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WASHINGTON (AP) — Is there a new American motto: In nothing we trust?
By lots of measures, most in the U.S. lack much confidence in large institutions and have for years. Congress? Two big thumbs down. The presidency? Ehh. Americans are also distrustful of big business, unions, public schools and organized religion. Indeed, they hold abysmal views of the functioning of democracy itself.
The Supreme Court has been something of an exception. The one branch of government not dependent on public opinion has traditionally enjoyed higher public esteem than the branches elected by the people. Its above-the-fray reputation, cultivated with exquisite care, once served it well.
Now the justices face a reckoning over the audacious leak of an early draft opinion that strikes down the constitutional right to abortion, an episode that has deepened suspicions that the high court, for all its decorum, is populated by politicians in robes.
Republican members of Congress are suggesting a sinister left-wing plot to derail the outcome of the final decision. Liberals are alleging machinations from the right to lock the justices into their preliminary vote. For all that speculation, neither side knows who leaked the draft to Politico and why.
What’s clear is that the affair has popped a deferential bubble around the court.
“My confidence in the court has been rocked,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, one of the few Republican senators in favor of abortion rights, said with alarm. Vice President Kamala Harris accused the justices of mounting a “direct assault on freedom” if they vote as they signaled. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., accused Trump-nominated justices of lying to Congress about their abortion views in their hearings.
Elected officials do not normally talk this way about the justices. But now, it seems, the jurists are fair game, just another contingent of power players in the Washington viper pit.
In contrast, after mounting a fierce legal fightto settle the implausibly close 2000 election, Democrat Al Gore held back his grievances about political taint on the court when it crushed his hopes in a decision that made Republican George W. Bush the president.
Gore didn’t hesitate to “accept the finality of this outcome,” as much as he said he disagreed with it. The deferential bubble was evident. But that decision became seen as the modern starting point in the erosion of trust in the court.
In the years since, Democrats gutted the filibuster on one front to help them populate the lower federal courts with as many judges as possible, knowing they were setting a precedent that could bite them in the future.
Then Republicans did the same for Supreme Court nominees in the judicial equivalent of nuclear escalation.
And there was Donald Trump. During his presidency, Trump specialized in what’s known by the political class as saying the quiet part out loud. This included his sizing up the judiciary as a political beast, made up of Democratic judges or Republican ones.
For the justices, who have long cloaked themselves in the notion that the politics ends once they ascend to the bench, it was a step too far when Trump accused “Obama judges” of standing in his way and otherwise disparaged judges he didn’t like.
“We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges,” Chief Justice John Roberts said in an unusual statement rebuking Trump’s comments. “What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them.”
Yet people in the United States, in recent times, have grown suspicious about judicial independence, with a strong majority believing justices should keep their political views out of their decisions but not even 1 in 5 polledbelieving they do an excellent or good job of that.
In 2020, Trump nominee Amy Coney Barrett became the first justice in modern times to win confirmation without a single vote from the minority party. She’s aware of how that looks.
“My goal today is to convince you that this court is not comprised of a bunch of partisan hacks,” she told an audiencein Louisville, Kentucky, in September at a center named for Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who had engineered her fast confirmation. Barrett was one of five justices signaling a vote against Roe v. Wade in the leaked draft, Politico said.
As controversial as the Roe v. Wade decision affirming abortion rights was in 1973 and in the years since, it was not a ruling driven by partisanship. The vote was 7-2, with five of the justices in the majority nominated by Republican presidents.
Now, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, a liberal on the conservative-majority court, warns that a reversal in 50 years of abortion rights would shatter the idea that American justice is blind to partisanship or party.
“Will this institution survive the stench that this creates in the public perception that the Constitution and its reading are just political acts?” she asked in a Mississippi abortion case in December. She said she thought it wouldn’t survive that.
OUT OF SIGHT
Except when a monumental decision like this abortion one comes out, or when Congress is screening court nominees in its performative hearings, the Supreme Court works largely out of sight and out of mind. But in New York City, the leak got Sequoia Snyder thinking about the court. Is it just one more institution not to be trusted?
“When you think about it, the power is not in the hands of the people,” said Snyder, 22. “We don’t vote on that. The Electoral College … the popular vote is ignored. The police are not very regulated, kind of can do what they want with impunity.
“Like every every facet of our society you go to, we don’t really have the power or a voice. So I just think it’s crazy that nine people have the final say on like everything in the country and they can never lose their job. It just seems weird.”
In Charleston, outside West Virginia’s only abortion clinic, Dennis Westover, a 72-year-old retired electrical engineer, sat in a lawn chair with an anti-abortion sign. He, too, sees weird doings from the court.
“One side or the other did it for a political motive to stir up some kind of stink,” he said of the leak. “We human beings do what we do for whatever we think is a good reason. … What was the reason? It couldn’t be a good one because you leaked Supreme Court privileged information.”
TRUST DEFICIT
In an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll last month, only 18% of U.S. adults said they have a “great deal” of confidence in the Supreme Court. About 27% have hardly any confidence in it.
The high court has historically received better ratings than the other branches and that remains so. In the most recent poll, just 4% have a great deal of confidence in Congress; 51% have hardly any. And 36% have hardly any confidence in the executive branch.
Still, the court’s standing has been deteriorating in recent years. The 2021 General Social Survey suggested confidence in the high court was among its lowest points in the last half century.
In September, a Gallup poll found 54% said those surveyed had at least a “fair amount” of confidence in the court, down from 67% in 2020. Only one other time in five decades has that confidence fallen below 60%.
The poor ratings of government couple with grim views of U.S. democracy and a disenchantment with the pillars of society almost everywhere you look.
Gallup has tracked public opinion of 14 core institutions across the spectrum — organized labor, the church, the media, the medical community among them — and found confidence in them sagging, with the share expressing high confidence never rising above 36% on average over 15 years. Only the military and small businesses get a resounding vote of confidence.
Overlaying everything is a sense that the very foundation of the republic is in trouble. In January, 53% said in an AP-NORC poll that democracy in the U.S. is not working well; only 8% thought it was working very or extremely well.
That state of affairs emanated from a 2020 election that saw Trump fight fiercely and futilely to reverse Democrat Joe Biden’s clear White House victory. Trump’s false allegations of a rigged election have resounded across the country as the two parties square off over state election laws in response.
In his effort to cling to power, though, Trump also confronted the limits of political influence in the judiciary as he and his campaign brought a battery of far-fetched legal challenges to courtrooms only to have them systematically fail.
“Trump judges” didn’t save him.
___
Associated Press writer Leah Willingham in Charleston, West Virginia, contributed to this report. | https://www.koin.com/news/politics/supreme-court-leak-shakes-trust-in-one-more-american-pillar/ | 2022-05-08 00:52:46 | 1 | https://www.koin.com/news/politics/supreme-court-leak-shakes-trust-in-one-more-american-pillar/ |
CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bulls remain hopeful All-Star guard Zach LaVine will choose to re-sign with them rather than join another team as an unrestricted free agent.
Arturas Karnisovas, the Bulls’ executive vice president of basketball operations, said Monday the team has been very open with LaVine.
“We hope Zach is here for a long time, and nothing changed,” Karnisovas said at a news conference to introduce first-round draft pick Dalen Terry.
LaVine’s situation is obviously the biggest story hovering over the Bulls, with the free-agent negotiating period opening Thursday evening.
Karnisovas wants to keep intact a core that helped Chicago reach the playoffs for the first time in five years.
LaVine averaged 24.4 points and made his second straight All-Star team last year. It ended with his first trip to the playoffs in his eighth year as a pro. The Bulls lost in the first round to Milwaukee in five games.
LaVine’s four-year, $78 million contract is up and he said after the season that he plans to explore the market as an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career after five years in Chicago. He did not rule out returning to the Bulls, who can offer a max contract worth about $212 million. The most he can get from another team is approximately $157 million over four years.
How comfortable the Bulls are about offering a five-year deal is another question. Karnisovas played it coy when asked.
“I’m confident. I’m confident in approaching this free agency the next couple days, sitting down with our group, looking at a lot of things,” he said.
The past season wasn’t exactly an easy one for LaVine. He dealt with a thumb injury early and was in and out of the lineup the final few months because of a left knee injury.
LaVine had platelet-rich plasma therapy, a cortisone injection and fluid drained from his knee in Los Angeles before the All-Star break. He had arthroscopic surgery on it last month.
“I think he’s gonna be healthy,” Karnisovas said. “I think he’s now progressing great.”
The Bulls went 46-36 and made the playoffs for the first time since 2017 following a major makeover, with DeMar DeRozan and LaVine leading the way. Chicago got off to a big start and finished with its best record since the 2014-15 team went 50-32 in former coach Tom Thibodeau’s final season.
The Bulls also went from leading the Eastern Conference to finishing sixth, losing 15 of their final 22 regular-season games. They dealt with a long list of injuries, making it tough for them to develop continuity and compete with the best teams.
“This group has been here only since October,” Karnisovas said. “We’re still trying to get used to how to play with each other.”
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/bulls-remain-hopeful-lavine-will-choose-to-remain-in-chicago/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all | 2022-06-27 18:39:48 | 1 | https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/bulls-remain-hopeful-lavine-will-choose-to-remain-in-chicago/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
WFO EUREKA Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Sunday, May 8, 2022
_____
FROST ADVISORY
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Eureka CA
255 AM PDT Sun May 8 2022
...FROST ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 AM PDT THIS MORNING...
...FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 8 AM PDT MONDAY...
* WHAT...For the Freeze Warning, sub-freezing temperatures as low
as 30 expected. For the Frost Advisory, temperatures as low as
33 will result in frost formation.
* WHERE...Northwestern Mendocino Interior, Northeastern
Mendocino Interior and Northern Lake Counties.
* WHEN...For the Freeze Warning, from 1 AM to 8 AM PDT Monday.
For the Frost Advisory, until 8 AM PDT this morning.
* IMPACTS...Frost and freeze conditions will kill crops and
other sensitive vegetation.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. Provide
adequate shelter for outdoor pets or consider bringing them
indoors.
Frost Advisories and Freeze Warnings are issued during the local
growing season as defined by climatology and local agriculture
experts. Once the growing season has ended these statements will
no longer be issued until the spring.
...FREEZE WATCH IS CANCELLED...
Widespread freezing temperatures are not expected.
* WHAT...Sub-freezing temperatures as low as 30 expected.
* WHERE...Del Norte Interior, Northern Humboldt Interior,
Southern Humboldt Interior, Northern Trinity and Southern
Trinity Counties.
* WHEN...From 1 AM to 8 AM PDT Monday.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.mrt.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-EUREKA-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17157392.php | 2022-05-08 11:06:10 | 0 | https://www.mrt.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-EUREKA-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17157392.php |
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Homes were flooded in Melbourne and other cities in Australia’s southeast on Friday with rivers forecast to remain dangerously high for days.
About 70 residents were told to leave the suburb of Maribyrnong in Melbourne’s northwest, along with hundreds in the Victoria state cities of Benalla and Wedderburn, authorities said. Melbourne is Australia’s second-most populous city with 5 million people.
About 500 homes in Victoria were flooded and another 500 had been isolated by floodwater, Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said. Those numbers would increase, he said.
Most of the state was experiencing a “very, very, significant rainfall event and it comes, of course, with the ground completely sodden,” Andrews said.
“The real challenge now is we’ve got another rain event next week and the Bureau (of Meteorology) forecasting more rain throughout the next six-to-eight week period and it won’t take a lot of additional water for there to be further flood events,” Andrews added. “So this has only just started and it’s going to be with us for a while.”
Andrews said 4,700 homes were without power, more than the 3,500 that Victoria State Emergency Service had reported earlier on Friday.
The Bureau of Meteorology said major-to-record flooding was occurring or was forecast to occur on many rivers in Victoria and the island state of Tasmania to the south.
North of Victoria, moderate-to-major flooding was occurring along several rivers in inland New South Wales state, the bureau said.
A 63-year-old man was reported missing in floodwater in New South Wales on Tuesday and a person was reported missing in central Victoria on Friday, officials said. No details of the person missing from the Victorian town of Newbridge have been released.
Police on Tuesday found the body of a 46-year-old man in his submerged car in floodwater near the New South Wales city of Bathurst, west of Sydney, a day after he died.
The State Emergency Service said it had carried out 108 flood rescues in Victoria in the past 48 hours.
State Emergency Service commander Josh Gamble said complacency was the main reason for people getting into trouble.
“That is quite significant and we haven’t had that many flood rescues for quite some time, for some years in fact,” Gamble said.
“Many of these people are putting their own lives at risk, their own children in some circumstances, but more importantly, other community members and responders and that’s in all parts of the state not just metropolitan areas,” Gamble added.
Evacuation orders were also in place for the town of Rochester on the Campaspe River, north of Melbourne, and the central Victorian towns of Carisbrook and Seymour on the Goulburn River.
In New South Wales, 550 people have been isolated or evacuated from the town of Forbes as the Lachlan River flooded, authorities said.
South of Forbes, parts of the city of Wagga Wagga were evacuated due to the Murrumbidgee River breaking its banks.
“Fortunately, the Murrumbidgee River peaked on Thursday and we’re starting to see the floodwaters decline in those areas,” New South Wales State Emergency Service official Andrew Edmunds said.
In Tasmania, north coast residents were moving to higher ground with river levels forecast to rise and the major port of Devonport was closed on Friday due to flooding of the Mersey River.
The bureau said flood peaks on the Meander and Macquarie rivers in Tasmania were likely to be the highest on record.
The North Esk and Mersey rivers may peak around the same levels as they did during major floods in 2016, when three people drowned, the bureau said.
The bureau last month declared that a La Niña weather pattern, which is associated with above-average rainfall in eastern Australia, was underway in the Pacific.
The bureau forecast that the La Niña event may peak during the current Southern Hemisphere spring and return to neutral conditions early next year.
La Niña is the cooler flip side of the better-known drying El Niño pattern. La Niña occurs when equatorial trade winds become stronger, changing ocean surface currents and drawing up cooler deep water.
It is the third La Niña since 2019 became Australia’s hottest and driest year on record.
That year came to a catastrophic conclusion with wildfires fueled by drought that directly or indirectly killed more than 400 people, destroyed more than 3,000 homes and razed 19 million hectares (47 million acres) of woods, farmland and city fringes.
Sydney, New South Wales’ capital and Australia’s largest city, last week beat its 1950 record to make 2022 its wettest-ever year. | https://cbs4indy.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-homes-inundated-by-swollen-rivers-in-australian-floods/ | 2022-10-14 21:52:35 | 1 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-homes-inundated-by-swollen-rivers-in-australian-floods/ |
Meanwhile, the NhRP's first nonhuman animal rights case in California is already underway
ALBANY, N.Y., July 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the Nonhuman Rights Project (NhRP) filed a motion to reargue the 5-2 decision by New York's highest court issued in June in a landmark case that seeks Happy the elephant's right to liberty and release from the Bronx Zoo to an elephant sanctuary.
The New York Court of Appeals "misapprehended and overlooked crucial points of law and fact … resulting in an arbitrary and irrational decision—one that not only sanctions the daily injustice inflicted upon Happy at the Bronx Zoo, but has created instability and confusion in New York law with grave implications for illegally confined human beings," the NhRP writes in its motion.
The NhRP repeatedly cites the two dissenting opinions, which harshly criticize the majority and have been lauded as a historic mark of progress in the global fight to secure fundamental legal rights for nonhuman animals. If the reargument motion is granted, the Court may order another hearing and will issue a decision explaining why it will either reverse or clarify its prior decision.
"No differently than if we had a human client, we feel it's important to do all we can in pursuit of freedom for Happy," said Monica Miller, the NhRP attorney who argued Happy's case. "This includes challenging the wrongness of the majority decision, which, as the two dissenting judges understood, harms Happy as much as it undermines the values and principles of justice upon which our own human rights depend. That's what this motion is about."
In May, the Court of Appeals became the first state high court in the US and the highest court of any English-speaking jurisdiction to consider a case calling for a nonhuman being to be recognized as a legal person (i.e. a rights-holder). In a widely covered hearing, the NhRP argued for recognition of Happy's fundamental right to liberty and release to a sanctuary where this right would be respected.
"As we file this motion we stress that, regardless of how the Court rules on it, the Bronx Zoo and the Wildlife Conservation Society, which manages the zoo, don't need a court order to do the right thing—which is to release Happy and the other elephant they keep in solitary confinement, Patty, to sanctuaries and close the elephant exhibit for good, as the Bronx Zoo once pledged to do," said Elizabeth Stein, an NhRP attorney and Happy's New York counsel.
With the Court not in session for the remaining summer months, the NhRP does not expect a decision on the motion until September at the earliest.
Meanwhile, the NhRP's first case in California–on behalf of Amahle, Nowalzi, and Vusmusi, three elephants held in captivity at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo who are victims of the continuing importation of elephants to US zoos–is already underway.
Earlier this week, the San Francisco Superior Court decided to transfer the case to the Fresno Superior Court on the same day Los Angeles Times columnist Nicholas Goldberg expressed sympathy and support for the launch of the NhRP's fight for nonhuman rights work in the state, writing in an Op-Ed: "For too long, we've salved our consciences with tepid animal welfare laws that allow us to feel magnanimous and benevolent—rather than acknowledging our moral obligations and recognizing that the other living creatures with whom we share the planet have rights too." On Wednesday, Dr. Keith Lindsay, one the world's foremost experts on elephants, discussed the science behind demands for the Fresno elephants' right to liberty in a webinar.
The NhRP sees both Happy's case and the Fresno elephants' case as examples of how "zoos mislead the public into thinking captivity in zoos is for the elephants' own good," said Miller, who is Amahle, Nowalzi, and Vusmusi's California counsel. The NhRP is considering whether to appeal the transfer order.
CASE NO./NAME: THE NONHUMAN RIGHTS PROJECT, INC. on behalf of HAPPY, Petitioner, v. JAMES J. BREHENY, in his official capacity as Executive Vice President and General Director of Zoos and Aquariums of the Wildlife Conservation Society and Director of the Bronx Zoo, and WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY (Appellate Case No. 2020-02581)
CASE NO./NAME: NONHUMAN RIGHTS PROJECT, INC. on behalf of Amahle, Nowalzi, and Vusmusi, individuals, Petitioner, v. FRESNO CHAFFEE ZOO'S CORPORATION, AND JON FORREST DOHLIN, in his official capacity as Executive Officer and Zoo Director of the Fresno Chaffee Zoo (CASE NO: CPF-22-517751)
For a detailed timeline of Happy's case, court filings, and decisions, visit this page. For a detailed timeline of Nowalzi, Amahle, and Vusmusi's case, court filings, and decisions, visit this page. To download a photo of Happy, visit this page (credit: Gigi Glendinning).
The Nonhuman Rights Project is the only civil rights organization in the United States working through litigation, legislation, and education to secure fundamental rights for nonhuman animals.
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SOURCE Nonhuman Rights Project | https://www.kait8.com/prnewswire/2022/07/14/legal-fight-free-happy-elephant-continues-new-york/ | 2022-07-14 22:03:23 | 1 | https://www.kait8.com/prnewswire/2022/07/14/legal-fight-free-happy-elephant-continues-new-york/ |
Dan Bongino: I'm not paying for your loans
Bongino says 'we are going broke'
Fox News host Dan Bongino blasted President Biden's student loan handout, saying the country is going bankrupt on Saturday's "Unfiltered."
DAN BONGINO: You are watching the collapse of an empire in live time. We are going broke. What kind of an idiot thinks you can continue to print money backed up by any value whatsoever, right? Give it to people to spend on stuff and that there's going to be zero consequences for this whatsoever…
I'm not interested in paying for your loans.
DAY FOUR: WHITE HOUSE REFUSES TO SAY WHO WILL PAY FOR BIDEN $500,000,000,000 STUDENT LOAN HANDOUT
…
Listen, people hate the idea of unfairness and the idea of me paying for, again, Sunflower's urban studies degree doesn't interest me at all. And I got to tell you, this isn't a Democrat or Republican thing — it's a working-person's thing. A lot of people are really mad about this…
We are going bankrupt. You are watching the collapse of an empire. This is supposed to be a republic that operates on consent of the governed. I'm revoking my consent right now.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
WATCH THE MONOLOGUE HERE: | https://www.foxnews.com/media/dan-bongino-paying-your-loans | 2022-08-28 05:05:40 | 1 | https://www.foxnews.com/media/dan-bongino-paying-your-loans |
VANCOUVER, BC, June 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Strategic Resources Inc. (TSXV: SR) (the "Company" or "Strategic) is pleased to announce that it has issued 1,166,666 common shares to Aurion Resources Ltd. ("Aurion"), which fulfills the requirements to earn 100% ownership in the Silasselkä property. The issuance increases Aurion's ownership from 16.0% to 18.3% ownership of Strategic.
About Strategic Resources
Strategic Resources Inc. (TSXV:SR) is a Vancouver, Canada-based mineral exploration and development company focused on vanadium projects in Finland. The Company is primarily focused on its flagship Mustavaara vanadium-iron-titanium project in Finland. The Company continues to evaluate new opportunities that are related to the electrification of the economy.
Further details are available on the Company's website at https://strategic-res.com/.
To follow future news releases, please sign up at https://strategic-res.com/contact/.
STRATEGIC RESOURCES INC.
Signed: "Scott Hicks"
Scott Hicks, CEO
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
View original content:
SOURCE Strategic Resources Inc. | https://www.1011now.com/prnewswire/2022/06/10/strategic-resources-completes-silasselk-earn-in/ | 2022-06-10 21:14:11 | 1 | https://www.1011now.com/prnewswire/2022/06/10/strategic-resources-completes-silasselk-earn-in/ |
BEIJING, May 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Canaan Inc. (NASDAQ: CAN) ("Canaan" or the "Company"), a leading high-performance computing solutions provider, today announced its unaudited financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2022.
First Quarter 2022 Operating and Financial Highlights
Total computing power sold was 4.3 million Thash/s, representing an increase of 119.1% from 2.0 million Thash/s in the same period of 2021.
Revenues were RMB1,356.1 million (US$213.9 million), representing an increase of 236.7% from RMB402.8 million in the same period of 2021.
Gross profit was RMB829.8 million (US$130.9 million), representing an increase of 327.2% from RMB194.2 million in the same period of 2021.
Net income was RMB441.6 million (US$69.7 million), compared to a net income of RMB1.2 million in the same period of 2021.
Non-GAAP adjusted net income was RMB543.4 million (US$85.7 million), representing an increase of 279.5% from RMB143.2 million in the same period of 2021.
Mr. Nangeng Zhang, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Canaan, commented, "We kicked off the year 2022 in an increasingly unpredictable environment due to macroeconomic uncertainties and logistic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. While confronting these challenges, we remained steadfast in our commitment to strengthening our partnerships with clients and expanding our global coverage. As a result, our computing power sold in the first quarter reached 4.3 million Thash/s, representing an increase of 119.1% from 2.0 million Thash/s in the same period of 2021. As we continued to develop globally, we established an international headquarters in Singapore which has already earned recognition and support from the local authorities. In order to provide best-in-class service and amplify our global reach, we are investing in building up our network of after-sales service centers overseas. We also recently launched an online store to enable global retail clients to seamlessly purchase our products. We have also been ramping up our mining business despite power shortages, and we now hold a total of 166.96 bitcoins on our balance sheet as of March 31, 2022. Looking ahead, while we are cognizant of the near-term headwinds, we are confident that our extensive experience, increasingly globalized operations, and execution capabilities put us in a solid position to navigate the current period of uncertainty."
Mr. James Jin Cheng, Chief Financial Officer of Canaan, stated, "We delivered revenues of RMB1,356.1 million in the first quarter of 2022. The underperformance of our topline result for the quarter was anticipated, given the sudden suspension of delivery logistics during the second half of March, resulting from COVID-19 control measures in the city where our factory and warehouses are located. Since the end of March, we have been gradually resuming production and delivery, following the guidelines from the local governments. I am pleased to report that all of the employees at our factory are healthy and have returned to their posts. As of present, we have shipped out most of the delayed orders from the first quarter. In addition, despite increasing costs for raw materials, especially wafers, we managed to achieve a net income of RMB441.6 million. We are staying vigilant and will dynamically manage our operations to navigate through the challenges ahead, including the recent downward fluctuation in the bitcoin price, COVID-19 resurgence, and ongoing supply chain constraints. Our solid balance sheet with a cash position of RMB2,643.2 million as of March 31, 2022, provides us considerable liquidity to further strengthen product offerings, optimize services, and expand our presence in international markets. At the same time, in the capital markets, we are facing pressure from both cryptocurrency price fluctuations and potential de-listing risks. The share repurchase program we announced in March this year reflects our confidence in the long-term prospects of the Company's business and our commitment to shareholder value."
First Quarter 2022 Financial Results
Revenues in the first quarter of 2022 were RMB1,356.1 million (US$213.9 million), representing an increase of 236.7% from RMB402.8 million in the same period of 2021. The year-over-year increase was mainly attributable to the increase in total computing power sold and the average selling price per Thash/s.
Cost of revenues in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB526.3 million (US$83.0 million), representing an increase of 152.4% from RMB208.6 million in the same period of 2021. The year-over-year increase in cost of revenues was in line with revenue growth.
Gross profit in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB829.8 million (US$130.9 million), representing an increase of 327.2% from RMB194.2 million in the same period of 2021.
Total operating expenses in the first quarter of 2022 were RMB251.5 million (US$39.7 million), representing an increase of 21.0% from RMB207.9 million in the same period of 2021.
Research and development expenses in the first quarter of 2022 were RMB101.2 million (US$16.0 million), representing an increase of 73.9% from RMB58.2 million in the same period of 2021. The year-over-year increase was primarily attributable to the increased staff costs in technology-related departments as well as increased costs associated with new product development. Research and development expenses in the first quarter of 2022 also included share-based compensation expenses of RMB20.0 million (US$3.1 million).
Sales and marketing expenses in the first quarter of 2022 were RMB20.0 million (US$3.2 million), representing an increase of 217.0% from RMB6.3 million in the same period of 2021. The year-over-year increase was mainly driven by increased staff costs and advertising expenses. Sales and marketing expenses in the first quarter of 2022 also included share-based compensation expenses of RMB2.1 million (US$0.3 million).
General and administrative expenses in the first quarter of 2022 were RMB130.4 million (US$20.6 million), representing a decrease of 9.1% from RMB143.4 million in the same period of 2021. The year-over-year decrease was mainly due to decreased share-based compensation expenses, partially offset by increased staff costs and administrative expenses. General and administrative expenses in the first quarter of 2022 also included share-based compensation expenses of RMB79.3 million (US$12.5 million).
Income from operations in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB578.3 million (US$91.2 million), compared to a loss from operations of RMB13.7 million in the same period of 2021.
Net income attributable to ordinary shareholders in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB441.6 million (US$69.7 million), compared to a net income of RMB1.2 million in the same period of 2021.
Non-GAAP adjusted net income in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB543.4 million (US$85.7 million), representing an increase of 279.5% from RMB143.2 million in the same period of 2021. Non-GAAP adjusted net income excludes share-based compensation expenses and change in fair value of warrant liability. For further information, please refer to "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" in this press release.
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of nil tax, in the first quarter of 2022 was a loss of RMB4.8 million (US$0.8 million), compared with a gain of RMB2.4 million in the same period of 2021, due to the US dollar appreciation against the Renminbi during the first quarter of 2022.
Basic net earnings per American depositary share ("ADS") in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB2.57 (US$0.41). In comparison, basic net earnings per ADS in the same period of 2021 was RMB0.01. Each ADS represents 15 of the Company's Class A ordinary shares.
Diluted net earnings per ADS in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB2.57 (US$0.41). In comparison, diluted net earnings per ADS in the same period of 2021 was RMB0.01. Each ADS represents 15 of the Company's Class A ordinary shares.
As of March 31, 2022, the Company held cryptocurrency assets that comprised 166.96 Bitcoins, with a carrying value of RMB45.3 million (US$7.1 million).
Contract liabilities as of March 31, 2022, were RMB1,769.9 million (US$279.2 million), increasing from RMB1,340.7 million as of December 31, 2021, mainly due to increased customer advances from sales orders of Bitcoin mining machines.
As of March 31, 2022, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of RMB2,643.2 million (US$417.0 million), essentially remaining flat compared to RMB2,684.3 million as of December 31, 2021, as the increased cash from customer advances was offset by increased prepayment to suppliers and income tax payment during the first quarter of 2022.
Shares Outstanding
As of March 31, 2022, the Company had a total of 158,329,596 ADSs outstanding, each representing 15 of the Company's Class A ordinary shares. The increase in the total ADS outstanding compared with the end of the fourth quarter of 2021 was due to the ADSs transferred from outstanding Class A ordinary shares held by an existing shareholder.
Recent Developments
The Impact of the Recent COVID-19 Quarantine Control
Recently, local governments in a number of cities in China have initiated quarantine control mandates due to the recent resurgence of COVID-19 cases. On March 14, 2022, the government implemented a five-day quarantine lock-down for all residents and businesses in the city where the Company's mining machine factory and warehouses are located. This strict quarantine control period was further extended until the end of March. This lock-down measure resulted in the logistics suspension for the delivery of the Company's mining machines to clients that have made down payments or fully prepaid for computing power orders. As such, the Company's revenue recognition in the first quarter of 2022 was adversely affected due to the delay in its inventory delivery.
The Company actively cooperates with the local government for pandemic control and has taken measures to ensure the health and safety of its employees in the affected region. Since the end of March, the Company has been gradually resuming production and delivery under the guidance of the local government. As of the date of this press release, the Company has completed the delivery of most of the delayed orders from the first quarter.
The Company is closely monitoring the evolvement of the COVID-19 pandemic situation and may adjust its operations further according to the quarantine requirements by the local government.
The Company's Share Repurchase Update
In the first quarter of 2022, the Company repurchased a total of 2.1 million ADSs with an aggregate value of US$10.3 million and an average repurchase price of US$4.81 per ADS. As of the March 31, 2022, the Company has completed the share repurchase program of U$20 million approved in September 2021.
On March 16, 2022, the Company announced that its board of directors authorized a share repurchase program under which the Company may repurchase up to US$100 million worth of its outstanding (i) American depositary shares, each representing 15 Class A ordinary shares, and/or (ii) Class A ordinary shares over the next 24 months starting from March 16, 2022.
The At-the-Market ("ATM") Offering
On April 8, 2022, the Company entered into an at-the-market offering agreement (the "ATM Agreement"), providing for an at-the-market ("ATM") equity offering program, with H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC ("HCW").
The Company does not currently expect to sell any ADS under the ATM program at this point in time. However, the program has been established as a flexible mechanism for the Company to access public capital markets in the future. The timing and extent of the use of the ATM program will be at the discretion of the Company, provided that the Company has satisfied certain obligations set forth in the ATM agreement, and any equity offerings will be disclosed on a quarterly basis.
The Company will prioritize shareholder interests and the general market when considering the execution of its financing plans and will make proactive adjustments to accommodate market conditions.
Business Outlook
For the second quarter of 2022, the Company expects total net revenues to be in the range of RMB1,600 million (US$252.4 million) to RMB1,800 million (US$283.9 million), representing an increase of 48% to 67% from the second quarter of 2021. This forecast reflects the Company's current and preliminary views on the market and operational conditions, which are subject to change.
Conference Call Information
The Company's management team will hold a Direct Event conference call at 8:00 A.M. U.S. Eastern Time on May 19, 2022 (or 8:00 P.M. Beijing Time on the same day) to discuss the financial results. Details for the conference call are as follows:
Event Title: Canaan Inc. First Quarter 2022 Earnings Conference Call
Registration Link: http://apac.directeventreg.com/registration/event/4736536
All participants must use the link provided above to complete the online registration process in advance of the conference call. Upon registering, each participant will receive a set of participant dial-in numbers, the Direct Event passcode, and a unique access PIN, which can be used to join the conference call.
A replay of the conference call will be accessible through May 26, 2022, by dialing the following numbers:
International: +61-2-8199-0299
United States: +1-646-254-3697
Hong Kong, China: +852-3051-2780
Replay PIN: 4736536
A live and archived webcast of the conference call will also be available at the Company's investor relations website at investor.canaan-creative.com.
About Canaan Inc.
Established in 2013, Canaan (NASDAQ: CAN), is a technology company focusing on ASIC high-performance computing chip design, chip research and development, computing equipment production, and software services. The company's vision is "super computing is what we do, social enrichment is why we do it." Canaan has a rich experience in chip design and streamlined production in the ASIC field. In 2013, it released and mass produced its first ASIC Bitcoin mining machine. In 2018, Canaan released the world's first 7nm ASIC chip, providing energy efficient computing equipment to the cryptocurrency mining industry. In the same year, Canaan released the world's first RISC-V architecture commercial edge AI chip, further harnessing the potential of ASIC technology in the field of high-performance computing and artificial intelligence.
Exchange Rate Information
This announcement contains translations of certain RMB amounts into U.S. dollars ("US$") at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise stated, all translations from RMB to US$ were made at the rate of RMB6.3393 to US$1.00, the noon buying rate in effect on March 31, 2022, in the H.10 statistical release of the Federal Reserve Board. The Company makes no representation that the RMB or US$ amounts referred could be converted into US$ or RMB, as the case may be, at any particular rate or at all.
Safe Harbor Statement
This announcement contains forward−looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward−looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, the business outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as Canaan Inc.'s strategic and operational plans, contain forward−looking statements. Canaan Inc. may also make written or oral forward−looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on Forms 20−F and 6−K, in its annual report 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 Canaan Inc.'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: the Company's goals and strategies; the Company's future business development, financial condition and results of operations; the expected growth of the Bitcoin industry and the price of Bitcoin; the Company's expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of its products, especially its Bitcoin mining machines; the Company's expectations regarding maintaining and strengthening its relationships with production partners and customers; the Company's investment plans and strategies, fluctuations in the Company's quarterly operating results; competition in its industry in China; and relevant government policies and regulations relating to the Company and cryptocurrency. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company's filings with the SEC, including its registration statement on Form F−1, as amended, and its annual reports on Form 20−F, as amended. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and Canaan Inc. does not undertake any obligation to update any forward−looking statement, except as required under applicable law.
Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
In evaluating Canaan's business, the Company uses non-GAAP measures, such as adjusted net income, as supplemental measures to review and assess its operating performance. The Company defines adjusted net income as net income excluding sharebased compensation expenses and change in fair value of warrant liability. The Company believes that the non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information about the Company's results of operations, enhance the overall understanding of the Company's past performance and future prospects and allow for greater visibility with respect to key metrics used by the Company's management in its financial and operational decision-making.
The non-GAAP financial measures are not defined under U.S. GAAP and are not presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as analytical tools and investors should not consider them in isolation, or as a substitute for net income, cash flows provided by operating activities or other consolidated statements of operations and cash flows data prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. One of the key limitations of using adjusted net income is that it does not reflect all of the items of income and expense that affect the Company's operations. Share-based compensation and change in fair value of warrant liability have been and may continue to be incurred in Canaan's business and are not reflected in the presentation of adjusted net income. Further, the non-GAAP financial measures may differ from the non-GAAP information used by other companies, including peer companies, and therefore their comparability may be limited. The Company mitigates these limitations by reconciling the non-GAAP financial measures to the most comparable U.S. GAAP performance measures, all of which should be considered when evaluating the Company's performance.
Investor Relations Contact
Canaan Inc.
Ms. Xi Zhang
Email: IR@canaan-creative.com
ICR, LLC.
Robin Yang
Tel: +1 (347) 396-3281
Email: canaan.ir@icrinc.com
The table below sets forth a reconciliation of net income to non-GAAP adjusted net income for the period indicated:
View original content:
SOURCE Canaan Inc. | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2022/05/19/canaan-inc-reports-unaudited-first-quarter-2022-financial-results/ | 2022-05-19 09:11:53 | 0 | https://www.ktre.com/prnewswire/2022/05/19/canaan-inc-reports-unaudited-first-quarter-2022-financial-results/ |
Add some time to your summer schedule to get tickets for the “Subtract Tour.”
Ed Sheeran is heading out on the “Subtract Tour” on May 19 in Clearwater, Florida and it will wrap up on Sept. 22 in Los Angeles, California.
While on tour, Sheeran will be making a stop in Philadelphia on June 2.
The 14 “Subtract Tour” dates will coincide with his bigger “Mathematics Tour,” which will kick off on May 6 in Arlington, Texas and wrap up on Sept. 23 in Inglewood, California.
If you want to get tickets to the “Subtract Tour,” here is how you can.
How to buy tickets to see Ed Sheeran
Tickets to see Ed Sheeran on the “Subtract Tour” go on sale on Ticketmaster on May 2 for those who signed up for the Verified Fan presale.
If you did not sign up for the Verified Fan presale, fans can find tickets now on secondary market sites, such as StubHub, Vivid Seats, TicketNetwork and TicketCity.
It is common for legitimate speculative tickets to show up on the resale market first. However, prices could be higher than when they go on sale to the general public.
First-time Vivid Seats users can save $20 on ticket orders over $200 by entering promo code NJ20 at checkout.
TicketCity users can save $15 on orders over $400 using promo code TCITYSAVE15 at checkout.
You can find a full calendar of Ed Sheeran’s tour dates here.
More upcoming stadium tour dates
Ed Sheeran is not the only artist going on a stadium tour this year.
Here is a list of upcoming tours that you won’t want to miss.
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Nicole Iuzzolino can be reached at niuzzolino@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips. | https://www.nj.com/live-entertainment/2023/05/ed-sheeran-subtract-tour-2023-dates-schedule-ticket-info.html | 2023-05-01 19:31:27 | 1 | https://www.nj.com/live-entertainment/2023/05/ed-sheeran-subtract-tour-2023-dates-schedule-ticket-info.html |
This Tuesday brings another round of important primaries for Congress and statewide office and the likelihood that big-name candidates will go down to defeat.
But the news next week will not focus on those household-familiar names or what their losses mean for their states. It will focus on what those outcomes may mean for Donald Trump.
That is all the more remarkable considering that these could be the last bids for seats in Congress for two of the best-known women in American politics — Republican icons Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Sarah Palin of Alaska.
Cheney is vice chair of the committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol and has often been the sharp point of the spear for that probe. Until she voted to impeach Trump in January 2021, she was on track to someday be the first Republican woman to be speaker of the House. She may also be a candidate for president in 2024.
Cheney is, of course, also the daughter of former Vice President Richard B. Cheney, who served two terms in the White House (2001-2009) and was often described as the most powerful No. 2 executive in U.S. history. The former vice president has released an ad and a video in which he appears in a cowboy hat and growls out his support for his daughter and dismisses Trump's claims about the 2020 election. The tag line is: "Only a coward would lie to his own supporters."
Sarah Palin is, of course, Sarah Palin
Palin was the first woman to be on the national ticket of either of the two major parties, chosen for the vice-presidential slot by GOP nominee John McCain in 2008. She delivered one of the most memorable speeches in recent history at the party's St. Paul convention that summer and headlined packed rallies that autumn that in many ways anticipated Trump's own.
Before that she was the governor of Alaska and since then she has been a TV reality star, though far less successful in that career than Trump. She has also been a Fox News contributor prior to her current campaign and a contestant on "The Masked Singer."
She is running now for the seat held for 49 years by the late Rep. Don Young, the longest serving Republican member of Congress in history. If she wins the special election Tuesday, she will complete his term, and a primary vote on the same ballot would nominate her for a full term starting in 2023.
Just over a year ago, the prospect of Cheney and Palin both serving in the same chamber of Congress at once would have been enough to draw media attention of all kinds at all levels of sophistication.
With first names that easily fit in headlines and last names sure to be click-bait, the two could have driven traffic for years. That would have been especially true had one or the other or both run for president in 2024 or thereafter. And even if neither did, either would be an automatic mention for vice president in 2024 or thereafter.
It is still possible, but developments in both their states and nationally have made it increasingly unlikely that either will be on the House floor next year.
A loss for Liz or a launch?
In another time — say one cycle ago — Cheney would be breezing to another GOP nod for the seat she first won in 2016 and has held since. In November she would expect to win with more than two-thirds of the vote, as she has three times.
But this time, she is expected to lose badly to state legislator Harriet Hageman, who has been leading in the polls – including a University of Wyoming poll published Aug. 12 showing Hageman ahead 30 points.
Trump endorsed Hageman the day she announced way back in September 2021, a swift move that helped to freeze out other Republican rivals who might have divided the anti-Cheney vote.
"We love President Trump here," Hageman says, thanking him for also coming to the state for her. Trump has made good on his vow to oppose the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach him in January 2021 (two have survived their primaries, three have lost and four others did not seek re-election).
Hageman was a strong supporter of the presidential aspirations of Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas in 2016, at the time dismissing Trump as "racist and xenophobic." She now says she was the victim of lies about Trump told by Democrats and Liz Cheney at that time, but now regards him "as the greatest president of my lifetime."
In interviews, Cheney has strongly suggested she has already accepted the verdict of the Wyoming voters but is not ready to end her career. After completing her current term, observers have suggested, she could be the anti-Trump campaigner in a 2024 field of pro-Trump Republicans – quite possibly including Trump himself.
While no data exist to suggest Cheney could still win on Tuesday, her candidacy has prompted an unprecedented outpouring of support from outside the state and from longtime adversaries as well. Led by former Gov. Mike Sullivan, many Wyoming Democrats are expected to switch their party registration (as state law permits on primary day) so as to vote for Cheney. But it's highly unlikely there would be enough of these to make the difference.
There may have been some erosion of Trump support in Wyoming, where he got 70% of the vote twice. But that slippage probably ended when the FBI searched his home at Mar-a-Lago on Aug. 8. Republicans in Wyoming, as elsewhere, closed ranks behind the former president this past week and denounced the search as politically motivated.
After that FBI search, the blood is up in Trump states.
Stymied by a voting system
But even this latest rallying around Trump might not be enough to save Palin.
She has his endorsement, and he dialed in for one of her rallies as recently as the day his home was searched. What's stopping Palin is not her relationship with the former president, it's a voting system.
Alaska has an open primary that lists all candidates together regardless of party. In the first round of the vote there this spring, there were 48 candidates on the ballot. Palin, no surprise, came in first with 27% of the total. She has often complained that she "got the most votes" and should not be subjected to a second round of voter assessment.
But under Alaska's system, Palin must face a second round of voting that includes the top four finishers from the first round. One of the top four in the June vote has dropped out, but Palin is still battling two second-round rivals on Tuesday, including another Republican. He is Nick Begich III, the grandson of the last person to hold this seat before Young. His grandfather was a Democrat who was lost in a plane crash in the Alaska wilderness in 1972; his uncle Mark, also a Democrat, was a one-term U.S. senator.
The third candidate this Tuesday is Mary Peltola, a former state legislator who is a daughter of a Yup'ik Eskimo. A Democrat who has emerged as a factor in her own right, she could even win a plurality of first-place votes on Tuesday. But that would not be the end of the story, because a first-place plurality is not enough.
Alaska has just installed a new ranked-choice system, like the one used in Maine and New York City and elsewhere. It allows each voter to vote for more than one candidate, ranking them by order of preference.
If no one gets over 50% on first count, the two with the most first-place votes proceed to an "instant runoff" — a tally of their respective second-place votes. If a candidate has enough of an advantage in the second tally it can overcome a deficit in the first.
Because third-place votes at this point are be the kiss of death, the contest becomes less a popularity contest than an unpopularity contest. The candidate liked best by some but liked least by too many others is not going to win.
Negatives can weigh heavily
One of the arguments for the ranked-choice system has been that it encourages candidates to be more congenial and supposedly discourages negative campaigning.
But Begich's ads have been tough on Palin. One says "she left Alaska to be a celebrity." A voice in another says "vote smart, not Sarah." It was widely noted that she missed a candidate debate this summer for a fundraiser in Minnesota.
And while she was a charismatic force in the 2008 presidential campaign, she has not faced any voters since quitting midway through her one term as governor in 2009. Some Republicans have still not forgotten how she won that term, challenging an incumbent Republican. A recent poll by Alaska Survey Research showed her to be viewed unfavorably by 60% of Alaskans, far more than either Begich or Peltola.
Surveys have shown voters in other places have found the system reasonably easy to use and like the chance to make more than one choice. Trump, for his part, has weighed in calling the system "crap."
He might be even less enamored of it after it frustrates Palin on Tuesday. She was among the first famous Republicans to support him in his presidential quest, and he was pleased to return the favor.
But he will likely console himself by thinking about Wyoming.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.nprillinois.org/2022-08-14/trumps-name-is-not-on-the-ballot-tuesday-but-his-thumb-rests-heavily-on-the-scale | 2022-08-14 14:38:20 | 0 | https://www.nprillinois.org/2022-08-14/trumps-name-is-not-on-the-ballot-tuesday-but-his-thumb-rests-heavily-on-the-scale |
NEW YORK (AP) — JPMorgan Chase and the rapper formerly known as Kanye West are ending their business relationship, but the breakup is not a result of the controversy over the hip-hop star’s recent antisemitic comments.
The letter ending West’s relationship with JPMorgan was tweeted Wednesday by conservative activist Candice Owens, who has been seen publicly at events with the rapper, who is now legally known as Ye.
While Owens claimed that JPMorgan did not disclose the reason for severing ties, the letter was sent to West on Sept. 20, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to speak about it publicly. The decision was made after Ye publicly said he was going to cut off ties with the bank. JPMorgan is giving West 60 days from the date of the letter to find a new banking relationship.
West told Bloomberg News on Sept 12 that he planned on cutting much of its corporate ties, saying he “It’s time for me to go it alone.” In that interview, he also criticized JPMorgan for not giving Ye access to Jamie Dimon, the bank’s CEO and chairman.
While Ye is wealthy from his hip-hop career, he also controls a popular fashion and shoe line under Yeezy Brands. In that interview with Bloomberg, he said he also planned to cut relationships with his corporate suppliers as well.
Social media giants Twitter and Instagram have blocked Ye’s accounts from posting in recent days due to his antisemitic comments. | https://www.texomashomepage.com/entertainment-news/ap-kanye-west-jpmorgan-banking-breakup-planned-for-weeks/ | 2022-10-14 12:19:45 | 1 | https://www.texomashomepage.com/entertainment-news/ap-kanye-west-jpmorgan-banking-breakup-planned-for-weeks/ |
Parts of Talladega County have been covered in a smoky haze today as a result of a large controlled burn.
Talladega County Emergency Management Agency’s Facebook page warned Thursday afternoon, “Be advised that there are controlled burns all over Talladega County.”
District Ranger Jeff Kincaid said the prescribed burn covered 1,517 acres of in the Lake Howard area, just east of Sylacauga.
“We generally pick burn locations that we can do in one day,” he said. “We can still have smoldering for up to a week after that, or until the next time it rains.”
There were two major reasons for this particular burn, he added.
“FIrst is fuel reduction,” Kincaid said. “But there’s also a wildlife habitat issue, especially regarding the red cockaded woodpecker, which is endangered. We’re trying to help build back their habitat, where they eat and nest and raise their young. When the brush gets too high, they can’t do that and they will go off somewhere else.” | https://www.annistonstar.com/the_daily_home/the-day-s-haze-caused-by-a-controlled-burn/article_4c2c1ca0-c43f-11ed-8255-67540979d441.html | 2023-03-16 22:01:11 | 0 | https://www.annistonstar.com/the_daily_home/the-day-s-haze-caused-by-a-controlled-burn/article_4c2c1ca0-c43f-11ed-8255-67540979d441.html |
SAN DIEGO (AP) — After fighting in Afghanistan, former U.S. Army soldier Mauricio Hernandez Mata returned home with post traumatic stress, which he says eventually led to getting in trouble with the law and getting deported to Mexico, a country he had not lived in since he was a boy.
On Wednesday, he and another deported veteran were sworn in as U.S. citizens at a special naturalization ceremony in San Diego.
The two veterans were among 65 who have been allowed back into the United States over the past year ago as part of a growing effort by the Biden administration called the Immigrant Military Members and Veterans Initiative to make amends with immigrants who served in the U.S. military only to wind up deported. Hundreds of U.S. military veterans have been deported over the years in what immigration advocates and others have called an unfair punishment to those who took up arms in the name of the United States. Many are still struggling to find legal help to return, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.
“After my deportation, yeah, I never thought this day would come,” said Hernandez, 41, dressed in a black suit and tie after being presented his U.S. citizenship certificate. “It’s definitely been a long road. I’m glad that we were given a second chance as anybody that is either American-born or fought for America should have.”
Leonel Contreras, 63, who joined the U.S. Army at the age of 17 and served for a year in 1976, also was sworn in at the ceremony.
“I feel very blessed,” said Contreras, who was allowed back into the United States about four months ago. “I feel very happy to be back on American soil.”
Both men spent the past decade living in the border city of Tijuana.
Contreras was whisked away by U.S. immigration authorities who walked into the barbershop where he worked in National City, south of San Diego, placed into immigration detention and deported. His life forever changed.
He continued to work in Tijuana as a barber and found work because of his English at call centers helping answer questions from customers of U.S. companies. But it was not easy.
During that time his two sons grew up, and he now is a grandfather. With his U.S. citizenship in hand, he said he is not looking back.
“I just want to go to all the places I’ve dreamed of seeing, like the Grand Canyon and possibly Mount Rushmore,” he said.
Hernandez said his deportation came after unspecified “irreverent actions and mistakes I made due to my PTSD.” He declined to give more details. But he said after he was allowed back into the country a year ago, he was determined to get his U.S. citizenship to be able to go to the grocery store and not feel “terrified” of being picked up and sent back to Mexico.
His 7-year-old daughter hugged him after he was sworn in amid cheers from a crowd that included more than a dozen veterans from various branches. Then he turned and kissed his wife.
“I’ve always been an American, the difference is now I’m an American citizen and I have all the rights that any American born citizen has,” Hernandez said. “And it was important to me to have those rights just to prove the point, the point being that anybody that’s willing to lay down their life, their sanity, and give everything that they hold dear for American freedom should be eventually at one point in their lives considered a U.S. citizen.” | https://www.wfla.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-2-us-army-veterans-deported-to-mexico-win-us-citizenship/ | 2023-02-09 12:35:19 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-2-us-army-veterans-deported-to-mexico-win-us-citizenship/ |
FINDLAY, Ohio, July 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The board of directors of Marathon Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: MPC) has declared a dividend of $0.58 per share on common stock. The dividend is payable Sept. 12, 2022, to shareholders of record as of the close of business Aug. 17, 2022.
About Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) is a leading, integrated, downstream energy company headquartered in Findlay, Ohio. The company operates the nation's largest refining system. MPC's marketing system includes branded locations across the United States, including Marathon brand retail outlets. MPC also owns the general partner and majority limited partner interest in MPLX LP, a midstream company that owns and operates gathering, processing, and fractionation assets, as well as crude oil and light product transportation and logistics infrastructure. More information is available at www.marathonpetroleum.com.
Investor Relations Contacts: (419) 421-2071
Kristina Kazarian, Vice President
Brian Worthington, Manager
Kenan Kinsey, Analyst
Media Contact: (419) 421-3312
Jamal Kheiry, Communications Manager
View original content:
SOURCE Marathon Petroleum Corporation | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2022/07/27/marathon-petroleum-corp-announces-quarterly-dividend/ | 2022-07-27 22:06:49 | 1 | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2022/07/27/marathon-petroleum-corp-announces-quarterly-dividend/ |
Which blinds are best?
Keeping your home feeling calm and cool, especially in the summer heat, doesn’t have to come at a high cost. Blinds are an economical, aesthetically pleasing way to maintain a stable temperature in your home and block out any unwanted light. For simple, chic blinds that will help keep your space cool and shady, the GoDear Extendable Four-Rail Track Vertical Blind is the best.
What to know before you buy blinds
Cost-effective temperature control
Unlike paying for the electricity and upkeep of fans or air conditioning, blinds are a one-time purchase that, with the proper care, can last you a lifetime of light and temperature protection without any maintenance or usage costs. Simply hang a blind in front of a window and you’ll instantly notice a shift in temperature. Similarly, curtains are an effective long-term investment to block out light and add pizzazz to your space.
Light control
Besides providing temperature maintenance, blinds help block out unwanted light, helping you sleep in during the morning or avoid distracting light pollution at night. The level of light protection depends on the type of material used and the thickness of the blind.
Roller blinds vs. hanging sheet blinds
Blinds come in two main styles. Depending on your space or preference, one may work better for you than the other.
- Roller blinds can be adjusted up or down with a cord.
- Hanging sheet blinds close horizontally.
What to look for in quality blinds
Material
Some of the most common materials used for blinds are woven fabric, bamboo, polyester and metal.
- Bamboo and other reed materials are a great bet for an earthy look and homeowners find them easy to keep clean.
- Woven fabrics offer a light, summery look and are easier to clean, but fall on the expensive side of the price scale.
- Polyester blinds, on the other hand tend, to be more affordable and offer a clean modern look. They’re lightweight and typically easy to install.
- Metal blinds (usually aluminum) offer sturdy, durable sun protection. They require little maintenance, though it’s best you limit their contact with moisture and humidity to prevent rust. They can be noisy when they shake or collide with other objects in the room.
Day and night mode
Some blinds can be shifted from day mode (allowing light to pass through) to night mode (closed so that light is kept out). Typically, these are designed with roller mechanics, so hanging woven fabric blinds don’t offer this feature.
Measurements
Having the proper measurements on hand for your space is the trickiest part of installing blinds, since you’ll want them to be as close to your desired dimensions as possible. That said, some are adjustable or trimmable, meaning even if you can’t find a blind with your exact measurements, you may be able to mend it to your needs.
How much you can expect to spend on blinds
Depending on the construction, material and maker, blinds cost about $20-$200. Typically, polyester and plastic constructions cost less ($20-$50), whereas wood, metal or fabric cost more ($60-$200).
Blinds FAQ
I accidentally bought blinds that are too long for my room. What should I do?
A. Although most vendors will let you return your blinds if they don’t work for your space, some blinds are trimmable — that is, the manufacturers have designed them so you can easily cut and fix the length of your blind to fit your room. However, if your blind isn’t long enough, there isn’t much you can do besides return it.
I like to keep my windows open. Can I keep them open with blinds?
A. Of course! Doing so allows fresh air into your home, which is always nice. Just remember that blinds are not designed to keep out rain or insects. And some blinds cannot withstand much wind — they may be damaged if exposed to the elements.
Will my blinds help with noise prevention?
Having blinds up in front of a window may help dampen outdoor sounds — anything is better than nothing. But they are typically too thin to give you the sort of soundproofing you might need in a loud area.
What are the best blinds to buy?
Top blinds
GoDear Extendable Four-Rail Track Vertical Blind
What you need to know: With its sleek sliding mechanism and breezy woven texture, this stylish cordless blind makes a foolproof fit for any home as either a window mount or a room divider.
What you’ll love: This multipurpose blind works just as well to partition rooms as it does to cover your windows. It fits many shapes of windows and doors with its extendable design and offers reliable shade and temperature moderation. It’s trimmable to adjust to any space. There are six colors and patterns, letting you customize your room.
What you should consider: Trying to layer multiple panels leaves them looking asymmetrical.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Wayfair
Top blinds for the money
Radiance Cord-Free Roll-Up Reed Shade
What you need to know: Simple to install and devilishly sleek, this bamboo reed shade is a steal for its price.
What you’ll love: The mounted roll-up structure helps hold your blind in place while giving you the flexibility to lower and raise it with ease. Bamboo resists stains and blocks ultraviolet rays. It comes in three sizes and two colors.
What you should consider: This blind can’t handle exposure to powerful winds, so keep that in mind if you plan to leave your windows open often.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
ShadesU Dual Layer Zebra Roller Sheer Shades
What you need to know: With multiple shade settings and color options, this versatile blind provides you with as much or as little light protection as you need.
What you’ll love: You can alternate this polyester blind between day or night mode, toggling the amount of light you’d like at any given moment. Its chic modern style is appealing and comes in four colors, so you can pick the best shade for your room’s palette.
What you should consider: The pull strings are made from a cheap-feeling plastic that may be off-putting to some buyers. It would not be the best option for those looking for a natural feel.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Micayla Mead 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.texomashomepage.com/reviews/best-blinds/ | 2022-06-14 20:59:34 | 0 | https://www.texomashomepage.com/reviews/best-blinds/ |
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Rail unions want railroads to take some of the billions they’re using every year to buy back their stock and spend it to improve safety in the wake of several high-profile derailments and hire more workers.
The 12 unions that represent all of the more than 100,000 workers across the industry said Friday that collectively the six biggest freight railroads spent over $165 billion on buybacks — well above the $119 billion they spent on upgrading and maintaining their track and equipment between 2015 and last year. At the same time, their safety record worsened as they cut costs and eliminated nearly one-third of all rail jobs.
“I think it has become increasingly apparent that the priorities of the railroads are out of whack,” said Greg Regan, president of the AFL-CIO’s Transportation Trades Department coalition that includes all the rail unions.
The fiery Feb. 3 derailment of a Norfolk Southern train that led to evacuations and health fears near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border, combined with a string of other derailments since then, triggered rising concerns about railroad safety and an host of reform proposals from Congress and regulators.
Unions say the recent derailments and the problems railroads have had keeping up with shipping demand highlight their concerns about how overwhelmed workers have become after extensive job cuts. They say inspections are being rushed with workers getting maybe a minute to check out each rail car and preventative maintenance may be neglected.
Railroads defend their safety record and insist that cost cuts haven’t made their operations riskier.
Safety data from the Federal Railroad Administration does show that the rate of accidents per every million miles freight trains travel increased to 16.695 from 15.572 over the past decade even though the total number of incidents declined as the railroads hauled less freight on fewer, longer trains. The rate of accidents inside railyards also worsened from 11.044 in 2013 to 15.517 last year.
Regulators say the accident rate hasn’t worsened enough to show the new operating model the industry adopted over the past six years is unsafe. And the Association of American Railroads trade group has said railroads have a strong safety record overall, and they remain the safest option to transport hazardous chemicals across land routes. The railroads also say the large amount they spend on capital investments — which averages to more than 18% of their revenue — reflects their commitment to maintaining safe networks.
“Any suggestion that railroads fail to invest appropriately, and that this in turn is related to a negative safety record, is categorically false,” AAR spokesman Ted Greener said.
Union Pacific CEO Lance Fritz defended his railroad’s spending.
“The first dollar we generate and spend goes to either the employees or our railroad,” Fritz said. “We have a great track record in terms of investment in the railroad and it’s actually in some of the best condition I’ve ever seen it and it’s ever been in. So I think we’ve got the amount of capital being deployed to safety and the spending on safety right.”
Business experts say there’s nothing inherently wrong with stock buybacks even though they have become a popular political target of Democrats who say the repurchases tend to widen inequality between wealthy investors, railroad executives and workers. The government imposed a 1% tax on buybacks at the start of the year and President Joe Biden has talked about quadrupling that.
Buybacks reward shareholders by reducing the number of shares and making the remaining ones more valuable. Many investors prefer them over dividends because of the tax advantages. Dividends are treated as ordinary income and taxed at up to 37%. If buybacks boost a stock’s value, investors who hold the shares long enough pay a lower capital-gains tax on the profit when they sell — no more than 20%.
And investors expect to be compensated for putting their money into a company, said Charles Elson, who founded a corporate governance center at the University of Delaware.
“You have to return capital to your investors or no one invests — particularly a capital intensive business like a railroad,” Elson said.
Buybacks aren’t without drawbacks. They do make stock options more valuable, enriching executives, and Elson said companies could wind up wasting money if they overpay for their stock.
But railroads aren’t likely to abandon buybacks. Billionaire investor Warren Buffett, whose Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate owns BNSF railroad, has said stock repurchases benefit all investors equally as long as companies buy the shares when they aren’t overpriced.
“When you are told that all repurchases are harmful to shareholders or to the country, or particularly beneficial to CEOs, you are listening to either an economic illiterate or a silver-tongued demagogue (characters that are not mutually exclusive),” Buffett wrote in his shareholder letter.
The railroad anti-buyback campaign follows similar efforts by airline unions last year. The rail unions say even if railroads do continue to buy back shares, they should do it at a much lower level and invest more in safety and their employees.
Leo McCann, president of the American Train Dispatchers Association, said the railroads are putting investors first while cutting corners on things like training and refusing to listen to worker concerns about safety.
“There’s little or no investment in the workers. It’s all about how much money you can make for Wall Street,” McCann said.
The railroads’ spending decisions have also contributed to low morale among workers after last year’s bruising contract fight that nearly ended in a strike after the railroads refused to consider adding paid sick time. Since the start of the year, railroads have eased that stance and agreed to provide sick time to a number of their unions but workers still generally don’t feel very appreciated.
Dean Devita, president of the National Conference of Firemen & Oilers union, said it’s troubling that the railroads seem to make all their business decisions based on financial — not safety — concerns.
“You want to make money, that’s fine,” Devita said. “We want the railroads to be profitable. We want them to make money. But when you get to that point where now it’s greed — and that’s what Wall Street could do with these hedge funds — that kills. Greed will kill you.” | https://fox59.com/business/ap-business/unions-say-rails-should-forgo-buybacks-and-spend-on-safety/ | 2023-04-22 03:30:13 | 0 | https://fox59.com/business/ap-business/unions-say-rails-should-forgo-buybacks-and-spend-on-safety/ |
LIMA, Peru, Jan. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ – Scotiabank Perú S.A.A. ("Scotiabank Perú" or the "Company") (Lima Stock Exchange: SCOTIAC1) announced today the settlement of its previously announced tender offer for cash (the "Tender Offer") for any and all of its outstanding 4.50% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2027 (CUSIP Nos.80928H AA1 and P8542T AP2) (the "Notes"), which expired on January 10, 2023, at 5:00 p.m., New York City time (the "Expiration Time"). As of the Expiration Time, a total aggregate principal amount of $108,003,000 Notes was tendered and accepted for purchase. No Notices of Guaranteed Delivery (as defined below) were delivered in connection with tender of Notes, at or prior to the Expiration Time.
The Tender Offer was made pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the offer to purchase, dated January 3, 2023 (the "Offer to Purchase") and the related notice of guaranteed delivery (the "Notice of Guaranteed Delivery" and, together with the Offer to Purchase, the "Offer Documents").
In addition to the Consideration, holders of Notes accepted for payment received accrued and unpaid interest from and including the last interest payment date for the Notes to, but not including, the Settlement Date (as defined in the Offer to Purchase). Any additional amounts due in respect of any such accrued and unpaid interest were grossed up, as applicable, pursuant to the terms of the indenture.
Scotiabank Perú engaged Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. as the Dealer Manager for the Tender Offer. Persons with questions regarding the Tender Offer should contact Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. at (800) 372-3930 (Toll-Free) or (212) 225-5559 (Collect).
The complete terms and conditions of the Tender Offer are described in the Offer Documents, copies of which are available at the following web address: https://www.gbsc-usa.com/scotiaperu/, or may also be obtained from Global Bondholder Services Corporation ("GBSC"), the Information and Tender Agent for the Tender Offer, by contacting GBSC at 855-654-2014 (Toll-Fee) or (212) 430-3774 (Banks and Brokers).
The Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or applicable state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States without registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. The Notes were offered only to qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act and to persons outside the United States pursuant to Regulation S of the Securities Act. Unless so registered, the Notes may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an exemption under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Notes or any security, nor will there be any sale of the Notes or any such security in any jurisdiction in which such offer, sale or solicitation would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.
Scotiabank Perú is a full-service Peruvian bank providing a wide range of financial services and products tailored to the specific needs of its customers. Scotiabank Perú's operations can be broadly divided into two main business segments: (1) Retail Banking, which includes Preferred Banking, Personal and Standard Banking and Small Business Banking, and (2) Wholesale Banking, which includes Corporate Banking, Commercial Banking, Institutional Banking, Corporate Finance, Credit Solutions, Global Transaction Banking and Market & Economic Studies.
Certain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements represent Scotiabank Perú's expectations or beliefs concerning future events, and it is possible that the results described in this press release will not be achieved. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of Scotiabank Perú's control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, and, except as required by law, Scotiabank Perú does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or revise any forward–looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law. New factors emerge from time to time and it is not possible for management to predict all such factors.
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SOURCE Scotiabank Perú S.A.A. | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2023/01/13/scotiabank-per-announces-settlement-tender-offer-cash-any-all-its-450-fixed-to-floating-rate-subordinated-notes-due-2027/ | 2023-01-13 17:23:36 | 1 | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2023/01/13/scotiabank-per-announces-settlement-tender-offer-cash-any-all-its-450-fixed-to-floating-rate-subordinated-notes-due-2027/ |
Limited Exclusion Order would bar Apple from importing infringing Apple Watches
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Dec. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AliveCor, the global leader in FDA-cleared personal electrocardiogram (ECG) technology, today announced that the International Trade Commission (ITC) has issued its Final Determination ruling that Apple Watch infringed AliveCor's patented technology. The ITC issued a Limited Exclusion Order (LEO), a cease and desist order and set a bond in the amount of $2.00 per unit of infringing Apple Watches imported or sold during the Presidential review period, potentially impacting sales of millions of infringing Apple Watches.
The ITC has suspended enforcement of its orders pending resolution of AliveCor's appeal of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Patent Trial and Appeal Board's ("PTAB") decision finding the asserted patents unpatentable. Today's ruling marks a victory for AliveCor and affirms the Initial Determination issued in June by Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) Cameron Elliot of the ITC. The Final Determination will now undergo a 60-day review by President Biden.
In addition to fighting Apple on patent infringement in the ITC, AliveCor continues to seek relief in the Northern District of California from Apple's anticompetitive behavior. That case is expected to go to trial in early 2024.
"Today's ITC ruling is a win for innovation and consumer choice," said Priya Abani, CEO of AliveCor. "The ruling underscores the importance of upholding intellectual property rights for companies like AliveCor and scores of others whose innovations are at risk of being suppressed by a Goliath like Apple. We look forward to continuing to build and innovate on our cardiac solutions to improve people's lives."
AliveCor has introduced a series of game-changing innovations in AI-powered cardiac care, including the first-ever FDA-cleared wireless, patchless, six-lead ECG sensor, the first and only personal ECGs to detect six of the most common arrhythmias, and the first FDA-cleared credit-card-sized personal ECG. With more than 170 patents issued and pending worldwide, AliveCor continues to protect its strong portfolio of innovations in accordance with established patent law.
AliveCor, Inc. is transforming cardiological care using deep learning. The FDA-cleared KardiaMobile device is the most clinically-validated personal ECG solution in the world. KardiaMobile 6L provides instant detection of Atrial Fibrillation, Bradycardia, Tachycardia, Sinus Rhythm with Supraventricular Ectopy, Sinus Rhythm with Premature Ventricular Contractions, Sinus Rhythm with Wide QRS, and Normal Sinus Rhythm in an ECG. Kardia is the first AI-enabled platform to aid patients and clinicians in the efficient detection of atrial fibrillation, the most common arrhythmia and one associated with a highly-elevated risk of stroke. AliveCor's enterprise platform allows third-party providers to manage their patients' and customers' heart conditions simply using state-of-the-art tools that provide easy front-end and back-end integration to AliveCor technologies. AliveCor protects its customers with stringent data security and compliance practices, achieving ISO 27001 Certification, SOC 2 Type 2 Certification and HIPAA compliance attestation. AliveCor is a privately-held company headquartered in Mountain View, Calif. "Consumer" or "Personal" ECGs are ECG devices available for direct sale to consumers. For more information, visit alivecor.com.
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SOURCE AliveCor, Inc. | https://www.weau.com/prnewswire/2022/12/23/itc-rules-apple-violated-alivecors-patents/ | 2022-12-23 02:43:33 | 1 | https://www.weau.com/prnewswire/2022/12/23/itc-rules-apple-violated-alivecors-patents/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection systemically made the case in its second hearing Monday that several of Trump’s advisers warned him against making false claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election that he lost. But the president would not listen.
The nine-member panel is trying to make the case that Trump, and those allies who helped him, were deliberately lying as he pushed those election falsehoods in the weeks ahead of the violent insurrection. The rioters who broke into the Capitol that day and interrupted the certification of President Joe Biden’s victory were echoing Trump’s lies that he, not Biden, had rightfully won the election.
Takeaways from Monday’s hearing:
TRUMP’S ‘MIND WAS MADE UP’
In a series of video clips from the committee’s closed-door interviews, several of Trump’s advisers testified that they told him repeatedly he should not declare that there was widespread election fraud — and that those claims were false. But Trump increasingly relied on wild theories that were pushed by Trump lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell, among others, according to the testimony.
In one clip, Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien told investigators that Giuliani was urging Trump to declare victory on election night, despite warnings from Stepien and others that it was “way too early” to make a prediction like that. Stepien was scheduled to testify in person on Monday, but pulled out at the last minute because his wife was in labor, according to his attorney. The panel showed clips of his closed-door interview instead.
Despite the aides’ efforts, Trump went to the podium in the White House press room on election night and said that the early results were “a fraud on the American public” and that “frankly, we did win this election.”
The panel showed video from Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump, her husband, Jared Kushner, and campaign aide Jason Miller. Ivanka Trump told the panel that “it was clear” the election wouldn’t be called on election night, and Kushner said he had told Trump at one point that Giuliani’s advice was “not the approach I would take.” Trump responded that he had confidence in Giuliani, Kushner said.
Miller said that Trump told a room of advisers that anyone who didn’t agree with Giuliani was being “weak.”
The committee has not released any of the full interviews with the Trump advisers or other witnesses.
BLUNT TALK FROM BARR
Former Attorney General William Barr told the committee in a closed-door interview that the president was increasingly becoming “detached from reality” after the election.
The committee aired video from interviews with Barr in which he detailed his conversations with Trump before and after his Dec. 1 declaration to The Associated Press that there was no evidence of widespread fraud in the election. Barr gave Trump detailed explanations for why some of his theories were false.
“I told him that it was it was crazy stuff and they were wasting their time, and it was doing a grave, grave disservice to the country,” Barr told the panel.
Barr said that White House chief of staff Mark Meadows assured him that Trump was “becoming more realistic” and that Kushner had told him: “We’re working on it.”
DEBUNKING FRAUD IN THE STATES
The committee heard in-person testimony from former U.S. attorney BJay Pak, who resigned as Trump pressured Georgia officials to overturn Biden’s win in the state, and Philadelphia City Commissioner Al Schmidt, the only Republican on the city’s election board.
Pak testified that Giuliani misrepresented uncounted ballots in Fulton County, Georgia, in the weeks following the 2020 election. “The allegations made by Mr. Giuliani were false,” Pak told the panel.
Schmidt said city officials investigated Trump’s “fantastical” claims to the fullest extent, but the results did not yield into any substantial voter fraud.
A MONTHSLONG CAMPAIGN
Trump’s claims of fraud started well before election day. The committee showed clips where Trump previewed his strategy in speeches throughout his 2020 campaign. In August of that year, he told an audience that fraud was the only way he would lose.
Stepien told the committee that he and House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy had met with Trump in the summer of 2020 and made a two-pronged case for why he should stop criticizing mail-in voting, which was widely used because of the pandemic. He and McCarthy told Trump that he was leaving “a lot to chance” and that there were GOP party workers on the ground who could help get mail-in votes for Trump.
McCarthy, who has declined to cooperate with the Jan. 6 panel despite a subpoena, was “echoing the same argument,” Stepien said.
“But the president’s mind was made up,” Stepien said.
THE ‘RED MIRAGE’
Chris Stirewalt, a former political editor for Fox News Channel, made the election night call that President Joe Biden had won Arizona — a moment that prompted “anger and disappointment” in Trump’s inner sanctum at the White House, Miller said.
Testifying in person at the hearing, Stirewalt explained that the network, along with others, had expected that there would be a so-called “red mirage” at the beginning of the evening as in-person Republican votes came in, and many of the mail-in votes that would be counted later on would lean Democratic. He noted it happens every election.
Trump had not only exploited that pattern to make false claims of fraud, but contributed to it in his campaign to call mail-in voting into question.
“We had gone to pains, and I’m proud of the pains, we went to, to make sure that we were informing viewers that this was going to happen because the Trump campaign and the president had made it clear that they were going to try to exploit this anomaly,” Stirewalt said.
‘THE BIG RIPOFF’
Members of the committee and an investigative counsel detailed how Trump and his allies raised hundreds of millions off of Trump’s false claims after the election. An “election defense fund” to contest the outcome actually ended up retiring debt, replenishing the RNC and starting the massive campaign war chest that Trump now has.
Much of that money went to the newly-created Save America PAC, not election-related litigation, an investigative counsel said in a video produced by the committee and aired at the hearing. The panel detailed how some of the dollars went to entities that directly benefitted Trump’s family and friends.
Trump campaign aide Gary Coby told the panel in a clip of a video interview that emails to small-dollar donors asking them to donate to the “official election defense fund” was a “marketing tactic.” The panel did not air his full interview.
“Not only was there the Big Lie, there was the Big Ripoff,” said Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif.
THE END RESULT
To close the hearing, the committee aired video of Trump’s supporters in Washington airing the false claims of fraud on Jan. 6.
They all appeared certain that the election was stolen. Two of them repeated Powell’s false assertions about voting machines that changed the results, claims that Barr had debunked weeks earlier.
“I don’t want to say what we’re doing is right, but if the election is being stolen, what is it going to take?” asked one rioter.
___
Associated Press writer Brian Slodysko contributed to this report.
___
For full coverage of the Jan. 6 hearings, go to https://www.apnews.com/capitol-siege. | https://phl17.com/national-news/takeaways-trumps-mind-made-up-the-giuliani-factor/ | 2022-06-13 20:40:29 | 0 | https://phl17.com/national-news/takeaways-trumps-mind-made-up-the-giuliani-factor/ |
How your child reacts to your pet’s death will depend on their age and developmental level. When children display emotions like sadness, it’s important to validate them.
During my own childhood, I remember when a pet died, my well-meaning mother told me I shouldn’t dwell on being sad. It’s natural to want to protect your child from unpleasant emotions. But letting children experience them helps them build coping skills for the future.
Here’s what you can do to help your child deal with the loss of a pet.
Explain your own sadness.
If your emotion isn’t obvious, this may confuse your child. It’s OK to let them see you cry. Keep in mind, though, that not all children — whatever their age — express their grief through sadness. Anger is also a common way to express grief. Understanding this is important so you can help them learn to work through it.
Remember, grief-related emotions can come and go, sometimes without warning. It may take longer than you thought for your child to get through this period. Be sure to let your pediatrician know if your child is having more serious symptoms such as sleep disturbances, anxiety or depression.
Be prepared for questions.
Children may ask about death and what happens after we die. While the specifics of your answer will depend on your family’s beliefs, this is a sign your child wants to talk about it. If they don’t bring up questions, especially when you’ve given them opportunities, it’s possible your child might not want to discuss it. Follow their lead.
Create some type of small memorial or ritual.
This can really help your child with the process of saying goodbye after the loss of a pet. The memorial could involve scattering ashes, creating a memorial collage or planting a tree in the pet’s memory. Your child might find this uncomfortable, so try suggesting it gently and follow their wishes.
How to talk with your child about a pet’s death: advice by age
What your child understands about death will depend on their age. Here’s what you can expect, along with age-appropriate books to help your child understand and cope with losing your family’s pet.
Toddlers
Toddlers have a difficult time understanding death. They might ask over and over where the pet is. They may even seem unconcerned by your pet’s death. Don’t be worried about this — they’re not being insensitive or uncaring. At this stage, they simply don’t understand the meaning of death.
Recommended reading for toddlers:
— “Something Very Sad Happened: A Toddler’s Guide to Understanding Death” by Bonnie Zucker
— “Bear Island” by Matthew Cordell
— “Up in Heaven” by Emma Chichester Clark
Preschoolers
Like toddlers, younger preschoolers may have difficulty with the concept of death. Older preschoolers may start to have a deeper understanding.
Recommended reading for preschoolers:
— “Goodbye Mousie” by Robie H. Harris
— “The Forever Dog” by Bill Cochran
— “The Old Dog” by Charlotte Zolotow
— “Goodbye, Brecken” by David Lupton
— “Alfie and the Birthday Surprise” by Shirley Hughes
— “The Goodbye Book” by Todd Parr
Grade schoolers
At this age, kids are much more able to understand death. If your pet is going to die soon due to old age or illness, this is a good age to prepare your child ahead of time. (See “Parent FAQs about the loss of a family pet,” below, for more information.)
Recommended reading for grade schoolers:
— “Love That Dog: A Novel” by Sharon Creech
— “Grandmother Bryant’s Pocket” by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
— “Kate, the Ghost Dog: Coping With the Death of a Pet” by Wayne L. Wilson
— “Memories of You” by Erainna Winnett
— “Jasper’s Day” by Marjorie Blain Parker
— “The Tenth Good Thing About Barney” by Judith Viorst
Teens
Most teenagers are able to understand abstract concepts like death. Be prepared, though — as with anything, their reaction to grief can span the range of human emotions.
Books on grief and loss for teens tend to be less focused on pets, but they often discuss death in general. Teens’ different tastes in types of books — for instance, preferring fiction to nonfiction, or realism to fantasy — can make general reading recommendations challenging too.
Here are some recommendations for nonfiction books about grief. These might also help you understand how to best help your grieving teen.
Recommended reading for teens:
— “The Grieving Teen: A Guide for Teenagers and Their Friends” by Helen Fitzgerald
— “Healing Your Grieving Heart for Teens” by Alan D. Wolfelt
— “Saying Goodbye When You Don’t Want To” by Martha Bolton
— “Straight Talk About Death for Teenagers” by Earl Grollman
More information is available at HealthyChildren.org.
—
ABOUT THE WRITER:
Dipesh Navsaria, MPH, MSLIS, MD, FAAP, is Chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Early Childhood. He is a professor of Pediatrics and of Human Development & Family Studies at the School of Medicine & Public Health and the School of Human Ecology, at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He has practiced primary care pediatrics in a variety of settings and is the founding medical director of Reach Out and Read Wisconsin and was appointed by the White House to the National Museum and Library Services Board. Dr. Navsaria regularly writes op-eds on health-related topics; participates in radio and television interviews; hosts two podcasts, and frequently speaks locally, regionally, and nationally on early brain and child development, early literacy, and advocacy to a broad variety of audiences. Follow him on Twitter @navsaria, Facebook, and visit his website.
©2023 Tribune Content Agency, LLC. | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/13/ask-the-pediatrician-when-a-pet-dies-how-do-i-help-my-child-cope/ | 2023-07-14 16:49:50 | 1 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/07/13/ask-the-pediatrician-when-a-pet-dies-how-do-i-help-my-child-cope/ |
NAACP leader defends living in Florida despite org's travel warning: 'We haven't told anybody to leave'
The organization issued a travel advisory for Black Americans in response to Gov. DeSantis' policies
NAACP board of directors chairman Leon W. Russell pushed back against criticism for his organization's travel advisory for Black people in the state of Florida while he himself lives in the Tampa Bay area.
Appearing on MSNBC’s "The ReidOut," Russell discussed the recent backlash over the NAACP warning Black people against traveling to Florida following "Governor Ron DeSantis' aggressive attempts to erase Black history."
"Florida is openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals," the NAACP Board of Directors' formal travel notice read. "Before traveling to Florida, please understand that the state of Florida devalues and marginalizes the contributions of, and the challenges faced by African Americans and other communities of color."
Florida Republican Party chairman Christian Ziegler pointed out that Russell’s Twitter account shows that he currently lives in the Tampa Bay area.
NAACP ISSUES TRAVEL ADVISORY FOR FLORIDA EVEN THOUGH BOARD CHAIRMAN LIVES IN STATE
Ziegler commented on the apparent hypocrisy and offered to pay for Russell to leave the state:
"The CHAIRMAN of the @NAACP lives in Tampa, FLORIDA! True leadership is being willing to do what you ask others to do… time to step up and MOVE. If you think our state is so bad, the @FloridaGOP will help with moving costs."
Russell pushed back on "The ReidOut," stating that Ziegler was full of "bull----."
"First of all, he is full of bull----. Secondly, you need to understand it’s not about money, it’s about people, it’s about humanity. Thirdly, quite frankly, we haven’t told anybody to leave. In fact, the NAACP is encouraging folks to stay here and fight. If there was ever a reason to stand your ground, it’s Black people, LGBT community, the immigrant community, women, need to stand our ground in Florida and fight, and understand that that fight is a political fight."
He continued, "It’s time to look at policymakers, to see what they are doing, to remember what they’re doing, what the city council, school board, county commission level, or whether they are running for the highest office in the land. It’s time for us to understand what their record is and how they’ve operated."
Russell had previously given a statement attacking DeSantis with the travel advisory warning.
"Once again, hate-inspired state leaders have chosen to put politics over people. Governor Ron DeSantis and the state of Florida have engaged in a blatant war against principles of diversity and inclusion and rejected our shared identities to appeal to a dangerous, extremist minority," Russell said in the press release.
NAACP ISSUES TRAVEL ADVISORY FOR BLACK AMERICANS TRAVELING TO DESANTIS’ FLORIDA: ‘OPENLY HOSTILE’
He continued, "We will not allow our rights and history to be held hostage for political grandstanding. The NAACP proudly fights against the malicious attacks in Florida, against Black Americans. I encourage my fellow Floridians to join in this fight to protect ourselves and our democracy."
In a statement to Fox News Digital, DeSantis press secretary Jeremy Redfern criticized the advisory saying, "As Governor DeSantis announced last week, Florida is seeing record-breaking tourism. This is nothing more than a stunt."
The NAACP originally floated the possibility of putting out a travel advisory back in March. At the time, DeSantis referred to it as a "joke" and a stunt.
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"This is a stunt to try to do that," DeSantis said then. "It’s a pure stunt. And fine, if you want to waste your time on a stunt, that’s fine. But I’m not wasting my time on your stunts. I’m going to make sure that we’re getting things done here." | https://www.foxnews.com/media/naacp-leader-defends-living-florida-despite-orgs-travel-warning-havent-told-anybody-leave | 2023-05-23 09:14:34 | 0 | https://www.foxnews.com/media/naacp-leader-defends-living-florida-despite-orgs-travel-warning-havent-told-anybody-leave |
NPR's Juana Summers talks with Jade Kearney, CEO and cofounder of She Matters, a digital platform aimed at addressing disparities in postpartum healthcare for Black mothers.
Copyright 2022 NPR
NPR's Juana Summers talks with Jade Kearney, CEO and cofounder of She Matters, a digital platform aimed at addressing disparities in postpartum healthcare for Black mothers.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.mainepublic.org/2022-08-16/postpartum-care-falls-short-for-black-women-one-mother-is-trying-to-fix-that | 2022-08-16 21:33:47 | 0 | https://www.mainepublic.org/2022-08-16/postpartum-care-falls-short-for-black-women-one-mother-is-trying-to-fix-that |
The Magnificent Ambersons has been called Orson Welles' "lost masterpiece." The studio cut more than 40 minutes from the movie, but a filmmaker has used animation to recreate lost footage.
Copyright 2023 NPR
The Magnificent Ambersons has been called Orson Welles' "lost masterpiece." The studio cut more than 40 minutes from the movie, but a filmmaker has used animation to recreate lost footage.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.wboi.org/2023-07-05/a-fan-is-reviving-orson-welles-poorly-edited-lost-masterpiece-through-animation | 2023-07-05 22:21:17 | 0 | https://www.wboi.org/2023-07-05/a-fan-is-reviving-orson-welles-poorly-edited-lost-masterpiece-through-animation |
Pixar's new movie "Elemental" is directed and co-written by Peter Sohn. It is partly an homage to his childhood growing up in a Korean family in the Bronx.
Copyright 2023 NPR
Pixar's new movie "Elemental" is directed and co-written by Peter Sohn. It is partly an homage to his childhood growing up in a Korean family in the Bronx.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.nprillinois.org/2023-06-18/elemental-director-draws-inspiration-from-his-childhood | 2023-06-18 14:09:24 | 1 | https://www.nprillinois.org/2023-06-18/elemental-director-draws-inspiration-from-his-childhood |
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy outlined a proposal to lift the nation's credit limit for one year in exchange for significant spending cuts and GOP policy changes to federal assistance programs, as negotiations between McCarthy and President Biden on the issue remain stalled.
"Without exaggeration, American debt is a ticking time bomb that will detonate unless we take serious, responsible action," McCarthy warned in a speech at the New York Stock Exchange on Monday.
McCarthy and Biden have had only one major discussion about the debt limit, on Feb. 1. The president and Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill insist that Congress should pass a clean bill to raise the debt ceiling without demands that they warn could lead to a catastrophic and historic default. The Treasury Department has said the country will run out of money to pay its bills sometime this summer.
Biden for weeks has said House Republicans should present a budget proposal before he agrees to another meeting with McCarthy to negotiate any compromise. He also says any debate on federal spending should take place around the debate this fall on spending bills, not around a measure to increase the debt ceiling.
The speaker complained about the president's posture, saying "enough is enough" and vowing House Republicans would act on their own. He added, "This is not how the leader of the free world should act. Your partisan political games are provoking the very crisis you claim you want to avoid: greater dependency on China, increasing inflation, and threatening Medicare and Social Security."
But it's unclear McCarthy can maneuver a debt bill through the House with such a thin majority. Some moderates may be reluctant to back provisions that add work requirements to federal assistance programs like food stamps. McCarthy acknowledged his rough path to obtaining the votes to be elected speaker 100 days ago in his speech on Monday. One of the demands from conservatives who initially withheld their support from McCarthy was that the House would not vote on a stand-alone measure to lift the debt limit. Fiscal conservatives also wanted a plan to balance the budget within 10 years, but House Republicans are still negotiating amongst themselves on a budget blueprint, and McCarthy has decided to instead roll out a debt proposal in the hopes he can force the president to the negotiating table.
The speaker repeated a claim he makes often: that Democrats are to blame for the trillions in federal debt. But spending policies and tax proposals from both Republican and Democratic administrations over decades contributed to the current national debt level.
House GOP debt limit proposal
The speaker said Monday that a "no-strings-attached debt limit cannot pass" and noted that as a senator, Biden backed attaching spending reforms to legislation to lift the debt ceiling.
McCarthy, R-Calif., said the House would vote "in the coming weeks" on a bill that would raise the debt limit into an unspecified date in 2024, reduce federal spending levels to those in place in 2022, and limit the growth of spending over the next 10 years to 1% annually. He pledged the GOP bill would do this "without touching Social Security and Medicare" and ensured that veterans would be taken care of.
McCarthy also said the bill would claw back unspent federal funds earmarked to respond to the pandemic, now that the president signed Republican legislation ending the federal emergency to the public health crisis.
House Republicans also plan to add work requirements for those adults without dependents who are enrolled in federal assistance programs like food stamps. "Incentives matter. And the incentives today are out of whack," McCarthy said.
Democrats have decried plans to change the rules for current federal benefits, warning it would mean more Americans will experience poverty.
Democrats label proposal extreme
Christie Stephenson, spokeswoman for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said Democrats will evaluate the bill "if House Republicans can ever agree with themselves about how much they want to devastate American families in order to finance tax cuts for the wealthy, well-off and well-connected."
Even if McCarthy can get support from the House GOP conference, the measure is not expected to advance in the Democratic-controlled Senate. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has backed the president's position that there should be no negotiations tied to the debt ceiling.
After McCarthy's speech, Schumer dismissed the proposal as unserious, telling reporters on Capitol Hill, "What we got today was not a plan, it was a recycled pile of the same things he's been saying for months. None of which has moved the ball forward an inch."
White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates said in a written statement Monday that McCarthy "failed to clearly outline what House Republicans are proposing and will vote on, even as he referenced a vague, extreme MAGA wish list that will increase costs for hard-working families, take food assistance and health care away from millions of Americans, and yet would enlarge the deficit."
Analysts at the Peterson Institute for International Economics warn that there are national security implications if Congress fails to increase the credit limit to pay the bills it has already incurred. A fact sheet circulated by the group says it could boost China and Russia while "sowing irreparable doubt among even our closest allies not just about US financial commitments, but about any promises we have made to other countries."
NPR's Scott Horsley contributed to this story.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.mainepublic.org/npr-news/2023-04-17/speaker-mccarthy-outlines-gop-debt-limit-plan-democrats-pan-demands-as-extreme | 2023-04-18 14:36:10 | 0 | https://www.mainepublic.org/npr-news/2023-04-17/speaker-mccarthy-outlines-gop-debt-limit-plan-democrats-pan-demands-as-extreme |
Joseph Gates appointed chief risk officer for P&C company and David Selchen joins company to lead Organizational and Talent Management
SAN ANTONIO, March 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- USAA has hired Joseph Gates as senior vice president, chief risk officer for the P&C company, and David Selchen as SVP, Organizational & Total Talent Management.
Gates has more than 20 years of experience in the insurance industry and most recently served as the chief risk officer at American Family Insurance for more than five years, leading a variety of enterprise risk disciplines. Prior to that, he held portfolio and catastrophe management roles for American Family and Homesite Insurance. He also led an international team focused on portfolio and catastrophe management for Allianz Global Corporate and Specialty in Chicago and Munich. He earned a bachelor's degree in economics from St. John's University in Minnesota. Gates reports to USAA's Chief Risk Officer Neeraj Singh.
"Joseph's global experience and expertise in overall risk management, analytics, catastrophe management and modeling will help us effectively manage a range of industry-wide business challenges and better serve our members," said Singh.
David Selchen joined USAA as SVP, Organizational & Total Talent Management. Selchen reports to Chief Human Resources Officer, Tamla Oates-Forney.
For more than 20 years, Selchen has served as a leadership and people strategy advisor, partnering with founders, boards, and executive leaders for a broad range of organizations, from startups to Global enterprises. He has also served in executive positions for large publicly traded companies such as CBRE, BP and Hewlett-Packard. Selchen holds a doctoral degree in psychology from the University of Oxford and a bachelor's in psychology and biology from the University of Winnipeg. His role will include developing USAA's talent management strategy.
"USAA's mission comes to life by way of our 37,000 employees," said Oates-Forney. "We recognize that when they feel valued and supported during moments that matter, they perform at their best in serving our members. David will be instrumental in creating a world class total talent management strategy to lead us into our next century."
About USAA
Founded in 1922 by a group of military officers, USAA is among the leading providers of insurance, banking, and investment and retirement solutions to more than 13 million members of the U.S. military, veterans who have honorably served and their families. Headquartered in San Antonio, USAA has offices in eight U.S. cities and three overseas locations and employs more than 37,000 people worldwide. Each year, the company contributes to national and local nonprofits in support of military families and communities where employees live and work. For more information about USAA, follow us on Facebook or Twitter (@USAA), or visit usaa.com.
Contact: USAA Media Relations
External_communications@usaa.com
210-498-0940
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SOURCE USAA | https://www.weau.com/prnewswire/2023/03/23/usaa-announces-two-industry-leaders-svps/ | 2023-03-23 17:56:41 | 1 | https://www.weau.com/prnewswire/2023/03/23/usaa-announces-two-industry-leaders-svps/ |
BERLIN (AP) — U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres warned Tuesday of a “dangerous disconnect” between what scientists and citizens are demanding to curb climate change, and what governments are actually doing about it.
Guterres said global greenhouse gas emissions need to drop by 45% this decade, but are currently forecast to increase by 14%.
“We are witnessing a historic and dangerous disconnect: science and citizens are demanding ambitious and transformative climate action,” he said at a climate conference in Austria. “Meanwhile many governments are dragging their feet. This inaction has grave consequences.”
Guterres said Russia’s war in Ukraine risked worsening the crisis, because major economies were “doubling down on fossil fuels” that are to blame for much of the emissions stoking global warming.
“New funding for fossil fuel exploration and production infrastructure is delusional,” he said in a video message to the Austrian World Summit, initiated by former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. “It will only further feed the scourge of war, pollution and climate catastrophe.”
Guterres urged countries to instead end all coal use by 2040, with rich nations doing so by 2030, and focus on replacing fossil fuels with renewable sources of energy, such as solar and wind power.
“Renewables are the peace plan of the 21st century,” he said.
Schwarzenegger, who has long campaigned against environmental pollution, said the war in Ukraine was another reason to stop using fossil fuels.
He cited research showing that Europe paid Russia tens of billions of dollars for energy imports in the first two months of the year.
“No matter how you look at it, we have blood on our hands because we are financing the war,” said Schwarzenegger.
“We must do whatever it takes to eliminate our addiction to fossil fuels,” he added. “We must be part of the solution, not part of the problem. Failure is no option here.”
___
Follow AP’s climate coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/climate | https://www.wivb.com/news/business/un-chief-governments-inaction-on-climate-is-dangerous/ | 2022-06-15 05:24:24 | 1 | https://www.wivb.com/news/business/un-chief-governments-inaction-on-climate-is-dangerous/ |
Willie Nelson to celebrate 90th birthday at all-star concert
Six decades into his career, the singer-songwriter, author and activist is still going strong
Six decades into his career, the singer-songwriter, author and activist is still going strong
Texas troubadour Willie Nelson will celebrate his 90th birthday with his friends and family at an all-star two-day concert at the Hollywood Bowl this April.
The Grammy-winning country icon's milestone birthday party will take place on April 29-30 and feature Nelson and dozens of performers, including Neil Young, Chris Stapleton, Lyle Lovett, Miranda Lambert, Rosanne Cash, Snoop Dogg, The Chicks, Kacey Musgraves and many more.
Six decades into his career, the singer-songwriter, author and activist is still going strong, with a new album — "I Don't Know a Thing About Love" — coming in March and a five-part documentary premiering at the Sundance Film Festival. He's also nominated for four Grammys this year. Some of his biggest hits include "On The Road Again," "Crazy" and "Funny How Time Slips Away."
Additional performers include Norah Jones, Tom Jones, Tyler Childers, Warren Haynes, Ziggy Marley, Sturgill Simpson, Allison Russell, Beck, Billy Strings, Bobby Weir, Charley Crockett, Edie Brickell, Leon Bridges, Margo Price, Nathaniel Rateliff, Orville Peck, Sheryl Crow, The Avett Brothers, The Lumineers, and Nelson's sons, Lukas Nelson and Micah Nelson, the latter of whom performs as Particle Kid.
Tickets for the concerts go on sale to the general public on Jan. 28, with a presale starting on Wednesday. | https://www.wisn.com/article/willie-nelson-celebrates-90th-birthday-at-all-star-concert/42660206 | 2023-01-25 19:28:37 | 1 | https://www.wisn.com/article/willie-nelson-celebrates-90th-birthday-at-all-star-concert/42660206 |
(WFLA) — It’s quite the claim: This week, Earth broke an unofficial record for its hottest day in 120,000 years. Actually, the Earth broke that record three times — on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, according to the University of Maine’s Climate Reanalyzer.
El Niño (a natural cycle) is just getting started. As it gets stronger, and adds more heat to Earth’s system, this summer will continue to set new all-time global records for hot days. And along with that, many other records will be shattered as well.
But no matter how hot it gets, the summer of 2023 will soon be considered a “cool” summer in a couple of decades amid the steady drumbeat of human-caused climate heating.
How can experts be so confident of these bold assertions? As a climate specialist, I’ll do my best to explain. It’s all fairly simple — and fully expected — by the climate science community.
First, researchers know using observations that temperatures over the past decade have been warmer than any ever seen since record-keeping began in the 1800s. Since then, Earth has warmed by 1.2 degrees Celsius (2 degrees Fahrenheit).
Scientists also know through sophisticated methods of examining copious climate clues in proxy data like tree rings, ice cores, ocean sediments, etc. that Earth’s average temperature has not been this warm since the ice age ended 20,000 years ago.
The message is quite simple and stark, when seen on the visual below. Earth’s temperature has skyrocketed since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, and it’s projected to keep climbing.
The rate of warming today is unprecedented in the 20,000 years shown. In fact, coming out of the last ice age, it took 10,000 years for the Earth’s average temperature to warm 3 degrees C.
Astonishingly, humans — due to the burning of fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions — will likely cause the same amount of warming in 200 years. That means our current warming rate is 50 times that of the natural warming rate that proceeded the most recent ice age.
Between 10,000 years ago and today’s rapid man-made warming, Earth’s average temperature was relatively constant, allowing human civilizations to thrive. There were disruptive regional cooling episodes like the disparate Little Ice Age events, but the impact on overall global temperature was relatively minor.
Since at the peak of the last ice age, Earth’s average temperature was about 10 degrees cooler than today, and it has not been this warm since before the last ice age. We call that time the “last interglacial” (in-between glacial periods) which peaked around 125,000 years ago.
Proxy data shows that the average global temperature during the last interglacial was about 1 degree Celsius warmer than today. During that time, scientists estimate the sea level was 30 feet higher than today. With continued warming, the past warns that future generations may very well have to deal with that same kind of rising sea level.
In fact, the Earth can expect to gain another degree of warming by mid-century, putting it on par with the temperatures of the last interglacial. And by the end of the century, if carbon emissions aren’t curbed, we may very well experience the hottest temperatures in over 1 million years.
But taking a step back, warming trends post-2050 are a lot more uncertain. That’s because it’s not entirely possible to know how much humans will reduce emissions. It’s also hard to be certain of the Earth’s system feedbacks to warming temperatures. Earthlings, too, may embark on some sort of geoengineering project to try to reduce warming.
The latest estimate, assuming current government policies on emissions, is that Earth is set to warm ~2.7 degrees C by 2100. But betting on governmental policies is a big assumption, and significantly greater warming is possible if emissions continue as they do now.
Admittedly, this may all seem hopeless. But unlike a terminal illness, we know exactly what the problem is, we know exactly how to fix it, and we have all the solutions we need now. What is required is that we pay attention and get serious — quickly. Our future depends on it.
Jeff Berardelli is the chief meteorologist and climate specialist at Nexstar’s WFLA. Those interested in learning more can follow Berardelli on Twitter for comprehensive documentation of the changing climate. | https://www.ksn.com/weather/weather-stories/were-experiencing-earths-hottest-weather-in-120000-years-and-its-just-getting-started/ | 2023-07-10 13:07:05 | 1 | https://www.ksn.com/weather/weather-stories/were-experiencing-earths-hottest-weather-in-120000-years-and-its-just-getting-started/ |
NEW ORLEANS – Displaying world-class speed while completing a unique double victory during the SEC Outdoor Championships earned Arkansas sophomore Britton Wilson the USTFCCCA women’s National Athlete of the Week honor.
In becoming the first female to claim SEC titles in the 400m and 400m hurdles, Wilson produced an Arkansas record of 50.05 in the 400m and improved her own school record in the hurdles with a world-leading 53.75 an hour later. Then she finished off the day with the fastest ever collegiate split of 48.60 in the 4 x 400 relay an hour and a half later.
“If you didn’t witness it, you would look at the results and say that is impossible,” said Arkansas women’s head coach Lance Harter. “I was there live and witnessed it. Britton is a phenomenal talent and an even greater competitor.
“She is so poised in spite of her youth. She never panics and is the consummate team player. She really cares to try to help contribute to the team, and maybe accept a few wins on the way.”
Wilson generated the fastest pair of times ever accomplished in those two events on the same day. On the all-time collegiate list, Wilson is now the No. 6 performer in both events, and she has the eighth best performance in the 400m hurdles.
“I told her we would take one event at a time,” noted Arkansas associate head coach Chris Johnson. “Let’s get through one thing at a time and have a singular focus rather than a triple focus on the 400, 400 hurdles and the relay.
“To be honest, I didn’t know if we would run her on the relay. We had tested it prior to conference just to see how she would recover at LSU and during the Arkansas Twilight. She recovered well. So, I knew going into the meet we had the 400 hurdle prelims the first day, the 400 prelims on the second day, and then we had to double back on the final day.”
Sydney McLaughlin, who competed for Kentucky, is the only other athlete listed among the top 10 in both events on the collegiate all-time list with times of 50.07 (No. 7) in the 400m and the collegiate record of 52.75 in the hurdles, with both marks set in separate meets during 2018.
In the 4 x 400 relay, Wilson added to her extraordinary day by producing the fastest split by a collegian with her 48.60 anchor leg on another Arkansas record effort. It betters the 48.84 set by Texas A&M’s Athing Mu at the 2021 NCAA Championships.
Among all-time U.S. splits by collegians and professionals, Wilson’s effort ranks as the No. 6 performer with the No. 9 performance. Other 400m hurdlers on the U.S. list include McLaughlin with a 48.8 and Dalilah Muhammad with a 48.94.
The Razorbacks ran 3:22.55 to finish third in the relay to better the previous school record of 3:25.48 set in 2016. Joining Wilson on the relay were Morgan Burks-Magee, Rosey Effiong, and Jada Baylark. Arkansas is the No. 3 school on the all-time collegiate list with the No. 4 performance.
“I didn’t realize she was going to run that fast,” stated Johnson. “I just told her that we have to prepare and be dialed in from a mental standpoint. Mentally, she had to be on point and execute the race properly.
“She was really efficient in the way she set the race up in the 400. She was a little fatigued going into the 400 hurdles, but she recovered really well. With the relay stick in her hand, that’s the person you want to have in a clutch situation. She just fell a little short, but that’s track and field. We’ll figure out a way to get a little better.”
In each event Wilson contested she faced some of the best collegians in the nation.
To claim the victory in the 400m, Wilson defeated the current world leader in Texas A&M’s Charokee Young (49.87), who finished second in 50.45, as well as Kentucky’s Alexis Holmes (50.74) and Florida’s Talitha Diggs of Florida (51.24).
Winning the 400m hurdles by a 1.61-second margin had Wilson defeating Florida’s Anna Hall (55.36) and Masai Russell of Kentucky (55.44).
Wilson’s split of 48.60 bettered the efforts by Kentucky’s Abby Steiner, who split 48.78 on the third leg for Kentucky’s collegiate record of 3:21.93, as well as a 48.90 by Young as the anchor leg for Texas A&M as they finished second in 3:22.01.
“In terms of her performance this weekend, to run 50.05 and 53.75, is nothing short of phenomenal,” added Johnson. “It speaks to the level of talent that she has as well as the work ethic and mental preparation.
“Her hurdling has gotten a lot better. There is still a lot we have to work on as it pertains to continuing to get better and improve her hurdle acumen, but she’s done a really, really good job.”
This is the first time since 2019 that a female athlete from Arkansas has been named National Athlete of the Week during the outdoor season (Janeek Brown). The Razorbacks have now seen four different female athlete earn national honors since at least 2015 (Wilson, Brown, and both Alex Gochenour and two-time honoree Sandi Morris in 2015).
Collegiate All-Time List
Fastest U.S. 4 x 400 splits | https://www.fox16.com/sports/local-sports/historic-day-garners-national-honor-for-razorback-britton-wilson/ | 2022-05-18 00:27:44 | 0 | https://www.fox16.com/sports/local-sports/historic-day-garners-national-honor-for-razorback-britton-wilson/ |
Groundbreaking savings program helps employers comply with new Maryland law
HUNT VALLEY, Md., Nov. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MarylandSaves, an innovative retirement savings program, recently announced a $300 fee waiver for any businesses registered in the payroll-deducted program by December 1, 2022. Created by the State of Maryland, this program helps businesses comply with the new Maryland law* that requires most employers to offer a payroll-deducted automatic retirement savings program option for their employees.
MarylandSaves provides workers the opportunity to start a WorkLife Savings Account automatically funded from their paychecks. The program is free for businesses and the State will waive an annual $300 filing fee for businesses that enable automatic employee enrollment every year they participate in MarylandSaves or offer another qualified plan to their employees.
"MarylandSaves is an advance on traditional retirement savings," said MarylandSaves Board Chair Joshua Gotbaum. "It's automatic savings from each paycheck, savings that help with life's emergencies now and can keep helping after people retire and need it most."
WorkLife Savings Accounts are Roth IRAs funded by employees through payroll deductions and are under their control. The first $1,000 will be contributed to an emergency savings fund, which can be used for the unexpected. Contributions beyond that will be invested in a target date fund based on the age of the saver.
"We've worked hard to make MarylandSaves free, quick, and easy for businesses," said MarylandSaves Acting Executive Director Glenn Simmons. "Employers can register and sign up their employees online, and in many cases, use their payroll processors."
Savers will have multiple investment options to choose from and can decide at any time to change their savings rate, change their investment options, or opt out entirely. They can also withdraw their money or take their account with them when they change jobs. To get started, savers don't have to do anything; if they don't opt out, 5% of their paycheck will be automatically saved.
The program is being administered by a team of established financial services firms including Vestwell and BNY Mellon. All investment options are professionally managed by BlackRock, Lincoln Financial Group, State Street Global Advisors, and T. Rowe Price.
MarylandSaves will be hosting an invitation-only celebration event on November 16th at Atwater's in Catonsville, MD. Speakers will include The Honorable Treasurer Dereck Davis, Josh Gotbaum, Chair of Maryland's Small Business Retirement Savings Board, Ned Atwater, a MarylandSaves Pilot participant, Hank Greenberg, AARP Maryland State Director, and Glenn Simmons, Acting Executive Director of MarylandSaves. Press are welcome to attend and should contact Stephanie Davis to RSVP.
If you lead a professional association, a non-profit, or a small business, or are interested in opening an IRA through MarylandSaves, go to MarylandSaves.com to learn more.
WorkLife Savings Accounts are individual accounts controlled by each saver, not the employer. They are Roth IRAs and are subject to applicable laws. Participation by employers is free; MarylandSaves charges them no fees. For more information about our program visit MarylandSaves.com.
The program is managed by MarylandSaves' Executive Director and staff and operated through established third-party financial institutions and managers, including Vestwell, BNY Mellon, BlackRock, Lincoln Financial, State Street Global Advisors and T. Rowe Price. In developing its program, MarylandSaves has been advised by Aon, AKF Consulting, and K+L Gates.
The program is designed to be paid for by fees on invested accounts, not taxpayer funds. The State of Maryland has loaned funds to MarylandSaves to cover startup costs.
*Bipartisan legislation created the Maryland Small Business Retirement Savings Board and charged it with developing an automatic payroll savings IRA program for Maryland businesses that don't offer a retirement plan to their employees. The Board developed the program and under Maryland law its members are legal fiduciaries responsible to program participants. Information about the Board and MarylandSaves' Executive Director and staff can be found at MarylandSaves.org.
Media contact:
Stephanie Davis
Stephanie.Davis@MarylandSaves.org
410-403-2782
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SOURCE MarylandSaves | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/11/10/marylandsaves-offers-300-fee-waiver-businesses-registered-by-december-1/ | 2022-11-10 14:33:56 | 1 | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/11/10/marylandsaves-offers-300-fee-waiver-businesses-registered-by-december-1/ |
TX Lake Charles LA Zone Forecast for Monday, May 30, 2022
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872 FPUS54 KLCH 310839
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Zone Forecast Product
National Weather Service Lake Charles LA
339 AM CDT Tue May 31 2022
TXZ180-312230-
Tyler-
Including the cities of Town Bluff, Fred, Hillister, Ivanhoe,
Spurger, Warren, and Woodville
339 AM CDT Tue May 31 2022
.TODAY...Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 90s. Southeast winds
5 to 10 mph with gusts up to 20 mph.
.TONIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening, then becoming partly
cloudy. Lows in the lower 70s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly sunny. A chance of showers and thunderstorms
in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 90s. Southeast winds 5 to
10 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy. Lows around 70. South winds
around 5 mph.
.THURSDAY...Mostly sunny. A chance of showers and thunderstorms
in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 90s. West winds around
5 mph, becoming north around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of
rain 30 percent.
.THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy. Lows in the
upper 60s. Highs in the upper 80s.
.SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY...Mostly clear. Highs in the mid 90s.
Lows in the lower 70s.
$$
TXZ201-312230-
Hardin-
Including the cities of Lumberton and Silsbee
339 AM CDT Tue May 31 2022
.TODAY...Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 90s. Southeast winds
5 to 10 mph.
.TONIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening, then becoming partly
cloudy. Lows in the lower 70s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly sunny. A chance of showers and thunderstorms
in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 90s. Southeast winds 5 to
10 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 70s. South
winds around 5 mph in the evening, becoming light and variable.
.THURSDAY...Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 90s. Northwest winds
around 5 mph, becoming north around 5 mph in the afternoon.
.THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy. Lows around
70. Highs in the lower 90s.
.SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY...Mostly clear. Highs in the mid 90s.
Lows in the lower 70s.
$$
TXZ215-312230-
Jefferson-
Including the cities of Beaumont, Sabine Pass,
and Sea Rim State Park
339 AM CDT Tue May 31 2022
.TODAY...Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 80s. Southeast winds
10 to 15 mph.
.TONIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening, then becoming partly
cloudy. Humid with lows in the mid 70s. Southeast winds 10 to
15 mph.
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly sunny. Highs around 90. Southeast winds 10 to
15 mph.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 70s. South
winds 5 to 10 mph.
.THURSDAY...Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 90s. Southwest winds
5 to 10 mph.
.THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy. Lows in the
lower 70s. Highs around 90.
.SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY...Mostly clear. Highs in the lower 90s.
Lows in the mid 70s.
$$
TXZ216-312230-
Orange-
Including the cities of Orange, Vidor, and Bridge City
339 AM CDT Tue May 31 2022
.TODAY...Mostly sunny. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms this morning. Highs around 90. Southeast winds
10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.
.TONIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening, then becoming partly
cloudy. Humid with lows in the mid 70s. Southeast winds 5 to
10 mph.
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly sunny. A chance of showers and thunderstorms
in the afternoon. Highs around 90. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.
Chance of rain 30 percent.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 70s.
Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.
.THURSDAY...Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 90s. Northwest winds
around 5 mph, becoming southwest in the afternoon.
.THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy. Lows in the
lower 70s. Highs in the lower 90s.
.SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY...Mostly clear. Highs in the lower 90s.
Lows in the lower 70s.
$$
TXZ259-312230-
Northern Jasper-
Including the cities of Holly Springs, Jasper, Kirbyville,
Magnolia Springs, Mt. Union, and Roganville
339 AM CDT Tue May 31 2022
.TODAY...Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 90s. Southeast winds
5 to 10 mph with gusts up to 20 mph.
.TONIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening, then becoming partly
cloudy. Lows in the lower 70s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly sunny. A chance of showers and thunderstorms
in the afternoon. Highs around 90. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.
Chance of rain 30 percent.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy. Lows around 70. South winds
around 5 mph.
.THURSDAY...Mostly sunny. A chance of showers and thunderstorms
in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 90s. West winds around
5 mph, becoming north around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of
rain 30 percent.
.THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy. Lows in the
upper 60s. Highs in the upper 80s.
.SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY...Mostly clear. Highs in the mid 90s.
Lows around 70.
$$
TXZ260-312230-
Northern Newton-
Including the cities of Burkeville, Farrsville, Jamestown,
Newton, Wiergate, Bleakwood, and Call
339 AM CDT Tue May 31 2022
.TODAY...Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 90s. Southeast winds
5 to 10 mph.
.TONIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening, then becoming partly
cloudy. Lows in the lower 70s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly sunny. A chance of showers and thunderstorms
in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 80s. Southeast winds 5 to
10 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 60s. South
winds around 5 mph.
.THURSDAY...Mostly sunny. A chance of showers and thunderstorms
in the afternoon. Highs around 90. Northwest winds around 5 mph.
Chance of rain 30 percent.
.THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy. Lows in the
upper 60s. Highs in the upper 80s.
.SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY...Mostly clear. Highs in the lower 90s.
Lows around 70.
$$
TXZ261-312230-
Southern Jasper-
Including the cities of Gist, Buna, and Evadale
339 AM CDT Tue May 31 2022
.TODAY...Mostly sunny. A slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms this morning. Highs in the lower 90s. Southeast
winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.
.TONIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening, then becoming partly
cloudy. Lows in the lower 70s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly sunny. A chance of showers and thunderstorms
in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 90s. Southeast winds 5 to
10 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 70s. South
winds around 5 mph, becoming east after midnight.
.THURSDAY...Mostly sunny. A chance of showers and thunderstorms
in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 90s. Northwest winds around
5 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.
.THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy. Lows around
70. Highs in the lower 90s.
.SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY...Mostly clear. Highs in the lower 90s.
Lows in the lower 70s.
$$
TXZ262-312230-
Southern Newton-
Including the city of Deweyville
339 AM CDT Tue May 31 2022
.TODAY...Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 90s. Southeast winds
5 to 10 mph.
.TONIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening, then becoming partly
cloudy. Lows in the lower 70s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly sunny. A chance of showers and thunderstorms
in the afternoon. Highs around 90. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.
Chance of rain 30 percent.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy. Lows around 70. South winds
around 5 mph in the evening, becoming light and variable.
.THURSDAY...Mostly sunny. A chance of showers and thunderstorms
in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 90s. Northwest winds around
5 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.
.THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy. Lows around
70. Highs around 90.
.SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY...Mostly clear. Highs in the lower 90s.
Lows in the lower 70s.
$$
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.sfchronicle.com/weather/article/TX-Lake-Charles-LA-Zone-Forecast-17208886.php | 2022-05-31 10:05:19 | 1 | https://www.sfchronicle.com/weather/article/TX-Lake-Charles-LA-Zone-Forecast-17208886.php |
CHANGSHA, China, April 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- EviDenS de Beauté, a French luxury skin care brand, hosted a grand brand ceremony in Changsha, China, on April 18, showcasing its brand image and achievements in the Chinese market. The ceremony, supported by its partner S'Young International, aimed to showcase the brand's commitment in developing anti-aging products for sensitive skin and its ambitious expansion in China.
Changsha is one of the representative new Tier 1 cities in China, representing a high urban population share of new Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities (500 million), while Tier 1 cities like Beijing and Shanghai account only for 5% of the 1.4 billion population. Changsha, which has also been recognized as one of the new internet-famous cities in China, came as an ideal location for EviDenS de Beauté's grand brand ceremony, as it represents a new consumer demographic with distinct characteristics and various beauty demands, especially Gen Z. At the same time, EviDenS de Beauté is able to link more consumer groups with anti-aging skincare needs in China.
The ceremony, which gathered over 300 guests, began with the performance of a romantic and beautiful love story depicting the original love story journey from acquaintances to couple in France and Japan, where the brand originated 15 years ago. Founder Charles-Edouard Barthes then gave a keynote speech, sharing the brand's mission, development history and the team's commitment to high-quality products.
EviDenS de Beauté came as a gift of love inspired by the ultra-sensitive skin of the founder's Japanese wife. Barthes traveled throughout Japan to seek out exceptional biologists and successfully created gentle and efficient formulas for sensitive skin. He then founded EviDenS de Beauté with a touch of French art de vivre.
Also at the ceremony, Prof. Masaaki Ishibashi, the brand's biotechnology scientist, gave a speech that emphasized the brand's efforts in delivery quality products. EviDenS de Beauté, with over 1.98 million consumers globally, also presented product showcases "Evidens de Beauté SAHO" and "She's EviDenS" to feature consumers' feedback.
Meanwhile, Jessie Giraud, CEO of EviDenS de Beauté, presented on stage the "Evidens de Beauté Global Plan" for the next three years, pledging to continue partnering with S'Young International to achieve new heights in the Chinese market.
Specifically, for the Chinese market, the brand's focus is primarily on high-end female consumers. Estimates show that the Chinese market for sensitive skin is worth US$8 billion and is gradually increasing. With that in mind, EviDenS de Beauté has invested heavily in brand assets and communication to increase their luxury profile, with a differentiated positioning as an anti-aging skincare brand specially formulated for sensitive skin.
In a bid to better promote its products, EviDenS de Beauté has centered its marketing strategy around the precise understanding of its target audience's mindset and demands. The brand targets urban elites who value quality of life and taste, and have unique aesthetic preferences. With such approach, the brand has focused on the precise promotion of certain products, enabling the brand to exceed its sales targets in China.
Notably, EviDenS de Beauté maintained a 600% growth rate in 2022 on Douyin (Chinese Tiktok), the most popular short video and live-streaming platform. Its high-end mask has been ranked No. 1 in sales volume among high-spending customers. The brand's customer repurchase rate comes in over 40%, well above the industry average.
In addition, EviDenS de Beauté has adopted an all-rounded marketing strategy to boost its high-end market penetration. For its online campaign, the brand has strengthened its endorsement through its presence on major e-commerce platforms and has deployed strong social media marketing to establish a more dynamic brand image. EviDenS de Beauté has also invited Chinese influencers, such as Teacher Xu and Li Jiaqi, to evaluate the brand's products and services.
For its offline promotion, EviDenS de Beauté has built up its presence through high-end offline channels such as Rosewood, SKP SELECT, WANGFUJING, Joyce Beauty and niche channels like Little B.
To enhance consumer experience, EviDenS de Beauté has launched a variety of membership services, including one-on-one skin care consulting, VIP spas and customized afternoon tea, for its over 1 million high-end members.
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SOURCE S'Young International | https://www.kait8.com/prnewswire/2023/04/26/french-skincare-giant-evidens-de-beaut-hosts-grand-brand-ceremony-changsha-celebrate-china-performance/ | 2023-04-26 04:30:05 | 0 | https://www.kait8.com/prnewswire/2023/04/26/french-skincare-giant-evidens-de-beaut-hosts-grand-brand-ceremony-changsha-celebrate-china-performance/ |
WASHINGTON — Capitol Police Officer Caroline Edwards described to lawmakers Thursday night what she could only describe as the “war scene” that she and other officers faced when rioters began viciously attacking them on Jan. 6, 2021.
“It was something like I’ve seen in movies. I couldn’t believe my eyes,” Edwards said.
“There were officers on the ground. They were bleeding. I was slipping in people’s blood.”
“It was carnage," she said. "It was chaos.”
The raw and at times explicit testimony from Edwards played out in the first public hearing on the findings of the House committee investigating the insurrection on the U.S. Capitol.
Her recollections of the day amounted to the latest moment in the spotlight for the police officers who fought for hours as a violent mob of pro-Trump rioters, some armed with pipes, bats and bear spray, charged into the Capitol, quickly overrunning the overwhelmed police force. More than 100 police officers were injured, many beaten, bloodied and bruised.
Over her shoulder as Edwards testified sat fellow Capitol Police officers Harry Dunn and Aquilino Gonell and Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone, all of whom testified about the violence they endured at a hearing of the panel last summer. There were moments in her testimony that brought Dunn, a 13-year veteran of the force, to tears.
Edwards’ testimony was accompanied by a barrage of never-before-seen footage, testimony and evidence the committee has gathered in the past 11 months to document how then-President Donald Trump’s words and actions led to the assault on the Capitol. Officers are seen in the footage being pummeled with flagpoles, trashcans and bike racks.
“My literal blood, sweat tears were shed in defending the building I spent countless holidays and weekends working in,” Edwards said.
Edwards said she has worked on hundreds of civil disturbances but it quickly became apparent that this one was different. She asked her supervisor for backup.
“I think we’re going to need a few more people down here,” she recalled saying, calling it “the understatement of the century,” as officers were quickly outnumbered by the hundreds of rioters.
She said she suffered a concussion after rioters forced a bike rack over the top of her head, pushing her backward. “I blacked out,” she said, adding that she experienced fainting spells for months after the insurrection.
But the moment Edwards recalled most vividly was the moment when she saw fellow officer Brian Sicknick turn “ghostly pale.”
Sicknick, who was injured while confronting rioters during the Jan. 6 insurrection, suffered a stroke and died from natural causes the day after the attack. Members of his family sat alongside officers Dunn and Gonell as Edwards described his injuries.
Before she could go to help Sicknick, Edwards said, she was pepper-sprayed by the mob.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I think as a police officer, as a law enforcement officer that I would find myself in the middle of a battle,” Edwards said. “I am not combat-trained. That day it was just hours of hand-to-hand combat.”
Committee vice chair Liz Cheney thanked Edwards and the other officers and their families for being there and assisting in their investigation. The Wyoming Republican noted the sacrifice the officers made that day with the limited resources and equipment they had been given.
“As part of our investigation, we will present information about what the White House and other intelligence agencies knew, and why the Capitol was not better prepared,” Cheney said.
But Cheney pushed back on Republicans who have challenged the Jan. 6 panel to focus more intently on security failures.
“We will not lose sight of the fact that the Capitol Police did not cause the crowd to attack," she said. "And we will not blame the violence that day, violence provoked by Donald Trump, on the officers who bravely defended all of you.” | https://www.weareiowa.com/article/news/nation-world/capitol-officer-recounts-january-6-war-scene/507-a39626cd-659d-4bb4-a4d7-5346873f8812 | 2022-06-10 11:58:32 | 0 | https://www.weareiowa.com/article/news/nation-world/capitol-officer-recounts-january-6-war-scene/507-a39626cd-659d-4bb4-a4d7-5346873f8812 |
Posted: Oct 31, 2022 / 01:49 PM CDT Updated: Oct 31, 2022 / 01:49 PM CDT SHARE SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — AP source: Suspect in attack on Paul Pelosi faces federal charge of threatening violence against US official’s spouse. | https://www.fox16.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-ap-source-suspect-in-attack-on-paul-pelosi-faces-federal-charge-of-threatening-violence-against-us-officials-spouse/ | 2022-11-01 19:13:48 | 0 | https://www.fox16.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-ap-source-suspect-in-attack-on-paul-pelosi-faces-federal-charge-of-threatening-violence-against-us-officials-spouse/ |
Wednesday is bringing more rain and some chances of severe storms. We will see a few heavy downpours for some for the morning with a little more widespread rain for most this afternoon. More chances for some isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms in our weather forecast for the next few days. Every now and then, some of the rainfall will be on the heavy side and every now and then some of the thunderstorms will be on the hefty side.
Otherwise, one could see plenty of sunshine beyond these isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms. Thursday is mostly dry but Friday we have a cold front moving in and that will just add to rain totals of what folks have already seen this week. The storms on Friday could be strong or severe as well.
Those that do miss out on the activity at times will see plenty of heat. Also, the heat index for those areas could get up into the lower 100s. A bit on the way too hot side for early to middle portions of June. | https://www.wtva.com/wednesday-brings-a-few-more-storm-chances-later-in-the-day/article_6db39a22-e71f-11ec-85fc-4f92206750f3.html | 2022-06-09 03:01:02 | 1 | https://www.wtva.com/wednesday-brings-a-few-more-storm-chances-later-in-the-day/article_6db39a22-e71f-11ec-85fc-4f92206750f3.html |
WFO PHOENIX Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Friday, August 26, 2022
_____
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Phoenix AZ
435 PM PDT Fri Aug 26 2022
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of Riverside County
through 515 PM PDT...
At 434 PM PDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 11
miles east of Desert Center, moving east at 25 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Desert Center.
This includes the following highways...
CA Interstate 10 between mile markers 104 and 128.
CA Route 177 between mile markers 1 and 15.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
LAT...LON 3364 11547 3388 11534 3393 11499 3356 11501
TIME...MOT...LOC 2334Z 263DEG 23KT 3377 11521
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.expressnews.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-PHOENIX-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17401446.php | 2022-08-27 01:07:08 | 1 | https://www.expressnews.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-PHOENIX-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17401446.php |
14-year-old boy set to graduate college, start job at SpaceX
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (KGO) - A 14-year-old California boy is about to become the youngest graduate in the history of Santa Clara University. Then, he’s off to SpaceX, where’s he’s been hired as a software engineer.
Kairan Quazi, 14, will graduate from college Saturday with a degree in computer science and engineering. The Bay Area native says he had a fairly normal college experience, despite his young age.
“There wasn’t anything to compare it to, say, ‘Oh, this is different.’ But I really enjoyed it. I made a lot of really close friends. I think after a few days, the novelty of me being there wore off,” he said.
Quazi’s parents say he was speaking in full sentences at 2 years old. Not only was his IQ seen as profoundly gifted, so was his emotional intelligence.
“During third grade, it became very obvious to my teachers, my parents and my pediatrician that mainstream education wasn’t the right path for my accelerated learning ability,” Quazi said.
He started at Las Positas Community College when he was 9 years old and transferred to Santa Clara University when he was 11.
“I went from being a third-grade mutineer to really feeling validated intellectually,” he said.
By the time Quazi transferred, he had already started working with Intel Labs as the only undergraduate intern on his team.
The 14-year-old says he is grateful leaders gave him opportunities to perform beyond his age.
“I think there is a conventional mindset that I’m missing out on childhood, but I don’t think that’s true. I think, again, that mindset would have me graduating middle school now,” Quazi said.
The Santa Clara City Council congratulated Quazi on Tuesday for his past achievements and his future ones.
“I would also like to compliment institutions like SpaceX and Intel, which took basically exceptional out-of-the-box steps to make sure this thing happened,” said councilmember Raj Chahal.
Quazi will be moving to Washington state with his mom as he joins SpaceX’s Starlink team as a software engineer in July. He says his mom has always been his biggest supporter.
“My journey wouldn’t have been possible if not for influential people and positions of power, again, looking beyond my age, but I would say my mom,” he said. “She’s been my rock through this entire journey.”
Copyright 2023 KGO via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.newschannel6now.com/2023/06/13/14-year-old-boy-set-graduate-college-start-job-spacex/ | 2023-06-13 08:19:00 | 1 | https://www.newschannel6now.com/2023/06/13/14-year-old-boy-set-graduate-college-start-job-spacex/ |
It’s apple season and on this Horticulture Day Suzanne Slack shares tips on cultivating successful apple trees. She discusses how Iowa weather affects apples, how to know when an apple is ready to pick and the newest variety of apples – including the ‘Luda-crisp’ strain.
Later in the hour, Aaron Steil and Mark Vitosh answer listeners’ tree questions and troubleshoot yard and garden problems.
Guests
- Suzanne Slack, assistant professor of horticulture at Iowa State University
- Aaron Steil, Extension consumer horticulture specialist at ISU
- Mark Vitsoh, Iowa Department of Natural Resources forester | https://www.iowapublicradio.org/podcast/talk-of-iowa/2022-09-17/apple-of-my-iowa | 2022-09-17 11:15:59 | 0 | https://www.iowapublicradio.org/podcast/talk-of-iowa/2022-09-17/apple-of-my-iowa |
Blackbaud's Annual Developers' Conference Kicks Off Today Exploring AI for Purpose-Driven Organizations
CHARLESTON, S.C., June 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB), the leading provider of software for powering social impact, today kicks off bbdevdays, its annual developers' conference showcasing technical innovation as well as customer and partner achievements. This three-day, virtual event celebrates and supports the rapidly expanding developer community that creates solutions leveraging the flexibility of Blackbaud software.
"bbdevdays showcases the power of collaboration and our commitment to the developer community, where we're stronger together," said Mike Gianoni, president and CEO, Blackbaud. "The conference really highlights the ingenuity and creativity of a strong and growing network of customer developers, partners and independent technologists. And this year, we are delving into the vast AI opportunity that exists for social impact organizations."
bbdevdays provides a forum for attendees to explore unique applications of software solutions. Conference sessions were developed in partnership with recognized industry experts and explore topics of interest to both professional developers and low-code technologists, such as:
- ChatGPT for fundraising
- Powering automation and business intelligence with AI
- AI enabled low-code app development
- Data privacy and ethical AI
During bbdevdays, Blackbaud will announce technologies to help social impact organizations further customize their business processes and applications to serve to their exact needs, including:
- Launch of a next generation Intelligence for Good® strategy for artificial intelligence to provide a first glimpse into wide-ranging product enhancements planned across portfolio
- Expansion of its SKY API™ to include Blackbaud CRM and Blackbaud Altru, including new partner offerings from Double the Donation, Wordfly, and Golden Volunteer and planned releases for JustGiving and Blackbaud Grantmaking
- Addition of new Developer Environments for Testing Applications
- Establishment of List APIs for enhanced data access and modeling scenarios
- Creation of new SKY Add-in capabilities for simple integration with custom forms
- Expansion of Blackbaud Marketplace offerings, including new partnerships in artificial intelligence
Blackbaud's Commitment to Community Innovation
Through bbdevdays this year, Blackbaud will deepen its investment in new and emerging technologies, support customer-identified initiatives and promote early-stage software companies, with the goal of accelerating innovation in the social impact technology space with projects like:
- Innovation Grant Awards: Eight grants will be awarded to selected customers, partners, and Blackbaud staff to bring their bold ideas to life for the community and publish/share them online for all.
- Off The Grid: Blackbaud staff and, for the first time, partners, businesses and customers collaboratively code to bring an original idea to reality and will feature a special accelerator, in partnership with Microsoft, for Generative AI fundraising projects.
- Blackbaud's Social Good Startup program: a technology incubator for diverse, early-stage software companies focused on solving problems that matter to the social impact community. Our open cohort focuses on recruiting AI and Generative AI early-stage companies.
"The outcomes our customers seek can increasingly be achieved using low-code tools and artificial intelligence that are within the reach of more technology-savvy individuals at social impact organizations," said Heather McLean, co-chair of bbdevdays and Developer and Partner Success Manager at Blackbaud. "We strongly support all levels of developers through education and empowerment. Over 55% of registrants identify as women in what has traditionally been a male-dominated field. It's a supportive community that's here for everyone, from those starting their first coding projects to our seasoned development professionals."
About the Conference
Keynotes include author Torie Bosh; 'Transition Architect' & Entrepreneur, Somi Arian; and IBM Fellow and Master Inventor, Paul Taylor. In addition, the conference will provide mainstage presentations from Blackbaud executives and product experts, track sessions led by customers and partners, and skills labs that offer creators a chance to practice building both low-code and advanced solutions.
Sponsors of the event include AskGenius, BrightVine Solutions, Microsoft, Crowdbotics, npAutomate and Print Your Cause.
To learn more about bbdevdays, register, or access content replays on demand, visit blackbaud.com/bbdevdays.
About Blackbaud
Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB) is the leading software provider exclusively dedicated to powering social impact. Serving the nonprofit and education sectors, companies committed to social responsibility and individual change makers, Blackbaud's essential software is built to accelerate impact in fundraising, nonprofit financial management, digital giving, grantmaking, corporate social responsibility and education management. With millions of users and over $100 billion raised, granted or managed through Blackbaud platforms every year, Blackbaud's solutions are unleashing the potential of the people and organizations who change the world. Blackbaud has been named to Newsweek's list of America's Most Responsible Companies, Quartz's list of Best Companies for Remote Workers, and Forbes' list of America's Best Employers. A remote-first company, Blackbaud has operations in the United States, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica and the United Kingdom, supporting users in 100+ countries. Learn more at www.blackbaud.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
Media Inquiries
media@blackbaud.com
Forward-looking Statements
Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations, and assumptions contained in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding expected benefits of products and product features. Although Blackbaud attempts to be accurate in making these forward-looking statements, it is possible that future circumstances might differ from the assumptions on which such statements are based. In addition, other important factors that could cause results to differ materially include the following: general economic risks; uncertainty regarding increased business and renewals from existing customers; continued success in sales growth; management of integration of acquired companies and other risks associated with acquisitions; risks associated with successful implementation of multiple integrated software products; the ability to attract and retain key personnel; risks associated with management of growth; lengthy sales and implementation cycles, particularly in larger organization; technological changes that make our products and services less competitive; and the other risk factors set forth from time to time in the SEC filings for Blackbaud, copies of which are available free of charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or upon request from Blackbaud's investor relations department. All Blackbaud product names appearing herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blackbaud, Inc.
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SOURCE Blackbaud | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2023/06/06/blackbaud-engages-developer-community-help-shape-future-technology-social-impact-organizations-bbdevdays/ | 2023-06-06 15:18:19 | 0 | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2023/06/06/blackbaud-engages-developer-community-help-shape-future-technology-social-impact-organizations-bbdevdays/ |
Better policing makes everyone safer
It's been said that "Good ideas are made to be stolen," meaning that if someone has already perfected a method, policy or an idea that works, why wouldn't you use it?
There are few jobs tougher and more thankless than policing, one of the only occupations in which the people you encounter are either mad, sad or being bad.
Anyone who's ever done a ride-along with an officer knows that while many incidents they encounter involve general-purpose knuckleheaded behavior, things can turn on a moment.
In less than a second, the routine can devolve into the tragic.
Last week, some members of Canton City Council walked out of their weekly meeting in solidarity with residents who are protesting the Stark County grand jury's decision not to indict a police officer who fatally shot James Williams on New Year's Day.
But Ward 5 Councilman Kevin Hall, the brother of a retired police officer, said he didn't walk out because of the grand jury's decision but rather over his frustration with overly aggressive behavior by some officers.
He cited an incident at a first-responder event at Harmont Park between an officer and a volunteer youth football coach.
"It opened some old wounds," Hall said. "How many times has it been when a situation goes bad because of that?"
Hall said the problem is not just racism, adding "It's happening to white people, too."
"(Respect) has to be on both sides," he said. "We have to respect the uniform, but in my opinion, the uniform has to respect us first as residents because they're an authority figure."
More Charita Goshay:Rebuild Canton's public pools
5,000 versus 500
In the case of the Williams shooting, the officer involved was responding to a 911 call of gunshots in Williams' southwest Canton neighborhood.
Though we now know it was celebratory gunfire, you can't shoot an assault rifle in a city neighborhood and not expect someone to call the police ― you just can't ― not to mention the danger of bullets which have to come down somewhere.
But the question of competency concerning the response by the officer who shot Williams remains a sore point for some, regardless of the grand jury's decision not to indict him. Based on the officer's own body cam, he appears to shoot Williams, unseen through a wooden fence, before announcing his presence.
Now, it's presumptuously easy to second-guess an officer's actions and decision-making in the midst of a chaotic moment, but is it possible that better training could have resulted in a different outcome?
According to a 2020 report by the Institute for Criminal Justice Training Reform, when it comes to training police officers, the U.S. ranks at the bottom of 100 nations cited in the study.
The study reports that American police departments require an average of 21 weeks, or slightly over 500 hours of training. Compare this to Finland's requirement of 5,000 hours, followed by Germany at 4,000; Australia at 3,500; England at 2,000; and Canada at 1,000 hours.
Police universities
Some European countries have "police universities," with others requiring that a police candidate earn the equivalent of a college degree. Contrast this with American departments, which just require a high school diploma or its equivalent to enroll in training.
In Ohio, applicants must meet the following requirements for entry into a training academy:
- At least 21 years of age or will reach that age by the completion of the academy.
- Must have a high school diploma or GED.
- Possess a valid Ohio driver's license.
- No felony convictions.
- Pass a drug screen, background check, physical fitness standards.
These yawning discrepancies, and the fact that the U.S. leads wealthy nations in police-involved fatal shootings, can't be a coincidence.
Americans also possess half of the world's civilian-owned firearms, though 10% of all shootings involve unarmed people, according to the report.
People endeavoring to serve and protect the public deserve much better training standards for their own safety, and that of the civilians for whom they work.
If elected officials are serious about reducing the number of police-involved shootings and abuse complaints, if they want to stem the exodus of police resignations and weed out extremism within in the ranks, they must make improved training a top priority.
If it takes underwriting the cost of better and more extensive training in exchange for an officer committing to a set time of service, it's something that should be considered.
If it takes communities that are having trouble recruiting officers to incentivize them to live in the places where they serve, so be it.
Improved standards can only help increase professionalism and ensure that officers and civilians have a better chance of walking away from their encounters.
Charita M. Goshay is a Canton Repository staff writer and member of the editorial board. Reach her at 330-580-8313 or charita.goshay@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @cgoshayREP | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/opinion/columns/2022/09/18/charita-goshay-increased-police-training-needs-to-be-higher-priority/69492440007/ | 2022-09-18 10:37:30 | 0 | https://www.cantonrep.com/story/opinion/columns/2022/09/18/charita-goshay-increased-police-training-needs-to-be-higher-priority/69492440007/ |
Royals get LHP Taylor from Boston for oft-injured SS Mondesi
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals acquired left-hander Josh Taylor from the Boston Red Sox for injury-prone shortstop Adalberto Mondesi and an additional player on Tuesday, the second straight day that Kansas City dealt one of its surplus position players in a bid to upgraded its lackluster bullpen.
The 30-year-old Taylor missed all of last season with a back injury, but he was stellar over the previous three seasons in Boston, with a 3.69 ERA and 129 strikeouts over 121 appearances. At one point during the 2021 season, he had a streak of 26 consecutive scoreless outings, the longest streak for a left-hander in franchise history.
He also pitched in six of 11 postseason games for the Red Sox in ’21, allowing one earned run over four innings pitched.
“Josh Taylor is someone we’ve valued for a long time,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said. “If you go back and look at what he did in 2019 in Boston and what he did again in 2021 in Boston in a playoff run, it was really really impressive.”
Mondesi signed with the Royals in 2011 and has played his entire career with the club. He made his big league debut in the 2015 World Series, when it seemed as if his future was limitless. But despite elite speed and defense, and showing flashes at the plate, Mondesi was never able to stay healthy, appearing in just 109 games over the past three seasons.
Despite having one year left on his deal, Mondesi’s future with the Royals was thrown in doubt last season, when heralded prospect Bobby Witt Jr. made his debut. He proceeded to hit .252 with 20 homers and 30 stolen bases.
The Red Sox, who have been in the market for shortstop help, hope the 27-year-old Mondesi can stay on the field and make good on the promise he showed in 2019, when he hit .263 with nine homers and 43 stolen bases in 102 games.
“We weren’t in a spot where we felt we had to trade him,” Picollo said. “There were a couple things we need to think about: What’s right for this team right now, and how do you send a clear message that this is the direction we want to go, and you think about the player and the frustrations he went through. Ultimately, it may be the best thing for him.”
On Monday night, the Royals sent starting centerfielder Michael A. Taylor to the AL Central-rival Minnesota Twins for a pair of pitching prospects, Steven Cruz and Evan Sisk, that could help the big league bullpen as soon as this season.
Cruz, a 6-foot-6 power right-hander, went 1-4 with a 5.14 ERA, 35 walks and 72 strikeouts in 56 innings last season for Double-A Wichita. In 120 career minor league appearances, he has 259 strikeouts in 192 1/3 innings.
Sisk, a left-hander with a funky delivery, split last season between Wichita and Triple-A St. Paul. He went 5-1 with a 1.57 ERA, 29 walks and 76 strikeouts in 63 innings between the teams.
The 31-year-old Taylor hit .254 with nine homers and 43 RBIs in 414 at-bats last season for the Royals. Drew Waters and Kyle Isbel, who shared time in the outfield last season, are the front-runners to take over his spot in the lineup.
“We were really happy with the return in both deals,” Picollo said.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://www.kob.com/sports-stories/ap-baseball/royals-get-lhp-taylor-from-boston-for-oft-injured-ss-mondesi/ | 2023-01-24 20:42:30 | 0 | https://www.kob.com/sports-stories/ap-baseball/royals-get-lhp-taylor-from-boston-for-oft-injured-ss-mondesi/ |
DELPHI, Ind. (WRTV) — An arrest has been made in the investigation into the 2017 murders of teenage girls Abby Williams and Libby German, sources tell Scripps TV station WRTV.
The name of the person arrested has not been released, but sources say the individual appeared in court Friday morning.
The Indiana State Police Department plans to provide an update on Monday.
Abby, 13, and Libby, 14, were killed in February 2017.
Photos and video taken from Libby's cellphone have given investigators a glimpse into what may have happened in their final moments.
The girls' bodies were found on the property of then-77-year-old Ronald Logan, who is dead. Recent developments indicate Logan asked a relative to lie about his whereabouts on the day of the murders.
Indiana State Police previously said that it was expanding its search for "anthony_shots" profiles, which was used from 2016 to 2017 on social media applications in connection with the murders.
Kegan Kline, a man who police say was using an Instagram and Snapchat account with that username, was arrested in August 2020.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Kline was interviewed by a state police investigator and an FBI special agent after an investigation found he was using an Instagram and Snapchat account with the username "anthony_shots."
Kline is scheduled to appear before a jury in January 2023.
Indiana State Police have interviewed hundreds of people, from possible witnesses and persons of interest to anyone who may have had information about suspicious activity on the day the girls went missing.
More than 50,000 tips have been called in or emailed to investigators during the past five years.
Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter has made it his mission to find the girls' killer. He said this week that he believes authorities will identify the person responsible while he is still superintendent.
Finding the Delphi killer has become an international obsession.
Libby and Abby's story has been told across the country on television and podcasts and debated by people around the world in chat rooms and social media groups online.
This story was originally reported by Lucas Gonzalez on wrtv.com. | https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/national/arrest-made-in-delphi-indiana-murder-investigation-sources-say | 2022-10-28 19:53:21 | 0 | https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/national/arrest-made-in-delphi-indiana-murder-investigation-sources-say |
The 2023 PGA Championship Odds & Preview: Corey Conners
After the second round of the PGA Championship, Corey Conners is atop the leaderboard with a score of -5.
Looking to wager on Corey Conners at the PGA Championship this week? Read on for all the stats and odds you can use before you make your picks.
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Corey Conners Insights
- Over his last 16 rounds, Conners has shot better than par on 10 occasions, while also shooting two bogey-free rounds and 11 rounds with a better-than-average score.
- He has carded the best score of the day in one of his last 16 rounds, while scoring among the top five in two rounds and the top 10 on four occasions.
- Conners has carded a score within three shots of the day's best in four of his last 16 rounds, while finishing within five strokes of the top score of the day nine times.
- In his past five appearances, Conners has one win and two top-10 finishes.
- He has made the cut in three of his past five appearances.
- In his past five tournaments, Conners has finished within three shots of the leader once and posted a score better than average three times.
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Over the last year
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PGA Championship Insights and Stats
- In Conners' past four appearances at this tournament, he has finished among the top 20 once. His average finish has been 41st.
- Conners made the cut in two of his past four entries in this event.
- Conners finished below the cut line and did not qualify for the weekend in his most recent appearance at this event in 2022.
- In the past year, the Tour has played courses with an average length of 7,300 yards, 94 yards shorter than the 7,394-yard par 70 for this week's tournament.
- Oak Hill Country Club has had an average tournament score of +3 recently, which is higher than the Tour scoring average of -5 on all courses in the past year.
- Courses that Conners has played in the past year have measured an average of 7,311 yards, 83 yards shorter than the 7,394-yard Oak Hill Country Club this week.
- In the past year, the events he has played have had a scoring average of -3 among finishers, lower than the +3 average at this course.
Conners' Last Time Out
- Conners shot poorly over the 16 par-3 holes at the Wells Fargo Championship, with an average of 3.19 strokes to finish in the 31st percentile of competitors.
- He averaged 3.89 strokes on par-4 holes (of which there were 44) at the Wells Fargo Championship, which was strong enough to place him in the 92nd percentile among all competitors on par 4s (the tournament average was 4.05).
- Conners was better than 77% of the field at the Wells Fargo Championship on par-5 holes, averaging 4.42 strokes per hole, compared to the field average of 4.57.
- Conners did not have a birdie on any of the 16 par-3s at the Wells Fargo Championship (the field averaged 1.5).
- On the 16 par-3s at the Wells Fargo Championship, Conners recorded more bogeys or worse (three) than the tournament average (2.2).
- Conners' seven birdies or better on the 44 par-4s at the Wells Fargo Championship were more than the tournament average (5.0).
- In that most recent competition, Conners had a bogey or worse on two of 44 par-4s (the field averaged 6.9).
- Conners finished the Wells Fargo Championship carding a birdie or better on seven par-5 holes, while the field averaged 4.0 on the 12 par-5s.
- On the 12 par-5s at the Wells Fargo Championship, Conners fell short compared to the tournament average of 0.7 bogeys or worse on those holes by carding one.
PGA Championship Time and Date Info
- Date: May 18-21, 2023
- Course: Oak Hill Country Club
- Location: Rochester, New York
- Par: 70 / 7,394 yards
- Conners Odds to Win: +650 (Bet now with BetMGM!)
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All statistics in this article reflect Conners' performance prior to the 2023 PGA Championship.
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/sports/betting/2023/05/20/corey-conners-pga-championship-pga-odds/ | 2023-05-20 07:16:02 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/sports/betting/2023/05/20/corey-conners-pga-championship-pga-odds/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors are expected to make their final pitch to jurors Friday in the high-stakes seditious conspiracy case against Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and four associates charged in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Closing arguments will begin in Washington federal court after the final pieces of evidence were presented in the trial alleging Rhodes and his band of antigovernment extremists plotted for weeks to interrupt the peaceful transfer of power from Republican Donald Trump to Democrat Joe Biden.
Evidence presented by prosecutors shows Rhodes and his co-defendants discussing the prospect of violence and the need to keep Biden out of the White House in the weeks leading up to Jan. 6, before stashing a massive cache of weapons referred to as a “quick reaction force” at a Virginia hotel.
On Jan. 6, 2021, Oath Keepers wearing helmets and other battle gear were seen pushing through the pro-Trump mob and into the Capitol. Rhodes remained outside, like “a general surveying his troops on a battlefield,” a prosecutor told jurors. After the attack, prosecutors say Rhodes and other Oath Keepers celebrated with dinner at an Olive Garden restaurant.
Closing arguments are expected to be Monday for the defense, which has focused on prosecutors' relative lack of evidence that the Oath Keepers had an explicit plan to attack the Capitol before Jan. 6. Rhodes, who is from Texas, testified that he and his followers were only in Washington to provide security to right-wing figures like Roger Stone. Those Oath Keepers who did enter the Capitol went rogue and were “stupid," he said.
Rhodes testified that the mountain of writings and text messages showing him rallying his band of extremists to prepare for violence and discussing the prospect of a “bloody” civil war ahead of Jan. 6 was only bombastic talk.
Two other defendants testified in the case. Jessica Watkins, of Woodstock, Ohio, echoed that her actions that day were “really stupid” but maintained she was not part of a plan but rather “swept along” with the mob, which she likened to a crowd gathered at a store for a sale on the popular shopping day known as Black Friday.
Defendant Thomas Caldwell, a Navy veteran from Virginia, downplayed a chilling piece of evidence: messages he sent trying to get a boat to ferry weapons from Virginia across the Potomac into Washington. He testified that he was never serious about his queries, though he struggled to explain other messages referencing violence on Jan. 6.
Two other defendants, Kelly Meggs and Kenneth Harrelson, both from Florida, did not testify.
The group is the first among hundreds of people arrested in the Capitol riot to stand trial on seditious conspiracy, a rare Civil War-era charge that calls for up to 20 years behind bars. The stakes are high for the Justice Department, which last secured such a conviction at trial nearly 30 years ago, and intends to try two more groups on the charge later this year.
___
For full coverage of the Capitol riot, go to https://www.apnews.com/capitol-siege | https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/Oath-Keepers-Jan-6-sedition-case-moves-to-17594127.php | 2022-11-18 06:29:01 | 1 | https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/Oath-Keepers-Jan-6-sedition-case-moves-to-17594127.php |
New York trooper shot on upstate highway; suspect found dead
DUANESBURG, N.Y. (AP) — A state trooper was shot and wounded during a traffic stop on an upstate New York highway Friday by a suspect who is believed to have later died by suicide, state police said.
Trooper Richard Albert was released from the hospital later Friday after being shot in the upper arm as he approached an SUV he pulled over for speeding, authorities said.
State police released a still photo from the trooper’s body-worn camera showing a passenger’s hand pointing a black handgun from the driver’s side window. The weapon had just been fired, with the spent shell casing still in the air.
“It was unprovoked,” Deputy Superintendent Richard Allen said at a news conference. “There was nothing that took place prior to that other than just stopping the car.”
Police identified the male passenger who fired the shot as Nelson Troche, 32, of Schenectady. He fled into a wooded area as Albert returned fire, Allen said. Troche was found about 90 minutes later with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at an Albany hospital.
The woman driving the vehicle was taken into custody. Allen said the SUV was traveling in excess of 100 mph on Interstate 88 in Duanesburg, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) west of Albany, when it was pulled over.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kmvt.com/2023/06/17/new-york-trooper-shot-upstate-highway-suspect-found-dead/ | 2023-06-17 06:54:13 | 0 | https://www.kmvt.com/2023/06/17/new-york-trooper-shot-upstate-highway-suspect-found-dead/ |
Alex Kirilloff Player Prop Bets: Twins vs. Mariners - July 17
Published: Jul. 17, 2023 at 5:26 PM CDT|Updated: 44 minutes ago
On Monday, Alex Kirilloff (coming off going 2-for-4 with a double, a home run and four RBI) and the Minnesota Twins face the Seattle Mariners, whose starting pitcher will be Logan Gilbert. First pitch is at 9:40 PM ET.
In his most recent game, he racked up two extra-base hits (2-for-4 with a double, a home run and four RBI) against the Athletics.
Alex Kirilloff Game Info & Props vs. the Mariners
- Game Day: Monday, July 17, 2023
- Game Time: 9:40 PM ET
- Stadium: T-Mobile Park
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Mariners Starter: Logan Gilbert
- TV Channel: Fox Sports 1
- Hits Prop: Over/under 0.5 hits (Over odds: -222)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +625)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +210)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: +150)
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Read More About This Game
Alex Kirilloff At The Plate
- Kirilloff is hitting .272 with 10 doubles, five home runs and 22 walks.
- In 36 of 58 games this year (62.1%) Kirilloff has had a hit, and in 12 of those games he had more than one (20.7%).
- Looking at the 58 games he has played this season, he's homered in four of them (6.9%), and in 2.4% of his trips to the plate.
- Kirilloff has had an RBI in 16 games this year (27.6%), including four multi-RBI outings (6.9%). He has also driven in three or more of his team's runs in one contest.
- He has scored in 14 of 58 games (24.1%), including multiple runs twice.
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Alex Kirilloff Home/Away Batting Splits
Mariners Pitching Rankings
- The pitching staff for the Mariners has a collective 8.9 K/9, which ranks 11th in the league.
- The Mariners have the fourth-ranked team ERA across all league pitching staffs (3.75).
- The Mariners allow the second-fewest home runs in baseball (94 total, one per game).
- Gilbert gets the start for the Mariners, his 19th of the season. He is 7-5 with a 3.66 ERA and 106 strikeouts in 108 1/3 innings pitched.
- The righty last pitched on Sunday, July 9 against the Houston Astros, when he tossed seven innings, allowing one earned run while giving up three hits.
- The 26-year-old's 3.66 ERA ranks 30th, .978 WHIP ranks second, and 8.8 K/9 ranks 34th among qualifying pitchers this season.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.kfyrtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/17/alex-kirilloff-mlb-player-prop-bets/ | 2023-07-17 23:10:48 | 0 | https://www.kfyrtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/17/alex-kirilloff-mlb-player-prop-bets/ |
One of longest-serving employees in NDSU history set to retire
FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) - Michael M. Miller, director and bibliographer of the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection at the NDSU Libraries, is set to retire on Dec. 1 after over 55 years at NDSU. Michael joins Henry L. Bolley and C.B. Waldron as the longest serving employees in NDSU history.
An August 1967 story in the Emmons County Record reads, “A Strasburg native has been named to the faculty of North Dakota State University, Fargo. Michael M. Miller, son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter P. Miller, was appointed by Pres. H. R. Albrecht. Miller will teach library science, act as circulation librarian, and handle the library displays.”
In 1978, President Laurel D. Loftsgard called Miller into his office and asked him to create the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection. Miller was named bibliographer and later, director.
Since 1996, he has written a monthly newspaper column, In Touch with Prairie Living, for North and South Dakota weekly newspapers. “And I’ll continue the column as long as I’m healthy.” Miller said.
From 1999-present, Miller has been executive producer on 10 award-winning documentaries about Germans from Russia for Prairie Public. “These documentaries have enriched the story and heritage and culture of the Germans from Russia community,” Miller said.
Miller directed the Journey to the Homeland Tour, a heritage tour to Germany and Ukraine, leading 23 tours from 1996-2019. More than 700 individuals have joined to visit their ancestral villages in Ukraine.
In 1990, Miller received the Distinguished Service Award from the Mountain-Plains Library Association. He was named 2008 Librarian of the Year by the North Dakota Library Association, received the 2010 State Historical Society of North Dakota Heritage Honor Award and the 2018 Friend of Extension Award.
Miller played an instrumental role in securing the Lawrence Welk Collection at the NDSU Archives; the Dakota Memories Oral History Project; helping create the Tri-County Tourism Alliance in Emmons, Logan, and McIntosh Counties; and serving as president of the Friends of the Welk Homestead.
To ensure his legacy, Miller established an endowment for the GRHC by designating the NDSU Foundation as beneficiary of his retirement account. The endowment will provide perpetual funding for staffing and projects dedicated to collecting, preserving and sharing stories about Germans from Russia in North Dakota.
“My lifelong dream and mission have been to preserve, document and enrich the heritage and culture of our Germans from Russia community. NDSU is a land-grant university for its people and its heritage. That’s one of the reasons I think this collection is so important here.” Miller said. “I hope that as a legacy, my service to NDSU and my gift inspires others with a deep passion for their ethnic roots to give to the GRHC.”
In lieu of a party, flowers, or cards, Miller has requested that donations be made to the Germans from Russia Fund at www.ndsufoundation.com/donate/grhc.
If mailing a check, send to: NDSU Foundation, 1241 North University Drive, Fargo, ND 58102, and please indicate “Germans from Russia Fund” in the memo line.
Copyright 2022 KVLY. All rights reserved. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/11/14/one-longest-serving-employees-ndsu-history-set-retire/ | 2022-11-14 22:16:17 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2022/11/14/one-longest-serving-employees-ndsu-history-set-retire/ |
CHICAGO, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Calculated Genius – the Chicago nonprofit dedicated to helping underrepresented youth pursue studies and careers in engineering – has named Brian Biederman as its new executive director.
Biederman, an educator and advocate for STEM and the arts in Nashville and Illinois, will lead and expand Calculated Genius as it develops educational programs and scholarships for Chicago-area students to explore STEM fields, especially engineering.
"Brian's experience, creativity, strong organizational leadership, and passion for Calculated Genius' work really stood out to the board of directors," said Kimberly Moore, founder and board president of Calculated Genius. Moore is also founder and president of KDM Engineering in Chicago. "Ultimately, Brian showed he had a real connection with our mission and the students we aspire to reach."
Biederman has 11 years of experience serving students in both STEM and the arts. Recently, he served as the Student Programs Manager for the Illinois Music Education Association, where he collaborated with music educators to provide world class music programs and advocacy efforts to more than 3,000 rural, urban, and suburban students across the state. Previously, he served as a public school music educator and nonprofit executive director in Nashville, Tenn.
"I believe young people are faced with many environmental and societal challenges that will test their creativity and persistence as they grow into adulthood," Biederman said. "I want to make sure they have the resources they need to thrive in their academic, personal, and professional lives."
"That's why Calculated Genius is the right fit, so I can continue its successes in helping young people cultivate their own paths with confidence," he said.
Calculated Genius, a Chicago-based 501(c)3 nonprofit, is dedicated to helping underrepresented youth explore and connect to engineering, in an effort to inspire and support a brighter future. Established in 2015 by Chicago engineer and entrepreneur Kimberly Moore, Calculated Genius bridges the gap between STEM education and application. Its programs, including STEMINIST Scholarships and the Summer Scholars Program, are crafted with educators, parents, and industry professionals to provide students with STEM-focused pathways toward college and careers. Learn more at calculatedgenius.org .
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SOURCE Calculated Genius | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2022/07/07/calculated-genius-names-new-executive-director/ | 2022-07-07 13:23:54 | 0 | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2022/07/07/calculated-genius-names-new-executive-director/ |
Experts find MPD engages in disproportionate policing of Black neighborhoods, illegal jump-outs, and unconstitutional stops and searches
WASHINGTON, May 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A group of civil rights advocates, the lawyers for Sergeant Charlotte Djossou, and the lawyers for individuals who have brought cases alleging constitutional harm from illegal jump-outs, yesterday sent a letter calling on Council member Brooke Pinto, Chair of the D.C. Council Committee on the Judiciary, to hold a public hearing examining the continuing problem of jump-outs, discriminatory targeting of Black neighborhoods, and other police abuses of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Renewed concern was sparked by sworn depositions in a lawsuit filed by MPD Sergeant Charlotte Djossou, an 18-year veteran of the department. "Robert Contee, the departing Chief of Police, admitted in sworn testimony that the MPD has never conducted an investigation of illegal jump-outs, and he does not know whether MPD continues to engage in them," said Lynne Bernabei, Djossou's attorney. "This testimony is in stark contrast to his public statements that the MPD no longer conducts jump-outs."
The letter to Councilmember Pinto cites reports in support of a hearing, one of which is an expert report of Dr. Jack Glaser of the University of California at Berkeley. He found, based on his review of documents and testimony uncovered in Sergeant Djossou's lawsuit, that the MPD engages in disproportionate policing of Black neighborhoods, illegal jump-outs, and unconstitutional stops and searches, which harm the Black community.
"The departure of Chief Contee presents an opportunity for the D.C. Council to enact much-needed reforms to address longstanding police abuses," said said Naïké Savain, Director of Policy at DC Justice Lab. "The MPD must engage with all communities to promote effective and fair policing. While these problems are not new, the District has failed to address them for many years and under many police chiefs. Enacting sensible reforms and regaining the trust of the D.C. community is critical."
The full letter is attached.
Contacts:
Lynne Bernabei, Bernabei & Kabat, PLLC, bernabei@bernabeipllc.com (202-745-1942)
Amber Taylor, ACLU-D.C., media@acludc.org
Vasuki Wilson, DC Justice Lab, vasuki@risepublic.com (202-294-2342)
Joseph Caleb, Caleb Andonian PLLC, joe@calebandonian.com (202-953-9849)
Michael Bruckheim, Bruckheim & Patel, LLC, michael@brucklaw.com (240-753-8222)
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SOURCE Bernabei & Kabat, PLLC | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/05/11/leading-civil-rights-advocates-request-dc-council-hearing-dc-metropolitan-police-departments-jump-outs-other-police-abuses/ | 2023-05-11 12:52:25 | 1 | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/05/11/leading-civil-rights-advocates-request-dc-council-hearing-dc-metropolitan-police-departments-jump-outs-other-police-abuses/ |
‘The Uvalde effect’: Parents rushing to schools amid rash of bogus threats, ‘swatting’ calls
Law enforcement agencies across the country are investigating a rash of bogus active shooter and bomb threats that have rattled students and staff — and sent parents scrambling to schools to make sure their kids are safe.
The FBI said it is aware of "numerous swatting incidents," or false reports of violence serious enough to require a large law enforcement response. FOX TV Stations counted more than 30 such incidents at schools in the U.S. from Sept. 14 - Sept. 21, but many more have been reported since the start of the new school year:
- 9/21/2022: A high school in Chicago was placed on "soft" lockdown after false reports of a gun in the building.
- 9/21/2022: Two high schools in Roanoke, Virginia, placed on lockdown after "potential threat"
- 9/21/2022: Middle school in Opelika, Alabama, evacuated after threats on social media
- 9/21/2022: High school in Willimantic, Connecticut, placed on lockdown after bomb threat.
- 9/21/2022: Multiple "swatting" incidents reported at several schools in Minnesota
- 9/20/2022: Middle school in Baltimore, Maryland, evacuated after bomb threat, suspicious package.
- 9/20/2022: Bomb threats at four schools in Cabarrus County, North Carolina.
- 9/20/2022: Reported shooting at high school in San Antonio, Texas.
- 9/20/2022: Bomb threat reported at high school in Mooresville, North Carolina.
- 9/20/2022: High school in Rochester Hills, Michigan evacuated after reports of gunman, shooting.
- 9/20/2022: False report of active shooter at high school in Washington, DC
- 9/19/2022: Three Colorado schools placed on lockdown because of false active shooter threats. One student at another Colorado school was arrested for having a gun on campus.
- 9/19/2022: No credible threat found after active shooter reported at high school in Culpeper, Virginia.
- 9/19/2022: Suspicious phone call prompts lockdown at high school in Lynchburg, Virginia.
- 9/19/2022: Unfounded active shooter threat reported at high school in Emporia, Virginia.
- 9/19/2022: Fake threat reported at middle school in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
- 9/16/2022: Student arrested for making unsubstantiated threats against high school in Austin, Texas.
- 9/16/2022: Fake threats reported at two high schools in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
- 9/16/2022: High school in Fort Myers, Florida, placed on lockdown after active shooting hoax.
- 9/16/2022: Unfounded reports of shooters forces lockdowns at elementary school and high school in Hollywood, Florida.
- 9/16/2022: Fake reports of active shooter circulate at high school in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.
- 9/16/2022: Bomb threat prompts lockdown and police response at high school in Beaumont, Texas.
- 9/16/2022: Teen arrested for threatening to "shoot up" high school in Nashville, Tennessee
- 9/16/2022: Schools were delayed by three hours and students were ordered to shelter in place after social media threats to schools in Watertown, Connecticut.
- 9/15/2022: Fake active shooter threat at private high school in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, investigated as swatting incident
- 9/15/2022: Students and staff evacuated after reports of explosives at private school in Naperville, Illinois.
- 9/15/2022: Police receive non-credible threat of shooting at high school in St. Louis, Missouri.
- 9/15/2022: Catholic high school in Chula Vista, California, locked down after fake threat of violence.
- 9/15/2022: False active shooter threat reported at middle school in Nashville, Tennessee.
- 9/15/2022: High school in Houston, Texas, evacuated, student detained for making threats against school.
- 9/14/2022: FBI joins local law enforcement investigation in Santa Barbara, California, after active shooting hoax.
- 9/14/2022: Two schools in Fresno, California, placed on lockdown after false reports of active shooter
Schools have responded with lengthy lockdowns, evacuations and even school closures or remote learning days.
‘The Uvalde effect’
A memorial outside of Robb Elementary School for the 21 lives taken by a gunman in Uvalde, Texas, United States on September 06, 2022. (Photo by Pedro Salazar/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
School officials and police responding to the threats aren’t just dealing with the drain in resources and determining whether the crisis is real: In the wake of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, where 19 children and two teachers died, parents are rushing to campuses before the rumors can be quashed.
"Students, parents and educators are already on edge because of Uvalde," explained school security expert Ken Trump. "We’ve had incidents around the country already where the breaking of a glass or loud noise has triggered lockdowns and law enforcement response because of heightened sensitivity around Uvalde ... The anxiety created by these threats is typically more common than any actual direct threat of harm from the threat itself."
In San Antonio, Texas, alarmed parents converged on a high school last week after a classroom shooting report that ultimately proved to be false.
The siege at Thomas Jefferson High School began after police received a call of a possible shooting in progress at the school, according to a police statement. The school was placed on lockdown as police entered and began clearing the campus but found no evidence of an active threat or shooting.
READ MORE: Uvalde children grapple with trauma after school massacre
But frightened students already had made phone calls to their parents, who descended en masse on the school where 29 school district officers and 58 city police officers were on hand.
One man shoved his fist through a window in an effort to gain entry to the school, lacerating his arm. Police applied a tourniquet to that arm. Others were handcuffed and detained after physically struggling with officers, but there were no immediate reports of arrests.
A similar panic occurred at Heights High School in Houston on Sept. 13 after the school received a threat. Threats last week also prompted school shutdowns at districts near Austin and Houston and in California, Massachusetts, Florida, Arkansas, Oregon, Illinois, Kansas and Oklahoma.
READ MORE: Authorities investigating several bogus threats made against Houston area schools
The scare was the latest in a wave of such incidents since the May 24 mass shooting in Uvalde, where officers hesitated for over an hour to storm a classroom and take down the gunman.
"Their confidence has been shaken from the Uvalde response," Trump said. "They’re just saying, ‘I’m going in,’ and we’ve had multiple incidents where managing parental response has become the crisis within the crisis.
READ MORE: After school shootings, are states making classrooms safer?
"The primary responsibility of school and police officials is to first secure the area and make sure kids and staff are safe," Trump continued. "Parents will complain if they don’t have a mass notification message in a matter of two-to-five minutes."
What is swatting?
Swatting threats are often computer-generated, "robo-type" calls, or come in the form of a digital message online. Sometimes, they’re sent to local police departments to trigger a massive law enforcement response, Trump said.
Often, swatting calls are from out-of-state or from another country, which is why the FBI gets involved.
READ MORE: Superintendent calls reports of shots fired at Hollywood school a 'hoax'
"The good news is law enforcement has become more highly skilled in investigating this," Trump said. "They do leave digital footprints and law enforcement will find them. It sometimes just takes days and maybe weeks if it crosses international borders or jurisdictions. It can take time and you can get more threats during that time, which makes it even more challenging."
‘Assess, then react’
Kids walk past two law enforcement on their way into school as students go back to school months after deadly US shooting in Uvalde, Texas, United States on September 06, 2022. (Photo by Pedro Salazar/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Trump said districts can counter the mass panic — and severe disruptions to learning — by having a three-step plan in place.
First, schools need a threat assessment team to "assess, and then react and not react, then assess," Trump explained.
"Best practice is that you don’t automatically evacuate unless there’s a credible threat," he said. "But you assess and then make a determination. If you automatically evacuate you could be creating a target-rich environment … If you close schools or go to remote learning on every threat you receive, you’re going to be closing a lot."
Next, school districts need a list of heightened security measures they can implement if a threat is made, like more officers at arrival and dismissal times or more teachers in the hallways.
"You want to err on the safe side and show the school community that you’re aware of the threat," Trump said.
School districts also need a crisis communication plan in place — including a social media strategy — to relay accurate information to the school community.
READ MORE: Schools across Arizona on high alert for shooting threats; students could face charges
"In decades past you’d have an incident, they call the police, take action and send a letter home to parents," Trump said. "Today, it’s not sequential like it used to be. You have parallel crises going on — the incident itself ... parents responding, calling right away ... and then you have this massive response of parents at the school. You need to make sure you’re the credible source and they’re not relying on social media rumors and misinformation. That creates an enormous strain for school administrators."
After the scare at Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio, Superintendent Jaime Aquino said the district needed to find better ways to communicate with parents in real time. "I’m assuming that if we had not had Uvalde, perhaps we would not have the reaction of the parents. So we just have to understand that," he said.
What can parents and educators do?
(Photo by Paul Bersebach/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images)
Parents and educators should stress to their children just how dangerous these false threats are — and make sure they understand the consequences, Trump said.
"Once you press send, you can’t put the threat back into the smartphone, and eventually there’s a ton of bricks of consequences coming once people catch up with you as the threat-maker," Trump said. "That’s suspension, expulsion and criminal prosecution, and in that prosecutors are asking courts to go after threat-makers and their parents for restitution to pay for the cost involved with mass response. That could get into the tens, and some cases, hundreds of thousands of dollars."
The Associated Press contributed to this report. | https://www.fox29.com/news/the-uvalde-effect-parents-rushing-schools-bogus-threats-swatting-calls | 2022-09-22 18:01:57 | 0 | https://www.fox29.com/news/the-uvalde-effect-parents-rushing-schools-bogus-threats-swatting-calls |
GRANITE BAY, Calif. — Two minors and a woman were hurt after a Tesla crashed into them, according to officials.
California Highway Patrol Auburn says the crash happened at the entrance of the Walmart on Douglas and Sierra College boulevards just before 4 p.m. Saturday while they were at a Girl Scout stand outside the building.
The two minors had moderate injuries and a 76-year-old woman had major injuries, according to officials. All three were taken to the hospital.
The driver of the Tesla, identified as 69-year-old Gary L. Benson of Cameron Park, was arrested on the scene for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, according to officials.
Officials say he will be booked into the Placer County Jail for felony charges of driving under the influence causing injuries. | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/roseville/3-injured-car-crashes-girl-scout/103-367ff9fb-4874-49ca-b1ed-095339794f3d | 2023-02-26 06:41:47 | 0 | https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/roseville/3-injured-car-crashes-girl-scout/103-367ff9fb-4874-49ca-b1ed-095339794f3d |
The incident happened Monday just before 5 p.m. on the 3300 Princeton Avenue.
Police say a 33-year-old man was shot once in the right thigh.
He was taken to Jefferson Frankford Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.
A 23-year-old man was also shot once in the stomach.
He was transported by private vehicle to Nazareth Hospital.
The 23-year-old was later transported by medics to Temple University Hospital, where he has listed in critical condition and being held as a prisoner.
Police say the robber shot the homeowner, and the homeowner returned fire.
A gun was also recovered from the scene, officials say.
No further details have been provided at this time. | https://6abc.com/mayfair-attempted-home-invasion-double-shooting-police-investigation-philly-crime/12018235/ | 2022-07-04 23:50:59 | 1 | https://6abc.com/mayfair-attempted-home-invasion-double-shooting-police-investigation-philly-crime/12018235/ |
Phase III epalrestat clinical trial to evaluate safety, tolerability, and clinical and metabolic improvement of pediatric subjects with PMM2-CDG
STURGIS, Mich., Jan. 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Maggie's Pearl, a joint venture between Perlara, Maggie's Cure, and the Mayo Clinic, has started a Phase III clinical treatment trial to evaluate safety, tolerability, and clinical and metabolic improvement of pediatric subjects with PMM2-CDG (formerly known as Congenital Disorder of Glycosylation Type 1a) on oral epalrestat therapy versus a placebo. Administered by the Mayo Clinic, the clinical trial is a prospective, single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Maggie's Pearl received Food and Drug Administration approval in December 2021 to begin the Phase III clinical trial in 40 patients with PMM2-CDG. Now, the study is actively recruiting, and the first two study subjects were dosed in December 2022.
PMM2-CDG, or phosphomannomutase-2-congenital disorder of glycosylation — is caused by mutations in a gene that supplies the instructions for making the PMM2 enzyme, which is involved in a process known as glycosylation. In that process, sugar chains are created, altered, and chemically attached to specific proteins to form glycoproteins. Those proteins are key to normal growth and function of tissues and organs.
"This trial is the culmination of five years of research attempting to identify a new treatment option for pediatric PMM2-CDG," said Ethan Perlstein, CEO of Maggie's Pearl. "The start of this trial is an inflection point in our research. If this study demonstrates epalrestat to be safe and effective, families could finally have a viable treatment option for children living with PMM2-CDG."
The primary study objective is to evaluate the safety and probable benefit of oral epalrestat therapy in pediatric subjects with PMM2-CDG. Study outcomes include evaluating the metabolic improvement of pediatric subjects treated with oral epalrestat therapy compared to those receiving the placebo. Additional areas of evaluation are safety, clinical improvement, and pharmacokinetics (PK) of oral epalrestat therapy, as well as urine polyols, adverse events, laboratory data, and other measures.
To learn more about the trial, visit: clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04925960.
About Maggie's Pearl
Established in August 2020, Maggie's Pearl LLC is a joint venture between Perlara, Maggie's Cure, and the Mayo Clinic to identify potential drug therapies to treat and improve the lives of PMM2-CDG patients. Maggie's Pearl was inspired by Maggie Carmichael, a nine-year-old girl from Sturgis, Michigan, who was diagnosed with PMM2-CDG at eight months of age. At the time of her diagnosis, Maggie's parents were told there was no treatment for their daughter's rare, and potentially fatal, genetic disease. There are roughly 1,000 people in the world known to have PMM2-CDG. To learn more about Maggie's Pearl, visit: www.maggiespearl.co.
CONTACT: Pete Johnson, (415) 806 - 7060
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SOURCE Maggie's Pearl | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2023/01/09/maggies-pearl-initiates-phase-iii-clinical-trial-treatment-patients-with-pmm2-cdg/ | 2023-01-09 15:26:03 | 1 | https://www.kwch.com/prnewswire/2023/01/09/maggies-pearl-initiates-phase-iii-clinical-trial-treatment-patients-with-pmm2-cdg/ |
Dear Amy: Four months before my daughter’s wedding, she told me that her uncle (my brother, “Dave”) would make her feel unsafe if he was a guest. She asked me not to invite him.
My daughter is very politically progressive, as are many of her friends, and although she and Dave have always had a good relationship (I thought), he is a conservative voter and has supported candidates we all abhor.
Dave has always been very nice, so my daughter’s request surprised me.
I wrote Dave a very nice note, telling him that we would not be comfortable with him at the wedding and that he would not be invited.
Dave did not respond and did not attend.
Afterward, I sent him a card and pictures from the wedding, all in an effort to make him feel like he was not being totally left out.
I have not heard from Dave since then. When my siblings found out what I had done they were angry with me.
That is just one problem.
Another problem is that Dave has not sent my daughter and son-in-law a wedding gift.
In the past, Dave has given family members wedding checks in excess of $1,000. My daughter says she was counting on receiving the same type of gift.
My husband says I should drop it – but I can’t. Dave’s behavior is upsetting and embarrassing to me.
How can I get my brother to recognize and change his petty behavior?
Please don’t tell me that I’m the one who started this by not inviting my brother to the wedding. After all, he’s a grown man, while my daughter is young and just starting out.
Angry in Philadelphia
Dear Angry: Let’s recap: Your delicate daughter is too frightened to be near a conservative voter to allow her uncle to attend her wedding.
She then asks you to do her dirty work for her, and (of course) you do!
Fine – so far, we have only a bride’s prerogative to create her own guest list, and her mother’s choice to protect her from any consequences, which is your prerogative.
You then rub the excluded guest’s nose in this wedding by sending him photos of the event to which he has pointedly not been invited.
But it’s your second “problem” which I believe will enter the Bridezilla Hall of Infamy.
In short: Brides who are too afraid of family members to invite them to a family wedding don’t then get the pleasure of receiving their money.
You seem almost as afraid of your daughter as she is of your brother, but I hope you’ll find a way to courageously tell her that the Bank of Uncle Dave is closed, at least to your branch of the family.
So far, your silent brother is the only family member who is behaving appropriately. He’s steering clear, which is exactly what you have asked him to do.
Dear Amy: I play the guitar passably well, and enjoy making music in my free time.
I am a member of a large, generous and expansive family. We enjoy our summertime gatherings.
This may seem like a minor issue, but at every gathering I am asked to perform – usually in the background while others mingle.
I really and truly do not want to do this, but I have trouble saying no to these very nice and supportive people, including my parents, who did pay for my music lessons back in the day.
Your suggestion?
Picking but not Grinning
Dear Picking: I suggest leaving your guitar at home and bringing a portable speaker with you, instead.
When this request is made, pat your pockets and say, “I’ve left my guitar at home – but here, if you all want, I can play some recordings I’ve made.”
Dear Amy: I’m late responding to the discussion of why some people don’t respond to a friendly “hello” on the street, but part of the reason people might not respond is because we don’t hear them!
I’ve got noise-canceling earbuds, and when I’m out and about I’m almost always listening to something.
There have been a couple of times when my hair was hiding my ears and I didn’t notice someone was speaking to me.
I’m sure they thought I was being rude until I took my earbuds out.
Allison
Dear Allison: A plausible explanation – and I must point out that wearing earbuds presents a safety risk to you. If you can’t hear greetings, you also can’t hear warnings, squealing tires or people approaching you from behind.
You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook. | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/06/29/ask-amy-whos-being-petty-about-the-wedding/ | 2023-06-30 00:12:43 | 0 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/06/29/ask-amy-whos-being-petty-about-the-wedding/ |
WASHINGTON, June 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Kids2 are alerting consumers to at least one reported death in 2019 of an infant in a Bright Starts Rocker. Kids2 Bright Starts and Baby Einstein Rockers should never be used for sleep and infants should never be unsupervised or unrestrained in the Rockers.
Consumers are encouraged to report incidents involving these or other infant products to CPSC at saferproducts.gov. CPSC investigates incidents and fatalities that occurred while infants were in the products.
Kids2 has sold more than 1.8 million Rockers worldwide since 2012 and reviews and evaluates reported incidents that occurred while infants were in the products. Consumers are encouraged to report incidents or questions to Kids2 at 1-800-230-8190, or kids2.com, https://www.kids2.com/pages/contact-us.
Parents and caregivers should never use inclined products, such as rockers, gliders, soothers, and swings, for infant sleep and should not leave infants in these products unsupervised, unrestrained, or with bedding material, due to the risk of suffocation. CPSC recently finalized a rule requiring that infant sleep products have a sleep surface angle of 10 degrees or less. The rule goes into effect on June 23, 2022.
Consumers are reminded:
- The best place for an infant to sleep is on a firm, flat surface in a crib, bassinet or play yard.
- Parents and caregivers should use a fitted sheet only and never add blankets, pillows, padded crib bumpers, or other items to an infant's sleeping environment.
- Infants should always be placed to sleep on their back. Infants who fall asleep in an inclined or upright position should be moved to a safe sleep environment with a firm, flat surface such as a crib, bassinet or play yard.
About Kids2
Kids2 is a purpose-driven company focused on helping new parents solve some of their biggest problems—developing holistic solutions that create more tiny wins and bright futures for all families. Kids2's number one priority is the safety and well-being of the babies and families who love and use our products. Kids2 intends to lead the industry in product advancements and is committed to proving the safest and best experience to the families they serve across the globe.
About the U.S. CPSC
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risk of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product-related incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products has contributed to a decline in the rate of injuries associated with consumer products over the past 50 years.
Federal law prohibits any person from selling products subject to a Commission ordered recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in consultation with the CPSC.
For lifesaving information:
- Visit CPSC.gov.
- Sign up to receive our e-mail alerts.
- Follow us on Facebook, Instagram @USCPSC and Twitter @USCPSC.
- Report a dangerous product or a product-related injury on www.SaferProducts.gov.
- Call CPSC's Hotline at 800-638-2772 (TTY 301-595-7054).
- Contact a media specialist.
Release Number: 22-158
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SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission | https://www.kfyrtv.com/prnewswire/2022/06/14/cpsc-kids2-warn-consumers-about-death-kids2-rocker-advise-rockers-should-never-be-used-sleep/ | 2022-06-14 17:08:55 | 0 | https://www.kfyrtv.com/prnewswire/2022/06/14/cpsc-kids2-warn-consumers-about-death-kids2-rocker-advise-rockers-should-never-be-used-sleep/ |
If there was ever a time for Republicans to back efforts to expand birth control access, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray of Washington thinks this should be it.
"Women in many states today, because of the decision by the Supreme Court, are really worried about their access to be able to have birth control pills as a way of making sure they don't become pregnant, because in their states, they won't have access to abortion care," Murray, a Democrat, said in an interview with NPR.
"I disagree wholeheartedly with the Supreme Court decision," she said, referring to last summer's Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling that overturned decades of abortion-rights precedent. "But at the same time, we need to make sure that over-the-counter birth control is available."
Murray re-introduced legislation on Thursday that would require insurance companies to cover over-the-counter birth control pills as soon as they become available without a prescription, as recently recommended unanimously by a Food and Drug Administration panel. More than 100 countries already allow oral contraceptives to be dispensed this way.
Murray's bill would build on a requirement in the Affordable Care Act that most health insurance companies provide contraceptive coverage without a co-pay.
"Now that we are seeing that it may become available over the counter, we want to make sure that insurers still pay for it because it is costly," Murray says. "This is a great step if FDA approves this and women can go to the drugstore and purchase it without having to have a doctor's appointment ... but it will only be available for some women if it is not covered by insurance."
A push for Republican support
In the wake of the Dobbs decision, Murray says she hopes Republicans will join her — which would be essential in a closely-divided Congress for her legislation to advance.
Murray notes that some Republicans who oppose abortion rights have said they do not intend to limit access to birth control. Leaders of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, among others, have made such claims.
"I say to them, this is your opportunity to show people that you are living the words that you're speaking and co-sign the legislation," Murray says. "Work with us. Let's get this passed."
So far, she has no Republican co-sponsors. But some Congressional Republicans have a history of supporting legislation meant to ease access to contraceptives. Last year, just weeks after the Dobbs decision, a group of Iowa Republicans including Senators Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley and Congresswomen Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Ashley Hinson proposed legislation designed to expedite efforts to make certain contraceptives available over the counter to patients 18 and older.
Groups opposed to abortion rights have generally avoided taking positions explicitly opposing contraception, although some support legislation that reproductive rights advocates warn could threaten access to some birth control methods.
In a statement, Students for Life of America described the move toward over-the-counter birth control as "reckless" and suggested that easier distribution of birth control pills is unwise given rising rates of some types of sexually transmitted infections, which the organization described as an "epidemic of sexually transmitted disease."
A separate fight - over abortion pills
Murray's bill focuses on improving access to birth control pills, which prevent pregnancy. But the proposal comes amidst other battles over access to reproductive health care, including ongoing litigation in the federal courts over the abortion pill, mifepristone. That drug is widely used in combination with another medication to terminate mostly first-trimester pregnancies, and to treat patients experiencing miscarriages.
A lawsuit filed by a coalition of anti-abortion rights groups challenges the FDA's approval of the pill in 2000 and several subsequent rule changes that have eased access to the drug, including allowing the pills to be distributed by mail. It seeks to remove mifepristone from the market altogether.
In the latest development in that case, a federal appeals court heard arguments last week during a hearing in New Orleans.
As NPR's Selena Simmons-Duffin reported, a panel of conservative-leaning federal judges posed questions to lawyers on both sides. Judge Cory Wilson asked Deputy Assistant Attorney General Sarah Harrington, who was representing the FDA, what happens to patients who receive pills in the mail, if the drugs do not successfully terminate a pregnancy within two weeks. Harrington told Wilson that in a small percentage of cases, patients may need to contact their healthcare providers for follow-up care.
Abortion rights advocates say medication abortion is a preferred option for many patients for a variety of reasons, including for people who live in rural areas without access to abortion clinics, those who want to avoid a surgical procedure to terminate an unwanted pregnancy or help ease a miscarriage already underway, or who prefer to complete the process at home.
In an interview with NPR's Becky Sullivan, a woman named Rebecca, who asked that we use only her first name, said that having the option to terminate her pregnancy at home in 2020 during the pandemic was a "godsend," particularly given the fact that she believed some of her family members would not have supported her decision.
"Being able to do it in the privacy of my home and not having to explain anything to anyone is the biggest part of it," she said.
Brianna Scott and Jeanette Woods contributed to this report. contributed to this story
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.kcbx.org/npr-top-news/2023-05-22/with-growing-abortion-restrictions-democrats-push-for-over-the-counter-birth-control | 2023-05-22 13:03:34 | 1 | https://www.kcbx.org/npr-top-news/2023-05-22/with-growing-abortion-restrictions-democrats-push-for-over-the-counter-birth-control |
REDDITCH, England, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Engineered Machined Products (EMP), a Concentric AB company and leading producer of mechanical and electric water and oil pumps, electric fans, thermal management systems and highly complex precision machined components, was recently awarded a key contract for machined components in the U.S., with a global multinational customer of engineered products, who develop energy efficient technology. The product will be used internationally in mobile machinery for off-highway applications including construction and agriculture.
The business awarded to EMP is expected to deliver around one million USD in annual sales. This win marks another major feat for EMP's machining operations in the market.
Martin Kunz, Concentric AB President and CEO, commented: " This new business award is a further demonstration of EMP's market leading machining capability. For over 30 years, EMP has been trusted by major global OEMs to deliver complex machined products which meet the most challenging specifications, from it's 250,000sq ft highly automated manufacturing facility in North America. Since we acquired EMP in October 2021, we have continued to invest in the business, with a focus on growth, and this win is another key step on this journey."
CONTACT:
For additional information please contact Martin Kunz, telephone +44-121-445 6545
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SOURCE Concentric AB | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/10/31/emp-secures-hydraulic-machining-contract-north-america/ | 2022-10-31 08:04:13 | 0 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/prnewswire/2022/10/31/emp-secures-hydraulic-machining-contract-north-america/ |
FORT WORTH, Texas, July 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Colonial Savings, F.A.'s annual volunteer challenge is scheduled to kick-off on July 1. The theme of this year's company-wide challenge is Colonial in Action!, and is a friendly competition encouraging employees and company leaders to give back to the community through volunteer work, financial literacy, homebuyer education and other means of support.
"Colonial has a long history of volunteerism and charitable giving that helps shape our culture and who we are as an organization," said David Motley, President of Colonial. "We believe in the American dream of homeownership and we help realize that dream through home loan financing. We support individuals and businesses' financial goals through our personal and business banking products, and by challenging ourselves to get out and give back, we will continue to make a positive change in the communities we serve."
During their inaugural challenge, Colonial employees volunteered more than 1,500 hours at dozens of community groups and organizations. The department who has the most average volunteer hours at Colonial will be awarded $1,000 to donate to a charity or organization of their choice, and will also receive "The Jimmy Award for Excellence," named after Colonial's beloved founder and visionary, Jimmy DuBose.
Founded in 1952 as Fort Worth Mortgage Corporation, today Colonial is a national, multi-service financial institution headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. A federally chartered thrift, Colonial is one of the largest servicers of residential mortgage loans in the United States, with a servicing portfolio of $23 Billion. Colonial operates three mortgage origination divisions, Colonial National Mortgage, a leading retail mortgage lender; CU Members Mortgage, which provides mortgage services credit unions nationwide; and Community Bankers Mortgage, which provides mortgage origination and servicing to community banks as well as a network of eight consumer/commercial banks located throughout North Central Texas. The privately held company provides a full array of personal and business financial products and originates approximately $1.5 billion in FHA, VA, Jumbo, Conventional, Condo and innovative Single Close Construction loans annually. For additional information, please visit GoColonial.com.
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SOURCE Colonial Savings, F.A. | https://www.weau.com/prnewswire/2022/07/01/colonial-action-colonial-savings-fas-annual-volunteer-challenge-kick-off-july-1/ | 2022-07-01 09:48:09 | 1 | https://www.weau.com/prnewswire/2022/07/01/colonial-action-colonial-savings-fas-annual-volunteer-challenge-kick-off-july-1/ |
By MEG KINNARD (Associated Press)
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina made it official Friday: He’s running for president.
Scott, the Senate’s only Black Republican, filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission declaring his intention to seek his party’s nomination in 2024. His candidacy will test whether a more optimistic vision of America’s future can resonate with GOP voters who have elevated partisan brawlers in recent years.
The deeply religious 57-year-old former insurance broker has made his grandfather’s work in the cotton fields of the Deep South a bedrock of his political identity. Yet he rejects the notion that racism remains a powerful force in society, and he has cast his candidacy and rise from generational poverty as the realization of a dream only possible in America.
Scott, who last month formed an exploratory committee allowing him to raise and spend money while weighing a White House campaign, has scheduled a formal announcement on Monday at Charleston Southern University, a private Baptist college and Scott’s alma mater, in his hometown of North Charleston.
Scott already has scheduled TV ads to begin airing in the early voting states Iowa and New Hampshire early next week, the most significant advertising expenditure by a potential or declared candidate in the early stages of the 2024 nominating campaign.
Scott tries to focus on hopeful themes and avoid divisive language to distinguish himself from the grievance-based politics favored by those leading the GOP field, such as former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who hasn’t yet entered the race but is expected to do so soon.
The senator refuses to frame his own life story around the country’s racial inequities. He insists that those who disagree with his views on the issue are trying to “weaponize race to divide us,” and that “the truth of my life disproves their lies.”
During a February visit to Iowa, which holds the first GOP presidential caucuses, Scott spoke of a “new American sunrise” rooted in collaboration.
“I see a future where common sense has rebuilt common ground, where we’ve created real unity, not by compromising away our conservatism, but by winning converts to our conservatism,” he said.
But Scott has his limits. During that same trip, he railed against political correctness in much the same fashion as Trump and DeSantis.
“If you wanted a blueprint to ruin America, you’d keep doing exactly what Joe Biden has let the far left do to our country for the past two years,” he said. “Tell every white kid they’re oppressors. Tell Black and brown kids their destiny is grievance, not greatness.”
Scott speaks often about his hardscrabble roots. He was raised by a single mother who worked long hours as a nurse’s assistant to provide for him and his brother after her divorce from their father. Scott, who describes himself as a lackluster student, graduated from Charleston Southern University with a political science degree before opening an insurance business.
Scott’s faith is an integral part of his political and personal story. Describing himself as a “born-again believer,” Scott often quotes Scripture at campaign events, weaving his reliance on spiritual guidance into his stump speech and using “Faith in America” to describe his series of political appearances before joining the race.
On many issues, Scott aligns with mainstream GOP positions. He wants to reduce government spending and restrict abortion, saying he would sign a federal law to prohibit abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy if elected president.
But Scott has pushed the party on some policing overhaul measures since the killing of George Floyd, and he has occasionally criticized Trump’s response to racial tensions. Scott called it “indefensible” after Trump retweeted a post — that he later deleted — containing a racist slogan associated with white supremacists.
In the days that followed Trump’s widely criticized response to a 2017 white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, Scott said Trump’s principles had been compromised and that without some introspection, “it will be hard for him to regain … moral authority.”
Throughout their disagreements, though, Scott has maintained a generally cordial relationship with Trump, saying in his book that the former president “listened intently” to his viewpoints on race-related issues.
A potentially more awkward rival for Scott will be Nikki Haley, Trump’s former U.N. ambassador who helped fuel Scott’s political rise when she was South Carolina’s governor and appointed him to the Senate in 2012.
In filing the seat that had been held by Republican Jim DeMint, Scott became the first Black senator from the South since just after the Civil War. In a 2014 special election to serve out the remainder of his term, Scott became the first Black candidate to win a statewide race in South Carolina since the Reconstruction era.
He easily won reelection last year and had long said his current term, which runs through 2029, would be his last.
As a senator, Scott has been a go-to Republican voice on issues including policing and was the GOP’s chief negotiator on legislation that ultimately stalled in 2021. He has also spoken on the Senate floor about his personal experiences as a Black man in America.
“I have felt the anger, the frustration, the sadness and the humiliation that comes with feeling like you’re being targeted for nothing more than just being yourself,” Scott said in 2016, recounting how he was pulled over seven times in a year. He was once stopped by a U.S. Capitol Police officer who recognized the Senate lapel pin that Scott was wearing — but did not recognize Scott.
Scott rejects the notion that the country is inherently racist and has repudiated the teaching of critical race theory, an academic framework that presents the idea that the nation’s institutions maintain the dominance of white people.
“Hear me clearly: America is not a racist country,” Scott said. “It’s backwards to fight discrimination with different types of discrimination. And it’s wrong to try to use our painful past to dishonestly shut down debates in the present.”
Scott believes parents should have more oversight over what their kids learn in public schools about race, sexual orientation and gender identity.
Scott has twice addressed the Republican National Convention — in 2012 as a first-term congressman and in 2020 as a senator. At the last GOP convention, he praised Trump for building “the most inclusive economy ever” and for supporting funding for historically Black colleges and universities.
After Biden’s White House victory, Scott was tapped to give the GOP response to the new president’s first address to Congress.
Others in the GOP 2024 race include entrepreneur and “Woke, Inc.” author Vivek Ramaswamy, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and radio show host Larry Elder. DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie are among those who are expected to announce campaigns soon.
If Scott is successful, he would be the first Black person to win the Republican presidential nomination and the second elected to the presidency, following Barack Obama in 2008.
Scott frequently mentions that his family made it “from cotton to Congress in one lifetime” — a reference to his grandfather who left grade school to pick cotton in the Deep South.
___
Associated Press writer Thomas Beaumont in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this report.
___
Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP | https://www.mcall.com/2023/05/19/sen-tim-scott-makes-it-official-hes-a-republican-candidate-for-president/ | 2023-05-19 21:19:42 | 0 | https://www.mcall.com/2023/05/19/sen-tim-scott-makes-it-official-hes-a-republican-candidate-for-president/ |
Company Unveils Multiple New Product Lines, including Limited Edition and Popular
Island Flower Varieties, along with Prerolls in Single-Strain and Infused Varieties
PHOENIX, Ariz., Dec. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - 4Front Ventures Corp. (CSE: FFNT) (OTCQX: FFNTF) ("4Front" or the "Company"), a vertically integrated, multi-state cannabis operator and retailer, has expanded its Island Cannabis Co. ("Island") portfolio in Massachusetts, launching multiple new product lines, including new Island Flower varieties, along with prerolls and mini prerolls in single-strain and infused varieties. The newly launched products will be available at the Company's Mission Dispensaries in Georgetown, Worcester, and Brookline, and are expected to roll out to 4Front's partner dispensaries across Massachusetts in the coming weeks.
"When we launched Island in Massachusetts earlier this year, cannabis consumers fell in love with the brand's ability to offer high-quality flower without the high price tag," said 4Front CEO Leo Gontmakher. "The market welcomed Island, and these California fan favorites have created a loyal following in the Bay State. Now, we're bringing consumers even more Island products to choose from, including special limited-edition strains, along with some time-tested classics. In the coming year, we will continue to meet cannabis consumers' growing demands, backed by our low-cost production methods and high-quality standards."
Island Flower: Earlier this year, 4Front launched 11 new Island strains in the Bay State. The Company is now bringing Massachusetts cannabis consumers Island's high testing, hand-selected premium genetics with robust terpene profiles in a variety of new flower packaging and sizes. Massachusetts cannabis consumers can purchase Island flower in 3.5g mylar bags or glass jars (MSRP: $44) or 7g glass jars (MSRP: $66). In addition, 4Front plans to roll out the sustainably grown flower line in 28g glass jars (MSRP: $207) by the end of the year.
Island Classic Single Prerolls and Island Minis: These 1g single-strain prerolls (MSRP: $13) place flavor of the plant at the forefront, and are packaged in all-natural, biodegradable paper cones and made with no trim or shake – just premium flower. Island Classic Single Prerolls are also available in seven of the brand's newly launched signature strains. Later this month, 4Front will also debut Island Infused Mini Preroll 5-Packs for $40, which will feature 100% natural flower infused with premium quality cannabis concentrate for a smooth, flavorful experience.
For more information, visit https://4frontventures.com/, https://island.co/products/ and https://missiondispensaries.com/.
4Front Ventures Corp. ("4Front" or the "Company") (CSE: FFNT) (OTCQX: FFNTF) is a national, vertically integrated multi-state cannabis operator that owns or manages operations and facilities in strategic medical and adult-use cannabis markets, including California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan and Washington. Since its founding in 2011, 4Front has built a strong reputation for its high standards and low-cost cultivation and production methodologies, earned through a track record of success in facility design, cultivation, genetics, growing processes, manufacturing, purchasing, distribution and retail. To date, 4Front has successfully brought to market more than 20 different cannabis brands and over 1,800 products, which are strategically distributed through its wholly owned-and-operated Mission dispensaries and retail outlets in its core markets. As the Company continues to drive value for its shareholders, its team is applying its decade of expertise in the sector across the cannabis industry value chain and ecosystem. For more information, visit https://4frontventures.com/.
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SOURCE 4Front Ventures Corp. | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2022/12/16/4front-ventures-expands-island-cannabis-co-product-offerings-massachusetts/ | 2022-12-16 13:33:16 | 0 | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2022/12/16/4front-ventures-expands-island-cannabis-co-product-offerings-massachusetts/ |
Fourth of July 2023: Here are Arizona's best celebrations
Arizona puts its own spin on every holiday and that’s especially true for the Fourth of July. Sure, you can find fireworks and music and parades. But you can also enjoy plenty of other options including art shows, a laser light display, a rodeo of historic proportions and good old-fashioned water park soakings for the kids.
This is the perfect time of year to get out of Phoenix and see how some other towns celebrate Independence Day. Here are some of Arizona’s best July 4 celebrations.
Just please be sure to follow all fire restrictions wherever you go.
Prescott: World's Oldest Rodeo, fireworks and a parade
The World’s Oldest Rodeo in Prescott is a weeklong event, kicking off on June 28 and continuing through July 4 at the Prescott Rodeo Grounds. The World’s Oldest Rodeo Parade runs downtown past Courthouse Plaza beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday, July 1. 928-445-3103, www.worldsoldestrodeo.com.
In fact, Courthouse Plaza will be bustling all weekend before the holiday. The Prescott Rodeo Days Arts & Crafts Show runs July 1-3, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. The juried art show — the biggest of the year in Prescott —spreads out beneath the shady elms on the plaza and features paintings, pottery, jewelry, metal works, home decor and plenty more. Live music will keep the party going and activities include the Whiskey Row Boot Race. 928-443-5220, www.prescottdowntown.com.
There’s a big party at Watson Lake Park on July 1, and that’s where the fireworks will go off. There will be waterslides, live music, food vendors and a beer garden. The festivities go from 3 to 9:30 p.m. with fireworks over the lake at 9. General admission is $7. An unlimited waterslide pass for kids includes general admission for $25 ($30 day of the event). Purchasing your Watson Lake parking in advance ($20) is encouraged; free parking with a shuttle is available at Pioneer Park. To purchase tickets and passes, visit https://prescott.events/watson-lake-1st-of-july.
Arizona's best free attractions:21 things to see and do that don't cost a cent
Prescott Valley: Red, White and Boom
If you miss out on the fireworks at Watson Lake, or maybe you just want an encore, you’ll have another opportunity. Prescott Valley launches its Red, White and Boom event on Tuesday, July 4, from 3 to 9:30 p.m.
It takes place at Prescott Valley Civic Center, 7501 Skoog Blvd., and features carnival rides, splash inflatables, food trucks, a beer garden and plenty of live music. Line dance instruction will be offered at 3:45 p.m. to get you ready for the country flavor of bands like Trailer Park Millionaires and Tyller Gummersall.
Plus, it’s all free, except for food and drinks, of course. For those who want to start the party early, tailgating and RV parking is available at nearby Findlay Toyota Center on a first come, first served basis. Fireworks are fired off at 9 p.m.
There will also be space for fireworks viewing at Bob Edwards Park, 7201 E. Long Look Drive, for families looking for a more peaceful setting.
Sedona, Cottonwood and Clarkdale: Fireworks and Wet Fest
With a little planning, you can enjoy a full day of old-fashioned fun in the Verde Valley spread across the communities of Cottonwood, Clarkdale and Sedona. It all takes place on July 4.
Things kick off early in the morning in Clarkdale with a 7 a.m. pancake breakfast, followed by fire truck rides and an ice cream social at 7:30 a.m. With the kids all hopped up on sugar, the children’s parade at 9 a.m. should be a peppy one. At 9:30 a.m. the Cottonwood Community Band plays until 11 a.m., when the morning’s festivities end. Everything takes place at Clarkdale Town Park, 101 Main St.
That will give you time to head for Wet Fest in west Sedona at 570 Posse Ground Road. Enjoy a free recreational swim, giant water slides, music and food trucks at Sedona Community Pool from noon until 4 p.m. Everything is free (except for the food); swim wear is required for pool use.
Finish up the day in Cottonwood for the annual fireworks display. The party goes from 4 to 9:30 p.m. Free burgers and hot dogs right off the grill are served up from 4 to 6 p.m., and there are plenty of games for the little ones (with $10 wristband purchase). It all takes place at Cottonwood Kids Park, 350 S. 12th St. Fireworks go off at 9 p.m.
Flagstaff: Laser lights, a parade and Art in the Park
If you’re looking for an excuse for a long weekend in the high country, head for Flagstaff. Art in the Park runs July 1-3. The juried arts and crafts festival features more than 75 artists from across the Southwest.
The event takes place on the big shady lawn of Wheeler Park, 212 W. Aspen Ave., in downtown Flagstaff from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday. Bands perform from the stage through each day, food vendors are on hand and an expansive beer garden serves local and regional brews.
On July 4 a colorful parade will make its way through downtown from 9 to 11 a.m. Also, on July 4, the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra will perform a family-friendly patriotic pops concert at the Pepsi Amphitheater in Forth Tuthill County Park south of the city. The event begins at 3 p.m. and is free. Bring lawn chairs and blankets.
The party continues at Fort Tuthill when Flagstaff 4th Fest starts at 5 p.m. Tuesday and includes face painting, crafts, food trucks and live music by Black Lemon. Instead of fireworks, a state of the art laser light show will fill the night sky starting at 9 p.m. www.flagstaffarizona.org.
Where to eat in Flagstaff?These 10 restaurants show off the city's best cooking
Show Low: FreedomFest concerts and fireworks
Celebrate America’s independence in the cool pines of Show Low on July 4. The celebration starts at 9 a.m. with a parade along the Deuce of Clubs.
As it wraps up, head for Frontier Park, 650 N. Ninth Place, for the SplashZone event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Kids will love the new interactive splash pad, which opened in May. And the fire department will be on hand, periodically unleashing sprinklers and geysers of water. If all goes as planned, there won’t be a dry kid in Show Low by noon.
At 3 p.m. it’s time to head to FreedomFest at the Show Low Football Stadium complex, 500 W. Linden Road. There will be specialty foods and desserts along the midway. Bands keep the party rocking and a BMX Super Hero Stunt Show performs three shows of high-flying acrobatics. Fireworks are scheduled at 9 p.m. All events are free. 928-537-2326, www.showlowchamber.com.
Payson: Fireworks over Green Valley Lake
Fireworks exploding above Green Valley Lake in Payson will make a gorgeous holiday memory.
On July 4, families start gathering at the park for a full slate of lawn and water games that begin at 1 p.m. There will be an egg carry race, water balloon toss, tug of war, cornhole, giant Jenga, a 75-foot slip and slide and more.
The Payson event will feature food trucks and vendors. They start dishing up free watermelon (while supplies last) at 4 p.m., just as the band takes the stage. But save room to enter the pie-eating contest.
Fireworks go off at 9 p.m., high above the water. Since parking is limited, a shuttle service runs from Payson High School, 301 S. McLane Road, to Green Valley Park starting at 12:30 p.m. 928-472-5110, www.paysonrimcountry.com.
Find the reporter at www.rogernaylor.com. Or follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RogerNaylorinAZor Twitter @AZRogerNaylor. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/travel/arizona/road-trips/2023/06/16/fourth-of-july-2023-events-arizona/70318831007/ | 2023-06-16 16:03:52 | 0 | https://www.azcentral.com/story/travel/arizona/road-trips/2023/06/16/fourth-of-july-2023-events-arizona/70318831007/ |
NEW YORK, Nov. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Jakubowitz Law announces that a securities fraud class action lawsuit has commenced on behalf of shareholders of Sema4 Holdings, Corp. (NASDAQ: SMFR).
To receive updates on the lawsuit, fill out the form:
The lawsuit seeks to recover losses for shareholders who purchased Sema4 Holdings Corp. between March 14, 2022 and August 15, 2022.
Shareholders interested in acting as a lead plaintiff representing the class of wronged shareholders have until November 7, 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, Sema4 Holdings, Corp. issued materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) there was a significant risk that Sema4 would reverse a material amount of previously recognized revenue that it could not recoup from third party payors; (2) the Company was experiencing declining selling prices for its reproductive health segment; (3) as a result of the foregoing, Sema4's financial results would be adversely affected; and (4) 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.wflx.com/prnewswire/2022/11/04/smfr-shareholder-alert-jakubowitz-law-reminds-sema4-holdings-corp-shareholders-lead-plaintiff-deadline-november-7-2022/ | 2022-11-04 11:33:23 | 1 | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2022/11/04/smfr-shareholder-alert-jakubowitz-law-reminds-sema4-holdings-corp-shareholders-lead-plaintiff-deadline-november-7-2022/ |
1. SNS Journalist Federation Chairman Yong-do Kim, "we need to leaders in action drive change in society."
2. "It's time for leaders around the world to wake up to the ethics of business."
SEOUL, South Korea, May 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Yong-do Kim, Chairman of the SNS Journalist Federation and President of the Seoul office of ITIMES (South Korea's newspaper), shared his views on media reform in South Korea.
Nowadays, when the world is revealing fair and ethical management, the voice of fair and ethical media reform in South Korea is constantly rising.
The future direction of the media is also shifting to an era where media, press, and social networking services are converging. Accordingly, the social contribution direction and organizational management of leaders through social networks are becoming more important than ever.
It is very important to realize the momentum toward the purpose based on information and organizational management, and how to create value for the whole society. It is becoming an era in which the fate of organizations and companies depends on the way they actively deal with problems and take sincere and proactive measures in the process.
Leaders who are still caught up in the stories of the past and do not see the problems of today and tomorrow will eventually be reevaluated by the times, lose momentum, and become distant from future leadership.
We must not forget that we are in an era of rebranding of families and lineage companies, where social reputation becomes a brand through the philosophy of action, where the leader first establishes social values and then leads from the front.
It is time to prove and establish the value of Korea, a country that has suffered more than 1,000 wars, but whose culture is alive with spirituality and spirit, to the world once again.
- By Yong-do Kim, Ju-gwang, Chairman of the SNS Journalist Federation
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SOURCE Daily Associated News | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/05/12/daily-associated-news-yong-do-kim-founder-sns-journalist-federation-its-time-reassert-build-koreas-spirituality-values-around-world/ | 2023-05-12 08:35:47 | 0 | https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/05/12/daily-associated-news-yong-do-kim-founder-sns-journalist-federation-its-time-reassert-build-koreas-spirituality-values-around-world/ |
CHICAGO (AP) — Emmett Till left his mother’s house on Chicago’s South Side in 1955 to visit relatives in Mississippi, where the Black teenager was abducted and brutally slain for reportedly whistling at a white woman.
A cultural preservation organization announced Tuesday that the house will receive a share of $3 million in grants being distributed to 33 sites and organizations nationwide that are important pieces of African American history.
Some of the grant money from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund will go to rehabilitate buildings, such as a bank in Mississippi founded by businessman Charles Banks, who won praise from Booker T. Washington; the first Black masonic lodge in North Carolina; and a school in rural Florida for the children of Black farm workers and laborers.
The money will also help restore the Virginia home where tennis coach Dr. Robert Walter “Whirlwind” Johnson helped turn Black athletes such as Arthur Ashe and Althea Gibson into champions, rehabilitate the Blue Bird Inn in Detroit that is considered the birthplace of bebop jazz, and protect and preserve African American cemeteries in Pennsylvania and a tiny island off the coast of South Carolina.
Brent Leggs, executive director of the organization that is in its fifth year of awarding the grants, said the effort is intended to fill “some gaps in the nation’s understanding of the civil rights movement.”
Till’s brutal slaying helped galvanize the civil rights movement. The Chicago home where Mamie Till Mobley and her son lived will receive funding for a project director to oversee restoration efforts, including renovating the second floor to what it looked like when the Tills lived there.
“This house is a sacred treasure from our perspective and our goal is to restore it and reinvent it as an international heritage pilgrimage destination,” said Naomi Davis, executive director of Blacks in Green, a local nonprofit group that bought the house in 2020. She said the plan is to time the 2025 opening with that of the Obama Presidential Library a few miles away.
Leggs said it is is particularly important to do something that shines a light on Mamie Till Mobley. After her 14-year-old son’s lynching, Till Mobley insisted that his body be displayed in an open casket as it looked when it was pulled from a river, to show the world what racism looked like.
It was a display that influenced thousands of mourners who filed by the casket and the millions more who saw the photographs in Jet Magazine — one of whom was Rosa Parks whose refusal to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama, bus to a white man about three months later remains one of the pivotal acts of defiance in American history.
“It was a catalytic moment in the civil rights movement and through this we lift and honor Black women in civil rights,” Leggs said.
And the news follows a recent revelation about the discovery of an unserved arrest warrant of the woman whose accusation put in motion the chain of events that led to the teen’s lynching.
The house and the story of the casket highlight the risks that the remnants of such history can vanish if not protected. As recently as 2019 when it was sold to a developer, the red brick Victorian house built more than a century earlier was falling into disrepair before it was granted landmark status by the city of Chicago. And the glass-topped casket that held Till’s remains was only donated to the Smithsonian Institution because it was discovered in 2009 rusting in a shed at a suburban Chicago cemetery where it was discarded after the teen’s body was exhumed years earlier.
That discovery of the casket, which only happened because of a scandal at the cemetery, underscores how easily significant pieces of history can simply vanish, said Annie Wright, whose late husband, Simeon, was sleeping with his cousin, Emmett, the night he was abducted.
“We got to remember what happened and if we don’t tell it, if people don’t see (the house) they’ll forget and we don’t want to forget tragedy in these United States,” said Wright, 76.
___
The story has been updated to correct that the school building being rehabilitated is in Florida, not Oklahoma. | https://www.wjhl.com/news/national/emmett-tills-house-black-sites-to-get-preservation-funds/ | 2022-07-19 18:48:08 | 0 | https://www.wjhl.com/news/national/emmett-tills-house-black-sites-to-get-preservation-funds/ |
Flying Santa honors New England Coast Guard families
Tradition continues for 93rd year, Flying Santa delivers gifts to children of Coast Guard families
Tradition continues for 93rd year, Flying Santa delivers gifts to children of Coast Guard families
Tradition continues for 93rd year, Flying Santa delivers gifts to children of Coast Guard families
Flying Santa is a tradition honoring Coast Guard families that dates back to the 1929.
Brian Tague, president of Friends of Flying Santa, said it all began with Captain William Wincapaw, a Maine floatplane pilot.
"As a gesture of appreciation on Christmas Day in 1929, he put some packages together with books, magazines, candy, coffee and flew out and dropped them at about a dozen lighthouses around Penobscot Bay,” Tague said. “It was really well received by the Coast Guard families."
For many years, famous maritime author and historian Edward Rowe Snow adopted the Flying Santa mantle.
These days, there are several Santa surrogates who help. John Michael Roberts, who served in the Coast Guard for more than 30 years, said he considers it a great honor.
"To be taken care of as a military family, that was really, really important,” Roberts said. “It was something I really wanted to be a part of. I remember distinctly getting the call, getting called up to the bigs seven years ago to help out. It's been fantastic."
All kinds of helpers allow Flying Santa to make his deliveries, which these days are many.
“Any Coast Guard family from Maine to Long Island, New York is able to participate in the program," Tague said.
The helicopter trips for Santa are free, thanks to generous aviation companies.
"No compensation for fuel or time,” Tague said. “They just see the reason why we do it."
The magic of Christmas is evident in every donated flight, in each thoughtfully planned event, and in all of the children’s smiles.
Find more information about Flying Santa here. | https://www.wmur.com/article/flying-santa-honors-new-england-coast-guard-families/42339896 | 2022-12-26 20:48:59 | 1 | https://www.wmur.com/article/flying-santa-honors-new-england-coast-guard-families/42339896 |
As automakers look to boost EV efficiency, Volkswagen believes bringing development of more components in-house will lead to big gains. VW announced this strategy shift at its Tech Day 2023 event, claiming efficiency improvements of up to 20% by developing its own optimized components.
“The Volkswagen Group and its brands stand for first-class products and technologies,” VW Group CEO Oliver Blume said in a statement. “Thanks to the size and breadth of the group, as well as our in-house expertise, we can leverage economies of scale.”
VW used to rely on several large suppliers—most notably Bosch—for key powertrain components. But as Tesla has pointed out with its vehicles, there may be some advantage to engineering all done within the company. VW seems ready to try that approach.
Engineers have designed a new pulse inverter and its control software from the ground up, according to a VW press release. The in-house design used the same modular philosophy as the MEB platform developed for VW’s mass-market EVs, and thus with everything from entry-level vehicles to sports cars with an output of 500 kw (670 hp), the automaker claims. It’s currently being refined for series-production use in the next MEB iteration.
Another area targeted for in-house optimization is thermal management. In place of the current tangle of individual modules and hoses, the aim is to have an “all-in-one” that can handle temperature control for both the battery pack and cabin. This new module is “significantly lighter, more robust and more efficient” than current versions, and contributes to increased range and more robust fast-charging capability, VW claims.
It’s unclear when these components will reach production, but VW has already teased a mid-decade boost for its MEB platform for affordable EVs. And in the meantime it’s giving MEB vehicles some added range and faster charging.
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- Lexus won’t offer steer-by-wire, yoke at RZ450e EV launch in US | https://www.myarklamiss.com/automotive/internet-brands/vw-sees-ev-efficiency-gains-from-optimizing-its-own-components/ | 2023-02-23 14:32:44 | 1 | https://www.myarklamiss.com/automotive/internet-brands/vw-sees-ev-efficiency-gains-from-optimizing-its-own-components/ |
NEW YORK, May 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- OUTFRONT Media Inc. (NYSE: OUT) announced today that Jeremy Male, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, is scheduled to present at the 50th Annual J.P. Morgan Global Technology, Media, and Communications Conference on Monday, May 23, 2022 at approximately 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time. A live and replay audio webcast will be available on the investor relations section of the Company's website at www.OUTFRONTmedia.com.
About OUTFRONT Media Inc.
OUTFRONT leverages the power of technology, location, and creativity to connect brands with consumers outside of their homes through one of the largest and most diverse sets of billboard, transit, and mobile assets in North America. Through its technology platform, OUTFRONT will fundamentally change the ways advertisers engage audiences on-the-go.
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/outfront-media-chief-executive-officer-jeremy-male-to-participate-in-the-50th-annual-jp-morgan-global-technology-media-and-communications-conference-301548216.html
SOURCE OUTFRONT Media Inc. | https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_technology/outfront-media-chief-executive-officer-jeremy-male-to-participate-in-the-50th-annual-j-p/article_5d35de9e-364a-5547-8266-017b2bf227ca.html | 2022-05-16 20:49:42 | 0 | https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_technology/outfront-media-chief-executive-officer-jeremy-male-to-participate-in-the-50th-annual-j-p/article_5d35de9e-364a-5547-8266-017b2bf227ca.html |
Cloud content management system utilizes distributed database technology to create seamless streaming experiences everywhere customers demand
DENVER, Aug. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Edison Interactive (EI), the leader in connected device ecosystems, announced its platform's content is now faster with nearly no latency thanks to a collaboration with distributed database platform HarperDB. This partnership enables EI to deliver its premium content to customers in hard-to-reach places with a reduced API call latency of ten milliseconds, a fraction of the previous time.
HarperDB's decentralized database capabilities have been especially compelling in the case of EI's work on Shark Experience presented by Verizon, a product equipping golf carts with digital displays exclusively available through Club Car. The platform offers music streaming, live sports tickers, dynamic yardage, and other infotainment to golfers throughout their round. With many golf courses in remote locations, reliable connectivity can be a challenge, ultimately limiting a course's ability to enable live content streaming. Now, thanks to Edison's incorporation of the HarperDB framework, Shark Experience enables courses and golfers everywhere to enjoy premium content without any latency issues.
"Our technology is built to address the unique and specific challenges of our customers while also enhancing the end-user experience. Leveraging HarperDB's framework and shifting our platform to the MEC has enabled us to more rapidly deploy our technology and take advantage of machine learning and artificial intelligence to deliver more customized content," said Nick Stanitz-Harper, CRO and co-founder, Edison Interactive. "We've made a commitment to our partners to provide best-in-class solutions that not only deliver premium content but do so by utilizing the most advanced technology and our partnership with HarperDB enables us to do just that."
The Edison Platform is an end-to-end content management system with a suite of tools that allow customers to create interfaces and manage their entire network of screens while also serving unique content. The collaboration with HarperDB has increased API call speeds by 250x and has drastically helped to optimize load times, increase security and deliver a better end-user experience.
"Modern digital media requires dynamic content optimized by machine learning, intuitive interfaces driven by user behavior, and powerful networks delivering near-zero latency. EI and HarperDB are leveraging MEC to deliver real-time custom experiences anywhere. We're excited to see where this technology is used next," said HarperDB CEO Stephen Goldberg.
For more information, visit EdisonInteractive.com.
About Edison Interactive
Edison Interactive (EI) is a leading out-of-home (OOH) content management system (CMS) for connected devices in golf carts, rental vehicles, hotel rooms and more. Focused on digitally transforming the customer experience, EI is known for its vast network of premium displays, digital signage and infotainment solutions. The EI platform delivers valuable back-end insights and management capabilities for businesses while providing end-users with meaningful content and features that can be monetized. With a predominantly Fortune 500 client base, including Verizon Wireless, Avis Budget Group and Yahoo!, EI was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in Denver, Colorado. For more information, visit www.edisoninteractive.com.
About HarperDB
HarperDB's integrated application + data platform is orders of magnitude faster and more flexible than last-generation alternatives. Easily replace SQL and NoSQL databases for cloud, edge, on-prem, peer-to-peer, and multi-deployment use cases. From validating an idea to delivering global scale, HarperDB grows with your application, and saves you time and money every step of the way. Learn more at harperdb.io
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SOURCE Edison Interactive | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/08/30/edison-interactive-partners-with-harperdb-deliver-premier-digital-out-of-home-content-with-zero-latency/ | 2022-08-30 11:40:49 | 0 | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/08/30/edison-interactive-partners-with-harperdb-deliver-premier-digital-out-of-home-content-with-zero-latency/ |
‘Intentionally wounded’ vulture dies at Dallas Zoo; 3rd concerning incident this month
DALLAS (CNN) - Officials with the Dallas Zoo said someone killed an endangered vulture that was found dead in its enclosure over the weekend – marking the third concerning incident at the zoo in recent weeks.
Dallas Zoo Director David Hudson said in a news conference Monday that it appears someone intentionally wounded the vulture named Pin.
Pin lived at the zoo for the past 33 years and was one of only 27 lappet-faced vultures in captivity in the United States.
Harrison Edell, executive vice president for animal care and conservation with the Dallas Zoo, said animal deaths are always difficult, but this one is particularly upsetting.
“Obviously, this is an endangered species, which makes him all the more important to long-term sustainability of the vulture population. And we’re also really disturbed by the idea that someone might have intentionally done this,” Edell said.
Pin’s death comes just more than a week after two cage-tampering incidents at the zoo. On Jan. 13, officials said someone let the clouded leopard out of its cage. Later that same day, officials found that one of the monkey habitats had a hole cut in it, but none of those animals escaped.
The clouded leopard was found safe on zoo grounds after a day-long search.
The Dallas Police Department has been called in to investigate.
“Given the recent events that have happened here at the zoo, the clouded leopard in particular from last Friday, and the suspicious nature of this animal’s death, we alerted DPD,” Hudson said.
The zoo is also asking for the public’s help. The zoo is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to arrest and indictment, Hudson said.
In addition, the zoo has added night vision cameras throughout the facility and increased on-site security during overnight hours.
Copyright 2023 KTVT via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wsaz.com/2023/01/24/intentionally-wounded-vulture-dies-dallas-zoo-3rd-concerning-incident-this-month/ | 2023-01-24 17:40:18 | 1 | https://www.wsaz.com/2023/01/24/intentionally-wounded-vulture-dies-dallas-zoo-3rd-concerning-incident-this-month/ |
Pete Watson retires from Board; Bruce Edwards elected as Chairman of the Board
DELAWARE, Ohio, Feb. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Greif, Inc. (NYSE: GEF, GEF.B), a global leader in industrial packaging products and services, announced today the election of Bruce Edwards, former Global Chief Executive Officer DHL Supply Chain, as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Greif. Bruce has served on the Board of Directors since 2006, most recently as Chair of the Audit Committee. His extensive global operating experience, deep knowledge of global supply chains, and overall counsel have been an invaluable part of the continued success of Greif. We thank Bruce for his continued service and look forward to his leadership as Chairman.
Pete Watson has retired as a director and Chairman of the Board of Directors at Greif in accordance with his planned transition from Chief Executive Officer. Greif would like to thank Pete for his unparalleled vision and servant leadership. Under Pete's direction, Greif firmly solidified its position as a customer service leader in the packaging industry, enabling the broadening of our vision under Ole Rosgaard to be the best performing customer service company in the world. We thank Pete for his tireless efforts both as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board.
John Finn has also retired from the Board. John has served on the Board for 15 years, and Greif thanks John for his excellent support, wisdom and counsel.
Additionally, Greif announced today that Frank Miller, Partner at Baker & Hostetler LLP, was elected to the Board. Prior to rejoining that firm, Frank served for 10 years as senior counsel for Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, California.
Greif also announced the resignation of Roel Vestjens from the Board.
About Greif, Inc.
Greif is a global leader in industrial packaging products and services and is pursuing its vision: be the best performing customer service company in the world. The Company produces steel, plastic and fibre drums, intermediate bulk containers, reconditioned containers, jerrycans and other small plastics, containerboard, uncoated recycled paperboard, coated recycled paperboard, tubes and cores and a diverse mix of specialty products. The Company also manufactures packaging accessories and provides filling, packaging, and other services for a wide range of industries. In addition, Greif manages timber properties in the southeastern United States. The Company is strategically positioned in over 35 countries to serve global as well as regional customers. Additional information is on the Company's website at www.greif.com.
Investor Contact:
Matt Leahy
740-549-6158
matthew.leahy@greif.com
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SOURCE Greif, Inc. | https://www.kfyrtv.com/prnewswire/2023/02/28/bruce-edwards-elected-chairman-greif-inc-board-directors-greif-announces-election-new-board-member-other-changes/ | 2023-02-28 19:16:42 | 0 | https://www.kfyrtv.com/prnewswire/2023/02/28/bruce-edwards-elected-chairman-greif-inc-board-directors-greif-announces-election-new-board-member-other-changes/ |
Woman accused of attempted double murder to undergo psychological evaluation
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (Valley News Live) - A Grand Forks woman is in the North Dakota State Hospital for a psychological evaluation after she was charged with two counts of attempted murder in Dec. 2022.
Court documents show Rose Rick stabbed a man in the back and slashed a woman’s wrist. The man’s wounds caused a substantial risk of death and extreme pain. The woman’s wound required several stitches. Rick also punched her in the head several times.
Officials say it happened in the early hours of Dec. 23 2022. Deputies from the Grand Forks Sheriff’s Office were called to the scene of a stabbing. It was reported there was blood everywhere, and the parties were still actively fighting. Court documents say when deputies got to the scene, they found the victims and Rick, who also had self-inflicted lacerations.
Through the investigation, deputies found Rick had been out drinking with the man. When they got home, Rick became upset and started attacking the two victims. In court documents, she’s described as ‘going on a rampage’, hitting walls and cutting herself with a knife. Rick chased the female victim with the knife and tried to stab her in the throat. The victim got her wounds while blocking the attack.
The man was able to get Rick away from the woman. Rick then got hold of the same knife and tried to attack the woman again. The man stopped her. That’s when Rick stabbed him in the back. The police report says Rick started to apologize while the female victim searched for a towel. The victim tried to put pressure on the wound, but she was attacked by Rick again. Rick told the victim to let the man die.
All three parties were taken to a local hospital that day for an evaluation and treatment of injuries.
Rick is also being charged with child neglect, stemming from this investigation. Deputies who responded to the scene found the house was very dirty. Dishes were spilling out of the sink. There was also an “obscene amount” of dog feces on the floor of the residence, along with fresh blood. There were two children in the home at the time. Officials say deputies found them in different rooms, both with the doors tied shut by a rope. A deputy got the first door open and saw feces on the floor. The child was sleeping on the floor but did have a mattress available. Both children were uninjured when they were recovered.
Rose Rick is charged with two counts of Class A Felony Attempted murder with a dangerous weapon, Class C Felony Child neglect, Misdemeanor domestic violence and two counts of Class C Felony Aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon. The murder charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Rick’s next court appearance is on Aug. 7.
Copyright 2023 KVLY. All rights reserved. | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2023/07/27/woman-accused-attempted-double-murder-undergo-psychological-evaluation/ | 2023-07-27 22:42:48 | 1 | https://www.valleynewslive.com/2023/07/27/woman-accused-attempted-double-murder-undergo-psychological-evaluation/ |
New office in Vancouver to bring world-class career opportunities, customer growth to vibrant Canadian technology hub
VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Highspot, the sales enablement platform that increases sales productivity, today announced its expansion into Vancouver, British Columbia with its fifth international office. Highspot's expanded footprint enables the company to continue to recruit engineering talent and further solidify its role as an award-winning employer in the Pacific Northwest.
"This move into Vancouver is an exciting opportunity for Highspot to tap into the multicultural talent of the city and network of esteemed Canadian universities," said Bhrighu Sareen, President of Product & Engineering, Highspot. "At Highspot, we're on a mission to deliver breakthrough products. I look forward to partnering with outstanding talent in the area and contributing to Canada's innovation and economic success as we work toward our vision."
With keen attention to hiring and developing early career talent, Highspot also announced today the expansion of its Accelerate apprenticeship program into Vancouver, as well as a working relationship with Simon Fraser University's School of Computing Science. As part of these efforts, Highspot will extend these apprenticeships to co-operative education students in the Cybersecurity master's program, and will provide tailored experiences to jumpstart their careers and foster professional development.
"Choosing Vancouver as the location for Highspot's new home in Canada serves as a testament to B.C.'s incredible talent and high calibre educational facilities that create a conducive environment for success," said Brenda Bailey, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development & Innovation. "I look forward to exploring partnerships with Highspot to create opportunities for the many skilled technologists and engineers in B.C.'s diverse workforce."
Highspot continues to expand its global footprint and customer base with offices in the US, Australia-New Zealand, Europe, and now Canada. The company's international expansion is contributing to revenue growth, with more than 10 percent of revenue coming from EMEA. Industry-diverse customers with Canadian headquarters, including Hootsuite, MDA, and TELUS, trust Highspot to increase sales productivity and power their revenue engines. Now with operations in Vancouver, Highspot is well-positioned to best serve its Canadian customer base.
Highspot is hiring for hybrid roles in Vancouver across product, design, cybersecurity, and engineering. The company was named one of PEOPLE's 100 Companies that Care, and Fortune Magazine's Best Places to Work, because of a culture that prioritizes collaboration, diversity, and innovation. The Highspot product team is creating industry leading software that is transforming the way millions of people work.
Learn more about how Highspot is helping revenue teams everywhere increase productivity at www.highspot.com, and view open career opportunities at highspot.com/careers/.
Resources:
- Demo Request
- Highspot Careers
- Social Media: LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram
Highspot is the sales enablement platform that increases the productivity of sales teams by bridging the gap between strategy and execution. With Highspot, our customers turn initiatives into the actions that sales teams must execute and enable sales leaders to measure what is and is not working with deep and actionable insights. Companies like Aetna, Siemens, Staples and Yahoo use Highspot to manage content, to train and coach sellers, and to engage buyers. Executing your strategic initiatives with Highspot increases revenue, drives sales rep productivity and increases sales pipeline.
Contact: Elena Edington, 206-817-4339, elena.edington@highspot.com
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SOURCE Highspot | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/01/18/highspot-expands-global-footprint-canada/ | 2023-01-18 13:59:25 | 1 | https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/01/18/highspot-expands-global-footprint-canada/ |
FTC says Bezos, Jassy must testify in probe of Amazon Prime
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal regulators are ordering Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and CEO Andy Jassy to testify in the government’s investigation of Amazon Prime, rejecting the company’s complaint that the executives are being unfairly harassed in the probe of the popular streaming and shopping service.
The Federal Trade Commission issued an order late Wednesday denying Amazon’s request to cancel civil subpoenas sent in June to Bezos, the Seattle-based company’s former CEO, and Jassy. The order also sets a deadline of Jan. 20 for the completion of all testimony by Bezos, Jassy and 15 other senior executives, who also were subpoenaed.
Jassy took over the helm of the online retail and tech giant from Bezos, one of the world’s richest individuals, in July 2021. Bezos became executive chairman.
Amazon hasn’t made the case that the subpoenas “present undue burdens in terms of scope or timing,” FTC Commissioner Christine Wilson said in the order on behalf of the agency. However, the FTC did agree to modify some provisions of the subpoenas that it acknowledged appeared too broad.
The FTC has been investigating since March 2021 the sign-up and cancellation practices of Amazon Prime, which has an estimated 200 million members around the globe.
Amazon didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday on the FTC’s order.
In a petition to the FTC filed last month, the company objected to the subpoenas to Bezos and Jassy, saying the agency “has identified no legitimate reason for needing their testimony when it can obtain the same information, and more, from other witnesses and documents.” Amazon said the FTC was hounding Bezos, Jassy and the other executives, calling the information demanded in the subpoenas “overly broad and burdensome.”
The company said it has cooperated with FTC staff to provide relevant information, offering up some 37,000 pages of documents.
The investigation has widened to include at least five other Amazon-owned subscription programs: Audible, Amazon Music, Kindle Unlimited, Subscribe & Save, and an unidentified third-party program not offered by Amazon. The regulators have asked the company to identify the number of consumers who were enrolled in the programs without giving their consent, among other customer information.
With an estimated 150 million U.S. subscribers, Amazon Prime is a key source of revenue, as well as a wealth of customer data, for the company, which runs an e-commerce empire and ventures in cloud computing, personal “smart” tech and beyond. Amazon Prime costs $139 a year. The service added a coveted feature this year by obtaining exclusive video rights to the NFL’s “Thursday Night Football.”
Last year, Amazon asked unsuccessfully that FTC Chair Lina Khan step aside from separate antitrust investigations into its business, contending that her public criticism of the company’s market power before she joined the government makes it impossible for her to be impartial. Khan was a fierce critic of tech giants Facebook (now Meta), Google and Apple, as well as Amazon. She arrived on the antitrust scene in 2017, writing an influential study titled “Amazon’s Antitrust Paradox” when she was a Yale law student.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kxii.com/2022/09/22/ftc-says-bezos-jassy-must-testify-probe-amazon-prime/ | 2022-09-22 19:12:44 | 0 | https://www.kxii.com/2022/09/22/ftc-says-bezos-jassy-must-testify-probe-amazon-prime/ |
Rwanda says Rusesabagina of ‘Hotel Rwanda’ fame to be freed
KIGALI, Rwanda (AP) — Rwanda’s government has commuted the sentence of Paul Rusesabagina, who inspired the film “Hotel Rwanda” for saving hundreds of countrymen from genocide but was convicted of terrorism offenses years later in a widely criticized trial.
Government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo told The Associated Press on Friday that the 25-year sentence was commuted by presidential order after a request for clemency. Under Rwandan law, commutation doesn’t “extinguish” the conviction, she added.
Rusesabagina, a 68-year-old U.S. resident and Belgian citizen, is expected to be released on Saturday, she said. Nineteen others also had their sentences commuted.
“Rwanda notes the constructive role of the U.S. government in creating conditions for dialogue on this issue, as well as the facilitation provided by the state of Qatar,” Makolo said. President Paul Kagame earlier this month said discussions were under way on resolving the issue.
Qatar foreign ministry spokesman Majid Al-Ansari in a statement said that “the procedure for (Rusesabagina’s) transfer to the state of Qatar is under way and he will then head to the United States of America. This issue was discussed during meetings that brought together Qatari and Rwandan officials at the highest levels.”
The case had been described by the United States and others as unfair. Rusesabagina disappeared in 2020 during a visit to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and appeared days later in Rwanda in handcuffs. His family alleged he was kidnapped and taken to Rwanda against his will to stand trial.
He was convicted on eight charges including membership in a terrorist group, murder and abduction. But the circumstances surrounding his arrest, his limited access to an independent legal team and his reported worsening health drew international concern.
Rusesabagina has asserted that his arrest was in response to his criticism of Kagame over alleged human rights abuses. Kagame’s government has repeatedly denied targeting dissenting voices with arrests and extrajudicial killings.
In a signed letter to Kagame dated Oct. 14 and posted on the justice ministry’s website, Rusesabagina wrote that “if I am granted a pardon and released, I understand fully that I will spend the remainder of my days in the United States in quiet reflection. I can assure you through this letter that I hold no personal or political ambitions otherwise. I will leave questions regarding Rwandan politics behind me.”
Rusesabagina was credited with sheltering more than 1,000 ethnic Tutsis at the hotel he managed during Rwanda’s 1994 genocide in which over 800,000 Tutsi and Hutus who tried to protect them were killed. He received the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom for his efforts.
He became a public critic of Kagame and left Rwanda in 1996, first living in Belgium and then the U.S.
Human Rights Watch said he had been “forcibly disappeared” and taken to Rwanda. But the court there ruled he wasn’t kidnapped when he was tricked into boarding a chartered flight.
Rwanda’s government asserted that Rusesabagina had been going to Burundi to coordinate with armed groups based there and in Congo.
Rusesabagina was accused of supporting the armed wing of his opposition political platform, the Rwandan Movement for Democratic Change. The armed group claimed some responsibility for attacks in 2018 and 2019 in southern Rwanda in which nine Rwandans died.
Rusesabagina testified at trial that he helped to form the armed group to assist refugees but said he never supported violence — and sought to distance himself from its deadly attacks.
Rusesabagina also has said he was gagged and tortured before he was jailed, but Rwandan authorities denied that. His attorney, Felix Rudakemwa, asserted that Rusesabagina’s legal papers were confiscated by prison authorities.
After his sentence, Belgium’s then-foreign minister, Sophie Wilmes, said that “it must be concluded that Mr. Rusesabagina has not been given a fair and equitable trial.”
Last year, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Kagame in Rwanda and discussed the case. “We still have conviction that the trial wasn’t fair,” Blinken told journalists.
As the news spread on Friday, his family in a statement said that “we are pleased to hear the news about Paul’s release. The family is hopeful to reunite with him soon.”
___
Anna reported from Nairobi, Kenya.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/2023/03/24/rwanda-says-rusesabagina-hotel-rwanda-fame-be-freed/ | 2023-03-24 15:26:48 | 0 | https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/2023/03/24/rwanda-says-rusesabagina-hotel-rwanda-fame-be-freed/ |
Woman sets house on fire over hamburger dispute, affidavit says
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC/Gray News) – A woman in Memphis accused of setting a house on fire after an argument over a hamburger is charged with aggravated arson.
An affidavit obtained by WMC states Pamela Crawley West, 54, had an argument with a woman on Nov. 4 that lasted several minutes.
The woman, who is wheelchair bound, reportedly told officers West said, “Have fun getting out of the house, (explicative),” before slamming the door and going outside.
Moments later, flames were seen coming from the porch.
Investigators say a witness saw West use a cigarette lighter to set a plastic bag of clothes sitting on the porch on fire and before leaving the scene.
The affidavit states there were four adults and three children inside the home at the time of the fire.
Copyright 2022 WMC via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.weau.com/2022/11/09/woman-sets-house-fire-over-hamburger-dispute-affidavit-says/ | 2022-11-09 20:16:29 | 1 | https://www.weau.com/2022/11/09/woman-sets-house-fire-over-hamburger-dispute-affidavit-says/ |
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TORONTO (AP) — New York Yankees right-hander Domingo Germán was ejected from Tuesday night's game against the Toronto Blue Jays after umpires checked his hands for banned sticky stuff.
Germán's ejection, likely to trigger a 10-game suspension, was the fourth since Major League Baseball started its crackdown on prohibited grip aids two years ago and the second this season. It occurred during the second game of an increasingly acrimonious series between AL East rivals.
Aaron Judge was booed during his first two at-bats following allegations of sign stealing Monday. After Judge struck out in the third inning Tuesday, there was a brief shouting match between Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker and Yankees third base coach Luis Rojas. Walker went to the outfield end of the dugout,, yelling and gesturing at Rojas, a former Mets manager.
Germán retired his first nine batters when his hands were examined by first base umpire D.J. Reyburn as the pitched headed to the mound for the bottom of the fourth. Two other umpires came over along with Yankees manager Aaron Boone, and Germán was ejected by crew chief James Hoye, who was working the plate.
Hoye's crew examined the 30-year-old right-hander during an April 15 start against Minnesota, when Germán retired his first 16 batters, but allowed him to stay in that game. Hoye had asked Germán to wash rosin off his hand and some had remained on the pitcher's pinkie finger.
Mets pitcher Max Scherzer was suspended for sticky stuff on April 20, and Seattle's Héctor Santiago and Arizona's Caleb Smith were suspended in 2021.
Germán was replaced by Ian Hamilton, who was removed after five batters and 27 pitches because of right groin tightness.
Before batting practice, Judge said he doesn’t appreciate being branded a potential cheater after he took a sideways peek before hitting a 462-foot home run in Monday's 7-4 win.
“I’ve got some choice words about that, but I’m just going to keep that off the record,” Judge said.
Across the diamond, Blue Jays manager John Schneider said his team spoke to Major League Baseball about the positioning of New York’s base coaches.
“There’s boxes on the field for a reason,’ Schneider said.
The commissioner's office said it was aware of Monday’s situation and will be paying attention to it, Toronto’s second-year manager said.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said his team also had been in touch with MLB.
“Our understanding is that there will not be any kind of investigation because nothing that went on last night was against the rules,” Boone said.
Houston was penalized for using prohibited electronics to steal signs en route to the 2017 World Series title. There is no rule prohibiting players and coaches from studying opponents with eyes in search of a sign flashed too openly, or for individual tendencies and tells.
Judge said he was upset at the suggestion he was benefitting from sign stealing after the Toronto television broadcast picked up his sideways glance during his eighth inning at-bat against right-hander Jay Jackson.
“I’m not happy about it, but people can say what they want,” Judge said. “I’ve still got a game to play, I’ve got things I’ve got to do. I told you guys what happened and everybody else can make their own story about it if they want.”
Schneider said it’s up to his players to make sure they don’t inadvertently give away pitch locations or signs.
“What’s fair is fair, I think, and if our guys are giving stuff away, we have to be better at that,” Schneider said. “If things are being picked up from people that aren’t in places they should be, that’s where I think the line should be drawn.”
Schneider was then asked whether he was specifically concerned about where opposing base coaches stand.
“Every team kind of has their guard up on that,” Schneider said. “It’s easy to look at a runner at second when you’re hitting, tough to look into the dugout. Probably a little bit easier to look at a coach. There’s boxes on the field for a reason. When it’s a glaring 30 feet where you’re not in that spot, you kind of put two and two together a little bit.”
After Monday’s game, Judge said he looked into his dugout to see which of his teammates was disrupting his at-bat by yelling at plate umpire Clint Vondrak. Vondrak had just ejected Boone for arguing a low strike call to Judge.
Schneider said he didn’t think much of Judge’s explanation.
“I’m not in the business of buying post-game media,” Schneider said. “It’s a really accomplished hitter who won the MVP last year. I know that he means nothing but business and wants to win. I just found it a little funny that he was worrying about his dugout while he was in the batter’s box.”
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/article/germ-n-ejected-judge-booed-as-allegations-of-18103406.php | 2023-05-17 02:13:43 | 0 | https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/article/germ-n-ejected-judge-booed-as-allegations-of-18103406.php |
SEATTLE — In a shiny mint suit and black bow tie, Russell Wilson was overdressed for this awkward affair. He looked like he was going to a gala, with his sparkling shirt studs and patent leather shoes, instead of a contentious homecoming. If Wilson expected a celebration when he packed that outfit, he ended Monday night with a more subdued state of mind.
The Denver Broncos quarterback, playing his first game with his new team in the city he just departed six months ago, experienced a sound he’d never had directed toward him at Lumen Field. Booooooo! He listened to fans compare him to Alex Rodriguez, orchestrator of Seattle’s most bitter superstar departure, who took a $252 million deal from the Texas Rangers more than two decades ago. The old signs of “Let Russ Cook” had been revised to read “Let’s Cook Russ.” Through it all, he played with admirable focus, dissecting the Seattle Seahawks for 340 passing yards. At the end, it was the five yards he wasn’t allowed to go after that dominated the conversation.
At the end, Wilson watched from the sideline as Brandon McManus attempted a 64-yard field goal with a victory at stake. McManus missed. The Seahawks prevailed, 17-16, over Wilson and over the assumption that life after Wilson is guaranteed to be dreadful. A crowd of 68,965 erupted in chants of “Geno! Geno!” for Wilson’s old understudy, Geno Smith, who just resurrected his career at 31 after spending eight years as a backup.
Nevertheless, Wilson called the night “special.” Considering how it played out, the most apt descriptions were bizarre and troublesome. A single game, even one this wacky, won’t define Denver’s season unless the Broncos let it. That said, they’ll need to work quickly to smooth over such a perplexing defeat.
“We didn’t get it done,” Wilson said, “but there’s so much more that we can do.”
In the record book, it counts as a typical, season-opening road loss for a transitioning team with a new franchise player. But it will be remembered as a debut in which rookie head coach Nathaniel Hackett showed he’s still a teething leader. At the most critical moment, Hackett took the football out of the hands of one of the greatest clutch quarterbacks of this era. He opted to have McManus kick what would have tied for the second-longest field goal in NFL history instead of going for it on fourth down and 5 from the Seattle 46-yard line.
Wilson had completed a 9-yard pass to running back Javonte Williams on third and 14 with 1 minute and 11 seconds remaining. The Broncos still had three timeouts, and the entire playbook would’ve been available to them on a potential fourth-down try. But Hackett had the team run the clock down to 20 seconds before calling a timeout to bring in McManus.
“That’s a long field goal to hit,” Hackett admitted in explaining his decision. “I think he’s capable of that, but obviously I wish we would’ve gotten a lot closer. It put us in that weird spot there because we were in the field goal range, but we were on the fourth-down situation. We just made the decision we wanted to take our shot there on that one.”
Despite winning a Super Bowl and playing at a Hall of Fame level for 10 years in Seattle, Wilson wanted the Seahawks to trade him, mostly to escape Coach Pete Carroll’s conservative offensive philosophy and play for a team that gave him greater responsibility to decide games with his arm. In his first game in a Broncos uniform, he commanded an offense that produced 433 total yards. He patiently carved up a young defense with green cornerbacks. But at the conclusion of a final drive that could’ve reintroduced his greatness, Wilson was a spectator. He was Russ, cooked by the poor choice of his inexperienced head coach.
“I was surprised that they took Russ out there at the end,” Carroll said.
To be fair, Hackett had two low-percentage options. One necessitated the unlikely; the other demanded a historic feat. However, Wilson has made a career out of specializing in the former. Denver traded five draft picks and three players to acquire him from Seattle. Before this season opener, it negotiated a contract extension with Wilson worth up to $245 million that doesn’t begin for another two years. He is in Denver to end the Broncos’ six-season playoff drought and return them to perennial contention. In a sense, Hackett called an audible on a decision the franchise has already made.
Afterward, Wilson didn’t question his coach.
“I believe in Coach Hackett,” Wilson said. “I believe in what we’re doing. Also, I don’t think it was the wrong decision. I think [McManus] can make [the kick]. Obviously, in hindsight, he didn’t make it. But if we were in that situation again, I wouldn’t doubt whatever he decided.”
Of course, if Wilson had doubts after Week 1, the Broncos would be in crisis. It’s too soon for fissures to develop. It’s not too soon for scrutiny, though. Denver pulled off a trifecta that indicates poor preparation and discipline. The team committed 12 penalties, failed to score a touchdown in four trips to the red zone and lost two fumbles after snapping the ball at the 1-yard line. In second half alone, the Broncos made three trips inside the 10-yard line and came away with just three points.
“Bad deal,” Hackett said of the sloppy execution. “That starts with me. I’ve just got to be sure we’ve got a better plan.”
Overall, the Breakup Bowl hinted that both the Seahawks and Wilson should be okay on their own. There’s little reason to think Wilson, still in his prime and on a team with good talent and solid weapons, will slide. The Seahawks were the big question mark. They needed to show life and provide hope as they reconstruct their roster. Even without Wilson, there’s still some magic in the franchise. On Monday night, Smith gave an electric performance in the first half and finished 23 of 28 for 195 yards and two touchdowns.
He left the field declaring in an ESPN interview, “They wrote me off. I ain’t write back, though.”
Later, he explained of his long journey from perceived bust to resurrected starter: “I’ve just been working. That’s what I mean by, ‘I never wrote back.’ I don’t listen to stuff like that. I just work. I know what I have inside of me.”
When the game ended, Wilson greeted Carroll at midfield and then hustled over to congratulate Smith. Then he took a long, unfamiliar trek to the visitors locker room. The losing locker room. He put on that suit and hoped it would hide the disappointment.
In the house of his old team, he said of his new team: “The great thing is I told these guys is we’ve got to be unwavering.”
He repeated the adjective.
“Unwavering.”
And again.
“Unwavering.”
On Monday night, Wilson found closure. There is no time to revisit the old or celebrate the new anymore. The season has begun, and so has the urgency. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/09/13/russell-wilson-seahawks-broncos/ | 2022-09-13 12:13:46 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/09/13/russell-wilson-seahawks-broncos/ |
Mercedes-Benz will soon have three fully electric SUVs for sale in the U.S., including the smaller EQB and larger EQS SUV models already on sale. On Wednesday, it released prices for the middle model, the 2023 Mercedes EQE SUV.
The EQE SUV has all the makings of a made-in-America EV. It’s due to be built in Alabama, with its 108-kwh battery pack to be supplied from a nearby factory. At $79,050 including destination, it just squeaks in under the Clean Vehicle Tax Credit max of $80,000 for SUVs.
The model won’t arrive at dealerships until this spring. But by the time it does, the least-expensive versions will likely qualify for a $3,750 credit—that is, if the applicants make $150,000 or less annually for a single filer or $300,000 or less for married couples. In the meantime, there might be some EV lease deals.
Mercedes-Benz is also introducing a novel twist with EQE SUV pricing. For the first time, rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive models in much of the lineup cost the same. The $79,050 base price applies to the single-motor, rear-wheel-drive EQE 350+ SUV as well as to the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive EQE 350 4Matic.
The 4Matic version accelerates a tenth of a second quicker than the 350+ (6.2 seconds, versus 6.3), with EQE SUV 350+ versions making 288 hp and 417 lb-ft of torque while dual-motor EQE SUV 350 4Matic versions boost torque to 564 lb-ft. The range rating, which has yet to be announced, will be better for the single-motor model, though.
Given a CCS connector allowing more than 170 kw, the EQE SUV can get from 10-80% in 32 minutes. Mercedes is including in two years of an unlimited number of 30-minute Electrify America fast-charging sessions. The company also says that with its 9.6-kw onboard charger, the EQE SUV can get a full charge on a 240-volt outlet in about 9.5 hours.
Back to pricing: That entry number is for the base Premium, one of three trim levels for the EQE SUV. It includes a 12.3-inch driver display and a 12.8-inch OLED touchscreen running the company’s MBUX interface. A smart navigation system is included, with route planning that helps to find the shortest charging stops. Burmester sound with Dolby Atmos and support for Spatial Audio with Apple Music is also included, as are ambient lightning and heated front seats.
A mid-range Exclusive costs $2,100 more than Premium and adds automatic lane changes and augmented-reality functionality for navigation, among other extras. Not counting destination, that puts the Premium at exactly $80,000, which should still qualify it—provided no other factory options are added.
Mercedes will offer plenty of them, though. An air suspension with continuously adjustable damping will also be optional, allowing the vehicle to be raised up to an inch in ground clearance. Rear-wheel steering also aids lower-speed maneuverability and higher-speed stability.
Top-trim Pinnacle versions cost $3,600 more than the Exclusive (or $5,700 more than the Premium) and add four-zone climate control, a head-up display, 100-watt USB-C charging, air purification, a fragrance dispenser, and massaging seats—plus Mercedes Star logo projectors, lest bystanders question your brand allegiances.
Across the board, the EQE SUV 500 4Matic costs $11,600 more and steps up to a dual-motor powertrain with a higher combined output of 536 hp and 633 lb-ft, which is good for a 0-60 mph time of 4.6 seconds. An even quicker EQE SUV AMG version, with a 0-60 time of 3.4 seconds, will follow.
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- 2023 Nissan Ariya recalled because steering wheel might detach | https://www.wane.com/automotive/internet-brands/79050-2023-mercedes-benz-eqe-suv-makes-ev-tax-credit-cut/ | 2023-03-09 12:16:10 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/automotive/internet-brands/79050-2023-mercedes-benz-eqe-suv-makes-ev-tax-credit-cut/ |
It looks increasingly likely that former President Donald Trump will be indicted by Manhattan prosecutors over alleged hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels. Republican politicians and other party officials who have tried to avoid taking a position on Trump and the 2024 nomination — the keep-quiet Republicans — are running out of time. Like it or not, they are going to have to choose sides.
Up to this point, keeping quiet was a viable strategy. Not a very brave one! But politicians are rarely courageous and sometimes problems just solve themselves, so ducking the issue had a logic to it. Taking on Trump would have risked alienating voters and party elites who remain steadfast supporters.
But once there is an indictment, staying neutral is no longer a smart option. The single biggest remaining question about Trump will have been answered, and the problem will no longer solve itself. Trump quite possibly will be a candidate under indictment as the Republican presidential nomination is being decided.
Whatever Trump’s countless previous transgressions, a criminal charge is a watershed moment that will be exponentially more difficult for the GOP to dismiss. It also makes more real the possibility of additional indictments on matters more consequential than the potential violation of campaign-finance law likely at issue in the Stormy Daniels case.
Devout Trump voters will remain in the former president’s corner no matter what. But there is a significant segment of the Republican electorate, perhaps up to two-thirds of the total, who seem open to other Republican contenders. If enough high-profile Republicans say that having a nominee under indictment would be a disaster for the party, plenty of uncommitted Republicans will accept it, perhaps enough to swing the nomination against him. But if all they hear from Republicans is that Trump is being unfairly persecuted, many of them will commit to the former president for good.
Political nominations are collective decisions, not just individual choices. The more solidarity there is among influential party figures, the more effective they will be. So if only a plurality of prominent Republicans decide to make a public break with Trump, it will still reverberate strongly through the party.
Even if the New York indictment turns out to be a false alarm, it’s a reminder to Republicans that there could be bad news coming. And if one prosecutor takes the step of indicting a former president, the chances are that others, who will no longer have to worry about being the first to ever do so, will act as well.
Republicans certainly shouldn’t believe the cliché that nothing would scare away Trump voters, a mantra that somehow has survived his failed re-election campaign where it turned out that some things did matter. Yes, Trump’s strongest supporters and even most regular Republican voters will continue to vote for Trump and the Republican ticket regardless of his legal predicament. But those who already might have been wavering might not. And losing voters at the margins is a very efficient way of losing elections.
More From Bloomberg Opinion:
• How Far Can Biden Go in Expanding Child Care?: Julianna Goldman
• Fox News Is Trapped by Its Own Zealotry: Francis Wilkinson
• Nikki Haley, Tim Scott May Be Too Nice to Win: Robert A. George
This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.
Jonathan Bernstein is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering politics and policy. A former professor of political science at the University of Texas at San Antonio and DePauw University, he wrote A Plain Blog About Politics.
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion
©2023 Bloomberg L.P. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/03/12/a-trump-indictment-would-put-republicans-in-a-bind/51917f90-c0d0-11ed-82a7-6a87555c1878_story.html | 2023-03-12 12:29:13 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/03/12/a-trump-indictment-would-put-republicans-in-a-bind/51917f90-c0d0-11ed-82a7-6a87555c1878_story.html |
-- Soil in Formation (SIF) Working with Top U.S. Universities to Develop Affordable, Scalable Soil Health Sensors and Global Contextual Soil Data Platform to Aid Climate Change and Food Security Efforts --
ST. LOUIS, Feb. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time ever, farmers, governments and corporations will be able to measure and understand key soil health parameters, including total soil carbon levels, in-situ and in real-time. Soil in Formation (SIF), a U.S.-based startup, has developed innovative, in-field electrochemical sensor technology that will help improve our understanding of soil health and agricultural practices that best sequester carbon, regenerate soil and revive depleted ecosystems.
SIF, working in partnership with biomedical sensor and soil science experts at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD), Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Arizona State University (ASU), is applying proven medical-grade technology to affordably scale the measurement of soil health and establish a global contextual soil health data platform.
Improving soil health is critical to addressing some of the world's most pressing challenges, including food and water security and mitigating climate change through carbon capture. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that the equivalent of one soccer field of soil is degraded every five seconds, and 90% of the Earth's topsoil is already degraded or at risk of being degraded by 2050.
Once scaled globally, SIF aims to better enable sustainable supply chains, carbon markets and government subsidy systems that support climate-friendly agriculture, giving all users auditable, real-time data to drive key decisions, utilizing SIF's proprietary soil health sensors and data platform.
For more than a decade, SIF's leaders have advocated for soil health, empowering a wide range of stakeholders to utilize carbon sequestration to improve soil health on millions of acres of farmland across the world. Formed by the founders of The Carbon Underground, SIF is developing the most comprehensive and holistic soil health measurement platform to date. SIF's soil health sensor technology is expected to be vastly more affordable than current soil sampling methods. The SIF technology has also been validated by experts at Texas A&M AgriLife Research with stunning in-lab and initial in-field results of more than 95% accuracy against the current gold-standard laboratory testing of key soil health parameters including soil organic matter, carbonaceous soil minerals and bulk density.
"Our sensors are similar to those used by the medical community to gauge key aspects of human health in real-time," said Henry Rowlands, Research & Development Lead at SIF. "We are on the cusp of delivering wearable technology for the planet, which is vital to supporting the soil we all rely on for life. Until now, soil health measurement practices have either been impractical, too expensive to scale or not sufficiently accurate. By providing affordable, continuous soil carbon readings and thus auditable and accurate pictures of soil health over a long period of time, we will draw closer to fully understanding the role soil can play in helping solve the massive challenges society faces."
"We share SIF's perspective that soil is living tissue, which is why monitoring soil health requires technology similar to the most advanced monitoring devices for human tissue," said Dr. Shalini Prasad, the Director of the Biomedical Microdevices and Nanotechnology Lab at the University of Texas at Dallas. "Affordable sensors that can stay in soil and transmit data, hopefully for years at a time, give us the first opportunity for large-scale, ongoing monitoring of the soil carbon cycle and additional key soil health parameters. We can now measure the heartbeat of the soil."
As businesses across the world, especially in the food and agriculture space, work diligently to reduce their carbon footprint, having real-time, auditable data on carbon levels in the soil will help farmers monetize sustainable agricultural practices and guide policymakers to develop relevant incentives and subsidies.
SIF is continuing to work with researchers at UTD, Texas A&M and ASU to optimize its sensors and launch the global contextual soil health data platform. SIF has already formalized wide-scale field trials of their sensor technology and data platform in 2023 with key stakeholders, including the world's leading cocoa processor and chocolate manufacturer, Barry Callebaut, and the international "4 per 1000" initiative.
Soil in Formation (SIF) is a U.S. public benefit corporation that aims to restore soil health across the world by scaling accurate soil health measurement technology and developing a contextual data platform for key stakeholders. SIF aims to enable informed decisions based on affordable and auditable soil data that will drive sustainable and transparent government subsidy systems, carbon markets and supply chain metrics. Founded by leaders with decades of expertise in the corporate food and agriculture world, SIF aims to help dramatically improve global soil health. For more information, visit www.sif.earth.
Contact:
Harriette Brainard
hbrainard@sif.earth
View original content:
SOURCE Soil in Formation (SIF) | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2023/02/28/climate-soil-experts-announce-revolutionary-technology-enable-real-time-auditable-soil-carbon-data-global-scale/ | 2023-02-28 14:37:19 | 1 | https://www.wbtv.com/prnewswire/2023/02/28/climate-soil-experts-announce-revolutionary-technology-enable-real-time-auditable-soil-carbon-data-global-scale/ |
Traxmate and Nestwave collaboration delivers powerful indoor and outdoor tracking of low-power, small form factor IoT devices
NURNBERG, Germany, June 21, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Nestwave, a global leader in low-power geolocation for the IoT, has announced a collaboration with Traxmate, a leading supplier of asset tracking technology. The collaboration sees the integration of Nestwave's ultra-efficient location technology with Traxmate's asset tracking platform for seamless indoor and outdoor positioning, tracking and routing of small, low-power and battery-powered IoT devices.
Nestwave's innovative NestCore™ IP and NestCloud™ cloud services enable the IoT's smallest and most power-efficient geolocation solutions, while Traxmate is a comprehensive tracking data processing hub that simplifies the set-up of tracking environments and provides real-time visualization of device location. The collaboration also leverages access to a cloud-based positioning API developed by Combain, a world-leading geolocation service provider for connected IoT devices, that complements Nestwave's own GNSS solution.
"The integration of Nestwave and Traxmate technologies provides a powerful combination for companies looking to deliver accurate and seamless indoor and outdoor tracking using IoT devices within the smallest power budgets and form factors," says Ambroise Popper, Nestwave's CEO. "The collaboration opens up new possibilities for applications ranging from carrier tracking to the tracking of individual parcels and packets."
Traxmate CEO Björn Lindquist adds: "Traxmate is simple to use and set up, requires no coding and provides a rich 'out-of-the-box' feature set that includes dashboards, alerts and processing rules for taking actions on incoming data. Basing IoT tracking on Traxmate and Nestwave technologies significantly simplifies the implementation of accurate geolocation across a variety of use cases."
In support of the collaboration Traxmate and Nestwave will be demonstrating an integrated IoT tracking solution on the Traxmate booth (3A-225) at Embedded World from 21st to 23rd June in Nuremberg. The demonstration will be based on the Nestwave award-winning ThinTrack™, an ultra-compact GPS solution that integrates an LTE-M/NB-IoT modem, antenna, battery, SIM, sensors and all necessary electronics into a device measuring only 82 x 35 x 3mm and weighing just 15g.
About Traxmate
Traxmate offers a complete and state-of-the-art IoT tracking platform for seamless indoor and outdoor positioning, tracking and routing of connected Internet of Thing devices. Traxmate serves mobile network operators, product manufacturers and service providers with white-labelled and on-premises versions of the Traxmate platform, which provides a hassle-free set-up of accurate tracking environments and services in both 2D and 3D. Traxmate connects easily with over 1200 different tracking devices using various connectivity and positioning technologies including GPS/GNSS, BLE, Wi-Fi, cellular & LoRaWAN®.
To learn more, please visit us at http://www.traxmate.io
About Nestwave
Nestwave enables the proliferation of IoT geolocation by providing the smallest, most power efficient, lowest component count solutions.
The company's combination of IP and cloud services eliminates the need for conventional GPS/GNSS chipsets and dramatically reduces power consumption.
Because of this, Nestwave technologies minimize the bill of materials, extend the battery life and speed up the time-to-market of accurate indoor and outdoor positioning and tracking applications. Nestwave IP can be incorporated into existing DSP cores and connectivity chips without re-design, while cloud-assisted implementation leverages the computation power of the cloud and keeps power consumption to a minimum.
The unprecedented power and BoM savings realized by Nestwave's innovative technology significantly improve existing positioning and tracking applications. They also open the door to the integration of geolocation in applications where power and size limitations would previously have made this impossible. And by combining lower power consumption with the use of fewer components, Nestwave solutions contribute to environmental sustainability and reduced carbon footprints.
Media Contact
Emma Jenkins, Grand Bridges, 44 07828609969, emma@grandbridges.com
SOURCE Traxmate | https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_technology/traxmate-and-nestwave-collaborate-to-deliver-integrated-asset-tracking-solution/article_004e95f9-5ddf-5f6d-87ba-744c8b158700.html | 2022-06-21 14:08:55 | 1 | https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_technology/traxmate-and-nestwave-collaborate-to-deliver-integrated-asset-tracking-solution/article_004e95f9-5ddf-5f6d-87ba-744c8b158700.html |
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit Iran next week, the Kremlin said Tuesday, a day after the U.S. warned that Tehran could provide Moscow with drones for its action in Ukraine.
During a trip to Tehran next Tuesday, Putin will attend a trilateral meeting with the leaders of Iran and Turkey, the so-called Astana format of meetings for Syria-related talks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Putin's visit to Iran will follow U.S. President Joe Biden’s trip to Israel and Saudi Arabia this week, where Iran’s nuclear program and malign activities in the region will be a key subject of discussion.
Peskov told reporters that on the visit to Tehran, Putin will also have a separate meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In March, Erdogan helped mediate talks between Russian and Ukrainian representatives in Istanbul, Turkey. Peskov said there was no discussion about a new round of such negotiations.
The White House said Monday that it believes that Russia is turning to Iran to provide it with “hundreds” of drones, including those capable of carrying weapons, for use in Ukraine.
U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said it was unclear whether Iran had already provided any of the vehicles to Russia, but said the U.S. has “information” that indicates Iran is preparing to train Russian forces to use them as soon as this month.
“Our information indicates that the Iranian government is preparing to provide Russia with up to several hundred UAVs, including weapons-capable UAVs on an expedited timeline,” Sullivan told reporters Monday, referring to drones by the acronym for unmanned aerial vehicles.
Iran hasn't commented on Sullivan's statement.
Iran long has worked on the development of drones, including so-called loitering munitions, the “kamikaze” drones like the Switchblade that the U.S. has delivered to Ukraine.
The U.S. decision to publicly reveal that the two countries’ chief regional rival was helping to rearm Russia comes as both Israel and Saudi Arabia have resisted joining global efforts to punish Russia for its action in Ukraine due to their domestic interests.
In Tehran, Mohammadrez Pourebrahimi, the head of the Iranian Parliament’s economic committee, told state-run news agency IRNA that Putin’s trip would seek to improve economic relations between the two sanctions-hit nations.
___
Zeke Miller and Josh Boak in Washington and Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report. | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Russian-President-Vladimir-Putin-to-visit-Iran-17298868.php | 2022-07-12 10:44:56 | 1 | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Russian-President-Vladimir-Putin-to-visit-Iran-17298868.php |
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WACO, Texas (AP) — Freshman Keyonte George scored 22 points, redshirt freshman Langston Love added 20 and No. 12 Baylor beat Tarleton State 80-57 on Tuesday night.
The Bears had trouble early pulling away from the Texans, led by former Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie, but finally took a double-digit lead not long after halftime.
Baylor (7-2) was playing for the first time since a school-record run of 54 consecutive weeks in the top-10 ended.
The Bears were coming off a 64-63 victory over No. 18 Gonzaga, when they erased a seven-point deficit in the final two minutes in a rematch of the 2021 title game won by Baylor.
The Bears dropped six spots in the poll because they started last week with a blowout loss to Marquette and former Texas coach Shaka Smart.
Shakur Daniel scored 13 points for the Texans (5-4), who were playing Baylor for the first time since 1986 and the ninth time overall.
Baylor led by three early in the second half when George and Love hit consecutive 3-pointers, then combined for Love's alley-oop dunk off George's steal for the Bears' first double-digit lead at 49-38.
George, who is from the Dallas area but played at IMG Academy in Florida, finished one point off his season high while matching his best with seven rebounds. He also had six assists. Love had a season high in points.
BIG PICTURE
Tarleton State: This is likely to be the only ranked opponent for the Texans, who gave Gonzaga a scare last season when the Zags were ranked No. 1.
There has been more progress this season under Gillispie, the Texas native who also coached at UTEP, Texas A&M and Texas Tech. Tarleton has its first Power-5 victory, over Boston College.
Baylor: The bigger Bears dominated in rebounding with a 41-23 edge. Five players had at least four apiece, led by Jalen Bridges with eight.
Baylor outscored Tarleton 24-10 on second-chance points with 17 offensive rebounds, its second-most this season behind 21 in a 64-point win over Mississippi Valley State in the opener.
UP NEXT
Tarleton State: At Central Florida on Sunday.
Baylor: A nearly two-week break before playing Washington State in Dallas on Dec. 18.
___
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.beaumontenterprise.com/sports/article/George-Love-lead-No-12-Baylor-past-Tarleton-17636388.php | 2022-12-07 03:37:30 | 1 | https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/sports/article/George-Love-lead-No-12-Baylor-past-Tarleton-17636388.php |
As the auto industry awaits an EPA proposal for the next round of emissions rules for internal-combustion vehicles, an environmental advocacy group argues that similar standards should be applied to EVs.
The EPA has historically rewarded gasoline cars and trucks for being more fuel-efficient, but current standards count all EVs as having zero CO2 emissions, and hence don’t incentivize efficiency, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) noted in a blog post.
EVs don’t produce “tailpipe” emissions, but factoring in amount the electricity they consume could lower overall emissions while reducing stress on the grid. At today’s average EV efficiency of 3.4 miles per kwh, 300 million EVs would add 1.2 million gigawatt-hours of electricity demand annually, enough to power almost 113 million homes, the group says, adding that upping efficiency to 4.3 miles per kwh would reduce demand by 230,000 gigawatt-hours.
Efficiency of 2023 model-year EVs sold in the U.S. ranges from 1.9 to 4.2 miles per kwh, and some models have room for improvement, the ACEEE argues. The Volvo XC40 Recharge is singled out in this analysis. The Volvo achieves 2.5 miles per kwh, which ACEEE analysts equate to 154 grams of CO2 emission per mile driven, still less than the 347 grams-per-mile average for new cars, but more than other EVs.
Boosting efficiency to 3 miles per kwh, which other EVs of a similar weight already achieve, would reduce the XC40 Recharge’s overall CO2 emissions to 129 grams per mile, the group claims. The 2024 XC40 Recharge is getting some updates, with efficiency due to improve.
Excess weight is also referenced, as the analysis notes that the XC40 Recharge weighs almost 5,000 pounds, which isn’t surprising given the added weight of a battery pack. In effect, current rules are subsidizing larger, more profitable electric utility vehicles—a point we’ve emphasized before. Other groups have also voiced concerns that all this added weight will affect safety for everyone else.
It’s time to be asking questions about EV efficiency again with the Biden administration expected to announce some early targets looking toward stricter 2027-2032 rules for internal-combustion vehicles. Automakers backed stricter rules extending to 2026. But would they back rules taking actual efficiency of EVs into consideration? That remains to be seen.
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- F-150 Lightning tax credit will remain $7,500 after April 18, Ford says | https://www.yourbasin.com/automotive/internet-brands/should-future-epa-rules-incentivize-more-efficient-evs/ | 2023-04-11 02:17:47 | 1 | https://www.yourbasin.com/automotive/internet-brands/should-future-epa-rules-incentivize-more-efficient-evs/ |
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A court in Russia convicted a woman from a Siberian city over social media posts condemning the war in Ukraine and punished her Friday with a steep fine even though both she and the prosecution asked for a prison sentence.
Marina Novikova, a 65-year-old lawyer, was found guilty of “spreading false information” about the Russian army, which was made a criminal offense after President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine more than 14 months ago.
Novikova’s posts on the messaging app Telegram decried the invasion and criticized the Russian government.
The court in Seversk, Novikova’s hometown, imposed a fine of 1 million rubles (over $12,400), the Russian human rights and legal aid group OVD-Info quoted her husband, Alexandr Gavrik, as saying.
Prosecutors had requested a three-year prison sentence. Novikova herself pleaded with the court to send her to prison rather than the alternative: a fine of at least 700,000 rubles ($8,700) that the law allowed. She said she didn’t have the money to pay a fine of that size.
“I am prepared to pay the price for the right to remain a human … because I understand that there will be no acquittal,” Novikova was quoted by Russian media as saying in court.
An average salary in Siberia’s Tomsk province, where Seversk is located, is 56,000 rubles, or just under $700, according to official government statistics.
OVD-Info, which monitors protests and tracks arrests, said the case against Novikova was among the first ones launched under the new law that prohibited spreading false information about the Russian military. But the number of such prosecutions has mushroomed as part of the Kremlin’s crackdown on dissent since the start of invasion of Ukraine.
The sweeping campaign of repression has been unparalleled since the Soviet era. It has effectively criminalized independent reporting on the conflict and any criticism of the war, with the authorities targeting not only prominent opposition figures who eventually received draconian prison terms but but people not known for anti-government activity.
A court in Moscow convicted a former police officer Monday of publicly spreading false information about the country’s military for criticizing the war in Ukraine to his friends over the phone. Semiel Vedel was sentenced to seven years in prison.
Authorities argued his phone conversations qualified as “public” because his phone was wiretapped in connection to another criminal case, and there was a third person listening in.
Last month, a Russian court convicted a single father over social media posts critical of the war and sentenced him to two years in prison. His 13-year-old daughter, who drew an antiwar sketch at school, was sent to an orphanage.
A recent report by the Russian Supreme Court said that in 2022, courts ordered citizens to pay fines for discrediting the military 4,439 times, the equivalent of about $1.8 million, according to independent Russian news site Mediazona.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-international/russian-court-fines-war-critic-who-asked-for-prison-instead/ | 2023-04-29 15:12:18 | 1 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-international/russian-court-fines-war-critic-who-asked-for-prison-instead/ |
Company Honored With 'Overall Risk Management Solution of the Year'
AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Living Security, the leader in Human Risk Management, today announced that it has been named the 'Overall Risk Management Solution of the Year' in the sixth annual CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards program conducted by CyberSecurity Breakthrough, a leading independent market intelligence organization that recognizes the top companies, technologies and products in the global information security market today. This is the second consecutive year that Living Security has taken home one of these prestigious industry awards.
The company launched its innovative Human Risk Management platform, Unify Insights, earlier this year. The solution provides security leaders with the data and metrics to identify human behavior risks and trends inside their organizations, followed by targeted action plans to mitigate incidents. Living Security and its Unify Insights platform, were chosen from more than 4,100 nominations worldwide.
"We've pioneered this new category of Human Risk Management, shifting from a traditional security awareness and training approach which has proven ineffective. The more data-driven approach of HRM truly moves the needle on behavioral change by empowering security leaders with an understanding of where the riskiest segments are and how to remediate that risk," said Ashley Rose, CEO and co-founder of Living Security. "This award is a testament to the hard work put into the launch of Unify Insights, and the important work we're doing to reduce human risk within organizations."
The mission of the CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards is to honor excellence and recognize the innovation, hard work and success in a range of information security categories, including Cloud Security, Threat Detection, Risk Management, Fraud Prevention, Mobile Security, Email Security and many more.
"Traditional risk management solutions are missing the quantification of a whole category of risk that stems from human behaviors. Organizations can have an advantage if they are able to identify the riskiest five percent of people across their workforce, which could very well result in preventing both minor and major incidents," said James Johnson, managing director, CyberSecurity Breakthrough. "Through Unify Insights, data is analyzed and correlated with actual human activities, allowing security leaders to understand and address risky or vigilant behaviors in a way they have never done before and truly improve their security posture. Congratulations on this incredible innovation in the space and being our choice for the competitive 'Overall Risk Management Solution of the Year' award."
For more information about the Living Security please visit livingsecurity.com. For information on the annual CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards , please visit cybersecuritybreakthrough.com.
Living Security's mission is to transform human risk to drive dramatic improvement in human behaviors, organizational security culture, and infosec program effectiveness. With our Human Risk Management platform, Living Security engages each employee with innovative and relevant context and content, while simultaneously providing the ability for leadership to identify, report on and directly mitigate the risk brought on by human behavior. Living Security is trusted by security-minded organizations like MasterCard, Verizon, MassMutual, Biogen, AmerisourceBergen, Hewlett Packard, and Target. Learn more at www.livingsecurity.com.
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SOURCE Living Security | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2022/10/06/living-security-wins-prestigious-cybersecurity-breakthrough-award-second-consecutive-year/ | 2022-10-06 16:55:14 | 0 | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2022/10/06/living-security-wins-prestigious-cybersecurity-breakthrough-award-second-consecutive-year/ |
Bellarmine Knights (13-16, 8-8 ASUN) at Jacksonville Dolphins (13-14, 6-10 ASUN)
The Knights have gone 8-8 against ASUN opponents. Bellarmine is 3-1 in one-possession games.
The Dolphins and Knights match up Wednesday for the first time in ASUN play this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Kevion Nolan is scoring 13.3 points per game with 3.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists for the Dolphins. Gyasi Powell is averaging 10.5 points and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 43.4% over the past 10 games for Jacksonville.
Garrett Tipton is shooting 47.9% and averaging 12.7 points for the Knights. Ben Johnson is averaging 10.8 points over the last 10 games for Bellarmine.
LAST 10 GAMES: Dolphins: 3-7, averaging 62.3 points, 28.7 rebounds, 10.1 assists, 3.7 steals and 1.8 blocks per game while shooting 44.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 67.1 points per game.
Knights: 5-5, averaging 65.8 points, 28.7 rebounds, 13.6 assists, 4.7 steals and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 43.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 70.3 points.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/nolan-and-the-jacksonville-dolphins-host-conference-foe-bellarmine/2023/02/22/818dc334-b28e-11ed-94a0-512954d75716_story.html | 2023-02-22 10:09:10 | 1 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/nolan-and-the-jacksonville-dolphins-host-conference-foe-bellarmine/2023/02/22/818dc334-b28e-11ed-94a0-512954d75716_story.html |
ANN ARBOR – Michigan’s hockey team needs one point during its final two-game series against Notre Dame to clinch home-ice advantage in the first round of the Big Ten playoffs.
It did so with a 3-3 tie Friday at Yost Ice Arena, but the 20th-ranked Irish picked up the extra Big Ten point by winning the shootout.
The fourth-ranked Wolverines (20-10-3, 12-9-2 Big Ten) appeared to be on the verge of their second straight regulation loss, trailing 3-2 late in the third period. But they headed on the power play with 2:29 remaining, and freshman forward and NCAA points leader Adam Fantilli capitalized with his 20th goal of the season.
With the momentum from Fantilli’s goal, Michigan continued to push the pace in the final 90 seconds and generated a few chances that nearly resulted in a go-ahead goal. But the Irish had the last quality opportunity in the waning seconds with a two-on-one. Goalie Erik Portillo made a save with his mask to send it to overtime.
The Wolverines spent most of the three-on-three overtime in the Irish’s zone and had several quality chances, including a two-on-zero, but came up empty. None of the team’s three shooters scored in the shootout.
The tie guarantees Michigan won’t finish below fourth place and will begin the best-of-three Big Ten Tournament at home. However, it does not control its own destiny when it comes to finishing in second place, which would mean home ice in the first two rounds if it advanced.
The team will place close attention to Friday night’s game between first-place Minnesota and Ohio State, which entered the weekend tied with Michigan for second place. The Buckeyes, who went 2-1-1 against the Wolverines this season, hold the tiebreaker if they finish with the same amount of points.
RELATED: What’s at stake for No. 4 Michigan during final regular season series
Michigan and Notre Dame (14-14-5, 9-10-4) combined for four goals in the first nine minutes, and neither team found the back of the net until Jack Adams’ power-play goal at the 6:08 mark of the third. However, the Irish also hit three posts in regulation, while Fantilli wrang a wrist shot off the bar in overtime.
Notre Dame took a 2-1 lead with a pair of goals 57 seconds apart in the first period. Both came on fortuitous bounces. With time dwindling down in the Irish power play, defenseman Drew Bavaro fired a wrist shot from the point that Jesse Landsdell deflected in front. The puck then bounced off the skate of Michigan defenseman Ethan Edwards and in.
Moments later, forward Landon Slaggert tried to jam the puck in from the side of the net, and the puck rode up the stick of Michigan defenseman Keaton Pehrson and over the shoulder of Portillo.
The Wolverines didn’t waste any time answering as freshman Gavin Brindley one-timed a centering feed from Jackson Hallum for his 10th goal of the season and his seventh in the past seven games.
The two teams conclude the regular season at 8 p.m. Saturday.
MORE: Why Michigan hockey is rolling under interim coach Brandon Naurato
NCAA Tournament chances for every D1 hockey team in Michigan | https://www.mlive.com/wolverines/2023/02/michigan-scores-late-to-tie-notre-dame-earns-crucial-big-ten-point.html | 2023-02-25 04:13:06 | 1 | https://www.mlive.com/wolverines/2023/02/michigan-scores-late-to-tie-notre-dame-earns-crucial-big-ten-point.html |
Drizly for Business is the go-to drinks service for corporate events, gifting and restocking; newly introduced business solutions include corporate bartending services, keg deliveries, and premium wine gift sets
BOSTON, June 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Drizly, an Uber Company (NYSE: UBER), today introduced an expanded suite of business-focused offerings and an elevated Corporate Concierge service from Drizly for Business. Designed to help businesses save time, stay on budget, and leverage expert recommendations, Drizly for Business supports all corporate alcohol delivery occasions, including events, gifting, and office restocking, whether it be for employees, clients or customers.
Building on its momentum since originally launching in 2016, and on the heels of a rebrand in 2022 to better showcase its breadth of corporate offerings, Drizly for Business is now focused on expanding its suite of business offerings for companies small and large to further support these corporate occasions and better meet its corporate customers needs for each moment. Today, Drizly for Business works with nearly 11,000 corporate clients across a variety of industries, including UNTUCKit and The Herbal Chef.
"As the pioneer of alcohol e-commerce, we're excited to now offer an expanded suite of business-focused offerings as we see more and more companies turning to Drizly for all their corporate delivery needs for drinks," said Kimberly Gordon, Director of Corporate Business Development at Drizly. "By leveraging Drizly's nationwide network of Retail Partners and introducing a dedicated Corporate Concierge team, we are able to provide corporate customers with a more streamlined way to order beverages for their business, whether that be for in-office events, client gifting or weekly restocks. Our team can handle everything from sourcing their favorite drinks to scheduling the delivery itself, making it both a hassle-free and budget friendly experience."
The suite of business-focused offerings from Drizly for Business include:
New services for corporate events
Whether companies are planning corporate events in-person, virtual or a hybrid of both, Drizly's Corporate Concierge team can help with all alcohol needs for happy hours, team building activities, holiday parties, tastings and more. The team creates fully custom orders to fit any budget, providing recommendations on what drinks to buy, how much is needed and coordinating all necessary elements of shipments and delivery.
To further elevate any company gathering, Drizly for Business has debuted an expanded suite of offerings for corporate events - including corporate bartending services and keg deliveries. Recently expanding to 10 markets, corporate clients can book bartending services through Drizly for Business for staffing, tools, bar set-up and breakdown to round out any occasion. The Corporate Concierge team can also now organize keg deliveries for company events, parties or office kitchens in select states across the United States.
"The team of specialists at Drizly for Business have been extremely supportive and helpful throughout the past couple of years assisting for our large events. As soon as I have an idea of what our beverage needs will be, I contact the experts at Drizly for Business, and they begin to put a personalized recommendation together," said Brad Fry, Beverage Director at The Herbal Chef. "Regardless of any adjustments I have to make on my end due to client demands, the Corporate Concierge team is always understanding and quick to respond and accommodate my needs. Drizly for Business saves me time, which allows me to focus on everything else that needs to get done."
Expanded corporate gift set options
Business customers can easily send corporate gifts to clients or employees to multiple addresses across the country with the help of the Corporate Concierge team. From providing expert recommendations that fit a client's budget, to placing orders and coordinating all deliveries, corporate gifting with Drizly for Business is the perfect solution for client appreciation, holiday, celebratory gifts and more.
Drizly for Business has also introduced new wine gift sets with a premium selection of curated wine bottle combinations, available in 38 states across the country. With an array of gift sets offering one, two or three wine bottles that come in upscale packaging and with personalized gift notes, the Corporate Concierge team handles everything from verifying addresses to coordinating the deliveries. What's more, business customers can now design custom wine gift sets, with the ability to add a personalized logo, color schemes, branded inserts and hand select the combination of wine for the package.
Easy re-ordering and scheduling capabilities
Lastly, companies can leverage the Corporate Concierge team to coordinate drink deliveries on a weekly, monthly or custom schedule to ensure the office kitchen or corporate space is stocked with employees' favorites at all times. Whether its beer, wine, spirits or non-alcoholic options, Drizly for Business offers one of the widest selections of drinks for business partners to choose from for recurring orders.
With office occupancy hitting 50% in the United States in Spring 2023, up from 25% last year* businesses are searching for solutions to engage with employees in the office and remotely, or on a hybrid schedule. Further, the 2022 Corporate Trend Report from Drizly for Business found that alcoholic beverages were the top gift given by survey respondents, with 85% of survey respondents citing that drinks are the most purchased corporate gift item. With the expanded suite of business-focused offerings from Drizly for Business, backed by one of the largest networks of on-demand alcohol delivery coverage across the United States, the service is able to provide a full range of corporate ordering solutions customized to a company's in-office or remote needs - whether they're planning an office happy hour or sending gifts to employees across the country.
To get started with Drizly for Business, visit corporate.drizly.com.
*Source: Kastle Systems & The Washington Post, February 2023
About Drizly
Drizly, an Uber company, is a leading beverage alcohol specialty marketplace designed to help people savor life's moments. Millions of consumers of legal drinking age turn to Drizly to get the best drinks for the moment, at the right price, delivered. On Drizly, consumers can compare prices across retailers to find the best deals, choose from convenient delivery options, including on-demand and scheduled deliveries, and send gifts or place large orders for events. With one of the widest selections of beer, wine, and spirits, shoppers can easily order their favorites or discover new drinks all in one place. Today, Drizly partners with thousands of retailers and suppliers to help them to reach new customers, tap into key market and customer insights, and diversify their business to grow sales. Learn more at Drizly.com, download the Drizly app (App Store and Google Play) and follow Drizly on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
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SOURCE Drizly | https://www.weau.com/prnewswire/2023/06/22/drizly-business-debuts-elevated-corporate-concierge-service-amp-suite-premium-business-focused-offerings/ | 2023-06-22 13:02:08 | 0 | https://www.weau.com/prnewswire/2023/06/22/drizly-business-debuts-elevated-corporate-concierge-service-amp-suite-premium-business-focused-offerings/ |
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A father and son from southwest Washington are set to accept plea deals with federal prosecutors for entering the U.S. Capitol with a pro-Trump mob during the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection.
Jeff and Jeremy Grace appeared in selfie photos inside and outside the Capitol Building during the insurrection, according to prosecutors.
Jeremy Grace pleaded guilty in April to one count of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, KGW-TV reported. As part of the plea deal, federal prosecutors agreed to drop three additional charges.
He will likely receive a sentence in July ranging from zero to six months in prison, along with a fine from $500 to $9,500, according to court records. Court records show Jeremy Grace also agreed to allow federal agents to review his social media accounts around that time.
Grace’s father, Jeff, is scheduled for a plea hearing on June 17. He is facing similar charges.
KGW wasn't able to reach Jeff or Jeremy Grace for comment.
The Justice Department has arrested and charged over 800 people for the violence that day, the biggest dragnet in its history.
The House committee investigating the attack will go public with its findings starting Thursday night as lawmakers hope to show the American public how democracy came to the brink of disaster when the defeated president, Donald Trump, tried to overturn Joe Biden’s election victory. | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Washington-dad-son-set-to-accept-plea-deals-in-17231264.php | 2022-06-09 21:58:39 | 1 | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Washington-dad-son-set-to-accept-plea-deals-in-17231264.php |
A group of economists surveyed by the Wall Street Journal placed the chances of the United States entering a recession in the next 12 months at 44%.
The odds of a recession have jumped greatly from past surveys. In January, the WSJ’s survey placed the odds at 18%. Those chances increased to 28% in April.
While unemployment generally goes up during periods of recession, the experts surveyed believe unemployment will remain below 5%. They expect unemployment to creep up from 3.6% currently to 4.2% at the end of 2023.
During the recession of 2008-09, unemployment more than doubled to 10%.
Although the S&P 500 has lost 24% of its value since the start of the year, President Joe Biden told reporters Monday that a recession is not inevitable. Part of what is sparking concern for a recession is the Federal Reserve’s latest interest rate hike.
The Fed announced a significant .75% jump in a key interest rate in hopes of quailing inflation.
Economists told the Wall Street Journal part of their concern is that spending power will decrease if inflation continues to remain high. | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national/economists-biden-say-recession-possible-not-inevitable | 2022-06-20 16:06:30 | 1 | https://www.wmar2news.com/news/national/economists-biden-say-recession-possible-not-inevitable |
Three in four U.S. consumers have either experienced or been targeted by a form of fraud tied to the holidays, according to AARP.
Here are some of the most common scams to watch out for this time of year.
First, check who you are buying from. Make sure a website’s URL is secure, according to the FBI. Verify the legitimacy of a buyer as well.
Be careful when buying gift cards. Experts have noted an uptick in gift card scams. Scammers are draining gift cards before you can buy them. The Better Business Bureau says make sure the packaging hasn’t been tampered with.
You should also never wire money directly to a seller, according to the FBI. Using a credit card as often as possible allows you to dispute a charge if there’s a suspicious transaction.
Watch out for delivery scams, too. According to AARP, scammers send out phishing emails with links disguised as a delivery service. These links can either be full of malware or ask for your personal information.
In general, AARP has some warning signs to watch out for:
- Huge discounts of popular items
- Spelling errors in an e-mail or text
- Bad grammar
- Unsolicited emails that ask you to click a link or download an app | https://www.ksby.com/news/national/common-scams-to-watch-out-for-this-holiday-season | 2022-12-12 21:38:24 | 1 | https://www.ksby.com/news/national/common-scams-to-watch-out-for-this-holiday-season |
The show must go on: Putting on a Tony Awards telecast during a writers’ strike
NEW YORK (AP) — New location? No script? No rehearsal? No sweat.
Welcome to the 2023 Tony Awards, a show with an extra jolt of electricity this time due to the Hollywood writers’ strike.
Unpredictability has been inserted into what is usually an upbeat, safe and chummy night. The strike has left Broadway’s biggest night without a script, in a new venue far from the theater district.
A 1 1/2-hour pre-show on Pluto TV from 6:30-8 p.m. Eastern, hosted by Julianne Hough and Skylar Astin, will then throw to the three-hour main event led by Ariana DeBose on CBS and Paramount+ starting at 8 p.m. Eastern.
A total of 26 Tony Awards will be handed out Sunday for a season that had 40 new productions — 15 musicals, 24 plays and one special engagement during the first post-pandemic full season.
Broadway had some very serious works this season, like the new plays “Cost of Living” and “The Kite Runner” and revivals of “Topdog/Underdog” and “Death of a Salesman,” led by Wendell Pierce. A revival of “Parade,” about the lynching of a Jewish businessman starring Ben Platt, was also well received.
The season also had an element of the fantastical in a puppet-heavy adaptation of the lifeboat book “Life of Pi,” satire in “The Thanksgiving Play” and pure silliness in “Shucked” and “Peter Pan Goes Wrong.”
“Just like the country and the world is resetting, I think our storytelling and how we get our stories out there is resetting as well,” said Kenny Leon, who directed “Topdog/ Underdog” and “Ohio State Murders” this season. “The positive I take away is the variety of the material, from a Black-led ‘Death of a Salesman’ to new plays like ‘KPOP’ and ‘Ain’t No Mo’’ and ‘Leopoldstadt’ and ‘Prima Facie.’ I felt the diversity in almost every way — racially, generationally.”
“Some Like It Hot,” a musical adaptation of the classic cross-dressing movie comedy that starred Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, goes into the night with a leading 13 Tony Award nominations. For the top crown, it is pitted against “& Juliet,” which reimagines “Romeo and Juliet” and adds some of the biggest pop hits of the past few decades, “New York, New York,” which combined two generations of Broadway royalty in John Kander and Lin-Manuel Miranda, and “Shucked,” a lightweight musical comedy studded with corn puns.
The critical musical darling and intimate, funny-sad “Kimberly Akimbo,” with Victoria Clark playing a teen who ages four times faster than the average human, rounds out the best musical category.
The best new play category is a competition among Tom Stoppard’s “Leopoldstadt,” which explores Jewish identity with an intergenerational story, and “Fat Ham,” James Ijames’ Pulitzer Prize-winning adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” set at a Black family’s barbecue in the modern South.
The rest of the category is made up of “Ain’t No Mo,’” the short-lived but critically applauded work by playwright and actor Jordan E. Cooper, Stephen Adly Guirgis’ Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Between Riverside and Crazy” and “Cost of Living,” parallel stories of two caretakers and their respective patients.
The answers to some intriguing questions pend: Can Audra McDonald ( “Ohio State Murders” ) extend her record as the most awarded actor in Tony Awards history? Will either J. Harrison Ghee (“Some Like It Hot”) or Alex Newell (“Shucked”) become the first nonbinary person to win a Tony for acting? (Last year, “Six” composer and writer Toby Marlow became the first out nonbinary winner.)
Performances are slated from the casts of “Camelot,” “Into the Woods,” “& Juliet,” “Kimberly Akimbo,” “New York, New York,” “Parade,” “Shucked,” “Some Like It Hot” and “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.”
In addition, Joaquina Kalukango — the winner of last year’s Tony for best lead actress in a musical — will sing, as will the casts from “A Beautiful Noise” and “Funny Girl.” That means there’ll be plenty of star power, from Josh Groban to Lea Michele.
It will all take place at the United Palace Theatre, in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan — a new venue for the ceremony, many miles from Times Square and the theater district.
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Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits
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For more coverage of the 2023 Tony Awards, visit https://apnews.com/hub/tony-awards
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/2023/06/11/show-must-go-putting-tony-awards-telecast-during-writers-strike/ | 2023-06-11 15:15:34 | 1 | https://www.kttc.com/2023/06/11/show-must-go-putting-tony-awards-telecast-during-writers-strike/ |
PITTSBURGH, Dec. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "We thought there could be an improved washing machine to provide optimal sweeping and rotation for smaller loads while also providing more room for larger volumes of clothing or bedding," said one of two inventors, from Pasadena, Calif., "so we invented the DUAL IMPELLER AGITATOR. Our design enables you to easily switch between the two types of laundry loads."
The patent-pending invention provides a 2-in-1 impeller and agitator component for a washing machine. In doing so, it enables the machine to easily accommodate smaller and larger loads. As a result, it would effectively clean clothes or bedding items and it eliminates the need to use laundromat facilities. The invention features an efficient and space-saving design that is easy to use so it is ideal for households. Additionally, a prototype model is available upon request.
The original design was submitted to the Los Angeles sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 21-LAX-1481, 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.kbtx.com/prnewswire/2022/12/19/inventhelp-inventor-develops-improved-washing-machine-lax-1481/ | 2022-12-19 19:29:43 | 0 | https://www.kbtx.com/prnewswire/2022/12/19/inventhelp-inventor-develops-improved-washing-machine-lax-1481/ |
Silence is golden this weekend at KS Silent Film Festival
Published: Feb. 22, 2023 at 5:27 PM CST|Updated: 1 hour ago
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Silence is golden at Washburn University this weekend.
The annual Kansas Silent Film Festival kicks off Friday. Bill Shaffer visited Eye on NE Kansas with a look at what’s in store for this year’s event.
Watch the interview to find out about a few of the main features.
The Kansas Silent Film Festival runs 1:30 to 10 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday at Washburn’s White Concert Hall, 1700 SW Jewell. Admission is free.
Find the full schedule at www.kssilentfilmfest.org.
Copyright 2023 WIBW. All rights reserved. | https://www.wibw.com/2023/02/22/silence-is-golden-this-weekend-ks-silent-film-festival/ | 2023-02-23 00:41:26 | 1 | https://www.wibw.com/2023/02/22/silence-is-golden-this-weekend-ks-silent-film-festival/ |
One side effect of political division in the states — blue states getting bluer and red states getting redder — is that some policies don't have a chance of getting passed by partisan state legislatures, even if a majority of voters back them.
But a left-leaning advocacy group called the Fairness Project has created a playbook for using ballot initiatives to go around GOP-led state legislatures.
Since 2016, it has backed successful initiatives to raise the minimum wage and expand Medicaid in at least nine states run entirely or mostly by Republicans at the time of the vote. (It also works in Democratically led states.)
Now, it's one of several groups gearing up to put abortion rights on the ballot in 2024. But the recent success of such measures in Republican-led states has drawn criticism from lawmakers and helped fuel a raft of attempts to curb ballot measures.
Ballot measures are expensive and time-consuming
When Missouri-based minimum wage advocates wanted to run a statewide ballot initiative in 2017, they turned to the Fairness Project.
"We're sort of figuring things out as we go, and the Fairness Project is a particular expert on this tactic," says Missouri Jobs with Justice political director Richard Van Glahn.
Kansas City and St. Louis had tried hiking their minimum wages, but those efforts were overruled by state lawmakers. A ballot initiative would raise the minimum wage across the state — if voters approved it.
But winning takes "more than just motivated people with clipboards," says Kelly Hall, executive director of the Fairness Project.
Citizen-initiated ballot measures to change laws or state constitutions are possible in nearly half of U.S. states. To qualify for the ballot, petitions must gather thousands of signatures. Some campaigns then spend tens of millions of dollars to raise awareness among voters.
The high cost of campaigns often means they can act as policy vehicles for corporate interests, such as apps employing gig workers or sports betting companies.
The Fairness Project, the brainchild of a California-based health care workers union, was created with the idea of using ballot measures to address quality-of-life issues, SEIU-UHW president Dave Regan tells NPR.
"We need to speak to the common good," he says.
Money and messaging help sway conservative voters
To do that, the Fairness Project partners with local advocacy organizations and national nonprofits to provide the technical expertise needed to run a ballot campaign.
That means surveying voters early in the process to gauge whether an issue has enough public support to succeed, and helping to set up signature-gathering. The group also vets the language of the proposed constitutional amendment or statute to make sure it can withstand legal challenges, says Hall.
When it comes to public messaging, the Fairness Project tests which narratives will sway the largest number of voters. For example, talking about bringing voters' federal tax dollars back to their state may get more votes for Medicaid expansion than talking about it as a benefit program.
"Folks who can separate these issues from their partisan identity are the folks that get us over the finish line in these conservative states," says Hall.
Financing is another part of the process. The Fairness Project sometimes contributes directly to the state-level campaigns that they work with, but is rarely the largest donor, according to campaign finance records. Other financial backers of the measures include dark money groups, progressive nonprofits or, in the case of Medicaid expansion, business and health care associations.
The Fairness Project, which operates as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit "social welfare" organization, does not have to disclose its funders or all of its activities, drawing criticism from a right-leaning research group that investigates environmentalist and union spending.
Communications and digital strategy director Alexis Magnan-Callaway declined to share a list of Fairness Project funders with NPR, but says unions, foundations and individuals "contribute to our work."
Abortion has shaken up the ballot measure space
Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion last year, all state ballot measures affirming abortion rights have been approved, and all of those to restrict the right have been rejected.
The Fairness Project was involved with a $40 million campaign to pass Prop 3 in Michigan last year, which codified abortion rights in that state. It's now exploring such measures in several more states where abortion is restricted or banned.
These plans come as state legislatures move to clamp down on the ballot process. Lawmakers in at least four states — Ohio, Florida, Idaho and Missouri — have recently introduced or advanced measures to make citizen-initiated measures more difficult to run or to pass. Last year, 11 state legislatures introduced or advanced bills that would introduce new barriers.
In Missouri, Republican state Rep. Mike Henderson told his colleagues during a recent session that the state constitution has become too easy to edit.
"I believe that the Missouri constitution is a living document, but not an ever-expanding document," he said. Henderson also argued that citizens of Missouri may not understand what they're voting on, and that such campaigns can be intentionally misleading.
The state House of Representatives later approved a resolution he proposed, which calls for raising the threshold to pass citizen-initiated ballot measures from a simple majority to 60%. However, Democrats have called the measure itself misleading, because it opens with language about only allowing U.S. citizens to vote, something already enshrined in the Missouri constitution.
"The effort to curtail the initiative process seems to me like a purely political power play," says David Kimball, a political scientist at the University of Missouri - St. Louis.
He says lawmakers are likely trying to head off future abortion rights ballot measures, and want to keep the power to make laws, or introduce constitutional amendments, for themselves.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.kcbx.org/npr-top-news/2023-02-24/this-group-gets-left-leaning-policies-passed-in-red-states-how-ballot-measures | 2023-02-24 17:32:02 | 0 | https://www.kcbx.org/npr-top-news/2023-02-24/this-group-gets-left-leaning-policies-passed-in-red-states-how-ballot-measures |
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Red Hot Chili Peppers on Monday announced they will be playing a show at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse as part of their 2023 world tour.
The band will be accompanied by The Strokes, who also opened for RHCP on their 2022 stadium tour, and King Princess.
This tour is in support of the Chili Peppers’ newest albums, “Unlimited Love” and “Return of the Dream Canteen,” and spans 23 dates, including the April 14 show in Syracuse. The band’s recent albums follow the return of longtime guitarist John Frusciante.
Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. and can be purchased at this link.
Adam Duke is a digital producer who has been part of the News 4 team since 2021. See more of his work here. | https://www.wivb.com/entertainment-news/red-hot-chili-peppers-to-play-syracuse-show-in-april/ | 2022-12-05 14:49:35 | 1 | https://www.wivb.com/entertainment-news/red-hot-chili-peppers-to-play-syracuse-show-in-april/ |
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CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia on Saturday proposed tougher penalties for companies that fail to protect customers’ personal data after two major cybersecurity breaches left millions vulnerable to criminals.
The penalties for serious breaches of the Privacy Act would increase from 2.2 million Australian dollars ($1.4 million) now to AU$50 million ($32 million) under amendments to be introduced to Parliament next week, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said.
A company could also be fined the value of 30% of its revenues over a defined period if that amount exceeded AU$50 million ($32 million).
Dreyfus said “big companies could face penalties up to hundreds of millions of dollars” under the new law.
“It is a very, very substantial increase in the penalties,” Dreyfus told reporters.
“It’s designed to make companies think. It’s designed to be a deterrent so that companies will protect the data of Australians,” he added.
Parliament resumes on Tuesday for the first time since mid-September.
Since Parliament last sat, unknown hackers stole personal data from 9.8 million customers of Optus, Australia’s second-largest wireless telecommunications carrier. The theft has left more than one-third of Australia’s population at heightened risk of identity theft and fraud.
Unknown cybercriminals this week demanded ransom from Australia’s largest health insurer, Medibank, after claiming to have stolen 200 gigabytes of customers’ data including medical diagnoses and treatments. Medibank has 3.7 million customers. The company said the hackers had proved they hold the personal records of at least 100.
The thieves have reportedly threatened to make public medical conditions of high-profile Medibank customers.
Dreyfus said both breaches had shown “existing safeguards are inadequate.”
As well as failing to protect personal information, the government is concerned that companies are unnecessarily holding too much customer data for too long in the hope of monetizing that information.
“We need to make sure that when a data breach occurs the penalty is large enough, that it’s a really serious penalty on the company and can’t just be disregarded or ignored or just paid as a part of a cost of doing business,” Dreyfus said.
Dreyfus hopes the proposed amendments will become law in the final four weeks that Parliament will sit this year.
Any new penalties will not be retroactive and will not effect Optus or Medibank. | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/Australia-flags-new-corporate-penalties-for-17526604.php | 2022-10-22 05:59:56 | 1 | https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/Australia-flags-new-corporate-penalties-for-17526604.php |
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