, PDI is helping to lead the convenience ecosystem through energy transition and the growth of elective vehicles (EVs). To learn more about how retailers and brands can use loyalty to fund sustainability initiatives that meet ecofriendly consumer desires and improve business results, visit PDI Sustainability Solutions.
About the Survey
This Xcelerant survey was conducted online by Directions Research, independently recognized as one of the nation's leading business decision insight firms. The survey was fielded from March 30 to March 31, 2023, among a demographically balanced nationally representative sample of 1,038 U.S. adults 18 years of age and older. To ensure consistent and accurate representation of the U.S. general population 18 years of age and older, data are weighted to match the U.S. Census data by the following variables: sex, age, geographic region, race/ethnicity, and education. Weighting factors for each respondent are developed through a custom algorithm.
About PDI Technologies
With 40 years of industry leadership, PDI Technologies, Inc. resides at the intersection of productivity and sales growth, delivering powerful solutions that serve as the backbone of the convenience retail and petroleum wholesale ecosystem. By "Connecting Convenience" across the globe, we empower businesses to increase productivity, make informed decisions, and engage faster with their customers. From large-scale ERP and logistics operations to loyalty programs and cybersecurity, we're simplifying the industry supply chain for whatever comes next. Today, we serve over 200,000 locations worldwide with solutions like the Fuel Rewards® program and GasBuddy®, two popular brands representing more than 20 million active users. Visit the PDI Technologies website.
For more information, contact:
Kelly O'Brien, pr@pditechnologies.com
Zach Harris, 646-818-9031, zharris@prosek.com
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SOURCE PDI Technologies | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/04/26/despite-inflation-pressures-over-two-thirds-americans-are-willing-pay-more-sustainable-products-pdi-study-finds/ | 2023-04-26 14:38:59 | 0 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2023/04/26/despite-inflation-pressures-over-two-thirds-americans-are-willing-pay-more-sustainable-products-pdi-study-finds/ |
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) lead over her Republican challenger, Rep. Lee Zeldin, is widening in the state’s gubernatorial race one week from the midterms, according to a new poll.
An Emerson College Polling-Pix11-The Hill survey released on Tuesday found 52 percent of very likely voters supported Hochul compared to 44 percent for Zeldin. Three percent said they were undecided.
When the poll factored in who undecided voters said they were leaning toward, Zeldin’s support rose to 45 percent, while Hochul’s rose to 54 percent.
Polling had shown the gubernatorial race in the deep-blue state tightening in recent weeks. Hochul has leaned into issues like abortion, Zeldin’s vote to overturn the 2020 election results and gun safety. Meanwhile, the Republican has featured crime prominently in his campaign.
An Emerson College Polling-Pix11-The Hill survey released last week, before a debate between Hochul and Zeldin, showed Hochul leading 50-44 percent.
Asked in the latest poll whether last week’s debate between the two changed their opinions, 26 percent it improved their view of Hochul, 35 percent said it worsened their opinion and 39 percent said it made no difference.
Meanwhile, 41 percent of respondents said the debate improved their opinion of Zeldin, 25 percent said it worsened their view and 34 percent said it made no difference.
“Hochul leads 70% to 26% among voters who said the debate makes no difference on their vote,” said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling. He also noted that “male voters in New York are evenly split: 48% support Zeldin and 48% Hochul. Women voters are Hochul’s strong suit, she leads Zeldin by 16 points, 56% to 40%.”
The nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report has rated the race as “likely Democrat.”
The Emerson College Polling-Pix11-The Hill New York poll surveyed 1,000 very likely voters from Oct. 28 to Oct. 31. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points. | https://pix11.com/hill-politics/hochul-widens-lead-over-zeldin-in-new-york-governors-race-poll/ | 2022-11-01 22:39:28 | 1 | https://pix11.com/hill-politics/hochul-widens-lead-over-zeldin-in-new-york-governors-race-poll/ |
CHARLESTON, S.C. — A banker charged with helping disbarred attorney Alex Murdaugh take money from the legal settlements of clients was found guilty late Tuesday of wire and bank fraud charges in South Carolina.
It was the first trial related to the sprawling Murdaugh legal drama that has captivated true-crime audiences.
Murdaugh is charged with killing his wife and son and his murder trial is set to start in January. He also faces nearly 100 other charges ranging from money laundering to drug offenses to stealing from clients and trying to arrange his own death to get his surviving son a $10 million life insurance benefit.
And while Murdaugh, 54, wasn’t in the federal courthouse in Charleston, he loomed over Laffitte’s trial.
Laffitte, 51, didn’t deny that his handling of Murdaugh’s finances helped the attorney steal from clients, but testified in his own defense during his federal trial that he was duped, according to news outlets.
When a prosecutor asked Laffitte if he stole, he answered “I did, but absolutely not intentionally.”
Prosecutors had to prove Laffitte willfully participated in the fraud to convict him.
Prosecutors said Laffitte knew what he was doing when he effectively worked as Murdaugh’s personal banker and eventually became the court-appointed custodian for the settlement money for several of his underage clients.
Laffitte loaned Murdaugh and himself money from those settlements, diverting that money from personal injury or death cases.
Murdaugh had a plan to steal the money, but needed someone organized and detail-oriented to prevent him from being easily caught, prosecutor Emily Limehouse said in her closing statement.
“None of this would have happened without Alex Murdaugh, but none of it could have happened without the defendant,” Limehouse said.
Both through Laffitte’s testimony and other witnesses, defense attorneys tried to show the banker was just trying to follow the instructions of one of his biggest clients and was lied to and manipulated.
“He admits to doing it all,” defense attorney Matt Austin said in his closing statement. “He just doesn’t think he was committing a crime.”
But prosecutors pointed out that Murdaugh was giving Laffitte checks written to the bank instead of to the clients, which allowed the lawyer to divert the cash to people he owed money to, whether it be his law firm he was stealing money from, other clients he had already stolen money from or family members.
That also allowed Laffitte to avoid paying taxes.
Laffitte was convicted on one count each of bank fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy, plus three counts of misapplication of bank funds. He also faces 21 counts of financial crimes in state court.
Murdaugh was disbarred and Laffitte was fired last year.
The Murdaugh murder case even made an appearance Laffitte’s trial. Murdaugh’s wife Maggie, 52, and their 22-year-old son, Paul, were shot to death with different guns on June 7, 2021, outside a family home in Colleton County.
An employee at Laffitte’s bank testified she confronted Murdaugh about missing fees from one of his cases hours before the killings. Neither prosecutors in Laffitte’s, nor the investigators in the killings, have mentioned whether they see a link between the events.
Both Murdaugh and Laffitte are from tiny Hampton County. Murdaugh’s family law firm dominated the legal community and his father, grandfather and great-grandfather were the area’s elected prosecutors for 87 years straight.
Laffitte’s family built Palmetto State Bank, earning a sterling reputation that led to honors like being named banker of the year by the Independent Banks of South Carolina in 2019.
And, as in many small towns, their families intertwined. The law firm employee who confronted Murdaugh about the missing money the day his wife and son died was Jeanne Seckinger, Laffitte’s sister-in-law.
More than a third of the witnesses in Laffitte’s trial were his relatives, with most of them testifying for prosecutors. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/banker-for-alex-murdaugh-convicted-of-bank-fraud-charges/2022/11/23/ac4a82fc-6b48-11ed-8619-0b92f0565592_story.html | 2022-11-23 17:06:57 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/banker-for-alex-murdaugh-convicted-of-bank-fraud-charges/2022/11/23/ac4a82fc-6b48-11ed-8619-0b92f0565592_story.html |
Miller Children's & Women's creates new elevated chief executive position to support pediatric strategy and drive growth across the region
LONG BEACH, Calif., Oct. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center and MemorialCare Miller Children's & Women's Hospital Long Beach announced the promotion of three members of the hospitals' executive team and a new leadership structure to align with MemorialCare's future strategic plans, including regional growth in pediatrics and advancing our position as the region's leader in healthcare.
Yair Katz, Chief Financial Officer of both hospitals for the past seven years, has been promoted to the newly created position of Chief Executive Miller Children's & Women's Hospital and Senior Vice President of Pediatrics for MemorialCare. While leading all financial operations of the Long Beach hospitals, Katz has demonstrated a deep understanding of the uniqueness of children's hospitals, has been an advocate for, and key leader in, many of the Miller Children's & Women's growth initiatives. He has also been a conduit between the leadership team of the hospital and its philanthropic foundation. Katz has assumed his new role and will continue his CFO duties until a replacement has been identified.
"Miller Children's & Women's Hospital Long Beach is one of MemorialCare's most unique assets. It is one of only eight stand-alone children's hospitals in California, and the greatest area of untapped growth potential within our health system," says Barry Arbuckle, President and Chief Executive Officer, MemorialCare. "To enable the highest possible level of strategic focus, it became very clear that we would be well-served to have an additional senior executive whose primary focus is Miller Children's & Women's Hospital, and our team recognized that Yair was an exceptional choice for this role."
In addition to the Chief Executive role for Miller Children's & Women's, a Chief Nursing Executive role has been created for senior oversight of all patient care areas. Susan Herman, DNP, RN has been promoted into this expanded leadership position, from her previous role as the Chief Nursing Officer of Miller Children's & Women's. As the Chief Nursing Executive, Herman will ensure a shared vision for nursing excellence, continuity in professional practice across both Miller Children's & Women's and Long Beach Medical Center, focusing on both strategy and operational excellence for patient care. Herman will be supported by two assistant nurse executives, one for each hospital, that will work collaboratively with her to ensure continued quality of care for all our patient populations. Herman brings with her 25 years of nursing leadership experience at organizations that include Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford, Kaiser, and several acute care community hospitals. Herman has a seven-year history of accomplishments at Miller Children's and Women's.
Steve Cesca has been promoted to Chief Strategy Officer for both Long Beach Medical Center and Miller Children's & Women's. Cesca is a results-oriented and forward-thinking healthcare executive with 30 years of experience in healthcare strategy and business development. Steve has been with MemorialCare since 2018 as the Vice President of Business Development. He has elevated the strategic planning for Long Beach Medical Center and Miller Children's & Women's and has been instrumental in physician alignment and recruitment. In his new role, he will work closely with Katz and Herman to ensure our capital plans and delivery of care models align with our strategy and program growth. Prior to joining MemorialCare, Cesca led strategic services at UCI Health and strategic and business planning for CHOC.
The newly promoted executives will work closely with the hospitals' physician executive leaders, Joe Kim, M.D., chief medical officer for Long Beach Medical Center and Graham Tse, M.D., chief medical officer for Miller Children's & Women's to advance physician alignment and continue to ensure continuance of exceptional quality of services.
Helen Macfie, PharmD, remains acting Chief Operating Officer for both hospitals, and John Bishop continues as CEO, while a nationwide search effort for his replacement is underway. MemorialCare expects to have a new CEO identified and in place by early 2023.
About MemorialCare's Long Beach Medical Center and Miller Children's & Women's Hospital Long Beach:
MemorialCare's Long Beach Medical Center and Miller Children's & Women's Hospital Long Beach are designated with the prestigious Magnet® recognition for excellence in nursing. Long Beach Medical Center has been providing compassionate care with the latest state-of-the-art technology for more than 100 years and is the region's first choice for comprehensive care in virtually every medical and surgical specialty. Miller Children's & Women's provides specialized pediatric care for children and young adults — as well as maternity care for expectant mothers — under one roof. Since both hospitals share one campus, they are uniquely qualified to care for patients of all ages, from a newborn to an older adult. Visit memorialcare.org/LongBeach and millerchildrens.org for more information.
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SOURCE MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center and MemorialCare Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2022/10/24/memorialcares-long-beach-medical-center-miller-childrens-amp-womens-hospital-make-strategic-changes-executive-leadership-structure/ | 2022-10-24 23:26:58 | 0 | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2022/10/24/memorialcares-long-beach-medical-center-miller-childrens-amp-womens-hospital-make-strategic-changes-executive-leadership-structure/ |
ROCKVILLE, Md. and BEIJING, Dec. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CASI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: CASI), a U.S. biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing innovative therapeutics and pharmaceutical products, today announces that China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has accepted the new drug application (NDA) from Juventas Cell Therapy, Ltd., (Juventas) for CNCT19 (Inaticabtagene Autoleucel), an investigational CD-19 directed CAR-T therapy, for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed/refractory B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (r/r B-ALL).
CNCT19 is the first CAR-T cell therapy for the treatment of B-ALL submitted for NDA and has the potential to be the first approved domestic developed CD19 directed CAR-T therapy in China. Owing to the unique CD19 scFv(HI19a)structure and the leading CMC manufacturing techniques, CNCT19 indicated an 100% success rate of drug production from r/r B-ALL patients in the registrational trial. It has been granted the Orphan Drug Designation from the FDA and the Breakthrough Designation status by the China Center of Drug Evaluation (CDE).
The r/r B-ALL NDA submission for CNCT19 contains the initial data from study NCT04684147, a Phase II, single-arm, open-label, single-dose, multicenter clinical trial. The study results reveal that CNCT19 has demonstrated a high level of efficacy, durable remissions, and substantially reduced CAR-T related toxicity for the treatment of adults with r/r B-ALL. Professor Wang Jianxiang, the Principal Investigator of CNCT19 from the Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, and his team presented the study results at the 64th Annual Meeting of American Hematology (2022 ASH) on December 12th, 2022.
CNCT19 CAR-T cell therapy achieved outstanding ORRs with high rates of MRD-negative complete remission in adult patients with r/r B-ALL within three months and by the end of the third month. Of the 39 evaluable patients, 32 (82.1%) patients reached CR/CRi within three months and 25 (64.1%) patients remained CR/CRi by the end of the third months. The CR rates were 66.7% (26/39) and 51.3% (20/39) respectively. The MRD-negative rate was 100% (32/32) within three months and persisted at 92% (23/25) by the end of the third month. Median duration of response (DOR) has not been reached.
The most common CNCT19 related adverse events (AEs) were cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and neuro toxicity (NT). There were 4 cases of Grade ≥3 CRS (n=4, 10.3%) and 3 cases of Grade ≥ 3 NT (n=3, 7.7%). Following CNCT19 infusion, all the patients recovered without any unexpected AEs reported.
Dr. Wei-Wu He, CASI's Chairman and CEO commented, "CNCT19 NDA acceptance by NMPA represents a significant milestone. We are in preparation for the anticipated CNCT-19 commercial launch. This product is truly exciting as it proved to have significant clinical benefits for unmet medical needs. CASI and Juventas will work side by side to deliver CNCT19 to patients in China, and eventually worldwide."
CASI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a U.S. biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing innovative therapeutics and pharmaceutical products in China, the United States, and throughout the world. The Company is focused on acquiring, developing, and commercializing products that augment its hematology oncology therapeutic focus as well as other areas of unmet medical need. The Company intends to execute its plan to become a leader by launching medicines in the Greater China market, leveraging the Company's China-based regulatory and commercial competencies and its global drug development expertise. The Company's operations in China are conducted through its wholly-owned subsidiary, CASI Pharmaceuticals (China) Co., Ltd., located in Beijing, China. The Company has built a commercial team of more than 100 hematology and oncology sales and marketing specialists based in China. More information on CASI is available at www.casipharmaceuticals.com.
Juventas is a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in China dedicated to the development and commercialization of cell therapies globally. Utilizing innovative and integrated technology platforms, the company has developed a diverse pipeline of cellular immunotherapies for treatment of hematological malignancies, solid tumors, and other non-oncological conditions both in China and globally. At present, the company is conducting two pivotal clinical trials of CNCT19 for treating adult r/r-B-ALL and r/r-B-NHL in China. CNCT19 has the potential to become the first launched domestically developed CD19 CAR-T therapy in China and the first CAR-T product for the treatment of adult R/R B-ALL in China.
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act with respect to the outlook for expectations for future financial or business performance, revenue growth, strategies, expectations, and goals. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, which change over time. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we assume no duty to update forward-looking statements. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict which factors will arise. In addition, we cannot assess the impact of each factor on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors.
COMPANY CONTACT:
Rui Zhang
CASI Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Phone: 240.864.2643
Email: ir@casipharmaceuticals.com
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SOURCE CASI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2022/12/15/casi-pharmaceuticals-partner-juventas-announces-new-drug-application-cnct19-accepted-by-china-national-medical-products-administration/ | 2022-12-15 12:57:00 | 1 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2022/12/15/casi-pharmaceuticals-partner-juventas-announces-new-drug-application-cnct19-accepted-by-china-national-medical-products-administration/ |
PITTSBURGH, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "I wanted to create an economical and sensible means of collecting and reusing accumulated sand used to create traction on roads in mountainous areas," said an inventor, from Arvada, Colo., "so I invented the MOUNTAIN ROAD SAND SUCKER. My design increases convenience, it could save money and it would provide added protection for the environment."
The invention provides an effective way to collect snowplow-dispensed sand that has accumulated alongside mountainous roads. In doing so, it enables the sand to be reused. It also helps to reduce environmental threats to trees and vegetation. The invention features a durable and reliable design that is easy to use so it is ideal for governmental entities that use snow-clearing equipment and snow removal services. Additionally, a prototype model is available upon request.
The original design was submitted to the Denver sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 20-DNV-363, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.
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SOURCE InventHelp | https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/inventhelp-inventor-develops-snowplow-device-collecting-traction-sand-dnv-363/ | 2022-09-12 16:16:01 | 1 | https://www.kmvt.com/prnewswire/2022/09/12/inventhelp-inventor-develops-snowplow-device-collecting-traction-sand-dnv-363/ |
MADRID (AP) — Rescuers on Sunday recovered the victims from a bus that ran off a bridge and plunged into a river on Christmas Eve, killing six passengers and injuring the driver and another passenger, Spanish authorities said.
The blue roof of the half-sunk vehicle could be seen in the Lérez river about 30 meters (100 feet) below the bridge. Emergency services were alerted by a motorist who saw the broken railing on the bridge as he drove in heavy rain.
The Spanish Guardia Civil said a total of eight people were on the bus. The two survivors were rescued Saturday night and taken to hospitals. The bodies of the dead were retrieved Sunday.
Regional president Alfonso Rueda said the bad weather conditions were a possible cause of the accident. | https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Six-passengers-killed-when-bus-plunges-into-river-17677166.php | 2022-12-25 22:55:13 | 0 | https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Six-passengers-killed-when-bus-plunges-into-river-17677166.php |
Four astronauts fly SpaceX back home, end 5-month mission
By MARCIA DUNN
AP Aerospace Writer
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Four space station astronauts are back on Earth after a quick SpaceX flight home. Their capsule splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico off the Florida coast late Saturday. The crew from the U.S., Russia and Japan spent five months at the International Space Station. Among those returning was NASA’s Nicole Mann, the first Native American woman to fly in space. She says she couldn’t wait to feel the wind on her face, smell fresh grass and enjoy some delicious Earth food. Their replacements arrived at the space station more than a week ago. | https://localnews8.com/news/ap-national/2023/03/11/four-astronauts-fly-spacex-back-home-end-5-month-mission/ | 2023-03-12 03:07:32 | 0 | https://localnews8.com/news/ap-national/2023/03/11/four-astronauts-fly-spacex-back-home-end-5-month-mission/ |
MARSH, Johnnie MaePassed away June 22, 2022, at the age of 87 years old.Sign the guestbook at Legacy.comView the obituary on Legacy.comIn Other News1Eikelberger, Shirley2DEPEW, Linda3CLARK, Owen4CHAMBERLIN, Jean5ANDERSON, Carol | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/obituaries/marsh-johnnie/YFFOEUV7OFFO5GQFG4V4HBWMSE/ | 2022-07-03 05:40:00 | 1 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/obituaries/marsh-johnnie/YFFOEUV7OFFO5GQFG4V4HBWMSE/ |
Caudill, Nancy
Nancy Lee (Stacy) Caudill, 70, of Urbana, Ohio passed away on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. A gathering of family and friends will be held from 4-7pm, on Friday, April 28, 2023, in Vernon Funeral Home, Urbana, Ohio.
Funeral service will be held at 11:00am on Saturday, April 29, 2023, in the funeral home
Funeral Home Information
Vernon Funeral Home - Urbana
235 Miami Street
Urbana, OH
43078
https://www.vernonfh.com/?utm_campaign=legacytraffic&utm_source=legacy&utm_medium=referral | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/obituaries/caudill-nancy/ZJF7SGPF75DZ7MYA273LLNPN74/ | 2023-04-27 06:10:01 | 1 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/obituaries/caudill-nancy/ZJF7SGPF75DZ7MYA273LLNPN74/ |
Illinois woman who watched her boyfriend kill 6 of his family members sentenced to 25 years in prison
IL woman's former boyfriend was sentenced to life in prison
A woman who watched her former boyfriend kill six members of his family, including two young boys, at their Chicago home then helped him steal their property was sentenced Tuesday to 25 years in prison.
Jafeth Ramos, 25, pleaded guilty to armed robbery under a deal with Cook County prosecutors in which she agreed to testify against the former boyfriend, Diego Uribe Cruz, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Uribe Cruz was sentenced to life in prison last month for six counts of first-degree murder in the February 2016 slayings in the victims’ bungalow in the Gage Park neighborhood on the city’s Southwest Side.
CAR CRASH INTO CHICAGO-AREA RESTAURANT INJURES FAMILY OF 4
At Uribe Cruz’s trial, Ramos told jurors that she accepted the plea agreement in the hope that she one day would be able to again be with her son, who was barely a toddler when the couple were arrested in May 2016.
During that trial, prosecutors alleged he shot his 32-year-old aunt, Maria Martinez, after trying to rob her on Feb. 4, 2016, before he fatally stabbed her sons, ages 10 and 13, and stabbed or beat to death other relatives to make sure there were no witnesses.
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Ramos declined to give a statement at her sentencing hearing.
As she was led out of the room, Ramos waved to family members in the gallery and made a heart shape with her hands. The family declined to comment afterwards. | https://www.foxnews.com/us/illinois-woman-watched-boyfriend-kill-6-family-members-sentenced-25-years-prison | 2022-12-07 19:07:25 | 1 | https://www.foxnews.com/us/illinois-woman-watched-boyfriend-kill-6-family-members-sentenced-25-years-prison |
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — J.J. Spaun hopes he’s only getting started on the road to the FedEx Cup finale. Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth will have to wait another week.
Scheffler, the Masters champion and No. 1 player for the last five months, never quite recovered from what he could only describe as an “out-of-body experience” with his putting in the first round. He had birdie chances on two of the last three holes he couldn’t convert and his 68 was one shot short of making the weekend.
“Obviously, it’s really frustrating coming into the playoffs,” Scheffler said. “I was practicing really hard at home, actually playing really good, and I showed up and had the worst putting day ever. Golf smacks you in the face sometimes.”
McIlroy went from rough to gallery to fringe to bogey on his last hole for a 69 for only his second missed cut of the year. Spieth’s hopes of playing the weekend ended with a tee shot into the water on the par-3 14th that led to a 74.
At least they get to play next week in the BMW Championship, being high enough in the standings not to lose too much sleep over it.
Day opened with a 65 and was hopeful of a big finish to advance into the top 70 who made it to the next playoff event. Instead, the former world No. 1 dropped five shots over the last eight holes, shot 74 and missed the cut by one shot.
Day was among 31 players who started outside the top 70 in the FedEx Cup and missed the cut, meaning their season is over.
Rickie Fowler, who came in at No. 125, ended the back nine (double bogey) and front nine (bogey) poorly and shot 71. He was tied for 33rd, around for two more days but needing to contend to advance.
Spaun was at 11-under 129 and only looking ahead.
He was one shot ahead of Sepp Straka, who birdied his last three holes for a 66, and Troy Merritt, who had a 65. Merritt started at No. 64 in the standings, so this was just what he needed to make sure he would be moving on.
With a clear sky, hot sun and a little more wind, Spaun was as proud of his 67 on Friday as his 64 the day before. Mostly, he feels his game his coming around after going into a lull following his first PGA Tour title at the Valero Texas Open in early April.
“It’s so hard to be consistently good at the highest level. Some guys that do it like that, like Tiger and McIlroy and all those guys. It’s just insane how good they are for so long,” Spaun said. “I did it for a few months and then kind of fell off, but here I am kind of making my way back.”
Straka knows the feeling. He had not made it to the weekend since the Memorial in early June. And then he opened with rounds of 64-66.
“Hadn’t played great coming into this week. Missed a bunch of cuts coming in,” Straka said (in his case, “a bunch” would be six in a row). “But that’s golf. You’re going to have the ebbs and flows and just kind go with it.”
And off he went, especially at the end, when he finished with three straight birdies to get to 10 under.
Tony Finau, coming off two straight victories, had his 11th consecutive round at 68 or lower dating to the final round of the British Open. His 68 on Friday left him three behind.
Spaun didn’t feel as though he had much of a lead — one shot, not to mention 15 players within four shots of the lead and 36 holes still to play.
“It’s anyone’s weekend, and it’s going to mine,” he said playfully.
The first part for so many players was getting to the weekend, and two players who seized on the opportunity were Ryan Palmer and Lucas Glover.
Palmer is at No. 110 in the FedEx Cup, shot 67 and joined Finau, British Open champion Cam Smith (65) and others at 8-under 132.
Glover is No. 121. Even with a bogey on his final hole, his 68 put him four shots out of the lead.
___
More AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/golf/straka-shakes-out-of-slump-grabs-early-lead-in-memphis/2022/08/12/695010c2-1a7e-11ed-b998-b2ab68f58468_story.html | 2022-08-13 01:07:24 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/golf/straka-shakes-out-of-slump-grabs-early-lead-in-memphis/2022/08/12/695010c2-1a7e-11ed-b998-b2ab68f58468_story.html |
John Summers’s thoughtful essay (“What my autistic son’s cold cheeseburgers taught me about bureaucracy,” Ideas, May 28) struck several nerves for me. I have encountered many bureaucratic roadblocks during the life of my 44-year-old son, who has Down syndrome, yet none as ridiculous as what Summers’s then-7-year-old Misha encountered. All he needed was someone who would disrupt the system and use the microwave that was in his summer school autism classroom so that he wouldn’t go hungry. A cold cheeseburger is not my idea of lunch.
However, I took issue with Summers’s statement that “a half century ago, findings from the social study of autism helped to close the state schools and asylums.” As a former deputy superintendent of what was then the Fernald State School, I can attest that there were a number of factors at work. From “Christmas in Purgatory: A Photographic Essay on Mental Retardation” in the mid-1960s to Geraldo Rivera’s 1972 ABC expose of the scathing conditions at Willowbrook State School, the public got to see the horrors being inflicted upon children and adults. Here in Massachusetts, in 1973, Judge Joseph L. Tauro made an unannounced visit to the Belchertown State School as a part of a lawsuit by families and saw deplorable conditions that he said felt “like getting punched in the stomach for nine straight hours.”
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It was these images and lawsuits, the ferocious will of families, advocates, and allies in government, and massive amounts of public funding that put to rest the notion that people with intellectual disabilities and autism needed to be separated and abandoned from our communities.
In the process, we have been pulled to protect people with disabilities, and too often, policies, procedures, and regulations are established, sometimes by the well-intentioned, that hinder growth and lack common sense. Such was the case with Misha’s cold cheeseburger.
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Jo Ann Simons
President and CEO
Northeast Arc
Danvers | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/06/04/opinion/letters-to-the-editor-evolving-policy-on-treating-people-with-disabilities/ | 2023-06-04 07:57:45 | 0 | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/06/04/opinion/letters-to-the-editor-evolving-policy-on-treating-people-with-disabilities/ |
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ The winning numbers in Thursday evening's drawing of the Texas Lottery's "Daily 4 Night" game were:
5-6-2-3, FIREBALL: 9
(five, six, two, three; FIREBALL: nine)
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ The winning numbers in Thursday evening's drawing of the Texas Lottery's "Daily 4 Night" game were:
5-6-2-3, FIREBALL: 9
(five, six, two, three; FIREBALL: nine) | https://www.sfchronicle.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Daily-4-Night-game-17321512.php | 2022-07-22 04:14:13 | 1 | https://www.sfchronicle.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Daily-4-Night-game-17321512.php |
Further Strengthens its AWS Partnership
Supporting healthcare and life sciences organizations to securely store, transform, query, and analyze health data
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Sept. 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SourceFuse today announced that it has been selected by Amazon Web Services as a Amazon HealthLake Partner. Strengthening its AWS Advanced Consulting Partnership forms a significant milestone for SourceFuse, building on its AWS Healthcare Competency to provide modern, secure, and compliant cloud-native healthcare solutions and services.
Amazon HealthLake is a HIPAA-eligible service from Amazon Web Services (AWS) that enables healthcare and life science (HCLS) organizations to securely store, transform, query and analyze health data in minutes. SourceFuse will leverage HealthLake's enhanced capability of AI/ML models, data visualizations, and analytics packages to deliver specialized machine-learning models to extract meaningful insights, identify trends and make predictions for provider operations and patient care delivery.
"For over 16 years, we have been digitally accelerating many of the globally reputed HCLS organizations' business-driven roadmaps, leveraging cloud-based technologies. As a leading provider of bespoke, modernized, and regulatory compliant solutions for enterprises, we are immensely proud to add to our growing list of AWS Cloud services specialized for the healthcare and life sciences industry," says Kelly Dyer, Co-Founder and Co-CEO at SourceFuse.
"With our highly experienced, HIPAA certified associates and deep domain expertise in the HCLS industry, we have custom-developed and delivered AI-enabled Telemedicine, Remote Patient Monitoring and Care Delivery, Fully integrated Hospital Management, Patient Data Anonymization, Remote Health Education and many other solutions," Kelly added.
"SourceFuse's expertise in the HCLS space and experience with AWS services, particularly Amazon HealthLake, makes them a natural choice for a Launch partner. As an Advanced Tier Partner with the Healthcare Competency, their technical qualifications raise the bar for customers in the healthcare provider space who want to solve the most challenging problems and have a positive impact in their communities. We look forward to partnering with SourceFuse to deliver results and build a compelling practice together," said Tehsin Syed, HealthAI Lead from AWS.
Click here to learn more about SourceFuse's commitment to innovation in the healthcare and life sciences industry.
Media Contact:
Mr. Vaidant Singh
CMO, SourceFuse
vaidant.singh@sourcefuse.com
+1-800-578-3873
Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1819528/SourceFuse_Logo.jpg
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SOURCE SourceFuse | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2022/09/20/sourcefuse-selected-amazon-healthlake-partner/ | 2022-09-20 14:50:35 | 1 | https://www.wbay.com/prnewswire/2022/09/20/sourcefuse-selected-amazon-healthlake-partner/ |
United to launch new nonstop flights between Newark/New York and Dubai starting in March of 2023;
United customers can soon connect through Dubai to more than 100 destinations and Emirates customers can more easily fly to nearly 200 U.S cities through Chicago, San Francisco and Houston
CHICAGO and DUBAI, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- United and Emirates announced a historic commercial agreement today that will enhance each airline's network and give their customers easier access to hundreds of destinations within the United States and around the world*.
United will launch a new direct flight between Newark/New York and Dubai starting in March 2023 – from there, customers can travel on Emirates or its sister airline flydubai to more than 100 different cities. Tickets for United's new Dubai flight are now on sale.
Starting in November, Emirates customers flying into three of the nation's biggest business hubs – Chicago, San Francisco and Houston – will have access to nearly 200 U.S. cities in the United network – most of which only require a one-stop connection. At eight other U.S. airports served by Emirates – Boston, Dallas, LA, Miami, JFK, Orlando, Seattle and Washington DC – both airlines will have an interline arrangement in place.
United and Emirates announced their agreement today at a ceremonial event at Dulles International Airport, hosted by United CEO Scott Kirby and Emirates President Sir Tim Clark, featuring United and Emirates Boeing 777-300ER aircraft and flight crews from each carrier.
"This agreement unites two iconic, flag carrier airlines who share a common commitment to creating the best customer experience in the skies," said United CEO Scott Kirby. "United's new flight to Dubai and our complementary networks will make global travel easier for millions of our customers, helping boost local economies and strengthen cultural ties. This is a proud moment for both United and Emirates employees, and I look forward to our journey together."
"Two of the biggest, and best-known airlines in the world are joining hands to fly people better to more places, at a time when travel demand is rebounding with a vengeance. It's a significant partnership that will unlock tremendous consumer benefit and bring the United Arab Emirates and the United States even closer," said Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline. "We welcome United's return to Dubai next year, where our hub Dubai essentially becomes a gateway for United to reach Asia, Africa and the Middle East via the combined network of Emirates and flydubai. We look forward to developing our partnership with United for the long term."
Soon customers of both airlines can book these connecting flights on a single ticket – making check-in and luggage transfer faster and easier. For example – travelers will be able to visit United.com or use the United app to book a flight from Newark/New York to Karachi, Pakistan or go to Emirates.com to book a flight from Dubai to Atlanta or Honolulu.
This agreement will also give the loyalty program members of both airlines more opportunities for more rewards: United MileagePlus® members flying on United's Newark/New York to Dubai flight can soon earn and redeem miles when connecting beyond on Emirates and flydubai and Emirates Skywards members will be able to earn miles when they travel on United operated flights. Eligible United customers will also soon have access to Emirates lounges when connecting to and from United's new Dubai flight.
Both airlines have recently announced significant investments in the customer experience. Emirates will retrofit more than 120 aircraft as part of a $2 billion effort that includes elevated meal choices, a brand-new vegan menu, a 'cinema in the sky' experience, cabin interior upgrades, and sustainable choices. At United, the airline will add 500 new Boeing and Airbus aircraft to its fleet with a focus on a new signature interior that includes seat-back screens in every seat, larger overhead bins, Bluetooth connectivity throughout, and the industry's fastest available in-flight WiFi.
* Codeshare activities and United's new flight to Dubai are subject to government approvals.
About United
United's shared purpose is "Connecting People. Uniting the World." From our U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark/New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most comprehensive global route network among North American carriers. United is bringing back our customers' favorite destinations and adding new ones on its way to becoming the world's best airline. For more about how to join the United team, please visit www.united.com/careers and more information about the company is at www.united.com. United Airlines Holdings, Inc., the parent company of United Airlines, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol "UAL".
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements that are not statements of historical facts are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on historical performance and current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about our future financial results, goals, plans, commitments, strategies and objectives and involve inherent risks, assumptions and uncertainties, known or unknown, including internal or external factors that could delay, divert or change any of them, that are difficult to predict, may be beyond our control and could cause our future financial results, goals, plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the statements. These risks, assumptions, uncertainties and other factors include, among others, any delay or inability of United Airlines to realize the expected benefits of the commercial cooperation agreement. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated together with the many risks and uncertainties that affect United's business and market, particularly those identified in the "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Risk Factors" sections in United's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, as updated by our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements included in this document are made only as of the date of this document and except as otherwise required by applicable law or regulation, United undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.
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SOURCE United Airlines | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2022/09/14/united-emirates-expand-market-presence-through-new-agreement/ | 2022-09-14 19:14:17 | 1 | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2022/09/14/united-emirates-expand-market-presence-through-new-agreement/ |
Should Hunter Biden expect investigations from a Republican House?
Republican Reps. James Comer and Jim Jordan have vowed to spearhead investigations into the Biden family's business dealings
For years leading up to the midterm elections, Republicans have raised questions about the business dealings of President Joe Biden's son Hunter and have vowed to start investigations if the GOP were to retake control of the House of Representatives.
The Republican anticipated "red wave" did not occur in Tuesday's elections, and several races that will decide the fate of the Senate and House remain too close to call, according to the Fox News Decision Desk. Currently, Republicans are projected to win 209 seats in the House, while Democrats are projected to get 185. In order to gain a majority, the GOP needs 218 seats.
The GOP politician who has vowed to lead the charge against Hunter Biden is Kentucky Rep. James Comer, ranking member on the House Oversight Committee, who will likely chair the panel if Republicans retake the chamber. Specifically, the investigation would likely focus on Hunter's business dealings abroad, including those with Ukrainian gas company Burisma.
HUNTER BIDEN PROBE REACHES 'CRITICAL STAGE' AS OFFICIALS WEIGH POSSIBLE CHARGES: SOURCE
Fox News Digital reported in early October that federal investigations led by Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss were considering charging Hunter Biden with various tax and foreign lobbying violations, false statements and more. The federal investigation dates back to 2018, two years before Biden ran for president.
Republicans on the Oversight Committee are planning to host a press conference next week to discuss a potential investigation into the Biden family, according to The Hill. The GOP members have copies of Hunter Biden's hard drive and have been reviewing the material for several months.
HUNTER BIDEN COMMITTED ‘FRAUD’ AGAINST BUSINESS PARTNERS, TONY BOBULINSKI TELLS TUCKER CARLSON
The GOP members hope that a potential majority would allow them to start an investigation with the goal of linking President Biden to his son's business dealings.
"There’s mounting evidence that Hunter Biden was peddling access to our adversaries all over the world," Comer said on "Fox and Friends" in October. "The reason we are investigating Hunter Biden is because we believe he is a national security threat. But we are also concerned that Hunter’s shady business dealings have compromised Joe Biden."
Comer added, "We are concerned about the national security threats and influence peddling that not just Hunter Biden, but the Biden family, have been doing for over a decade."
The DOJ is also reportedly investigating Biden's son for lying on a gun-buying application about his illicit drug use. Republican Rep. Jim Jordan is also expected to join his conservative colleagues with investigations into the Biden family's business as the chair of the House Judiciary Committee if his party takes control of the House. | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/should-hunter-biden-expect-investigations-republican-house | 2022-11-10 23:37:36 | 0 | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/should-hunter-biden-expect-investigations-republican-house |
(WHTM) – Pennsylvania U.S. Senator John Fetterman was released from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Friday after receiving inpatient treatment for depression since February.
Fetterman is scheduled to return to the Senate on April 17, according to a person with knowledge of the plans. With the Senate in recess, Fetterman has returned to his home in Braddock to spend time with his family.
Fetterman’s office acknowledged the work of his team led by Dr. David Williamson, Neuropsychiatry Chief and Medical Director.
“I am so happy to be home. I’m excited to be the father and husband I want to be, and the senator Pennsylvania deserves. Pennsylvanians have always had my back, and I will always have theirs,” said Senator Fetterman. “I am extremely grateful to the incredible team at Walter Reed. The care they provided changed my life. I will have more to say about this soon, but for now I want everyone to know that depression is treatable, and treatment works. This isn’t about politics — right now there are people who are suffering with depression in red counties and blue counties. If you need help, please get help.”
During his treatment, Fetterman’s staff has shared pictures of the Senator receiving in-person briefings from his Chief of Staff Adam Jentleson, while Fetterman’s wife Gisele shared family pictures from the hospital on social media.
The February hospitalization was Fetterman’s second this year after experiencing lightheadedness days in January.
Fetterman suffered a stroke in May 2022 days before the Democratic primary and underwent surgery to implant a pacemaker with a defibrillator. Fetterman has said the stroke was caused by a heart condition called atrial fibrillation.
Fetterman’s doctor acknowledged in October that Fetterman continued to “exhibit symptoms of an auditory processing disorder which can come across as hearing difficulty” but that he was recovering well from the near-fatal stroke.
Fetterman was sworn into the U.S. Senate on Jan. 2 after defeating Republican Mehmet Oz with more than 51% of the vote. Fetterman’s victory helped Democrats retain control of the Senate.
In the Senate Fetterman serves on the Committees on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; and Environment & Public Works.
He also serves on the Joint Economic Committee and the Special Committee on Aging. | https://www.wane.com/news/fetterman-discharged-from-walter-reed-after-depression-treatment-returning-to-the-senate-in-april/ | 2023-03-31 22:49:28 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/fetterman-discharged-from-walter-reed-after-depression-treatment-returning-to-the-senate-in-april/ |
SAN FRANCISCO, June 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Woodruff Sawyer, one of the largest independent insurance brokerages in the US, announced today the promotion of Roger Topp to Chief Growth Officer. Roger originally led Woodruff Sawyer's Business Development division for nearly four years after first joining the brokerage in 2018.
Prior to his time at Woodruff Sawyer, Roger spent more than 15 years in enterprise sales leadership and sales roles across B2B Software and Insurtech, including Tangoe, Bugsnag, and Zenefits. He is also known for being an informative and engaging speaker on sales strategies.
In his new role as Chief Growth Officer, Roger will lead Woodruff Sawyer's business development, marketing, producer recruiting, and sales operations strategy & execution across the enterprise. His deep understanding of developing and supporting salespeople for their long-term success, combined with his data-driven and analytical insights, make him an ideal fit for the role and the firm's continued focus on specialization, expert client service and advocacy.
"Roger's expertise and leadership experience in building and supporting enterprise sales teams are integral to the continued execution and expansion of our growth strategy, notes Woodruff Sawyer's Chairman and CEO, Andy Barrengos. "He is passionate about our people and leveraging our specialization and expertise to help them provide the best advocacy and service for our clients."
Woodruff Sawyer is one of the largest insurance brokerage and consulting firms in the US, protecting the people and assets of more than 4,000 companies. We provide expert counsel and fierce advocacy to protect clients against their most critical risks in property and casualty, management liability, cyber liability, employee benefits, and personal wealth management. An active partner of Assurex Global and International Benefits Network, Woodruff Sawyer provides expertise and customized solutions where clients need it, with headquarters in San Francisco, offices throughout the US, and global reach on six continents. For more information, call 844.972.6326, or visit woodruffsawyer.com.
Media Contact: press@woodruffsawyer.com
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SOURCE Woodruff Sawyer | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/06/22/woodruff-sawyer-names-roger-topp-chief-growth-officer/ | 2022-06-22 17:06:31 | 0 | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/06/22/woodruff-sawyer-names-roger-topp-chief-growth-officer/ |
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Sara Duterte won a landslide electoral victory in May, despite questions surrounding her father's human rights record that saw thousands of drug suspects gunned down during his presidency.
Sara Duterte, daughter of the outgoing populist president of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte, was sworn in as the country's 15th vice president on Sunday.
"The voice of 32.2 million Filipinos was loud and clear – with the message to serve our motherland,” she said, referring to the votes she received.
Duterte, 44, won a landslide victory in the May elections despite her father, President Rodrigo Duterte's human rights record that saw thousands of drug suspects gunned down.
Rodrigo Duterte's presidency has been marked by a brutal anti-drugs campaign that led to thousands of suspects shot dead by police or vigilantes. The drug killings are being investigated by the International Criminal Court as a possible crime against humanity.
Questions surrounding her father's track record do not appear to have swayed the new vice president.
"I'm not the best or the most intelligent person in the Philippines and the world but nobody can beat the toughness of my heart as a Filipino,” said Duterte in a speech after she took her oath before a Supreme Court associate justice.
Sara Duterte was the running mate of Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who also won in the May 9 elections and will be sworn in as the country's president on June 30, when their six-year term begins.
Like her father, Duterte trained as a lawyer before entering politics in 2007 when she was voted in as her father's vice mayor in Davao, 1,000 km (600 miles) from the capital Manila. She succeeded her father to become the first female mayor of Davao in 2010.
While Sara Duterte refused calls by her father and supporters to seek the presidency, she has not ruled out a future run. One of her brothers, Sebastian Duterte, will succeed her as Davao mayor, and another brother, Paolo Duterte, won a seat in the House of Representatives in the May 9 elections.
The electoral triumphs of Sara Duterte and Marcos Jr. have alarmed left-wing and human rights groups because of their failure to acknowledge the massive human rights atrocities that took place under their fathers, including late dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Ahead of their election victories, Amnesty International called for a "dramatic course correction."
ss/kb (AP, Reuters) | https://www.dw.com/en/philippines-sara-duterte-sworn-in-as-vice-president-after-emphatic-election-victory/a-62186563 | 2022-06-20 08:52:36 | 0 | https://www.dw.com/en/philippines-sara-duterte-sworn-in-as-vice-president-after-emphatic-election-victory/a-62186563 |
SAN DIEGO, May 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Heron Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: HRTX), a commercial-stage biotechnology company focused on improving the lives of patients by developing and commercializing therapeutic innovations that improve medical care, today announced that company management will participate in a fireside chat at the 2022 Jefferies Global Healthcare Conference on Wednesday, June 8, 2022 at 8:30 am ET. The conference is taking place June 8-10th, 2022 in New York, NY.
A live webcast of the fireside chat will be available on the Company's website at www.herontx.com in the Investor Resources section.
About Heron Therapeutics, Inc.
Heron Therapeutics, Inc. is a commercial-stage biotechnology company focused on improving the lives of patients by developing and commercializing therapeutic innovations that improve medical care. Our advanced science, patented technologies, and innovative approach to drug discovery and development have allowed us to create and commercialize a portfolio of products that aim to advance the standard-of-care for acute care and oncology patients. For more information, visit www.herontx.com.
Forward-looking Statements
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Heron cautions readers that forward-looking statements are based on management's expectations and assumptions as of the date of this news release and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties identified in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements reflect our analysis only on their stated date, and Heron takes no obligation to update or revise these statements except as may be required by law.
Investor Relations and Media Contact:
David Szekeres
Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer
Heron Therapeutics, Inc.
dszekeres@herontx.com
858-251-4447
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SOURCE Heron Therapeutics, Inc. | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2022/05/26/heron-therapeutics-present-2022-jefferies-global-healthcare-conference/ | 2022-05-26 21:13:57 | 0 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2022/05/26/heron-therapeutics-present-2022-jefferies-global-healthcare-conference/ |
Revolutionizing the way Apple users charge their devices, ESR introduces a sleek, powerful, and convenient all-in-one charging station
WILMINGTON, Del., July 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading tech accessories brand, ESR, is thrilled to announce the launch of its groundbreaking 100W Apple certified 6-in-1 charging station on Kickstarter. Designed to meet the power demands of multiple Apple devices, this innovative charging solution offers convenience, efficiency, and style to Apple users worldwide. The 6-in-1 charging station is available now exclusively on Kickstarter.
The ESR 6-in-1 charging station features an impressive 100W output, allowing users to charge up to six Apple devices simultaneously, including iPhone, iPad, MacBook, Apple Watch, and AirPods. With its compact design and advanced technology, the charging station eliminates the clutter of multiple chargers and cables, providing a seamless charging experience for Apple enthusiasts.
"We are excited to introduce our 6-in-1 charging station to Apple users who want a simplified and efficient charging solution," said Tim, CEO of ESR. "Our goal is to transform the way people charge their devices, and we believe this Kickstarter campaign will help us achieve that."
The ESR 100W 6-in-1 Charging Station with MagSafe + CryoBoost offers the following features:
The Ultimate All-In-One Charging Experience
This 6-in-1 charger features 3 separate magnetic wireless charging modules for iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods, plus two USB-C ports and a USB-A port for iPad, MacBook etc., allowing it to charge all portable Apple devices and giving users the ultimate way to eliminate cable clutter and streamline their daily charging.
Ever Faster Wireless Charging
The charging station is Apple-certified with 15W Made for MagSafe and 5W Made for Apple Watch charging, ensuring faster, more reliable MagSafe charging. Charging speeds for Apple Watch are as fast as the official Watch charger while the phone-charging pad fully charges an iPhone 14 Pro half an hour faster than the official MagSafe charger thanks to CryoBoost cooling tech.
Staying Cooler While Charging
Standard MagSafe chargers create heat that damages batteries and makes phones hot to the touch. CryoBoost's fan and innovative heat-dissipating components ensure phones stay comfortably cooler as they charge and protect battery health.
Cutting-Edge GaN Tech
Utilizing ultra-efficient Gallium Nitride components and smart power-distribution technology, this super-compact charging station can deliver up to 100W and automatically adjusts power allocation to ensure maximum charging speeds for every device.
Specifications
Price & Availability
The ESR 6-in-1 charging station is now available for pre-order on Kickstarter, with exclusive 20% off early bird discounts for the first 400 backers as little as $143. To learn more about the product and support the campaign, visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/esrgear/1926347698?ref=5xxla2
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For more information, please refer to the online press kit Here.
About ESR
Founded in 2009, with a user base of now over 100 million people worldwide, ESR is a leading brand of tech accessories. From cases that do more than protect, to wireless chargers that reimagine what's possible with MagSafe, we're on a mission to make tech easier to use.
For more information about ESR, visit www.esrgear.com.
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SOURCE ESR Media | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2023/07/18/esr-launches-innovative-100w-apple-certified-6-in-1-charging-station-with-gan-kickstarter/ | 2023-07-18 14:03:24 | 0 | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2023/07/18/esr-launches-innovative-100w-apple-certified-6-in-1-charging-station-with-gan-kickstarter/ |
BEIJING, July 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- VNET Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: VNET) ("VNET" or the "Company"), a leading carrier- and cloud-neutral internet data center services provider in China, today announced that Mr. Tim Chen has been appointed as the Company's Chief Strategy Officer. Mr. Qiyu Wang, former Vice President of Finance, was promoted to succeed Tim as the Company's Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. In his new role, Qiyu will oversee the Company's finance, legal, mergers and acquisitions, and investor relations.
Mr. Josh Sheng Chen, Founder and Chairman of VNET, commented, "We are thrilled to congratulate Tim and Qiyu on their new appointments at VNET. Their deep expertise and experience will empower the new leadership team to advance our dual-core strategy and unleash VNET's full potential moving forward. Given the evolving operational environment, we will maintain the Company's focus on high-quality revenue business to drive higher margins and better profitability, while improving operating efficiency and implementing effective cost control.
"Tim has been instrumental in leading our financing projects in the offshore capital market over the past three years, helping us secure a total of US$1.4 billion financing since joining us in 2020," Josh added. "I would like to thank him for his great contributions and look forward to working closely with him in the Chief Strategy Officer role.
"As China's investment and wealth management industry grows rapidly, onshore markets are becoming attractive emerging destinations for investment. Looking ahead, we will leverage Qiyu's extensive knowledge of onshore markets, including RMB funds, to align our refinancing structure for a good balance between offshore and onshore. This will ensure VNET's growth and success in the future, while upholding the Company's core values and commitments to our customers and stakeholders."
Mr. Qiyu Wang joined the Company in April 2022 and has served as the Vice President of Finance since then. Prior to joining the Company, Qiyu had over 20 years' experience in the Chinese telecommunications industry, in charge of business operations, financial management and capital operations. From 2016 to 2021, Qiyu served as a Vice President of China Telecom Global Limited, overseeing strategic business development and mergers and acquisitions. From 2010 to 2016, he served as the Chief Financial Officer of China Communications Services International Limited. Prior to that, he served as the finance manager at the headquarters of China Telecommunications Corporation Limited. Qiyu received his EMBA from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
As the Company's Chief Strategy Officer, Tim will be deeply involved in investor relations activities and business operations, while working hand in hand with the leadership team to set the Company's strategic direction, including exploration of hyperscale data center opportunities in the Asia Pacific region, to help drive the Company's growth.
Tim has served as the Company's Chief Financial Officer since May 2021. He also served as the Company's Chief Strategy Officer from August 2020 to April 2021. Prior to joining the Company, Tim served as Chief Financial Officer of Asia Maritime Pacific (Hong Kong) Limited over a decade from 2009 and has 14-year experience in prominent investment banking and private equity firms, including two years at Affinity Equity Partners, eight years at Morgan Stanley and four years at J.P. Morgan from 1996 to 2009. Tim received a bachelor of science degree in industrial engineering and operations research from Columbia University in New York.
About VNET
VNET Group, Inc. is a leading carrier- and cloud-neutral internet data center services provider in China. VNET provides hosting and related services, including IDC services, cloud services, and business VPN services to improve the reliability, security, and speed of its customers' internet infrastructure. Customers may locate their servers and equipment in VNET's data centers and connect to China's internet backbone. VNET operates in more than 30 cities throughout China, servicing a diversified and loyal base of over 7,000 hosting and related enterprise customers that span numerous industries ranging from internet companies to government entities and blue-chip enterprises to small- to mid-sized enterprises.
Safe Harbor Statement
This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "target," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, quotations from management in this announcement as well as VNET's strategic and operational plans contain forward-looking statements. VNET may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual reports to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about VNET's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: VNET's goals and strategies; VNET's expansion plans; the expected growth of the data center services market; expectations regarding demand for, and market acceptance of, VNET's services; VNET's expectations regarding keeping and strengthening its relationships with customers; VNET's plans to invest in research and development to enhance its solution and service offerings; and general economic and business conditions in the regions where VNET provides solutions and services. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in VNET's reports filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and VNET undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.
Investor Relations Contact:
Xinyuan Liu
Tel: +86 10 8456 2121
Email: ir@vnet.com
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SOURCE VNET Group, Inc. | https://www.weau.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/vnet-announces-changes-leadership-team/ | 2023-07-28 09:54:06 | 0 | https://www.weau.com/prnewswire/2023/07/28/vnet-announces-changes-leadership-team/ |
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — (AP) — Illinois became the first state in the nation to eliminate cash bail as a condition of pretrial release from jail on Tuesday when the state Supreme Court upheld the constitutionally of the law abolishing it.
The 5-2 ruling overturns a Kankakee County judge's opinion in December that the law violated the constitution's provision that "all persons shall be bailable by sufficient sureties." Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis, writing for the majority, decreed that the law honors the constitution's balance between the rights of victims and defendants.
Proponents of eliminating cash bail describe it as a penalty on poverty, suggesting that the wealthy can pay their way out of jail to await trial while those in economic distress — particularly people of color — have to sit it out behind bars. A pandemic-era increase in crime spurred debates on bail reforms.
While other states and municipalities have enacted changes to cash bail, notably New Jersey, Illinois is the first to abolish it. Instead, judges can decide that a defendant poses too much of a threat to the community to allow release, or that defendant can be released with conditions such as avoiding contact with a particular person or not visiting a certain place, according to the Bail Project.
Critics have argued that bail is a time-honored way to ensure defendants released from jail show up for court proceedings. They warn that violent criminals will be released pending trial, giving them license to commit other crimes.
Abolishing bail was part of an expansive criminal justice overhaul adopted in 2021 known as the SAFE-T Act. It was a piece of the groundbreaking "four pillars" agenda of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, approved with the aim of improving the lives of marginalized communities following the police killings of George Floyd and others in the previous year.
A Kankakee County judge, ruling on a lawsuit brought by county state's attorneys and sheriffs, found that because the constitution mentions “bail,” it would take a constitutional amendment approved by voters to make such a change.
Theis countered in her opinion of the case, known as Rowe v. Raoul, that the constitution "does not mandate that monetary bail is the only means to ensure criminal defendants appear for trials or the only means to protect the public."
Theis said that the charter “creates a balance” between the rights of defendants and victims and the law abolishing bail “sets forth procedures commensurate with that balance.”
When the Supreme Court received the direct appeal from the local court, it stopped the scheduled Jan. 1, 2023 implementation of the law. Theis ordered that it take effect in 60 days, on Sept. 18.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker, on a trade mission to the United Kingdom, hailed a “transition to a more equitable and just Illinois.”
“We can now move forward with historic reform to ensure pre-trial detainment is determined by the danger an individual poses to the community instead of by their ability to pay their way out of jail,” the Democrat said in a statement.
Justice David K. Overstreet dissented, arguing that the law violates the constitution's Crime Victims Bill of Rights, which voters added in 2014. He said it gives victims the right “to have their safety and the safety of their family, considered in denying or fixing the amount of bail.” Changing that requires voter approval, not just legislative fiat.
Kankakee County State's Attorney Jim Rowe, the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit, calling the ruling “terribly detrimental to public safety” but pledged to abide by it. Another plaintiff, Kankakee County Sheriff Michael Downey, noted the decision was divided along party lines.
"This opinion will embolden criminals even more which is what our governor seems to want,” Downey said.
New Jersey essentially eliminated cash bail in 2014, replacing it with a risk assessment process which gauged the potential danger to the community a defendant posed if released. But there are instances where cash bail is still allowed, as is the case in other states which have curtailed the practice, such as New York and Alaska.
In spring 2020, the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Pretrial Practices strongly endorsed bail reform, noting that found that a defendant who can't afford bail sees his or her life unravel within days — loss of a job, loss of child custody, health problems without access to medication.
What’s more, the commission found that it tends to generate spurious plea deals. Defendants reason that pleading to a lower-level offense gets them out of jail sooner.
Joining Theis in her opinion were Justices P. Scott Neville Jr., Joy V. Cunningham and Elizabeth M. Rochford. Justice Mary K. O'Brien specially concurred with her own opinion.
Justice Lisa Holder White joined Overstreet in his dissent.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.wftv.com/news/national/illinois-is-first/RBHHP4IKGI2GADIW6ATQAQTINA/ | 2023-07-18 21:56:01 | 1 | https://www.wftv.com/news/national/illinois-is-first/RBHHP4IKGI2GADIW6ATQAQTINA/ |
(NewsNation) — The manhunt to find Ayman al-Zawahiri stretched back more than 21 years and ended this weekend after a drone strike killed the top Al-Qaeda leader at a safe house in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Al-Zawahiri was on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorist list for his alleged role in the 1998 bombings of the United States embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya. He succeeded Osama bin Laden as the head of the terrorist group Al-Qaeda following his death at the hands of U.S. forces in 2011.
Al-Zawahiri had been in hiding for years and the operation to locate and kill him was the result of “careful patient and persistent” work, a senior administration official told reporters.
The reconnaissance operation was in the works for months but escalated at the start of this year after officials gathered critical information about the safehouse at which al-Zawahiri was staying in Kabul. Intelligence began to go up the chain of command in April and President Joe Biden was briefed periodically during May and June, officials said. Information detailing al-Zawahiri’s routine and living conditions were shared as well as detailed plans of the building he was staying in.
A formal, detailed briefing was given on July 1, and the president and the vice president were “deeply engaged” and asked questions about minimizing risks to civilians, according to officials. Biden gave final approval for the strike last Thursday.
The United States does not have any formal diplomatic relations with Afghanistan. The drone strike and the potential repercussions are complicated by the Doha Agreement, which Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Afghanistan violated, NewsNation’s Tom Dempsey explained.
“It was an exchange between the U.S. and Afghanistan where the U.S. would withdraw its forces, as long as Afghanistan would not be a safe harbor for Al-Qaeda in the country. So Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the Taliban violated that agreement because intelligence leaders showed that the Taliban knew that I was worried he was staying in the country of Afghanistan, and the U.S. gave no warning of this attack to the Taliban,” Dempsey said on “Morning in America.” “So again, relations were strained even before all this, but this strike barely, probably going to make things even more strained between the two countries mentioned.”
“In the face of the Taliban’s unwillingness or inability to abide by their commitments, we will continue to support the Afghan people with robust humanitarian assistance and to advocate for the protection of their human rights, especially of women and girls,” Blinken said in a statement.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. | https://www.wane.com/news/how-did-the-us-kill-top-al-qaeda-leader-ayman-al-zawahiri/ | 2022-08-02 15:08:04 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/how-did-the-us-kill-top-al-qaeda-leader-ayman-al-zawahiri/ |
In today’s Finding Faith, we’re highlighting the Nation of Islam.
Brother Nuri Muhammad, minister at Muhammad Mosque #74, joined us Tuesday on “Life.Style.Live!” to discuss the ministry he does in Indianapolis, his community outreach, the projects he’s most proud of and more.
For more information, click here. | https://www.wishtv.com/lifestylelive/finding-faith-with-randy-ollis-brother-nuri-muhammad-talks-indiana-community-outreach-connecting-with-youth-mosque-74/ | 2022-08-02 18:30:57 | 0 | https://www.wishtv.com/lifestylelive/finding-faith-with-randy-ollis-brother-nuri-muhammad-talks-indiana-community-outreach-connecting-with-youth-mosque-74/ |
Rapides Parish Summer Feeding Program working to keep students engaged
TIOGA, La. (KALB) - The Food Bank of Central Louisiana is partnering with different branches of the Rapides Parish Library to make sure students stay fed this summer and keep reading.
The Summer Feeding Program here in Rapides Parish is allowing students access to school supplies, access to learning and access to nutrition.
The classrooms are empty but libraries across Central Louisiana are filled with food in order to feed children during the summer months.
But there is a little more to it. It is not grab and go. Students who receive meals must stay and participate in a short lesson. The entire experience only lasts a couple of hours; however, students are encouraged to check out books and hangout at the library to familiarize themselves with everything their local library has to offer.
“COVID-19 was detrimental to a lot of people’s lives,” said Danielle Richardson with the food bank. “We all had to press reset, so bringing this program here is actually helping us bring those kids from in front of their PlayStations and back into the library and learning and engaging with other kids like they need to be.”
“I like the leaders because they show me what to do and how fun this can be, and I like reading books,” said 4th grader Brylee Smith.
When students return to school in August, the program carries over to the After School Feeding Program, allowing students access to the same resources they are receiving now.
There is no sign-up required to attend, and the food bank has a list of all participating branches on its website. The program is available to all students through August 4.
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Copyright 2023 KALB. All rights reserved. | https://www.kalb.com/2023/06/08/rapides-parish-summer-feeding-program-working-keep-students-engaged/ | 2023-06-08 22:55:28 | 1 | https://www.kalb.com/2023/06/08/rapides-parish-summer-feeding-program-working-keep-students-engaged/ |
WASHINGTON — A skin lesion removed from President Joe Biden's chest last month was a basal cell carcinoma — a common form of skin cancer — his doctor said Friday, adding that no further treatment was required.
Dr. Kevin O'Connor, the White House doctor who has served as Biden's longtime physician, said “all cancerous tissue was successfully removed” during the president's routine physical on Feb. 16. Biden, 80, was deemed by O'Connor to be “ healthy, vigorous” and “fit ” to handle his White House responsibilities during that physical exam, which comes as he is weeks away from launching an expected bid for reelection in 2024.
O'Connor said the site of the removal on Biden's chest has “healed nicely” and the president will continue regular skin screenings as part of his routine health plan.
Basal cells are among the most common and easily treated forms of cancer — especially when caught early. O'Connor said they don't tend to spread like other cancers, but could grow in size, which is why they are removed.
Biden had “several localized non-melanoma skin cancers" removed from his body before he started his presidency, O'Connor said in his Feb. 16 summary of the president's health, noting it was well established that Biden spent a lot of time in the sun during his youth.
First lady Jill Biden in January had two basal cell lesions removed from her right eye and chest.
She said in an Associated Press interview last week that she's now “extra careful” about sunscreen, especially when she’s at the beach.
Basal cell carcinoma is a slow-growing cancer that usually is confined to the surface of skin — doctors almost always can remove it all with a shallow incision — and seldom causes serious complications or becomes life-threatening.
The Bidens have long been advocates for fighting cancer. Their adult son Beau died in 2015 from brain cancer. | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/nation-world/biden-cancerous-lesion-removed-white-house-says/507-1599e879-53c4-497a-9a4a-22a78b34e0a5 | 2023-03-03 22:26:35 | 0 | https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/nation-world/biden-cancerous-lesion-removed-white-house-says/507-1599e879-53c4-497a-9a4a-22a78b34e0a5 |
MADRID (AP) — Spain’s general election on Sunday could make the country the latest European Union member swing to the populist right, a shift that would represent a major upheaval after five years under a left-wing government.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called the early election after his Spanish Socialist Workers' Party and its small far-left coalition partner, Unidas Podemos ("United We Can"), took a beating in local and regional elections.
The center-right Popular Party emerged from the May 28 elections with the most votes. Polls for the general election have consistently put the PP in first place — but likely needing support from the far-right Vox party to form a government.
Such a coalition would return a far-right force to the Spanish government for the first time since the country transitioned to democracy following the 1975 death of Gen. Francisco Franco, the dictator who ruled Spain for nearly 40 years.
The Popular Party and Vox have agreed to govern together in some 140 cities and towns since May, as well as to add two more regions to the one where they already co-governed. Sen. Alberto Núñez Feijóo, the PP's leader, has not ruled out a partnership at the national level.
Led by former PP member Santiago Abascal, 47, Vox opposes abortion rights, denies climate change and rejects the need for government to combat gender violence. Election polling indicates the party could finish third this weekend, a showing that would put Abascal in a kingmaker's role.
Nagore Calvo Mendizabal, a senior lecturer in Spanish and European Politics and Society at King’s College London, said the likelihood of Vox entering government frames Sunday's parliamentary election “in terms of the future of democracy in Spain as being what is at stake.”
Vox's manifesto is virtually a “copy-and-paste of the tenets of the Franco regime," Calvo said. It promises, for example, a return to a highly centralized government by scrapping the 17 regions that came into being after Franco's death.
Beyond Spain, a PP-Vox government would mean another EU member has moved firmly to the right, a trend seen recently in Sweden, Finland and Italy. Countries such as Germany and France are concerned by what such a shift would portend for EU immigration and climate policies, Calvo said.
Spain took over the EU's rotating presidency on July 1. Sánchez had hoped to use the six-month term to showcase the advances his government had made before a national election originally scheduled for December.
Voter concerns over immigration and costs of living, as well as frustration with the EU's perceived interference in national affairs, often have been cited to explain increases in right-wing support in other countries.
In Spain, however, the dominant issue is the “honorability” of the Socialist politician who has served as prime minister since June 2018, according to María José Canel Crespo, a political communication professor at Madrid’s Complutense University.
For most of the past year, the PP has pursued a hard-hitting media and parliamentary campaign on the need to defeat what it calls “Sanchismo,” portraying the prime minister as a liar for his U-turns on major issues.
Sánchez said he would never form a government with Podemos, deeming it too radical, but then he did in 2019. Sánchez also said he would not pardon nine separatists who were convicted of sedition after pushing for the Catalonia region's secession — but then he did.
The PP claims his minority government betrays Spain by aligning itself with extremists in Basque and Catalan regional parties that ultimately want independence.
But the Socialist-Podemos coalition's biggest blunder came in what was supposed to have been one of its signature pieces of progressive legislation. A sexual consent law passed in October inadvertently allowed more than 1,000 convicted sex offenders to have their sentences reduced, and over 100 gained early release.
Sánchez apologized and the law was amended to close the legal loophole, but the episode provided invaluable material for the right-wing parties and right-leaning media outlets.
Sánchez “has made it easier for him to be perceived as a liar,” Canel said, adding that he did not help his cause when he explained in a television interview that “Sanchismo” stood for evil, lies and manipulation.
The 51-year-old prime minister also performed disastrously in the only televised pre-election debate with the PP's Feijóo, 61. Polling analyses show anti-Sánchez sentiment and the fear of Vox entering government has led some 700,000 Socialist voters switching to the PP, according to Canel.
“The vote is not going to be about corruption or the economy. It will be motivated by a rejection of Sánchez,” she said.
Sánchez first took office in June 2018 after winning a no-confidence vote that ended an eight-year run in government for the PP on the back of a major corruption scandal. He led a caretaker government until, after two elections in November 2019, he struck a deal with Podemos.
Within months, Spain was one of the countries hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of both deaths and economic impact, severely testing the strength of the left-wing coalition government. Russia's invasion of Ukraine and its knock-on financial effects tested it again.
But heading into the May elections, Sánchez could boast of a growing economy, falling unemployment and inflation, pension and minimum wage increases, and the establishment of a minimum vital income. The government also negotiated a deal with the EU that allowed it to slash consumer energy costs driven up Russia's war in Ukraine.
The various measures helped millions of people but apparently have not translated into voter loyalty. King’s College London’s Calvo thinks the right-wing's nationalist tactics have put Sánchez on the defensive, while his leftist coalition's laudably progressive policies have made the government seem out of touch.
A factor that could upset poll predictions is Sumar, a new movement of 15 small left-wing parties, including Podemos, led by Spain's immensely popular labor minister, Yolanda Díaz. If it beats Vox for third place Sunday, Sumar could provide the Socialists with backing to form another coalition government.
With the election taking place at the height of summer, millions of citizens are likely to be vacationing away from their regular polling places. But postal voting requests have soared, and officials have estimated a 70% election turnout.
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Credit: AP | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/spains-early-election-could-put-the-far-right-in-power-for-the-first-time-since-franco/3PV7HEA7WRHM3NGZ7J63RWOEKU/ | 2023-07-18 06:41:59 | 1 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/spains-early-election-could-put-the-far-right-in-power-for-the-first-time-since-franco/3PV7HEA7WRHM3NGZ7J63RWOEKU/ |
Jeremiah Green, Modest Mouse drummer, dead from cancer at 45
NEW YORK (AP) — Jeremiah Green, the founding drummer for the rock band Modest Mouse, has died just days after the band announced he had been diagnosed with cancer. He was 45.
“Today we lost our dear friend Jeremiah. He laid down to rest and simply faded out,” according to a statement posted Saturday on the band’s social media accounts. “Please appreciate all the love you give, get, have given, and will get. Above all, Jeremiah was about love.”
Green was barely in his teens when he joined the newly formed Modest Mouse, which featured singer-guitarist Isaac Brock and bassist Eric Judy among others. Modest Mouse was originally based in the Seattle suburb Issaquah and later relocated to Portland. Its name originates from a passage by Virginia Woolf, who once described everyday individuals as “modest mouse-coloured people.”
Influenced by Talking Heads and XTC among others, Modest Mouse debuted in 1996 with the album “This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About” and built a substantial critical following before having mainstream success with their fourth release, “Good News for People Who Love Bad News,” and the singles “Float On” and “Ocean Breathes Salty.”
Green had a breakdown around the time of “Good News for People Who Love Bad News,” released in 2004, and briefly left the band. He was back for more recent albums, including “Strangers to Ourselves” and “The Golden Casket,” which came out in 2021.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2023/01/01/jeremiah-green-modest-mouse-drummer-dead-cancer-45/ | 2023-01-01 17:22:52 | 0 | https://www.wibw.com/2023/01/01/jeremiah-green-modest-mouse-drummer-dead-cancer-45/ |
Gunfire probed that
hit man in buttocks
Police are investigating a shooting that took place Sunday afternoon that left one man injured.
Officers responded to the 6700 block of Elmore Road, on a report of a wounded person in a yard. Police then made contact with Gregory Williams, 18, who had been shot in the buttocks.
The report states that Williams' injuries were non-life-threatening and he was transported to a local hospital.
Police attempted to investigate the crime scene but were declined entry. Summit Utilities were also present at the scene due to a gas line being struck by the gunfire.
No suspect information is available at this time. | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2022/oct/25/gunfire-probed-that-hit-man-in-buttocks/ | 2022-10-25 11:21:04 | 1 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2022/oct/25/gunfire-probed-that-hit-man-in-buttocks/ |
Charles Kernaghan, a labor activist who helped revitalize the anti-sweatshop movement in the late 20th century, targeting American companies such as Disney — as well as a clothing line backed by Kathie Lee Gifford — while waging a dogged campaign to expose mistreatment at overseas factories, died June 1 at his home in Manhattan. He was 74.
His sister, Maryellen Kernaghan, confirmed the death but did not give a cause.
For two decades, Mr. Kernaghan spearheaded a string of highly publicized campaigns against child labor, corporate greed and sweatshop conditions, taking on companies including Nike, Target and Walmart. Using video footage and worker testimonials, he revealed dismal conditions at factories in Central America, China, Bangladesh and Jordan, where workers were subjugated to physical abuse and often labored for a few cents an hour.
Apparel industry executives questioned his facts and branded him a relentless self-promoter. But his work was credited with spurring workplace reforms including improved wages, ventilation and access to factory bathrooms, and was backed in some cases by independent human rights monitors who sought to ensure safe conditions.
With his wire-rimmed glasses, carefully trimmed beard and slicked-back silver hair, Mr. Kernaghan could have passed for an academic — indeed, he had once pursued a PhD in psychology and anthropology. But he was also a gifted athlete, a former boxer and high school football star who gave off a fidgety energy while talking nonstop to audiences at union halls, college auditoriums and houses of worship.
Reaching into a bag of clothes during a speech, he would display a Walmart shirt made by Vietnamese women who were allegedly beaten at a factory in American Samoa, or would hold up a Nike jersey that retailed for $140 in the United States but was made for 29 cents in El Salvador. “There is blood on this garment” he would shout, with an almost religious intensity.
“Charles Kernaghan is the labor movement’s mouse that roared,” wrote New York Times reporter Steven Greenhouse. In a 2003 profile in Mother Jones, journalist Charles Bowden declared that the activist seemed “born to make the back pages of the global economy suddenly leap onto front pages.”
Mr. Kernaghan spent most of his advocacy career as the director of a small New York City organization called the National Labor Committee, later known as the Institute for Global Labour and Human Rights. Their investigations were cited by publications including The Washington Post and featured on TV shows like NBC’s “Dateline,” which used footage that Mr. Kernaghan had taken inside a Bangladeshi factory via a hidden camera embedded in his glasses.
He and his group were vaulted to national prominence in 1996, after Mr. Kernaghan embarrassed Gifford, the cheery co-host of “Live With Regis and Kathie Lee,” by revealing at a congressional hearing that her clothing line was made in part by 13-year-old girls in Honduras, who worked 13 hours a day for 31 cents an hour.
Mr. Kernaghan said he found some of her brand’s clothing at a sweatshop, although at the time he had no idea who she was: For years, he had avoided television and scorned modern technology, refusing to use a computer and relying on his colleagues to type memos.
During a tearful appearance on her syndicated talk show, Gifford denied wrongdoing and said she knew nothing about the labor practices behind her clothing line, which was manufactured by contractors for Walmart. “I started my clothing line to help children,” she said, condemning what she described as “a vicious attack” by Mr. Kernaghan.
Mr. Kernaghan became known as “the man who made Kathie Lee cry,” as The Post put it in a headline. Continuing to press for labor reforms, he brought one of the factory’s former employees to the United States so that she could share her story. Walmart canceled its contract with the plant — Mr. Kernaghan was not exactly pleased, having tried instead to improve wages and working conditions — and Gifford became something of an ally, speaking out against sweatshops and vowing that independent monitors would inspect her clothing line’s plants.
The episode drew attention to a cause that was increasingly embraced by college students and President Bill Clinton, who announced an anti-sweatshop plan with Gifford by his side. Noam Chomsky and other activists credited Mr. Kernaghan as a primary catalyst for the movement, as did publications like Women’s Wear Daily, which wrote that he was “shaking up the issue of labor abuses in the apparel industry like nothing since the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire.”
“The Kathie Lee Gifford thing literally changed the way people do business,” Mr. Kernaghan told The Post in 2005. Kevin Burke, the head of the American Apparel & Footwear Association, seemed to agree, saying the episode spurred a reckoning in the industry. “We remember that every day,” he told The Post, “and that’s a lesson to us, the fact that we don’t want that to happen again.”
Even as he sought out high-profile targets for his campaigns, Mr. Kernaghan said he was often uncomfortable in the spotlight. He had spent years bouncing among jobs before turning to advocacy, and struggled with shyness while trying to network on behalf of his cause. “It was torture in the beginning,” he told Mother Jones. “I had to dress up; I had no clothes. A friend in my building had a suit I’d borrow, a size 42. I’d look like a clown. I was all right sitting down but when I stood up, it was like I was in a bag.
“I feel better around working people,” he continued. “I don’t feel comfortable around professional people — I have no small talk.”
The second of three children, Charles Patrick Kernaghan was born in Brooklyn on April 2, 1948, and grew up in the borough’s Williamsburg section and in the Long Island community of Valley Stream. His Scottish-born father worked in construction, specializing in acoustical tiles; his mother was a homemaker from a Czech-Austrian family and later volunteered for the New York Foundling, a child welfare agency.
Mr. Kernaghan attributed his interest in social justice to his parents, who helped raise more than 20 foster children. He had their backing when he went against the wishes of their parish priest, starting a petition to oppose the installation of a church air conditioner. How could the church justify the cost, he argued, when the sick and poor needed help?
Mr. Kernaghan considered joining the priesthood but instead studied psychology, receiving a bachelor’s degree from Loyola University Chicago and a master’s in 1975 from the New School for Social Research in New York. He taught at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh before leaving the school to read and wander, traveling around Europe and the Middle East in between stints as a taxi driver, furniture mover, union steward and carpenter.
Photography became an abiding interest. He took pictures of street scenes in Manhattan and landscapes in Maine, and brought his camera along when he was invited to join a religious peace march through Central America in 1985. The marchers were rallying behind labor leaders in the region who had been threatened, murdered or disappeared.
Mr. Kernaghan spent three days with impoverished workers occupying a cathedral in El Salvador and, although he spoke no Spanish, began to learn about the plight of laborers in the region. The experience “opened his eyes,” his sister said in a phone interview, “and they could never be closed again.”
When he returned home to Manhattan, he began organizing a one-man labor campaign with financing from his parents’ Social Security checks. He connected with the National Labor Committee and became a protege of one of the group’s original leaders, the Rev. David Dyson, who helped shape his early campaigns.
Those efforts included a 1995 protest targeting Gap, which agreed to independent monitoring at its contractors’ Central American factories. Labor Secretary Robert Reich later described the agreement as a “watershed.”
Mr. Kernaghan became the committee’s director in 1990, and ran the organization with help from Barbara Briggs, who for many years was his personal and professional partner. To promote their campaigns, they often used guerrilla tactics: During the Academy Awards in 1997, the group rented an airplane to fly a banner reading, “Disney Uses Sweatshops.”
They also turned to schoolchildren and religious groups for help. “The companies really, really hate it when the nuns get involved and start writing letters,” Mr. Kernaghan told the Times. “I mean, what are they going to say against nuns, right?”
Mr. Kernaghan eventually moved the organization to Pittsburgh. The group disbanded after he retired in his mid-60s and returned to New York, where he went on long walks across Manhattan with his Tibetan terrier. He also frequented the opera and symphony, which his sister described as “the one indulgence that he allowed himself” during his activist years.
She is his only immediate survivor.
“Not to sound Pollyannish, but I believe there is a basic decency in the American people that these companies don’t understand,” Mr. Kernaghan told the Times in 1996, looking back on his early campaigns. “We have to try to tap this decency. When we do that, we get a tremendous response.” | https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2022/06/08/labor-activist-charles-kernaghan-dead/ | 2022-06-08 22:47:37 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2022/06/08/labor-activist-charles-kernaghan-dead/ |
The new collection, designed for bridal and special occasions, is in partnership with Centric Brands
NEW YORK, July 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Kleinfeld, the leader in bridal fashion and home of TLC's Say Yes to the Dress, is excited to introduce an exclusive line of fashion jewelry. Encompassing the legacy and emotional currency of Kleinfeld, the new jewelry is artfully designed with modern-yet-timeless beauty to accessorize all of life's moments.
The new collection will feature fashion jewelry and hair accessories for Bridal and beyond, including coming-of-age celebrations, birthdays, weddings, proms, and special occasions that capture the timeless DNA of the Kleinfeld brand. Product categories will include necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and hair accessories.
"Our customers travel to our iconic Kleinfeld NYC showroom from all over the world for the experience of a lifetime. Through this new product category, we are bringing that magic of Kleinfeld to even more customers -beyond bridal and directly to your doorstep," said Marissa Rubinetti, Kleinfeld Chief Operating Officer. "Kleinfeld has been a part of special moments for over seventy years. Now with this new accessory assortment, customers can have a piece of Kleinfeld fashion whether for a special occasion or everyday wear."
The new collection was made in partnership with Centric Brands, a global leading lifestyle brand collective for apparel and accessories. The strategic partnership further expands the reach of the unforgettable Kleinfeld experience and feeling into all of life's special memories.
The Kleinfeld line of fashion jewelry will include seven, uniquely designed collections: Flawless, Keepsakes, Social Butterfly, Wordplay, Say Yes, Crystals, and Love Notes. All these collections are made with a dedication to detail and quality, as well as versatility in styles to suit all shoppers.
There will be more than 80 products available in the Kleinfeld fashion jewelry line. The product will retail from $35 to $295 and will be available starting July 2023 at Amazon.com.
About Kleinfeld Bridal
Founded in 1941, Kleinfeld is the world's most famous and largest luxury bridal retailer, carrying an unparalleled selection of American and European designer wedding dresses. The 35,000 square foot flagship salon is located in the heart of Chelsea, New York City, and is host to TLC's hit show, Say Yes to the Dress.
About Centric Brands LLC.
Centric Brands LLC is a global leading lifestyle brand collective that has unparalleled expertise in product design, development and sourcing, retail and digital commerce, marketing, and brand building. Centric designs, sources, markets, and sells high-quality products in the kids, men's and women's apparel, accessories, beauty, and entertainment categories. The Company's portfolio includes licenses for more than 100 iconic brands. The Company's products are sold through leading mass-market retailers, specialty and department stores, and online. The Company is headquartered in New York City, with U.S. offices in Los Angeles and Greensboro, and international offices in Asia, Europe, Montreal, and Toronto. Centric Brands social impact efforts are centered around our commitment to serve and uplift the communities where we live and do business. Through our collective volunteerism and contributions, we are dedicated to making a caring and lasting impact on the world around us.
For more information about Centric Brands, please visit www.centricbrands.com.
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SOURCE Kleinfeld Bridal | https://www.wagmtv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/17/kleinfeld-bridal-debuts-its-first-fashion-jewelry-line-amazon/ | 2023-07-17 14:10:05 | 1 | https://www.wagmtv.com/prnewswire/2023/07/17/kleinfeld-bridal-debuts-its-first-fashion-jewelry-line-amazon/ |
Lake Mills to present ‘Grease: School Version’ this week
Published 6:19 pm Tuesday, March 28, 2023
Many people are familiar with “Grease,” the 1978 movie starring John Travolta, Stockard Channing, Jeff Conaway and the late Olivia Newton-John. But there’s also a “Grease: School Version” musical, which will be performed Friday at Lake Mills Community School auditorium.
The show begins at 7 p.m., and there is also a free matinee at 1 p.m. Thursday for seniors and elementary students.
“‘Grease’ is a lot of fun,” said Linda Saxton, sixth- to 12th-grade vocal music director and musical director at the Lake Mills district. “It’s about high school kids, so [students] can relate to this.”
To be clear, “Grease” and “Grease: School Version” are different, specifically language and song length, though they follow the same plot.
While admitting the show was based in a different era (1950s), so far there haven’t been any problems relating issues from over 60 years ago to the present, and Saxton said students have had a great time studying life back then. That included studying clothing, stereotypes and what life was life for high school students back then.
The experience of directing a musical is slightly new for Saxton, who grew up never having gone to one, and admitted she didn’t remember her first time seeing one either. In fact, this will be the second time she has directed a high school musical following “The Music Man” last year.
And while she admitted musicals were work and acknowledged how hard the students worked to help make the set and get costumes, she said they were worth it.
Being a vocalist, she knew many songs from musicals, and described the show as having great music and dancing along with a good storyline.
Saxton’s favorite moment of putting together “Grease: School Version” was a dress-rehearsal Monday following a six-hour dress-rehearsal Sunday, something she described as “grueling” but that left students knowing what to work on.
“The kids came back and rocked it [Monday] night,” she said.
And this experience has taught her students were willing to rise to a challenge if given the opportunity and enjoy pretending to be people who weren’t themselves.
Finley Rogstad, a senior, plays Sandy Dumbrowski, someone she described as mostly being pure, innocent and shy before undergoing a bold character transformation.
Rogstad was familiar with the movie and admitted to enjoying musicals.
“When I was 9, … I would get Barbie dolls of them and watch the movie and reenact them with my dolls,” she said.
Rogstad has previously been in “Shrek the Musical,” “Mary Poppins” and “The Music Man.”
Senior Holden Maher plays Danny Zuko.
“I had seen the John Tavolta one a couple of times,” he said, admitting the movie was “pretty out there.”
But he was still excited after learning Lake Mills was doing the show.
His favorite part of the experience was making new friends and coming together as a choir.
Aidan Benny, a sophomore, plays Roger, who in the original movie was Putzie.
“I was a little surprised, especially when it came to this musical, because so far every other musical I had before I was a gruff, stubborn fatherly-figure.”
In fact, while watching the show in class he thought he would be playing a different character, and admitted the transition was a big change for him.
“Roger is practically the embodiment of a class clown,” he said. “He’s a anything-for-a-laugh kind of guy.”
Junior Laurian VanCannon plays Jan, someone VanCannon described as being funny and shy and who was always eating.
“I have a Twinkies I’m going to be eating during a scene,” she said. “I’m eating an apple and I might bring something else on the stage at some point.”
Just don’t expect her to perform any of the dancing with food in hand.
Unlike Rogstad and Maher, VanCannon did not have any previous knowledge of “Grease” before seeing it in class.
“I thought it was pretty cool,” she said. “I like the songs that they sang and it gives you a vision into how it was like back in the 1950s.”
“This is a great night for family-friendly entertainment,” Saxton said. “Most of us probably don’t remember exactly what ‘Grease’ was about but remember the fun, and the school version of ‘Grease’ is rated G.”
Auditions for the cast were held in January, while rehearsals have been happening since the end of the winter break.
Tickets are $5 each and will be available in the chorus room at Lake Mills Community School from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and, should they be available, at the door.
Cast
Danny Zuko: Holden Maher
Sandy Dumbrowski: Finley Rogstad
Kenickie: Caden Mattern
Roger: Aidan Benny
Sonny Latierri: Jayzek Charlson
Doody: Alejandro Vazquez Perez
Betty Rizzo: Kyla Johanson
Frenchy: Chaelinn Barbour
Marty: Natalie Brandenburg
Jan: Laurian VanCannon
Paty Simcox: Avah Klebsch
Cheerleaders: Ava Menke, Maddie Mannes, Allison Rygh, Gracie Pederson
Eugene Florczyk: Geraldo Vazquez Perez
Miss Lynch: Sara Nelson
Vince Fontaine: Lucas Humphrey
Johnny Casino/Teen Angel: Chike Ikefuama
Cha-Cha DiGregorio: Emily Thoma
Soloist: Allison Rygh
Movie Actors: Maddie Paton, Kevin Wesenberg, Will Humphrey, Micah Roberts | https://www.albertleatribune.com/2023/03/lake-mills-to-present-grease-school-version-this-week/ | 2023-03-29 04:22:46 | 0 | https://www.albertleatribune.com/2023/03/lake-mills-to-present-grease-school-version-this-week/ |
'Horrible, sadistic' Redford Twp. man sentenced for beating death of 5-year-old girl
Detroit — The death of 5-year-old Lyric Jones haunts Wayne County Prosecutor Erin Wilmoth.
Lyric was beaten to death in a Redford Township motel room in June 2019 by her mother Steffani Jones, 29, and Jones' boyfriend Michael Lewis, 33.
Thinking about what was going through Lyric's mind in her last moments haunts Wilmoth, she said during Lewis' sentencing hearing Tuesday, because the child did not deserve that. The case has been tragic for everyone involved, even the court staff, Wilmoth said.
"I won't ever forget these faces," Wilmoth said. "I don't think anything is ever going to take the pain of that day away from this family."
Lewis was sentenced Tuesday to 28 to 50 years in prison for second-degree murder. Three other charges, felony murder and two counts of first-degree child abuse, were dismissed as a part of his plea deal.
Neither he nor his attorney spoke before the judge sentenced him.
Lyric's 3-year-old half-brother was severely injured but survived the beating. His injuries were mirrors of Lyric's, Wilmoth said.
The boy, who is now 6, looks happy and healthy in recent photos she has seen of him, Wilmoth said. He lives with his grandmother, who said Tuesday that he misses his sister. His grandmother said she thinks Lyric tried to save her brother from Lewis, who she called a "horrible, sadistic man."
Lyric and her brother were living with Jones and Lewis at the Redford Township motel at the time of Lyric's death.
Lyric was allegedly beaten for drinking out of a toilet, according to a Wayne County Circuit Court petition to terminate the parental rights of the boy's mother, Jones, and father.
Lyric was beaten to death and the boy suffered similar injuries, Wilmoth said. He "suffered from scars, bruising, burns, liver lacerations and had injuries everywhere on his body except the bottom of his feet," according to the petition.
The petition indicated the kids "suffered severe physical abuse and torture" and concluded the boy was at an imminent risk of harm if he were to stay in Jones' custody. His father didn't visit or support him, according to the petition.
Jones is set to be sentenced Oct. 28 for involuntary manslaughter and second-degree child abuse.
Jones is set to be sentenced Oct. 28 for involuntary manslaughter and second-degree child abuse.
kberg@detroitnews.com | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2022/10/18/redford-twp-man-sentenced-for-beating-death-of-5-year-old-girl/69571137007/ | 2022-10-18 18:01:57 | 1 | https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2022/10/18/redford-twp-man-sentenced-for-beating-death-of-5-year-old-girl/69571137007/ |
NEW YORK, Dec. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Jakubowitz Law announces that a securities fraud class action lawsuit has commenced on behalf of shareholders of Core Scientific, Inc. (NASDAQ: CORZ).
To receive updates on the lawsuit, fill out the form:
The lawsuit seeks to recover losses for shareholders who purchased Core Scientific between January 3, 2022 and October 26, 2022.
Shareholders interested in acting as a lead plaintiff representing the class of wronged shareholders have until January 13, 2023 to petition the court. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.
According to a filed complaint, Core Scientific, Inc. issued materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) due in part to the expiration of a favorable pricing agreement, the Company was experiencing increasing power costs; (2) the Company's largest customer, Gryphon Digital Mining, lacked the financial resources to purchase the necessary miner rigs for Core Scientific to host; (3) the Company was not providing hosting services to Celsius Network LLC ("Celsius") as required by their contract; (4) the Company had implemented an improper surcharge to pass through power costs to Celsius; (5) as a result of the foregoing alleged breaches of contract, the Company was reasonably likely to incur liability to defend itself against Celsius; (6) as a result of the foregoing, the Company's profitability would be adversely impacted; (7) as a result, there was likely substantial doubt as to the Company's ability to continue as a going concern; and (8) as a result of the foregoing, defendant's positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.
Jakubowitz Law is vigorous in pursuit of justice for shareholders who have been the victim of securities fraud. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
CONTACT:
JAKUBOWITZ LAW
1140 Avenue of the Americas
9th Floor
New York, New York 10036
T: (212) 867-4490
F: (212) 537-5887
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SOURCE Jakubowitz Law | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2022/12/16/corz-shareholder-alert-jakubowitz-law-reminds-core-scientific-shareholders-lead-plaintiff-deadline-january-13-2023/ | 2022-12-16 11:07:51 | 0 | https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2022/12/16/corz-shareholder-alert-jakubowitz-law-reminds-core-scientific-shareholders-lead-plaintiff-deadline-january-13-2023/ |
The South Korean boy band BTS is taking a break. The band members said they will use the time apart to pursue solo careers.
The band made the announcement Tuesday as they marked nine years together.
“I think we should spend some time apart to learn how to be one again,” J-Hope said, according to Variety. “I hope you don’t see this as a negative thing, and see it as a healthy plan. I think BTS will become stronger that way.”
There were signs the band would venture off. J-Hope was added as a headliner to Lollapalooza.
While BTS fans will likely be disappointed, the band says it does not plan on disbanding. However, it's unclear how long it will be on hiatus while the members pursue solo careers. | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national/bts-going-on-hiatus-to-pursue-solo-careers | 2022-06-14 16:46:30 | 0 | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national/bts-going-on-hiatus-to-pursue-solo-careers |
NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Axylyum Charter, the parent company of the growth-enablement product AXY Wrap®, recently announced an expansion designed to further its mission of increasing liquidity for alternative credit providers through secured capital deployment. The NYC-based market creator has helped resuscitate the private lending industry by providing portfolio-wide secured engagement options to secondary mortgage markets participants.
The firm is coming off a significant upsurge in originations by lenders with "wrapped" portfolios optioned through AXY Wrap®. With its proprietary product, in the event of default, Axylyum Charter purchases assets from their counterparts at up to 100% of the unpaid principal balance. This default risk mitigation equips lenders to do more of what they do best - lend.
The expansion comes at a welcome time for lenders, with overall production down, and a gloomy economic outlook leaving many scrambling for a way to protect their balance sheets and defend against worsening market conditions. Despite the current depressed loan origination environment, AXY Wrap® has contributed significant liquidity support to originators and credit providers.
When asked about the impetus for the expansion, Mike Turnyanszki, Director of Finance at Axylyum Charter, remarked: "We're focusing on the current illiquidity in the markets because buyers are rightfully concerned about an increase in defaults. AXY Wrap® solves this issue because we pay par when a loan in the optioned portfolio defaults. AXY Wrap® provides balance sheet protection to REITs, and credit enhancements to asset management companies, by addressing the risk of default and improving counterparty risks."
The company's Chief Credit Officer, Jane Petroff, echoed similar sentiments: "Over the past few months, we've seen an explosion of interest from lenders in the RTL space looking for a way to maintain liquidity in a rising rate environment. We're proud to report that AXY Wrap® helped our clients achieve that goal, and we look forward to helping even more lenders, secondary market participants, and alternative credit providers benefit from the power of AXY Wrap®."
Over the past several months, Axylyum Charter has fielded inquiries from alternative asset managers, institutional investors, and REITs looking for ways to access enhanced credit protections, secure counterparty risk, and provide market liquidity in a slowing market through the immediate repurchase of defaulted loans.
The latest product expansion from AXY Wrap® opens the door for a whole new category of lenders to enjoy balance sheet protection, securely deploy capital, and grow.
Axylyum Charter has disrupted the commercial lending space with its proprietary growth enablement product, AXY Wrap®. Specifically designed to facilitate lending growth, AXY Wrap® supports portfolio expansion by removing the risk of default.
For more information about AXY Wrap®, visit www.axylyum.com.
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SOURCE Axylyum | https://www.wymt.com/prnewswire/2022/11/08/axy-wrap-provides-liquidity-secured-capital-deployment-alternative-credit-providers/ | 2022-11-08 16:31:05 | 0 | https://www.wymt.com/prnewswire/2022/11/08/axy-wrap-provides-liquidity-secured-capital-deployment-alternative-credit-providers/ |
JENIN REFUGEE CAMP, West Bank (AP) — Israeli forces killed at least nine Palestinians and wounded several others in a large-scale raid Thursday in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials said. The deadliest single operation in the territory in two decades prompted Palestinian leaders to cut security ties with Israel, a move that could lead to more violence.
The Israeli military also fatally shot a 22-year-old Palestinian later in a separate incident.
The raid in the Jenin refugee camp increases the risk of a major flare-up in Israeli-Palestinian fighting days, poses a test for Israel’s new hard-line government and casts a shadow on U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s expected trip to the region next week.
Raising the stakes, the Palestinian Authority said it would cut security ties with Israel, a move it has tried before with little success, but which also raises fears that attacks by Islamist militant groups might not be prevented.
Hamas, the Islamist militant group that controls Gaza, threatened revenge. Violent escalations in the West Bank have previously triggered retaliatory rocket fire from the Gaza Strip.
Israeli forces in the West Bank and on the country’s border with Gaza went on heightened alert. Protesters poured into the streets across the territory, chanting in solidarity with Jenin.
Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman for the Palestinian Authority, told reporters several hours after the raid that the Palestinian leadership had ordered a halt to the ties that Palestinian security forces maintain with Israel in a shared effort to contain Islamic militants. Previous Palestinian moves to suspend this coordination have been short-lived, in part because of the benefits it enjoys from the relationship and also due to U.S. and Israeli pressure to maintain it.
He also said that the Palestinians planned to file complaints with the U.N. Security Council, International Criminal Court and other international bodies.
The PA last cut security coordination with Israel in 2020, over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s drive to annex the occupied West Bank, which would render a future Palestinian state unviable. But six months later, the PA resumed cooperation, signaling the financial importance of the relationship and the Palestinians’ relief at the election of President Joe Biden.
Thursday’s gunbattle erupted when the Israeli military conducted a rare daytime operation in the refugee camp that it said was meant to prevent an imminent attack against Israelis. The camp, where the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group has a major foothold, has been a focus of near-nightly Israeli arrest raids.
At least one of the dead was identified by Palestinians as a militant, but it was not clear how many others were affiliated with armed groups.
Later in the day, Israeli forces fatally shot a 22-year-old, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, as young Palestinians confronted Israeli troops north of Jerusalem to protest Thursday’s raid.
Tensions between Israelis and Palestinians have soared since Israel stepped up raids in the West Bank last spring, following a series of Palestinian attacks. The conflict has only intensified this month, as Israel’s far-right government came to office and pledged a hard line against the Palestinians.
Israel’s new national security minister, far-right politician Itamar Ben-Gvir, who seeks to grant legal immunity to Israeli soldiers who shoot Palestinians, posted a video of himself Thursday beside the Israeli police chief, beaming triumphantly. He congratulated security forces on a “successful operation,” saying the government gives “backing to our fighters in the war against the terrorists.”
Images in Palestinian media showed the charred exterior of a two-story building and debris on the street. The military said it entered the building in order to detonate explosives it said were being used by the suspects.
After troops withdrew from the area following the three-hour operation, several cars were overturned, their windshields and windows shattered, as residents inspected the damage.
Palestinian Health Minister May Al-Kaila said paramedics struggled to reach the wounded during the fighting, while Akram Rajoub, the governor of Jenin, said the military prevented emergency workers from evacuating the wounded.
Both officials accused the military of firing tear gas at the pediatric ward of a hospital, causing children to choke. Video from the hospital showed women carrying children into a hospital corridor.
The military said forces closed roads to facilitate their operation, which may have complicated the efforts of rescue teams, and that tear gas had likely wafted into the hospital from the clashes nearby.
The Palestinian Health Ministry identified the 61-year-old woman killed as Magda Obaid, and the Israeli military said it was looking into reports of her death. Health officials identified the eight other dead as men ranging in age from 18 to 40. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade — an armed militia affiliated with Fatah, the secular political party that controls the Palestinian Authority — claimed one of the dead, Izz al-Din Salahat, as a fighter. The ministry said at least 20 people were wounded.
According to Israeli rights group B’Tselem, May 14, 2021, was the deadliest day in the West Bank since 2002. Thirteen Palestinians were killed that day in various confrontations. But Thursday marked the single bloodiest incursion since 2002, during an intense wave of violence known as the Second Intifada, or Palestinian uprising, which left scars still visible in Jenin. Israel launched a massive operation in the Jenin camp, leveling hundreds of buildings in response to a string of suicide bombings.
Palestinians in the refugee camp dug a mass grave for the dead and Abbas declared three days of mourning, ordering flags to fly at half-staff.
“We ask that the international community help the Palestinians against this extremist right-wing government and protect our citizens,” said Rajoub, the Jenin governor.
U.N. Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland said he was “deeply alarmed and saddened” by the violence and urged calm. Condemnations came from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and Turkey, which recently reestablished full diplomatic ties with Israel, as well as from neighboring Jordan and Hamas.
Tensions over violence in the West Bank have spilled into Gaza in the past.
“The response of the resistance to what happened today in Jenin camp will not be delayed,” warned top Hamas official Saleh Arouri.
The Islamic Jihad branch in the coastal enclave has repeatedly fought against Israel, most recently in a fierce three-day clash last summer that killed dozens of Palestinians and disrupted the lives of hundreds of thousands of Israelis.
Nearly 150 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank and east Jerusalem last year, making 2022 the deadliest in those territories since 2004, according to B’Tselem. So far this year, 30 Palestinians have been killed.
Israel says most of the dead were militants. But youths protesting the incursions and others not involved in the confrontations also have been killed. So far this year, not including Thursday, one-third of the Palestinians killed by Israeli troops or civilians had ties to armed groups.
Last year, 30 people were killed in Palestinian attacks against Israelis.
Israel says its raids are meant to dismantle militant networks and thwart attacks. The Palestinians say they further entrench Israel’s 55-year, open-ended occupation of the West Bank, which Israel captured along with east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians claim those territories for their hoped-for state.
Israel’s new far-right government, headed by Netanyahu and propped up by ultranationalist and ultra-Orthodox parties, has pledged to put West Bank settlement expansion at the top of its priority list and has already announced punitive steps against the Palestinians for pushing the U.N.’s highest judicial body to give its opinion on the Israeli occupation.
Israel has already established dozens of settlements in the West Bank, which are now home to some 500,000 people.
The Palestinians and much of the international community view settlements as illegal and an obstacle to peace, even as negotiations to end the conflict have been moribund for more than a decade. | https://www.wishtv.com/news/international/palestinians-israeli-troops-kill-10-in-west-bank-violence%EF%BF%BC/ | 2023-01-26 18:02:51 | 1 | https://www.wishtv.com/news/international/palestinians-israeli-troops-kill-10-in-west-bank-violence%EF%BF%BC/ |
A New Jersey mayor who was blocked from attending a White House celebration this week with President Joe Biden to belatedly mark the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan called Tuesday for the administration to end the federal “watch list” that he said illegally targets Muslims and others.
During a news conference held Tuesday in South Plainfield by the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ), Prospect Park Mayor Mohamed Khairullah and several other speakers condemned the list as illegal, discriminatory and unconstitutional. They also called on the U.S. Secret Service and other federal agencies to stop using and distributing the list, which the group says has more than 1.5 million names, a majority of which are “Arab or Muslim sounding.”
CAIR has called on the Biden administration to cease the FBI’s dissemination of information from what is known as a Terrorist Screening Data Set that includes hundreds of thousands of individuals. The group informed Khairullah that a person with his name and birthdate was in a dataset that CAIR attorneys obtained in 2019.
Shortly before he was set to arrive at the White House for the Eid-al-Fitr celebration on Monday, Khairullah said he received a call from the White House stating that he had not been cleared for entry by the Secret Service and could not attend the celebration where Biden delivered remarks to hundreds of guests.
Khairullah said Tuesday that he has no idea why his information is on the list and that no one in the federal government will tell him, adding that there’s “no reason to believe I’m an unsafe person.” Khairullah noted that he has been detained a few times and questioned while traveling, experiences that he called “humiliating.”
“I’m not upset about not being at the White House,” said Khairullah, who was elected to a fifth term as his town’s mayor in January. “I’m about human rights. I have a platform to address this issue, but about 1.5 million others don’t … an incident like this makes me question the progress I thought we had made.”
Selaedin Maksut, the CAIR chapter’s executive director, said there is no transparency in how or why people are added to or removed from the list, and there is no remedy people can seek to have their names removed.
“Two decades after 9/11, we continue to see the harm of the watch lists. We continue to see how it causes difficulties for American Muslims and Americans at large, infringing on their civil rights,” Maksut said.
A Secret Service spokesman confirmed that Khairullah was not allowed into the White House complex, but he declined to detail why. The White House also declined comment.
In a statement issued Tuesday night, New Jersey’s two U.S. senators — Bob Menendez and Cory Booker, both Democrats, and Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. , a Democrat who represents the district where Khairullah lives — announced that they have formally asked the Secret Service and the Biden administration for an explanation of why the mayor was blocked from attending. The trio also asked that he be notified about the “substantive reasons he was denied admission” and that his status be reviewed so he may be able to attend such events in the future.
Khairullah was an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump’s travel ban that limited entry to the U.S. of citizens from several predominantly Muslim countries. He also has travelled to Bangladesh and Syria to do humanitarian work with the Syrian American Medical Society and the Watan Foundation.
Khairullah said he was stopped by authorities in 2019 and interrogated at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York for three hours and questioned about whether he knew any terrorists. The incident happened when he was returning to the United States after a family visit to Turkey, where his wife has family.
On another occasion, he said he was briefly held at the U.S.-Canada border as he traveled back into the country with family.
CAIR said Khairullah helped the New Jersey Democratic Party compile names of local Muslim leadership to invite to the White House Eid celebration and over the weekend was a guest at an event at the New Jersey governor’s mansion.
Khairullah was born in Syria, but his family was displaced in the midst of the government crackdowns by Hafez al-Assad’s government in the early 1980s. His family fled to Saudi Arabia before moving to Prospect Park in 1991. He has lived there since.
He became a U.S. citizen in 2000 and was elected to his first term as the town’s mayor in 2001. He also spent 14 years as a volunteer firefighter in his community.
Khairullah said he made seven trips to Syria with humanitarian aid organizations between 2012 and 2015 as a civil war ravaged much of the country. | https://www.wfla.com/news/national/ap-us-news/muslim-mayor-blocked-from-white-house-decries-watch-list/ | 2023-05-03 03:23:44 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/news/national/ap-us-news/muslim-mayor-blocked-from-white-house-decries-watch-list/ |
One of my resolutions is to cut back just a little on the pork burgers and Chick-fil-A and get healthier on a more grass and hay-based diet.
But like humans, us Holsteins aren’t the best at sticking to our resolutions, so we’ll just have to see how long that lasts.
For our area basketball teams, I can only be sure one of their resolutions is to be in my rankings at season’s end, as my opinions over the top teams supersedes everyone else’s.
In all seriousness, the girls’ season is already in its final month before the postseason, and the boys are barely a quarter done with theirs, so there’s still a long way to go.
Because of how few teams competed a couple weeks ago and the holidays, I took a week off from the rankings and picks to celebrate with my herd by making it another year off Farmer John’s dinner table.
Here’s cheers to another year!
And here are this week’s rankings.
Girls No. 1 Central Noble
Record: 15-0, 6-0 NECC
Last Poll’s Ranking: No. 1
Recent Results: Def. Wawasee 52-27 and South Adams 42-30
The Cougars remain No. 3 in Class 2A and No. 1 in my rankings after making light work of Wawasee before South Adams played them to their closest game of the year, alongside Bethany Christian, in a 12-point victory on Dec. 30.
Let me say that again.
The closest a team has come to defeating Central Noble, 15 games in, has been by double digits.
The toughest stretch of their schedule, Fairfield and Eastside, doesn’t come until after the Northeast Corner Conference Tournament, though the Cougars could meet both of them deep in that tournament should they get that far.
The Cougars just played Bremen last night, and will have Garrett on Friday before the tournament next week.
No. 2 Eastside
Record: 11-3, 6-0 NECC
Last Poll’s Ranking: No. 2
Recent Results: Lost to Bellmont 67-37, def. Heritage 49-35
While a loss to a 13-1 Bellmont team isn’t bad at all, losing to them on a neutral court by 30 while you’re 11-2 is a little surprising.
Though the loss doesn’t make a huge difference in just how good the Blazers are, as they made up for it with a 14-point win over a 1-12 Heritage squad, a team they were always expected to beat.
Like Central Noble, the Blazers have yet to play Fairfield, making the NECC a 3-team race in the final month, being decided by who can win two of them should no one get upset by the rest of the field.
The Blazers played DeKalb last night, but will face an even bigger challenge when they host the Falcons Friday night.
No. 3 DeKalb
Record: 8-8, 0-3 NE8
Last Poll’s Ranking: No. 5
Recent Results: Def. Blackhawk Christian 51-50 (OT) and Mishawaka 48-32, lost to Goshen 53-40
The Barons impressed me last week.
They just got through Blackhawk Christian in a bounce-back overtime victory after losing to Norwell three days earlier, before surprising a 10-5 Mishawaka at the Goshen Classic over the break.
While not a tournament per se because of the setup between two Northeast 8 and Northern Lakes schools each, DeKalb lost the proverbial championship game to the host Redhawks.
The loss does nothing more for the Barons than to prevent a three-game winning streak, as the brunt of their conference schedule is in the final month, and they are still looking for their first victory in the NE8.
No. 4 Lakeland
Record: 8-8, 3-2 NECC
Last Poll’s Ranking: Unranked
Recent Results: Def. Westview 50-45, Concord 49-27 and Fort Wayne South Side 58-24
Aside from Central Noble, the Lakers had the best performance over the winter break, winning all three of their games for their second three-game winning streak of the season.
The only reason the Lakers are not ranked higher after the week they had, is that all three of their wins came against teams with losing records, a combined 11-30.
Lakeland doesn’t have the toughest of schedules down the stretch either, with games coming up against three of the four bottom teams of the NECC: West Noble, Churubusco and Fremont, as well as a conference tournament first round matchup with Hamilton next week.
No. 5 Garrett
Record: 7-7, 3-2 NECC
Last Poll’s Ranking: No. 4
Recent Results: Lost to Bishop Dwenger 43-35, def. Blackhawk Christian 44-34 and Heritage 49-46
The Railroaders had a solid week after losing to Dwenger on Dec. 20, defeating Blackhawk by 10 and narrowly getting through Heritage at Hoosier Gym.
The season for Garrett so far has been fairly average, defeating teams it were predicted to beat and losing to teams it wasn’t expected to beat.
It’s about to get slightly tougher for the Railroaders here on out, however, as they just played Fairfield, one of the top teams in the NECC last night, and have dates with Central Noble and Bellmont coming up.
Dropped Out: Westview
Others considered: None
Boys No. 1 West Noble
Record: 7-1, 3-0 NECC
Last Poll’s Ranking: No. 1
Recent Results: Def. Prairie Heights 57-49 (OT), lost to Class 2A No. 1 Blackhawk Christian 71-58
The Class 3A No. 5 Chargers only had two games over the break, but they were kept quite busy.
The overtime victory against Prairie Heights made senior Austin Cripe the all-time leading scorer in West Noble history, post-consolidation era.
Against Blackhawk, Cripe did everything he could with another team-high in scoring, but the top team in Class 2A was just more balanced.
Over the last two games, Cripe had 36 and 34 points, showing that even the best teams in the area can hardly stop him.
No. 2 Prairie Heights
Record: 7-1, 4-1 NECC
Last Poll’s Ranking: No. 2
Recent Results: Lost to Class 3A No. 5 West Noble 57-49 (OT)
Like the Chargers, the Panthers lost their first game of the season over the break, though it was the Chargers who beat them.
The loss doesn’t define the team this early in the season still, but they will now be rooting for another conference team to upset West Noble for a shot to share or win the NECC outright.
The game against the Chargers was easily the toughest game of the season thus far for the Panthers, who faces Angola on Thursday before heading into the conference tournament against Fairfield.
No. 3 Westview
Record: 5-3, 3-1 NECC
Last Poll’s Ranking: Unranked
Recent Results: Def. Lakeland 48-47
Westview only had the one game against the Lakers over the break, but they won it, escaping LaGrange by the skin of their teeth.
Although they are 5-3, two of Warriors’ losses were to blue bloods in Northridge and NorthWood, while the third was by a buzzer beater against Angola before the break, a game they probably should have won.
The schedule for the Warriors in the near future is mixed, with a .500 LaVille squad and then West Noble in the NECC Tournament coming up, following a game against East Noble last night.
No. 4 Lakeland
Record: 5-3, 2-2 NECC
Last Poll’s Ranking: No. 4
Recent Results: Lost to Westview 48-47, def. DeKalb 58-55
The Lakers went to war in each of their previous two games, losing to Westview by one at home before getting out of dodge in Waterloo over a winless Barons team.
Lakeland is another team still competing in the top half of the conference, with their two NECC losses, the other to Fairfield, coming by a combined three points.
Their other loss? NorthWood.
The Lakers play a .500 South Bend Career Academy team on Thursday before heading to Ligonier to face West Noble on Friday.
No. 5 Central Noble
Record: 4-3, 1-2 NECC
Last Poll’s Ranking: No. 5
Recent Results: Lost to Wawasee 55-47, def. East Noble 57-42
An 8-point loss to Wawasee at home was probably a blow to the Cougars’ morale on Dec. 21, but they responded nicely with a 15-point victory against East Noble 10 days later.
Central Noble is one of the harder teams to read at this point of the season, as the other two losses for the Cougars was a four-point loss to West Noble and a one-point loss to Westview.
Despite two NECC losses, Central Noble is still in a good position in the conference with Garrett, Eastside and Churubusco being the Cougars’ next set of conference games for this month.
Dropped Out: Fremont
Others Considered: None | https://www.kpcnews.com/columnists/article_6d2ca2ea-6c00-5d26-bf02-cb3b62b293ad.html | 2023-01-04 03:09:15 | 1 | https://www.kpcnews.com/columnists/article_6d2ca2ea-6c00-5d26-bf02-cb3b62b293ad.html |
BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union warned Serbia and Kosovo on Monday that they are on the edge of a precipice and must resolve their dispute over vehicle license plates before next week or face the prospect of a return to their violent past.
Long-simmering tensions between Serbia and its former province mounted in recent weeks over the Kosovo government’s decision to ban Serbia-issued license plates. On Nov. 5, 10 Serb lawmakers, 10 prosecutors and 576 police officers in Kosovo’s northern Mitrovica region resigned over the move.
After the meeting with representatives of the political parties, Kosovar President Vjosa Osmani set Dec. 18 for holding snap elections for mayors in the four municipalities in the north where posts were abandoned by the ethnic Serb minority representatives.
Osmani said she will ask for international election observers adding that authorities “will undertake all necessary measures in order that citizens, regardless of ethnicity, feel protected, safe and carry out their constitutional rights.”
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said their resignations have left police stations and courts unstaffed, and that “in this vacuum the worst can happen. So both parties need to show more flexibility.”
Under the ban, about 6,300 ethnic Serbs owning cars with number plates deemed to be illegal in Kosovo were to be warned until Nov. 21, then fined for the following two months. From April 21, they would only be permitted to drive with temporary local plates.
“We cannot reach this date without having an agreement or we will be on the edge of a dangerous situation,” Borrell told reporters — referring to Nov. 21 — after chairing a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
He said that Kosovo negotiators were due in Brussels on Monday evening and that he stood ready to call a meeting of Serbia and Kosovo leaders to get an agreement sealed before next week.
The issue of Kosovo’s independence sparked a 1998-99 war in which about 13,000 people died. Serbia launched a brutal crackdown to curb a separatist rebellion by the territory’s ethnic Albanians. NATO bombed Serbia in 1999 to end the war.
Kosovo unilaterally broke away from Serbia in 2008. The Serbian government, with support from China and Russia, has refused to acknowledge Kosovo’s statehood. The United States and most of its European allies recognize Kosovo as an independent country.
Serbia and Kosovo must normalize their relations in order to join the European Union. But EU-mediated talks aimed at helping them have stalled, triggering concerns of more instability more than two decades after the conflict.
“They are at a crossroads now. They have to decide which way they want to go. Towards the European Union, or towards the past,” Borrell said. | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-eu-warns-serbia-kosovo-against-returning-to-the-past/ | 2022-11-15 15:21:20 | 1 | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-eu-warns-serbia-kosovo-against-returning-to-the-past/ |
Ford unveiled a redesigned 2024 Mustang in September, though at the time the automaker didn’t confirm any horsepower figures.
The wait is finally over as Ford on Thursday published the figures, and they’re higher across the board.
The range starts off with the 2024 Mustang Ecoboost, with a 2.3-liter turbo-4 that will pump out 315 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque versus the current Mustang Ecoboost’s 310 hp and 350 lb-ft.
The current Mustang Ecoboost can be ordered with a Performance Pack that bumps output to 330 hp, though Ford hasn’t said whether something similar will be offered on the redesigned version. The redesigned Mustang Ecoboost will, however, offer an active exhaust option, though Ford hasn’t said whether this will add any extra horsepower.
Moving up the ladder, the 2024 Mustang GT grade will deliver 480 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque from a 5.0-liter V-8, up from the current Mustang GT’s 450 hp and 410 lb-ft. In the case of the redesigned Mustang GT, adding the active exhaust option will boost output to 486 hp and 418 lb-ft, Ford has confirmed.
At the top of the range is the new 2024 Mustang Dark Horse grade. This grade also gets a 5.0-liter V-8 but with output climbing to 500 hp and 418 lb-ft of torque. The engine benefits from connecting rods from the previous Shelby GT500, as well as a new dual throttle-body intake design said to improve airflow into the engine. At the launch, Ford said it was targeting 480 hp for the GT and 500 hp for the Dark Horse. Now those numbers are confirmed and they are accompanied by torque figures.
The Dark Horse isn’t actually a single model but a new performance series. In addition to the track-focused but street-legal regular Dark Horse, there will also be a track-only Dark Horse S and race-ready Dark Horse R. Ford hasn’t provided specs for these track-only variants.
The 2024 Mustang starts sales next summer with the choice of 6-speed manual or 10-speed automatic transmissions, and either coupe or convertible body styles. Pricing information will be announced closer to the market launch.
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- Audi RS 3: Motor Authority Best Car To Buy 2023 finalist | https://www.wane.com/automotive/internet-brands/2024-ford-mustang-horsepower-numbers-are-in/ | 2022-12-15 22:40:01 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/automotive/internet-brands/2024-ford-mustang-horsepower-numbers-are-in/ |
TOKYO (AP) — The politician tapped to help Japan keep pace with the digital age has his work cut out for him.
After all, the nation known for Nintendo games, Lexus sportscars and other gadgetry galore also loves the fax machine and the traditional “hanko” seals that work as analog signatures.
But Digital Minister Taro Kono has a reputation for no-nonsense action and for defying vested interests in high places.
“I have no intention of playing coordinator,” he told reporters in a small briefing that was, aptly, conducted online Friday.
“If people don’t listen, I am going to beat them up,” he added with a laugh.
Japan ranked 28th among 64 nations in digital competitiveness in 2021, little changed from five years before, according to a study by IMD, a Swiss-based independent academic organization, which looked at how well equipped nations are to encourage technological development and to leverage them for the future. The U.S. was No. 1, China No. 15.
Kono, a former foreign minister and defense minister, has flaunted his digital savvy for years.
Kono’s Japanese Twitter account, which has drawn 2.5 million followers, features everything from a bowling video to policy commentary. Fluent in English, having attended Georgetown University, he also has an English Twitter account with 70,000 followers.
In a YouTube video last month, he urged people to get a My Number Card, a digital identity card for Japanese citizens and residents that they can use for online government applications and link to a driver’s license, library card or online banking.
But Kono knows it will take more than social media stardom to wrest Japan out of its analog doldrums. He noted the endeavor doesn’t have to be complicated; people will naturally choose what’s convenient.
“Even a child knows that a seal doesn’t really work as personal identification,” he said, while adding that he loves Japanese seals as craftwork.
“There is a mindset that it’s someone else’s problem,” he said of society’s complacency.
During the coronavirus pandemic, when remote working became widespread around the world, Japanese realized how far behind they had fallen, Kono said.
The Digital Agency was set up in Japan last year to nurture competitiveness in digital technology.
Some skepticism remains. Critics say the idea of “a digital transformation” is already outdated and only Japan is still talking so much about it.
In 2018, the minister in charge of cybersecurity, Yoshitaka Sakurada, became a target of ridicule when he didn’t know what a USB port was.
Yet technology experts have pinned great hopes for what Kono might achieve. Kono has always stood apart among ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers. His father was a prominent lawmaker known as a maverick. His grandfather was also a legendary politician.
And rock the boat is what Kono needs to do.
His agency has shown by example by becoming more open and diverse, adding people from the private sector and other walks of life who may have ideas on the change Japan so critically needs.
What will be his benchmark measure for success? “When there are smiles everywhere,” Kono said.
___
Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter https://twitter.com/yurikageyama | https://www.qcnews.com/technology/ap-digital-minister-aims-to-wrest-japan-out-of-analog-doldrums/ | 2022-09-30 10:22:37 | 0 | https://www.qcnews.com/technology/ap-digital-minister-aims-to-wrest-japan-out-of-analog-doldrums/ |
Second cohort of 20 disabled creative practitioners recognized with $50,000 grant for outstanding cultural contributions
NEW YORK, July 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Ford Foundation and the Mellon Foundation announced the 2022 recipients of the Disability Futures Fellowship, an initiative administered by United States Artists that aims to increase the visibility of disabled creative practitioners across disciplines and geography and elevate their voices individually and collectively.
The Disability Futures Fellowship initiative supports 20 disabled creative practitioners whose work advances the cultural landscape. Each fellowship includes an unrestricted $50,000 grant, totaling $1 million for the cohort overall. Now in its second round, it is the only national, multidisciplinary award for disabled artists and creative practitioners.
Disability Futures creates a platform to prioritize the work of disabled artists, filmmakers, and writers in order to advance their stories, ideas, and practices, individually and collectively. The initiative addresses field-wide problems in arts and culture, journalism, and documentary film, including: a dearth of disability visibility in the cultural sector, lack of professional development opportunities accessible to disabled practitioners, and the unique financial challenges facing disabled artists and creative professionals.
"Disability Futures was first conceived as a way to center and elevate those in disabled communities across the country, and across culture," said Judilee Reed, President and CEO at United States Artists. "We're excited to see the stage expand with this new class of fellows, and are honored to celebrate together."
"We are delighted to reaffirm our commitment to this community of artists, advance their perspectives and ideas, and expand who is seen and heard in the creative landscape," said Margaret Morton, program director, Creativity and Free Expression at the Ford Foundation.
"Mellon is honored to support Disability Futures, a program that is very close to our hearts," said Emil J. Kang, program director, Arts and Culture at the Mellon Foundation. "Created out of conversation, collaboration, and care, Disability Futures offers a chance to honor and learn from generations of artists. It's wonderful to announce that this community just grew larger."
"I've received a number of fellowships in the past, but this one is particularly special for a few reasons," said Christine Sun Kim, artist and 2020 Disability Futures Fellow. "It comes with so much pride of being recognized alongside other extremely talented disabled fellows; it has undoubtedly expanded the meaning of 'disability' to something much less reductive; and a bit of financial freedom (money with no strings attached) goes a long way."
The intersectional cohort of recipients come from communities across the country, where they work as artists, activists, and educators. The 2022 Disability Futures Fellows are:
Disability Futures is the result of a yearlong research initiative commissioned by the Ford Foundation and conducted by United States Artists that interviewed dozens of disabled artists and creative practitioners across the country to learn how to better serve disabled artists and creatives. The fellowship operates on a nomination-driven basis, originating with a group of nominators who identify eligible creative practitioners. A group of panelists then selects finalists, who are confirmed by an advisory council of disabled creative practitioners assembled to guide the initiative. After incorporating feedback from the initial cohort, the fellowship no longer requires applications, in recognition of the additional labor and barrier this represents for creative practitioners across the country.
The 2022 Disability Futures panelists are: Petra Kuppers, Sean Lee, and Therí A. Pickens.
The 2022 Disability Futures advisors are: Allison Hedge Coke, Cara Reedy, Emily Sara, Jade Bryan, and Michelle A. Banks.
To learn more about the 2022 Disability Futures Fellows and their work please visit: fordfoundation.org/disability-future-fellows.
ABOUT THE FORD FOUNDATION
The Ford Foundation is an independent organization working to address inequality and build a future grounded in justice. For more than 85 years, it has supported visionaries on the frontlines of social change worldwide, guided by its mission to strengthen democratic values, reduce poverty and injustice, promote international cooperation, and advance human achievement. Today, with an endowment of $16 billion, the foundation has headquarters in New York and 10 regional offices across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.
ABOUT THE MELLON FOUNDATION
The Mellon Foundation is the nation's largest supporter of the arts and humanities. Since 1969, the Foundation has been guided by its core belief that the humanities and arts are essential to human understanding. The Foundation believes that the arts and humanities are where we express our complex humanity, and that everyone deserves the beauty, transcendence, and freedom that can be found there. Through our grants, we seek to build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive. Learn more at mellon.org.
ABOUT UNITED STATES ARTISTS
United States Artists is a national arts funding nonprofit that supports the country's most compelling artists and cultural practitioners. Since its founding in 2006, the organization has awarded more than 750 individuals with over $36 million of direct support.
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SOURCE Ford Foundation | https://www.wagmtv.com/prnewswire/2022/07/27/ford-mellon-foundations-announce-2022-disability-futures-fellows/ | 2022-07-27 15:43:49 | 1 | https://www.wagmtv.com/prnewswire/2022/07/27/ford-mellon-foundations-announce-2022-disability-futures-fellows/ |
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — For isolated communities at the top of the world, keeping the planet’s largest land predators — polar bears — out of town is key to coexistence.
That can mean patrolling for the animals by snowmobile or four-wheeler, shooing them away with spotlights or a revved engine, or hazing them with beanbag shotguns. In one Canadian town, polar bears that can’t be scared off are kept in an air-conditioned “bear jail” until they can be flown out onto the sea ice. Such bear patrols have long succeeded in reducing conflict.
But this week, a polar bear attack killed a mother and her 1-year-old son in Wales, a tiny, remote Alaska whaling village whose bear patrol had lapsed. The incident — the first fatal polar bear attack in Alaska in 30 years — underscored the risks of living alongside the creatures, which can weigh more than 1,700 pounds (771 kg).
While it’s not clear why the bear attacked, and while no patrol can prevent all troublesome encounters between bears and people, the mauling has renewed interest in such programs.
“There’s absolutely discussion now in Wales, saying, ‘Hey, maybe things have changed to the point that we need this, and how do we do that?’” said Susan Nedza, the chief administrator for the Bering Strait School District.
Polar bear attacks are extremely rare. But as climate change reduces the amount of Arctic ice, forcing the bears to spend more time on land, the number of encounters between people and bears is on the rise, researchers say. Raising awareness and improving ways to keep both bears and people safe has become imperative.
In northeastern Russia, patrollers have planted walrus carcasses far from villages to lure the bears away. The patrols were increased in 2019 when about 60 polar bears descended on Ryrkaypiy in Russia’s remote Chukotka region, forcing the cancellation of all public events.
In Arviat, a hamlet on the Hudson Bay in northern Canada, a bear patrol program was credited with dramatically reducing the number of bears killed in defense of life or property, from about eight per year before it began in 2010 to one per year afterward.
Another Hudson Bay town — Churchill, in northeastern Manitoba — has had a bear alert program for decades and has turned the animals into a tourist attraction. There, wildlife agents and police patrol by helicopter and by ground to protect trick-or-treaters on Halloween. Problem bears are captured and kept in an air-conditioned “bear jail” until the ice freezes up and they can be transported out to where they can find natural prey such as seals.
Another successful model is among the coastal communities of the North Slope, where Alaska meets the Arctic Ocean; tribes there have traditionally hunted the bears, along with whales and seals. It’s not uncommon to see dozens of bears on the outskirts of some of those villages, depending on the time of year and ice conditions.
In the early 1990s, scores of polar bears massed on the shore of Utqiagvik, formerly known as Barrow, the northernmost community in the U.S. The village elders gathered: The school year was approaching, and something had to be done.
On their advice, the town put together patrols to try to keep the polar bears out.
“We went on shifts, we used whatever we could use, a snow machine or a truck,” recalled Billy Adams, an employee of the North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management who still sometimes patrols for bears. “It’s all about keeping the people and the bears safe.”
The goal is to keep an eye out for bears, respond to reported sightings, and shoo them away as gently as possible. Sometimes that means just revving the engine of a snowmobile, truck or four-wheeler, or shining a spotlight at them; other times it can escalate to the use of beanbags or “cracker shells,” like firecrackers fired from a shotgun, to harass the bears, said Taqulik Hepa, director of the North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management in Alaska.
The North Slope has patrols on standby in case bears come close; three villages have active patrols now, Hepa said.
In Kaktovik in 2014, a patroller shooed away a polar bear that had gotten into the entryway of an 81-year-old woman’s home, where it was feeding on a drum of seal oil. The woman had hidden inside and was unharmed.
The North Slope Borough doesn’t maintain a budget for the program, but supports it by providing fuel or equipment. When available, grants from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service help offset the costs, which can include pay for patrollers.
Polar bears appear less frequently in Wales, a community that is the westernmost point on the North American mainland — just 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Russia across the Bering Strait. Wales is home to about 150 people, almost all of them Inupiat. It’s accessible by plane and boat, including barges that deliver household goods. Winter trails provide snowmobile access to other communities and subsistence hunting grounds.
Wales began a polar bear patrol in 2014 with the help of the World Wildlife Fund, which has supported the creation of several such programs in far northern communities across the globe. But the local program became inactive due to a confluence of factors — including the COVID-19 pandemic, the relative lack of bears and the recent death of its leader, Clyde Oxereok.
The community also has fewer financial resources than some of its counterparts in the North Slope, where the oil industry has buoyed the economy.
Even if a patrol had been active, though, it’s not clear it could have prevented Tuesday’s attack. It occurred early in the afternoon — not typically a risky time for bear encounters — and came amid a near whiteout, with extremely poor visibility.
Authorities investigating the mauling said they intend “to learn from this tragedy and determine what future measures we and our communities can take to prevent future fatal human-bear encounters,” according to a joint statement released Thursday by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the Alaska Nannut Co-management Council, which represents 15 Alaska Native tribes that have traditionally hunted polar bears.
Chrissy Friberg, a traveling optician from Washington state, spent a couple days in Wales just before the attack, holding a clinic for the villagers. She said people didn’t seem overly concerned about the risk of bears.
“We were outside, walking around,” she said. “There were no threats or warnings.”
___
Johnson reported from Seattle. | https://www.myarklamiss.com/news/national-news/ap-rare-attack-in-alaska-renews-interest-in-polar-bear-patrols/ | 2023-01-21 00:28:15 | 1 | https://www.myarklamiss.com/news/national-news/ap-rare-attack-in-alaska-renews-interest-in-polar-bear-patrols/ |
Donovan Mitchell NBA Playoffs Player Prop Bets: Cavaliers vs. Knicks - April 18
The Cleveland Cavaliers, Donovan Mitchell included, will be in action at 7:30 PM on Tuesday against the New York Knicks in the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
In this piece we'll break down Mitchell's stats and trends, helping you make good picks on prop bets.
Donovan Mitchell Prop Bets vs. the Knicks
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Donovan Mitchell Insights vs. the Knicks
- This season, Donovan Mitchell has made 10.0 field goals per game, which accounts for 19.9% of his team's total makes.
- This season, he's accounted for 25.8% of his team's three-pointers made, averaging 3.6 per game.
- Mitchell's opponents, the Knicks, have one of the NBA's slowest tempos with 101 possessions per game, while his Cavaliers average the fewest possessions per game with 98.7.
- The Knicks are the 12th-best defensive team in the NBA, conceding 113.1 points per game.
- The Knicks are the seventh-ranked team in the league, giving up 42 rebounds per game.
- Looking at assists, the Knicks have given up 25.1 per contest, 13th in the league.
- Looking at 3-pointers, the Knicks are 25th in the NBA, giving up 13 makes per contest.
Donovan Mitchell vs. the Knicks
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.azfamily.com/sports/betting/2023/04/18/donovan-mitchell-nba-playoffs-player-prop-bets-cavaliers-vs-knicks/ | 2023-04-18 19:02:54 | 1 | https://www.azfamily.com/sports/betting/2023/04/18/donovan-mitchell-nba-playoffs-player-prop-bets-cavaliers-vs-knicks/ |
The explosion at the RM Palmer chocolate factory in West Reading was felt and seen by many in the region. The blast sent smoke billowing high into the area, where it could be seen from miles away.
A Philadelphia TV station’s weather camera captured it all on video, showing the exact moment of the blast. Fox 29 reporter Eddie Kadhim shared the dramatic footage on Twitter.
You can see it here:
Here's video of an explosion at the RM Palmer Chocolate Factory in West Reading, PA. pic.twitter.com/fhVDkMYeIC
— Chad Baker (@ChadBlue83) March 25, 2023
MORE: See photos of the chocolate factory explosion aftermath | https://www.trentonian.com/2023/03/25/watch-moment-of-chocolate-factory-explosion-in-west-reading-captured-on-tv-stations-weather-cam/ | 2023-03-26 08:32:29 | 0 | https://www.trentonian.com/2023/03/25/watch-moment-of-chocolate-factory-explosion-in-west-reading-captured-on-tv-stations-weather-cam/ |
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called on President Biden to allow tennis superstar Novak Djokovic into the United States to play in the upcoming Miami Open even though he's unvaccinated against COVID-19.
In a letter obtained by Fox News Digital, DeSantis urged Biden to "put pandemic politics aside and give the American people what they want – let him play." DeSantis wrote that Djokovic’s denial to enter the U.S. is unfair, unscientific and unacceptable."
DeSantis wondered whether Djokovic could potentially enter the U.S. by boat.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
"It is also not clear to me why, even by the terms of your own proclamation, Mr. Djokovic could not legally enter this county via boat," DeSantis wrote, citing a proclamation that barred noncitizens from entering the U.S. via the air. "Please confirm no later than Friday, March 10, 2023, that this method of travel into Florida would be permissible.
"Furthermore, even as you enacted a Proclamation on air travel that remains in force to this day, your administration pointedly allowed thousands of unvaccinated migrants to enter our country through the southern border," the letter adds.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC WITHDRAWS FROM BNP PARIBAS OPEN AFTER BEING DENIED ENTRY TO US OVER COVID-VACCINE STATUS
"In sum, the current ‘travel ban’ applied to Mr. Djokovic — and presumably millions of other potential unvaccinated foreign visitors — seems completely ungrounded in logic, common sense, or any genuine concern for the health and welfare of the American people."
Djokovic was recently forced to withdraw from the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, after being denied entry to the U.S. over his COVID vaccine status. He requested a vaccine waiver, which would have allowed him to enter the U.S. unvaccinated, but it was rejected by the Homeland Security Department.
Djokovic was able to play in the Australian Open in January after being deported from the country last year over his vaccine status. Australia had far harsher COVID guidelines than most countries during the coronavirus pandemic.
"The only thing keeping Mr. Djokovic from participating in this tournament is your administration’s continued enforcement of a misguided, unscientific, and out-of-date COVID-19 vaccination requirement for foreign guests seeking to visit our great country," the letter continued. "American tennis legend John McEnroe recently termed this restriction ‘absurd.’ He was quite right to say so."
DeSantis also noted that Biden declared the "pandemic is over" and that he "communicated to Congress that the COVID-19 emergency will formally end on May 11."
A rep for Djokovic didn’t immediately return Fox News Digital’s request for comment. The White House didn’t immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio, both Republicans from Florida, expressed support for the Serbian tennis star and called on Congress to act to eliminate President Biden’s "bogus vaccine mandate."
FLORIDA LAWMAKERS URGE PRESIDENT BIDEN TO GRANT NOVAK DJOKOVIC WAIVER TO PLAY IN US DESPITE VACCINE STATUS
"It has come to our attention that your administration is in receipt of a request to waive the current vaccine mandate for international travelers entering the United States from top-ranked men’s tennis player Novak Djokovic. We write to urge you to grant the requested waiver, which is necessary to allow Mr. Djokovic to compete in the Miami Open professional tennis tournament held in our home state of Florida beginning March 19, 2023," the Republicans said in a joint letter.
In the letter, the Florida lawmakers even reminded Biden that he previously said the pandemic was "over."
"In September 2022, you plainly declared to a national audience on ‘60 Minutes’ that ‘the [COVID-19] pandemic is over,’ and, earlier this year, Dr. Anthony Fauci published a professional article acknowledging the limited efficacy of vaccines in protecting against respiratory pathogens, like the novel coronavirus," the senators continued.
"In light of these changing circumstances, and admissions by you and members of your own administration, the current restrictive vaccine mandate which you have maintained for international travelers entering the United States seems outdated and worthy of rescission.
"Mr. Djokovic is a world-class athlete in peak physical condition who is not at high-risk of severe complications from COVID-19. It seems both illogical and misaligned with the opinions of your own administration to not grant him the waiver he requests so that he may travel to the U.S. to compete in a professional event."
Djokovic last played in the states in the 2021 U.S. Open.
Fox News’ Lawrence Richard contributed to this report. | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/national/desantis-urges-biden-to-allow-novak-djokovic-to-compete-in-miami-open-wonders-if-he/article_c4fb5240-df3a-58db-821c-f30dcb74b3b2.html | 2023-03-08 01:09:21 | 0 | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/national/desantis-urges-biden-to-allow-novak-djokovic-to-compete-in-miami-open-wonders-if-he/article_c4fb5240-df3a-58db-821c-f30dcb74b3b2.html |
EqualAI's Miriam Vogel leads committee advising the President and National AI Initiative Office on a range of issues related to artificial intelligence
NEW YORK, Aug. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- LivePerson (Nasdaq: LPSN), a global leader in customer engagement solutions, joined business leaders in congratulating EqualAI on four years of progress fighting unconscious bias in AI.
EqualAI is an independent nonprofit organization and movement founded in 2018 to reduce unconscious bias in the development and use of artificial intelligence. It is supported by corporate members from the tech industry.
In addition to launching impactful initiatives — including the EqualAI Pledge and EqualAI Badge Program for Responsible AI Governance — the organization's president, Miriam Vogel, was recently appointed as Chair of the National Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee (NAIAC), which advises the US President and National AI Initiative Office on a range of issues related to artificial intelligence.
The NAIAC was established by the US Department of Commerce and consists of leaders with a broad and interdisciplinary range of AI-relevant expertise across academia, nonprofits, civil society, and the private sector.
LivePerson founder and CEO Rob LoCascio said, "In just four years, EqualAI has made an incredible impact on the trajectory of artificial intelligence, bending it toward more responsible and ethical outcomes for all. At LivePerson, we're proud to have played a key role investing in and spearheading these efforts as a founding member of EqualAI. As we celebrate Miriam Vogel's appointment to the NAIAC, we encourage organizations of all kinds to take the EqualAI Pledge and undertake the EqualAI Badge Program to make tangible steps toward responsible AI governance."
Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO of Thrive Global and a founding member of EqualAI, added, "From raising awareness to designing frameworks and initiatives that fight bias, EqualAI has pushed policymakers and business leaders to do more and do better when it comes to artificial intelligence. As AI continues to reshape our daily lives, it's more critical than ever that we come together to ensure it helps, not hurts, the well-being of all of our communities."
In addition to LoCascio and Huffington, EqualAI's leadership includes Karyn Temple, Senior EVP and Global General Counsel at Motion Picture Association; Monica Greenberg, EVP, Corporate Development, Strategic Alliances and General Counsel at LivePerson; Susan Gonzales, CEO of AIandYou; and Reggie Townsend, Director of Data Ethics at SAS. LivePerson, Verizon, and SAS support EqualAI through corporate membership.
To learn more about reducing bias in artificial intelligence, visit EqualAI's website and LivePerson's blog.
LivePerson (NASDAQ: LPSN) is a global leader in customer engagement solutions. We create AI-powered digital experiences that feel Curiously Human. Our customers — including leading brands like HSBC, Orange, and GM Financial — have conversations with millions of consumers as personally as they would with one. Our Conversational Cloud platform powers nearly a billion conversational interactions every month, providing a uniquely rich data set to build connections that reduce costs, increase revenue, and are anything but artificial. Fast Company named us the #1 Most Innovative AI Company in the world. To talk with us or our Conversational AI, please visit liveperson.com.
EqualAI is a nonprofit organization that was created to reduce unconscious bias in the development and use of artificial intelligence (AI). AI is transforming our society — enabling important and exciting developments that were unimaginable just a few years ago. With these immense benefits comes significant responsibility. Together with leaders and experts across industry, academia, technology, and government, EqualAI is developing standards and tools to increase awareness and reduce bias, as well as identifying regulatory and legislative solutions.
Contact:
Mike Tague
mtague@liveperson.com
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SOURCE LivePerson, Inc. | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2022/08/02/business-leaders-commemorate-anniversary-equalai-its-new-leadership-role-national-artificial-intelligence-advisory-committee/ | 2022-08-02 13:33:52 | 0 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2022/08/02/business-leaders-commemorate-anniversary-equalai-its-new-leadership-role-national-artificial-intelligence-advisory-committee/ |
Our Texoma team of the week honor goes to the Seymour Panthers football team!
Our Texoma team of the week honor goes to the Seymour Panthers football team!
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Subscribe Now | https://www.texomashomepage.com/sports/local-sports/team-of-the-week-seymour-panthers-october-27-2022/ | 2022-10-28 01:28:10 | 0 | https://www.texomashomepage.com/sports/local-sports/team-of-the-week-seymour-panthers-october-27-2022/ |
WINDHAM — For the eighth year, parishioners and community members in Windham will help local children in need during “Operation Summer Snacks,” an Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church initiative that has grown from a program with an ultimate goal of collecting 1,000 snacks to one that now regularly corrals nearly 6,000.
“The food collected from this drive helps support children that receive supplemental food during the school year; however, during the summer they aren’t at school and able to receive it,” said Jill Russell-Morey, who helped start the initiative in 2016. “It’s crucial we continue to support our neighbors and help fight food insecurity in the community.”
Our Lady of Perpetual Help works with the Windham Food Pantry to deliver the donations to those in need. Throughout the summer, thanks to community generosity, each child receives various individual-sized snacks like raisins, crackers, fruit cups, granola bars, and other items. Snack donations can be dropped off in the narthex outside of the parish hall entrance at the church (919 Roosevelt Trail in Windham). Organizers are also able to pick up donations at houses or other specified locations. To make arrangements for a pickup, contact Jill at russellmoreyjc@yahoo.com.
“We even have donations shipped to us directly from Walmart and Sam’s Club,” said Jill. “We also accept cash, checks, and Venmo if people would rather provide a monetary donation that we can use to shop for the children.”
Individually wrapped donations that are requested this year are:
- applesauce pouches/containers
- cracker packs (Nabisco, Ritz, Goldfish, etc.)
- fruit cups (Dole, etc.)
- raisin boxes/packets
- granola bars
- pretzel packs
- juice pouches/boxes (Minute Maid, Capri Sun, etc.)
- cereal bars, breakfast biscuits (Nutri-Grain, Belvita, etc.)
- non-perishable pudding cups (Hunt’s, etc.)
- popcorn/snack puffs (SkinnyPop, Smartfood, Pirate’s Booty, etc.)
- gluten free and/or nut free snacks for those with food sensitivities
“Operation Summer Snacks” has become so successful that the assistance has extended beyond the youth.
“Due to the amazing response, our efforts even helped support those receiving food for the Senior Drive-ins that are held twice monthly,” said Jill. “Not only have we helped to feed our youngest friends in town but also our older!”
The goal this year is to collect 5,600 snacks.
“I know the program will be successful again,” said Jill. “We have such a loving, caring parish community. We are so grateful for the past support in donations and prayers.”
For more information about “Operation Summer Snacks,” please call 207-892-8288. | https://www.bangordailynews.com/2023/06/10/bdn-maine/operation-summer-snacks-returns-to-windham-church-with-another-lofty-goal-for-year-no-8/ | 2023-06-10 13:49:50 | 1 | https://www.bangordailynews.com/2023/06/10/bdn-maine/operation-summer-snacks-returns-to-windham-church-with-another-lofty-goal-for-year-no-8/ |
ANKARA – President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s main challenger in Turkey’s presidential race shifted gear and adopted a more nationalist and hard-line stance on Thursday, vowing to send back millions of refugees if he is elected and rejecting any possibility of negotiating for peace with Kurdish militants.
Voters in Turkey will head back to the polls on May 28 for a runoff election after neither Erdogan nor his rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, won more than 50% of the votes in Sunday’s first round.
The election will decide whether the country remains under the increasingly authoritarian president for a third decade, or can embark on a more democratic course that the opposition has promised to deliver.
Erdogan had faced electoral headwinds because of the cost-of-living crisis and criticism over the government’s response to a devastating earthquake in February. But with his alliance retaining its hold on the parliament, Erdogan is now in a good position to win in the second round.
Kilicdaroglu, the soft-mannered joint candidate of a six-party opposition alliance, had led a highly positive and uniting campaign, mostly on promises to reverse crackdowns on free speech and other forms of democratic backsliding. He had also campaigned on a pledge to repair an economy battered by high inflation and currency devaluation.
Many of the rallies of his pro-secular main opposition party, Republican People’s Party, or CHP, had ended with Kilicdaroglu making a heart shape with his hands.
This week, however, the 74-year-old politician hardened his rhetoric in an apparent effort to appeal to nationalist voters, including those who voted for a third candidate, nationalist politician Sinan Ogan.
Ogan, who received 5.2% of the votes and is backed by an anti-migrant party, has said he would consider sending migrants back by force if necessary.
“Erdogan! You did not protect the borders or the honor of the country. You brought in more than 10 million refugees,” Kilicdaroglu said in an address at his party's headquarters. “You have turned your own citizens into refugees. I declare that as soon as I come to power, I will send all refugees back home. Period.”
Amid rising anti-migrant sentiment in the country, Kilicdaroglu had previously said he intended to repatriate refugees within two years by creating favorable conditions for their return. Turkey is ranked as the country hosting the largest number of refugees, including at least 3.7 million Syrians.
The CHP leader also hit back at Erdogan, who had portrayed Kilicdaroglu as colluding with “terrorists” after he received the backing of the country’s pro-Kurdish party. With Erdogan controlling mainstream media in the country, analysts say that narrative seems to have resonated with nationalist voters who shied away from backing Kilicdaroglu, fearing he wouldn't be tough enough against terrorism.
“Unfortunately, an election process that should have been a democracy festival ... was overshadowed by Erdogan’s campaigns of lies and slander,” Kilicdaroglu said.
“Weren’t you the one who was sitting at the table with terrorist organizations, making secret bargains with terrorist organizations behind closed doors? I declare to all of my citizens that I have never sat down with terrorist organizations, and I will never do. Period,” he said.
He was referring to peace efforts between Erdogan's government and the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, which collapsed in 2015. The PKK, which has waged an insurgency in southeast Turkey since 1984, is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.
Preliminary results showed that Erdogan won 49.5% of the vote on Sunday, while Kilicdaroglu grabbed 44.9%. Ogan hasn't yet endorsed Erdogan or Kilicdaroglu for the runoff, though it wasn't clear what proportion of his supporters would vote for his preferred candidate in the second round. | https://www.clickorlando.com/business/2023/05/18/turkish-candidate-kilicdaroglu-hardens-stance-before-runoff-against-erdogan/ | 2023-05-18 12:15:15 | 0 | https://www.clickorlando.com/business/2023/05/18/turkish-candidate-kilicdaroglu-hardens-stance-before-runoff-against-erdogan/ |
NEW YORK, Aug. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Jakubowitz Law announces that a securities fraud class action lawsuit has commenced on behalf of shareholders of Enochian BioSciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENOB).
To receive updates on the lawsuit, fill out the form:
https://claimyourloss.com/securities/enochian-biosciences-inc-loss-submission-form/?id=30782&from=4
The lawsuit seeks to recover losses for shareholders who purchased Enochian between January 17, 2018 and June 27, 2022.
Shareholders interested in acting as a lead plaintiff representing the class of wronged shareholders have until September 26, 2022 to petition the court. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.
According to a filed complaint, Enochian BioSciences, Inc. issued materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) the Company's co-founder and inventor Serhat Gumrukcu was engaged in a variety of frauds; (2) Gumrukcu was not a licensed doctor anywhere in the world; (4) as a result of the foregoing, Gumrukcu's purported contributions to the Company lacked a reasonable basis; (5) as a result of the foregoing, the Company had overstated its commercial prospects; (6) Gumrukcu had improperly diverted approximately $20 million from Enochian to entities he owned; and (7) as a result of the foregoing, defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.
Jakubowitz Law is vigorous in pursuit of justice for shareholders who have been the victim of securities fraud. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
CONTACT:
JAKUBOWITZ LAW
1140 Avenue of the Americas
9th Floor
New York, New York 10036
T: (212) 867-4490
F: (212) 537-5887
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SOURCE Jakubowitz Law | https://www.wymt.com/prnewswire/2022/08/12/enob-shareholder-alert-jakubowitz-law-reminds-enochian-shareholders-lead-plaintiff-deadline-september-26-2022/ | 2022-08-12 10:05:52 | 1 | https://www.wymt.com/prnewswire/2022/08/12/enob-shareholder-alert-jakubowitz-law-reminds-enochian-shareholders-lead-plaintiff-deadline-september-26-2022/ |
GREAT FALLS — Patrick William O'Brien, 54, of Great Falls man has been charged for alleged actions taken during the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
O'Brien was arrested on Jan. 5, 2023, in Great Falls and is accused of four misdemeanors including entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building; disorderly conduct on capitol grounds and; parading, demonstrating, or picketing in the capitol building.
According to the Department of Justice, O’Brien drove to Washington D.C. from Montana with his juvenile son. The prosecution alleges O’Brien and his son were in the Capitol building for around 28 minutes and could be seen in CCTV footage in the Capitol Rotunda waving a “Gadsden” flag. He is accused of entering the west side of the U.S. Capitol building through the first-floor Senate Wing Door.
More than 950 people have been arrested in connection to the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol. O’Brien is the eighth known Montana resident charged for alleged actions that day. So far, four Montanans have pleaded guilty and three have been sentenced to prison. | https://www.kxlf.com/news/montana-news/great-falls-man-accused-of-participating-in-u-s-capitol-breach | 2023-01-13 01:55:37 | 1 | https://www.kxlf.com/news/montana-news/great-falls-man-accused-of-participating-in-u-s-capitol-breach |
- Creates sixth largest Canadian Licensed Producer(1) with right sized facilities in the largest provinces and a complete portfolio of popular products and brands(2)(3)(5)
- TGOD's market strength in Quebec and Ontario complements BZAM's strength in western Canada markets, with opportunities to expand distribution
- Combined entity forecasts net revenue of at least $100 million for calendar year 2023 and adjusted EBITDA positive by mid 2023(2)(3)(4)
- Expected annualized savings of at least $10 million in COGS and SG&A through rationalization and economies of scale(2)(3)(4)
- Addition of BZAM materially strengthens TGOD's financial position including improved debt ratios
- Combined entity will be led by experienced leadership team with track record in execution and disciplined cost management
TORONTO and VANCOUVER, BC, Oct. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (the "Company" or "TGOD") (CSE: TGOD) (US-OTC: TGODF), a sustainable Canadian cannabis company and leading producer of premium, organically grown cannabis, and BZAM Holdings ("BZAM"), a privately owned producer of some of Canada's best flower and 2.0 products, are pleased to announce that they have entered into a binding and definitive share exchange agreement dated October 18, 2022 (the "Agreement") with BZAM's sole shareholder (the "BZAM Shareholder"), pursuant to which TGOD will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of BZAM from the BZAM Shareholder, in exchange for common shares (the "Combined Entity Shares") of TGOD (the "Transaction"). The Transaction will result in the BZAM Shareholder ultimately holding an approximate 49.5% of the issued and outstanding Combined Entity Shares upon closing of the Transaction, with the ability to earn additional Combined Entity Shares subject to achievement of certain financial milestones (the "Milestones") in 2023. All financial information in this press release is reported in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise indicated.
The combined entity resulting from the Transaction (the "Combined Entity") is estimated to be the sixth largest Canadian cannabis company(1) based on June to August 2022 retail sales, with scale and breadth across major provinces and a complete portfolio of market leading brands and products. BZAM and TGOD each believe the Transaction is expected to provide strategic and financial benefits, including those outlined below.
Creates a Leading Canadian Recreational Cannabis Licensed Producer(2)(3)(4): TGOD and BZAM generated $30.2 million and $32.2 million, respectively, of net revenue in calendar 2021, and $31.6 million and $32.7 million, respectively, of net revenue from January to September 2022. The Combined Entity generated $85.7 million pro forma unaudited net revenue for the 12 months leading to September 2022. Taken together, BZAM and TGOD have experienced one of the fastest growth rates in the Canadian cannabis market(5).
Create market's most compelling product and brand portfolio: Leveraging both BZAM and TGOD's passion for quality cannabis, innovative products and brand building, the Combined Entity will serve Canadian consumers with a complete portfolio of flower and 2.0 products. BZAM's best selling vapes(6), infused pre-rolls and high quality flower across every price point are sold under the BZAM, -ness, Table Top, Dunn Cannabis, and FRESH brands, which have a strong market presence in British Columbia and Alberta(6). TGOD's organic premium flower and hash, under TGOD and Highly Dutch brands, are popular in Ontario and Quebec(6), while TGOD's joint venture with Wyld has delivered some of the fastest growing cannabis edibles across Canada since their commercial launch in December 2021(7).
Footprint across Canada with right-sized facilities in the largest provinces(2)(3): The Combined Entity will have local production presence in the largest provinces, and over 400 listed SKUs across Canada. The Combined Entity's facilities are right-sized to demand without the need for material capital expenditure. The facilities offer complete, scalable capabilities for the Combined Entity's broad range of cannabis products.
Substantial Synergies(1)(2)(3): The combination of BZAM and TGOD is expected to deliver at least C$10 million of annualized cost synergies within the first three quarters following completion of the Transaction, aiding in the achievement of positive adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") by mid 2023. The Combined Entity expects to achieve cost synergies in the key areas of cultivation and production, cannabis and product purchasing, sales, marketing and corporate expenses. BZAM's Pitt Meadows, British Columbia facility will also provide TGOD with low-cost THC distillate and extraction capabilities, which is expected to improve cannabis 2.0 product margins. The Combined Entity expects to share a unified sales force leading to improvements of geographical coverage and increased retail distribution. The Transaction is expected to result in a stronger balance sheet and provide the Combined Entity with access to lower cost capital.
The Combined Entity will be led by an experienced management team and board of directors, with strong track records in the cannabis. Upon completion of the Transaction, BZAM's current Chief Executive Officer ("CEO"), Matt Milich, and Chief Commercial Officer ("CCO"), Jordan Winnett, will lead the Combined Entity as CEO, CCO, along with TGOD's current CEO and Interim Chief Financial Officer ("CFO"), Sean Bovingdon, who will take the role of CFO, in order to assist with the integration of BZAM and TGOD and the transitionary period of the Combined Entity. The board of directors of the Combined Entity will consist of seven members including five members from TGOD's existing board of directors, and two members nominated by BZAM.
"This is an exciting day for both companies, for our employees, and for our consumers. We are bringing together two rapidly growing companies that share a passion for cultivation, innovation and brand development," said Mr. Bovingdon. "Our highly complementary businesses in terms of production footprints, products and distribution networks create a Combined Entity with a leading branded product portfolio along with significant synergies across our operations."(2)
"We are looking forward to bringing together TGOD's organic flower and hash with our crowd pleasing vapes and the exceptional flower of our craft partners, including Dunn Cannabis and FRESH," added Mr. Milich.(2) "Together, we expect to expand on what we have each accomplished so far, as we build a strong, EBITDA-positive cannabis company."
In consideration for all the issued and outstanding common shares of BZAM, upon Closing, TGOD will issue Combined Entity Shares to the BZAM Shareholder in two tranches, totalling an approximate 49.5% ownership stake of the Combined Entity.
In addition, the BZAM Shareholder is also entitled to earn up to $33 million in Combined Entity Shares (the "Milestone Shares"), subject to achievement of certain Milestones. The Milestones include payouts of Milestone Shares tied to annual net revenue targets and positive adjusted EBITDA targets for 2023. The Transaction is scheduled to close on or about November 3, 2022, subject to a number of customary conditions being satisfied or waived. Each Milestone Share shall be issued at a deemed price of the greater of $0.0596, that being the 15-day volume weighted average price of the common shares of TGOD immediately prior to the date the Agreement was signed, and the minimum price permitted under the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE").
In accordance with the terms of the Agreement, the BZAM Shareholder will enter into a contractual lock-up agreement, whereby the Combined Entity Shares received as part of Closing (the "Escrowed Shares"), and excluding the Milestone Shares, shall be subject to escrow with 1/3 of such Escrowed Shares being released on the 4-month, 8-month, and 12-month anniversaries of the date such Escrowed Shares are issued.
In conjunction with the Transaction, the Combined Entity plans to file articles of amendment following Closing to effect a consolidation (the "Consolidation") of all of the issued and outstanding Combined Entity Shares.
Pursuant to the Consolidation, shareholders are expected to receive one post-Consolidation Share for every ten pre-Consolidation Shares (the "Consolidation Ratio"), subject to the Combined Entity continuing to meet minimum listing requirements of the CSE. Accordingly, following the Consolidation, shareholders currently holding ten pre-Consolidation Combined Entity Shares will instead own one post-Consolidation Combined Entity Share. In the event that the Consolidation would result in the issuance of fractional Combined Entity Shares, each fractional post-Consolidation Combined Entity Share will be rounded down to the nearest whole, with any fractional Combined Entity Shares deemed to have been tendered for cancellation for no consideration. The trading price of the Combined Entity Shares is expected to reflect the Consolidation Ratio immediately upon the resumption of trading following the Consolidation.
The Consolidation is expected to be completed on or about November 8, 2022. The Consolidation was approved by the shareholders of TGOD on June 29, 2022.
All registered shareholders holding physical share certificates representing their existing Combined Entity Shares are required to send such certificates to the Company's registrar and transfer agent, Odyssey Trust Company, at 702-67 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON M5E 1J8, Attention: Corporate Actions. Shareholders who hold their securities through a broker, investment dealer, bank or trust company should contact that nominee or intermediary for assistance in depositing their securities in connection with the Consolidation.
Clarus Securities Inc. acted as exclusive financial advisor to the BZAM and DuMoulin Black LLP acted as Canadian legal counsel to BZAM.
Aird & Berlis LLP acted as Canadian legal counsel to TGOD.
TGOD will host a conference call and webcast to discuss the Transaction on Wednesday, October 19th at 11:30am EST. TGOD will provide prepared remarks followed by a Q&A session with Sean Bovingdon, CEO and interim CFO of TGOD, and Matt Milich, CEO of BZAM.
Local Dial-in: 416-764-8688
North American Toll-Free Dial-in: 1-888-390-0546
Confirmation #: 32146679
The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (CSE: TGOD) (US–OTC: TGODF) is a sustainable, cannabis company with a focus on innovation, quality, consistency, integrity and transparency. By leveraging science and technology, TGOD harnesses the power of nature from seed to sale. The Company is committed to cultivating a better tomorrow by producing its products responsibly, with less waste and impact on the environment. In Canada, TGOD serves the recreational market with a brand portfolio including The Green Organic Dutchman, Highly Dutch Organics, Ripple by TGOD and Cruuzy brands.. All cannabis utilized in products for The Green Organic Dutchman and Highly Dutch Organics brands is grown through a certified organic process, which includes living soil, filtered rainwater, sunlight, and natural inputs.
TGOD's Common Shares and certain warrants issued under the indentures dated December 19, 2019, June 12, 2020, October 23, 2020 and December 10, 2020 trade on the CSE under the symbol "TGOD", "TGOD.WS", "TGOD.WR", "TGOD.WA", and "TGOD.WB" respectively. TGOD's Common Shares trade in the U.S. on the OTCQX under the symbol "TGODF". For more information on The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd., please visit www.tgod.ca.
Headquartered in Vancouver, BC, BZAM Cannabis™ is a multi-licensed Canadian cannabis producer focused on branded consumer goods, cultivation, processing and people. The BZAM Cannabis family includes core recreational cannabis brands BZAM™, -ness™ and TABLE TOP™, and partner brands Dunn Cannabis, FRESH, SuperFlower and Snackbar. The company operates facilities in the Lower Mainland, West Kootenay and Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Its sister companies operate facilities in Edmonton, Alberta, as well as a retail BZAM store in Winnipeg, Manitoba and Regina, Saskatchewan. BZAM Cannabis is rapidly expanding with a goal of bringing quality cannabis products to a growing number of consumers across Canada.
Notes
- Based on estimated retail sales from HyFire and Weed Crawler, June to August 2022.
- This is forward-looking information and based on a number of assumptions. See "Cautionary Statements".
- This target, and the related assumptions, involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially. While TGOD and BZAM believe there is a reasonable basis for this target, such target may not be met. Actual results may vary and differ materially from the targets. See "Assumptions" below.
- Certain financial information included in this press release is neither audited nor reviewed. Where possible, the information has been constructed by management from available audited or audit reviewed financial statements. Where no audited or audit reviewed information has been available, additional management accounting information has been utilized to construct financial information. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such information.
- Based on quarterly financial statements from Canada's top 15 publicly traded cannabis Licensed Producers.
- From June to August 2022, BZAM had the #1 best selling vape SKU in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia, and the #1 and #3 best selling 28g flower SKU in British Columbia and Alberta, respectively. Over the same period, TGOD had the #2 best selling premium flower SKU in Ontario and Quebec, and the #3 best selling hash SKU in Quebec, based on BCLDB, OCS, Weed Crawler and internal management estimates.
- According to HyFire data for British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario, Wyld ranked #10 in retail sales of edibles in January 2022 and #4 in fastest growth of edibles in August 2022.
Assumptions
In developing the financial guidance set forth above, TGOD and BZAM made the following assumptions and relied on the following factors and considerations:
- The targets are based on TGOD and BZAM's historical results including its year-to-date consolidated results of operations, as well as retail sales growth analysis from Statistics Canada's June 2022 release, and Cannabis Benchmark analysis of cannabis store counts in Canada.
- The targets are subject to continued cultivation improvements, productivity improvements, as well as internal and external sourcing of biomass.
- Revenue sustainability and growth depend on a variety of factors, including among other things, location, competition, legal and regulatory requirements. Prices are projected forward at recently realized wholesale prices.
- Cost of goods sold, before taking into account the impact of value changes in biological assets (which are non-cash in nature), and, accordingly, are excluded from calculations of Adjusted EBITDA, have been projected based on estimated costs of production and capacity available from a similar supply chain.
- Selling, general and administrative expenses in future periods are assumed to decrease as a percentage of revenues due to inherent scalability of selling, general and administrative expenses and our cost cutting initiatives outlined above. Additionally, total selling, general and administrative expenses include an allocation for corporate overhead and public company costs.
- Cost of procurement, which includes consumables, packaging and flowers as well as supply chain, and ancillary agreements, are assumed to decrease in future periods as a percentage of revenues due to economies of scale, renegotiation of key contracts, and volume discounts. Office spaces will be adjusted to reflect the Combined Entity's geographical footprint.
- Cost of product development and research and development in future periods are assumed to decrease due to economies of scope and the Combined Entity's ability to leverage innovation across products and brands.
- Cost of logistic, shipping and inventory carrying are assumed to decrease in future periods as a percentage of revenues due to operational efficiencies and optimized distribution centers.
- Cost of labor are assumed to decrease in future periods as a percentage of revenues due to the centralization of activities, the specialization of sites, and the increased utilization of automation.
Cautionary Statements
This news release includes statements containing certain "forward–looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law ("forward–looking statements"). Forward looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, statements about future revenue and EBITDA, statements about future production and manufacturing, statements about achievement of value for shareholders, statements about reduction in cost of goods sold and general and administrative expenses, statements about the offering of any particular products by the Combined Entity in any jurisdiction, statements regarding the future performance of the Combined Entity, statements about the strengthening of the Combined Entity's balance sheet and debt ratios, statements about future development and delivery of products of the Combined Entity, statements about the potential future revenue and cost synergies, statements about the level of demand for TGOD's and BZAM's products, and statements about the timing of and closing of the Consolidation. Forward–looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "should", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Various assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions or making the projections contained in the forward–looking statements throughout this news release. Forward–looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties (including market conditions) and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward–looking statements, including those risk factors described in the Company's most recent Annual Information Form filed with Canadian securities regulators and available on the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information or forward-looking statements in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward–looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.
Neither the CSE nor the CSE's Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of CSE) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
50623953.7
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SOURCE The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/10/19/green-organic-dutchman-enters-into-definitive-agreement-merge-with-bzam-cannabis/ | 2022-10-19 14:31:31 | 0 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2022/10/19/green-organic-dutchman-enters-into-definitive-agreement-merge-with-bzam-cannabis/ |
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CAIRO (AP) — In Egypt, state-owned companies bottle water, make dry pasta and cement, and run gas stations and fish farms.
Two of the most powerful economic players in the North African country have long been the government and military. For years, they have faced criticism from economists and international lenders that this approach is stifling economic growth.
Increasing pressure, brought on by high inflation and a currency crisis, led Egypt to vow things would finally change.
The government said it started to sell stakes in March in some of the 32 state-owned companies it's promised to privatize, from petrochemical firms to banks. The policy announced in December is part of reforms linked to a loan from the International Monetary Fund but still allows the state to work in key sectors like health, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, oil and gas, insurance and more.
Business leaders and analysts are skeptical. Several told The Associated Press that they expect the government and military to remain anti-competitive. As of early April, none of the state-owned companies have been sold, and some critics question who would invest as multinational companies have fled, small firms have been squeezed out and public agencies remain secretive and slow.
“In terms of risk, why would you invest in a country with a powerful state competitor that has little regard for the rule of law?” said Timothy Kaldas, deputy director of the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy in Washington.
Three former and current company owners, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear they could be targeted by the government in retaliation for speaking openly, said the military’s power in certain sectors means going into business with them is the only option. They don’t expect that to change.
They said the contracts offered by state firms can't be negotiated and payments arrive months too late. One entrepreneur started a waste management business in 2019 but found that a state company proved too large of a competitor and too unequal of a partner.
The Egypt-run company offered a partnership that would take 30% to 50% of the profits and saddle the small business with all the liability. He closed instead.
“We shut the company down before the government started coming for taxes,” he said.
Others persist despite the government's dominance.
"Even if that means at times losing money, they — firms — do it because they know that if they don’t, then the military will cut them out of future contracts,’’ said Yezid Sayigh, a senior associate at the Carnegie Middle East Center who researches the military’s role in the economy.
There are other pressures to cooperate: The government has cracked down on dissidents and critics, jailing tens of thousands, according to estimates by rights groups.
Among them were two leading businessmen. The owners of Egypt’s largest dairy company, Juhayna, were charged in 2020 with being members of a terrorist organization, parlance for the Muslim Brotherhood, which Egypt has outlawed.
Amnesty International said Safwan Thabet and his son Seif were imprisoned because they refused to hand over company shares to the government. They were later released, but the company is still in government hands.
Egypt’s policy of mixing government and business dates to socialist leader Gamal Abdel Nasser's wide-reaching nationalization in the 1950s and '60s. His successors, Presidents Anwar Sadat and Hosni Mubarak, took steps toward free-market policies but were often accused of giving contracts only to allies.
Selling state companies and government transparency are key goals of a $3 billion bailout package that Egypt secured from the IMF in December to help it weather recent shocks to the global economy, including the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s war in Ukraine, that have pushed the country to the financial brink.
Since the war in Ukraine began in February 2022, sending up food and fuel prices, the Egyptian pound has lost over 50% of its value against the dollar and inflation has exceeded 30%, pushing more people into poverty and leaving businesses struggling.
In seeking Egypt’s fourth loan from the IMF in the past six years, Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly says the hope is the reforms “bring in strategic investors” and “widen the participation of Egyptian citizenship in public ownership.”
Egypt’s Ministry of Finance did not respond to requests for comment about the push to privatize companies.
The IMF says it's preparing for an initial review to ensure Egypt is meeting the goals of the bailout program, including privatization.
“Dates for the first review mission will be announced when they have been agreed with the authorities,” communications director Julie Kozack said at a March 23 press briefing.
Meanwhile, the conditions are squeezing small businesses. One owner of a manufacturing company said he is locked into state contracts while facing rising import costs and taxes. He lamented that small firms can't even take advantage of the one benefit of the economic crisis: “Egypt’s falling exchange rate is making our goods more competitive internationally.’’
But businesses are barely staying afloat, and the government doesn’t help private firms find markets abroad, he said.
Despite criticism, leaders hope the energy sector in particular will be a magnet for private investment, with its geography and large solar plants offering potential to tap renewable financing.
Rystad Energy said Egypt received over $100 billion in investment for planned green hydrogen projects last year. The government also plans to turn the country into a hub for liquefying and exporting natural gas after recent offshore discoveries.
For Egypt to attract funding, the government needs a financial overhaul to make renewable investing less risky and reduce delays, said Jessica Obeid, nonresident scholar at the Middle East Institute.
“Across the world, everyone is kind of competing for a small pool of investors’ money, and it will all go down to a country’s ability to implement required reforms and increase investors’ appetites in coming into the market,” she said.
Plus, “it’s not easy to attract investment when you have military and government involvement across so many sectors of the economy,” Obeid said.
It is yet to be seen who will buy shares in state-owned companies including Banque Du Caire, one of Egypt’s largest banks, and gasoline company Wataniya.
The World Justice Project found public agencies and the legal system are sluggish and lack transparency, in a 2022 report that ranked Egypt last among the Middle Eastern and North African countries when it comes to rule of law.
Over the past decade, multinational firms including BNP Paribas, Toyota and Vodafone have withdrawn from Egypt. While they gave few details, analysts believe the restrictive economic and repressive political climate were factors.
Gulf states are seen as likely clients. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been staunch backers of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi since the Muslim Brotherhood’s ouster in 2013. However, there are signs they are becoming less willing to support what is seen as a troubled economic model.
Gulf investors ‘’must have a high tolerance for risk over the short term or an ability to wait it out for returns" more long term, said Robert Mogielnicki, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington.
Meanwhile, Egyptian firms are moving away. Notably, ride-booking application SWVL and e-commerce site Sidecup have set up headquarters in Dubai and Riyadh, respectively.
The head of an Egyptian sustainability startup, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal, sympathizes.
‘’If I grow, I would like to move my company abroad,’’ he said.
___
Associated Press writer Maggie Hyde in Buzet, Croatia, contributed to this report. | https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/world/article/companies-skeptical-about-egypt-s-push-to-ease-17892334.php | 2023-04-12 06:49:09 | 0 | https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/world/article/companies-skeptical-about-egypt-s-push-to-ease-17892334.php |
Small businesses are living in limbo as a possible TikTok ban lingers in the United States.
“I didn't think there would be that many people out there that liked to watch some redneck from south Mississippi make soap,” said Jessie Whittington, owner of Country Lather Soap Works. “I’m sitting at 71,000 followers right now and that baffles me.”
Whittington started her business in 2020 and posted her first TikTok a few months later. She went from being a school bus driver, which she still does, to a business owner with an online customer base.
“I’ve never been a big social media person,” she said.
Other small business owners like Callie Goodwin found their customer base on TikTok as well.
"I decided to design my own cards,” said Callie Goodwin, owner of Sparks of Joy Co.. “It really took off when I started posting to TikTok." Goodwin started her business making pre-stamped greeting cards in 2020 right after the pandemic started.
“Over the last two and a half years, we’ve sold over 30,000 cards and 95 percent of my orders come because of TikTok,” Goodwin said.
Earlier in March, TikTok’s CEO Shou Chew testified before Congress. The Chinese-owned social media app is being questioned by the government for possible national security concerns due to ties to the Chinese communist Party.
Business owners said baning the app, which reports more than 150 million users in the United States, would hurt their business.
“A lot of small businesses have been very successful on TikTok because they've been able to directly get to their consumer without even having to sponsor their content,” said Sally Baalbaki-Yassine, a marketing professor in the College of Business at the Metropolitan State University of Denver. “Small businesses use different media platforms in different ways. They all have different strategies because they have different algorithms and ways that they show content to the consumer.”
“It just shows the power of how the TikTok for you page really allows you to get outside your bubble and outside the people you know and follow, because that's how the other platforms are set up,” Goodwin said.
In some cases, it’s been too much of a good thing. Viral videos can bring in a flood of customers that businesses may struggle to keep up with.
“I did have a TikTok that blew up. It got 1.3 million views and it brought in 800 orders over the course of 3 weeks, which is not something I was able to keep up with super well,” Goodwin said.
However, small businesses said without the platform, they aren’t sure what the future would hold.
“I would not be where I'm at right now without TikTok. I wholeheartedly believe that. I've grown to the point where now, I’m building a shop, because we're tired of living in a soap shop. I still work from home and there's soap stuff everywhere,” Whittington said.
“There are security issues all the way around. We live in a world where the internet is never going to be completely safe, so just realizing that an immediate ban on TikTok would impact not only small businesses, it would impact educators and the people that have built massive communities of friends,” Goodwin said. | https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/national/potential-tiktok-ban-could-limit-small-businesses-reach | 2023-03-29 23:02:20 | 0 | https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/national/potential-tiktok-ban-could-limit-small-businesses-reach |
Most often when families sit down to share a meal for Thanksgiving, everyone goes around the table saying what they're grateful for. It's a tradition so many hold dear to their heart. As you sit down this year, Native American cultural specialist LaRayne Woster asks that you consider other perspectives.
In elementary school, you may remember being taught that Thanksgiving was a time when pilgrims and Indigenous people sat down to have a feast together. However, Woster says that may not be the full truth.
"Because our traditions are oral and not written down in a diary or a book, they have been discounted in history books and teachings," Woster said. "So, I believe this generation is finding their voice to say 'What really is the truth about Thanksgiving? What really did happen?'"
Woster helps teach the Lakota language at St. Joseph's Indian School and she's an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. She says Thanksgiving is a holiday that brings many mixed emotions to Native American communities.
"To some Native Americans, this holiday is called the day of mourning," Woster said. "And that just relates back to the tribes on the East Coast who were the ones who dealt with the newcomers coming to the New World initially who were killed for their food catches or enslaved."
She says there are other Native American families who celebrate Thanksgiving the mainstream way with turkey, mashed potatoes, and all.
"You could look at it the other way and celebrate that we still do have a lot of our culture," Woster said. "We have our language, we have our songs, we have our celebrations."
Woster says she encourages her students at St. Joseph's Indian School in South Dakota to honor their own ancestor's traditions, celebrating in a way that feels right to them.
"We call it family day in my family," Woster said.
She says she doesn't want people to feel guilty about what happened in history; she just hopes all Americans can approach the holiday with greater sensitivity and understanding, recognizing the unique contributions of Native Americans to our country.
"Acknowledge the land that we are on was tribally our First Nation's land," Woster said. "It didn't belong to the First Nations people, but the people belonged to the land and respected that land enough to only take what they needed, not take any more in how they lived off that land in harmony with everything in nature." | https://www.abc15.com/news/national/the-meaning-of-thanksgiving-for-native-americans | 2022-11-23 21:34:12 | 0 | https://www.abc15.com/news/national/the-meaning-of-thanksgiving-for-native-americans |
Police ID inmate who died at Sussex Correctional Institution; investigation continues
An inmate who died June 25 at Sussex Correctional Institution near Georgetown has been identified as 52-year-old Terry Spence of Lewes.
Delaware State Police are investigating along with the Department of Correction. No other information has been provided.
"The investigation into this incident remains active and ongoing with further details to be released as they become available," a police news release stated.
The victim's body was turned over to the Delaware Division of Forensic Science for an autopsy, which will determine the cause and manner of death.
According to court records, Spence was charged March 14 with harassment and noncompliance with bond. He was held on a $1,000 secured bond.
Spence pleaded not guilty.
RELATED:Delaware inmate's death at Sussex Correctional Institution under investigation by police | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2022/06/27/sussex-correctional-institution-inmate-who-died-identified/7750219001/ | 2022-06-27 23:37:38 | 0 | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2022/06/27/sussex-correctional-institution-inmate-who-died-identified/7750219001/ |
Boy, 11, dies in side-by-side crash after dog steps on gas pedal
CRUM, W.Va. (WSAZ/Gray News) - A family is mourning the loss of an 11-year-old boy who died in a side-by-side crash that firefighters in West Virginia call a freak accident involving a pet dog.
Firefighters say the 11-year-old boy and his 12-year-old brother had been visiting family in the Crum area for a few days. They had been getting ready to go home when the 11-year-old said he wanted to go on one more ride on a side-by-side vehicle, according to Wayne Williamson, assistant chief of the Kermit Volunteer Fire Department.
Williamson says the brothers were riding the side-by-side a little after 2:30 p.m. Monday with the family dog. It was being driven by the 18-year-old boyfriend of their cousin, WSAZ reports.
“All the kids that was in the side-by-side are great kids,” Williamson said.
Williamson says he was told the dog jumped down onto the floorboard and stepped on the gas pedal. The side-by-side then went off the road and over an embankment.
“Who would have ever thought a house dog would jump down in the floorboard of a side-by-side and do that?” he said.
Williamson says a woman and teenage girl, who is a cousin of the victim, were riding an all-terrain vehicle ahead of the boys when the crash happened. There’s no cell service in the area, but they went to their nearby home to call 911.
When emergency responders arrived, the 11-year-old was dead. The 12-year-old and 18-year-old were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
“It’s just heartbreaking for everybody,” Williamson said. “Everybody involved needs all the prayers they can get.”
He says the dog suffered minor injuries in the incident.
Copyright 2023 WSAZ via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wlbt.com/2023/06/28/boy-11-dies-side-by-side-crash-after-dog-steps-gas-pedal/ | 2023-06-28 05:28:15 | 0 | https://www.wlbt.com/2023/06/28/boy-11-dies-side-by-side-crash-after-dog-steps-gas-pedal/ |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Republican Gov. Bill Lee says it would be “ridiculous” to conflate a recently surfaced yearbook photo of him wearing women’s clothing in high school to drag show performances currently under attack in Tennessee and other GOP-led states.
Lee told reporters this week that he plans to sign legislation that would severely limit where drag performances can take place by banning “adult cabaret entertainment” that is “harmful to minors” from public property or locations where children might see the performance.
The bill does not explicitly include the words “drag show,” but it does expand the definition of adult cabaret to include “male or female impersonators,” as well as topless dancers, go-go dancers, exotic dancers and strippers.
On Monday, Lee was fielding questions from reporters about the legislation and other anti-LGBTQ bills when an activist asked him if he remembered “dressing up in drag in 1977.”
Lee was presented with a photo that showed the governor as a high school senior dressed in women’s clothing that was published in the Franklin High School 1977 yearbook. The photo was first posted on Reddit over the weekend.
“What a ridiculous question that is,” said Lee, who was visibly angry. “Conflating something like that to sexualized entertainment in front of children, which is a very serious question.”
When asked specific examples of inappropriate drag shows taking place in front of children, Lee pointed to the school building close to where he was talking to reporters.
“I think the concern is right there in that building,” Lee said. “Children that are potentially exposed to sexualized entertainment, to obscenity, and we need to make sure that they’re not.”
This is now the second time a yearbook photo of Lee has sparked controversy. In 2018, Lee said he regretted wearing a Confederate uniform during an “Old South” party after confirming there was a photo of him doing so in Auburn University’s 1980 yearbook.
Meanwhile, Lee also confirmed that he plans on signing legislation banning most gender-affirming care for transgender youth.
The GOP-dominated Statehouse finished advancing the legislation last week, where it’s headed to Lee’s desk. The anti-drag show bill is expected to clear the Legislature this week.
Drag does not typically involve nudity or stripping, which are more common in burlesque, a separate form of entertainment. Explicitly sexual and profane language is common in performances meant for adult audiences. These routines can consist of stand-up comedy that may be raunchy — or may pale in comparison with some mainstream comedians. | https://www.kark.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-tenn-governor-vows-to-sign-anti-drag-bill-as-photo-surfaces/ | 2023-03-01 18:02:28 | 1 | https://www.kark.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-tenn-governor-vows-to-sign-anti-drag-bill-as-photo-surfaces/ |
What's next for Shasta County Veterans Service after top officer leaves? Ask the R-S
Ask the Record Searchlight is a newsroom-wide initiative to connect with you, our readers. If you wondered about something happening in town or had questions on a North State issue, please send us your questions. We'll do our best to answer.
Scroll to the bottom of the story to find out how you can send us your question.
Do local hospitals comply with new online information law?
Q. Do our local hospitals comply with a new federal law requiring hospitals to post online what they charge for medical services so consumers can comparison shop before seeking treatment for a medical condition?
A. The law was passed in January 2021 as part of the Affordable Care Act. The law aims to give consumers who are considering where to undergo medical treatment information about the cost of that treatment at a particular hospital.
Under the new rule, health systems must publicly post online the costs of their items and services. Prices must include standard charges for all items and services for health plans, plus a standard charges list — or price estimator tool — for the 300 most common services, presented in a consumer-accessible way.
Each hospital must update its standard charge information at least once annually, according to public disclosure requirements outlined in the Federal Register.
Cost information from Mercy Hospital Medical Center Redding can be found at https://dignityhlth.org/3bDp3HQ.
Cost information from Shasta Regional Medical Center can be found on their financial services page at https://bit.ly/3a92SbT.
Ask the R-S:Will Redding rebate lawn replacement? Who gives airline guarantee money? Ask the R-S chat
Holiday heads-up:COVID-19 in Shasta County: Hospitalizations up. State urges caution before July 4th weekend
Shasta County Veterans Service Office undergoing change
Q. The Shasta County Veterans Services Officer has resigned. This position is a vital link for our veterans to the VA for benefits. What plans are there to quickly find a replacement?
A. Until a replacement is found, the staff of the Veterans Services Office will continue to provide assistance and support to Shasta County veterans as they have in the past, said Shasta County spokesman Timothy Mapes.
One of the department's staffers, Veterans Services Representative Troy Payne, has assumed the veterans services officer's duties following the June resignation of former officer Celestina Traver, according to the department's Facebook page.
In the meantime, the County Administrative Office is providing oversight while working to identify and recruit candidates for the position, said Mapes.
Short-term rentals on the agenda:Ask the R-S: Is Redding getting tougher on short-term vacation rentals in neighborhoods?
R-S work recognized:Record Searchlight earns 18 journalism awards in statewide contest
The department assisted 5,205 clients for the most recent fiscal year that ended June 22, Payne said.
That included creating 30 income verification letters enabling homeless veterans to apply for housing, issuing 347 bus passes, creating more than 338 medical cost avoidance forms for local veterans and their families and processing more than 69 college fee waivers for veterans' dependents.
Via email, Payne said, "We are currently in the training process with one new Veterans Services Representative and have two new representatives coming on board shortly."
The office currently has two accredited veteran representatives, he said.
The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and again from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on a walk-in basis, no appointment necessary.
The office is at 1855 Shasta St. and can be reached at 530-225-5616 or online at vso.co.shasta.ca.us.
Michele Chandler covers city government and housing issues for the Redding Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. Follow her on Twitter at @MChandler_RS, call her at 530-225-8344 or email her at michele.chandler@redding.com. Please support our entire newsroom's commitment to public service journalism by subscribing today. | https://www.redding.com/story/news/2022/06/30/redding-hospitals-post-charges-veterans-service-officer-exits-ask-r-s/7773464001/ | 2022-06-30 18:42:28 | 1 | https://www.redding.com/story/news/2022/06/30/redding-hospitals-post-charges-veterans-service-officer-exits-ask-r-s/7773464001/ |
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah Democrats’ decision to back an independent rather than nominate a member of their own party to take on Republican Mike Lee transformed the state’s U.S. Senate race from foregone conclusion to closely watched slugfest.
Independent Evan McMullin, an anti-Trump former Republican best known for his longshot 2016 presidential bid, attracted millions in outside spending in his campaign against Lee. He forced the second-term Republican to engage with voters more than in prior elections and emphasize an independent streak and willingness to buck leaders of his own party.
Ultimately, though, it wasn’t even close. Lee is on his way to a double-digit win.
That’s spurring a debate: Did Democrats’ strategy create a blueprint to make Republicans campaign hard, compete for moderates and expend resources in future races? Or does the sizeable loss prove that Republicans’ vice grip is impenetrable in the short term, no matter the strategy?
The answers could contain lessons for both red and blue states unaccustomed to competitive elections.
Some Democrats say supporting McMullin was worth it — it shifted the political conversation, made the race competitive and forced Lee to spend almost double what he spent in his 2016 campaign. But other Democrats say the strategy hurt down-ballot candidates who didn’t have a strong top-of-the-ticket contender to help boost them.
“Building my bench in that sense is going to be so much harder. How do I convince candidates, going forward, that the Democratic Party will support them?” said Katie Adams-Anderton, Democratic Party chair in Utah’s second largest county.
Utah is among the fastest growing states, and Democrats hope they will be able to compete as the electorate becomes younger and more urban. Yet Republicans currently hold both Senate seats and all four congressional seats, occupy every statewide office, and this week expanded their supermajorities in the Legislature.
Four years after running for U.S. Senate herself, Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson supported Democrats’ decision to back McMullin. She credits it with making Lee sweat. Though McMullin lost, she said, coalescing behind an independent benefited voters by making the race competitive. She hopes putting Lee on his heels will influence how he governs and votes in the U.S. Senate.
“This was a unique moment, and I actually do think we’ve lost an opportunity by not electing Evan to help break up some of the hardened partisanship,” she said, noting that whether backing an independent was a good strategy depended largely on circumstances.
Votes remain to be counted, but Lee is on track to defeat McMullin by double digits. That’s a narrower margin than his 41 percentage-point victory in 2016 over grocery store clerk Misty Snow but wider than McMullin’s team anticipated.
McMullin won 100,000 more votes than Utah Democrats’ four congressional candidates did collectively, but preliminary results don’t suggest his campaigning against the two-party system energized voters enough to substantially buoy turnout.
Independents have won Senate races in Vermont and Maine, yet in deeply red states like Utah, party politics remain entrenched and important to voters.
To put together a fragile coalition of Democrats, Republicans and independents, McMullin focused closely on threats to democracy. Rather than campaign on traditional midterm election issues, he attacked Lee’s November 2020 text messages to Trump’s White House chief of staff about ways to challenge President Joe Biden’s victory.
Both Lee and Democrats skeptical of his candidacy criticized McMullin for being unclear on issues such as abortion or infrastructure spending.
“You say you want to put country over party. I respect that,” Lee said at an October debate, addressing McMullin. “But parties are an important proxy for ideas. You see, because it’s ideas more than parties that tell the people how you will vote.”
Kael Weston, the Democrat Senate candidate who lost the party’s backing when it lined up behind McMullin, acknowledged it would have been difficult for a Democrat to defeat Lee. But he said McMullin’s focus came at the expense of local concerns, such as water or the closure of rural post offices. Focusing on those kinds of issues is the path to making elections competitive in red states, not becoming “Republican lite,” he said.
Though outside spending from Democratic-donor funded PACs and conservative groups like Club for Growth reflect how the race was more competitive than usual, Weston said, McMullin’s attempts to distance himself from Biden and Democrats hurt Democrats who were lower on the ballot.
“If all you see for three months is, Joe Biden is evil and Democrat is a four-letter word, that has an effect,” he said, noting the anti-McMullin television ads might have hurt Democratic candidates for statehouse seats. | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/ap-mcmullin-loss-in-utah-raises-independent-candidacy-questions/ | 2022-11-13 04:33:38 | 0 | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/news/political-news/ap-politics/ap-mcmullin-loss-in-utah-raises-independent-candidacy-questions/ |
Which small computer desks are best?
You need a great computer desk, whether you are watching YouTube videos, checking your emails or playing video games. But with so many computer desk options out there, it can be difficult to choose. It’s important to learn everything you can about the best features to look for in a computer desk, as well as the pricing and the best computer desk options on the market.
What to know before you buy a small computer desk
There are a few things to consider when purchasing a small computer desk.
Choose the right style of desk for you
A lot of computer desks have a more traditional or classic wood style, while other computer desks look more modern or slick when it comes to aesthetics. It’s important to consider the style of the room where you are placing your small computer desk, and to choose your desk style based on the style of the room. For instance, you might like the appearance of a super modern computer desk, but the desk will look out of place if it’s placed in a room with traditional vintage decor.
Select the best shape for your needs
Straight rectangular computer desks tend to be the most popular shape, but there are small computer desks in a wide variety of shapes. Other popular desk shape options include L-shaped corner desks and U-shaped computer desks. These desk shapes are perfect for users who need more surface space on their computer desk.
Look for an ergonomic computer desk
You should think about finding an ergonomic computer desk if you spend plenty of time at your computer. This ergonomic desk can be adjusted to your height and help reduce the risk of repetitive strain injuries, joint issues and back pain.
What to look for in a quality small computer desk
Size and weight
Think about how much space you have available and take any measurements if needed. You should also think about how much work surface space you will need. If you are actually working at your desk, you will probably need more surface space than someone who is just using the desk recreationally.
Material
The most popular options for computer desk materials are glass, metal, real wood and laminate. Some of these materials are more expensive than other materials. For instance, a real wood desk will probably cost at least twice as much as a laminate desk, but it will also be more long-lasting and durable.
Storage space
Think about how much storage space you need. For example, you might be okay with just a plain computer desk with little to no storage, or you might need a lot of different cubby holes and drawers. Keep in mind that you will most likely need to assemble the computer desk on your own, and desks with extra drawers and storage will be harder to assemble than plain and simple desks.
How much you can expect to spend on a small computer desk
There are a couple of different kinds of small computer desks out there, including compact computer desks and wall-mounted computer desks. Wall-mounted computer desks range in price from $60-$200, while compact computer desks go for anywhere from $30-$300.
Small computer desk FAQ
Where do you place a desktop computer on a desk?
A. The computer monitor usually sits on top of the desk, but the computer itself doesn’t necessarily need to sit on the desk as well. There are some computer desks out there that have compartments or shelves where you can place the computer.
Do you need any special tools to assemble your computer desk?
A. Most small computer desks come with the tools you need for proper assembly, but if you purchase a wall-mounted desk, you will most likely need an electric drill with a masonry drill bit to attach the desk to the wall.
Which computer desk materials are the most durable?
A. Solid wood desks tend to be the most durable, which makes them an especially attractive option if you have a larger budget. Wood veneer is also a good choice if you want something durable that’s not too expensive. Metal computer desks are also fairly durable.
What’s the best small computer desk to buy?
Top small computer desk
Prepac Wall Mounted Floating Desk
What you need to know: This well-made computer desk is not too expensive, and it’s available in a wide range of color options.
What you’ll love: This small computer desk is composed of modern wood with laminate surfaces. This incredible computer desk is a work of art and a clever, wall-mounted solution.
What you should consider: Keep in mind that the working area on this small computer desk is fairly limited.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top small computer desk for the money
Techni Mobili Compact Computer Desk
What you need to know: This compact computer desk provides the best value for an affordable value with plenty of flexibility.
What you’ll love: This budget-friendly and compact computer desk provides lots of flexibility and space, and both the working surfaces and the frame of the desk are built to last.
What you should consider: This computer desk is not industrial grade, so it’s not quite as durable as the Prepac desk.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
OneSpace Regallo Computer Desk
What you need to know: This highly versatile computer desk from OneSpace is a great desk option for an affordable price.
What you’ll love: This small computer desk features a swing-out section that doubles your working environment when needed and tucks away under the main desk when you don’t need it.
What you should consider: It’s important to consider that the lower shelf is not deep enough to support a computer.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Alex Kilpatrick writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.fox16.com/reviews/br/office-br/furniture-br/best-small-computer-desk/ | 2022-07-04 01:30:49 | 0 | https://www.fox16.com/reviews/br/office-br/furniture-br/best-small-computer-desk/ |
- Opera's crypto-centric browser (Win, Mac, Android, iOS) evolves the user experience to be truly Web3-ready ahead of the Ethereum Merge
- It's adding seamless support for major third party wallets including Metamask and others
- The industry-first Web3 wallet selector allows users to seamlessly choose which wallet they want to interact with a given dApp - without having to manage conflicting extensions, go deep into settings or deal with annoying pop ups
- The browser partners with DappRadar for better dApps access
OSLO, Norway, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Opera (NASDAQ: OPRA), the company behind the world's first multi-platform Web3 browser, today announces one of the most significant updates since its genesis that will make the lives of crypto users much easier: The Opera Crypto Browser now supports MetaMask and other leading wallets. To match this development, the browser is also shipping the innovative "Wallet Selector," an industry-first multi-wallet management tool. This feature allows users to seamlessly pick which one of their wallets they want to interact with a particular dApp or website. They can now choose between their wallets directly in the browser address bar, without needing to go into settings or having to deal with competing extensions. Beyond Opera Crypto Browser's native wallet, the wallets supported in the Wallet Selector include Metamask and hundreds more, as long as they are available as Opera or Chrome extensions (yes, these work in Opera too).
Browser wallet extensions are essential tools for exploring Web3. They allow users to explore and interact with various decentralized apps (dApps) and services. However, not all wallet extensions are created equal. Many only support specific networks, and some offer different features such as in-app swaps and staking. To explore multiple networks, crypto users tend to need several browser wallets which creates an unnecessary barrier to adoption and impairs the user experience. Opera is changing this with today's update and the innovative Wallet Selector feature in the browser address bar.
Opera's new Wallet Selector – which automates the precarious process of switching between crypto wallets while swapping tokens or transacting with dApps – is a gamechanger for the broader Web3 ecosystem. "We created the Wallet Selector based on the feedback we got from our users. It saves them a lot of pain as they no longer have to constantly go into settings or to navigate between competing wallet extensions," said Tomasz Stawarz, Engineering Director at Opera.
Opera's industry-first Web3 Wallet Selector solves this issue by aggregating compatible wallet extensions and automating the connection process. The selector remembers users' preferences for different websites, allowing them to connect to dApps effortlessly. This update brings Web3 one step closer to the experience we know from Web2 ahead of the Ethereum Merge.
"The upcoming Merge is the most important technological update in the history of crypto that will move Ethereum from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake, thus making it more scalable, secure, sustainable, and ready to be used by the mainstream user. Opera is the only browser truly ready for this shift and the only one offering web users all the tools they need to give Web3 a try in a safe environment," said Susie Batt, Crypto Ecosystem Lead at Opera.
On top of the ease of use of multiple wallets, Opera Crypto Browser also provides security enhancements that protects its users from hacks and phishing. The phishing detection feature blocks the users from entering blacklisted phishing sites. The browser's secure clipboard protects users from scary clipboard hacks, making sure the wallet address or account number they copied is the same one they are pasting.
To make the Web3 experience more accessible and fun, the Opera Crypto Browser now resolves human-readable wallet handles for YAT, FIO Crypto Handles e.g Jane@opera and ENS domains like iamtesting.eth. These features allow users to make cryptocurrency transactions using simple-to-memorize domain and wallet addresses consisting of words or even strings of emojis as well as Handshake domain resolution.
The Opera Crypto Browser has also partnered with DappRadar to provide its users with access to more than 11,000 dApps. The platform also gives them unique insight into valuable metrics. All of the dApps are accessible as easily as any website on web2, from the browser address bar. The users identify themselves using one of their wallets, picked via the Wallet Selector.
The upgrade also overhauls the Crypto Corner feature, including a new Hot Tweets section including the latest trending tweets around crypto. Additionally, the popular BNB Chain Decentralized Finance (DeFi) app, PancakeSwap, has been integrated with the Crypto Browser and is available in the browser's native crypto wallet. This allows users to trade tokens directly from within the wallet without the hassle of connecting to an external dApp first.
Opera is also updating the mobile version of its Crypto Browser with a new navigation and added private mode.
The updated Crypto Browser by Opera from Norway comes amid a downturn in the global crypto market, yet institutional interest in cryptocurrencies continues to thrive. A recent independent analysis by Messari revealed that almost twice as much ($35B) investment capital flowed into crypto projects in 2022 than in 2021 ($19B).
Susie Batt, Crypto Ecosystem Lead at Opera, said: "The development of the world's first Crypto Browser is a realization of our aims to provide the tools that enable open access to Web3. Not only have we provided a gateway into Web3, but we've also simplified many everyday processes native to the crypto space that may previously have confused the average web user. The Opera Crypto Browser is currently the best, most comprehensive portal into Web3 for new and experienced users alike."
The Opera Crypto Browser is Opera's all-encompassing browser product offering a window into the world of cryptocurrency, blockchain, and Web3. The Crypto Browser now delivers access to multiple blockchain networks including Ethereum, Bitcoin, BNB, Polygon, and others, as well as tens of thousands of dApps and protocols built on top of them. The browser also includes a built-in crypto wallet, as well as a series of privacy-enhancing features including a secure clipboard, a built-in browser VPN and ad blocker. It also gives users direct access to key platforms and messengers, including Twitter, Telegram and Discord directly in the sidebar, which means they don't have to reach for separate apps. The development of the Crypto Browser signals Opera's intent to offer internet users a simplified, one-stop window for interacting with the blockchains and protocols that make up the Web3 space.
To download the Opera Crypto Browser, click here.
The Wallet Selector is available in the desktop version of the Opera Crypto Browser and currently supports standard EVM web3 interface-based wallets (EIP-1193).
Join Opera's Crypto communities at:
Opera Crypto Twitter
Opera Crypto Discord
Opera Crypto Telegram
Opera is a global web innovator with an engaged and growing base of hundreds of millions of monthly active users who seek a better internet experience. Building on over 25 years of innovation that started with browser products, Opera is now leveraging its brand and highly engaged user base in order to expand its business into new segments. Today, Opera offers users around the world a range of products and services that include PC and mobile browsers, the newsreader Opera News, and apps dedicated to gaming, crypto, e-commerce and classifieds. In 2018, Opera introduced the first browser with a built-in crypto wallet and Web3 support. Opera is headquartered in Oslo, Norway and listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange (OPRA). In January 2022, Opera released the first version of its Crypto Browser, a dedicated web browser tweaked to crypto-enthusiasts and the crypto-curious.
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SOURCE Opera Limited | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/opera-crypto-browser-integrates-metamask-other-wallets-unveils-industry-first-web3-wallet-selector-ahead-merge/ | 2022-09-13 11:44:26 | 0 | https://www.wsaz.com/prnewswire/2022/09/13/opera-crypto-browser-integrates-metamask-other-wallets-unveils-industry-first-web3-wallet-selector-ahead-merge/ |
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