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ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan said Tuesday that most victims of the unprecedented floods that struck the country last summer have now returned to their homes, with only a small portion still living in makeshift camps in the worst-hit, southern Sindh province.
The country’s disaster management agency said the latest data shows that slightly less than 50,000 people are currently staying in camps in Sindh, compared to half a million who were living in tents there in September.
The record-breaking floods — which were worsened by climate change, that hit Pakistan last summer — killed 1,735 people and displaced 33 million. In Sindh alone, the floods affected 12 million people and killed 796.
Pakistan has asked the international community to scale up aid for flood survivors, now threatened by the upcoming winter. Last month, the World Bank estimated that the floods caused $40 billion in damages.
Harsh winter weather could worsen the misery of flood victims — if food and other supplies were not delivered quickly.
Cash-strapped Pakistan was already facing a serious financial crisis before the abnormally heavy monsoon rains hit in mid-June, triggering the floods that at one point left a third of the country’s territory submerged.
The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a report Tuesday that there is still standing water in the provinces of Balochistan and Sindh.
And though the floods badly affected the country’s crops, Tuesday’s report said 98% of the area for wheat cultivation remains available for the next planting season — a positive sign as Pakistan has already started importing wheat to avoid any food shortage.
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https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/pakistan-most-flood-victims-back-home-few-remain-in-camps/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world
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2022-11-01 13:57:44
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https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/pakistan-most-flood-victims-back-home-few-remain-in-camps/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world
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AGNC Investment Corp. Declares First Quarter Dividends on Preferred Stock
Published: Mar. 10, 2023 at 3:01 PM CST|Updated: 1 hour ago
BETHESDA, Md., March 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AGNC Investment Corp. (Nasdaq: AGNC) ("AGNC" or the "Company") announced today that its Board of Directors has declared cash dividends for the first quarter 2023 on its 7.00% Series C Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (the "Series C Preferred Stock") underlying its outstanding depositary shares (Nasdaq: AGNCN), 6.875% Series D Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (the "Series D Preferred Stock") underlying its outstanding depositary shares (Nasdaq: AGNCM), 6.50% Series E Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (the "Series E Preferred Stock") underlying its outstanding depositary shares (Nasdaq: AGNCO), 6.125% Series F Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (the "Series F Preferred Stock") underlying its outstanding depositary shares (Nasdaq: AGNCP), and 7.750% Series G Fixed-Rate Reset Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (the "Series G Preferred Stock") underlying its outstanding depositary shares (Nasdaq: AGNCL).
For further information or questions, please contact Investor Relations at (301) 968-9300 or IR@AGNC.com.
ABOUT AGNC INVESTMENT CORP.
AGNC Investment Corp. is an internally managed real estate investment trust that invests primarily in residential mortgage-backed securities for which the principal and interest payments are guaranteed by a U.S. Government-sponsored enterprise or a U.S. Government agency. For further information, please refer to www.AGNC.com.
CONTACT:
Investor Relations - (301) 968-9300
View original content:
SOURCE AGNC Investment Corp.
The above press release was provided courtesy of PRNewswire. The views, opinions and statements in the press release are not endorsed by Gray Media Group nor do they necessarily state or reflect those of Gray Media Group, Inc.
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https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2023/03/10/agnc-investment-corp-declares-first-quarter-dividends-preferred-stock/
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2023-03-10 22:32:00
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https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2023/03/10/agnc-investment-corp-declares-first-quarter-dividends-preferred-stock/
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Antiques Roadshow “Santa Fe’s Museum Hill, Hour 3”
Monday, February 6 at 7pm – Tune in or stream with the PBS app and online at video.lptv.org.
It’s antique treasures galore with finds including Green Bay Packers salesman’s sample championship rings and a 1977 Keith Haring Bean Salad lithograph.
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https://lptv.org/antiques-roadshow-santa-fes-museum-hill-hour-3/
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2023-02-01 19:06:01
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https://lptv.org/antiques-roadshow-santa-fes-museum-hill-hour-3/
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New year expected to bring more changes to state voting laws
(AP) - State lawmakers around the country introduced thousands of bills to change the way elections are run after former President Donald Trump falsely blamed his 2020 loss on voter fraud. Hundreds became law.
Even with proponents of Trump’s election lies roundly defeated during this year’s midterms, advocates on both sides of the voting debate are bracing for another round of election-related legislation. Republicans are eager to tighten election rules further while Democrats, who took control of two additional statehouses, will seek to make it easier to cast a ballot.
Minnesota’s newly reelected Democratic secretary of state, Steve Simon, said he had spoken to several secretaries of state who are eager to push for changes in voting. Losses by election-denier candidates in top races have emboldened some Democrats to champion expansions of voting rights.
“Voters spoke loudly and clearly about what they wanted and didn’t want, both in regards to this office and all these other issues,” said Simon, who defeated a Republican challenger who parroted some of Trump’s lies about the 2020 election.
Democrats won majorities in both houses of the Minnesota Legislature in November, giving Simon a good shot at enacting changes. He expects to urge lawmakers to adopt automatic voter registration and allow high school students to pre-register.
States routinely make adjustments in their voting laws — some subtle, some dramatic. But experts have never seen an explosion of legislation like that which followed the 2020 presidential election, when more than 3,600 election bills were introduced, according to the Voting Rights Lab, which tracks the legislation.
Liz Avore, senior adviser to the group, said 22 states in the last couple of years expanded access to the ballot, 10 created new restrictions and five expanded access in some ways while creating new barriers in others. This, she said, has created a divide in the U.S. in which “your ZIP code determines your access to our democracy.”
That divide seems likely to grow next year. Legislatures won’t convene until January at the earliest, so it’s unclear how many bills are being drafted and on which subjects. But Texas, where the Legislature meets only once every two years and lawmakers can “pre-file” drafts of legislation for the upcoming session, offers a preview.
The Associated Press has identified nearly 100 election-related legislative proposals already filed in the state, both to increase access to the ballot box and to further restrict it. This includes one that would allow the state’s top lawyer to assign a prosecutor focused on election crimes, testing the boundaries of a court ruling earlier this year that said the attorney general did not have the authority to prosecute election crimes.
Another would assign a group of peace officers to serve as election marshals who investigate claims of election-related missteps. That would follow the lead of Florida, where officers in a special unit assigned to elections have already made a handful of arrests — including of people who mistakenly thought they were eligible to vote under a 2018 constitutional amendment restoring voting rights to some felons. Critics have labeled the unit a political tool of the governor.
Matt Simpson, a senior attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, said current election legislation proposed in the state, such as increasing criminal penalties for election crimes and creating election marshals, is “extreme” and “very intimidating” for voters. He said these approaches are primarily political and don’t solve actual voting-related issues, such as high rejection rates of mail ballots and ballot applications due to widespread confusion on the identification numbers necessary.
“It is certainly the case that Texas elections do not have widespread fraud,” Simpson said. “These bills, these concerns that are raised, are solutions in search of a problem.”
The reliability of Texas’ elections was underscored by the release earlier this month of an audit by the secretary of state’s office. The 359-page audit of the 2020 election in the state’s two largest Democratic counties and two largest Republican ones found some “irregularities,” but they were largely related to holding an election during a pandemic.
“In most cases, the audit found that the counties followed their procedures and clearly documented their activities,” the audit says.
Ohio is another Republican-controlled state where lawmakers continue to push for restrictions.
The state is likely to draw national attention next year after Republicans indicated they might try again to place on the May ballot a measure requiring a 60% majority for any future constitutional amendments to pass. That provision could limit the ability of Ohio voters to rein in GOP gerrymandering or otherwise counter the majority-Republican Legislature, such as by codifying the right to an abortion.
Republicans failed to muster enough votes during December’s lame-duck session to place the higher threshold for passing amendments on the ballot, but they did pass a sweeping election law overhaul. The bill adds a photo ID requirement for voters and provides them for free, codifies a directive requiring one ballot drop box per county and eliminates early voting on the Monday before Election Day — county officials had said it interfered with their final preparations. The legislation also shrinks the window for receiving mail-in ballots after the election from 10 days to four.
Republican state Sen. Theresa Gavarone said taking steps to tighten access to the voting booth and speed vote counting are aimed at improving the “perception, confidence and integrity” in elections.
“Folks, perception matters,” Gavarone said. “Whether you want to believe it or not, the goal should not just be to secure our elections, but it’s imperative that we give people doubting the results of our elections reason to participate in them.”
Voting rights advocates were outraged.
“This legislation will make voting unnecessarily harder for seniors, students, rural Ohioans, active-duty military and other eligible Ohioans,” said Jen Miller, executive director of the League of Women Voters Ohio.
The office of Republican Gov. Mike DeWine said he was reviewing the legislation.
Democrats are readying their own pushes, especially in two states where they won control of the legislatures and retained the governorship — Michigan and Minnesota.
Michigan voters not only gave Democrats control of the state Legislature, they also passed Proposal 2, a sweeping ballot initiative that expanded early and mail voting. Democrats already are preparing to strengthen the measure in the legislative session.
“There will need to be quite a bit of implementation legislation next term, and I look forward to working with the Legislature and the governor’s office to enact this,” Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum, a Democrat, said in an interview.
Jake Rollow, a spokesman for the Michigan Department of State, said Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson will likely ask lawmakers to allocate $100 million annually for local election offices and propose new measures against circulating election misinformation. A Democratic state lawmaker also proposed imposing penalties for people who pressure election workers, a key cause of Democrats in state legislatures after conspiracy theorists targeted voting officials after the 2020 presidential election.
In Minnesota, Simon said he also wants to increase penalties against threatening or interfering with election workers. He said he’ll push a range of other reforms, including pre-registering high schoolers so they can quickly join the voting rolls upon turning 18. Younger voters lean Democratic, but Simon said he’s not trying to promote his party.
He said he merely wants to make the electorate more reflective of the population, a goal he also pushed when the statehouse was split between Republicans and Democrats.
“These are reforms that will benefit everyone,” he said.
___
Associated Press writers Joey Cappelletti in Lansing, Michigan, and Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wistv.com/2022/12/29/new-year-expected-bring-more-changes-state-voting-laws/
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2022-12-29 12:49:17
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https://tj.news/telegraph-journal/102094998
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2023-04-13 17:13:05
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Illinois State Redbirds (6-10, 1-4 MVC) at Evansville Purple Aces (4-12, 0-5 MVC)
The Purple Aces are 2-3 on their home court. Evansville has a 1-9 record in games decided by at least 10 points.
The Redbirds have gone 1-4 against MVC opponents. Illinois State ranks eighth in the MVC giving up 68.8 points while holding opponents to 44.3% shooting.
The Purple Aces and Redbirds face off Saturday for the first time in conference play this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Kenny Strawbridge is scoring 16.0 points per game with 4.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists for the Purple Aces. Yacine Toumi is averaging 9.8 points and 5.3 rebounds over the past 10 games for Evansville.
Kendall Lewis is scoring 11.3 points per game and averaging 6.7 rebounds for the Redbirds. Colton Sandage is averaging 1.4 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games for Illinois State.
LAST 10 GAMES: Purple Aces: 3-7, averaging 61.8 points, 28.1 rebounds, 10.8 assists, 6.8 steals and 2.4 blocks per game while shooting 40.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 73.7 points per game.
Redbirds: 4-6, averaging 67.5 points, 30.1 rebounds, 11.4 assists, 6.4 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 43.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 68.8 points.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/illinois-state-takes-on-evansville-following-burfords-22-point-game/2023/01/07/ab449ac4-8e60-11ed-b86a-2e3a77336b8e_story.html
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2023-01-07 09:30:08
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Dutchtown grinded out 425 yards rushing and its defense held Carver scoreless in the second half as the Griffins posted a 37-15 win Friday night at Dutchtown.
Carver (1-3) used big plays to take a 15-7 first-half lead before Dutchtown settled in. The Griffins scored the game’s final 30 points and limited the Rams to 204 yards of offense, only 11 of that on the ground.
Dutchtown (2-2) used three quarterbacks in the game. Pierson Parent came on in the second half, and he had the most success as the Griffins rallied from a 15-14 halftime deficit.
Gary Dukes ran for 150 yards and two touchdowns. A.K. Burrell added 108 yards and a touchdown on just six carries.
How it was won
Dutchtown starting quarterback Ethan Aucoin twisted an ankle in the first quarter, prompting Griffins coach Guy Mistretta to insert sophomore Dylan Champagne.
Champagne led Dutchtown on a last-minute TD drive to close the first half. In the third quarter, Parent directed the Griffins to two quick touchdowns and they never looked back.
Parent threw no passes, but he made all the correct reads when handing off to Burrell and Dukes, or keeping the ball himself. Parent rushed three times for 42 yards, including a 7-yard touchdown.
Dutchtown picked up a safety when Carver punter Camron Cage fumbled the ball out of the back of the end zone. After the ensuing free kick, Lekedrin Harvey capped a short drive with a 3-yard TD run to give the Griffins a 37-15 lead entering the fourth quarter.
Player of the game
Gary Dukes, Dutchtown: The junior running back rushed 19 times for 150 yards and two touchdowns. His second-half total featured runs of 14, 39, 13 and 21 yards.
They said it
Dutchtown coach Guy Mistretta: “Defensively we played really well. We gave up the one long pass with a busted coverage. Other than that, we played well. Offensively, we started strong and then went into a lull. Penalties hurt us, but in the second half we really responded.
"We went with Pierson Parent (at quarterback) for the second half. He was our starter the last two years. He was able to get in, use the read game and played really well for us.”
Notable
• Carver scored both of its touchdowns on big plays. The Rams got a 68-yard pass from Jaden Varrett to Torron Alexis to take an 8-7 lead early in the second quarter. Late in the half, linebacker Marquis Tabb strip-sacked Champagne, picked up the loose ball and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown.
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https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/sports/high_schools/article_6e2d8942-40c3-11ed-9d86-efebf52eb6d8.html
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2022-10-01 05:14:37
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https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/sports/high_schools/article_6e2d8942-40c3-11ed-9d86-efebf52eb6d8.html
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Honda is recalling more than 330,000 vehicles because heating pads behind both side-view mirrors may not be bonded properly, which could lead to the mirror glass falling out and increase the risk of a crash.
Vehicles included in the recall are 2020-2022 Odyssey, 2020-2022 Passport, 2020-2021 Pilot and 2020-2021 Ridgeline.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that the vehicles don’t comply with the necessary rear visibility requirements.
Honda dealers will replace the side-view mirrors on impacted vehicles free of charge.
Owner notification letters are expected to be sent out on May 8. Vehicle owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138 or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.
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https://www.pahomepage.com/uncategorized/honda-recalls-more-than-330000-vehicles-over-mirror-issue/
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2023-03-28 17:42:56
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https://www.pahomepage.com/uncategorized/honda-recalls-more-than-330000-vehicles-over-mirror-issue/
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Which golf club set is best?
If you’re just starting to play golf, you’ll need to make sure you have all the right clubs. While you could easily go out and buy all of your golf clubs individually, this is often a poor choice. Not only is it more expensive than buying them as a set, but you could potentially run into a situation where the specific club you need isn’t available. In these cases, you are left with the choice of not having the right club or buying a nonmatching club that may play differently. Just as with the individual clubs, there are sets designed for every level of player and every budget.
Types of golf clubs
Woods
Of all the various types of golf clubs, woods have the largest heads and shallowest angles. They have a hollow construction, so they don’t become too heavy due to their large size. You can swing them very fast without requiring a lot of force. This design makes them best for hitting balls very far and with minimal loft. The woods category includes drivers, fairway woods and hybrids. Despite the name, woods are no longer made of wood. Rather, they are made of metals such as titanium and steel.
Irons
There are six clubs considered irons, and they are numbered 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. The lower the number, the lower the loft and the farther the club is designed to hit the ball. That being said, they are all designed to hit balls less distance than any of the woods. This means that a 5 wood will hit a ball farther than a 3 iron.
Hybrids
Hybrid clubs are a combination of a fairway wood and an iron. It’s similar to a wood in appearance, but hits more like an iron. They’re also known as “rescue clubs,” since people often use them when their game is in trouble. Its head is more thick and wide than an iron club, which makes it easier to hit a ball. They also have a curved face that helps golfers correct a hit if they hit the ball a little bit off-center. They’re especially great for beginners and for getting a ball out of the rough.
Wedges
Like woods and irons, wedges come in several types. These are the pitching wedge, sand wedge, lob wedge and gap wedge. Technically, these are also irons due to having a similar construction, but they have a much higher loft and are designed to hit balls high, but not very far.
Putters
Putters come in a variety of designs and are intended to be used once you get very near or on the green. They have short shafts, no loft and small heads.
What to know before you buy a set of golf clubs
Which clubs are included in the set?
Not all golf club sets include every club. For example, a small set may only include a driver, a fairway wood, three irons and a putter. Conversely, a large set will include all three woods, all six irons, a putter and sometimes several wedges. Before shopping for a set, consider which clubs you need at the very minimum to ensure you don’t accidentally buy one that doesn’t include a club you know you want.
Do you need a right- or left-handed golf club set?
Golf clubs are not ambidextrous. If you are left-handed, you will need to buy a left-handed golf club set. If you are right-handed, you’ll need a right-handed golf club set. If you’re ambidextrous, then pick whichever type of set feels the most comfortable for you.
Features to look for in a quality set of golf clubs
Material
The majority of golf clubs are crafted from a blend of metals, including aluminum, zinc, graphite, steel and titanium. Aluminum and zinc are usually only used in the most budget-friendly, beginner clubs and most casual and serious players may want to avoid them.
Those looking for something affordable, but more durable and of better quality than aluminum or zinc, will want to consider stainless steel clubs. Just note that these tend to be heavy, which is OK for players with fast swings looking to maximize their power, but may feel unwieldy to others.
Graphite clubs can be pricey but are significantly lighter and more flexible than steel. This combination of properties makes them ideal for beginners and other players who don’t have a lot of power in their swings because it can help them increase their clubhead speed, which translates to more distance.
Tour professionals and serious players often opt for titanium clubs because they are more durable than graphite and lighter than stainless steel. This allows manufacturers to craft them with very large heads, which makes them forgiving of mishits but not very heavy.
When buying a set of clubs, they may not always be made from the same material. For example, you may find that the included irons are stainless steel, but the drivers are graphite or some other combination of different metals.
Loft
Not all clubs of the same type have the same loft, and the loft is key to how a club plays. You’ll experience a different ball trajectory when hitting with two woods or irons of different lofts, and the ball will travel a different distance. Some players prefer a higher loft, while others play better with a lower loft across the clubs in their set. If you tend to hit your balls with a flat trajectory, you will most likely be better served with clubs with a higher loft and vice versa for those who tend to pop their balls up too high.
Bag
Most golf club sets will come with a bag. Whether you generally walk the course or not, it is always a good idea to look for a bag that is easy to transport. It should be lightweight and have comfortable carrying straps. It should also have enough dividers to keep your clubs organized and several pockets for balls, tees and any other accessories you bring along when golfing. Ideally, it will also have enough room for you to add a couple of clubs as you expand your set.
Head covers
It is important to keep your club heads protected when not in use. This is especially true for woods, which are more easily damaged. Some sets may include head protectors, while for others, you’ll have to purchase some separately.
How much you can expect to spend on a set of golf clubs
Budget-friendly golf club sets for beginners cost between $200-$500. For $500-$1,000, you can get a midlevel set that will satisfy casual players, and serious players looking for a very high-quality set should expect to spend between $1,000-$2,500.
Golf club set FAQ
What golf clubs should you have in a set?
A. While golf club sets come with different numbers of clubs, there are a few key clubs you’ll want in your arsenal. You can play a full round of golf with as few as seven clubs, which will include a driver, a fairway wood or hybrid, a few irons, a wedge and a putter. That being said, you may find that you often don’t have the exact right club needed for certain shots. Therefore, anyone serious about improving their game should look for a set with at least 10 clubs.
How long do golf clubs last?
A. As with anything, how long a club will last depends on how often you use it and how it is treated. Most clubs last between five and seven years, though if you play often, you may have to replace them in as little as three years. If you play only periodically, a good set may last as many as 10 years.
What brands of golf clubs are good?
A. Because golf has been around for such a long time, there are a few club brands that have become popular in the golf world. While there are several great club brands, many people like those made by TaylorMade, Callaway, Strata (made by Callaway) and Top-Flite.
Best golf club sets for men
Top golf club set for men
TaylorMade RBZ SpeedLite 13-Piece Set
What you need to know: This premium men’s golf club set gives any dedicated golfer all the clubs they need.
What you’ll love: The set includes a powerful titanium driver, a lightweight fairway wood, a hybrid club with great control, irons, a wedge and a putter. You can store your clubs in the included lightweight cart bag, which features an insulated cooling pouch and a structured base.
What you should consider: Some buyers thought the putter was too heavy.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Dick’s Sporting Goods
Top golf club set for men for the money
Callaway Strata Men’s Complete Golf Club Set
What you need to know: It’s a versatile set that’s great for both beginners and seasoned golfers.
What you’ll love: This set includes both a sand wedge and a pitching wedge. The titanium driver makes for a powerful swing. The clubs’ iron design also helps you to keep your swings under control. The set is available in both right- and left-handed varieties and can include either 12 or 16 clubs.
What you should consider: The bag doesn’t have the Callaway logo and some users thought the driver was a bit flimsy.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Callaway Golf
Best golf club sets for women
Top golf club set for women
TaylorMade Golf Kalea Women’s Set
What you need to know: With an ultralight construction and faces designed for high launches, these women’s golf clubs should help you improve your distance, even if you tend to have a slow swing speed.
What you’ll love: Both the irons and the woods have a speed pocket cavity in the head that helps you get some extra power behind the ball, and the included putter makes it easy to line up shots.
What you should consider: The drivers may not have enough flex for some.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top golf club set for women for the money
Callaway Strata Women’s Complete Golf Club Set
What you need to know: Reasonably priced with 11, 12, 14 or 16 pieces, this set is well-suited to a range of golfers.
What you’ll love: The drivers and irons have large sweet spots that make them forgiving of mishits. This set is also available in a men’s option.
What you should consider: The longevity of the woods is questionable.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Callaway Golf
Best golf club sets for beginners
Top golf club set for beginners
Top Flite 2021 XL 13-piece Complete Set
What you need to know: These Top Flite golf clubs were made with beginners in mind.
What you’ll love: With this set, you’ll have everything you need to start learning the game of golf. You’ll get two hybrids (4H and 5H), a forgiving driver with a large head, a low-profile fairway wood, five irons, a putter, driver and fairway covers anda stand bag. It’s available in both right- and left-handed golf club set options.
What you should consider: Some people had problems with the driver head breaking easily.
Where to buy: Sold by Dick’s Sporting Goods
Top golf club set for beginners for the money
Callaway Junior XJ1 6-Piece Complete Set
What you need to know: This high-quality set contains all the basic essentials you need to play a game of golf.
What you’ll love: It includes one of each of the most important types of clubs: an iron, a putter, a wedge and a wood. It also comes with a stand bag and one head cover. The clubs are super light and easy to use.
What you should consider: The smaller size of this set makes it the most ideal for kids and teens, not adults. It also only contains six clubs.
Where to buy: Sold by Dick’s Sporting Goods, Callaway Golf and Kohl’s
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Brett Dvoretz 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.
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https://www.qcnews.com/reviews/br/sports-fitness-br/golf-br/best-golf-club-sets-2021/
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2022-11-04 22:40:00
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GRAPHIC: Chase of car theft suspects causes head-on crash, caught on video
NEWARK, N.J. (WABC) - Suspected car thieves led police on a chase through the streets of Newark on Thursday.
But it came to a violent end when the stolen car crashed head-on with another vehicle, and the suspects made every effort to get away.
GRAPHIC WARNING: Contents of this video may be disturbing to some.
Police said they were eventually able to arrest three juveniles and one adult in connection with the theft and chase.
The chase involved state police going after a white BMW until it hit a dark-colored Sonata driven by an off-duty member of Homeland Security who was heading to work.
The sound of the crash at the intersection of Meeker Avenue and Empire Street caused the staff of Josloff Glass Company to jump into action.
“Yeah, we heard the boom. It was like a, just a, I can’t even describe the boom,” Angela Josloff said. “But we heard it, and I just, out of impulse, I just ran and locked the other door so we’d all be safe.”
The suspects were surrounded. Each one took off running in different directions.
One was hit by a unmarked police vehicle. He went down and was taken into custody.
It appears that two others ran onto the property of Josloff Glass Company followed by pursuing officers on foot.
One suspect climbed onto a shipping freight container. Both were eventually taken into custody.
The final suspect was captured inside of Weequahic Park.
A trooper suffered injuries during the pursuit, and several state police vehicles were also struck by the BMW, which was stolen from Cedar Grove, New Jersey.
Copyright 2023 WABC via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/06/23/graphic-chase-car-theft-suspects-causes-head-on-crash-caught-video/
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2023-06-23 12:57:32
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https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/06/23/graphic-chase-car-theft-suspects-causes-head-on-crash-caught-video/
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First Bancorp Reports Fourth Quarter and Annual Results
Published: Jan. 24, 2023 at 4:05 PM EST|Updated: 1 hour ago
SOUTHERN PINES, N.C., Jan. 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- First Bancorp (the "Company") (NASDAQ - FBNC), the parent company of First Bank, announced today net income of $38.4 million, or $1.08 per diluted common share, for the three months ended December 31, 2022, compared to $37.9 million, or $1.06 per diluted common share for the three months ended September 30, 2022 ("linked quarter") and $10.5 million, or $0.30 per diluted common share, recorded in the fourth quarter of 2021. For the twelve months ended December 31, 2022, the Company recorded net income of $146.9 million, or $4.12 per diluted common share, compared to $95.6 million, or $3.19 per diluted common share for the twelve months ended December 31, 2021.
On June 21, 2022, the Company announced that it had reached an agreement to acquire GrandSouth Bancorporation ("GrandSouth"), headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, in an all-stock transaction. The transaction closed on January 1, 2023, adding eight branches throughout South Carolina and approximately $1.2 billion in total assets, $1.0 billion in loans, and $1.0 billion in deposits to the Company's balance sheet as of the acquisition date.
Richard H. Moore, CEO and Chairman of the Company, stated, "First Bancorp had another strong year of continued growth as we earned nearly $147 million in net income, grew loans close to 10%, and improved our credit quality metrics over the course of the year. I am proud of our employees for their commitment to the communities we serve and for their continued focus on our customers, shareholders, and each other during our acquisition of GrandSouth and our October 2021 acquisition of Select Bancorp ("Select"). We welcomed our new GrandSouth customers officially as of January 1, 2023 and look forward to system conversion in March 2023."
2022 Financial Highlights
Annualized return on average assets ("ROA") of 1.44% and annualized return on average common equity ("ROE") of 15.20% was reported for the quarter ended December 31, 2022. For the year ended December 31, 2022, ROA was reported at 1.39% and ROE was 13.40%, both increasing from the prior year.
Total loans outstanding increased $139.9 million (8.5% annualized) during the fourth quarter of 2022, while year-over-year growth was $583.4 million, or 9.6%. Total loans were in excess of $6.6 billion at December 31, 2022.
Credit quality continues to be strong with the nonperforming assets ("NPA") to total assets ratio at 0.36% as of December 31, 2022, down three basis points from the linked quarter, and as compared to 0.50% at December 31, 2021.
Yield on total interest-earning assets increased 15 basis points to 3.64% as compared to the third quarter of 2022 and as compared to 3.20% for the fourth quarter of 2021. For the year ended December 31, 2022, interest-earning assets yielded 3.41%, up from 3.25% for the prior year.
Capital remains strong with a total common equity Tier 1 ratio of 12.68%, up from 12.53% for the prior year, and an estimated total risk-based capital ratio of 14.73% as of December 31, 2022 as compared to 14.67% for the prior year.
The following discussions and comparisons to the prior year financial periods presented are impacted by the Company's acquisition of Select completed in the fourth quarter of 2021 which contributed $1.3 billion in loans and $1.6 billion in deposits as of the acquisition date.
Net Interest Income and Net Interest Margin
Net interest income for the fourth quarter of 2022 was $84.4 million, a 14.3% increase from the $73.8 million recorded in the fourth quarter of 2021 and a decrease of $1.0 million or 1.1%, from the linked quarter. The increase in net interest income from the prior year period was due in large part to higher earning assets year-over-year and the higher net interest margin ("NIM") throughout 2022 as compared to 2021. Average interest-earning assets for the fourth quarter of 2022 increased 7.7% from the comparable period of the prior year, with strong loan growth as the primary driver for the increase.
The Company's tax-equivalent NIM (calculated by dividing tax-equivalent net interest income by average earning assets) for the twelve months ended December 31, 2022 was 3.28%, compared to 3.16% for the prior year. The NIM increase was driven by the rising market interest rates as the Federal Reserve's monetary policies resulted in a 425 basis point rise in short-term rates between March and December 2022.
The decrease in net interest income in the fourth quarter of 2022 as compared to the third quarter of 2022 was related primarily to an increase in total interest expense of $5.8 million. While the Company's total cost of funds ("COF") remained low at 0.36% for the quarter ended December 31, 2022, COF increased 24 basis points from the linked quarter contributing to the higher interest expense. During the fourth quarter of 2022, the Company experienced some pressure to reprice deposits, primarily money market accounts, and utilized more wholesale funding sources, both of which contributed to the increase in cost of funds.
Allowance for Credit Losses, Provisions for Credit Losses, and Asset Quality
For the three months ended December 31, 2022, the Company recorded $4.0 million in provision for loan losses. This is compared to $5.1 million provision for loan losses for the linked quarter and a provision of $11.0 million for the fourth quarter of 2021. Fluctuations each period are based on the acquisition of Select in the fourth quarter of 2021, loan growth during each period, changes in the levels of nonperforming loans, economic forecasts impacting loss drivers, and other assumptions and inputs to the Company's CECL model.
Also during the fourth quarter of 2022, the Company recorded $1.0 million in provision for unfunded commitments, compared to a $0.3 million provision for unfunded commitments for the linked quarter and a provision of $2.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2021. Changes each period are related to fluctuations in the level of available credit lines and updated loss drivers. The reserve for unfunded commitments totaled $13.3 million at December 31, 2022 and is included in the line item "Other Liabilities".
Asset quality remained strong with annualized net loan recoveries of (0.02)% for the fourth quarter of 2022 and net charge-offs of 0.01% for the year ended December 31, 2022. Total NPAs amounted to $38.3 million at December 31, 2022, or 0.36% of total assets, down from $40.7 million, 0.39% of total assets, at the end of the linked quarter, and $52.6 million, or 0.50% of total assets, at December 31, 2021.
Noninterest Income
Total noninterest income for the fourth quarter of 2022 was $14.6 million, a 3.3% decrease from the $15.1 million recorded for the fourth quarter of 2021 and a 13.9% decrease from the linked quarter. The primary factors driving fluctuations among the periods presented were as follows:
Declines in "Other service charges, commission and fees" each period were related to lower interchange fees effective in July 2022 as a result of the Company becoming subject to the Durbin Amendment limitations. Lower fees were partially offset by higher volumes of activity in each period.
Fees from presold mortgages amounted to $0.2 million for the fourth quarter of 2022, a decrease of 59.8% from the linked quarter, and a decrease of 92.7% from the $2.1 million recorded in the fourth quarter of 2021. Mortgage loan refinancing and origination volumes declined significantly over these periods due to increases in mortgage interest rates.
SBA-related revenues, including consulting fees and gain on sales, were down year-over-year as a result of lower PPP-related revenue in 2022 and timing and volume of loan originations available to be sold each period.
Other gains amounted to $1.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2022 and $7.3 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2022, primarily related to death benefits realized on bank-owned life insurance policies.
Noninterest Expenses
Noninterest expenses amounted to $45.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2022, compared to $48.7 million for the linked quarter and $62.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2021. The 27.3% decrease in noninterest expenses from the prior year period was driven by lower merger and acquisition expenses as compared to the fourth quarter of 2021. All other expenses remained essentially the same for the year-over-year quarter comparison other than an increase of employee benefit expenses driven by the fluctuations in the timing and volume of claims paid under the Company's self-insured health insurance plan. The increase in noninterest expenses, exclusive of merger expenses, of 13.3% year-over-year for the twelve months ended December 31, 2022 was driven by higher operating expenses, including additional locations and personnel, resulting from the Select acquisition which occurred in the fourth quarter of 2021.
Balance Sheet and Capital
Total assets at December 31, 2022 were $10.6 billion, an increase of 1.1% from the prior year end with growth in loans offset by reductions in other assets throughout the year.
Total investment securities decreased $288.0 million from December 31, 2021 to total $2.9 billion at December 31, 2022, as the Company is strategically redeploying the cash flows from investments to fund loan growth. Also contributing to the decline year-over-year was the higher level of unrealized losses on available for sale securities which amounted to $444.1 million at December 31, 2022, down $22.7 million from the linked quarter.
Total loans amounted to $6.7 billion at December 31, 2022, an increase of $583.4 million, or 9.6%, from December 31, 2021, due to organic loan growth throughout 2022. Organic net loan growth for the fourth quarter of 2022 amounted to $139.9 million, an annualized growth rate of 8.6%.
Total deposits amounted to $9.2 billion at December 31, 2022, an increase of $102.9 million, or 1.1%, from December 31, 2021. While deposits increased for the year to date period, the fourth quarter of 2022 realized a decline in total deposits of $1.7 million as market rates for deposits became more competitive and customer behaviors shifted from activity experienced during the pandemic.
The Company remains well-capitalized by all regulatory standards, with an estimated Total Risk-Based Capital Ratio at December 31, 2022 of 14.73% compared to 14.67% reported at December 31, 2021. The Company's tangible common equity ("TCE") to tangible assets ratio was 6.39% at December 31, 2022, an increase from 5.98% for the linked quarter and a decrease of 199 basis points from a year earlier. Fluctuations in the TCE ratio were driven by the changes in the unrealized loss on available for sale securities included in equity.
The above press release was provided courtesy of PRNewswire. The views, opinions and statements in the press release are not endorsed by Gray Media Group nor do they necessarily state or reflect those of Gray Media Group, Inc.
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https://www.wymt.com/prnewswire/2023/01/24/first-bancorp-reports-fourth-quarter-annual-results/
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2023-01-24 22:22:06
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https://www.wymt.com/prnewswire/2023/01/24/first-bancorp-reports-fourth-quarter-annual-results/
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Orange County municipal elections results: Maitland and Ocoee choose mayors, commissioners, more
In Orange County, voters cast their ballots in municipal elections in both Maitland and Ocoee. In Maitland, voters decided on council seat 4 and several city charter amendments. Meanwhile, in Ocoee, voters chose a mayor and a city commissioner for districts one and three.
In Maitland, one of the city charter amendments was to provide for a vice mayor to complete the unexpired term of the mayor in the event of a vacancy. Another amendment eliminated the requirement for printed copies of the Maitland City Code to be provided to city officers and made available for purchase. The third amendment established that the candidate receiving the highest number of votes for an office is elected and established a tie-breaking procedure for elections, eliminating runoffs. The fourth amendment clarified the petition certifying process and adopted the statutory candidate oath office form. Lastly, the fifth amendment proposed making all gender-specific references in the city charter neutral or removing them entirely.
In the council seat 4 race, incumbent Lindsay Hall Harrison won re-election with 62.18% of the vote. She is also the vice mayor. For the charter amendments, the majority of voters said yes to questions 1, 2, and 4, while the majority said no to questions 3 and 5.
In Ocoee, Rusty Johnson won re-election as mayor with 60.81% of the vote. In District 1, Scott Kennedy won with 63.34% of the vote, while in District 3, incumbent Richard Firstner won re-election with 76.80% of the vote.
Overall, the election results show that the majority of voters in Maitland and Ocoee preferred to keep the status quo, with most incumbents winning re-election and the majority of proposed charter amendments being approved.
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https://www.wesh.com/article/orange-county-election-results-2023/43319129
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2023-03-15 00:59:46
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https://www.wesh.com/article/orange-county-election-results-2023/43319129
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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche are on the verge of their first Stanley Cup title since 2001, thanks to Nazem Kadri’s overtime goal.
Even if the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning don’t believe it should have counted.
Kadri scored at 12:02 of the extra period to give Colorado a 3-2 victory in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final and move the Avalanche within a win of their first championship in over two decades. Game 5 is Friday night in Denver, where Colorado won the first two games of the series and are 7-2 this postseason.
Without specifically saying Tampa Bay felt Colorado had too many men on the ice just ahead of the final score, Lightning coach Jon Cooper suggested the game-winning goal should not have been allowed.
“We’re all in this together. Players, coaches, refs, everybody. But this one is going to sting much more than others,” Cooper said.
“It’s going to be hard for me to speak. … I’ll speak with you (Thursday). You’re going to see what I mean when you see the winning goal,” Cooper added. “And my heart breaks for the players. Because we probably still should be playing.”
The NHL released a statement said hockey operations staff met with the four officials after the game per usual and “each of the four officials advised that they did not see a too many men on the ice situation on the play.” The league said a too many men penalty is a judgement call, and the situation is not subject to video review.
Back in the lineup after being sidelined since June 4 with a thumb injury, Kadri skated in on Andrei Vasilevskiy and slipped a shot under the goaltender’s right arm to give Colorado a 3-1 series lead.
“That was a huge win. A resilient win,” said Kadri, who had been sidelined since being injured during Game 3 of the Western Conference final against Edmonton.
“I’ve been waiting for this my whole life,” he added. “I figured it was time to join the party.”
The Avalanche outshot the Lightning 11-3 in the extra period. Vasilevskiy stopped Logan O’Connor on a breakaway, and Colorado had a shot clang off the post and another hit the crossbar before Kadri ended it.
Anthony Cirelli scored 36 seconds into the game and Victor Hedman also scored in regulation for the Lightning. They took a 2-1 lead into the third period.
Nathan MacKinnon scored on a second-period power play for Colorado, and Andrew Cogliano tied it early in the third.
Darcy Kuemper, pulled from Game 3 after giving up five goals in a 6-2 loss, stopped 37 shots and had an assist of the winning goal for the Avalanche.
Vasilevskiy finished with 35 saves. He has rebounded from allowing 11 goals in Games 1 and 2 to limit the high-scoring Avalanche to five the past two games.
The Lightning are trying to become the first team to win at least three straight Stanley Cup titles since the New York Islanders won four in a row from 1980-83. The Avalanche last hoisted the Cup in 2001.
The Lightning have rebounded from playing poorly in Games 1 and 2 to make it interesting by neutralizing Colorado’s speed, limiting the Avalanche’s scoring opportunities and turning up the pressure on Kuemper, who was barely tested when he faced just 16 shots in a 7-0 blowout in Game 2.
Cirelli’s goal was the fastest in a Stanley Cup Final since 2006, and the Lightning set the tone for another busy night for Kuemper by outshooting the Avalanche 17-4 in the opening period. Two of Colorado’s shots came while skating short-handed, killing off Tampa Bay’s first power play of the night.
MacKinnon’s first goal of the series and 12th of the playoffs erased Colorado’s early deficit at 5:17 of the second period. The Avalanche pulled even again when Cogliano, assisted by Nico Sturm and Darren Helm, scored on a deflection less than three minutes into the third.
INJURIES
Kadri returned to the lineup after missing four games. He had been out since injuring his thumb when he was boarded by Evander Kane in Game 3 of Colorado’s sweep of Edmonton in the Western Conference final. Kane received a major penalty and was suspended a game.
Tampa Bay also played much of the game without defenseman Eric Cernak, banged up for much of the series.
HELPING HANDS
Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar assisted on MacKinnon’s goal, giving both of them 20 this postseason — a franchise record for a single playoff year. Peter Stastny had 19 with Quebec in 1985.
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More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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https://who13.com/news/ap-top-headlines/kadris-ot-goal-lifts-avalanche-over-lightning-3-2-in-game-4/
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2022-06-23 22:19:37
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SAN DIEGO (AP) — Chris Sale is close to being back to his old self.
Backed by Emmanuel Valdez’s three-run homer, Sale allowed just three hits — two of them home runs — in seven innings for the Boston Red Sox, who beat San Diego 4-2 Saturday night to send the Padres plummeting to their fourth straight loss and 11th in 13 games.
The 34-year-old Sale (4-2) had his fourth strong start and helped the Red Sox win their fourth straight game. The lefty allowed homers to Juan Soto and Fernando Tatis Jr., but otherwise shut down a superstar-studded offense with baseball’s third-highest payroll that continues to look lost at the plate.
Sale, a seven-time All-Star who has been plagued by injuries, was making just his 20th start since 2019.
“I feel like I'm trending in a good direction,” Sale said. “I've been around here too long to feel like I've been on top of a mountain at all. I still have a lot of work to do. I know where I'm at, I know what I'm doing, but it takes a lot of hard work, not only from myself, but everyone around here.”
Sale got all the backing he needed when Valdez drove a pitch from Joe Musgrove (1-2) several rows into the right field seats with one out in the second, his third. Sale allowed Soto’s shot to right-center leading off the second, his eighth, and Tatis’ 440-foot shot into the second deck in left leading off the sixth, his seventh.
Sale struck out eight and walked one. He has gone six-plus innings in each of his last four starts and has struck out a total of 27 batters in his last three.
“Overall, everything he's been working on is paying off and he's in a great spot,” manager Alex Cora said.
After giving up Soto's home run, Sale retired nine straight batters. He got into and out of a jam in the fifth. After giving up Tatis' homer and a double by Ha-Seong Kim, he retired his final six batters.
“Obviously when your offense gets on the board first, it kind of gives you that boost of energy you need,” Sale said. “Overall, just a good game by the guys.”
He was able to shake off Soto's home run.
“Especially after a homer, strike one is the next best pitch,” Sale said. “That was a big homer. This place gets going. No matter what happens, you've got to get back on and throwing strikes. The key to getting out of all that is through the strike zone, not around it. That's a heck of a lineup, too. You fall behind, they can do some damage.
"For me, it's attack, attack, stay aggressive and rely on my defense.”
Shortstop Kiké Hernández made two big plays, including a spectacular sliding stop of Tatis' grounder and throw to first to end the third.
“I have a lot of confidence in the guys behind me,” Sale said. “I like punching guys out; I think every pitcher does. But we've got a lot of guys in the outfield that run really quick, we've got great hands obviously in the infield and those were two big plays that just kind of shut it down. I probably don't finish the seventh inning without those two plays being made. Those are obviously big-time."
Kenley Jansen, who blew each of his previous two save opportunities, walked two in the ninth before closing it out for his 10th save and first since he earned his 400th career save on May 10.
The Red Sox twice successfully challenged out calls on the base paths and both runners eventually scored.
Raimel Tapia was called out at third on the front end of a double steal in the second, but the call was overturned after review. He was aboard for Valdez's homer. In the fourth, Hernández was originally called out sliding headfirst into second on a fly ball to left-center but the call was overturned after replays showed he got his left hand onto the bag before second baseman Jake Cronenworth tagged him. He advanced on Connor Wong's single and scored on Alex Verdugo's base hit to left to make it 4-1.
Musgrove allowed four runs and six hits in five innings, struck out six and walked one.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox go for a sweep behind RHP Corey Kluber (2-5, 6.41 ERA), while the Padres counter with RHP Michael Wacha (4-1, 4.06).
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/valdez-s-3-run-homer-sale-s-7-strong-innings-18110744.php
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2023-05-21 06:24:00
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https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/valdez-s-3-run-homer-sale-s-7-strong-innings-18110744.php
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Alibaba.com's Manifest Grants Program to commit a total of US $750,000 to support American small and medium-sized businesses; additional partners include Hello Alice and AMZScout
NEW YORK, Oct. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Alibaba.com, one of the world's largest B2B e-commerce marketplaces and a business unit of Alibaba Group (NYSE: BABA), announced today an additional four program partners to its Manifest Grants Program designed to support U.S.-based small and mid-sized businesses. This news comes on the heels of its launch of the Manifest Grants Program, a commitment of US $750,000 that helps new entrepreneurs succeed in today's digital age through ecommerce channels, established in cooperation with Hello Alice.
Hand-selected partners engaged with the Manifest Grants Program include: Black Entrepreneurs Day, Indiegogo, Payoneer (NASDAQ:PAYO), and AMZScout. Together, these organizations will offer Alibaba.com Manifest Grants Program applicants and 50 grant recipients a wide range of resources, educational opportunities, and marketing tools to support the growth of their businesses.
"The addition of these highly respected organizations to our Manifest Grants Program will allow participants a vast array of supportive resources and networks to build their small businesses in this challenging market environment," said Stephen Kuo, President of Alibaba.com North America. "The goal of the program is to help small and medium-sized businesses boost their competitive edge, and that's exactly why we chose to work with this group of incredible partners. We're excited to find ways to expand our program with some of the world's best known small business resources and offer a robust support system to motivated entrepreneurs."
The Alibaba.com Manifest Grants Program reinforces the company's commitment to supporting American SMBs as they continue to face increased challenges in an uncertain economic environment. Last year, Alibaba.com selected 50 small businesses from a pool of more than 12,000 applicants to receive grants enabling them to succeed in today's digital age through e-commerce channels. Almost 80% of these recipients were persons of color, and 78% of the winning businesses were founded by women, underscoring the importance of increasing representation and access to entrepreneurial resources within the SMB community.
Alibaba.com will sponsor and participate in Black Entrepreneurs Day, created by FUBU Founder Daymond John, which will be streamed online from the world-famous Apollo Theater in Harlem on October 27th. At Black Entrepreneurs Day, Alibaba.com will lead a conversation on innovations and initiatives that can support small businesses and entrepreneurs through technology, grants, and education. Additionally, one top Manifest grant recipient will receive a one-on-one mentorship session with Daymond John.
"We are excited to have Alibaba.com on board as a partner for Black Entrepreneurs Day 2022," says John." The show will air live from Harlem's world-famous Apollo Theater, and together, we will work to empower and educate even more founders from underrepresented groups."
All applicants for the 2022 Alibaba.com Manifest Grants Program will be eligible for free access to the Indiegogo Education Center Plus for one month, and a free seven-day trial of AMZScout's products and services. The 50 grant recipients will be eligible to be featured as part of the Indiegogo Alibaba.com grant recipient collection, and Indiegogo will offer each of them a complimentary crowdfunding campaign consultation. They will also receive 10 free product ideas and analysis with the purchase of the annual bundle from AMZScout, and grant recipients that sign up and receive a Payoneer account have the opportunity to collect an award of as much as $5,000 into their Payoneer accounts.
"The Manifest Grants Program serves as an avenue to support innovative small businesses in crucial phases of their development," said Becky Center, CEO of Indiegogo. "Our goal is to both open doors to new funding sources and offer entrepreneurs a platform where they launch new and groundbreaking ideas."
"Finding inspiration, innovating and iterating on product lines helps small businesses stand out in today's crowded market," said Paul Ryskov, CEO of AMZScout. "As part of Alibaba's Manifest Grants Program, we're excited to help inspire business owners bringing new products to the table and cultivate successful ventures for years to come."
"We are excited to partner with Alibaba.com and offer the diverse pool of Manifest Grants Program participants not just prize money, but also the opportunity to join the global Payoneer ecosystem so they can grow their businesses across borders," said Ya Wen, SVP Americas, Payoneer. "Whether making international payments, receiving funds, paying taxes or accessing capital, Payoneer opens SMBs up to economic opportunity on a global scale, and we look forward to working with the US winners to achieve this."
For the 2022 Manifest Grants Program, Alibaba.com and its partners have committed to distribute a total of $750,000 to fifty American small businesses, each of which will receive US $10,000 in cash and US $5,000 towards logistics support when sourcing on Alibaba.com. Program partners provide guidance for all aspects of the business, from innovation, product development and financial assistance.
Applications for the 2022 Manifest Grants Program are now open; if you are interested in applying for this opportunity, please visit https://helloalice.com/grants/alibaba/. To set up a press interview, please contact alibaba@finnpartners.com.
About Alibaba.com
The first business unit of Alibaba Group, Alibaba.com is the leading platform for global B2B ecommerce that makes it easy to do business anywhere. Launched in 1999, Alibaba.com provides services which cover all aspects of commerce, serving millions of small-and-medium-sized businesses from over 200 countries and regions around the world.
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SOURCE Alibaba.com
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https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2022/10/04/alibabacom-announces-expansion-manifest-grants-program-notable-us-based-partners-include-indiegogo-payoneer-black-entrepreneurs-day/
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2022-10-04 11:36:27
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Oil and gas workers push for clean energy transition
Stuart Braun
31 minutes ago
As Big Oil make record profits, workers are demanding a "just" transition to renewable energy jobs and the reinvestment of profits into communities — not shareholders.
https://p.dw.com/p/4OLv7
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"The whole country is angry at the oil and gas companies," said Mark, an oil rig worker who has been based on the North Sea off the coast of Scotland for 20 years.
"They're taking money off the public. If BP made $9.3 billion (€8.7 billion) in profit last quarter, surely they're able to give something back," he added.
Mark said he "felt like crying" when he realized that one colleague couldn't afford heating over the winter — "someone who has worked their whole life in the industry."
Meanwhile, BP, a pioneer in North Sea oil and gas extraction since the 1960s, announced a record 2022 annual profit in February of near $30 billion on the back of the energy crisis sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The company said it was upping its shareholder dividends and cutting back emission reduction targets.
Mark is part of a coalition of North Sea-based offshore oil and gas workers, climate campaigners, and trade unions who this week launched a campaign to demand a "just" transition from fossil fuel production to renewable energy.
The plan calls for greater public investment in a clean energy sector that fairly shares the spoils with workers and communities while protecting the climate.
The plan is articulated through the report, "Our Power: offshore workers' demands for a just energy transition," published March 6 and authored by London-based climate activism and research group, Platform, and Friends of the Earth Scotland.
Created through workshops with 34 workers, the plan calls for rapid decarbonisation and greater public control of the energy sector. Of over 1000 surveyed oil and gas workers, more than 90% support the "transformative" demands created by colleagues that make job security and fair pay essential to the clean energy transition.
No plan to manage fossil fuel phaseout
To limit global warming to 1.5C, the target set by the Paris climate agreement, wealthy nations like the UK should phase out oil and gas production by 2031, according to the report.
Yet the UK has not created a plan for the managed phaseout of oil and gas production in the North Sea, with the oil industry able to determine the speed and strategy of any transition,
"In the face of political refusal to plan a transition, workers are ready to lead," states the report.
"Our Power" also details how 73% of oil and gas companies invest nothing in renewable energy production in the UK — a fact that backed by research showing the large disparity between the sectors promises to act on climate change, and its nominal efforts to actually cut planet heating emissions.
"No part of society will be safe from the impacts of climate breakdown, though the brunt of impacts will be felt by the poorest," the report notes.
'Labour and climate movement coming together'
"One of the most exciting things about 'Our Power' is that it's the labour and climate movement coming together to say the same thing," Platform just transition campaigner and report co-author, Gabrielle Jeliazkov, said. "And that is relatively rare," she added, "because they are often pitted against each other."
The just transition is as much a socio-economic as it is a climate issue, she explained, with workers the victims of a fossil fuel "boom and bust" cycle in which some have been made redundant several times.
This has especially impacted communities like the northern Scottish city of Aberdeen where one third of all jobs are related to the coal and industry, according to Jeliazkov.
A worker-led just transition would institute a permanent "excess profits" tax on energy companies in the UK, with the money to be reinvested in communities through a sovereign wealth fund.
While Norway's sovereign wealth fund totals $1.2 trillion drawn from taxes on the oil and gas extracted in its waters, and is redistributed to support public services, such a fund barely exists in the UK.
This is partly because multinational fossil energy companies also pay among the lowest taxes in Europe, according to "Our Power," meaning workers suffering amid a cost of living crisis are failing to share in the record windfalls.
Though the five so-called super major oil and gas companies made almost $200 billion profit in 2022, fossil companies in the UK keep more revenue than in any country due to low taxes, notes "Out Power."
Beneath the waves - Norway and CO2 emmissions
But the report also cautions that renewable offshore wind business models cannot be made "in the broken image of the oil industry."
Global energy giants like Sweden's Vattenfall have invested heavily in offshore wind in the North Sea, but have benefited from a loophole that allows the industry to pay foreign workers below the minimum wage, notes Gabrielle Jeliazkov. "Our Power" notes that one wind farm off the Scottish coast paid crew under £5 (€5.62) per hour while working 12 hour days, 7 days a week.
Public ownership benefits climate and workers
As energy workers around the world are being absorbed into the booming green power sector , offshore oil and gas workers in the UK want to lead the decarbonization of the sector.
"Workers have been very angry at the way companies have been treating them, they have been quite frustrated with the lack of government support," Jeliazkov said.
"The future of the UK's energy system should be in the hands of workers and communities," she added. "Industry profiteering and government inaction has left us with soaring bills, declining working conditions and no plan for an energy transition."
Importantly for a more rapid energy transition, "Our Power" demands include retraining for up to around 32,000 of workers to make the leap into the clean energy sector.
"These demands provide a blueprint for climate organisations to centre the needs of workers," states "Our Power," adding that they can provide inspiration for workers in other industries also looking to transition.
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2023-03-07 15:03:13
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SEATTLE — At Bob's Quality Meats in Seattle, customers started lining up early.
“I didn't think I was going to be able to get a turkey, and I was really surprised that they did have some left,” said shopper Marie Goines.
It's the holiday rush that the butcher shop is ready for, according to Abraham Ackley.
"We started preparations months ahead,” said Ackley.
The business was started 60 years ago by Ackley's grandfather, and today he runs it.
"A few years ago no one was doing anything with the family, last year people started getting together more, and this year there may be bigger get-togethers,” said Ackley. “I think that is reflecting in how people are purchasing."
When it comes to price, the Farm Bureau Survey shows the cost of Thanksgiving dinner is up 20% compared to last year, with turkey costing $1.81 per pound. That is based on volunteer shoppers checking prices during the last couple weeks of October. But more recent data can be found in the USDA National Retail Report that looks at more than 29,000 supermarket outlets. This week the USDA report had whole frozen turkey prices at a $1.00 a pound.
"I think people splurge on holidays maybe a bit, but our birds are the same price as they were last year,” said Ackley.
"I probably paid $15 more today than I would have,” said Goines, who adds that she intentionally spent that money at a small business.
"Because I know it goes directly back into the community,” she explained.
As customers checked off their lists on Tuesday, the butcher shop was getting ready for even longer lines tomorrow.
"At this point it is first come first served, we have got more birds coming in tomorrow to facilitate sort of late comers,” said Ackley.
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2022-11-23 02:44:34
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Divorces
Divorces granted according to the Jefferson County Circuit Clerk's Office:
Willie Draggs v. Tarlesia Draggs, granted March 6.
Stephen Kyle Rice v. Tiffany Ann Rice, granted March 7.
Mary Clark v. Andrew Clark, granted March 13.
Patricia Goodman v. Jerry Keith Goodman, granted March 14.
Francine Brock v. Tracy Brock, granted March 2.
Christopher Lamb v. Kaylin Lamb, granted March 15.
Jatonia Bryant v. Deshawn Bryant, granted March 16.
Marriages
The list of marriage licenses wasn't available at the Jefferson County Clerk's Office:
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https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/mar/19/marriages-and-divorces/
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2023-03-19 08:26:42
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ORLANDO, Fla. — A new wheelchair lift at Lake Eola Park is increasing accessibility to the park’s swan boats.
The ADA-accessible boat is now accessible via a new wheelchair lift installed at the swan boat dock.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
City officials said the addition launches a new area of inclusivity and accessibility at Lake Eola Park.
Orlando resident Suellen Fagin-Allen said the lift enhances the lives of those with mobility challenges in our community.
Read: See where AdventHealth just sold 114 acres to a prominent developer
“The lift benefits people who would not otherwise be able, because of mobility challenges, to negotiate getting into a non-accessible boat,” she said.
Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2023 Cox Media Group
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https://www.wftv.com/news/local/wheelchair-lift-increases-accessibility-lake-eola-swan-boats/3KYDDQAOMZEO7HYGSA5ISVXNRY/
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2023-06-09 00:50:48
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- Q2 2023 total revenues were $46.1 million
- Total revenues in the first six months of 2023 were $108.6 million
- Vanda provides update on pipeline advancements and regulatory plans
WASHINGTON, July 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Vanda) (Nasdaq: VNDA) today announced financial and operational results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023.
"During the second quarter we continued our efforts to protect our commercial interests in the HETLIOZ® franchise in the face of the at-risk generic launch. We recorded a higher number of HETLIOZ® prescription dispenses in the second quarter of 2023 as compared to the first quarter of 2023, a testament to our dedication to our patient services and the loyalty of our patients," said Mihael H. Polymeropoulos, M.D., Vanda's President, CEO and Chairman of the Board. "We also advanced towards our goal of marketing authorizations for Fanapt® in bipolar disorder, HETLIOZ® in insomnia and tradipitant in patients with gastroparesis."
Financial Highlights
Second Quarter of 2023
- Total net product sales from HETLIOZ® and Fanapt® were $46.1 million in the second quarter of 2023, a 28% decrease compared to $64.4 million in the second quarter of 2022.
- HETLIOZ® net product sales were $22.0 million in the second quarter of 2023, a 47% decrease compared to $41.2 million in the second quarter of 2022. The decrease was the result of the at-risk launch of a generic version of HETLIOZ® in the U.S.
- Fanapt® net product sales were $24.1 million in the second quarter of 2023, a 4% increase compared to $23.2 million in the second quarter of 2022.
- Net income was $1.5 million in the second quarter of 2023 compared to net income of $2.6 million in the second quarter of 2022.
- Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities (Cash) was $489.4 million as of June 30, 2023, representing a decrease to Cash of $12.1 million, or 2%, compared to March 31, 2023.
First Six Months of 2023
- Total net product sales from HETLIOZ® and Fanapt® were $108.6 million in the first six months of 2023, a 13% decrease compared to $124.6 million in the first six months of 2022.
- HETLIOZ® net product sales were $61.6 million in the first six months of 2023, a 21% decrease compared to $78.2 million in the first six months of 2022. The decrease was the result of the at-risk launch of a generic version of HETLIOZ® in the U.S.
- Fanapt® net product sales were $47.0 million in the first six months of 2023, a 1% increase compared to $46.4 million in the first six months of 2022.
- Net income was $4.8 million in the first six months of 2023 compared to a net loss of $3.9 million in the first six months of 2022.
- Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities (Cash) was $489.4 million as of June 30, 2023, representing an increase to Cash of $48.5 million, or 11%, compared to June 30, 2022.
Key Operational Highlights
Fanapt® (iloperidone)
- Vanda previously announced positive results in the Phase III clinical study of Fanapt® in acute manic and mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder in adults. Vanda continues to pursue U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of a supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for Fanapt® in bipolar I disorder.
HETLIOZ® (tasimelteon)
- Vanda is continuing to pursue FDA approvals for HETLIOZ® in the indications of insomnia and jet lag disorder.
- In May 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (the Federal Circuit) affirmed the lower court ruling in favor of Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. (Teva), Apotex Inc. and Apotex Corp. (Apotex) in the HETLIOZ® Abbreviated New Drug Applications litigation. Vanda disagrees with the Federal Circuit's ruling, and in June 2023, Vanda requested a rehearing from the Federal Circuit. On July 18, 2023, the Federal Circuit requested a response from Teva and Apotex, which is due August 1, 2023.
Tradipitant
- Vanda continues to pursue FDA approval of a New Drug Application (NDA) for tradipitant for patients with gastroparesis.
- Vanda announced positive results in the Phase III study of tradipitant in motion sickness. Vanda plans to continue the motion sickness clinical program and pursue FDA approval upon completion of additional efficacy and safety studies.
Early-Stage Programs
- Vanda announced that the FDA had granted Orphan Drug Designation for VCA-894A for the treatment of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, type 2S (CMT2S), caused by cryptic splice site variants within IGHMBP2.
GAAP Financial Results
Net income was $1.5 million in the second quarter of 2023 compared to net income of $2.6 million in the second quarter of 2022. Diluted net income per share was $0.03 in the second quarter of 2023 compared to diluted net income per share of $0.05 in the second quarter of 2022.
Net income was $4.8 million in the first six months of 2023 compared to a net loss of $3.9 million in the first six months of 2022. Diluted net income per share was $0.08 in the first six months of 2023 compared to diluted net loss per share of $0.07 in the first six months of 2022.
2023 Financial Guidance
Given uncertainties surrounding the U.S. market for HETLIOZ® for the treatment of Non-24 as a result of the ongoing HETLIOZ® patent litigation and the at-risk launch of a generic version of HETLIOZ®, Vanda is unable to provide 2023 financial guidance at this time. Vanda will continue to evaluate its ability to provide financial guidance as the year progresses.
HETLIOZ® net product sales will likely decline in future periods, potentially significantly, related to the at-risk launch of a generic version of HETLIOZ® in the U.S.
Conference Call
Vanda has scheduled a conference call for today, Thursday, July 27, 2023, at 4:30 PM ET. During the call, Vanda's management will discuss the second quarter 2023 financial results and other corporate activities. Investors can call 1-800-715-9871 (domestic) or 1-646-307-1963 (international) and use passcode number 4063687. A replay of the call will be available on Thursday, July 27, 2023, beginning at 8:30 PM ET and will be accessible until Thursday, August 3, 2023 at 8:30 PM ET. The replay call-in number is 1-800-770-2030 for domestic callers and 1-609-800-9909 for international callers. The passcode number is 4063687.
The conference call will be broadcast simultaneously on Vanda's website, www.vandapharma.com. Investors should click on the Investors tab and are advised to go to the website at least 15 minutes early to register, download, and install any necessary software or presentations. The call will also be archived on Vanda's website for a period of 30 days.
About Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Vanda is a leading global biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative therapies to address high unmet medical needs and improve the lives of patients. For more on Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc., please visit www.vandapharma.com and follow us on Twitter @vandapharma.
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
Various statements in this press release, including, but not limited to, statements regarding Vanda's plans for pursuit of FDA approval of Fanapt® in the treatment of bipolar I in adults, HETLIOZ® in the treatments of insomnia and jet lag disorder and tradipitant in the treatment of patients with gastroparesis and the treatment of motion sickness and Vanda's expectations regarding the impact of generic competition on the HETLIOZ® business are "forward-looking statements" under the securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations and assumptions that involve risks, changes in circumstances and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in Vanda's forward-looking statements include, among others, Vanda's ability to pursue and obtain FDA approval of the sNDAs for Fanapt® and HETLIOZ® and the NDA for tradipitant, the FDA's assessment of the sufficiency of the data packages to be included in Vanda's regulatory submissions for Fanapt®, HETLIOZ® and tradipitant, Vanda's ability to complete the clinical program for tradipitant in the treatment of motion sickness, the outcome of Vanda's request for a rehearing by the Federal Circuit and Vanda's ability to enforce its legal rights to exclusivity for HETLIOZ®. Therefore, no assurance can be given that the results or developments anticipated by Vanda will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, Vanda. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated together with the various risks and uncertainties that affect Vanda's business and market, particularly those identified in the "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements", "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" sections of Vanda's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as updated by Vanda's subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available at www.sec.gov.
All written and verbal forward-looking statements attributable to Vanda or any person acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to herein. Vanda cautions investors not to rely too heavily on the forward-looking statements Vanda makes or that are made on its behalf. The information in this press release is provided only as of the date of this press release, and Vanda undertakes no obligation, and specifically declines any obligation, to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
Corporate Contact:
Kevin Moran
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc.
202-734-3400
pr@vandapharma.com
Elizabeth Van Every
Head of Corporate Affairs
Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc.
202-734-3400
pr@vandapharma.com
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The Virtual Power Purchase Agreements for 189 MW from Enel's Blue Jay Solar is expected to cover 100% of McDonald's U.S. logistics supply chain's electricity load with renewable electricity
HOUSTON, Dec. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- McDonald's Corporation (NYSE: MCD) and all five members of the restaurant chain's North American Logistics Council (NALC) – Armada, Earp Distribution, Martin Brower, Mile Hi Foods and The Anderson-DuBose Company – have signed agreements with Enel North America1 to purchase renewable energy and the associated renewable energy certificates (RECs) from Enel Green Power's Blue Jay solar project in Grimes County, Texas. This innovative aggregation of a major company purchasing power jointly with its logistics partners means the electricity load of McDonald's USA's entire logistics supply chain for all its U.S. restaurants is expected to be 100% supported by renewable energy.
The Blue Jay solar project is expected to be fully operational in 2023. Once complete, McDonald's and its suppliers' combined electricity purchase is expected to amount to an estimated average of over 470,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of renewable energy annually. This is equivalent to avoiding over 170,000 metric tons of carbon emissions annually or the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from over 80 million trucking miles driven each year2.
"Adding Blue Jay solar to our U.S. renewable energy portfolio is one of the many important steps in our journey to achieving our net zero aspirations," said Bob Stewart, SVP and Chief Supply Chain Officer, North America, at McDonald's. "This deal is a unique example of how McDonald's and its logistics partners are combining efforts to leverage their reach and scale to tackle supply chain emissions together. We are excited about our collective potential to help address climate change and drive continuous improvement."
Supply chain emissions, which are categorized as Scope 3 emissions by GHG Protocol, are challenging to address and measure because they're driven by activities that are beyond the direct control of the organization, such as the transportation and distribution of products. Scope 3 emissions account for 75% of companies' GHG emissions on average, according to 2022 report released by CDP.
"While major corporations are increasingly encouraging and advising their partners on how to reduce their carbon emissions, McDonald's took it one step further by becoming the anchor buyer alongside its suppliers. McDonald's and the NALC recognized early on that collaboration across the supply chain is the only way to effectively address electricity emissions for all logistics suppliers," said Danny Fahey, NALC Sustainability Lead and Vice President of U.S. Strategy at Martin Brower. "This aggregation represents how a joint effort will be essential to making continued progress towards climate goals."
The combined purchase of 189 megawatts (MW) of renewable power, equivalent to more than 900 U.S. McDonald's restaurants-worth of renewable energy annually, is intended to help McDonald's and the NALC members meet their ambitious climate commitments.
"This innovative deal demonstrates how Enel is helping major companies take a hands-on approach in helping their partners decarbonize their operations," said Paolo Romanacci, head of Enel North America's renewable energy business, Enel Green Power. "We're honored to be part of such a monumental deal and look forward to helping McDonald's and its suppliers achieve their supply chain emission reduction goals through this tailored solution."
Enel, McDonald's and its suppliers are committed to creating long-term value in the local communities surrounding the Blue Jay solar project. The companies signed a mutual letter of intent to participate in Enel's Premium Offer program and co-develop community investment projects that align with the core values of each company.
Approximately 275 jobs have been created during the construction phase and the project is expected to generate more than $41 million in new tax revenue over its operating life for state taxing entities. Furthermore, Enel has committed over $216,500 to fund STEM and upskilling programs for local schools and colleges since the start of the project's construction in May 2021. The Blue Jay project also includes an 88.2 MWh battery energy storage system, which will help support the reliability of the local energy grid.
The buyer aggregation was facilitated by Coho Climate Advisors.
"Close collaboration amongst all parties during a challenging time in the renewable energy industry proved crucial to create this impressive agreement," said Gavin Ahern, Director of Client Service for Coho Climate Advisors.
McDonald's is the world's leading global foodservice retailer with nearly 40,000 locations in over 100 countries. Approximately 95% of McDonald's restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local business owners. McDonald's purpose is to feed and foster communities and the company is committed to protecting the planet for communities today, and in the future. In partnership with our Franchisees, suppliers and producers, the Company is finding innovative ways to reduce emissions, keep waste out of nature and preserve natural resources. Explore how McDonald's is driving positive impact and making progress on its ESG priorities.
Enel North America, part of the Enel Group, is a clean energy leader in North America and is working to electrify the economy and build a net-zero carbon future by decarbonizing energy supply, electrifying transportation, creating resilient grids, and promoting a just, equitable transition. Enel North America serves over 4,500 businesses, utilities, and cities through renewable power generation, demand response, distributed energy resources, smart e-mobility solutions and services, energy trading, advisory and consulting services, and more. Its portfolio includes over 8.6 GW of utility-scale renewable capacity, 606 MW / 882 MWh of utility-scale energy storage and 63 MW / 145 MWh of distributed energy storage capacity, 4.7 GW of demand response capacity, and 150,000 electric vehicle charging stations. Visit enelnorthamerica.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube to learn more.
Coho is a global climate adviser dedicated to helping clients navigate complexity and take ambitious steps on their climate journey. We provide deep market insight, analytical problem-solving, and change management expertise so that clients can switch to renewable energy and make other large-scale climate and water resiliency investments with confidence and internal alignment. To learn more about how Coho can help you get ahead of your climate goals, visit www.cohoclimate.com.
Media Contact
Jessica Loizeaux
northamericamedia@enel.com
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BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union must find ways to quickly provide thousands of artillery shells to Ukraine or face the prospect that it might lose the war against Russia, top EU diplomats warned Monday, as ammunition stocks in national EU armories dwindle.
“The most important, pressing issue today for the Ukrainian army is to have a continuous flow of ammunition,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said before chairing a meeting of the bloc’s foreign ministers. “If we fail on that, really, the result of the war is in danger.”
Borrell spoke as U.S. President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to Ukraine.
Borrell said that Russian forces are firing about 50,000 rounds of artillery each day and that Ukraine’s supplies must be lifted to the same level. Other estimates suggest that Ukraine is firing up to 6,000-7,000 artillery shells daily, around a third of Russia’s total one year into the war.
Most sought after, Borrell underlined, are 155mm artillery cartridges.
Borrell said that discussion would focus on ways to make joint purchases of ammunition and use a special EU fund to provide extra financing. However, the defense industry requires solid, long-term orders to stand up and expand its production lines and cannot simply ramp up supplies overnight.
Last week, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the waiting time for the supply of “large-caliber ammunition has increased from 12 to 28 months,” and that “orders placed today would only be delivered two-and-a-half years later.”
Estonia, which shares a border and long history with Russia, is driving the EU and its NATO allies to provide 1 million artillery shells, at an estimated cost of 4 billion euros ($4.3 billion).
“Russia uses daily (what) the European Union produces per month, and in the current military industry capabilities, we can reach the need of Ukraine (in) around six years, so this is fully unacceptable,” Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu told reporters.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appealed to his Western allies to quicken their military support, warning that delays would play into Russia’s hand as the invasion approaches its anniversary on Feb. 24.
NATO believes that Russia has launched a long-anticipated offensive in recent weeks, raising the intensity of attacks in eastern Ukraine while building up forces in the south. Officials have said that Ukraine is likely to launch its own counteroffensive in the spring.
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Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
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CALGARY, AB, June 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Frontera Energy Corporation (TSX: FEC) ("Frontera" or the "Company") announces that its board of directors (the "Board") has approved the commencement of a substantial issuer bid (the "Offer") pursuant to which the Company will offer to purchase from shareholders for cancellation up to $65 million (equivalent to US$50 million) of its outstanding common shares (the "Shares"). The Offer will proceed by way of a "modified Dutch auction" procedure with a tender price range from $11.00 to $13.00 per Share.
The Company plans to fund repurchases of Shares through available cash on hand. Unless otherwise stated, the Offer is denominated in Canadian dollars, and shareholders will have the option to elect to receive payment in either Canadian or United States dollars.
The Offer is expected to commence on June 24, 2022 and remain open for acceptance until 11:59 p.m. (Eastern time) on July 29, 2022, unless extended, varied or withdrawn by the Company.
The Company will conduct the Offer through a "modified Dutch auction" procedure. Shareholders wishing to tender to the Offer may do as follows: (i) by making an auction tender pursuant to which the tendering shareholders agree to tender a specified number of Shares at a price of not less than $11.00 and not more than $13.00 per Share in increments of $0.20 per Share (an "Auction Tender"); (ii) by making a purchase price tender pursuant to which the tendering shareholders do not specify a price per Share, but rather agree to have a specified number of Shares purchased at the Purchase Price (as defined below) (a "Purchase Price Tender"); or (iii) by making a proportionate tender pursuant to which the tendering shareholders agree to sell to the Company, at the Purchase Price, a number of Shares that will result in them maintaining their respective proportionate equity ownership in the Company following completion of the Offer (a "Proportionate Tender"). The Company will deem those shareholders who validly deposit Shares without specifying the method in which they are tendering their Shares to have made a Purchase Price Tender.
The purchase price Frontera will pay for each validly deposited Share taken up by the Company (the "Purchase Price") will be determined upon expiry of the Offer. The Purchase Price will be the lowest price (which will not be less than $11.00 per Share and not more than $13.00 per Share) that enables the Company to purchase Shares up to the maximum amount available for Auction Tenders and Purchase Price Tenders, determined in accordance with the terms of the Offer. Each Shareholder who has properly deposited Shares pursuant to an Auction Tender at or below the Purchase Price, a Purchase Price Tender or a Proportionate Tender and who has not withdrawn such Shares will receive the Purchase Price, payable in cash (subject to applicable withholding taxes, if any, as will be outlined in the Offer Documents, as defined below), for all Shares taken up by the Company upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offer. The Company will return those Shares not taken up in connection with the Offer, including Shares deposited pursuant to Auction Tenders at prices above the Purchase Price.
If the aggregate Purchase Price for Shares validly tendered pursuant to Auction Tenders and Purchase Price Tenders is greater than the amount available for Auction Tenders and Purchase Price Tenders (after taking into consideration the Proportionate Tenders), the Company will purchase the Shares on a pro rata basis after giving effect to "odd lot" tenders (Shares tendered by shareholders beneficially owning fewer than 100 Shares), which will not be subject to pro-ration. In that case, all Shares tendered at or below the Purchase Price will be purchased, subject to pro-ration, at the same Purchase Price determined pursuant to the terms of the Offer. Shares that are tendered but not purchased, including Shares tendered pursuant to Auction Tenders at prices above the Purchase Price, will be returned to shareholders.
The Board believes that the trading price of the Shares is not fully reflective of their intrinsic value based on the value of the Company's assets and its business, future prospects and financial position. Share buybacks are a key tool to increase value for and return capital to shareholders. The Offer reflects the Board's view that the Company's Share price remains undervalued and represents a value accretive use of the Company's financial resources.
The Board remains committed to creating increased value for shareholders. In doing so, the Board will continue to consider various forms of strategic initiatives or transactions in addition to the Offer, which may include, without limitation, a further return of capital to shareholders, a merger or consolidation, recapitalization or a business combination, or the transfer, sale or other disposition of all or a significant portion of the business, assets or securities of the Company or of interests in one or more subsidiaries or in assets of the Company, whether in one or a series of transactions. There can be no assurance that any such initiative or transaction will occur or if it occurs, the timing thereof.
The Offer will be for up to approximately 6.355% of the total number of issued and outstanding Shares on a non-diluted basis (based on a Purchase Price equal to the minimum Purchase Price per Share and 92,982,495 Shares issued and outstanding as of June 17, 2022).
The Offer is optional for all shareholders, who are free to choose whether to participate, how many Shares to tender, and the manner in which they tender their Shares. Any shareholders who do not deposit their Shares (or whose Shares are not purchased under the Offer) will realize a proportionate increase in their equity interest in the Company, to the extent that Shares are purchased under the Offer.
In connection with the Offer, Frontera has suspended Share repurchases under its normal course issuer bid ("NCIB"), and therefore the Company shall not repurchase any of its Shares under its NCIB during the term of the Offer. The Company shall resume Share repurchases under its NCIB, which is for up to 10% of the Company's public float, calculated as of March 7, 2022, following closing of the Offer.
The terms and conditions of the Offer, including instructions for tendering Shares, will be included in the formal offer to purchase and issuer bid circular, letter of transmittal, notice of guaranteed delivery and other related documents (the "Offer Documents"). In respect of the Offer, including any applicable withholding taxes, shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to their particular circumstances. On or about June 24, 2022, the Offer Documents will be mailed to shareholders, filed with applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities, and made available without charge on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
The Offer is not conditional upon any minimum number of Shares being tendered. However, the Offer will be subject to other conditions described in the Offer Documents. Frontera reserves the right, subject to applicable laws, to withdraw, extend or amend the Offer, if certain events occur at any time prior to the payment for tendered Shares.
The Catalyst Capital Group Inc. ("Catalyst") is the beneficial owner of, or exercises control or direction over, 34,775,609 Shares, which represent approximately 37.400% of all issued and outstanding Shares. Catalyst has advised the Company that it will not be depositing any Shares pursuant to the Offer.
The Company intends to engage Computershare Investor Services Inc. to act as depository for the Offer and has engaged BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. to act as financial advisor and dealer manager. Shareholders who have questions regarding the Offer or require any assistance tendering Shares may contact Computershare Investor Services Inc. by telephone at 1-800-564-6253 (North America) or 514-982-7555 (International), or by e-mail at corporateactions@computershare.com, or BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. by email at FronteraSIB@bmo.com.
The Offer referred to in this news release has not yet commenced. This news release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell Shares. The solicitation and the offer to buy Shares will only be made pursuant to the Offer Documents to be filed with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities. The Offer remains subject to obtaining the necessary exemptive relief under applicable securities laws in Canada. The Offer will not be made to, nor will tenders be accepted from or on behalf of, holders of Shares in any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance of offers to sell Shares would not be in compliance with the laws of that jurisdiction. None of Frontera, its Board or the depositary makes any recommendation to shareholders as to whether to tender or refrain from tendering any or all of their Shares pursuant to the Offer or the price or prices at which shareholders may choose to tender Shares. Shareholders are strongly urged to read the Offer Documents carefully and to consult with their financial, tax and legal advisors prior to making any decision with respect to the Offer.
Frontera Energy Corporation is a Canadian public company involved in the exploration, development, production, transportation, storage and sale of oil and natural gas in South America, including related investments in both upstream and midstream facilities. The Company has a diversified portfolio of assets with interests in 33 exploration and production blocks in Colombia, Ecuador and Guyana, and pipeline and port facilities in Colombia. Frontera is committed to conducting business safely and in a socially, environmentally and ethically responsible manner.
If you would like to receive News Releases via email as soon as they are published, please subscribe here: http://fronteraenergy.mediaroom.com/subscribe.
This news release contains forward-looking information or forward-looking statements (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements as to the Company's current intentions regarding commencement of the Offer, the timing, terms and conditions of the Offer, and the ultimate purchase price, the number of Shares purchased and the amount of capital returned to shareholders under the Offer, the resumption of Share purchases under the Company's NCIB, and the consideration of strategic initiatives or transactions. Any such forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to us and are based on assumptions and analyses made by us in light of our experience and our perception of historical trends and current market and other conditions. Readers should also refer to the risk factors set forth in the Company's annual information form and management's discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2021, each dated March 2, 2022, available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. There can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which forward-looking statements are based will be realized. Actual results may differ, and the difference may be material and adverse to the Company and its shareholders.
Social Media
Follow Frontera's social media channels at the following links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/fronteraenergy?lang=en
Facebook: https://es-la.facebook.com/FronteraEnergy/
LinkedIn: https://co.linkedin.com/company/frontera-energy-corp.
View original content:
SOURCE Frontera Energy Corporation
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2022-06-20 14:13:08
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Judgment now stands in at Approximately $200M with Legal fees and Accrued Interest
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., May 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Digital Solutions, Inc. (OTC: GDSI), a company that is positioning itself as a leader in Automotive and Aviation Technology Solutions, announces updates on the Rontan Judgment collection process.
- Rontan/Bolzan Appeal: Rontan Metallurgica (RM) and the Bolzan's have filed an appellate brief on October 15, 2021. The Company, through our counsel at Boies Schiller Flexner (BSF), has filed the Company's response on approximately January 30, 2022. RM and the Bolzan's have filed their final appellate response on or about March 25, 2022. It is now up to the schedule of the appellate court to rule on the filings. The company is hopeful that a decision can be reached by mid-summer. The Company and its counsel have studied the appellate filings and remain very confident that the Federal District court that issued the judgement was correct in its findings and application of the rules of law were accurately applied. The judgement award with accrued interest now stands at approximately $200M.
- Collection Efforts: The Company has engaged several consultants in its efforts to collect on the judgement. These consultants are experts in International and Brazilian law and have collected hundreds of millions of dollars in judgements and forfeitures for their previous clients. The asset identification process has been underway for several months. Potential assets identified exceed the judgement amount of $200M. Although the legal process is moving forward on the appellate courts schedule, the collection efforts have continued in earnest. All of the final collection paperwork required should also be complete by midsummer.
- Uses of Judgment Proceeds: The Company fully intends to begin acquisitions in the EV marketplace, including software development, manufacturing, and EV servicing options. The intent is to purchase cash flow positive assets or EV products with short timetables to being cash flow positive. The Company feels that with this capital and access to capital markets that we can become a strong source for EV technology.
About Global Digital Solutions, Inc.
Global Digital Solutions, Inc. (OTC:GDSI), a company that is positioning itself as a leader in Automotive and Aviation Technology Solutions, continues to enhance shareholder value in these areas. In addition to our acquisition strategy, the Company has been awarded damages of specific performance and an approximate $200,000,000 in incidental damages in its lawsuit against Grupo Rontan Metalurgica, S. A, ("Rontan") and that company's controlling shareholders, Joao Alberto Bolzan and Jose Carlos Bolzan. Rontan is one of the world's largest manufacturers of original equipment for specialty vehicles for emergency management, first responders, national security, and law enforcement operations. In August of 2019, the Company acquired HarmAlarm. HA was formed in 2002 as a private Texas company to pursue Infrared commercial applications in the aviation services area. HA has developed two systems known as Precision Approach Landing System (PALS) and Vertical Stacking Air Traffic Management (VSAT). PALS and VSAT provides a high performance state of the art enhanced Situation Awareness capability for the pilot and safety and fuel savings for air traffic management. The precision and robustness of PALS has generated a host of new applications mainly through "landing trajectory" optimization which provides additional safety margin against weather related hazardous conditions, such as wind shear, wake turbulence, icing, as well as low ceilings and fog. For more information about GDSI, visit http://www.gdsi.co
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements." The statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements give the Company's current expectations or forecasts of future events. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that are often difficult to predict and beyond the Company's control, and could cause the Company's results to differ materially from those described. In some cases forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may," "should," "potential," "continue," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," and similar expressions. These statements include statements regarding moving forward with executing the Company's global growth strategy. The statements are based upon current beliefs, expectations and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict. The Company is providing this information as of the date of this press release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends affecting the financial condition of our business. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved. Important factors that could cause such differences include, but are not limited to the Risk Factors and other information set forth in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-Q filed on August 22, 2021, and in our other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contact:
Jerome Gomolski
775-443-4740
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-digital-solutions-inc-provides-update-on-rontan-judgement-collections-301540703.html
SOURCE Global Digital Solutions, Inc.
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https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_technology/global-digital-solutions-inc-provides-update-on-rontan-judgement-collections/article_8d1bd08e-4d0b-5513-ba0c-9cf0cb1b8d82.html
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2022-05-05 12:55:55
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BOSTON (AP) — The Miami Heat were in need of a calming presence following a sluggish start to their latest conference finals showdown with the Boston Celtics.
Jimmy Butler provided that and a lot more.
Butler scored 35 points, including 20 after halftime, and the Heat rallied in the second half to beat the Celtics 123-116 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday night.
He said his teammates have given him confidence.
“I’m playing at an incredible level because they are allowing me to do so,” Butler said. “They are not putting a limit on my game. They are trusting me with the ball, on the defensive end. I think that’s what any basketball player wants.”
Miami trailed by nine at the half before turning it around with a franchise playoff-record 46 points in the third and outscoring Boston 66-50 over the final two quarters. It was Butler’s fifth game with 30 or more points this postseason and he added seven assists, six steals and five rebounds.
“One of the premier two-way basketball players of this association. … That’s what we needed.” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Down the stretch Jimmy was able to do everything we needed – as a scorer and as a facilitator.”
Bam Adebayo added 20 points and eight rebounds. Kyle Lowry, Caleb Martin, Gabe Vincent and Max Strus all added 15 points apiece. The Heat went 16 of 31 from the 3-point line.
The No. 8-seeded Heat have opened all three playoff series with road victories. Game 2 is Friday in Boston.
Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 30 points, but didn’t take a shot in the fourth quarter. Jaylen Brown finished with 22 points and nine rebounds. Malcolm Brogdon added 19 points.
Boston is just 4-4 at home during this postseason.
“I don’t know why,” Tatum said of their home struggles. “You’ve still got to play the game, you’ve got to make plays, regardless of whether you’re home or away.”
The Celtics, who are at their best when they’re defending and getting up more shots than their opponents, were 10 of 29 from beyond the arc.
“We lost our offensive purpose,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said.
The tip-off of the series marked the third time in four seasons that the Heat and Celtics have met in this round. Boston won last year’s matchup in seven games.
Wednesday’s opener felt every bit like a continuation of that most recent meeting. Boston dominated inside early on and led by nine at halftime.
Spoelstra said his team was “more intentional” over the final 24 minutes.
Miami took a page out of the Celtics’ book and used a 13-1 run to quickly erase that gap, tying the game at 78 in the third quarter. During the next timeout Mazzulla was captured by broadcast cameras throwing a clipboard in frustration.
Boston couldn’t stop the onslaught and Miami then nudged back in front as Butler penetrated to create opportunities for his teammates.
The Heat outscored the Celtics 46-25 in the period and took a 103-91 lead into the fourth, prompting a few boos from the TD Garden crowd.
Boston responded, scoring the first seven points of the final period before a 3-pointer by Vincent ended the run.
Miami led 114-109 with just over three minutes to play when Brogdon was fouled by Butler. But he connected on just 1 of the 2 free throws. Butler was trapped on the next Miami possession before finding Martin for a corner 3.
Tatum travelled, giving the ball back to the Heat. A Miami miss gave the ball back to Boston, but Tatum was called again for travelling.
Miami wound the shot clock down before getting a 3-pointer by Butler to rattle in with 1:03 remaining.
But everything changed in the second half.
“We are just playing really good basketball,” Butler said. “More than anything, we are staying together through the good and through the bad.”
ROAD WARRIORS
The Heat are the fifth team to open with road wins in each of their first three series, joining the 2021 Hawks, 1999 Knicks, 1989 Bulls and 1981 Rockets. The Knicks were the only other No. 8 seed to make the conference finals.
TIP-INS
Heat: Miami’s previous high in the playoffs was 43 points in a quarter against Charlotte in 2016. … Lowry hit 5 of his first 6 shots, scoring 13 points in his first nine minutes of action. … Butler (12) and Adebayo (6) combined for 18 of Miami’s 28 points in the first quarter. It marked the seventh time Butler has reached double figures in the first period this postseason.
Celtics: Marcus Smart finished with 13 points and 11 assists. … Led 66-57 at halftime. With the score tied at 47, Boston outscored Miami 19-10 over the final 5:26 of the half. … Brown wore his black protective mask after going without it for the final two games of their semifinals matchup with the 76ers. He fractured a facial bone late in the regular season. … New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick was in attendance.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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Children orphaned by the quake in Turkey and Syria face an uncertain future
By Sophie Tanno, CNN
A baby began her life surrounded by chaos and devastation this week.
Reportedly named Aya — meaning ‘miracle’ in Arabic — she was born under the rubble of Monday’s deadly earthquake, still attached to her mother’s lifeless body by the umbilical cord when rescue workers found her.
Her story certainly seems miraculous, as she survived for more than 10 hours under the wreckage of her family’s five-story apartment building in northern Syria after it was leveled to the ground during the pre-dawn 7.8 magnitude quake.
“We heard a voice while we were digging,” the baby’s cousin, Khalil al-Suwadi told the Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Tuesday. “We cleared the dust and found the baby with the umbilical cord (intact), so we cut it and my cousin took her to hospital.”
Tragically, the baby’s mother did not survive and is thought to have died hours after giving birth. In fact, the newborn is believed to be the sole survivor of her immediate family, her cousin told the news agency.
Orphan Aya — who was reportedly named by medics — is now receiving treatment at a children’s hospital in the nearby town of Afrin, where pediatrician Hani Maarouf told AFP that she is stable but arrived with bruises, lacerations and hypothermia.
Footage of her incredible rescue quickly went viral online and drew international attention.
Many from around the world asked how they could adopt her. However, it has been confirmed that Aya’s great-uncle, Salah al-Badran, will take her in once she is discharged from the hospital, despite his own home being destroyed in the earthquake, the Guardian reported.
According to UNICEF emergency communication specialist Joe English, adoption should never occur in the immediate aftermath of an emergency.
“Until the whereabouts of a child’s parent or other close family members can be verified, each separated child is considered to have living close relatives,” he told CNN. “Every effort should be made to reunify children with their families when suitable, if such reunification is in their best interest.”
Similarly, 3-year-old Tariq Haidar was pulled alive from the wreckage of his home in Jandaris, northern Syria, 42 hours after the earthquake struck, Reuters news agency reported. He was taken to the hospital where doctors were forced to amputate his left leg.
His family did not survive. Malek Qasida, a nurse caring for him, told Reuters: “They pulled out his father and two of his siblings before him, dead.” The body of his mother and a third sibling were later recovered from the wreckage, locals said, according to Reuters.
‘Many, many children will have lost parents’
Aya and Tariq are just two of the unknown number of children in Turkey and Syria who have been orphaned in the wake of Monday’s deadly earthquake.
The initial quake hit just after 4 a.m. local time, while many people were sleeping.
“Whilst we don’t yet have any verified numbers, given the catastrophic, and ever-increasing, death toll, it is clear that many, many children will have lost parents or caregivers in these devastating earthquakes,” said English, from UNICEF.
“Urgently identifying unaccompanied children and those who may have been separated from parents and caregivers is absolutely critical so that they can receive the appropriate care and support in the short term, and so that we can begin the work to locate and reunite them with family.
“Following these kinds of disasters, displaced children, especially those who are unaccompanied or separated from family, are vulnerable to violence, exploitation, and abuse, including the risk of trafficking or gender-based violence.”
He added: “Beyond our immediate life-saving response providing safe drinking water, warm winter clothes, medical and nutritional supplies, UNICEF is also working with our partners to provide children affected with critical psychosocial and mental health support, to help them process their experiences and begin to address the trauma that many children may have experienced.
“This is not a short-term job, and will require dedicated, long-term support, as we help children and families rebuild their shattered lives.”
Meanwhile the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) — made up of 15 leading UK aid charities — said its member organizations would be closely monitoring and supporting unaccompanied and separated children.
“They do this by establishing child-friendly spaces, providing age appropriate psychosocial and resilience activities, specialized case management and alternative care for unaccompanied and separated children,” Madara Hettiarachchi, director of programs and accountability at the DEC, told CNN.
Race against time
Information regarding the exact number of children left without parents is still unclear. According to Turkey’s Ministry of Family and Social Services on Friday, the families of 263 children who were pulled from the rubble in Turkey could not be reached.
Among those children, 162 continue to receive care in hospital, while 101 children were transferred to the relevant units of the ministry and taken under institutional care after their treatment.
The death toll in Turkey and Syria stands at more than 28,000, according to authorities.
In Turkey, the number of people killed has risen to 24,617, Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said at a news conference Saturday. In Syria, the total number of deaths stood at 3,575 as of Saturday.
Rescue workers are racing against time to pull survivors from the rubble of collapsed buildings in freezing winter conditions.
Efforts have also been hampered by blocked roads, damaged infrastructure and several violent aftershocks.
There have been some incredible tales of survival. A 16-year-old boy was pulled alive from the rubble of a destroyed building in the Turkish city of Kahramanmaras, 119 hours after the devastating earthquake hit the country. A 10-year-old girl was brought out alive from under the wreckage in southern Turkey’s Hatay province after 147 hours.
However, CNN Romania affiliate Antena 3’s reporter Cristian Popovici warned Friday that as the hours pass, incredible scenes such as these will become less frequent. “The chances of this happening are less than 1%, especially because of below-freezing temperatures recorded here at night.
“It is truly a miracle, unfortunately we see less and less of those now, but it is happening and that’s what all these people here are working for, to continue saving lives.”
The miraculous rescues seen over the past week have been scenes of incredible joy mixed with sadness, as some children are pulled alive from the rubble of their homes only to find that the rest of their immediate family did not survive. Aid agencies warn it’s too early to say exactly how many children have been left orphaned in the tragedy.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
CNN’s Isil Sariyuce, Gokce Katkici, Eyad Kourdi and Hande Atay Alam contributed reporting.
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Would you like to waddle around an aquarium with some penguins all night? At Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, you can have a sleepover with a bunch of cute penguins. The 13-hour event (7:30 p.m.-8:30 a.m.) is called Pints and Penguins, and it’s for adults 21 and over. For $165 per person, you get appetizers, cocktails, a behind-the-scenes tour, a chance to roam around the aquarium and breakfast the next morning.
Take a look at this adorable video, and then just try to say no.
Send this to someone you want to waddle around the Aquarium with! pic.twitter.com/VkTjGLEoqV
— Ripley’s Aquarium TN (@RipleysAquaGAT) April 12, 2023
But will the penguins even be awake at night? The aquarium assures its guests that they will be.
“Don’t worry — African penguins have unusual sleeping patterns and will keep you entertained until your drift off to dreamland,” the aquarium explains. “They take short naps throughout the day and even have the unique ability to sleep while standing up or while floating in the water!”
And if you can’t get enough of these tuxedo-clad cuties, you can watch a 24-hour live feed of them when you get home. African penguins can’t fly, but they have other cool powers. For example, they hold their breath under the water for 2.5 minutes on average. We also love the fact that they have one mate for life, and they share parenting duties. (Both the males and females incubate their eggs to keep them warm and protected.)
The next event is scheduled for the night of June 24, but the aquarium also has Pints and Penguins events on their calendar in August and October.
If camping out all night isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other ways to interact with the penguins at this aquarium. For $99 per person, the aquarium will grant you early admittance (8 a.m.) to meet them for breakfast at the Pancakes and Penguins event. Or you can Make a Penguin Pal with a $50 Penguin Encounter or watch them paint a masterpiece at the $75 Penguin Painting Experience. OK, well, you can watch them stomp around with paint on their paddle-like flippers. But it’s cute. And you get to take the painting home when they’re done!
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Check out Simplemost for additional stories.
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2023-05-26 15:33:11
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No one likes to admit it but name a large city in America and you can find what main street racially divides it.
ArcGIS created a Racial Dot Map, which uses census data to chart every person in America based on the place they live and the race they claim.
"There are these kinds of dividing lines all over the nation, in every single major city," said Rashad Shabazz, a professor at Arizona State University. "The racial geography of the country that's manifest in those dot maps were created a century ago. And the point was to ensure that, you know, Black people and other people of color were kept in certain areas."
The term "redlining" refers to how the U.S. government once used housing maps to segregate who could live in certain areas. Those maps haven't been applied for decades, but they still match who lives where today in many cities. In the most segregated cities, the dividing lines are clear.
In Detroit, the famous 8 Mile Road separates the mostly Black south side from the mostly white north side. In Cleveland, it's the Cuyahoga River. In Buffalo, it's Main Street.
More integrated cities look like Port St. Lucie, Florida. If you look at the map, dots of all colors – meaning people of all races – are interspersed throughout the city.
"It's nothing to see a mixed couple. I mean, you often see kids playing together who are white, black, Hispanic," Chauncelor Howell, president of the Treasure Coast Black Chamber of Commerce, said. "And I think that's great."
But most cities don't look like Port St. Lucie. In most cities, the lines rooted in the past, apparent in the present, show how all our individual dots are more connected than we might think.
"Public policy is going to have to get us out of this because this isn't something that a few individuals or being nice is going to transform. This was enabled through public policy. And the only thing that's going to change is public policy," Shabazz said.
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SEATTLE, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Coherent Market Insights, the global bone marrow transplant market is estimated to be valued at US$ 10,356.1 million in 2022 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 4.0% during the forecast period (2022-2030).
Key Trends and Analysis of the Global Bone Marrow Transplant Market:
Increasing efforts by researchers to develop a drug to prevent complications after undergoing bone marrow transplant is expected to drive the market growth over the forecast period. For instance, in December 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Abatacept, a drug to prevent acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a life-threatening complication in which T cells in the transplanted donor bone marrow attacks the recipient's healthy cells and tissues, thereby causing major damage to the liver, skin, and GI tract after hematopoietic stem cell transplant. The FDA approval was based on results from two studies in patients undergoing stem cell transplant. One was the Phase 2 GVHD-1 trial, also known as ABA2, led by Leslie S. Kean, MD, PhD, director of the Stem Cell Transplant Center at Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, an integrated pediatric hematology and oncology program, in collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb, a global biopharmaceutical company.
Request Sample Copy of this Report @ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/232
Key Market Takeaways:
Global bone marrow transplant market is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 4.0% during the forecast period due to increasing establishments of bone marrow transplant units. For instance, in December 2021, a bone marrow transplant center was established in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Cancer care in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has rapidly evolved over the last two decades, with the establishment of several state-of-the-art facilities providing holistic services in accordance with international standards and certifications. However, one clear gap in such advances was the absence of comprehensive bone marrow transplant (BMT) services in the country, and thus, the establishment of a bone marrow transplant unit would address this need.
Among type, autologous transplant segment is expected to hold dominant position over the forecast period, owing to the maximum number of autologous transplants being carried out. For instance, according to an article published by the University of Alabama at Birmingham, an internationally renowned research university, around 60% of bone marrow transplant procedures are autologous, based on the data recorded between 2015 and 2019 by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, the primary federal agency for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated or medically vulnerable, with an average of more than 13,000 autologous bone marrow transplant procedures each year in the U.S.
On the basis of regions, North America is expected to hold dominant position over the forecast period, owing to the increasing number of bone marrow transplants being carried out. For instance, according to an article published by The University of Alabama at Birmingham, an internationally renowned research university, in March 2022, the number of patients receiving bone marrow transplants in the U.S. will jump fivefold to reach over 500,000 people by 2030.
Key players operating in the global bone marrow transplant market include Lonza, Merck KgaA, Sanofi, AllCells, STEMCELL Technologies Inc., Charles River Laboratories, Beike Biotechnology Co., Ltd., FUJIFILM Cellular Dynamics, Inc., CORESTEM, Inc., Gamida Cell, Lifeline Cell Technology, Mesoblast Ltd, and PromoCell GmbH.
Request for Customization @ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-customization/232
Detailed Segmentation:
Global Bone Marrow Transplant Market, By Type:
- Autologous Transplant
- Allogenic Transplant
- Others
Global Bone Marrow Transplant Market, By Treatment Type:
- Leukemia
- Lymphoma
- Myeloma
- Myelodysplastic Syndrome
- Myeloproliferative Disorders
- Aplastic Anemia
- Solid Tumors
- Sickle cell Anemia
- Thalassemia
- Others
Global Bone Marrow Transplant Market, By End User:
- Hospitals
- Multi-specialty Clinics
- Ambulatory Surgical Centers
Global Bone Marrow Transplant Market, By Region:
- North America
- By Country:
- U.S.
- Canada
- Europe
- By Country:
- U.K.
- Germany
- Italy
- France
- Spain
- Russia
- Rest of Europe
- Asia Pacific
- By Country:
- China
- India
- Japan
- ASEAN
- Australia
- South Korea
- Rest of Asia Pacific
- Latin America
- By Country:
- Brazil
- Mexico
- Argentina
- Rest of Latin America
- Middle East & Africa
- By Country:
- GCC Countries
- Israel
- South Africa
- Rest of Middle East & Africa
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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-bone-marrow-transplant-market-to-surpass-us-14-172-21-million-by-2030--coherent-market-insights-301563890.html
SOURCE Coherent Market Insights
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https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_health/global-bone-marrow-transplant-market-to-surpass-us-14-172-21-million-by-2030-/article_c159ec0d-1b75-57f2-8114-1b0f7ff04158.html
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NATO head warns Russia to avoid 'very important line' ahead of nuclear tests
Both NATO and Russia are scheduled to hold nuclear exercises this month
Russian President Vladimir Putin must not cross the "very important line" of using nuclear weapons of any kind in Ukraine, NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday.
Stoltenberg made the comments following a meeting with NATO's Nuclear Planning Group on Thursday. Both NATO and Russia are expected to move forward with pre-planned nuclear testing this month, though NATO does not plan to use live bombs.
Putin has repeatedly claimed in recent weeks that Russia would resort to nuclear weapons if the country's territory is threatened.
"We will not go into exactly how we will respond, but of course this will fundamentally change the nature of the conflict. It will mean that a very important line has been crossed," Stoltenberg said.
AS PUTIN TURNS 70, FORMER RUSSIA INSIDER WEIGHS IN ON LIKELIHOOD OF NUCLEAR MOVE
"Even any use of a smaller nuclear weapon will be a very serious thing, fundamentally changing the nature of the war in Ukraine, and of course that would have consequences," he added.
TWITTER GOES NUCLEAR IN RESPONSE TO BIDEN'S ‘ARMAGEDDON’ WARNINGS
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy argues that Putin is already trying to prepare Russian citizens for nuclear war.
"They begin to prepare their society," Zelenskyy last week. "That's very dangerous. They are not ready to do it, to use it, but they begin to communicate."
"They don't know whether they'll use or not use it. I think it's dangerous to even speak about it," he added.
President Biden warned last week that Putin is "not joking when he talks about potential use of tactical nuclear weapons or biological or chemical weapons because his military is, you might say, significantly underperforming."
"We have not faced the prospect of Armageddon since Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis," he added, raising eyebrows across the country.
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White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre later clarified that the U.S. has seen no indication that Russia is preparing to imminently use nuclear weapons.
"The kind of irresponsible rhetoric we have seen is no way for the leader of a nuclear-armed state to speak, and that’s what the president was making very clear," she said last week.
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2022-10-28 11:19:24
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RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Vinci Partners Investments Ltd. (NASDAQ: VINP) ("Vinci Partners, the "Company," "we," "us," or "our"), the controlling company of a leading alternative investment platform in Brazil, announced today that its board of directors approved a share buyback plan and a share repurchase plan to buy back up to R$60.0 million of the Company's outstanding Class A common shares across both plans. These plans are approved to replace the share buyback and repurchase plans approved by our board of directors on June 15, 2022 (the "Legacy Plans"), which are set to expire on the date that the R$60.0 million buyback limit set thereunder is reached.
The new buyback and repurchase plans will commence on the expiration date of the Legacy Plans and will not have specified expiration dates (other than when the R$60.0 million buyback limit is reached). Vinci Partners expects to finance the purchases with existing cash balances derived from its Distributable Earnings, which is not expected to have a material impact on capital levels. In making the announcement, Vinci Partners Chief Executive Officer and Director Alessandro Horta stated, "We are committed to delivering shareholder value, and these buyback plan authorizations reflect the board's confidence in our current prospects and long-term growth. We believe these plans represent an opportunity to deploy cash from our results in a way that will benefit our shareholders."
Under the share buyback plan, buybacks may be made from time-to-time in open market and negotiated purchases, once the plan becomes effective, in compliance with SEC Rule 10b-18. The specific prices, numbers of shares and timing of purchase transactions will be determined by the Company from time to time in its sole discretion. Under the share repurchase plan, repurchases will be carried out through a broker acting as an agent of the Company, from time-to-time in open market and negotiated purchases, and in compliance with SEC Rule 10b5-1(c)(1)(i)(B). In either case, buybacks are subject to market conditions, available liquidity, cash flow, applicable legal requirements and other factors. The plans do not obligate the Company or any agent to acquire any particular amount of Class A common shares, and may be suspended or discontinued at any time.
The Company had 40,456,206 Class A common shares issued and outstanding as of February 13, 2023.
About Vinci Partners
Vinci Partners is a leading alternative investment platform in Brazil, established in 2009. Vinci Partners' business segments include private equity, public equities, real estate, credit, infrastructure, hedge funds, investment products and solutions, and retirement services, each managed by dedicated investment teams with an independent investment committee and decision-making process. We also have a financial advisory business, focusing mostly on pre-initial public offering, or pre-IPO, and merger and acquisition, or M&A, advisory services for Brazilian middle-market companies.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that can be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "expect," "should," "plan," "intend," "estimate" and "potential," among others. By their nature, forward-looking statements are necessarily subject to a high degree of uncertainty and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future whether or not outside of our control. Such factors may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and there can be no assurance that such forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements included herein speak only as at the date of this press release and we do not undertake any obligation to update these forward-looking statements. Past performance does not guarantee or predict future performance. Moreover, neither we nor our affiliates, officers, employees and agents undertake any obligation to review, update or confirm expectations or estimates or to release any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that arise in relation to the content of this press release. Further information on these and other factors that could affect our financial results is included in filings we have made and will make with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time.
USA Media Contact
Nick Lamplough / Kate Thompson / Katie Villany
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher
+1 (212) 355-4449
Brazil Media Contact
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SOURCE Vinci Partners Investments Ltd.
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Feedonomics named a market leader in four categories by top third-party review site, earns badges for best support and easiest setup
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., Aug. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Feedonomics has been recognized as a market leader in the multichannel retail software, catalog management, online marketplace optimization tools, and product information management categories by G2—one of the top third-party review sites for software and services—in its Summer 2022 Reports. The company also earned badges for having the best support and easiest setup in the multichannel retail software category.
"It's gratifying to know our customers view us as a leader in the space, and this recognition only validates all the work our team has done to help ecommerce merchants sell more products across hundreds of shopping channels," said Shawn Lipman, CEO at Feedonomics. "We will continue to provide the best-in-class technology and expert service companies need to grow their multichannel businesses on a global scale."
G2 rates products and vendors based on reviews gathered from its user community, as well as data aggregated from online sources and social networks. The company then applies an algorithm to this data to calculate real-time satisfaction and market presence scores.
When you consider the type of clients Feedonomics supports, the technology it uses to power merchants' feeds, and how much the team has grown in the past few years, it's no surprise to see the company receive high scores in these categories.
Feedonomics provides full-service feed management to more than 4,000 active clients, nearly 75% of which are multichannel customers. The company works with some of the biggest brands and retailers in the world—such as Samsung, Puma, and Sonos—and close to 400 of them have product catalogs containing 100,000-plus SKUs.
Feedonomics is able to import, optimize, and syndicate such large product catalogs across multiple channels because of its powerful feed management platform, which processes more than 13 billion SKUs per day. With upwards of 30,000 active database setups, the company has encountered just about every possible client-data scenario, and its custom data protection systems are equipped to handle each one.
Flexibility is a big piece of that. As a middleware solution, Feedonomics can integrate with virtually any platform or system via API, including all of the top ecommerce platforms, such as BigCommerce, Magento, Shopify, and more.
One of the most unique integrations is with Mirakl, a software platform that hosts more than 300 global marketplaces. Feedonomics' API integration with every Mirakl marketplace for product listing, pricing, inventory data, and orders enables merchants to scale their business efficiently across multiple channels.
To accommodate its global client base and the recent surge of new shopping destinations, the Feedonomics team has grown by more than 250% since January 2020. It now includes 400-plus members spread across six continents, allowing the company to provide 24/7 support for enterprise brands located around the world.
With its leading data feed management platform, Feedonomics helps brands and retailers optimize and list their product catalogs on hundreds of ecommerce shopping destinations around the world. Feedonomics offers full-service solutions for advertising channels and marketplaces that include dedicated, 24/7 support from a team of feed specialists. We support thousands of active clients, have integrations with the top ecommerce platforms, and maintain partnerships with industry leaders like Amazon, Facebook, Walmart, and Target. To learn more, visit www.feedonomics.com.
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SOURCE Feedonomics
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- Google, JP Morgan Chase, and law firms including Skadden and Davis Polk & Wardwell are among the companies that have made clear to employees that a return-to-office mandate isn't optional employee policy.
- This marks a shift from the incentive culture that many employers have been using to lure workers back to the office post-pandemic, but hasn't necessarily been successful in prodding workers to fully comply with in-office mandates.
- It's not clear if layoffs and hiring slowdowns are behind more forceful RTO messaging, and there are risks for bosses in a still very tight labor market.
Some companies are taking a harder line when it comes to return-to-work, telling employees that failure to comply could impact bonuses, work assignments or other performance measures.
In the knowledge worker world, Google, JP Morgan Chase, and law firms including Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, and Davis Polk & Wardwell, are among the companies that have made clear to employees that a return-to-office mandate is — as the word intends — not an optional measure, and in some cases, there will be consequences for non-adherence to the policies.
This marks a shift from the incentive culture that many companies have been using to lure workers back to the office post-pandemic. Many of the carrots they've been dangling, including free food, happy hours and group-bonding activities, haven't necessarily been successful in prodding workers to fully compile with in-office mandates. And even when there's not a widespread flouting of the return-to-work policy, companies have been more inclined to make their expectations crystal clear, amid layoffs and hiring slowdowns.
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Human resources experts have warned employers over the past few years that firm-wide mandates come with the risk of losing top talent along with employees that firms might be comfortable with letting go. But with the job-hopping that has taken place during the pandemic years slowing — and in particular signs that "The Great Resignation" is over — employers may see a chance to get the office back closer to what it once was.
"Organizations are viewing this as an opportunity to put in some more punitive measures that they probably wanted to do earlier, but were hesitant to do because they didn't want to risk losing employees," said Bradford S. Bell, The William J. Conaty Professor in Strategic Human Resources and Director of the Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies at Cornell University's ILR School.
Money Report
If employers are feeling a little bolder about the balance of power between management and labor, here are ways management professionals say companies should approach these decisions.
The in-office tide may shift more easily for some workers
Companies may be buoyed by the growing recognition that not everyone wants to work from home or enjoys doing so. The desire to be in the office could be even more true for new entrants to the workforce. Notably, a March survey by recruiting firm LaSalle Network showed that of the more than 2,500 soon-to-be college graduates polled, only 4% wanted full-time remote work. By contrast, a whopping 87% said they'd prefer a hybrid schedule.
But workforce demographics vary widely when it comes to the benefits, and the desire, to return to the office. Sallie Krawcheck, the former Citi CFO and head of global wealth management at Bank of America, recently told CNBC that the CEOs who want to "get back to the way it was" are ignoring a big problem: the work environment that existed pre-pandemic "worked for white men, not everyone, and certainly not women and under-represented groups," she said.
Companies need to look closely at performance data
When making decisions to enforce an in-office policy, companies should consider whether there is a measurable benefit to doing so; they shouldn't just assume that because someone is at her desk, she is more productive than she would be at home, said Lynne C. Vincent, associate professor of management at the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University.
Ideally, companies should track productivity over several months. "They should be data-driven decisions because otherwise you could be losing valuable talent if you are implementing policies that don't support productivity and don't support your culture," Vincent said.
Consider the cultural implications
Companies also need to consider why being in the office is so important such that punitive measures for non-compliance may be in order. Highly innovative companies, for example, might feel a compelling desire to have employees in the office three days a week for collaboration and connection purposes.
That's some of the impetus behind Google's decision to tell staffers that managers could take long-term non-compliance patterns into account when assessing their performance. Additionally, remote-only options will be limited going forward, according to the company's new policy. Employees who work from the office at least three times a week report feeling more connected to their colleagues, a company spokesman said.
Help employees understand specific 'whys'
Employees may not feel as compelled to be in the office if they don't understand what the company expects to gain by having them there, said Jenny von Podewils, co-founder and co-CEO of Leapsome, a platform that seeks to improve employee performance and satisfaction.
Managers should offer specific reasons why being in the office is critical to its operations. This could mean, for instance, spelling out to the sales team that Mondays and Wednesdays are in-office days because that's when the bulk of customer interactions happen, and making clear to engineering that Thursdays are in-office days because that's when code reviews happen.
"A lot of the policies I've seen are very general, so they don't get the specific buy-in because people don't see why it's relevant to them," Podewils said.
Leave room for exceptions
Companies need to offer some flexibility, unless they want to risk losing workers or experience more quiet quitting, management professionals said.
There may be legitimate reasons certain employees may not be able to meet their in-office expectations, said Rubab Jafry O'Connor, distinguished service professor of management at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business.
Companies should seek to understand what issues may be preventing them from compliance and whether they are legitimate considerations. Is there a health issue, for example, or a child-care issue? Is the issue temporary and can the company do something to help?
Try to build in flexibility in other ways
To ease the rigidity of in-person mandates, companies may be able to offer flexibility in other ways. Options could include flextime, offering more vacation or personal days, creating a bank of days employees can use to work remotely and increasing the number of company-wide remote days.
Law firm Davis Polk, for example, is offering employees the option to work 16 days remotely each year. Between Sept. 5 and the remainder of this calendar year, employees are entitled to choose five days to be remote.
This comes as the company will start mandating employees be in the office four days a week, up from three days, after Labor Day. The company has also told its workers that not complying with its in-office mandate could negatively impact their performance and bonuses.
"The key driver behind our in-office attendance philosophy is a desire to provide all members of our community with best-in-class professional development opportunities, including mentorship, training and the opportunity to create more meaningful relationships with others at the Firm," managing partner, Neil Barr, wrote in the memo.
Be willing to lose employees
Companies that take hardline measures need to be willing to lose employees over this decision, management professionals say.
"The person and the organization have to fit together," Vincent said. "When that happens, it's productive and helpful. If it's not happening, maybe moving on is the right step."
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“Commitment,” by Mona Simpson (Alfred A. Knopf)
At the center of the novel is Diane Aziz, a single mother struggling to raise three kids on a nurse’s salary in Los Angeles in the 1970s. She has lied to get them into an exclusive public high school in the Pacific Palisades, and it has paid off big for her two older children, Walter and Lina.
When the novel begins, it is 1972, and Walter has just enrolled at UC-Berkeley. Soon after that, Diane spirals into a deep depression and is admitted to a state mental hospital. At that point, her best friend, Julie, a colleague at work, steps up to take care of Lina and younger brother Donnie.
Lina, who is still in high school, works at an ice cream parlor to help pay the bills and dreams of going to college “back east” with her swanky girlfriends. Donnie, a charmer who lacks the academic skills of his older siblings, falls into an aimless life of computers, comic books and hanging out on the beach, where he eventually develops an addiction to drugs.
Throughout the novel, Simpson excavates the multiple meanings of the word “commitment,” seemingly daring us to consider whether the state-run institutions of the past were in some ways more humane than the community-based treatment that was meant to succeed them. She also reflects on the ordinary meanings of the word, including the commitments we make to our friends, families, employers and selves.
Simpson, who was born in 1957, grew up in LA and went to Berkeley. California is her territory, and the events of this novel take place during the formative years of her life. She captures time and place with uncanny precision and the compression of language characteristic of a poet.
So, it seems entirely fitting that the novel begins with a heart-wrenching lyric of the Beatles — “Once there was a way to get back home” — and ends with a haiku by the 17th century poet Basho: “An autumn night — don’t think your life didn’t matter.” “Commitment” makes the case in a quiet but insistent voice that our lives do matter, even if other people think they are broken.
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2023-03-20 16:13:21
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NEW YORK (AP) — Salman Rushdie’s agent says the author has lost sight in one eye and the use of a hand as he recovers from an attack from a man who rushed the stage at an August literary event in western New York, according to a published report.
Literary agent Andrew Wylie told the Spanish language newspaper El Pais in an article published Saturday that Rushdie suffered three serious wounds to his neck and 15 more wounds to his chest and torso in the attack that took away sight in an eye and left a hand incapacitated.
Rushdie, 75, spent years in hiding after Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a 1989 edict, a fatwa, calling for his death after publication of his novel “The Satanic Verses,” which some Muslims consider blasphemous. Over the past two decades, Rushdie has traveled freely.
Hadi Matar, 24, of Fairview, New Jersey, has been incarcerated after pleading not guilty to attempted murder and assault in the Aug. 12 attack on Rushdie as he was being introduced at the Chautauqua Institution, a rurally located center 55 miles (89 kilometers) southwest of Buffalo that is known for its summertime lecture series.
After the attack, Rushdie was treated at a Pennsylvania hospital, where he was briefly put on a ventilator to recover from what Wylie told El Pais was a “brutal attack” that cut nerves to one arm.
Wylie told the newspaper he could not say whether Rushdie remained in a hospital or discuss his whereabouts.
“He’s going to live … That’s the important thing,” Wylie said.
The attack was along the lines of what Rushie and his agent have thought was the “principal danger … a random person coming out of nowhere and attacking,” Wylie told El Pais.
“So you can’t protect against it because it’s totally unexpected and illogical,” he said.
Wylie told the newspaper it was like Beatles member John Lennon’s murder. Lennon was shot to death by Mark David Chapman outside his Manhattan apartment building Dec. 8, 1980, hours after the singer had signed an autograph for Chapman.
In a jailhouse interview with The New York Post, Matar said he disliked Rushdie and praised Khomeini. Iran has denied involvement in the attack.
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An earlier version of this report had an incorrect spelling of Salman Rushdie’s first name.
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Melinda Dillon, the two-time Academy Award nominee who starred in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and "A Christmas Story," died on Jan. 9. She was 83.
The actress' obituary noted that "fond memories and expressions of sympathy" for the Dillon family could be shared on the website for the Neptune Society's Long Beach location.
A representative for the Dillon family did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Dillon earned a best supporting actress Oscar nomination for her role in Steven Spielberg's classic 1977 science fiction film "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." She played Jillian Guiler, a single mother who desperately searched for her son after he was abducted by aliens.
'A CHRISTMAS STORY' SEQUEL IS ON THE HORIZON WITH PETER BILLINGSLEY RETURNING AS RALPHIE
"Melinda was generous of spirit and lent such kindness to the character she played in ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’… We will all miss her," Spielberg said in a statement to Variety.
The Arkansas native also received a best supporting actress Oscar nomination for playing Teresa Perrone in Sydney Pollack's 1981 neo-noir thriller "Absence of Malice." Her character Teresa Perrone, a lifelong friend of lead Michael Gallagher (Paul Newman), becomes distraught after her abortion is revealed in a newspaper.
Dillon was nominated for the New Star of the Year award at the Golden Globes after making her acting debut in Hal Asby's 1976 film "Bound for Glory."
In one of her most well-known roles, Dillon played Ralphie's mother Mrs. Parker in the beloved 1983 classic holiday movie, "A Christmas Story."
When it debuted in 1983, the film only earned $20 million at the box office, and was neither a runaway hit or total flop. But repeat showings on cable over the past 40 years have turned "A Christmas Story" into a holiday staple, making seeing the cast, including Dillon, a holiday tradition.
RICHARD DREYFUSS SAYS HE WOULDN’T CHANGE THE ENDING TO ‘CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND’: ‘UNACCEPTABLE’
Peter Billingsley, who played Ralphie in the film produced and starred in the 2022 sequel, "A Christmas Story Christmas" on HBO Max, spoke with Steve Doocy on "Fox & Friends" about the original’s longevity, saying it’s "like comfort food for us. We just relate and we love them. So, it’s just nice."
Dillon also starred in "Slap Shot," "Harry and the Hendersons," "Captain America," "Nightbreaker," "The Prince of Tides" and "Magnolia,"
Her television credits include roles in "The Twilight Zone," "CHiPS," "Tracey Takes On…,""Judging Amy," "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" and "Heartland."
Dillon started her career as an improvisational comedian and stage actress. She starred as Honey in the original 1962 Broadway production of Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf," earning a Tony Award nomination for best performance by a featured Actress in a play.
After news of Dillon's passing broke, celebrities took to social media to pay tribute to the late actress.
"Melinda Dillon was such a great actress, with a wonderful delicacy about her. She was a delight to direct in Prince of Tides. May she rest in peace," Barbra Streisand tweeted.
"So very, very sad to hear of the passing of Melinda Dillon," Lou Diamond Phillips wrote.
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He continued, "She played my adopted mother in Sioux City, my second directorial effort. What a Light and a Blessing. So effortless in her work that it was easy to overlook how brilliant she was. I feel so lucky to have known her. RIP."
"Melinda Dillon’s work had such a profound effect on me," Jon Cryer tweeted. "Every moment of her performance in Close Encounters was perfection. I’m so grateful she decided to give her artistry to the world."
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2023-02-05 11:17:00
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Champion runner Caster Semenya won a potentially landmark legal decision for sports on Tuesday when the European Court of Human Rights decided she was discriminated against by rules in track and field that force her to medically reduce her natural hormone levels to compete in major competitions.
But the two-time Olympic champion’s success after her two failed appeals in sports’ highest court in 2019 and the Swiss supreme court in 2020 came with a major caveat. The ruling didn’t strike down the rules and the world track and field body said soon after it was released that the contentious testosterone regulations would “remain in place.”
While the 32-year-old Semenya is fighting to be allowed to run again without restrictions, that might still take years, if it happens at all. It’s unlikely she’d be able to go for another gold in the 800 meters at next year’s Olympics in Paris. Next month’s world championships, where she has won three titles, are almost certainly not an option.
The South African athlete’s legal challenge has taken five years so far and it could take equally as long for the process of rolling back the cases through the different courts.
Tuesday’s ruling, although significant and a victory for Semenya, only opened the way for the Swiss supreme court to reconsider its decision. That might result in the case going back to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne. Only then might the rules enforced by world track body World Athletics be possibly removed.
Still, Semenya’s lawyers said the victory established an important principle.
“Caster has never given up her fight to be allowed to compete and run free,” Semenya’s lawyers said in a statement. “This important personal win for her is also a wider victory for elite athletes around the world. It means that sporting governance bodies around the world must finally recognize that human rights law and norms apply to the athletes they regulate.”
In a 4-3 ruling by a panel of judges, the Strasbourg, France-based human rights court said “serious questions” over the “validity” of the international athletics regulations were “left open” in Semenya’s previous challenge at sports court CAS. In her second appeal, the Swiss supreme court had failed to respond to “serious concerns” of discrimination, the European rights court said.
Semenya has been barred by the rules from running in her favorite 800-meter race since 2019 because she has refused to artificially suppress her testosterone. She has lost four years of her career at her peak.
World Athletics showed no sign of changing its position in the wake of the verdict, saying two hours after it was released that the rules would stay.
“We remain of the view that the … regulations are a necessary, reasonable and proportionate means of protecting fair competition in the female category as the Court of Arbitration for Sport and Swiss Federal Tribunal both found,” World Athletics said.
World Athletics also said it would be “encouraging” the government of Switzerland to appeal. Switzerland was the respondent in the case because Semenya was challenging her last legal loss in the Swiss supreme court. Switzerland’s government has three months to appeal.
The Swiss government was also ordered to pay Semenya 60,000 euros ($66,000) for costs and expenses.
The ruling could ultimately have repercussions for other high-profile Olympic sports like swimming, which also has rules barring female athletes with high natural testosterone. Soccer, the world’s most popular sport, is reviewing its eligibility rules for women and could set limits on testosterone.
While Semenya has been at the center of the highly emotive issue of sex eligibility in sports for nearly 15 years and is the issue’s figurehead, she is not the only runner affected. At least three other Olympic medalists have also been impacted by the rules that set limits on the level of natural testosterone that female athletes may have. World Athletics says there are “a number” of other elite athletes who fall under the regulations.
There are no testosterone limits in place for male athletes.
Semenya’s case is not the same as the debate over transgender women who have transitioned from male to female being allowed to compete in sports, although the two issues do have crossover.
Semenya was identified as female at birth, raised as a girl and has been legally identified as female her entire life. She has one of a number of conditions known as differences in sex development, or DSDs, which cause naturally high testosterone that is in the typical male range.
Semenya says her elevated testosterone should simply be considered a genetic gift, and critics of the rules have compared it to a basketballer’s height or a swimmer’s long arms.
While track authorities can’t challenge Semenya’s legal gender, they say her condition includes her having the typical male XY chromosome pattern and physical traits that make her “biologically male,” an assertion that has enraged Semenya. World Athletics says Semenya’s testosterone levels give her an athletic advantage comparable to a man competing in women’s events and there needs to be rules to address that.
Track has enforced rules since 2019 that require athletes like Semenya to artificially reduce their testosterone to below a specific mark, which is measured through the amount of testosterone recorded in their blood. They can do that by taking daily contraceptive pills, having hormone-blocking injections, or undergoing surgery. If athletes choose one of the first two options, they would effectively need to do it for their entire careers to remain eligible to compete regularly.
Semenya has fought against the regulations and has refused to follow them since 2019, saying they were discriminatory.
The European Court of Human Rights agreed and also said there was a violation of Semenya’s right for her private life to be respected. It also found for Semenya on another point of her appeal, that she hadn’t been given “effective remedy” for her claims of discrimination.
“Serious questions as to the validity” of the testosterone rules had been left unanswered, the rights court said, including over any side effects from the hormone treatment athletes would have to undergo, the difficulties in them remaining within the rules by trying to control their natural hormone levels, and the “lack of evidence” that their high natural testosterone actually gave them an advantage anyway.
That last point struck at the heart of the regulations, which World Athletics has always said is about dealing with the unfair sports advantage it says Semenya has over other women.
Going against the international track body, South Africa’s national track federation said it was “delighted” with Tuesday’s verdict.
The rules have been made stricter since Semenya launched her case at the European rights court and athletes now have to reduce their testosterone level to an even lower mark. The updated regulations also apply to every event and not just Semenya’s favored race range between 400 meters and one mile, which they did previously.
Semenya won gold in the 800 meters at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics but was prevented from defending her title at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 because of the regulations.
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AP Sports Writer Graham Dunbar contributed to this report.
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AP Sports: https://apnews.com/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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On a mission to be carbon neutral by 2050, the open-air outlet leader reached numerous sustainability goals for 2022
GREENSBORO, N.C., Jan. 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In a follow up to its annual ESG report released this past summer, Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. (NYSE: SKT) is excited to announce significant progress towards its environmental and health and safety goals, reinforcing these priorities as key to its business operations, values and culture.
"I am extraordinarily proud that over the last year Tanger reached several important milestones in its sustainability and resiliency journey. Our teams are committed to ensuring that environmental initiatives are embedded across all parts of the business, as we seek to have a positive impact on the health of our planet and communities," said Leslie Swanson, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Tanger. "We have transformed our goals into actions and will continue to innovate and advance towards becoming an industry leader in the space."
In August 2022, Tanger announced its pledge to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and has been making critical gains towards that goal, hitting several climate change and energy and environmental design milestones over the past year to make its centers more sustainable while positively impacting the communities it serves. Tanger also became a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact in 2022, committing to the adoption of sustainable and socially responsible policies, alignment with the Compact's Ten Principles, and reporting on implementation. Furthermore, Tanger progressed its efforts to create a safe and secure environment across its centers and offices through a focus on preventative actions that include policy and standards for relevant procedures, training and assessments.
Climate Change
Throughout 2022 Tanger strategically invested in renewable energy across its footprint. The company procured 6.2 MW of photovoltaic panels for four new solar system installations in 2022 at its centers in Fort Worth, Texas, San Marcos, Texas, Daytona Beach, Fla., and Westgate, Ariz. Once these panels are fully commissioned by mid-February 2023, the company will have doubled its solar infrastructure.
The company also supported its commitment to emissions reductions by adding 165 electric vehicle charging stations during 2022. As these stations are activated by local utility companies, the company will have more than doubled shoppers' access to free EV charging every time they park at a Tanger center. Furthermore, Tanger made progress towards its goal of electrifying 100% of its operational fleet by 2030 with the purchase of over 30 electric cars and golf carts.
In the years ahead, Tanger will continue strategically investing in clean energy in order to decarbonize, reduce costs and increase efficiency.
Energy & Environmental Design
Tanger embeds sustainability in all operations and business decisions to minimize its impact on the existing ecosystem. A prime example of this practice is its attainment of the LEED Gold certification at an additional four centers, pushing over 50% of the company's gross leasable area to this certification. LEED certification demonstrates that Tanger's properties use operational best practices across energy, water, waste and transportation.
In addition, Tanger's Savannah, Ga., Grand Rapids, Mich. and Howell, Mich. centers received USGBC Awards last year. This recognition honors projects, organizations and people who have contributed extraordinarily to achieving healthy, energy-efficient green buildings.
The outlet leader also added three urban beehives to its portfolio at its Pittsburgh, Pa., Locust Grove, Ga., and Westgate, Ariz. centers, bringing the total to nine. These additions extend its partnership with Alvéole, helping provide education and awareness on the significance of honeybees as pollinators in a sustainable environment. Each of the nine centers offers beekeeping workshops for both shoppers and employees as well as provides updates on the hives' activities through regular posts on Alvéole's "MyHive" platform.
Health & Safety
With the communities Tanger serves at the heart of every decision, the company has been working diligently to make its properties safe and resilient. In accordance, in 2022, Tanger achieved the International WELL Building Institute's WELL Health-Safety Rating for Facility Operations and Management in all its United States-based centers.
Building on its progress in 2022 tackling climate change, energy and environmental design, and health and safety initiatives, Tanger will strive to propel its work forward and continue to advance towards its goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050. To learn more about Tanger's ongoing initiatives, visit investors.tangeroutlet.com/corporate-responsibility.
About Tanger Factory Outlet Centers
Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. (NYSE: SKT) is a leading operator of upscale open-air outlet centers that owns (or has an ownership interest in) and/or manages a portfolio of 36 centers with an additional center currently under development. Tanger's operating properties are located in 20 states and in Canada, totaling approximately 13.9 million square feet, leased to over 2,700 stores operated by more than 600 different brand name companies. The Company has more than 42 years of experience in the outlet industry and is a publicly-traded REIT. For more information on Tanger Outlet Centers, call 1-800-4TANGER or visit the Company's website at tangeroutlets.com.
Media Contact
Kasie Wilson
KWT Global
Tanger@kwtglobal.com
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2023-01-30 16:00:35
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CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Allspring Income Opportunities Fund (NYSE American: EAD), the Allspring Multi-Sector Income Fund (NYSE American: ERC), and the Allspring Utilities and High Income Fund (NYSE American: ERH) have each announced a distribution.
The following dates apply to today's distribution declaration for each fund:
These funds make distributions in accordance with a managed distribution plan that provides for the declaration of monthly distributions to common shareholders of the fund at an annual minimum fixed rate of 7% for the Allspring Utilities and High Income Fund, 8% for the Allspring Income Opportunities Fund, and 8% for the Allspring Multi-Sector Income Fund based on the fund's average monthly net asset value (NAV) per share over the prior 12 months. Under the managed distribution plan, distributions are sourced from income and also may be sourced from paid-in capital and/or capital gains. The fund's distributions in any period may be more or less than the net return earned by the fund on its investments and therefore should not be used as a measure of performance or confused with yield or income. Distributions in excess of fund returns will cause the fund's NAV to decline. Investors should not draw any conclusions about the fund's investment performance from the amount of its distribution or from the terms of its managed distribution plan.
The Allspring Income Opportunities Fund is a closed-end high-yield bond fund. The fund's investment objective is to seek a high level of current income. The fund may, as a secondary objective, seek capital appreciation to the extent it is consistent with its investment objective.
The Allspring Multi-Sector Income Fund is a closed-end income fund. The fund's investment objective is to seek a high level of current income consistent with limiting its overall exposure to domestic interest rate risk.
The Allspring Utilities and High Income Fund is a closed-end equity and high-yield bond fund. The fund's investment objective is to seek a high level of current income and moderate capital growth with an emphasis on providing tax-advantaged dividend income.
The final determination of the source of all dividend distributions in the current year will be made after year-end. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax-reporting purposes will depend upon a fund's investment experience during the remainder of the fiscal year and may be subject to change based on tax regulations. Each fund will send shareholders a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell shareholders how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes.
For more information on Allspring's closed-end funds, please visit www.allspringglobal.com.
These closed-end funds are no longer available in public offerings and are only offered through broker-dealers on the secondary market. A closed-end fund is not required to buy its shares back from investors upon request. Shares of a fund may trade at either a premium or discount relative to the fund's net asset value, and there can be no assurance that any discount will decrease. The values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by a fund may decline due to general market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities.
Equity securities fluctuate in value in response to factors specific to the issuer of the security. Debt securities are subject to credit risk and interest rate risk, and high-yield securities and unrated securities of similar credit quality have a much greater risk of default and their values tend to be more volatile than higher-rated securities with similar maturities. Foreign investments may contain more risk due to the inherent risks associated with changing political climates, foreign market instability, and foreign currency fluctuations. Risks of international investing are magnified in emerging or developing markets. Funds that concentrate their investments in a single industry or sector may face increased risk of price fluctuation over more diversified funds due to adverse developments within that industry or sector. Small- and mid-cap securities may be subject to special risks associated with narrower product lines and limited financial resources compared with their large-cap counterparts. Each fund is leveraged through a revolving credit facility and also may incur leverage by issuing preferred shares in the future.
The use of leverage results in certain risks, including, among others, the likelihood of greater volatility of the net asset value and the market price of common shares. Derivatives involve additional risks, including interest rate risk, credit risk, the risk of improper valuation, and the risk of noncorrelation to the relevant instruments they are designed to hedge or closely track. There are numerous risks associated with transactions in options on securities.
Allspring Global Investments™ is the trade name for the asset management firms of Allspring Global Investments Holdings, LLC, a holding company indirectly owned by certain private funds of GTCR LLC and Reverence Capital Partners, L.P. These firms include but are not limited to Allspring Global Investments, LLC, and Allspring Funds Management, LLC. Certain products managed by Allspring entities are distributed by Allspring Funds Distributor, LLC (a broker-dealer and Member FINRA/SIPC). Associated with Allspring is Galliard Capital Management, LLC (an investment advisor that is not part of the Allspring trade name/GIPS firm).
This material is for general informational and educational purposes only and is NOT intended to provide investment advice or a recommendation of any kind—including a recommendation for any specific investment, strategy, or plan.
Some of the information contained herein may include forward-looking statements about the expected investment activities of the funds. These statements provide no assurance as to the funds' actual investment activities or results. Readers must make their own assessment of the information contained herein and consider such other factors as they may deem relevant to their individual circumstances.
PAR-1022-00390
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Proven Cannabis Executive, with Experience at The Brookings Institution and Bain & Company, to Lead Halo's Streamlined and Retail-Focused Strategy to Drive Near-Term Profitability
Cassidy McCord Named to Halo Board of Directors
TORONTO, July 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Halo Collective Inc. ("Halo" or the "Company") (NEO: HALO) (OTCQX: HCANF) (Germany: A9KN) today promoted Katharyn ("Katie") Field, Halo's President, to the position of Chief Executive Officer. Ms. Field, a proven cannabis industry professional with significant management expertise, succeeds Kiran Sidhu, who resigned as Chief Executive Officer and as a director on the Company's Board of Directors (the "Board"), with immediate effect. Halo has also appointed experienced cannabis professional Cassidy McCord as a director on the Board.
"The Board believes the time is right for not only a change in leadership, but a change in strategy, and Katie has the right experience and capabilities to leverage the Company's valuable assets to create tangible and sustainable shareholder value," commented Ryan Kunkel, Chair of the Board. "We have proven our ability to generate profits in California and are successfully launching our Los Angeles retail strategy. Our focus now is to build on this success, de-emphasizing initiatives in less attractive markets and more effectively harnessing the capabilities we have developed to achieve profitability. We thank Kiran for his contributions and wish him well in his future endeavors."
Ms. Field takes the helm at Halo with nearly a decade of direct cannabis experience spanning all facets of the business, including strategy, retail, corporate development, business development, HR & organization, legal & regulatory, and investor relations. She has been a key member of the Halo executive team since joining the company in April 2019, serving initially as Chief Strategy Officer, President since February 2020, and Board member since July 2021. She first entered the cannabis industry in 2014 at Costa Farms, where she led the procurement, build-out, and sale of one of five original vertically integrated companies in Florida; and subsequently operated a strategy consulting practice focused on cannabis and also worked at MariMed as EVP of Corporate Development. Ms. Field's resume includes positions at The Brookings Institution and Bain & Company. She holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a BA with honors from Stanford University.
"Halo is very well-positioned in the US West Coast cannabis space with a strong consumer brand portfolio and a loyal customer base. In particular, we have developed a valuable portfolio of California assets including wholesale and white label manufacturing as well as retail assets in Los Angeles," added Ms. Field. "My initial focus will be on streamlining the organization to establish a rationalized, focused business comprised of assets that create the most value and hold the most promise. While sales are down in California year over year, our business is up. Furthermore, our manufacturing business is profitable, and the Budega stores are trending well. I'm confident that by prioritizing near-term profitability and bolstering our growing retail presence, Halo will be able to scale from a position of strength, which is the best path to generate shareholder value."
Mr. Sidhu's departure was the result of a mutual agreement between the Board of Halo and Mr. Sidhu, reflecting the Board's view that the Company and Akanda (NASDAQ: AKAN), of which Halo owns approximately 40%, needs to prioritize near-term profitability.
Cassidy McCord has been appointed to the Board as a non-executive director. Ms. McCord is a seasoned capital markets professional and businesswoman who has amassed a multitude of operational and capital markets experience throughout her career. Ms. McCord has extensive experience and a valuable network, primarily in the cannabis sector. She has invaluable experience in working for a Canadian licensed cannabis producer in addition to operational and management experience at a Canadian cannabis clinic. She has been instrumental in developing and succeeding various start-up companies and restructuring pre-existing operational companies, with specialties including corporation reorganization, business development, retail, and sales. She most recently managed and held C-level positions for several public entities that are leaders in the plant-based industry. Ms. McCord has held progressively senior roles throughout her career and has held multiple board positions for public companies in the cannabis, food, and mining sectors.
Mr. Sidhu will provide consulting services to the Company for six months to facilitate a smooth leadership transition.
Halo is a multi-national incubation company with assets and operations centered in both THC and non-THC sectors. For the THC sector, Halo is focused on the West Coast of the United States where it has vertically integrated operations covering the entire value chain from seed to sale. Halo cultivates, extracts, manufactures, and distributes quality cannabis flower, pre-rolls, vape carts, edibles, and concentrates. Halo sells these products under a portfolio of brands including Hush™, Winberry Farms™, Williams Wonder Farms, its retail brand Budega™, and under license agreements with Papa's Herb®, DNA Genetics, and FlowerShop*. Halo has opened a dispensary in Los Angeles under the Budega™ brand in North Hollywood and plans to open two more in Hollywood, and Westwood in the second quarter of 2022. Halo also operates three Kushbar retail cannabis stores located in Alberta, Canada.
In the non-THC sector, Halo is expanding into health and wellness categories including CBD and functional supplements such as nootropic nutraceuticals and non-psychotropic mushrooms. Halo, through a series of acquisitions, has product offerings in the form of beverages (H2C Beverages), dissolvable strips (Dissolve Medical), capsules (Hushrooms™), and topical supplements (Hatshe) with proposed national distribution via a strategic agreement with SWAY Energy Corporation. Halo has entered a letter of intent to acquire Phytocann Holdings, one of Europe's leading wellness CBD consumer packaged goods companies with a portfolio of value and premium brands including Ivory, Harvest Laboratoires, Easy Weed, Kanolia, Herboristerie Alexandra, Buddies and Ghosty Buds.
As an incubator, Halo has successfully acquired and integrated a variety of companies which were subsequently reorganized to create Akanda Corp. (NASDAQ: AKAN), an international medical cannabis and wellness company, of which Halo currently owns approximately 40% of the common shares. Halo has also acquired a range of software development assets, including CannPOS, Cannalift, CannaFeels, and a discrete sublingual dosing technology, Accudab. Halo intends to reorganize these entities (including their intellectual property and patent applications) into a subsidiary called Halo Tek Inc., and to complete a distribution of the shares of Halo Tek Inc. to shareholders on record, at a date to be determined.
For further information regarding Halo, see Halo's disclosure documents on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
Connect with Halo Collective: Email | Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
This press release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and may also contain statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only Halo's beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of Halo's control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved". Forward-looking information may relate to anticipated events or results including, but not limited to the management's plans regarding its portfolio of cannabis businesses, the expected contribution from the Company's California dispensaries and the expected opening date thereof, the time and place for the Company's earnings call, the expected size and capabilities of the final facility planned at Ukiah Ventures, the size of Halo's planned cultivation facility in Northern California and the proposed spin-off by Halo Tek Inc.
By identifying such information and statements in this manner, Halo is alerting the reader that such information and statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such information and statements. In addition, in connection with the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release, Halo has made certain assumptions. Although Halo believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. Among others, the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information and statements are the following: inability of management to successfully integrate the operations of acquired businesses, changes in the consumer market for cannabis products, changes in the expected outcomes of the proposed changes to Halo's operations, delays in obtaining required licenses or approvals necessary for the build-out of the Company's cannabis operations, dispensaries or Canadian operations, the proposed spin-out with Halo Tek Inc., delays or unforeseen costs incurred in connection with construction, the ability of competitors to scale operations in Northern California, delays or unforeseen difficulties in connection with the cultivation and harvest of Halo's raw material, changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets; and the other risks disclosed in the Company's annual information form dated March 31, 2022 and other disclosure documents available on the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. Should one or more of these risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information or statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.
The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and Halo does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking information and statements attributable to Halo or persons acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
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2022-07-01 20:36:49
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AUSTIN — Brock Cunningham zigzagged across the court, a familiar look of urgency painting his stubbled face late in the first half of Tuesday night’s game against Oklahoma State.
The fifth-year forward deflected a pass near halfcourt, nearly stumbled tracking it down, regained his balance, sprinted out to the opposite corner and blocked a 3-pointer that would have cut the Longhorns’ lead to three. The crowd fizzed as the ball (and Cunningham) sailed into the sideline spectators.
Texas converted that rejection and ensuing inbounds steal into three points just before halftime, a huge swing against an Oklahoma State team that swaggered into the Moody Center with two straight wins and eyes on a third. Cunningham and Co. denied the Cowboys that satisfaction with those types of hustle plays all night, lifting No. 10 Texas to an 89-75 win in front of 10,763 fans.
The win moved Texas into a three-way tie for first place atop the Big 12 standings. No. 12 Iowa State downed No. 5 Kansas State late Tuesday night, leaving those three teams with identical 6-2 records with 10 conference games remaining.
“Credit to Texas. Thought they were the aggressor from the start of the game,” Oklahoma State coach Mike Boynton said. “We just didn’t have the resistance on any part of the floor, really. We just weren’t good enough on the road to get the job done.”
Oklahoma State was without the services of 7-foot-1 center Moussa Cissé (ankle), the Big 12’s leading rebounder and shot blocker. Texas took advantage.
The Longhorns, who improved to 17-3 overall, scored their first six points off three offensive rebounds and contested putbacks from fifth-year forward Dylan Disu and freshman forward Dillon Mitchell. Fifth-year backup big Christian Bishop scrapped for a couple early buckets inside as Texas built a 17-6 lead.
Oklahoma State (11-9, 3-5 Big 12) spent the rest of the first half chipping away. It attacked the cracks in Texas’ pick-and-roll defense with senior forward Kaleb Boone (18 points), who slipped free for a layup and dunk on consecutive possessions to narrow the deficit.
The Cowboys had the court tilted until Cunningham ran a 5K to block the corner 3 junior guard Bryce Thompson thought he had all night to line up and fire.
“We needed to close the half out the right way,” said UT interim head coach Rodney Terry, who’s now 10-2 in the role. “We got consecutive stops, three in a row. So we needed to win it on the defensive end, and we needed to try to come down and earn baskets the right way to close out that half.”
Texas grew its lead from eight to 13 in the first 40 seconds of the second half. Oklahoma State cut it down to six with 13:29 remaining, but it couldn't string together enough stops or generate enough offense to come any closer.
While Disu played an excellent all-around game with 12 points, eight rebounds, three steals and two blocks, Terry found some magic with an ultra small-ball lineup featuring 6-6 Cunningham at center and 6-6 super senior Timmy Allen (17 points) at the four with graduate guard Marcus Carr (21 points), graduate guard Jabari Rice and sophomore guard Tyrese Hunter in the backcourt.
Terry rolled with that plucky quintet for nearly five straight minutes. Not only did they maintain the lead, they expanded it from nine to 14 by the time Cunningham finally checked out to a rousing ovation with 2:18 remaining.
That group played well off one another, speedy and harmonious on offense, fierce and physical on defense. Forget the height discrepancy; Texas outrebounded Oklahoma State by 14 overall and three on the offensive glass.
And Cunningham was superb, playing his physical brand of defense, boxing out and stretching the floor with a refined shooting stroke. He finished with a career-high 15 points while hitting all three of his 3-point attempts and added five rebounds, one block and one steal in 24 minutes.
“It’s huge for our team to have a guy who can stretch the floor from the perimeter in the big spot,” Terry said of Cunningham. “We play a lot of teams that switch at times or try to trap Marcus really hard. To have a guy you can throw the ball back to and he can make a 3, that’s huge for us.”
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Montana State Bobcats (17-8, 10-2 Big Sky) at Weber State Wildcats (12-12, 7-4 Big Sky)
The Wildcats are 6-2 on their home court. Weber State is 6-9 in games decided by at least 10 points.
The Bobcats are 10-2 in Big Sky play. Montana State ranks third in the Big Sky with 23.3 defensive rebounds per game led by Jubrile Belo averaging 4.0.
TOP PERFORMERS: Dillon Jones is averaging 15.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.5 steals for the Wildcats. Steven Verplancken Jr. is averaging 12.6 points over the last 10 games for Weber State.
Raequan Battle is shooting 47.9% and averaging 17.2 points for the Bobcats. Tyler Patterson is averaging 1.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games for Montana State.
LAST 10 GAMES: Wildcats: 6-4, averaging 64.8 points, 29.0 rebounds, 10.2 assists, 6.3 steals and 0.9 blocks per game while shooting 45.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 66.6 points per game.
Bobcats: 9-1, averaging 72.2 points, 27.8 rebounds, 11.5 assists, 6.4 steals and 3.1 blocks per game while shooting 47.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 62.9 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/montana-state-bobcats-take-on-the-weber-state-wildcats-aim-for-6th-straight-win/2023/02/09/5fd405ba-a856-11ed-b2a3-edb05ee0e313_story.html
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Prosecutors rested their case Thursday against two men charged with conspiring to kidnap Michigan’s governor, shortly after an FBI agent who was working undercover in 2020 told jurors how a bridge played a role in the scheme.
Timothy Bates, who was known as “Red,” said he participated in a night ride to Elk Rapids, Michigan, and encouraged Adam Fox to take a picture of the bridge near Gretchen Whitmer’s vacation home when they got out of a pickup truck.
The government says blowing up the bridge as well as utility poles was part of Fox’s plan to get her at another time.
“They wanted to slow down law enforcement response,” Bates testified. “The vacation home of the governor and where that kidnapping was going to take place, or allegedly taking place, was north of the city.”
No kidnapping occurred. About a month later, Fox, Barry Croft Jr. and four others were arrested and accused of being domestic terrorists.
Fox and Croft are on trial for a second time on conspiracy charges. A jury in April couldn’t reach a unanimous verdict but acquitted two other men.
Bates said he posed as someone who could get explosives. By fall 2020, he said there was talk in the group about buying bomb components, and the FBI wanted to stay on top of it. Another agent as well as informants already were inside the group.
Bates said Fox also talked about destroying a second bridge in the Elk Rapids area, though the government didn’t offer evidence of it on secretly recorded conversations. Defense attorneys pounced.
“You were wearing a recorder the entire trip, correct? And the recorder functioned, true?” Fox lawyer Christopher Gibbons asked.
“I can’t speak to how all of them functioned,” Bates said, “but I believe a recorder was on the entire time.”
The defense argues that Fox and Croft were entrapped by government operatives who fed their wild views. Prosecutors say the group wanted to trigger a national revolt and was especially furious over COVID-19 restrictions imposed by Whitmer during the early stages of the pandemic.
Bates said the group talked about raising $4,000 for explosives to attack the bridge but no money was paid.
“No one shook your hand on this deal, correct?” Gibbons asked.
“No one shook my hand,” Bates said.
Croft, 46, is from Bear, Delaware. Fox, 39, was living in the basement of a vacuum shop in the Grand Rapids area.
Croft attorney Joshua Blanchard presented two witnesses before testimony ended for the day. He tried to soften the government’s portrayal of a training session in Cambria, Wisconsin, in July 2020, where a “shoot house” was constructed by FBI informant Steve Robeson.
Colleen Kuester of Baraboo, Wisconsin, recalled how Robeson pitched the event to her as a “family fun” day with a picnic and target shooting, something that appealed to her teen son.
But Assistant U.S. Attorney Nils Kessler played a recording of Croft telling his daughter to stay away while he was making an explosive. Kuester said it was possible she didn’t know all that was going on that day.
Whitmer, a Democrat, has blamed then-President Donald Trump for stoking mistrust and fomenting anger over coronavirus restrictions and refusing to condemn hate groups and right-wing extremists like those charged in the plot.
Trump recently called the kidnapping plan a “fake deal.”
___
Find the AP’s full coverage of the kidnapping plot trial: https://apnews.com/hub/whitmer-kidnap-plot-trial
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Twitter glitches as links, images fail to load
Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Twitter experienced a bevy of glitches for over an hour Monday as links stopped working, some users were unable to log in and images were not loading for others.
The company, which has experienced an uptick of instability and bugs in recent months after Elon Musk cut its staff sharply, said “Some parts of Twitter may not be working as expected right now. We made an internal change that had some unintended consequences.”
Trying to visit Twitter’s help page Monday led to an error message that says “Your current API plan does not include access to this endpoint” and displays a link to a software developer page that also doesn’t work.
Musk tweeted Monday: “This platform is so brittle (sigh). Will be fixed shortly.”
The company tweeted shortly after 10 a.m. Pacific time on Monday that it had addressed the issue.
According to Downdetector, users began reporting the outages shortly before noon U.S. Eastern time. Internet access watchdog NetBlocks said “Twitter is currently experiencing international slowdowns and outages affecting many users,” and noted that it was also affecting image and video content. Some users were not able to see the images that other users were posting.
Twitter engineers and experts have warned that the platform is at an increased risk of fraying since Musk fired most of the people who worked on keeping it running. Last month, a bug left users unable to send tweets.
In November, engineers who left Twitter described for The Associated Press why they expect a bumpy road for Twitter’s more than 230 million users now that well over two-thirds of the San Francisco company’s pre-Musk core services engineers are gone.
While they don’t anticipate near-term collapse, the engineers said Twitter could become very rough at the edges — especially if Musk makes major changes without much off-platform testing.
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2023-03-06 18:49:01
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NEW YORK, Nov. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues its investigation of potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of Cavco Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ: CVCO) resulting from allegations that Cavco may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public.
SO WHAT: If you purchased Cavco securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses.
WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=7555 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.
WHAT IS THIS ABOUT: On November 8, 2018, Cavco revealed in an SEC filing that it had "received a subpoena from the SEC's Division of Enforcement requesting certain documents relating to, among other items, trading in the stock of another public company." On this news, Cavco share price fell $49.48 per share, or over 23%, to close at $165.20 per share on November 9, 2018.
On February 4, 2019, Cavco revealed that it had received requests for additional documents. Cavco further disclosed that it spent, and expected to spend, millions of dollars on legal and insurance expenses in relation to the SEC's subpoenas and Cavco's independent investigation into the matter. On this news, Cavco's share price fell $26.92 per share, or about 16.7%, to close at $134.37 per share on February 5, 2019.
On September 2, 2021, the SEC filed a complaint against Cavco, former CEO Joseph Stegmayer, and former CFO and Chief Compliance Officer Daniel Urness. The SEC complaint alleged that Stegmayer and Urness caused Cavco to purchase shares of publicly traded companies on material non-public information. On this news, Cavco's share price fell $6.59 per share, or about 2.5%, to close at $252.48 per share on September 3, 2021.
WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.
Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Contact Information:
Laurence Rosen, Esq.
Phillip Kim, Esq.
The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-1060
Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
Fax: (212) 202-3827
lrosen@rosenlegal.com
pkim@rosenlegal.com
cases@rosenlegal.com
www.rosenlegal.com
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Andre Blount has been serving food to dignitaries at World Bank headquarters for nearly 10 years and says he has gotten exactly one raise -- for 50 cents.
This week, as leaders from around the world are in D.C for the spring meeting of the poverty-fighting organization, Blount and his coworkers are trying to bring attention to what they see as a galling situation:
The workers who put food on the table for an organization whose mission is to fight poverty are themselves struggling to get by. Union leaders say a quarter of the World Bank food workers employed as a contract laborers through Compass Group North America receive public benefits, like SNAP, or food stamps, just to make ends meet.
“It’s sickening,” Blount, 33, said as he joined red-shirted union members this week on a picket line outside the development bank on a hot afternoon. “They go around the world looking for how to help people, but you have hundreds of employees in D.C. who are struggling.”
Inside, meanwhile, suited-up professionals were striding through a lobby where “End Poverty” T-shirts and tote bags are for sale.
The building’s expansive cafeteria overlooks an indoor pond and caters to even the most particular palates. There’s a soup station called “Ladle and Crust,” a “Mediterranean Table” station serving hummus and tabouli, and a sushi chef offering made-to-order rolls and sashimi.
A nearby fine dining room for diplomats and special guests of the bank was hosting lunch for delegations from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka.
Many of the food service workers, it turns out, come from countries to which the development bank sends missions.
Blount, after a decade on the job, says he’s paid $18 an hour, above D.C.‘s minimum wage of $16.10. He says feeding some of the world’s most important people in a variety of service and catering roles should pay more than the legal minimum.
Blount, a member of the Unite Here Local 23 chapter, is one of roughly 150 Compass workers employed at the World Bank. They are in the midst of contract negotiations, seeking higher wages and better health care benefits.
World Bank spokesperson David Theis said that while the bank is not a party to talks between the union and Compass Group, the bank’s staff has “deep admiration and respect” for their food service colleagues. He said the bank ensured the workers were paid throughout the pandemic.
While $18 per hour may seem like a lot in some areas, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s “ living wage ” index lists $22.15 per hour for D.C.
Beginning July 1, the minimum wage in D.C. will increase to $17 per hour for all workers, one of the highest minimums in the country. The increase comes as persistent high inflation eats at workers’ paychecks and the median rent in Washington is $2,571, according to Zillow.
“The World Bank says its mission is to promote shared prosperity by increasing the incomes of the poorest 40% of people in every country,” Unite Here President D. Taylor said on a call with reporters.
“We think that first starts in the United States, by compensating food service workers here. They work hard every day yet struggle to pay their bills.”
Compass Group spokesperson Lisa Claybon said the firm was bargaining in good faith and eager to reach a fair agreement. She added that the company has “long history” of working to “do what's best for our employees and clients.”
The current negotiations also cover Compass workers who serve food at the Smithsonian, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the National Institutes of Health.
Alex Campbell, director of the International Trade Union Confederation’s D.C. office, said workers around the globe "are suffering from a cost-of-living crisis that they didn’t cause.”
“To end poverty and promote shared prosperity in this turbulent moment, workers everywhere need decent living standards, basic rights on the job, and collective bargaining,” Campbell said. “That’s true from Compass employees here in D.C. to workers on projects funded by the World Bank Group anywhere in the world.”
Blount said he simply believes that his job should pay him what he’s worth. He added, “If I were to get a raise from Compass Group, it will help with saving up emergency funds, paying my bills on time instead of being late.”
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2023-04-14 04:41:13
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- Earns designation for investments in substantive programs that promote positive outcomes for Service Members, military spouses, and veterans
BOSTON, Nov. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, today announced that it has earned the 2023 Military Friendly® Employer designation – the fifth time that the company has been recognized with this honor. In addition, Schneider Electric has been designated a Military Friendly® Spouse Employer and has been elevated to the organization's Bronze distinction. These awards recognize the company's continued efforts to build a culture that embraces and empowers Service Members and their families to succeed in their careers and support others.
Schneider Electric has placed a focus on the needs of current and former members of our Armed Forces and their families by providing unique benefits to support them:
- Programs to support current Military Reservists and National Guard members to continue serving their country without having to sacrifice their careers
- Benefits, including up to 20 days of full paid leave in addition to standard PTO and salary differential programs to support their military commitments for up to six months of activation
- Support groups, including our Schneider Electric Veterans Employee Resource Network (ERN), aimed to create a culture that embraces the uniqueness of the military community and facilitates the development and retention of veterans
- Volunteer opportunities where employees can share their time, talent and experience to support numerous causes, including mentoring transitioning military service members to prepare for a civilian career
Peter Shull, Military and Veterans Affairs Program Leader, Schneider Electric said, "We are proud to receive the Military Friendly Employers® designation for the fifth year. We are also delighted to receive the Military Friendly Spouse Award for the first time. Schneider Electric recognizes the valuable contributions of both veterans and those who continue to serve our nation through a reserve or national guard commitment. We also recognize the challenges active-duty military spouses encounter seeking and sustaining employment. It is an honor to help this talented group of folks as they support their service members. While Schneider Electric is thrilled to accept these awards, we truly view these as a tribute to all those who served and continue service to our great nation."
Institutions earning the Military Friendly® Employer designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. Schneider Electric was one of more than a thousand companies to participate in the 2023 Military Friendly® survey.
"Companies earning the Military Friendly Employers® designation elevate the standard for military programs globally; they have invested in substantive programs that promote positive outcomes for service members, military spouses, and veterans within their organizations," said Kayla Lopez, Director of Military Partnerships, Military Friendly®. "For these employers, hiring military is more than just the right thing to do; it's a standard that makes good business sense."
Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by VIQTORY with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in the military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining an organization's survey score with an assessment of the organization's ability to meet thresholds for Applicant, New Hire Retention, Employee Turnover, and Promotion & Advancement of veterans and military employees.
Schneider Electric will be showcased in the 2023 Military Friendly® Employers in the December issue of G.I. Jobs® magazine and on MilitaryFriendly.com.
About Schneider Electric
Schneider's purpose is to empower all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all. We call this Life Is On.
Our mission is to be your digital partner for Sustainability and Efficiency.
We drive digital transformation by integrating world-leading process and energy technologies, end-point to cloud connecting products, controls, software and services, across the entire lifecycle, enabling integrated company management, for homes, buildings, data centers, infrastructure and industries.
We are the most local of global companies. We are advocates of open standards and partnership ecosystems that are passionate about our shared Meaningful Purpose, Inclusive and Empowered values.
Discover Life Is On Follow us on: Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram | Blog
Discover the newest perspectives shaping sustainability, electricity 4.0, and next generation automation on Schneider Electric Insights
Hashtags: #SchneiderElectric #GreatPeople #MilitaryFriendly
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Woman shot, seriously injured during jog
GREEN HILLS, Tenn. (WSMV/Gray News) – A woman was shot and seriously injured while out for a jog in Tennessee Monday, according to the Metro Nashville Police Department.
Responding officers said a 26-year-old woman was out for a run just after 11 p.m. when a dark-colored sedan approached her, WSMV reported.
Police said two armed people got out of the car and tried to rob the jogger.
Authorities said there was a scuffle and the woman was shot several times in the arm and legs. She was taken to the hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries.
Detectives believe the two people passed by the woman while she was jogging, then doubled back and passed her a second time before jumping out of the car.
Headphones prevented the woman from noticing the vehicle or the suspects until it was too late.
Officials are searching for the people suspected in the shooting.
Copyright 2023 WSMV via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Nuggets vs. Lakers Prediction & Picks: Line, Spread, Over/Under - Western Conference Finals Game 1
Published: May. 16, 2023 at 2:54 PM EDT|Updated: 1 hour ago
The Los Angeles Lakers are 6-point underdogs heading into Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena on Tuesday, starting at 8:30 PM ET on ESPN.
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Nuggets vs. Lakers Game Info & Odds
- Date: Tuesday, May 16, 2023
- Time: 8:30 PM ET
- How to Watch on TV: ESPN
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Location: Denver, Colorado
- Venue: Ball Arena
Put your picks to the test and bet on the Nuggets with BetMGM Sportsbook.
Nuggets vs. Lakers Score Prediction
- Prediction: Nuggets 118 - Lakers 112
Nuggets vs Lakers Additional Info
Spread & Total Prediction for Nuggets vs. Lakers
- Pick ATS: Lakers (+ 6)
- Pick OU:
Over (222.5)
- The Nuggets have put together a 44-36-2 ATS record this season as opposed to the 40-39-3 mark from the Lakers.
- As a 6-point favorite or more in 2022-23, Denver is 18-15-1 against the spread compared to the 6-13-1 ATS record Los Angeles racks up as a 6-point underdog.
- When it comes to going over the over/under in 2022-23, Denver does it less often (45.1% of the time) than Los Angeles (52.4%).
- As a moneyline favorite this season, the Nuggets are 43-18, while the Lakers are 23-28 as moneyline underdogs.
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Nuggets Performance Insights
- This season, Denver is posting 115.8 points per game (12th-ranked in NBA) and allowing 112.5 points per contest (eighth-ranked).
- The Nuggets have been racking up assists in 2022-23, ranking second-best in the NBA with 28.9 assists per game.
- The Nuggets are making 11.8 threes per game this year (18th-ranked in NBA), and they have a 37.9% three-point percentage (fourth-best).
- So far this year, Denver has taken 63.9% two-pointers, accounting for 72.9% of the team's baskets. It has shot 36.1% threes (27.1% of the team's baskets).
Lakers Performance Insights
- With 117.2 points scored per game and 116.6 points allowed, Los Angeles is sixth in the league offensively and 20th on defense.
- The Lakers are 15th in the league in assists (25.3 per game) in 2022-23.
- At 10.8 made 3-pointers per game and shooting 34.6% from downtown, the Lakers are 24th and 24th in the NBA, respectively, in those categories.
- In 2022-23, Los Angeles has taken 64.9% percent of its shots from inside the arc, and 35.1% percent from beyond it. In terms of makes, 74.8% of Los Angeles' baskets have been 2-pointers, and 25.2% have been 3-pointers.
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved.
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Centrist Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) is pressing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) and other Senate Democrats to pass what he called a “real budget” proposal this year, something that would require tough votes on the Senate floor.
Senate leaders have avoided voting on budget plans in recent years to protect vulnerable incumbents from taking politically dangerous votes on spending cuts, tax hikes or other controversial proposals.
Schumer declined to commit to passing a Senate Democratic budget resolution when asked about it on Wednesday.
Democrats passed bare-bones budget resolutions during President Biden’s first two years in office to set the stage for passing partisan reconciliation packages with simple majority votes, which they used to enact the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan in 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022.
Schumer has said repeatedly that the ball is in Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) court to propose any deficit reduction plan connected to debt limit legislation.
The Democratic leader argued on Wednesday that Senate Democrats cut the deficit by an estimated $300 billion by passing the Inflation Reduction Act last year. The law also provided $45 billion to the IRS for tax enforcement activities.
Speaking on the Senate floor Thursday, however, Manchin pointed out that annual federal spending has grown from $3.5 trillion to $6.2 trillion over the past decade — an 80 percent increase — and the federal government will spend more than $600 billion this year servicing the national debt.
He criticized Democrats for not wanting to discuss what he called “out-of-control spending” and also dinged Republicans for refusing “to offer any specifics” about how to cut the deficit and for holding the debt limit and a potential national default as a bargaining chip.
“We need to pass a budget on time,” he said, noting that Biden, who will send his budget proposal to Congress next week, is already a month behind schedule.
Manchin reminded colleagues that the Senate Budget Committee, chaired by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), is supposed to report its budget resolution by April 1, a deadline the committee routinely misses.
And the West Virginia senator pointed out that the Senate and House are supposed to reconcile their budget proposals by April 15, another requirement that lawmakers have ignored in recent years.
“It’s been 20 years since we passed a budget on time. We haven’t had a real budget at all, even a late one, since 2016,” Manchin complained. “Last year neither the House nor the Senate Budget Committee even bothered to pass a budget out of the committee. Even bothered to do one. It’s unbelievable.”
Sanders, who also chaired the Budget Committee in 2021 and 2022, pushed back against Manchin’s criticism, highlighting the work he did to pave the wave for the American Rescue Plan, which included a one-year expansion of the Child Tax Credit.
“The Budget Committee worked tirelessly especially during the midst of the COVID crisis, developed the most consequential piece of legislation in [recent] history, which helped us deal with COVID and the pandemic as well as the economic collapse of our economy saw as a result of that,” he said. “I am very proud of the work that we did, and even Mr. Manchin voted for that historic piece of legislation.”
Manchin on Thursday blamed both parties for piling onto the debt, noting that Trump added an estimated $7.5 trillion to projected debt levels while Biden added more than $5 trillion.
He said Schumer, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) need to “propose a budget, allow for debate and discussion and put it up for a vote.”
“The debt ceiling clock is ticking, and we can’t afford to wait any longer,” he said.
Biden will submit his budget proposal to Congress next week and discussed it with Senate Democrats at a meeting on Capitol Hill Thursday afternoon.
The president told senators, “You’re going to see some interesting stuff on March 9,” according to Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), who attended the meeting.
“And he very much said that’s kind of like the starter’s gun in a race. He said ‘You guys will do what you’re going to do with my submission and the House will do what they’re going to do and then we’ll have to hash it out,’” Kaine said, summarizing Biden’s message.
Asked Wednesday whether Senate Democrats would pass their own budget proposal this year, Schumer said, “Well, look, you’re going to see President Biden’s budget on the ninth, and we’ll go from there.”
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2023-03-02 22:25:54
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Amber Alert issued for 12-year-old girl in Florida
Published: Jul. 3, 2023 at 8:58 AM CDT|Updated: 1 hour ago
(Gray News) - An Amber Alert has been issued for a 12-year-old girl missing in Jacksonville, Florida.
Fernanda Arias was last seen Monday in the 2300 block of Peach Drive in Jacksonville, authorities said. She is described as 4-foot-11, 100 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair.
Fernanda was last seen wearing a white shirt and dark pants.
She is believed to be in the company of Jorge Reyes, and they may be traveling in a dark-colored two-door Honda with a large rear spoiler. A description is not available for Reyes
If seen, do not approach. Instead, call 911 or contact the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office by calling (904) 630-0500
Copyright 2023 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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2023-07-03 15:23:31
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A look at the history of the long and complicated friendship between China and Russia
Beijing and Moscow have been both good friends and bitter rivels in their centuries-long relationship
Chinese leader Xi Jinping just concluded a three-day visit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a warm affair in which the two men praised each other and spoke of a profound friendship. It’s a high point in a complicated, centuries-long relationship during which the two countries have been both allies and enemies.
Chinese and Russian states have loomed large in each other’s foreign affairs since the 17th century, when two empires created a border with a treaty written in Latin.
Neighbors can be good friends, or bitter rivals. Sharing a border of thousands of miles, Beijing and Moscow have been both.
RUSSIA CRITICIZES WEST'S REACTION TO XI JINPING'S VISIT AS 'DEEPLY HOSTILE'
"China and Russia relations have always been uneasy," said Susan Thornton, a former diplomat and a senior fellow at the Paul Tsai China Center at Yale Law School.
"The Soviet Union’s Today Is Our Tomorrow"
The People’s Republic of China was founded in 1949, following a brutal Japanese occupation during World War II and a bloody civil war between the Nationalist and Communist Parties.
Russia was part of the Soviet Union, a global superpower, while China was poor, devastated by war and unrecognized by most governments. Communist leader Mao Zedong was junior to Josef Stalin, who led the Soviet Union until his death in 1953.
The early People’s Republic depended on the Soviet Union for economic aid and expertise. In 1953, the slogan that appeared in Chinese newspapers was "The Soviet Union’s today is our tomorrow." The Soviets sent some 11,000 experts in 1954-58 to help China rebuild after its civil war, according to Joseph Torigian, an associate professor at American University’s School of International Service.
The two countries also had a formal military alliance, but Moscow decided against giving China the technology for nuclear arms.
Sino-Soviet Split
But there were points of friction, especially after the death of Stalin.
In 1956, then-Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev condemned Stalin’s "cult of personality" in an address to Communist Party members later known as the "secret speech." Mao, who had modeled himself on the former Soviet leader, took it personally.
When Mao decided to shell two outlying islands of Taiwan held by the Nationalist Party he had defeated in the Chinese civil war, he did not warn Khrushchev. Khrushchev saw it as a betrayal of the alliance, Torigian said. In 1959, the Soviet Union remained neutral during a border conflict between China and India, which led China to feel that it was not getting enough support from its ally.
The relationship soured until the two countries broke off their alliance in 1961 in the Sino-Soviet Split.
They quickly became open rivals. Beijing blasted Moscow for "phony communism" and revisionism, or straying from the Marxist path. Soldiers clashed along their borders in China's northeast and the western region of Xinjiang.
PUTIN SAYS RUSSIA WILL REACT ‘ACCORDINGLY' IF WEST SENDS AMMUNITION WITH DEPLETED URANIUM
US-China-Russia Triangle
The Sino-Soviet Split left Beijing isolated, but set the stage for outreach to the United States. In 1972, the revolutionary communist state welcomed President Richard Nixon for a visit that paved the way for global recognition of Mao’s government and for the U.S. and China to enter into a tacit alignment against Moscow.
The 1990s led to a rapprochement between China and Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The two countries formally settled their border disputes.
In the years since, the world has changed greatly, as have the fortunes of the two countries. China is now the world’s second-largest economy, while Russia’s economy was stagnating long before its invasion of Ukraine last year. Today, it is China facing the U.S. in a strategic competition fueled by intense nationalism on both sides.
Once again, Moscow and Beijing are finding common ground. Under Xi Jinping, "repairing the damage and cultivating the relationship has gone much faster than it has ever before," Thornton, the former diplomat, said.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Leaders See Eye To Eye
Meanwhile, the similarities between the two leaders, as well as their personal relationship, has helped ties grow.
Both Xi and Vladimir Putin see Western attempts to spread democracy as an attempt to de-legitimize themselves, and they believe that authoritarian regimes are better for confronting the challenges of the modern world. Russia supplies energy and China exports manufactured goods to Russia.
And while some analysts and commentators have started saying that China is now the senior partner in the relationship, given the history, it’s not necessarily how that’s viewed in China.
Russia’s hold over China is not only historical, but also cultural. Students read translated Russian stories and poems in their literature classes, while many educated Chinese of an older generation learned Russian instead of English.
"Many Chinese people, including elites, have not yet realized the historic reversal of China’s comprehensive national strength compared to Russia," wrote Feng Yujun, a prominent Russia scholar at Shanghai’s Fudan University, in an article published last month that was shared widely. Feng declined to be interviewed.
"Although China’s national strength is now ten times that of Russia, the biggest challenge is that many Chinese people are still subservient to Russia ideologically," he wrote.
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https://www.foxnews.com/world/look-history-long-complicated-friendship-between-china-russia
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2023-03-22 15:53:29
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https://www.foxnews.com/world/look-history-long-complicated-friendship-between-china-russia
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ORLANDO, Fla. – Survivors of the June 2016 mass shooting at Pulse gathered for a news conference Sunday afternoon in Orlando.
ClickOrlando.com is currently updating this story to reflect the latest information.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily:
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https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/05/14/pulse-survivors-to-hold-news-conference-in-orlando/
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2023-05-14 21:20:59
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One is the loneliest number: What will help people connect again?
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| New York and Washington
A wide swath of Americans have been feeling as if they’ve been in a proverbial funk since the pandemic wound down. For many, its disruptions have altered not only their daily rhythms, but also their emotional equilibrium, even if a sense of crisis and instability has waned.
For one preschool teacher, the joy of collaboration at work has been lost. An author no longer feels the same energy and creative spirit sitting near others in a coffee shop.
Why We Wrote This
A story focused onHow do Americans rediscover their spirit of community and connection after a pandemic that left behind an epidemic of loneliness?
But there are deeper concerns as well as the nation’s political divisions increase, disputes among neighbors become cause for deadly gun violence, and even turning into the wrong driveway or ringing a doorbell has proved dangerous.
Intensifying divisions have disrupted what experts identify as a sense of belonging, with a majority of Americans saying they feel disconnected from their communities and places of work. In May, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released a report calling the situation a national epidemic – one exacerbated by the pandemic.
The most effective solutions, his report emphasizes, are “the healing effects of social connection and community.”
“What helps us thrive is relationships, right? And connectedness,” says Darcia Narvaez, professor of psychology. “Feeling like we belong, like we matter, like we have something to contribute to the social community.”
So many of the things that brought Emily Pipe joy before the pandemic have now just seemed to lose their spark.
She used to be a classic extrovert, says Ms. Pipe, a public school teacher in Delaware who works with preschoolers with disabilities. She’d charge her mental batteries with friends and social activities during the weekends and engage with colleagues at work, where there was a spirit of collaboration and common purpose.
“Now I’m at home on weekends, recharging my battery for work on Mondays,” says Ms. Pipe, who adds she’s seemed to become “fully introverted,” preferring to stay home and scroll through TikToks. And while teaching before the pandemic had its own challenges, they didn’t compare with those she experienced during the shutdown and ever since.
Why We Wrote This
A story focused onHow do Americans rediscover their spirit of community and connection after a pandemic that left behind an epidemic of loneliness?
Now, being in the classroom “is lonely,” says Ms. Pipe, who has been grappling with depression and anxiety. The spirit of collaboration at work has been replaced by a sense of isolation from other teachers. Students remain disoriented and distracted, and school administrators, she says, have not quite grasped the needs of the post-pandemic classroom or provided the support teachers like her now need.
The life changes worry her. And, she wonders, is she losing both her friends and her attention span?
In some ways, there’s a wide swath of Americans who have been feeling as if they’ve been in a proverbial funk since the pandemic wound down. For many, its disruptions have altered not only their daily rhythms but also their emotional equilibrium, even if a sense of crisis and instability has waned.
Michael Klein, a clinical psychologist in Massachusetts who works as a business consultant, remembers the creative energies he felt in the local coffee shop before the pandemic. That’s where he wrote most of his book on the challenges of running a family-owned business.
“It just hasn’t quite returned for me – that kind of creative spirit I used to find in places like these,” says Dr. Klein. “I think there’s also this very odd combination of we go to something communal, but we’re really anxious to be together.”
Dr. Klein, who coaches businesses on how to manage more cohesive teams of employees, thinks that while people are out and about more, many are still reckoning with the aftereffects of the pandemic years.
“COVID kind of ended with a whimper, and I don’t think we’ve quite processed the trauma of it all, even though it was this incredibly communal experience in a weird way,” says Dr. Klein. “I mean, worldwide we were going through the same kind of panic and fear and anxiety and uncertainty, but we knew we weren’t alone.”
“Now we’re left with, OK, so now what?” he says. “All of the sudden, it’s, OK, back to work, back to normal. So I think it’s appropriate to say, what’s going on? We’re all kind of feeling that we’ve been through this major traumatic event where millions of lives were lost, we’re more divided than ever, and we don’t really know what to go back to, since we can’t quite go back to life as it was.”
Disrupted sense of belonging
Much of what people are feeling may simply be part of natural emotional responses to life’s inevitable vicissitudes, both personal and professional, an extended case of inward-turning blues.
But there are deeper fears as well as the nation’s political divisions reach Manichean proportions, disputes among neighbors become cause for deadly gun violence, and even turning into the wrong driveway or ringing a doorbell has proved dangerous.
Such anecdotes, too, are then highlighted in the swirl of digital information in our ever-present screens, making many Americans, feeling besieged with mistrust and fear, become more and more wary of those around them.
“What we’ve been seeing with the kinds of rising narratives and around division and divisiveness is a challenge,” says Kim Serrano, director of the Center for Inclusion and Belonging at the American Immigration Council in Washington, D.C. “There’s been an intense focus on what sets us apart.”
This intense focus has disrupted what Ms. Serrano and her colleagues identify as a sense of belonging. In March, her center and the nonprofit Over Zero, which works to counteract identity-based violence, released a new study that found a wide majority of Americans say they don’t feel that they belong within their various social arenas. This includes 74% who say they don’t feel they belong in their local communities, and 64% who say the same of their places of work.
There can be a lot of ambiguity within concepts like belonging, however, and their “belonging barometer” measures a range of emotional experiences, Ms. Serrano says. “When we’re thinking about finding belonging, it’s not like a light switch, you know. It’s not like you just feel it or you don’t. There’s actually a lot of people who are experiencing uncertainty and ambiguity, so it’s really more of a spectrum.”
At the more serious end of the spectrum, medical experts have reported that there is a deeper kind of emotional malaise many Americans are experiencing, and they describe it as a growing “epidemic of loneliness and isolation” within the country.
In May, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released a report on this national epidemic, which preceded the pandemic but was then exacerbated by it.
In the 2023 report, Dr. Murthy describes how he embarked on a cross-country listening tour during his first tenure in this position in 2014, when he says he didn’t view loneliness as much of a public health concern.
“I heard stories from my fellow Americans that surprised me,” he writes. “People began to tell me they felt isolated, invisible, and insignificant. Even when they couldn’t put their finger on the word ‘lonely,’ time and time again, people of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds, from every corner of the country, would tell me, ‘I have to shoulder all of life’s burdens by myself,’ or ‘if I disappear tomorrow, no one will even notice.’”
The effects of these emotions have a direct impact on people’s physical health, the report found, including greater risks for disease, impaired cognitive functions, or suicide and self-harm.
The most effective solutions to the epidemic of loneliness and isolation, however, are what his report emphasizes as “the healing effects of social connection and community.”
“We are called to build a movement to mend the social fabric of our nation,” Dr. Murthy writes, adding that “it will take all of us” working together.
“Our individual relationships are an untapped resource – a source of healing hiding in plain sight,” he says.
“I’ve been sort of saying this is a problem for quite a long time,” says Darcia Narvaez, professor emerita of psychology at the University of Notre Dame. “So the report wasn’t a surprise to me. It was great to see that the government is paying attention to it. And it’s interesting, the report had such a pastoral tone, right? Yeah, it’s calling us back to our human nature. What helps us thrive is relationships, right? And connectedness. Feeling like we belong, like we matter, like we have something to contribute to the social community.”
The challenge is how, however. Dr. Narvaez, an expert in child development and parenting, brings an indigenous or kinship worldview to her studies, and she’s found that as early as childbirth, American social practices like separating infants from their mothers immediately after birth, a disconnection from the natural world, and a relentless focus on capitalist production has in various ways helped create a lonely society.
The epidemic of loneliness and isolation, too, is often borne unequally among economic and racial groups, says Jeffrey Gardere, associate professor of psychology and behavioral medicine at Touro University in New York.
During the pandemic, professionals and office workers were mostly able to transition to working from home, while essential workers, mostly lower-paid members of the working class and including higher proportions of Blacks and Latinos, experienced the dangers and disruptions of COVID-19 in a more significant way – just as they are within the ongoing epidemic of loneliness and isolation.
The traumas experienced by those more economically secure are different in many ways, and some of the phenomena of Americans turning inward are privileged, even if the emotional difficulties are real.
“We really need to be careful – and I found that with myself – that in our solitude and our comfort and our kind of detaching a little bit from society, being able to have that respite, that alone time to reevaluate our lives, that we don’t go too far with that,” says Dr. Gardere. Like many professionals in New York, he found a house in the country in Connecticut while maintaining an apartment in Manhattan, where he’s lived most of his life.
There’s a risk “where we begin to forget or lose the skills of being with other people, or start getting really anxious when it comes to being with others and connecting back in society with friends and at gatherings,” he says. “Those things are very important. They’re almost like booster shots to keep us healthy emotionally as we live this sort of hybrid life.”
“Keys to human connection are simple”
Hannah Schlomann, a program analyst whose firm works closely with the Department of Homeland Security in Washington, says while she was able to work pretty seamlessly at home during the pandemic, she found it difficult to reconnect with people in the same way as before.
“I spent so much time on Zoom, I’ve kind of forgotten how to do eye contact with people,” says Ms. Schlomann, who still works full time from her high-rise apartment in Washington. “Yeah, because you don’t look anyone in the eye anymore. And so I found that I had to kind of retrain myself once we started getting back into activities, and say, no, you need to look at that person and actually, like, interact when you’re offline.”
Larry Watkins, a retired general contractor who lives most of the year in a small community near Lake Lure, North Carolina, says there’s been a discernible hunger to reconnect with neighbors in the remote development of about 1,500 people 25 miles from the nearest town.
A member of the community’s board of directors, Mr. Watkins began noticing that there was an increased demand for common spaces, so he decided to renovate a 980-square-foot storage room, cleaning it out and painting it, thinking it could meet the need for a space for people to socialize. Other members of the community quickly got wind of the project and started donating furniture, pendant lights, kitchen cabinets, even a stove and microwave.
Before the pandemic, community gatherings were never very large, says Mr. Watkins. “If we got 15 or 20 people that was a rousing success,” he says. During the “soft opening” for the renovated community space on St. Patrick’s Day, around 50 people attended, he says. “It was a complete cross section,” from retirees like him who have lived there for years to 30-somethings with families who had moved in just a couple months prior.
It is efforts like these that can help tap into the healing effects of social connection and community, according to Surgeon General Murthy.
“They can help us live healthier, more productive, and more fulfilled lives,” he writes. “Answer that phone call from a friend. Make time to share a meal. Listen without the distraction of your phone. Perform an act of service. Express yourself authentically. The keys to human connection are simple, but extraordinarily powerful.”
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https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2023/0609/One-is-the-loneliest-number-What-will-help-people-connect-again?icid=rss
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2023-06-09 17:00:09
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GUANGZHOU, China, June 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- GearUP Booster, an industry-leading provider of network optimization tools, a product of NetEase, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTES and HKEX: 9999). GearUP Booster and NARAKA: BLADEPOINT, the popular online game, are thrilled to announce their strategic partnership aimed at improving network speed and stability for a more immersive gaming experience.
This collaboration will allow players of NARAKA: BLADEPOINT to benefit from GearUP Booster's powerful optimization and anti-lag technology, leading to a smoother, more satisfying in-game experience. Test data reveals significant latency reduction with GearUP Booster across various regions, providing a testament to the potential enhancement for the game's worldwide player base.
Test data results:
From June 1st through July 31st, players are invited to experience the benefits of GearUP Booster for free. The event is open to players on both PC and XBOX platforms across all eligible servers - NA, EU, SEA, AS.
PC players can download the GearUP Booster from the official website and enjoy a free trial of the network optimization service, while XBOX players can leverage the GearUP PC Console Boost Mode or explore hardware options for network optimization.
During the event, free customer service for any GearUP Booster related issues is available through their support portal.
For any further inquiries, GearUP staff can be reached on both the in-game and GearUP's official Discord channels.
Visit the official GearUP Booster website here and eliminate network latency as a barrier to your victory.
NARAKA: BLADEPOINT Discord: Click Here
GearUP Discord: Click Here
We are excited for our players to experience the improved network performance and look forward to further enhancements to our gaming community's experience.
About GearUP Booster
GearUP Booster, a leading service provider of gaming network acceleration and optimization, offers a comprehensive boosting service that is designed to enhance the gaming experience for players across all platforms. The service extends to platforms such as mobile, PC, router plugins, and hardware boosters like the next-generation game acceleration router, HYPEREV.
View original content:
SOURCE NetEase Games
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https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2023/06/02/gear-up-victory-naraka-bladepoint-gearup-booster-collaborate-network-optimizaiton/
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2023-06-02 04:58:05
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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ The winning numbers in Wednesday afternoon's drawing of the Texas Lottery's "Daily 4 Day" game were:
1-8-6-8, FIREBALL: 9
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(one, eight, six, eight; FIREBALL: nine)
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ The winning numbers in Wednesday afternoon's drawing of the Texas Lottery's "Daily 4 Day" game were:
1-8-6-8, FIREBALL: 9
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(one, eight, six, eight; FIREBALL: nine)
By The Associated Press
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https://www.seattlepi.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Daily-4-Day-game-17669645.php
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2022-12-21 19:54:12
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Germany: Boa constrictor escapes from house in Insheim
2 hours ago
German authorities are looking for a 1.7 meter snake that has fled to freedom in the small western town of Insheim. The police have urged passers-by not to try and catch the animal.
https://p.dw.com/p/4IpSx
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A 1.7 meter long boa constrictor (5 feet 7 inches) escaped from aa home in the western German town of Insheim, the police in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate said.
According to the police, the animal escaped from its terrarium on Saturday night and fled to freedom though the terrace door.
Since the owner's property borders other garden plots and a field, the officials were not able to immediately locate the non-poisonous boa constrictor.
Snakes in the city
Police warned passers-by not to try catching the snake "under any circumstances." They described the animal as yellow, 1.7-meter long and 7 to 8 centimeters in diameter. Any sightings are to be reported to the authorities.
The latest incident prompted comparisons with the similar event last year, when a venomous snake escaped its terrarium and prompted an apartment building evacuation in Cologne.
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https://www.dw.com/en/germany-boa-constrictor-escapes-from-house-in-insheim/a-63593087
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2022-10-29 13:46:05
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Name as it appears on the ballot: Chris Heagarty
Age:
Party affiliation: Democrat
Campaign website: Heagarty4Schools.org
Occupation & employer: Executive Director, City of Oaks Foundation
Years lived in the area: 43
1. In 300 words or less, please give us—and our readers—your elevator pitch: Why are you running? Why should voters entrust you with this position? What are your priorities, and what would you want to see the school board do differently or better over the course of your term?
I am the Vice Chair of the Board of Education. I've served four years on the board and have kept my campaign promises to keep our students safe and healthy, to build new schools to address growth and overcrowding in our area, and to support our teachers and staff through better pay. I am a parent of Wake County Public School students and have helped parents navigate the school system bureaucracy to solve local problems.
In my next term I will continue to work toward academic recovery from classroom time lost during the pandemic as we launch a district wide intensive tutoring program to build fundamental literacy skills for students impacted the most by remote learning, as well as continuing to improve teacher and staff pay to retain and recruit the best teachers for our students, and will continue to stand up to intolerance and bullying that can make kids, and staff, feel excluded and unwelcome in school.
I have the knowledge, the experience, and the temperament needed to collaborate with state and local officials and to advocate for parents and students to address our school needs and keep Wake County schools the best in our state. Now is not the time to risk our schools and our community’s future to those with a narrow political agenda or an axe to grind.
2. Given the direction of the school district, would you say things are on the right course? If not, for what specific changes will you advocate if elected?
We know that Wake County Schools are producing well-prepared students based on metrics such as how aggressively our graduates are recruited by employers and by colleges, universities, and military academies around the country. Local employers pay our graduates generous salaries entering skilled professionals straight out of high school and colleges offer very generous financial aid packages to bring our graduates to their institutions. This is the result of intentional work over decades to produce students that do not just excel academically, but that are have strong skills in communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking, that differentiate them and better prepare them for post K12 success than students from most other school districts.
However, more can be done, and our current board is working to develop a new strategic plan based on community feedback that places even greater emphasis on financial literacy, digital literacy, and even stronger communication and critical thinking skills. While most students will pursue additional educational opportunities, we want to make sure that all students are given the preparation and skills to be functional, productive citizens, with the modern life skills needed to lead successful and fulfilling lives no matter where they go after high school graduation, rather than giving them only the “back to basics” minimum skills set that some advocate.
3. What are the three main issues that you believe the Wake County Board of Education needs to address in the upcoming year?
I believe the three main issues that the Board needs to address are academic recovery from classroom time lost during the pandemic, recruitment and retention of highly qualified teachers and school staff and putting in place school policies and culture that protect students and staff against intolerance and bullying.
In order to accelerate academic recovery from time lost during the pandemic, we must focus efforts on those most deeply impacted by time out of school, our K-5 students who were still in the process of developing literacy skills during the temporary shift to virtual learning. We have mobilized and are training hundreds of volunteers to offer "high dosage" tutoring in our schools for these students through our WakeTogether program.
Improved compensation and working conditions for teachers are the clearest pathways to better teacher recruitment and retention as we experience a national teacher shortage with fewer young men and women pursuing education degrees in college. A desire for better compensation is the most cited reason why teachers leave the profession and if we want to our region to stay competitive with other metro areas, we must provide at least comparable pay and benefits, if not better, to keep and attract the high-quality staff our students need.
Increased outside agitation against students and staff because of race, ethnicity, gender or sexual identity is on the rise and we must resist movements to limit the rights and representation of these members of our school community. All students and staff should feel safe and welcome in our schools.
4. Describe something you think the school board should have prioritized differently in the current budget. Do you think the budget supports students from lower income families as well as from affluent families? Does the budget meet the district’s infrastructure needs?
The school board budget and the board’s ability to shift funds around to different areas is greatly restricted by the state’s control of local school budgets and the state’s long and widely-acknowledged underfunding of our public schools. Local school boards do not have much freedom to allocate money where they wish. The limited flexibility we do have comes mostly through collaboration with the local county commission, who supplement state funds with additional county revenues that allow the district to hire more vital support staff, like school counselors, nurses, and social workers, or to supplement pay to reward experienced teachers for their service.
The current budget supports students from low-income families by funding many vital support services directly to students as well as providing support for schools serving predominantly under-resourced communities through the federal Title I program and federal magnet school grants. If additional funding could be made available through enforcement of the Leandro decision, many impactful additional services could be offered for low-income families, such as before-school and after-school programs with academic enrichment opportunities and expanded Pre-K services.
Despite collaborative budgeting with our current county commission, our budget has not yet caught up from past years of insufficient investment in our school infrastructure needs, which is one of the reasons why this year’s school bond divides its funding projects between new school construction and important school renovation projects. Past infrastructure funding has not kept pace with Wake County’s rapid growth, and the necessity of building new schools to accommodate increased population has reduced the funds available for maintaining and renovating existing schools. Passage of the school bond will make progress in this regard, but until there is adequate state funding for school operations, local revenues that could be used for these important infrastructure needs will continue to be directed toward operational expenses needed to keep schools staffed and open.
5. What is your understanding of what Critical Race Theory is? Is CRT currently taught in K-12 public schools? What are your thoughts on House Bill 324, the bill Gov. Cooper vetoed because he said it “pushes calculated, conspiracy-laden politics into public education?” Would you support such a bill?
The term “critical race theory” has been used to describe a wide range of topics and subjects different than those included in the academic definition of the term. CRT, as it is defined academically, is not taught in K-12 public schools. Material that might be described in social media or by activists as “CRT” might be, depending on how they define it. For example, Lt. Governor Mark Robinson’s investigative study into CRT in schools reported examples of curriculum that some people found objectionable that was completely unrelated to race, but was still labeled “CRT”, so as long as people cannot agree on definitions the question cannot be answered with certainty.
I support Governor Cooper’s veto of HB 324 because I think this legislation fails to live up to its name and disguises a more specific intention of denying some families, staff, and students, their own rights. Speech codes that create forbidden discourse and subjects are a slippery slope toward an even a greater loss of rights. Many of the more benign requirements contained in the bill are already required by other state laws or Department of Public Instruction policies and regulations.
6. Does the General Assembly have a constitutional obligation to comply with the state Supreme Court order in the Leandro case to fully fund public schools and give every child in North Carolina a sound basic education?
Yes.
7. Orange County’s Board of Education has passed some of the most progressive policies in the state around strengthening racial equity and providing a safe, inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ students to learn. Should Wake follow Orange’s lead and implement Gender Support guidelines that create a protocol for students who are transitioning or want to?
Wake County should develop a consistent district-wide protocol of rules and procedures so that students at all schools receive the same support and resources no matter which Wake County public school they attend. Development of the protocol must include student voices and representation as well as involved and informed input from parents, doctors, psychologists, and counselors.
8. How do you think the current school board handled the COVID-19 pandemic? Please explain your answer.
As well as possible, given conflicting guidance from national, state, and local health authorities and strongly diverging opinions from administrators, staff, parents, students and other members of the community. Each board member had to make their decisions based on their own individual conscience and though there was disagreement it was mostly respectful. I personally gave the greatest deference to guidance provided by local pediatricians, doctors, and hospital staff regarding questions of public health and safety.
9. Recently, groups of parents with students in WCPSS have mounted efforts to ban certain books from school classrooms and libraries. The school board and school administrators pushed back on these efforts. Did the board and school system handle this controversy appropriately? What more, if anything, should be done to address efforts to ban books in schools?
No good has ever come from any society banning books. Books in school libraries are selected by trained professionals and there is already a process for citizen review of materials. I believe most of this movement is fed by social media and the Board discovered that many complaints coming from people who either did not have students in the school they were complaining about, or who admitted they have not read the entire books and only “skimmed them” to confirm that the language that they objected to was present. The Board sided with current high school students who came to Board meetings and spoke before hostile crowds to bravely advocate for the continued inclusion of these books in school libraries.
10. Do police officers (School Resource Officers) have a role in schools? Do you agree with the way the current board is trying to address the role of SROs in Wake County Schools?
Yes, SROs do provide an important public safety resource for our schools. The current board spent over a year studying the issue, surveying students, parents, staff, and community advocates, and identifying key areas of concern and needed improvements. This study was intentional in reaching out to ensure that traditionally under-represented groups had full access and participation in the study. The study resulted in many significant changes to the program based on community input that affirm that the roles of the SRO must be focused on law enforcement and public safety and not student discipline. Improved training, relationship building, and de-escalation principals are built into the new program and new opportunities for feedback from families were created.
11. Research has shown an achievement gap for Wake County Schools students based on race and socioeconomic status. What specific policies would you support or what actions would you take to help close the gap so that race and socioeconomic status don’t persist as predictive factors?
I support the work of the current board and its multiple strategies for identifying and overcoming achievement gaps attributed to race and socioeconomic status, including diversifying schools to avoid schools on disparate ends of the socioeconomic spectrum, supplemental funding through the Title I program for schools with a majority of underresourced students and magnet school grants, and employing school social workers and counselors that can provide impactful resources that may be needed by these students. Additionally, I support work by the board to develop a fair equity policy that should require an audit of services, resources, and needs to ensure that students get what they need to remediate disadvantages.
12. How should WCPSS address its ongoing shortage of educators, support staff, bus drivers, school nurses, mental health professionals, and other key staff?
Compensation is the most important issue for addressing our current labor shortage, for both teachers and for non-certified staff such as bus drivers and cafeteria workers. NC teachers don't receive adequate salaries from the legislature, with NC's current average teacher salary ranking about 40th in the nation this school year. However, the larger issue is comparing teacher salaries to other professions with similar educational requirements, where NC teachers make on average 25.3% less than other occupations with similar education and longevity. Fewer college students are seeking Education degrees because of low pay.
Even where Wake County is able to supplement local teacher and staff salaries with funds from the county budget, this is off-set by the much higher cost of living in Wake County than other NC counties, and still lags below what teachers and staff are paid in similar metro areas in other states. These compensation issues mean that local teachers often leave their current position for better teaching positions in other states or leave the professional for better paying jobs. Similarly, our other school staff can make much better money in similar professions in the private sector and even in other areas of government where city and county bus drivers earn much more than school bus drivers. There must be additional funding for these positions in order to staff our schools and failure to do so leaves vacancies that contribute to higher workloads for existing staff, creating more stress and fueling even more departures. Alternatives such as "cut waste" or "pay management less" fail to acknowledge the lean administrative budgets of the schools and the comparative salary studies that show our school administrators and management are underpaid compared to their peers in similar markets.
13. Is the district currently doing enough to assist disabled students? What more could it do?
The district is doing all that it can with its current level of funding to assist disabled students, but the needs of disabled students require more. The federal government needs to fully fund the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) which would provide states and local school districts the money necessary to provide the many essential services required to provide qualifying students with the assistance, accommodations, and resources that they need.
14. If there is anything else you would like to address, please do so here.
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2022-10-20 21:06:40
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The shareholders in RaySearch Laboratories AB (publ), corporate identity no. 556322-6157, are hereby invited to the Extraordinary General Meeting, to be held on Wednesday, November 9, 2022.
STOCKHOLM, Oct. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors has decided that the General Meeting is to be held only through postal voting in accordance with temporary legislation applicable since March 1, 2022. This means that the General Meeting will be conducted without the physical presence of shareholders, representatives or external parties. Shareholders will only be able to exercise their voting rights by postal voting in advance of the General Meeting in the manner described below.
Information on the resolutions passed at the General Meeting will be disclosed on November 9, 2022, when the outcome of the postal voting has been confirmed.
Right to participate and notice
A person who wishes to participate in the Extraordinary General Meeting by postal voting must:
- be recorded as a shareholder in the presentation of the share register prepared by Euroclear Sweden AB concerning the circumstances on Tuesday, November 1, 2022, and
- give notice of participation by casting its postal vote in accordance with the instructions under the heading "Postal voting" below so that the postal voting form is received by Euroclear Sweden AB no later than on Tuesday, November 8, 2022.
In order to be entitled to participate in the General Meeting, a shareholder whose shares are registered in the name of a nominee must, in addition to giving notice of participation in the General Meeting by submitting its postal vote, register its shares in its own name so that the shareholder is listed in the presentation of the share register as of Tuesday, November 1, 2022. Such registration may be temporary (so-called voting rights registration), and request for such voting rights registration shall be made to the nominee in accordance with the nominee's routines at such a time in advance as decided by the nominee. Voting rights registrations that have been made by the nominee no later than Thursday, November 3, 2022, will be taken into account in the presentation of the share register.
Postal voting
Shareholders may exercise their voting rights at the General Meeting only by postal voting in accordance with section 22 of the Act (2022:121) on temporary exceptions to facilitate the execution of general meetings in companies and other associations. A special form must be used for the postal vote. The form is available on the company's website www.raysearchlabs.com. A hard copy of this form will be sent to shareholders upon request. The postal voting form is considered as notice to participate in the General Meeting.
In order to be considered, completed and signed forms must be received by Euroclear Sweden AB no later than Tuesday, November 8, 2022. The completed and signed form must be sent by mail to RaySearch Laboratories AB (publ), "Extraordinary General Meeting 2022", c/o Euroclear Sweden AB, Box 191, SE-101 23 Stockholm, Sweden or by e-mail to GeneralMeetingService@euroclear.com. Shareholders may also cast their votes electronically through verification with BankID via Euroclear Sweden AB's website https://anmalan.vpc.se/EuroclearProxy/. Such electronic votes must be submitted no later than Tuesday, November 8, 2022.
If the shareholder submits its postal vote by proxy, a power of attorney must be attached to the postal voting form. Proxy forms will be provided by the company upon request and are also available on the company's website www.raysearchlabs.com. A power of attorney is valid one year from its issue date or such longer period as set out in the power of attorney, however not more than five years. If the shareholder is a legal person, a registration certificate or other authorization document listing the authorized signatories must be attached to the form.
The shareholders may not provide special instructions or conditions to the postal vote. If so, the entire postal vote is invalid. Further instructions and conditions can be found in the postal voting form and at https://anmalan.vpc.se/EuroclearProxy/.
Shareholders' right to receive information
The Board and CEO shall, if any shareholder so requests and the Board believes that it can be done without material harm to the company, provide information regarding circumstances that may affect the assessment of an item on the agenda, and the company's relation to another company within the group. A request for such information shall be made in writing to the company no later than ten days prior to the General Meeting, i.e. no later than Sunday, October 30, 2022, at RaySearch Laboratories AB (publ) c/o Board of Directors, Box 45169, SE-104 30 Stockholm, Sweden, or by e-mail to extrabolagsstamma2022@raysearchlabs.com. The information will be made available on the company's website www.raysearchlabs.com and at the company's head office, Eugeniavägen 18C, SE-113 68 Stockholm, Sweden, no later than Friday, November 4, 2022. The information will also be sent to the shareholders who requested it and stated their address.
Proposed agenda
- Election of a chairman of the General Meeting.
- Election of one or two minute-checkers.
- Preparation and approval of the voting list.
- Approval of the proposed agenda.
- Determination whether the General Meeting has been duly convened.
- Determination of the number of members of the Board and deputies.
- Determination of fees to be paid to the Board.
- Election of new member of the Board.
Proposed decisions
ELECTION OF A CHAIRMAN OF THE GENERAL MEETING (ITEM 1)
Shareholders representing approximately 67 percent of the total number of votes in the company propose that Hans Wigzell or, in the event he is prevented from participating, the person appointed by the Board, is appointed chairman of the General Meeting.
ELECTION OF ONE OR TWO MINUTE-CHECKERS (ITEM 2)
Shareholders representing approximately 67 percent of the total number of votes in the company propose Ossian Ekdahl, Första AP-fonden and Marcus Neckmar, Andra AP-fonden, or, in the event both or any of them are prevented from participating, the person(s) appointed by the Board, as persons to check the minutes. The assignment to check the minutes also includes verifying the voting list and that the received postal votes are correctly reflected in the minutes of the meeting.
PREPARATION AND APPROVAL OF THE VOTING LIST (ITEM 3)
The voting list proposed to be approved is the voting list prepared by Euroclear Sweden AB, based on the general meeting share register and received postal votes, verified and confirmed by the persons elected to check the minutes.
DETERMINATION OF THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND DEPUTIES (ITEM 6)
The previous Chairman of the Board Lars Wollung and Board member Johanna Öberg have resigned as Board members on September 30, 2022. Against this background, shareholders representing approximately 67 percent of the total number of votes in the company propose that the number of Board members be five, with no deputies.
DETERMINATION OF THE FEES TO BE PAID TO THE BOARD (ITEM 7)
At the Annual General Meeting 2022, it was resolved that remuneration to Board members, who do not receive a salary from any Group company, shall amount to SEK 840,000 to the Chairman of the Board and SEK 300,000 to each of the other Board members elected by the General Meeting. Furthermore, it was resolved that remuneration for work in Board Committees should be SEK 100,000 to the Chairperson of the Audit Committee and SEK 100,000 to each of the other members of the Audit Committee.
Shareholders representing approximately 67 percent of the total number of votes in the company propose that the newly elected member of the Board be paid a remuneration for his work as a Board member for the period from the Extraordinary General Meeting in accordance with the levels of remuneration resolved by the Annual General Meeting 2022, in proportion to the duration of the term of his directorship. Furthermore, it is proposed that Hans Wigzell shall be paid a remuneration for his work as a Chairman of the Board from and including October 1, 2022, in accordance with the levels of remuneration resolved by the Annual General Meeting 2022, in proportion to the duration of the term of his directorship.
Otherwise, remuneration for the members of the Board elected at the Annual General Meeting 2022, including any remuneration for work in Board Committees, shall remain unchanged according to the resolution by the Annual General Meeting 2022, as applicable in proportion to the duration of the term of office.
ELECTION OF NEW MEMBER OF THE BOARD (ITEM 8)
The above-mentioned shareholders propose that Günther Mårder be elected as Board member for the period until the next Annual General Meeting.
Günther Mårder is born 1982 and has a Master's degree from Stockholm School of Economics, Sweden. Since 2015 he is the CEO of the organization Företagarna. His previous experience includes savings economist at Nordnet Bank, Vice Chairman at Better Finance and CEO at Sveriges Aktiesparares Riksförbund. He is a Board member at Spotlight Group AB, Lundqvist Trävaru AB and StyrelseAkademien Stockholm. He is also Chairman of the Board and founder of Kunskapsgruppen Sverige.
Günther Mårder is considered independent of the company and its management and the company's major shareholders. His holdings in RaySearch Laboratories AB, as of October 10, 2022, amounts to 57,219 Series B shares (including holdings by closely related persons).
The proposal concerning the composition of the Board satisfies the independence requirements under the Swedish Corporate Governance Code.
If the General Meeting resolves in accordance with the proposal, the Board of Directors will consist of the following members elected by the General Meeting: Carl Filip Bergendal, Johan Löf, Britta Wallgren, Hans Wigzell and Günther Mårder.
Number of shares and votes and information on holding of own shares
The total number of shares in the company at the date of this invitation is 34,282,773, of which 8,454,975 are Series A shares, each carrying 10 votes, and 25,827,798 are Series B shares, each carrying one vote, which means that there is a total of 110,377,548 votes in the company. The company holds no own shares.
Awailability of documents and other issues
Complete proposals are set out above. Information about the proposed Board member is available on the company's website www.raysearchlabs.com. The general meeting share register will be available at the company's head office, Eugeniavägen 18C, SE-113 68 Stockholm, Sweden.
Processing of personal data
For information on how your personal data is processed, see https://www.euroclear.com/dam/ESw/Legal/Privacy-notice-bolagsstammor-engelska.pdf.
Stockholm, October 2022
Board of Directors
For more information, please contact:
Johan Löf, founder and CEO, RaySearch Laboratories AB (publ)
Telephone: +46 (0) 8 510 530 00
johan.lof@raysearchlabs.com
Björn Hårdemark, interim CFO, RaySearch Laboratories AB (publ)
Telephone: +46 (0) 709 564 217
bjorn.hardemark@raysearchlabs.com
This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com
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2022-10-11 12:44:56
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LONDON, July 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Tetragon has published its 2022 Half Yearly Report. Please click below to access the report.
As a reminder, Tetragon will host a conference call today at 15:00 BST / 10:00 EDST to discuss the half-yearly report. During the call, Tetragon's investment manager will also seek to address questions raised by investors, including questions e-mailed to ir@tetragoninv.com.
Getting Access to the Call, Online Presentation and Q&A:
The audio portion of the conference call may be accessed by dialing +44 (0) 800 358 9473 in the U.K. and +1 855 857 0686 in the United States. Please be prepared to provide the Participant Pin Code 50507893#.
The call will be accompanied by a live presentation which can be viewed online by registering at the link below. In addition, questions can be submitted online while watching the presentation. You will still need to dial in to the audio portion of the call above if you choose to view the presentation online. We would encourage you to log in 15 minutes prior to the start of the call.
In addition, we will post the presentation PDF to the website approximately one hour prior to the start of the call.
About Tetragon:
Tetragon is a closed-ended investment company that invests in a broad range of assets, including public and private equities and credit (including distressed securities and structured credit), convertible bonds, real estate, venture capital, infrastructure, bank loans and TFG Asset Management, a diversified alternative asset management business. Where appropriate, through TFG Asset Management, Tetragon seeks to own all, or a portion, of asset management companies with which it invests in order to enhance the returns achieved on its capital. Tetragon's investment objective is to generate distributable income and capital appreciation. It aims to provide stable returns to investors across various credit, equity, interest rate, inflation and real estate cycles. The company's non-voting shares are traded on Euronext in Amsterdam, a regulated market of Euronext Amsterdam N.V., and on the Specialist Fund Segment of the main market of the London Stock Exchange. For more information please visit the company's website at www.tetragoninv.com.
This release contains inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation.
This release does not contain or constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase securities in the United States or any other jurisdiction. The securities of Tetragon have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to U.S. persons unless they are registered under applicable law or exempt from registration. Tetragon does not intend to register any portion of its securities in the United States or to conduct a public offer of securities in the United States. In addition, Tetragon has not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, and investors will not be entitled to the benefits of such Act. Tetragon is registered in the public register of the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets under Section 1:107 of the Financial Markets Supervision Act as a collective investment scheme from a designated country.
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SOURCE Tetragon Financial Group Limited
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https://www.wlbt.com/prnewswire/2022/07/29/tetragon-financial-group-limited-2022-half-yearly-report/
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2022-07-29 06:20:37
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KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — A British mountain guide returned to Nepal’s capital on Friday after scaling Mount Everest for a 17th time, breaking his own record for the most ascents of the world’s highest mountain by a non-Sherpa guide.
Kenton Cool first climbed Mount Everest in 2004 and has been doing it almost every year since then.
“I really don’t think records belong on the mountains. Mountains are bigger than records,” Cool said at Kathmandu airport after getting off the helicopter that brought him back from Everest. “I am just happy we had a great climb and that we are back.”
Only Nepali Sherpa guides have scaled the peak more times than Cool. Veteran Sherpa guide Kami Rita climbed the mountain this week for a record 27th time. Another Sherpa guide, Pasang Dawa, has scaled it 26 times. Both Kami Rita and Pasang Dawa are still on the 8,849-meter (29,032-foot) mountain with their climbing groups and there is a chance they could reach the summit again before the spring climbing season finishes at the end of this month.
Hundreds of climbers and their local guides are currently on Everest and a rush for the summit is expected in the next few weeks. Nepalese authorities issued about 470 permits to climb Everest this season.
Nine people have died on Everest this year, including four Sherpa guides.
Cool was unable to climb Everest in 2014 because the season was canceled after 16 Sherpa guides were killed in an avalanche, and again in 2015 when an earthquake triggered an avalanche that killed 19 people. The 2020 climbing season was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
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https://www.kxnet.com/news/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/ap-british-climber-scales-everest-for-17th-time-the-most-by-a-non-sherpa-guide/
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2023-05-19 22:57:51
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CHICAGO, Dec. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Brown Gibbons Lang & Company (BGL), a leading investment banking and financial advisory firm, is pleased to announce a new partnership between Synergy Plastic Surgery, a highly regarded plastic surgery practice based in Austin, Texas, and Pinnacle Dermatology. BGL's Healthcare investment banking team initiated the transaction and acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Synergy Plastic Surgery. The specific terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
This transaction furthers BGL's deep knowledge of plastic surgery M&A—and more broadly, the provider services sector—and represents its ninth completed transaction involving dermatology and cosmetic services providers.
Synergy Plastic Surgery (Synergy) consists of a team of twelve providers, led by six highly regarded, board-certified plastic surgeons who specialize in cosmetic plastic surgery at their four offices in the Round Rock and Austin areas. The doctors also specialize in body contouring procedures, including plastic surgery after weight loss, liposuction, and tummy tucks. In addition, Synergy provides a full array of MedSpa services. Synergy serves the communities surrounding Austin, San Antonio, and other cities, including Killeen, Cedar Park, Leander, and Pflugerville.
With more than 145 locations in 17 states, Pinnacle Dermatology (Pinnacle) is the nation's largest female-founded and owned dermatology network in the United States. Pinnacle is the premier source of all aspects of skin care and appearance enhancement care. Their combination of talented dermatological and plastic surgery professionals are focused on the highest quality care, convenient access, and superior outcomes.
The new partnership with Synergy furthers Pinnacle's commitment to growing its national organization through partnering with market leaders in dermatology and cosmetic services.
BGL's Healthcare Provider Services Group is one of the most experienced and respected financial advisory teams in the U.S. for physician practice M&A, plastic surgery M&A and related technical services, with a long track record of expertise in physician practice valuation and in successfully advising physicians and alternate site providers through strategic transactions like selling a physician practice. With healthcare investment banking industry expertise, tenacious processing, and creative deal structuring, coupled with global access to the most active healthcare and life sciences investors, BGL's advisors execute transactions effectively and efficiently, and consistently exceed our clients' expectations.
Brown Gibbons Lang & Company (BGL) is a leading independent investment bank and financial advisory firm focused on the global middle market. The firm advises private and public corporations and private equity groups on mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, financial restructurings, business valuations and opinions, and other strategic matters. BGL has investment banking offices in Chicago, Cleveland, Los Angeles, and New York, and real estate offices in Chicago, Cleveland, and San Antonio. The firm is also a founding member of Global M&A Partners, enabling BGL to service clients in more than 30 countries around the world. Securities transactions are conducted through Brown, Gibbons, Lang & Company Securities, LLC, an affiliate of Brown Gibbons Lang & Company LLC and a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC. For more information, please visit www.bglco.com.
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2022-12-12 22:04:59
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OMAHA, Neb. — Three of the 12 unions negotiating with the nation’s biggest freight railroads have reached a tentative deal which will deliver 24% pay raises, in line with what a special presidential panel of arbitrators recommended earlier this month to resolve the stalemate before a strike could happen.
The tentative five-year deal announced Monday covers more than 15,000 members of the International Association of Machinists, the Transportation Communications Union and the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen unions.
But the two biggest rail unions that represent engineers and conductors said over the weekend they still haven’t been able to reach a deal their members would accept.
The railroads have until mid-September to reach agreements with all their unions before federal law would allow them to go on strike. If it gets to that point, however, Congress is expected to step in to keep the trains moving because a rail strike could be devastating to the economy.
Lawmakers could impose terms on both sides or order arbitration.
Roughly 115,000 workers are represented by all the railroad unions. Even though they have been negotiating jointly as a coalition, each individual union now has to reach its own agreement with the railroads. CSX, Union Pacific, BNSF, Norfolk Southern and a number of other railroads are represented by the National Carriers Conference Committee in the talks.
“It is critical for all stakeholders — including customers, employees, and the public — that all parties promptly resolve the negotiations and prevent service disruptions,” the railroads said in a statement.
The deal announced Monday closely follows the recommendations of an emergency board that President Biden appointed last month. The board heard from both sides before issuing a 124-page report with recommendations. The railroads said they want to work out contracts based on those recommendations.
“This comes after a long, tough process that began almost three years ago and led us through every step of the Railway Labor Act, including a Presidential Emergency Board,” said Josh Hartford with the Machinists Union’s Rail Division.
The tentative deal includes one additional paid leave day a year. The raises in the deal are bigger than the 17% ones railroads were offering but not as generous as the 31% raises the unions sought.
In addition to the 24% pay boost, the board also recommended five $1,000 bonuses in the five-year deal which is retroactive to 2020. Rail workers will see increases in their health insurance premiums each year as part of the deal, but their cost will be capped at 15% of the total cost of their health plans.
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2022-08-29 21:23:03
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Rain showers in the forecast are unlikely to put a damper on Santa Fe Pride festivities planned downtown and in other sites around the city this weekend, organizers say.
Pride Month, commemorating the activists who led the Stonewall Riots after the June 28, 1969, police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar in New York City, will culminate in Santa Fe on Saturday with a Pride Drive Parade and Pride on the Plaza festival, with live music and a drag show.
"It's open to everyone — just come out and celebrate," Santa Fe Human Rights Alliance Director Kevin Bowen said.
Mayor Alan Webber issued a proclamation this week declaring LGBTQ communities an "integral part of the vibrant culture and climate of Santa Fe."
And City Manager John Blair announced Santa Fe is taking steps to become "the most queer-friendly city" in New Mexico. Among the initiatives he cited was the development of an anti-bullying policy for youth in city facilities.
Still, Pride celebrations in Santa Fe and across the U.S. come as lawmakers in many states have proposed a record number of bills targeting LGBTQ people. Some already have passed, such as one in Florida known by critics as the "Don't Say Gay" bill, which limits how teachers can address gender and sexuality in classrooms.
"We're super fortunate in New Mexico," said Equality New Mexico Executive Director Marshall Martinez. "We haven't had a single piece of anti-LGBTQ legislation passed — probably since the 1970s, if even then."
There have been some attempts by lawmakers in recent years, Martinez said, but they gained no traction.
It's a different story in neighboring states.
Arizona continues to exclude transgender health care from its Medicaid coverage after a federal appeals court this year denied a transgender teenager's claim that failure to cover gender-affirming care was sex discrimination.
In March, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott directed state employees to launch child abuse investigations into families seeking gender-affirming care for their transgender children.
In Oklahoma last month, Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill into law requiring students at public schools to use the bathroom of the gender listed on their birth certificates. Transgender students who decline to do so will have to use single-stall restrooms.
In March, Stitt banned transgender women and girls from competing on public school sports teams aligned with their gender.
"We are at a time where many of us at a certain age saw these changes happen," Bowen said. "Now, it's like, in a matter of years we're going backwards."
As a result of such laws in other states, Martinez said, his organization is seeing more families move to New Mexico, as well as younger single adults.
"Those folks are able to get the care they need here," he said. "We live in a supportive environment. ... It's also just a safer place for queer and young people in general to be."
Martinez said there has been homophobic rhetoric in the state about whether supporting gay rights makes someone a "real" New Mexican. He encouraged people to come out to events like Santa Fe Pride and take notice of who else is there.
"We'll see aunties and grandmas at Santa Fe Pride," he said. "Those so-called traditional families, they'll be there."
The Santa Fe Human Rights Alliance, which has organized Pride events in Santa Fe for years, began the week's celebrations Sunday with the Kick Off T-Dance at Tumbleroot Brewery and Distillery on Agua Fría Street.
The nonprofit alliance on Tuesday screened the 2020 documentary Cured, which explores how homosexuality in the U.S. was delisted as a mental illness in the 1970s, at the Jean Cocteau Cinema.
Festivities continued Thursday evening, with the sold-out Drag Bingo event at Opuntia Cafe in the Railyard.
Saturday's parade begins at 11 a.m. at the PERA Building parking lot across from the state Capitol and will proceed to the Plaza.
National Weather Service predictions showed a 70 percent chance of rain Saturday, but Bowen isn't worried. While the Human Rights Alliance wasn't able to secure an indoor backup venue, he said, Pride booths on the Plaza will be under tents to provide cover.
Among the features at the event will be a youth area with face painting, a puppet show and booths from organizations like Santa Fe Public Schools' Office of Student Wellness, the Santa Fe Public Library and Youth Shelters and Family Services.
"We know 40 percent of homeless youth are LGBTQIA because their parents have kicked them out of their homes," Bowen said.
The Pride celebration will continue at 3 p.m. Saturday with Diversity Rocks the Block, a free block party in Burro Alley for people ages 21 and over.
Tumbleroot will host Pride After Dark at 8:30 p.m., with house music artist Crystal Waters providing a special guest performance.
Meow Wolf will host its own Pride party at 10 p.m., featuring drag artist group Saints Ball and Santa Fe-based writer and performer Quinn Alexander Fontaine. Half of all ticket proceeds will go toward the Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico, Meow Wolf marketing manager Kate Daley said.
"One of our missions is to support underserved and LGBTQIA communities," she added.
Ahead of the Pride parties Saturday, the Human Rights Alliance will host a statewide discussion at 1 p.m Friday at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center on resources and community support for LGBTQ New Mexicans. The talk features Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.
Bowen said the intention of the discussion, which will be streamed online, is to eventually establish a broader state coalition for LGBTQ communities, including in New Mexico's more rural areas.
"We're opening a dialogue across many lines now within our community," he said.
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https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/several-santa-fe-events-slated-to-mark-pride-month/article_41a5eeb8-f0d8-11ec-ab07-43bcef0768f1.html
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2022-06-24 03:34:10
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MONROE COUNTY, Pa. — A 28-year-old man was arrested today in the Pocono Mountains in connection with the murders of four students at the University of Idaho. According to Monroe County officials, the suspect is Bryan Kohberger, of Albrightsville.
ABC News reports officials in Idaho knew who they were looking for and tracked the man to Pennsylvania. Local police and the FBI made the arrest Friday morning, and Kohberger appeared before a judge at 8:30 a.m.
Arrest paperwork filed in Monroe County Court says Kohberger was being held for extradition to Idaho on a warrant for first-degree murder. Moscow Police say a press conference will be held with more details on the case at 4 p.m. EST.
A Ph.D. student by Kohberger's same name is listed in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Washington State University, which is a short drive across the state line from the University of Idaho. The Associated Press left messages seeking more information for officials at WSU.
DeSales University, where Kohberger earned a master's degree, released the following statement, "On Friday, December 30, DeSales University learned of the arrest of Bryan Kohberger in connection with the murders of four University of Idaho students. Kohberger received a bachelor's degree in 2020 and completed his graduate studies in June 2022. As a Catholic, Salesian community, we are devastated by this senseless tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims' families during this difficult time."
The Idaho students — Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin — were stabbed to death at a rental home near campus sometime in the early morning hours of Nov. 13. The slayings initially mystified law enforcement, with investigators unable to name a suspect or locate a murder weapon for weeks.
But the case broke open after law enforcement asked the public for help finding a white sedan seen near the home around the time of the killings. The Moscow Police Department made the request Dec. 7, and by the next day, had to direct tips to a special FBI call center because so many were coming in.
Goncalves, 21, of Rathdrum, Idaho; Mogen, 21, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; Kernodle, 20, of Post Falls, Idaho; and Chapin, 20, of Mount Vernon, Washington, were members of the university's Greek system and close friends. Mogen, Goncalves, and Kernodle lived in the three-story rental home with two other roommates. Kernodle and Chapin were dating, and he was visiting the house that night.
Autopsies showed all four were likely asleep when they were attacked. Some had defensive wounds, and each was stabbed multiple times. There was no sign of sexual assault, police said.
Police said Thursday the rental home would be cleared of “potential biohazards and other harmful substances” to collect evidence starting Friday morning. It was unclear how long the work would take, but a news release said the house would be returned to the property manager upon completion.
The stabbing deaths shook the small town of Moscow, Idaho, a farming community of about 25,000 people — including roughly 11,000 students — tucked in the rolling hills of the northern Idaho’s Palouse region.
The case also enticed online sleuths who speculated about potential suspects and motives. In the early days of the investigation, police released relatively few details publicly.
Fears of a repeat attack prompted nearly half of the University of Idaho students to switch to online classes for the remainder of the semester, abandoning dorms and apartments in the normally bucolic town for the perceived safety of their hometowns. Safety concerns also had the university hiring an additional security firm to escort students across campus and the Idaho State Police sending troopers to help patrol the city’s streets.
This is a developing story, please check back for details.
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https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/crime/pennsylvania-man-arrested-in-connection-with-university-of-idaho-murders-pocono-mountains/523-abc4b113-441c-41e5-87b0-b263cccc405d
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2022-12-30 20:36:40
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LONDON (AP) — Thousands of schools in the U.K. closed some or all of their classrooms, train services were paralyzed and delays were expected at airports on the biggest day of industrial action Britain has seen in more than a decade, as unions stepped up pressure on the government Wednesday to provide better pay amid a cost-of-living crisis.
The Trades Union Congress, a federation of unions, estimated that up to a half-million workers, including teachers, university staff, civil servants, border officials and train drivers, went on strike across the country.
More walkouts, including by nurses and ambulance workers, are planned for the coming days and weeks.
Months of strikes have disrupted the daily routines of Britons as a bitter dispute between unions and the government over pay and working conditions drags on. The simultaneous strikes across multiple industries on Wednesday marked an escalation of the unions’ protest actions.
The last time the country saw mass walkouts on this scale was in 2011, when well over 1 million public sector workers staged a one-day strike in a dispute over pensions. Others on strike Wednesday ranged from museum workers and London bus drivers to coast guard personnel and officers who staff passport booths at airports. The British Museum was closed Wednesday because of the strikes.
Union bosses argue that despite some pay increases, such as a 5% offer the government proposed to teachers, the U.K.’s soaring inflation has plunged scores of public sector workers into financial difficulty because their wages have failed to keep pace. Teachers, health workers and many others say their wages have fallen in real terms over the last decade, and the surge in living costs that began last year exacerbated the problem.
The Trades Union Congress, or TUC, said Wednesday that the average public sector worker is 203 pounds ($250) a month worse off compared with 2010, once inflation is taken into account.
Inflation in the U.K. stands at 10.5%, the highest in 40 years, driven by skyrocketing food and energy costs. While some expect price increases to slow this year, Britain’s economic outlook remains grim. On Tuesday, the International Monetary Fund said the country will be the only major economy to contract this year, performing even worse than sanctions-hit Russia.
The National Education Union said some 23,000 schools would be affected Wednesday, with an estimated 85% fully or partially closed.
“The government have been running down our education (system), underfunding our schools and underpaying the people who work in them,” Kevin Courtney, the NEU’s joint general secretary, said. “Primary schools where you can’t find special needs assistants, because they’re taking jobs in supermarkets where they are paid better. That’s what’s making people take action.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told lawmakers that teacher strikes were “wrong,” and claimed his government had already given teachers their biggest pay raise in 30 years.
“Our children’s education is precious, and they deserve to be in school today,” he said.
His office argued that pay increases for public sector workers would not be affordable for taxpayers and could lead to tax hikes, more government borrowing or spending cuts elsewhere.
Union leaders blame the government for refusing to negotiate and offer enough to halt the strikes.
Workers were also angered by the government’s plan to introduce a new law aiming to curb strike disruptions by enforcing minimum service levels in key sectors, including health and transportation. Unions have criticized the legislation as an attack on the right to strike
Lawmakers backed the bill on Monday. Thousands of people turned out in London, Manchester and other cities Wednesday to protest the proposal.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said industrial unrest would continue until the government puts an acceptable pay offer on the table.
“The message to the government is that this is not going to go away. These problems won’t magically disappear,” he said.
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https://cw33.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-day-of-disruption-in-uk-as-thousands-join-mass-walkout/
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2023-02-01 19:40:21
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DETROIT (AP) — Sometime next year, semis with no human in the cab will start carrying freight down Interstate 45 between Dallas and Houston.
The trucks will run on an autonomous driving system called the Aurora Driver, developed by Pittsburgh-based Aurora Innovation. The company is now making about 50 trips per week with human safety drivers on board.
The prospect of a driverless semi is scary to many, but not to CEO Chris Urmson, who helped to build Google's autonomous vehicle unit. Urmson, 46, co-founded Aurora in 2017.
He spoke with The Associated Press about the future of autonomous vehicles. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Q: Aurora has said its driving system is now “feature-complete.” Does that mean you're close to putting trucks on the road without humans inside?
A: Over a year ago, we laid out how we were going to get from there to actually having these trucks on the road with nobody on board as they drove safely, full of goods for people. What it means is that all of the parts of the system are in place. They just don’t necessarily work well enough yet that we would trust it to operate without a person on board who was there to deal with rare events. It's this moment where we switch from putting the pieces together to refining and validating the stuff. The next really big deal for us will be this Aurora Driver-ready milestone where we’re confident that with a truck that has the appropriate redundancies, that we’d be able to drive that safely down the freeway. From there we're off to the races, starting to see trucks operate without people on them.
Q: Will you test without operators aboard, without carrying freight?
A: I would expect we will. If you’re one of our customers, they’re going to want to put it through paces a little bit before they they put their brand stamp of approval on it. For us to get to the point of operating without that person on board, we want to close our safety case.
Q: To many, the sight of an 80,000-pound semi with no human driver is pretty scary. How would you address those fears?
A: We’ve used machine learning, artificial intelligence, to teach them how to drive the way that a good human driver does. If you’re just observing the truck and you’re passing it, you probably don’t notice. There are so many opportunities in bringing this technology into freight. While it’s an incredibly important job, and it’s one where I have a ton of respect to the people who do it, it’s a really difficult job. The likelihood of dying as a truck driver on the job is 10 times more than the average American. On many long-haul trips, drivers have to sleep away from home. They don’t get to spend time with family. It takes a toll on their quality of life. So there’s an incredible opportunity to make goods move more safely, to make them more efficient and more cost-effective.
Q: Can you control the trucks remotely if needed?
A: When the truck is driving down the road, it needs to be able to to operate safely with or without those remote support people. But there are things that the human mind looks at where it's very easy to understand. Encoding all of those possible things in software is really hard. As we deploy the Aurora Driver, it’ll always operate safely, whether that person is there or not. But it can ask for help.
Q: You have said that eventually your trucks are going to hit something. How would you allay fears about that?
A: It’s important to recognize that trucks are involved in something like a half million accidents here today. So we expect to reduce that number. These trucks will be sharing the road with people, and people will do unexpected things. We’ll do everything we can to make these vehicles are safe. We’ll have a level of confidence on the way this thing’s going to behave that will be unprecedented. Q: Teslas on either Autopilot or “Full Self-Driving” using only cameras have crashed into emergency vehicles, motorcycles and other things. Why should we trust you folks when this keeps happening with other vehicles?
A: They aren’t really self-driving vehicles. They’re kind of being branded in a way that maybe is a little bit misleading. We’ve believed for a long time that using a a combination of laser, radar, cameras — inventing our own even more capable long-range lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) — that increases the robustness of the system. The likelihood that you miss something becomes vanishingly small. You had to think about how the different sensors might fail and how you can use different sensors to complement the weaknesses and augment the strengths of one another so that you can actually be robust in challenging situations.
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https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/business/article/insider-q-a-aurora-ceo-chris-urmson-on-17999880.php
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2023-05-01 14:14:27
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Mapbox 3D Live Navigation combines lane geometries, realtime sensor detections and road weather into a comprehensive navigation experience
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Mapbox, the leading maps and location platform powering a new generation of location-aware applications, announced Mapbox 3D Live Navigation that combines 3D lane models, real-time sensor information, sign data, environmental models, 3D landmark buildings, dynamic lighting conditions and weather data to deliver an accurate, more natural and visually stunning navigation experience.
"With Mapbox 3D Live Navigation, millions of data points converge in real-time to create the most accurate, real-life and intuitive navigation experience for drivers," said Peter Sirota, CEO of Mapbox. "This sets a new standard for what consumers will expect in the future from auto manufacturers and the type of information they will need to feel safe and secure in their vehicle."
3D lane-level guidance and real-time ADAS information
Mapbox 3D Live Navigation combines map data from millions of vehicles on the road and aerial imagery into a comprehensive map with 3D lanes together and relevant sign post information. It then uses the car's sensor information to display the lane-level location of the vehicle and adjacent vehicles, and simplifies navigation in complex intersections and multilane highways. Using real-time sensor information, Mapbox 3D Live Navigation also displays Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) hazard warnings on the map to ensure the driver's situational awareness is consistent with the surroundings of the vehicle.
Dynamic Lighting and Weather Conditions
Mapbox 3D Live Navigation integrates ambient weather and road weather alerts. Sun angles, scene lighting, and shadow angles are true to the time of day and actual local conditions, providing visual orientation cues reflecting the real world. These advanced rendering features are integrated with a carefully chosen level of detail for instant legibility and reduced visual context-switching for drivers, ensuring an information-rich visual experience while eliminating distractions. Road weather alerts provide drivers updates of changing conditions to the minute, enabling them to change routes and make accurate plans.
Detailed guidance for parking and charging
Mapbox high-resolution 3D models for major landmarks and buildings help improve map orientation, and increase the level of visual details for better mapping of entrances, parking, and charging locations. Mapbox 3D Live Navigation simplifies EV charging by combining high precision EV chargepoint data with navigation on parking aisle level to get drivers to charging stations hassle-free.
To participate in the private preview of Mapbox Live 3D Navigation, register at: mapbox.com/3d-navigation.
Additional resources:
- Mapbox for Automotive
- Mapbox 3D Navigation Blog
- Mapbox Wins Autotech Breakthrough Award 2022: Navigation Technology Solution of the Year
Mapbox is the leading maps and location platform powering a new generation of location-aware applications. Mapbox is the only platform that equips organizations with the full set of tools to power the navigation for people, packages, and vehicles everywhere. More than 3.5 million registered developers and nearly 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies have chosen Mapbox because of the platform's flexibility, security and privacy compliance. Organizations use Mapbox applications, data, SDKs and APIs to create customized and immersive experiences that delight their customers.
For more information, visit www.mapbox.com.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE Mapbox
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https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/prnewswire/2023/01/04/mapbox-debuts-3d-live-navigation-power-user-experience-next-generation-connected-vehicles/
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2023-01-04 18:14:05
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https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/prnewswire/2023/01/04/mapbox-debuts-3d-live-navigation-power-user-experience-next-generation-connected-vehicles/
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Which potato storage bin is best?
The average person in the U.S. consumes an estimated 120 pounds of potatoes a year. Whether baked, fried, boiled or mashed, potatoes are a big part of breakfast, lunch and dinner. Potatoes are a hardy vegetable that you can stock up on and store for a long time, but you’ll need the best potato storage bin to keep them fresh and ready when you need them.
If you are looking for a matching storage solution for potatoes, onions and garlic, the G.a Homefavor Set of Three Vintage Kitchen Storage Canisters is an attractive choice.
What to know before you buy a potato storage bin
Material
Unlike potato grow bags that are made primarily from hard plastic, potato storage bins come in a variety of materials.
- Ceramic: Ceramic is an attractive material, but it is heavy. It may also hold excessive moisture if not properly ventilated.
- Wood: Wood is the traditional choice. Look for bins that are not coated or stained with toxic finishes.
- Metal: Metal is lightweight and lends a modern touch to potato storage. These can dent easily.
- Cloth: Cloth bins are a rustic option that folds flat when not in use. They can harbor bacteria if not washed between uses.
- Wicker: Wicker provides good ventilation but may expose the potatoes to too much light.
Dimensions
Even if a potato storage bin says it can hold 5 or 10 pounds, the real test is the dimensions of the bin. Five pounds of new potatoes take up a different amount of space than 5 pounds of big russet baking potatoes.
Stacking vs. hanging vs. standalone bins
There are three main styles of potato storage bins.
- Stacking: These work well for storing and separating different types of vegetables. They need some height clearance, but they can save floor space.
- Hanging: Hanging bins are good when kitchen storage is minimal. They can be hung on a hook on a door.
- Standalone: Standalone bins are best if you have the pantry space and only really need to store one type of veggie.
What to look for in a quality potato storage bin
Good ventilation
Moisture in any type of vegetable is what causes it to rot, and potatoes are no different. Bins should have strategically placed ventilation holes that allow moisture to escape.
Light-blocking
If moisture is the first enemy of long-term potato storage is enemy number one, then light is its sidekick. Light can cause potatoes to sprout. This is good if you’re planning on planting the next crop, but it’s not great for cooking.
Look for potato storage bins that keep most (if not all) light out.
Sturdy handles
Moving 10 pounds of potatoes in a bin across the kitchen is much easier when that bin has sturdy handles. These can be integrated into the design or welded securely on.
How much you can expect to spend on a potato storage bin
The materials and size of the bin affect its cost. Expect to spend $20-$40 on a bin that can store 5 to 10 pounds.
Potato storage bin FAQ
What is the best way to store potatoes?
A. If stored properly, potatoes can last for three months or more.
- Cooked potatoes should always be stored in the refrigerator and eaten within three days.
- The best temperature to store potatoes is 45 to 50 degrees. If you cannot manage that, keep them as cool as possible and in a dry place.
- Do not wash potatoes before storage. You do not want to introduce any moisture that could cause mold or rot.
- Avoid tightly sealed containers that can trap moisture.
- Keep potatoes in a dark place to prevent them from turning green or sprouting.
- Use the oldest potatoes first.
- Do not store potatoes and onions together. Onions emit a gas that causes potatoes to sprout.
Do some potatoes stay fresh longer than others?
A. Yes. Certain varieties stay firm and fresh longer than others.
For months of storage, choose one of the following varieties:
- Red Chieftain
- Yukon Gold
- Burbank Russet
- German Butterball
- Yukon Gem
- Rose Finn Apple Fingerling
- Russian Banana Fingerling
- Red Pontiac
- All Blue
- Kennebec
What’s the best potato storage bin to buy?
Top potato storage bin
G.a Homefavor Set of Three Vintage Kitchen Storage Canisters
What you need to know: These easily organize a surplus of cooking staples.
What you’ll love: The canisters are made of powder-coated steel with a vintage-look stencil for potatoes, onions and garlic. Ventilation holes allow air to circulate to prevent mold or rot. Handles are integrated into the design for secure transport. They come in two colors.
What you should consider: Some people report receiving dented canisters.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top potato storage bin for the money
KitchenCraft Natural Elements Potato Bag With Blackout Lining
What you need to know: It’s a good solution if floor space is not an option.
What you’ll love: This hessian sack has a rustic look. The bag is lined with blackout cloth and a drawstring closure to keep potatoes from sprouting. It can sit on the floor or hang from a hook. It holds a 10-pound bag of potatoes.
What you should consider: If the potatoes are large, the bag will not hold 10 pounds.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
MobileVision Bamboo Storage Bins
What you need to know: These stackable bins keep potatoes close at hand and fit nicely in a pantry.
What you’ll love: The large bin is 12 inches by 7 inches by 5 inches, and it’s topped with a smaller bamboo bin. It keeps onions and potatoes separate. The material is lightweight but sturdy. These can also be used for storing craft materials and clothing.
What you should consider: These are best for small potatoes.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Suzannah Kolbeck 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.
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https://pix11.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/storage-br/best-potato-storage-bin/
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2022-09-01 18:24:30
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France hosted 60 Jedi apprentices in a lightsaber dueling championship over the weekend. Lightsaber dueling is recognized in France as an official sport.
Copyright 2023 NPR
France hosted 60 Jedi apprentices in a lightsaber dueling championship over the weekend. Lightsaber dueling is recognized in France as an official sport.
Copyright 2023 NPR
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https://www.wunc.org/2023-02-20/jedi-mastery-was-on-full-display-in-france-where-lightsaber-dueling-is-a-sport
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2023-02-20 12:08:30
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https://www.wunc.org/2023-02-20/jedi-mastery-was-on-full-display-in-france-where-lightsaber-dueling-is-a-sport
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Former coach of K-State’s Markquis Nowell recalls his ‘heart and passion’
NEW YORK CITY (KWCH) - “He’s proved people wrong.”
On social media, Markquis Nowell goes by Mr. New York City. The nickname caught on in Kansas where his play has continued to rise. In New York, the nickname goes back even further than his college days. It goes all the way back to his days at Bishop Loughlin High School in Brooklyn.
12 News stopped by Nowell’s old stomping grounds to find who what and -- and who -- molded him into the player he is now.
“If you didn’t know before, he’s putting the world on notice that he can play this game. No matter the size,” said Edwin Gonzalez, the head coach at Bishop Loughlin High School.
Nowell has heard the word ‘undersized his entire career.
“You don’t determine somebody’s, I guess, destiny because of their height,” said Nowell. “You determine it by their heart and their passion.”
Even as a 5′8 16-year-old, Nowell had the same mindset.
“It’s the heart that’s inside of him that makes him a bigger player. You look at him when you go into a gym and think ‘Oh, we’re playing against this guy?’ To me he played like he was 6′5″ all the time,” Gonzalez recalls.
Nowell is now back in his hometown playing for a change at the Elite Eight on the biggest stage in New York. His former head coach knows what to expect.
“If you put him on the stage a couple of more times, he’s going to really show out,” said Gonzalez. “He’s going to really show what he can do. He’s going to make people believers. All that he wanted was the opportunity. The opportunity for him is now, that’s why he’s so focused. He’s not going to let this opportunity go away. He’s not going to go down without a fight.”
Copyright 2023 KWCH. All rights reserved. To report a correction or typo, please email news@kwch.com
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https://www.kwch.com/2023/03/24/former-coach-k-states-markquis-nowell-recalls-his-heart-passion/
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2023-03-24 01:08:03
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https://www.kwch.com/2023/03/24/former-coach-k-states-markquis-nowell-recalls-his-heart-passion/
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Thursday, Nov. 17
Stanley City Council, 5 p.m., Community Building
Revival Gold open house, 6-8 p.m., Salmon Business and Innovation Center
CMS girls basketball vs. Watersprings
Friday, Nov. 18
Community Thanksgiving dinner, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Challis senior center
CHS girls basketball at West Jefferson, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 19
Turkey trot, 1 p.m., Challis city park
CHS girls basketball at Mackay, 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 22
Mackay City Council, 6 p.m., City Hall
CMS girls basketball at Watersprings
Monday, Nov. 28
Custer County Commission, Courthouse
Tuesday, Nov. 29
CHS wrestling in Challis, 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 30
CMS girls basketball at Mackay
Thursday, Dec. 1
Custer County Planning and Zoning Commission, 6 p.m., Courthouse
CHS girls basketball at Leadore, 5:30 p.m.
CHS boys basketball at West Jefferson, 5:30 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 2
Christmas tree lighting, old Challis Middle School, 5 p.m.
Christmas parade of lights, Challis Main street, 6 p.m.
Christmas bazaar, Challis Community Event Center
Christmas concert, old Challis Middle School, 7 p.m.
CHS boys wrestling at American Falls
CHS girls wrestling at Grace
CHS boys basketball at Dietrich
Saturday, Dec. 3
Breakfast with Santa, 8-10 a.m., Joe Nowacki Community Center, Mackay
Kids' crafts, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Joe Nowacki Community Center, Mackay
Winterfest bazaar, 10 a.m., Ken's Club, Mackay
Challis community wood lot distribution, 10 a.m.-noon
Christmas bazaar, Challis Community Event Center
Winterfest scavenger hunt, noon, Sammy's, Mackay
Kids' movie, 2 p.m., Main Theater, Mackay
Santa and Mrs. Claus visit kids, 4-6 p.m., Scoops, Mackay
Christmas tree lighting and caroling, 5:30 p.m., downtown Mackay
Winterfest parade of lights, 6:30 p.m., Mackay
CHS boys wrestling at American Falls
CHS girls wrestling at Grace
CHS boys basketball at Dietrich
Tuesday, Dec. 6
CHS girls basketball vs. Mackay, 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 7
CHS boys basketball at Salmon, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 8
Stanley City Council, 5 p.m., Community Building
Challis Elementary School Christmas concert
Friday, Dec. 9
CHS wrestling at Marsh Valley
Storytime with Santa, Penwell House, Challis
Saturday, Dec. 10
CHS girls and boys basketball at Grace, 2:30 p.m.
Challis Shop Hop
CHS wrestling at Marsh Valley
Monday, Dec. 12
Custer County Commission, Courthouse
Mackay school board, 7 p.m., MHS library
Tuesday, Dec. 13
CHS girls and boys basketball vs. Watersprings, 4 p.m.
Mackay City Council, 6 p.m., City Hall
Challis City Council, 7 p.m., City Hall
Wednesday, Dec. 14
Challis school board, 5 p.m., Challis Elementary School
CHS wrestling at Snake River, 6 p.m.
Big Lost River Ground Water District annual meeting, 7 p.m., Butte County Business Center, Arco
Thursday, Dec. 15
CHS girls and boys basketball at Carey, 5:30 p.m.
CHS Christmas concert
Friday, Dec. 16
CHS boys wrestling at Glenns Ferry
CHS boys basketball vs. Hagerman, 2 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 17
CHS girls basketball vs. West Jefferson, 1 p.m.
CHS girls wrestling at Ririe
Tuesday, Dec. 20
CHS girls basketball vs. Salmon, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 22
CHS boys basketball vs. Salmon, 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 27
Mackay City Council, 6 p.m., City Hall
Wednesday, Dec. 28
Custer County Commission, Courthouse
2023
Tuesday, Jan. 3
CHS boys basketball at West Jefferson, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 5
CHS girls basketball at Watersprings, 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 6
CHS girls basketball at Butte County, 5:30 p.m.
CHS wrestling at Buhl
Saturday, Jan. 7
CHS girls and boys basketball at Leadore, 1 p.m.
CHS wrestling at Buhl
Tuesday, Jan. 10
CHS boys basketball at Butte County, 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 11
CHS wrestling at West Jefferson, 6 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 13
CHS girls and boys basketball at Hagerman, 5:30 p.m.
CHS wrestling at Wendell
Saturday, Jan. 14
CHS girls and boys basketball vs. Grace, noon
CHS wrestling at Wendell
Wednesday, Jan. 18
CHS girls basketball vs. Butte County, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 19
CHS wrestling vs. Salmon, 6 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 20
CHS girls basketball at Grace, 1 p.m.
CHS boys basketball vs. Grace, 1 p.m.
CHS wrestling at Aberdeen
Saturday, Jan. 21
CHS girls and boys basketball vs. Clark County, 4:30 p.m.
CHS wrestling at Aberdeen
Wednesday, Jan. 25
CHS boys basketball vs. Butte County, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 26
CHS girls basketball at Grace, 5:30 p.m.
CHS wrestling vs. Ririe, 6 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 27
CHS wrestling at Clearwater Valley
CHS boys basketball at Mackay, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 28
CHS wrestling at Clearwater Valley
CHS boys basketball at Watersprings, 1 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 1
CHS wrestling vs. North Fremont, 6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 3
CHS wrestling home tourney
Saturday, Feb. 4
CHS wrestling home tourney
Tuesday, Feb. 7
CHS boys basketball vs. Mackay, 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 8
CHS wrestling at Firth
Thursday, Feb. 9
CHS boys basketball at Grace, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 16
District wrestling tourney in Salmon
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https://www.postregister.com/messenger/local_scenes/events-calendar/article_24cf7982-5a12-11ed-9a0e-6f0dea7d5fd8.html
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2022-11-17 19:48:48
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https://www.postregister.com/messenger/local_scenes/events-calendar/article_24cf7982-5a12-11ed-9a0e-6f0dea7d5fd8.html
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By ANISH BHATTARAI, KRUTIKA PATHI and SHEIKH SAALIQ
Associated Press
POKHARA, Nepal (AP) — A spokesman for Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority says a flight data recorder and a cockpit voice recorder have been retrieved from the site of the crash of a passenger plane that went down on approach to a newly opened airport in the tourist town of Pokhara, killing at least 68 of the 72 people aboard.
The dead, many of whom were returning home, include a pharmaceutical marketing agent who was coming to be with his sister as she gave birth, and a minister of a Korean religious group who was traveling to the school he founded.
On Monday evening, relatives and friends were still gathered outside a local hospital. Many consoled each other, while some shouted at officials to speed up the post mortems so they could take the bodies of their loved ones home for funerals.
It’s still not clear what caused the crash, which took place less than a minute’s flight from the plane’s destination, on a mild day amid calm winds.
Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority said the aircraft last made contact with the airport from near Seti Gorge at 10:50 a.m. before crashing.
A witness who recorded footage of the plane’s descent said it looked like a normal landing until the plane suddenly veered to the left. “I saw that and I was shocked… I thought that today everything will be finished here after it crashes, I will also be dead,” said Diwas Bohora. After it crashed, red flames erupted and the ground shook violently, like an earthquake, Bohora said. “I was scared. Seeing that scene, I was scared.”
Amit Singh, an experienced pilot and founder of India’s Flight Safety Foundation, said Bohora’s video appears to show a stall, a situation in which a plane loses lift, especially likely at low airspeeds.
The twin-engine ATR 72 aircraft, operated by Nepal’s Yeti Airlines, was completing the 27-minute flight from the capital, Kathmandu, to Pokhara, 200 kilometers (125 miles) west. It was carrying 68 passengers, including 15 foreign nationals, as well as four crew members, Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement. The foreigners included five Indians, four Russians, two South Koreans, and one each from Ireland, Australia, Argentina and France.
Jagannath Niraula said the flight recorders were found on Monday, and will be handed over to investigators. Rescuers are still searching the debris, which is scattered down a 300-meter (984 feet) gorge. Pemba Sherpa, spokesperson for Yeti Airlines, confirmed that both the flight data and the cockpit voice recorders have been found.
A pilot who routinely flies an ATR 72-500 plane from India to Nepal said the region’s topography, with its mountain peaks and narrow valleys, raises the risk of accidents and sometimes requires pilots to fly by sight rather than relying on instruments. The pilot, who works for a private Indian airline and didn’t want to be named due to company policy, called the ATR 72-500 an “unforgiving aircraft” if the pilot isn’t highly skilled and familiar with the region’s terrain and wind speeds.
Hundreds of people gathered outside the Pokhara Academy of Health and Science, Western Hospital, where the bodies are being kept. Bimala Bhenderi was waiting outside the post-mortem room Monday. She was planning to meet her friend, Tribhuban Paudel, on Tuesday when she heard that his flight had crashed. “I’m so sad, I can’t believe it still,” she said in tears.
Bikash Jaiswal said he could only identify his wife’s brother only by the ring he wore, and that he had yet to tell his wife, who was giving birth Sunday. Sanjay Jaiswal, who worked as a marketing agent for a private pharmaceutical company in Kathmandu, was flying to Pokhara for the birth. More than 24 hours after the crash, Sanjay’s body lay in the same hospital where his niece was just born.
“He was a hardworking person, and now there’s no one left in his family to earn,” Bikash said.
Park Dae-seong, a minister and spokesperson of the Won Buddhist order, said Monday it confirmed the deaths of Arun Paudel and his daughter, Prasiddi. Arun Paudel, 47, had worked as a police officer in Nepal before being introduced into the religion by his brother. He studied the religion for years at a South Korean university before becoming a minister in 2009. He then returned to Nepal and established a school in the Lumbini province in 2013 where children received English, Korean and information technology education. Park said Paudel was returning to Nepal for work related to the school, called the Vishow Ekata Academy.
The Civil Aviation Authority said that 38 people have been identified. Gyan Khadka, a police spokesperson in the district, said the bodies will be handed over to family after officials finish post mortem reports.
The Russian Ambassador to Nepal, Alexei Novikov, confirmed the death of four Russian citizens who were on board the plane. South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it’s still trying to confirm the fate of two South Korean passengers and has sent staff to the scene.
Omar Gutiérrez, governor of Argentina’s Neuquen province, wrote on his official Twitter account that an Argentine passenger on the flight was Jannet Palavecino, from his province.
The Facebook page of Palavecino says she was manager of the Hotel Suizo in Neuquen city. She described herself as a lover of travel and adventure tourism.
Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers told reporters Monday that “our hearts go out to all of the families of the crew and passengers” who died, adding that the government was providing consular support to the family of an Australian who was aboard the plane.
The type of plane involved, the ATR 72, has been used by airlines around the world for short regional flights since the late 1980s. In Taiwan, two accidents involving ATR 72-500 and ATR 72-600 aircrafts in 2014 and 2015 led to the planes being grounded for a period.
ATR identified the plane involved in Sunday’s crash as an ATR 72-500 in a tweet. According to plane tracking data from flightradar24.com, the aircraft was 15 years old and “equipped with an old transponder with unreliable data.” It was previously flown by India’s Kingfisher Airlines and Thailand’s Nok Air before Yeti took it over in 2019, according to records on Airfleets.net. ATR has not responded to a request for comment.
Nepal, home to eight of the world’s 14 highest mountains including Mount Everest, has a history of air crashes. Sunday’s crash is Nepal’s deadliest since 1992, when all 167 people aboard a Pakistan International Airlines plane were killed when it plowed into a hill as it tried to land in Kathmandu.
According to the Flight Safety Foundation’s Aviation Safety database, there have been 42 fatal plane crashes in Nepal since 1946.
The European Union has banned airlines from Nepal from flying into the 27-nation bloc since 2013, citing weak safety standards. In 2017, the International Civil Aviation Organization cited improvements in Nepal’s aviation sector, but the EU continues to demand administrative reforms.
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Saaliq and Pathi reported from New Delhi. Shonal Ganguly in New Delhi, David Rising in Bangkok, Elise Morton in London, Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea, and Adam Schreck in Bangkok contributed reporting.
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Find more of AP’s Asia-Pacific coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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NEW YORK (AP) — Fred Ward, a veteran actor who brought a gruff tenderness to tough-guy roles in such films as “The Right Stuff,” “The Player” and “Tremors,” has died. He was 79.
Ward died Sunday, his publicist Ron Hofmann said Friday. No cause or place of death was disclosed per the family’s wishes.
Ward earned a Golden Globe and shared the Venice Film Festival ensemble prize for his performance in Robert Altman’s “Short Cuts,” and played the title character in “Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins.” He also reached new heights playing Mercury 7 astronaut Virgil “Gus” Grissom in 1983′s Academy Award-nominated film “The Right Stuff.”
“Devastated to learn about the passing of my friend, Fred Ward,” tweeted actor Matthew Modine, who co-starred with Ward in “Short Cuts” and Alan Rudolph’s “Equinox.” “A tough façade covering emotions as deep as the Pacific Ocean. Godspeed amigo.”
A former boxer, lumberjack in Alaska and short-order cook who served in the U.S. Air Force, Ward was a San Diego native who was part Cherokee. One early big role was alongside Clint Eastwood in 1979’s “Escape From Alcatraz.”
“I mourn the loss of Fred Ward, who was so kind to me when we worked together on ‘Remo Williams,’” actor Kate Mulgrew tweeted. “Decent and modest and utterly professional, he disarmed with a smile that was at once warm and mischievous.”
Ward’s other roles included a rumpled cop chasing a psychotic criminal played by Alec Baldwin in George Armitage’s “Miami Blues.” He was a formidable and intimidating father to both Freddie Prinze Jr.’s character in “Summer Catch” and David Spade’s title character in “Joe Dirt.”
Ward played President Ronald Reagan in the 2009 Cold War espionage thriller “Farewell” and had a supporting role in the 2013 action flick “2 Guns,” starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg.
In the horror-comedy “Tremors,” Ward paired with Kevin Bacon to play a pair of repairmen who end up saving a hardscrabble Nevada desert community beset by giant underground snakes.
With the sexually charged, NC-17 “Henry & June,” Ward showed more than just grit. Based on the book by Anais Nin and directed by Philip Kaufman, Ward played novelist Henry Miller, opposite Nin and his wife, June. “My rear end seemed to have something to do with (that rating),” he told The Washington Post.
He also reteamed with Altman for the part of a studio security chief in the director’s 1992 Hollywood satire “The Player,” and played a union activist and Meryl Streep’s workmate in Mike Nichols’ “Silkwood” in 1983.
Ward demonstrated his comedy chops playing a terrorist intent on blowing up the Academy Awards in “Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult” in 1994.
On the small screen, he had recurring roles on NBC’s “ER” playing the father of Maura Tierney’s Abby Lockhart in 2006-2007 and guest starred on such series as “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Leverage” and “United States of Tara.” Ward most recently appeared in the second season of HBO’s “True Detective” as the retired cop father of Colin Farrell’s Detective Ray Velcoro.
Ward is survived by his wife of 27 years, Marie-France Ward and his son, Django Ward.
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LOS ANGELES (KTLA) – Strippers who would normally be entertaining patrons inside a Los Angeles topless bar were instead outside on the sidewalk picketing Friday.
For the last five months, picketing has become a common occurrence outside North Hollywood’s Star Garden Topless Dive Bar. But now, with the backing of a major national union, they are one step closer to making history.
The dancers, alongside union members from the Actors Equity Association, gathered for a rally Friday as they make strides toward their goal of becoming the only unionized exotic dancers in the country.
“Many of us keep this profession a secret but today is a day of reckoning for this outdated modality,” said a speaker and dancer who identified herself as “Reagan.”
More than 50 supporters showed up to back the dancers with signs, buttons and chants.
Joel Cohen of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE Local 800) attended the rally to support the union effort.
“Everybody has the right to unionize and come together and request decent living standards and wages,” Cohen said.
Actors Equity Association (AEA) President Kate Shindle said the workers will soon vote to be represented by the AEA now that paperwork has been filed with the National Labor Relations Petition Board.
“We win the election, then comes the work of actually negotiating the contract,” Shindle said.
The union represents more than 51,000 actors and stage managers in live theaters, but for the first time, strippers could be included.
“We have things in common and those things are really important. (They are) for example, contract provisions that we know we already have in other contracts that can protect these workers,” Shindle said.
The dancers have accused the club’s management of taking money and allowing strippers to perform in unsafe working conditions. A dancer who goes by the name “Velveeta” believes performers won’t mind paying dues for better protection.
“It’s worth the 3%,” she said. “We are paying 50% right now.”
As noted by Deadline, this wouldn’t be the first time a group of dancers had attempted to become a union, or even succeeded at it. Strippers at the Lusty Lady in San Francisco formed a union in 1996 by becoming affiliated with the Service Employees International Union, though the Lusty Lady eventually closed in 2013, the outlet reported.
Now, the dancers at Star Garden could become the only unionized dancers in the country if they gain representation by the AEA.
Shindle feels the eventual vote will pass and the dancers will be back on stage, but this time with the union’s backing.
“[Management] work so hard to break solidarity,” Shindle said. “Fortunately this is a really powerful and passionate group of workers. I think they are going to have some things to say about that.”
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BEIJING (AP) — China's manufacturing activity improved in June after anti-virus controls that shut down Shanghai and other industrial centers were eased, a survey showed Thursday.
The monthly purchasing managers’ index released by the national statistics bureau and an industry group rose to 50.2 from May’s 49.6 on a 100-point scale on which numbers above 50 indicate activity increasing.
The survey showed employment and new orders contracted in May but at a slower rate.
Forecasters expect economic growth for the quarter ending in June to fall close to zero after Shanghai and other industrial centers were shut down to contain coronavirus outbreaks. Factories, offices and shops were allowed to reopen but economists say it might take months for activity to return to normal.
The latest data indicate "full recovery will take some time,” said Iris Pang of ING in a report.
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Philadelphia’s Thanksgiving Day parade unfolded much like the 102 that preceded it — to the enthusiasm of everyone in attendance.
Crowds swarmed around John F. Kennedy Boulevard and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, vendors hawked soft pretzels and cotton candy, and floats bearing the likenesses of cartoon characters were buffeted around Center City’s skyscraper canyons.
“It’s the same thing every year, maybe a little different each time, but that’s why we come,” said Dustin DeFazio, as his daughter watched a passing marching band from a blanket-swaddle rolling pull cart. “We’ve been coming for 19 years, it’s a tradition.”
As DeFazio speaks, a huge blue and white abominable snowman roves into view, to chants of “Spin It!, Spin It” from the crowd.
“Making them spin, that’s the best part,” grinned DeFazio, of Bucks County, as the snowman wobbled in a circular fashion to cheers from the crowd.
Although the Mayor’s Office does not compile crowd estimates for major events, according to city spokesman Kevin Lessard, several attendees said this year’s parade felt closer to the size and spirit of pre-COVID-19 events.
Few people mentioned the pandemic at all, and fewer wore masks. West Philadelphia resident Aoife O’Farrell, wearing an N-95, said that as long as people were vaccinated and boosted she thought the crowds were safe.
“I work near a hospital, so I’m being as cautious as possible,” said O’Farrell, who is from California originally, and noted that this was her first time at the parade. “I wasn’t able to make it home for Thanksgiving and I saw it was on, so I figured what the hell I’ll check it out,” she said. “It’s chill, it’s relaxed, it doesn’t seem like folks are stressed out about anything.”
Gina Savage, also of West Philadelphia, said her family is new to the parade too. This is only their second year attending, but in a lawn chair wreathed in blankets she looked like an old hand at the event.
“We decided to start getting away from just cooking , and [actually] enjoying Thanksgiving. So we started coming out last year and it’s going to be a tradition from now on,” she said. The rest of the day, she added, would be devoted to heating up pre-made food, eating with family, and visiting friends around the neighborhood.
Savage praised the high school and middle school marching bands, some of whom came from as far away as Indiana and Ohio. Other spectacles included the “Woodside One Wheeler’s Unicycle Team,” from Maine, and the Pennsylvania-based “County Corvette Club.” A lone mail truck represented the U.S. Postal Service.
On the sidelines, the crowd hummed with good cheer, as spectators sipped hot coffee and more than a few cold beers. On the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, where the crowds had more room to maneuver, families grilled up breakfast sandwiches and hot dogs. Lawn tables groaned under the weight of juice cartons, coffee thermoses, and champagne bottles as people steeled themselves for the long day of merry-making ahead.
For Austin Winterle, and his family, the Thanksgiving Day parade is but the first step in their annual trek across the region for the holiday. Waking up at 7:30 in Delaware County, they pack their cars and drive into town to secure their usual spot on the route, where Cherry Street meets the parkway.
After partying and cheering the morning away, they head to Sea Isle City where Winterle’s aunt hosts dinner.
“We are pretty simple people, we like family, we like hanging out with each other, getting up early, getting down here, getting our same spot every year,” said Winterle. “And I’m a fan of the Eagles cheerleaders — I’m a big Eagles fan myself — and I usually get a couple good photos with them.”
» READ MORE: See photos of Philadelphia’s 2022 Thanksgiving Day Parade
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BEIJING, Oct. 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The ongoing 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has grabbed the headlines of the global media outlets in recent days and while the international community is paying close attention to China's blueprint for the next five years, more people from developing countries and emerging economies have showed great interests in decoding how China successfully eradicated poverty and now ranks among strong countries.
While delivering the report to the 20th CPC National Congress on Sunday, Xi Jinping underscored the "central task" of the Party, calling for efforts to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts "through a Chinese path to modernization."
Chinese modernization, a key term defining China's journey to rejuvenation, has for the first time been written into a report to the National Congress of the CPC -- the world's largest Marxist governing party and analysts said Chinese modernization, based on exploration by generations of Chinese people and unique to the country's context, presents a correct path to realizing the Chinese dream and offers humanity a new choice for achieving modernization.
China's exploration to achieve modernization and its glorious achievements in the past decade have also intrigued other countries especially developing ones, with leaders, scholars and media of these countries widely discussing China's top event.
For example, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the people of Pakistan deeply appreciate CPC's people-centric governance model, its success for China's socio-economic development and meaningful contribution to the evolution of the world's political and governance philosophy, adding that he is confident that the Chinese leadership, with foresight and wisdom, would chart a new road-map for the progress and prosperity of the Chinese nation during the Congress, according to Pakistan's Daily Time.
As strong CPC leadership, rapid economic developments, effective poverty alleviation efforts, top-level design and full implementations are the topics overseas observers and scholars are discussing, they're also speaking highly of the country's insistence to develop its own way that fits its own conditions for development as such practice has not only defied the "West-centered theory" to offer a brand new way for independent development, but also brings hope for emerging countries to realize modernization amid increasing geopolitical risks, analysts said.
Unique path to modernization
The 20th CPC National Congress and its agenda are looked at with great expectations by the world, especially developing countries, Syrian Ambassador to China Mhd. Hasanein Khaddam told the Global Times. He noted that Syrian people wish all the success to the Congress.
"We are looking for changes in the current world order that will give space to third world countries to be heard and participate in global governance. All developing countries look to China for inspiration and an expectation for a fairer world," he said.
Khaddam said that many other policies promoted by Chinese President Xi have attracted the attention of the whole world, which include building confidence in China's cultural and social heritage, focusing on scientific approaches in learning and building the country, and preserving the environment and green ecology.
The main focus for most developing countries is China's fast economic development in the past decades - how it transformed from an agricultural country into the No.2 economy in the world with the largest manufacturing sector, Yang Xiyu, senior research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times.
China's gross domestic product has risen to account for 18.5 percent of the world economy, up 7.2 percentage points over the past 10 years. The world's second largest economy has become a major trading partner for over 140 countries and regions, leading the world in total volume of trade in goods.
Insisting on independent policy, China has explored a very unique way for modernization thereby increasing its national wealth, eradicating poverty, and completing industrialization and realizing all-round developments in society, Yang said, noting that such changes within a short period in a country with the largest population in the world have attracted attention from countries with similar backgrounds.
The 20th CPC National Congress report has summarized China's experience in the past decades in developing its own path with its own context - it has made market to fully play in the distribution of resources and let the government make better service. The socialist economy has overcome the economic development cycle without recession and realized rapid and high-quality development and at the same time brought great benefits to the people's livelihoods, said Yang.
Moreover, the report gives an answer on how to balance efficiency and equality in order to realize common prosperity. China's achievement in poverty alleviation is a good example on how to create wealth and increase social equality.
Danilo Türk, former president of Slovenia, told the Global Times that Chinese concepts and practices of "dual circulation" and "common prosperity" demonstrate the capacity to adjust.
"The resilience and determination of the people of China to strive toward new levels of development is the most impressive feature for a foreign observer like me. Clearly, this requires strong leadership that the CPC has provided," Türk said.
While delivering the report to the 20th CPC National Congress, Xi also pointed out that there has never been an instruction manual or ready-made solution for the Chinese people and the Chinese nation to turn to as they fought to end the great sufferings endured since the advent of modern times.
The Party has led the people in independently blazing the path to success over the past century, and the success of Marxism in China has been realized by Chinese Communists through our own endeavors. One point underpinning these successes is that China's issues must be dealt with by Chinese people in light of the Chinese context, said the report.
Ejaz Akram, a Pakistani scholar, also professor of Religion & World Politics in Southwestern University of Political Science and Law in Chongqing, carefully read Xi's report to the congress.
Speaking highly of China's achievements in the past decade, the Pakistani scholar believes that an indigenously developed political system that is increasingly relying on its millennia old wisdom was major cause of China's success story.
"China has espoused new paradigms of development, new philosophy of governance and envisions a common future for humanity. It has chosen to tread off the beaten track of path dependency," said Akram, noting that one thing that Pakistan can take away from the 20th CPC National Congress is that roads to development and modernization are many and Pakistan must chart out its own course of development using its own civilization wisdom.
New choice for prosperity
Stressing that human society faces unprecedented challenges, Xi on Sunday called upon all countries to hold dear humanity's shared values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom, and promote mutual understanding and forge closer bonds with other peoples.
Analysts said that as the 20th CPC National Congress noted that Chinese modernization is the modernization of a huge population, of common prosperity for all and of peaceful development, China also offered a brand-new development path for emerging economies that shows modernization by no means is equal to Westernization and there has never been a one-size-fits-all approach to modernization.
China's unique way to modernization sets an example to more emerging economies that any development pattern should fit the context of a country and merely copying other countries' experience will lead to failure, analysts said.
The 20th CPC National Congress is held at a very important juncture in the history of our world when the news is dominated by the military situation in Ukraine, whose impact has been felt throughout the world. In addition, global inflation is sending more people into poverty and human degradation. All of these issues cry out for urgent attention and this is why the eyes of the world will be on China and the CPC's congress, Donald Ramotar, Guyana's former President, told the Global Times.
Ramotar said that China's relations with the developing world are qualitatively different. China's ties have no strings attached and no onerous conditionality.
But China's relations with poor countries are helping to promote prosperity.
For developing countries, China represents the political will and commitment to promote relations of a new kind, based on mutual respect, sovereign equality of states, preservation of peace and mutually beneficial international cooperation. It is also a symbol of the transition to a new international order that is more just, democratic and humanistic, where consultation and understanding among states replaces coercion, confrontation and zero-sum geopolitical games, Cuban Ambassador to China Carlos Miguel Pereira, told the Global Times.
Ebrahim Hashem, former adviser to the chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office, an authority responsible for Abu Dhabi's long-term strategies, and Asia Global fellow at the Asia Global Institute at the University of Hong Kong, told the Global Times that the Chinese development success story has been a source of inspiration to many Arab people and states, and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is an excellent opportunity for the Arabs to achieve strategic goals of their national development plans.
Also the innovative BRICS+ structure has started to attract attention from many observers viewing it as a potential nucleus for the new multipolar world that's emerging, and many Arab countries view BRICS+ positively, hoping to contribute to and benefit from it, Hashem said.
Many international observers also expressed their anticipation of China's future role of continuing being a cornerstone of world stability and peaceful development after the congress.
Ei Sun OH, a senior fellow at Singapore Institute of International Affairs and principal adviser of the Pacific Research Center of Malaysia, said for most Southeast Asian countries, "we would like to see China's future development goals bring about a higher and broader level of prosperity and stability to the region. This includes trading more with and investing more in the region, and strengthening the people-to-people bonds by means of more cultural and educational exchanges."
Rahamtalla M. Osman, the Permanent Representative of the African Union (AU) to China, told the Global Times that the 20th CPC National Congress will have profound implications for China's trajectory in the coming five to 10 years as the Party pursues its 2035 goals. In the African context, it is hoped that there will be continuity in China-Africa relations.
We hope we can build on the progress of the BRI and the outcomes of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) 2021 to generate long-term, sustainable development to support the continent in attaining AU Agenda 2063, Osman said.
At a time when many developing countries are encountering development headwinds, China's approach for development is needed more than ever and analysts said that aside from continuing to be one anchor of global stability, China and more emerging markets will work together to defend peace and global development and prosperity.
Ali el-Hefny, Egypt's former ambassador to China and former deputy foreign minister, expected China to help recover stability, peace and security in the Middle East where the situation is chaotic and volatile.
El-Hefny said the region needs greater engagement to help find political settlements to regional crises, to encourage regional and external powers to halt their attempts to further destabilize the region and to halt their hegemony and their expansionist policies.
View original content:
SOURCE Global Times
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US drug trial opens for Mexico ex-security head
By MARK STEVENSON
Associated Press
MEXICO CITY (AP) — The man who was once Mexico’s top security official and in charge of fighting the drug cartels goes on trial Tuesday on charges he accepted millions of dollars in bribes in exchange for helping the powerful Sinaloa Cartel move drugs and its members avoid capture.
Genaro García Luna was best known as the mumbling, tough-looking former security secretary under ex-President Felipe Calderón who spearheaded the bloody war on cartels between 2006 and 2012.
United States prosecutors allege he was so brazen he accepted tens of millions of dollars, often stuffed in briefcases. The evidence against him includes pay stubs, though whether they were from official jobs, private sector consultancy, cartel payments or other bribes is unclear.
They say he continued to live off his ill-gotten proceeds even after he moved to the United States, where he was arrested in 2019, though the defense says he was a legitimate businessman. Jury selection was scheduled to begin Tuesday.
In the end, the case could reveal the inner workings of how Mexican cartels have been able to operate so openly for so long: by bribing Mexican police and military right up to the top ranks.
“For decades, Mexico’s political elite, of all parties, has sought by any means to have security ministers, generals, police commanders, interior secretaries and high-ranking officials tried and imprisoned in Mexico … all that to avoid them giving information on the ties between the drug cartels and politicians,” said Mexican security analyst David Saucedo. “Garcia Luna’s trial in the United States breaks with that pattern.”
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has welcomed the trial expected to cast light on corruption in the administration of Calderón, who the president accuses of having robbed him of the presidency in 2006.
But López Obrador himself fought tooth and nail to avoid a U.S. trial of former defense secretary Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos on similar charges in 2020, at one point threatening to kick DEA agents out of Mexico unless the general was returned, which he was.
The trial begins just days after U.S. President Joe Biden met with López Obrador in Mexico City. The two governments pledged continued cooperation against the drug cartels, especially against the scourge of the synthetic opioid fentanyl, which contributed to more than 107,000 drug overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2021. López Obrador scrapped the civilian federal police force that García Luna once led and put the military in charge of much of the country’s security.
“It’s not the same to put a civilian PAN official on trial, as it is to put a defense secretary on trial, when your whole national security policy rests on the armed forces,” said Ana Vanessa Cárdenas, an international security analyst at the Anahuac University, referring to Calderón’s conservative National Action Party.
García Luna has pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges and a continuing criminal enterprise. He could face decades in prison if convicted.
What he will face in a Brooklyn courtroom is a parade of government witnesses, including high-level cartel members, of a kind not seen in Brooklyn since Sinaloa boss Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán was convicted there in 2019 and sentenced to life in prison. Some accusations against García Luna surfaced at the Guzmán trial.
“While holding public office, (García Luna) used his official positions to assist the Sinaloa Cartel, a notorious Mexican drug cartel, in exchange for multimillion-dollar bribes. At trial, the government expects that numerous witnesses, including several former high-ranking members of the Sinaloa Cartel, will testify about bribes paid to the defendant in exchange for protection,” U.S. Attorney Breon Peace wrote in a court filing last week.
“In exchange for these bribes, the defendant provided the Sinaloa Cartel with, among other things, safe passage for its drug shipments, sensitive law enforcement information about investigations into the cartel, and information about rival drug cartels,” Peace wrote. “These payments allowed the cartel at times to receive warnings in advance of law enforcement efforts to apprehend cartel members and to allow cartel members to be released if arrested.”
Before convicting Guzmán in 2019, jurors in his New York trial heard former cartel member Jesús Zambada testify that he personally made at least $6 million in hidden payments to García Luna, on behalf of his older brother, cartel boss Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.
The cartel is now believed to be run by Zambada and at least three of Guzmán’s sons, one of whom was arrested earlier this month on an extradition request from the United States.
García Luna isn’t the first top Mexican official arrested for involvement with drug traffickers. Gen. Jesús Gutiérrez Rebollo was made Mexico’s drug czar by President Ernesto Zedillo in 1996. He was arrested the following year after it was discovered he was living in a luxury apartment owned by the leader of the Juarez cartel, Amado Carrillo Fuentes.
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Act like you’ve been there before.
It’s an old saying often cited in sports, and it applies to Michigan as it prepares for the College Football Playoff. Unlike last year’s team, these Wolverines won’t have to act.
Michigan will play in a national semifinal on New Year’s Eve for the second straight season. As the Wolverines prepare for TCU in the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, last year’s experience will play a major role.
Who knows how many Michigan players, still wearing their Big Ten championship hats and shirts after beating Purdue earlier this month, were already thinking about the next game. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy was. After that victory, he went as far as saying, “Tonight doesn’t feel like anything.”
Brad Robbins was looking ahead too. Michigan’s punter saw the confetti falling inside Lucas Oil Stadium and thought, This is great, but what’s next?
Thing is, he knew the answer.
“Leaving this game I really have a great feeling about where we’re going,” he told MLive before exiting the stadium that night.
“There was just so much uncertainty last year. It was unprecedented. It was a place we’d never been as a team. Granted, we obviously had great players last year. But going into this year confidently, knowing what these next steps are, and what’s going to happen next, it’s going to benefit us immensely.”
Michigan made its playoff debut last year, the Big Ten champions earning a 2 seed and drawing 3 seed Georgia in the Orange Bowl. Michigan stumbled early that night and never recovered, losing 34-11 to the eventual national champs.
The Wolverines are 13-0 this season and again drew the 2 seed. Their chances of advancing are better than they were this time last year. One, they’re a better team than a year ago. Two, they match up better with TCU than they did Georgia.
But don’t discount the experience gained from simply appearing in the playoff already. (TCU is making its playoff debut.)
“The excitement is the same,” Robbins said, comparing this year to last. “But the buildup of what’s to come (is familiar). It’s, ‘Let’s go. What’s next? Let’s get our guys healthy. Let’s go play.’”
Back in October, players talked about what made this Michigan team different from last year’s. Starting defensive back Gemon Green was honest.
“We were good last year but I wouldn’t say we were good enough to beat Georgia, teams like that in the SEC,” he said.
Green spoke about the goal of weekly improvement, and Michigan ultimately delivered, avenging its loss to Michigan State, gutting out a late-season win over Illinois, and running Ohio State off its own field in the second half.
Michigan has the highest average margin of victory in the country at 26.7 points per game, more than double TCU’s.
Michigan linebacker-turned-running back Kalel Mullings was asked after the Big Ten championship about what makes this team so special.
“It’s the attention to detail,” he said. “And the high standard we hold ourselves to. We are a very focused and locked-in team and we make sure we understand exactly what our opponents are trying to do and how they’re trying to play the game. Once we figure that out, we do our best to try and impose our will on the opponent.”
For 13 games, it’s worked. And now Michigan feels more ready than ever for game No. 14.
“This is going to be a normal thing around here,” Robbins said about Michigan’s place in the college football world. “We want to win national championships, not just Big Ten championships.”
Back in the playoff, the Wolverines are eager to rewrite the script.
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https://www.mlive.com/wolverines/2022/12/michigans-second-crack-at-college-football-playoff-whats-different-in-2022.html
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GRAPHIC: Woman hit by train while in police cruiser parked on tracks
PLATTEVILLE, Colo. (KMGH) – A freight train collided into a police cruiser parked on train tracks with a woman trapped inside.
Locked inside the cruiser was 20-year-old Yareni Rios-Gonzalez. Police detained her for an alleged road rage incident earlier in the night Sept. 16.
About one minute and nine seconds after Rios-Gonzalez was placed in the back, the train’s horn is heard for the first time in the distance on a newly released bodycam recording.
About seven seconds later, another louder horn but still no reaction from police.
Over the next eight seconds, even more horns are heard before the two officers realize Rios-Gonzalez is in danger. By then it was too late.
Paul Wilkinson, a personal injury attorney representing the woman, said she is awake and able to have a conversation but remains in the hospital.
“She has a broken arm that she has had surgery on, nine broken ribs, a fractured sternum, broken teeth, injuries to her leg, back and head,” Wilkinson said.
Many questions remain, including why the officer parked the cruiser on the tracks and why it took critical seconds to notice the approaching train.
“The most alarming thing for me is that you can hear the train coming,” Wilkinson said. “And it’s at nighttime, and the train has lights also, so you can both hear and see the train coming.”
Wilkinson says Rios-Gonzalez heard and saw the train coming well before officers did, but she could do nothing to save herself.
“She was trying to get their attention,” her attorney said. “She was yelling. She was trying to escape.”
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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Protests spread across Iran this past week after a young woman died in the custody of the so-called morality police. The government is planning to use the military to control the protests.
Copyright 2022 NPR
Protests spread across Iran this past week after a young woman died in the custody of the so-called morality police. The government is planning to use the military to control the protests.
Copyright 2022 NPR
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https://www.nepm.org/national-world-news/national-world-news/2022-09-24/the-iranian-government-plans-to-use-military-force-on-protestors
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REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) — A volcano in southwest Iceland began erupting Wednesday, the country’s meteorological authorities said — just eight months after its last eruption officially ended.
The Icelandic Meteorological Office urged people not to go near the Fagradalsfjall volcano, which is located some 32 kilometers (20 miles) southwest of the capital, Reykjavik.
The eruption in an uninhabited valley is not far from Keflavik Airport, Iceland’s international air traffic hub. The airport remained open and no flights were disrupted.
A live video feed from the site showed magma spewing from a narrow fissure about 100 to 200 meters (109 to 218 yards) long over a field of lava from last year’s eruption, the first on the Reykjanes Peninsula in almost 800 years.
Scientists had anticipated an eruption somewhere on the peninsula after a series of earthquakes over the past week indicated volcanic activity close to the crust.
Volcanologist Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson told The Associated Press that the eruption appeared to be small.
“But we don’t know where in the process things are at,” he said as he boarded a helicopter for a first look.
The 2021 eruption in the same area produced spectacular lava flows for several months. Hundreds of thousands people flocked to see the spectacular sight.
Iceland, located above a volcanic hotspot in the North Atlantic, averages an eruption every four to five years.
The most disruptive in recent times was the 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which sent clouds of ash and dust into the atmosphere, interrupting air travel for days between Europe and North America because of concerns the ash could damage jet engines. More than 100,000 flights were grounded, stranding millions of passengers.
Shares in Iceland’s flagship airline, Icelandair, rose 6% when news of the eruption broke Wednesday. Investors and residents alike had been spooked by the possibility of a much more disruptive eruption in a populated area of the peninsula.
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JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Democrat Mary Peltola won the special election for Alaska’s only U.S. House seat on Wednesday, besting a field that included Republican Sarah Palin, who was seeking a political comeback in the state where she was once governor.
Peltola, who is Yup’ik and turned 49 on Wednesday, will become the first Alaska Native to serve in the House and the first woman to hold the seat. She will serve the remaining months of the late Republican U.S. Rep. Don Young’s term. Young held the seat for 49 years before his death in March.
“I don’t think there will be another birthday like today,” Peltola said.
“Really I’m just so grateful to Alaskans and all the Alaskans who put their faith in me to fill out the remainder of Congressman Young’s term,” she said in an interview. “My desire is to follow in Congressman Young’s legacy of representing all Alaskans, and I’m just looking forward to getting to work.”
Peltola’s victory, in Alaska’s first statewide ranked choice voting election, is a boon for Democrats, particularly coming off better-than-expected performances in special elections around the country this year following the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade. She will be the first Democrat to hold the seat since the late U.S. Rep. Nick Begich, who was seeking reelection in 1972 when his plane disappeared. Begich was later declared dead and Young in 1973 was elected to the seat.
Peltola ran as a coalition builder while her two Republican opponents — Palin and Begich’s grandson, also named Nick Begich — at times went after each other. Palin also railed against the ranked voting system, which was instituted by Alaska voters.
All three – Peltola, Palin and Begich – are candidates in the November general election, seeking a two-year term that would start in January.
The results came 15 days after the Aug. 16 election, in line with the deadline for state elections officials to receive absentee ballots mailed from outside the U.S. Ranked choice tabulations took place Wednesday after no candidate won more than 50% of the first choice votes, with state elections officials livestreaming the event. Peltola was in the lead heading into the tabulations, followed by Palin and then Begich.
State elections officials plan to certify the election by Friday.
Alaska Democratic Party leaders cheered Peltola’s win.
“Alaskans have made clear they want a rational, steadfast, honest and caring voice speaking for them in Washington D.C., not opportunists and extremists associated with the Alaska Republican Party,” state Democratic party chair Michael Wenstrup said in a statement.
Wednesday’s results were a disappointment for Palin, who was looking to make a political comeback 14 years after she was vaulted onto the national stage when John McCain selected her to be his running mate in the 2008 presidential election. In her run for the House seat, she had widespread name recognition and won the endorsement of former President Donald Trump.
After Peltola’s victory was announced, Palin called the ranked voting system “crazy, convoluted, confusing.”
“Though we’re disappointed in this outcome, Alaskans know I’m the last one who’ll ever retreat,” Palin said in a statement.
Begich in a statement congratulated Peltola while looking forward to the November election.
During the campaign, critics questioned Palin’s commitment to Alaska, citing her decision to resign as governor in July 2009, partway through her term. Palin went on to become a conservative commentator on TV and appeared in reality television programs, among other pursuits.
Palin has insisted her commitment to Alaska never wavered and said ahead of the special election that she had “signed up for the long haul.”
Peltola, a former state lawmaker who most recently worked for a commission whose goal is to rebuild salmon resources on the Kuskokwim River, cast herself as a “regular” Alaskan. “I’m not a millionaire. I’m not an international celebrity,” she said.
Peltola has said she was hopeful that the new system would allow more moderate candidates to be elected.
During the campaign, she emphasized her support of abortion rights and said she wanted to elevate issues of ocean productivity and food security. Peltola said she got a boost after the June special primary when she won endorsements from Democrats and independents who had been in the race. She said she believed her positive messaging also resonated with voters.
“It’s been very attractive to a lot of people to have a message of working together and positivity and holding each other up and unity and as Americans none of us are each other’s enemy,” she said. “That is just a message that people really need to hear right now.”
Alaska voters in 2020 approved an elections process that replaced party primaries with open primaries. Under the new system, ranked voting is used in general elections.
Under ranked voting, ballots are counted in rounds. A candidate can win outright with more than 50% of the vote in the first round. If no one hits that threshold, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated. Voters who chose that candidate as their top pick have their votes count for their next choice. Rounds continue until two candidates remain, and whoever has the most votes wins.
In Alaska, voters last backed a Democrat for president in 1964. The number of registered voters who are unaffiliated with a party is greater than the number of registered Republicans or Democrats combined, according to statistics from the Division of Elections.
The last Democratic member of Alaska’s congressional delegation was Mark Begich, Nick Begich’s uncle, who served one term in the U.S. Senate and lost his 2014 reelection bid.
Alaska’s U.S. senators, Republicans Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, congratulated Peltola.
Murkowski said Peltola “has a long track record of public service to our great state.” Murkowski and Peltola were in the state Legislature together.
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Follow AP coverage of 2022 Midterm Elections: https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections
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PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa., May 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Intelivation Technologies, a medical device company with a cutting-edge orthopedic and spine implant product portfolio announced today that they have launched a new minimally invasive pedicle screw system. The Golden Isles™ Minimally Invasive Screw is a percutaneous system that increases visualization and procedural flexibility for surgeons, resulting in minimal soft tissue disruption for patients.
Mark Moldavsky, Director of Scientific Affairs, remarked, "The addition of MIS to the Golden Isles™ platform gives us a comprehensive thoracolumbar product portfolio for the ASC and hospital setting. The modularity of the Golden Isles™ system, now combined with a minimally invasive approach, provides surgeons the ability to customize the approach on a per-patient basis."
"The surgeon feedback from the product launch has been astounding," added President Amit Sinha. "As we continue to introduce Golden Isles™ MIS across the country, we anticipate continued outstanding clinical results for surgeons and their patients. Golden Isles™ MIS yields a bespoke solution for patients. We are looking forward to expanding this unique platform and releasing additional novel products out of our Center of Excellence."
About Intelivation Technologies
Intelivation Technologies, dedicated to research and development, is focused on bringing paradigm-changing products to market that make patients' lives better. For further inquiries, interested parties may email contact@intelivationtech.com.
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https://www.kold.com/prnewswire/2023/05/09/intelivation-technologies-launches-golden-isles-minimally-invasive-pedicle-screw-system/
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2023-05-09 15:38:10
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BISMARCK, ND (KXNET) — Gate City Bank has been nominated for the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award, thanks to a nomination from Bismarck resident and Gate City Bank team member, Bleau Hoge.
Bleau serves as Financial Advisor at Gate City Investment Services and is a member of the North Dakota National Guard.
The Freedom Award is the highest honor given by the U.S. government to employers for exceptional support of National Guard and Reserve members.
Only 15 employers in the nation annually receive the prestigious award out of 2,777 nominations.
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https://www.kxnet.com/news/state-news/gate-city-bank-nominated-for-department-of-defenses-top-award-by-bismarck-military-member/
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2022-09-20 20:24:21
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Next phase expands multi-year AssetCare agreement to connect and manage
next wave of energy-intensive facilities and assets, creating and sustaining
new efficiencies across iconic 650,000 square foot campus
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - mCloud Technologies Corp. (Nasdaq: MCLD) (TSXV: MCLD), ("mCloud" or the "Company") a provider of cloud technology solutions optimizing the performance, reliability, and sustainability of energy-intensive assets today announced it has commenced the next phase of its AssetCare implementation with Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Limited ("Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix") at Brackley, UK – the home of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team.
On July 13, 2022, mCloud announced it had signed an initial commercial AssetCare agreement to cloud connect the 650,000 square foot campus and drive new energy efficiencies, reductions in CO2e emissions, and improvements to indoor air quality. The results gleaned from this first phase of implementation identified a multitude of further opportunities for major energy efficiency and sustainability gains at Brackley.
This next phase expands the multi-year scope of the commercial arrangement and took effect on February 21, 2023. In this next phase, mCloud brings the full suite of AssetCare's capabilities to bear in support of the Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix vision of making Brackley one of the world's most sustainable campuses in sport.
The expanded scope of the AssetCare agreement leverages the Company's AI and analytics capabilities to continuously optimize and manage energy-intensive facilities and assets operated onsite, including HVAC systems and chillers along with the full campus portfolio of industrial assets. The implementation roadmap also includes connectivity and optimization of new planned constructions at Brackley and extended EV charging capabilities.
mCloud indicated the expanded scope substantially increases the significance of Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix as a multi-year AssetCare customer of the Company under standard terms.
On the next phase of implementation, Russ McMeekin, mCloud President and CEO said:
"Our relationship with Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix has grown since we began our implementation of AssetCare at Brackley last year. We are proud of the role mCloud is playing in enabling Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix to use data and analytics to drive their continued leadership in sustainability in the same way they use data and analytics to chase championships on track. The entire mCloud team looks forward to the joint roadmap we have with the support of their executive leadership to partner in realizing their sustainability objectives ahead. The close working relationship we have with Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix will power new technology developments that will be the foundation for many of mCloud's sustainability capabilities going forward."
Toto Wolff, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix said:
"As an organization, we have set ourselves extremely challenging targets including the strategic ambition to become the world's most sustainable professional sports team. This goal means that we must embed environmental sustainability in every decision we make and action we take. Through mCloud's AssetCare we have already, through the first phase of implementation, identified new energy efficiencies, improvements to indoor air quality, and reductions in our CO2 emissions. We are excited to begin the next phase of implementation and know that Russ and his team at mCloud will enable us to deliver further energy-saving solutions to reduce our consumption."
mCloud's role in optimizing the Brackley campus was highlighted in an August 2022 Sustainability Report published by Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix. See https://www.mercedesamgf1.com/en/corporate-social-responsibility/ to download the report and learn more.
mCloud is unlocking the untapped potential of energy-intensive assets with cloud-based solutions that curb energy waste, maximize energy production, eliminate harmful emissions, and get the most out of critical energy infrastructure. Through mCloud's portfolio of AssetCare® solutions, mCloud enables asset owners and operators in energy- and asset-intensive industries such as oil and gas, wind, and commercial facilities to use cloud-based digital twins, AI, and analytics to optimize asset performance, reliability, and sustainability. mCloud has a worldwide presence with offices in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. mCloud's common shares trade in the United States on Nasdaq and in Canada on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol MCLD. Visit mcloudcorp.com to learn more.
This press release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and may also contain statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only the Company's beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company's control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved". The forward-looking information contained herein includes information related to the AssetCare implementation roadmap at Brackley with Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix.
By identifying such information and statements in this manner, the Company is alerting the reader that such information and statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such information and statements.
A more complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company appears in the Company's Annual Information Form and other continuous disclosure filings, which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and EDGAR at www.sec.gov. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended.
In connection with the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release, the Company has made certain assumptions. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking information and statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
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SOURCE mCloud Technologies Corp.
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https://www.weau.com/prnewswire/2023/02/22/mcloud-mercedes-benz-grand-prix-expand-assetcare-sustainability-implementation-brackley-home-mercedes-amg-petronas-formula-one-team/
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CHICAGO, May 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Why is a physician, public health leader, and former Navy medical officer dedicating the next phase of his career to treating community violence?
"I believe the Cure Violence approach, an evidence-based public health approach that integrates the tenets of health and social justice to address the root causes of violence, can help guide us to a world without violence," says Dr. Echols, "and I am going to do everything I can to lead us there, because lives are depending on it."
This week, Dr. Frederick Echols begins his role as the CEO of Cure Violence Global (CVG). In selecting Dr. Echols, a medical doctor and public health leader, CVG signifies the organization's continued commitment to the public health approach to reducing violence, an approach that CVG helped to pioneer.
Dr. Echols will be succeeding Dr. Gary Slutkin, the founder and CEO for more than 25 years. Dr. Slutkin will remain actively involved in CVG as a member of its Board of Directors. Stepping away from the day-to-day activity of the organization will allow Dr. Slutkin to focus on spreading the understanding of violence as a health issue globally and adapting the approach to urgent crises, including political violence.
The recognition that violence is an epidemic and an urgent public health problem has taken hold in the United States and globally, and cities are increasingly turning to public health approaches to help make long-violent communities safer. Cure Violence Global (CVG) is unique in the field of violence prevention for its decades-long focus on the public health approach and significant evidence of effectiveness. No other organization guides and trains communities to implement public approaches to violence prevention as effectively as CVG does.
Dr. Echols opens an exciting new chapter for CVG, as a young leader who brings to the organization a passion for and commitment to public health, experience addressing root causes of disparities at the population health level in a manner that moves cities closer to achieving health and social justice, implementing strategies that can lead to system-level change, and a deep familiarity with treating violence as a contagious process.
Dr. Echols comes to CVG from St. Louis where, as Health Commissioner and Acting Health Director, he oversaw the city's implementation of the Cure Violence approach, as well as all other aspects of the St. Louis Health Department. Dr. Echols' leadership in St. Louis during the city's COVID-19 response demonstrated his ability to run a complex public health response to an ever-changing public health crisis.
Prior to his positions in the city of St. Louis, Dr. Echols was the Director of Communicable Disease, Emergency Preparedness, Vector & Veterinary Programs for St. Louis County and before that he served as the Chief of Communicable Diseases for the Illinois Department of Public Health.
As CEO of CVG, Dr. Echols will provide strategic leadership, oversee day-to-day operations, and engage proactively with all CVG's partners to further CVG's mission of reducing violence globally using an evidence-informed health approach and epidemic-control methods and in pursuance of Cure Violence Global's vision of a world without violence.
Under Dr. Slutkin's leadership, Cure Violence evolved from an insight to a proven concept and increasingly widely adopted approach. CVG teams designed, piloted, replicated, and demonstrated the scientific validity and effectiveness of the public health/epidemic control approach to violence reduction. The Cure Violence approach is currently being implemented in over 30 cities in the U.S. and Latin America and is being adapted to address other types of violence including gender-based violence, election and political violence, and violence in conflict zones. Over the years, CVG has worked with partners in the U.S., Latin America & the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
"Dr. Fredrick Echols is exactly the right person to lead Cure Violence Global and the field at this moment," said CVG founder Gary Slutkin. "Public health methods have helped to put many of the great diseases and killers of humankind into the past and expand the human lifespan by decades. Using a science-based epidemic control approach, violence can also be reduced to fewer and fewer events, and this will be the next great achievement of science and public health."
"Dr. Echols was an exceptional leader of the Cure Violence approach in St. Louis, said Sal Martinez, CEO of Employment Connections, an implementing partner of Cure Violence Global in St. Louis. "He provided the strong leadership that we needed to get the program implemented and operating effectively. Dr. Echols developed strategic relationships and partnerships at the city and community level, helped to educate leaders on the approach, and led us through crises when our funding was at risk. Most importantly, he is someone that my whole team respected. In the communities, people see Cure Violence as essential, and we're all thrilled that he is the next leader of this organization."
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cure-violence-globals-new-ceo-brings-a-deep-understanding-of-the-contagious-nature-of-violence-and-its-impact-on-communities-301553001.html
SOURCE Cure Violence Global
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CHICAGO, Nov. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Thanksgiving is a time for friends and families to come together to enjoy a hearty meal, but with food prices continuing to rise, some families might want to consider alternatives to the "traditional" fall turkey feast. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics offers some fun food ideas.
"Consider cooking a ham, pot roast, pork shoulder, ribs or other meat for the holiday to add your own spin to this year's Thanksgiving dinner," says registered dietitian nutritionist John "Wesley" McWhorter, a national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics based in Houston, Texas.
With the cost of fresh vegetables on the rise, canned or frozen vegetables will give you more bang for your buck.
"Grab a bag of frozen field peas and frozen pearl onions to throw into the microwave for a quick side dish," McWhorter says. "Microwave them for four to give minutes, add some oil, herbs such as thyme, sage and rosemary and sprinkle with some salt and pepper before serving."
"Add more vegetables to your menu this year by incorporating legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains to ensure an adequate amount of plant-based protein in your meal," he says.
"Consider making a hearty vegetable soup as your main dish. I love a rich and creamy butternut squash soup," McWhorter says. "Start by roasting your squash until it's soft and then add it to the soup pot with onions, garlic, herbs, a can of white beans and vegetable broth. Once everything is cooked, blend the soup and add some pumpkin seeds for additional protein."
"Cook some cultural family favorites, either from your own culture or another culture," says registered dietitian nutritionist Monique Richard, a national Academy Spokesperson based in Johnson City, Tenn.
"Shake up your dinner with Greek, Italian, Spanish or French dishes, or a variety of each," she says. "Spice up your menu with vegetables, healthy fats, and a variety of herbs and spices, oils and seasonings."
"Make an Asian stir-fry with a side of rice," Richard says. "Make or purchase soups, dumplings, spring rolls, lettuce wraps and sushi. There are endless possibilities to get creative and explore new flavors this holiday season."
"With the price of eggs and flour on the rise, consider making simple desserts such as S'mores with chocolate, graham crackers and marshmallows. You can set up a S'mores station for the little ones to stack their own. It's an easy dessert that can turn into a fun family activity," McWhorter says.
Richard recommends whipping up a pumpkin puree with whipped tofu, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg for a delicious pumpkin mousse in a flash. No eggs or baking required.
Visit eatright.org for more holiday menu ideas.
Representing more than 112,000 credentialed nutrition and dietetics practitioners, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. The Academy is committed to improving health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy. Visit the Academy at www.eatright.org.
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SOURCE Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
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2022-11-09 20:02:45
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DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — The head of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning World Food Program says support from donors like the United States and Germany have allowed it to postpone — though not entirely avert — famine in Somalia but stressed that “we’re not out of this yet.”
WFP Executive Director David Beasley said countries in the Horn of Africa have faced “unprecedented climate impact” from years of drought, and the U.N. agency had been expecting to announce famine in Somalia before donors “stepped up in magnificent ways.”
“And we’ve been able to — I don’t know if the right word is ‘avert’ famine — but we definitely have postponed it,” he told The Associated Press at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday. “We’ve been fortunate so far, given the climate shocks inside Somalia. But we’re not out of this yet.”
But he warned that “we still could end up with a famine technically in Somalia” because “famine-like conditions” already exist.
“Once you officially declare to be a famine, well, it’s too late,” Beasley said.
Famine is the extreme lack of food and a significant death rate from outright starvation or malnutrition combined with diseases like cholera. A formal famine declaration means data shows more than a fifth of households have extreme food gaps, more than 30% of children are acutely malnourished and over two people out of 10,000 are dying every day.
Beasley, who has announced plans to step down in April, has parlayed his political experience as a former Republican governor of the U.S. state of South Carolina to wrest greater funding for the World Food Program from Washington under both the Biden and Trump administrations.
The United States announced $411 million in additional funding for Somalia’s crisis last month after a report by the U.N. and other experts said more than 8 million Somalis are badly food insecure because of drought and high food prices. Thousands have died.
When Beasley took the job in 2017, some 80 million people worldwide were on the brink of starvation and faced chronic hunger. Conflict, climate change and COVID-19 have caused that to balloon to 350 million today because of economic devastation and supply-chain disruptions.
“You think you can’t get any worse. Then the breadbasket of the world is shut down: Ukraine,” Beasley said. “Now (the country has) the longest bread lines in the world,” alluding to Russia’s war that has upended food production and exports from Ukraine.
There is such demand for food and fertilizer, of which Russia was a top global supplier, that nutrients for crops must get to farmers who need them.
“I don’t care if you love or hate Russia, you got to have the food and the fertilizer,” Beasley said. “If we’re not careful, we will have a shortage of food by the end of this year, or the food price will be so high that you’ll have destabilization of nations that will result in mass migration.”
Russia has complained that Western sanctions have created obstacles to the export of its food and fertilizers despite a wartime deal brokered by the U.N. to allow grain and other agricultural supplies to flow through the Black Sea from Russia and Ukraine. Although sanctions don’t target food exports, many shipping and insurance companies were reluctant to deal with Moscow, either refusing to do so or greatly increasing the price.
“It will take several years to develop alternatives around the world. But in the meantime, we’ve got to have that fertilizer and we got to do it in a way that’s not exploited by Russia,” Beasley said. “And that’s extremely important.”
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AP journalists Masha Macpherson and David Keyton in Davos, Switzerland, contributed to this report.
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Follow AP’s coverage of the World Economic Forum meeting at https://apnews.com/hub/world-economic-forum and the food crisis at https://apnews.com/hub/food-crisis.
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https://www.kron4.com/news/business/ap-business/ap-world-food-program-chief-somali-famine-slowed-not-avoided/
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2023-01-18 02:27:15
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WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Wincing from abdominal pain, unable to ply his customary relentless style of tennis, Rafael Nadal though he might need to stop playing in the Wimbledon quarterfinals against Taylor Fritz.
Up in the Centre Court stands, Nadal's father was waving his arms, motioning to the 22-time Grand Slam champion to quit. Not surprisingly, perhaps, he didn't listen. Nadal stayed out there, adjusted his service motion and his strategy — and figured out a way to win.
With much of the crowd roaring and standing after Nadal's best strokes, he twice erased one-set deficits against the 11th-seeded Fritz and emerged with 3-6, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (10-4) victory Wednesday to reach his eighth semifinal at the All England Club.
"For a lot of moments," Nadal said, "I was thinking, 'Maybe I will not be able to finish the match.'"
He did complete it, but said he couldn't be sure whether he will be able to play Friday against Nick Kyrgios, a 27-year-old Australian who earned his Grand Slam semifinal debut with a 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (5) victory over Cristian Garin of Chile.
"I don't know exactly what I have. It's clear something's not right," said Nadal, who will get tests Thursday for an issue that first cropped up nearly a week ago but got much worse at 3-1 in the first set against Fritz. "I'm obviously worried."
The other men's semifinal is Novak Djokovic against Cam Norrie. The women's semifinals Thursday are 2019 champion Simona Halep against Elena Rybakina, and Ons Jabeur against Tatjana Maria. Halep eliminated Amanda Anisimova 6-2, 6-4, and Rybakina defeated Ajla Tomljanovic 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Nadal got to his 38th career major semifinal by denying what would have been a first such appearance for Fritz, who beat Nadal in the hard-court final at Indian Wells, California, in March. That ended a 20-match winning streak for Nadal, who was bothered that day by a painful rib injury.
This time, the problem was a muscle in his stomach area, which had some athletic tape. Nadal left the court with a trainer for a medical timeout while up 4-3 in the second set; Fritz paced around the baseline, waiting.
A doctor gave Nadal some pills; the trainer tried to relax the muscle.
"They can't do much," Nadal said. "Nothing can be fixed when you have a thing like this."
When action resumed, Nadal clearly was compromised. It was hard not to think: Might he give up?
Nadal acknowledged that went through his mind. Fritz did, too.
"It definitely made me kind of think. I kind of stopped being as aggressive," the 24-year-old American said. "I feel like I let it kind of get to me a little bit."
He pretty much handed over the second set of what would become a 4-hour, 21-minute contest under a sky of slate clouds. After Fritz took the third set, his big serve got broken three times in the next.
Nadal occasionally would watch a ball off Fritz's orange racket fly by. Nadal couldn't move the way he usually does. His trademark grunts of "Uhhhh!" were rare. He didn't generate the usual zip on his serves, which dipped from a high of 120 mph to barely above 100 mph. He sought to end exchanges with a quick-strike forehand or a drop shot — sometimes with success, often not.
Still, he summoned his best for last, grabbing a 5-0 lead in the closing tiebreaker — the first-to-10, win-by-two format starting at 6-all in a fifth set is new to Wimbledon this year — and then five of the last six points.
Fritz's take on the tiebreaker? "I just got destroyed," he said.
"Probably hurts more than any loss I've ever had," Fritz said. "After the match was over, I was sitting there and I felt like crying."
Nadal extended his unbeaten mark in 2022 Grand Slam matches to 19-0 as he seeks to add a trophy at Wimbledon to his triumphs at the Australian Open in January and French Open in June. For everything he's accomplished, the 36-year-old Spaniard never has won the first three Slam titles of a season.
Nadal, who won Wimbledon in 2008 and 2010, leads Kyrgios 6-3 head-to-head; they are 1-all at Wimbledon. In 2014, Kyrgios, then just 19 and ranked 144th, announced himself to the world by winning; in 2019, Nadal took the rematch after Kyrgios was at a local pub into the wee hours the night before.
"I feel like that would be a mouth-watering kind of encounter for everyone around the world," Kyrgios, never afraid of a little hyperbole, said about facing Nadal again. "That would probably be the most-watched match of all time."
Give Kyrgios credit for honesty on this matter, at least: Even he did not think this day ever would arrive. Kyrgios became the first unseeded and lowest-ranked man to get to the final four at the All England Club since 2008 by playing what, for him, amounts to a restrained and efficient brand of tennis against Garin.
"I thought my ship had sailed," Kyrgios said. "Obviously, I didn't go about things great early in my career and may have wasted that little window."
Kyrgios, who is ranked 40th, has garnered more attention for his behavior on and off the court than his skills with a racket in hand. His match against the unseeded Garin came a day after police in Canberra, Australia, said that Kyrgios is due in court next month to face an allegation of common assault stemming from something that happened in December.
"I have a lot of thoughts, a lot of things I want to say, kind of my side about it," Kyrgios said at his post-match news conference. "Obviously I've been advised by my lawyers that I'm unable to say anything at this time."
Worth noting, too, is how well Kyrgios has been playing. His serve, in particular, is among the best in the game, regularly topping 130 mph, and he pounded 17 aces against Garin while getting broken just once — in the very first game, at love.
His big forehands are terrific, too, but little else is conventional about Kyrgios. One example: "I don't have a coach," Kyrgios said with a smile. "I would never put that burden on someone."
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https://www.postregister.com/postregister/hampered-nadal-gets-past-fritz-at-wimbledon-kyrgios-next/article_eb6bdfc6-e6ee-5547-aee8-ab3f179dedb1.html
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2022-07-07 01:23:03
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ST. LOUIS (AP) — The cheers began for Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina as they walked in from the bullpen before the game, the St. Louis fans standing to salute them for all they’d accomplished together.
After the final out in a 4-1 victory over Milwaukee on Wednesday night, it was time for the Cardinals to shower the record-making duo with a clubhouse celebration.
Wainwright and Molina started together for the 325th time, the most by a battery in major league history. The duo eclipsed the regular-season mark of 324 held by the Detroit Tigers pair of Mickey Lolich and Bill Freehan from 1963-1975.
“Great feeling to be on top of that list,” Molina said. “And doing it with Waino, a great human being, it’s just amazing.”
Added Wainwright: “I don’t think anyone will break that record.”
Towels with the No. 325 were given out to fans as they entered Busch Stadium, and the ovations and tributes kept coming.
“The crowd was so awesome, making me get constant chills and tearing up,” Wainwright said.
“Usually when I get to the dugout after warming up, I’m very laser-focused on my approach to first batter,” he said. “But they were playing a video on the board and I thought, ‘you know, they’re probably not going to play any more cool videos while I’m pitching that I can really take in.’ So, I might as well enjoy it for a minute.”
Brewers leadoff man Christian Yelich got into the moment, too. The Milwaukee star stood absolutely still and made no attempt to swing at Wainwright’s first pitch, a called strike.
“They deserve that moment of respect,” Yelich said. “It was cool to see history. ”
The ball was taken out play, then Wainwright and Molina went to work at extending the Cardinals’ lead in the NL Central.
Wainwright and Molina made their first start together on April 6, 2007, in Houston. Wainwright recorded a 4-2 win in that game — the first of his 213 victories with Molina behind the plate.
The 40-year-old Molina, a perennial Glove Glover, has indicated he will retire at the end of this season. The 41-year-old Wainwright has yet to make a decision on his future.
Wainwright (11-9) gave up just one run in five innings despite allowing eight hits and walking two. He struck out three in a 98-pitch stint.
Wainwright and Molina were sprayed with Cherry Coke, Sprite and apple juice by teammates in a lengthy postgame celebration in the locker room.
Molina gave his buddy a big defensive boost, throwing out Kolten Wong attempting to steal on the back end of a strikeout to end the third. Wainwright fanned Andrew McCutchen with a 74 mph curve and Molina still got Wong by plenty.
Molina put the Cardinals ahead for good with a tiebreaking single in the second. It was his 31st career go-ahead RBI in a Wainwright start.
Nolan Arenado and Lars Nootbaar both homered for the Cardinals, who have won three of four. They stretched their division lead to eight games over the second-place Brewers.
Milwaukee had a three-game winning streak snapped and remained two games behind San Diego in the race for the final wild-card spot in the NL.
Wainwright has thrown 2,141 of his 2,553 innings to Molina. He and Molina have teamed up to record 1,815 strikeouts.
Arenado hit his 29th homer in the second off Corbin Burnes (10-7).
Burnes gave up three runs on seven hits over seven innings. He struck out five and walked one.
Nootbaar pushed the lead to 3-1 with his 12th homer in the fifth.
Albert Pujols hit an RBI double in the eighth. He remains at 697 career home runs, fourth on the all-time list behind Barry Bonds (755), Hank Aaron (714) and Babe Ruth (715).
Pujols was hit on the right shoulder by Burnes’ pitch in the sixth, but remained in the contest.
Ryan Helsley picked up his 17th save in 21 opportunities.
Yelich had two hits for the Brewers, who spent 92 days in first place in the NL Central earlier in this season.
ANOTHER GREAT ONE
NHL hockey great Wayne Gretzky was seated in the front row at the game. Gretzky played 18 games for the St. Louis Blues in 1995-96 and maintains a home in the area.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers: RHP Matt Bush is listed as day-to-day after being removed in the first inning of Tuesday’s game with right groin discomfort. He threw only 15 pitches. Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell indicated that Bush will not be going on the injured list.
UP NEXT
Brewers: RHP Adrian Houser (6-9, 4.61) will face New York Yankees RHP Frankie Montas (5-12, 3.89) in the first of a three-game series on Friday in Milwaukee. Houser has just six quality starts in 18 starts this season. The Brewers are 7-11 in games his has started.
Cardinals: RHP Miles Mikolas (11-11, 3.42) takes on Cincinnati RHP Chase Anderson (0-3, 9.00) in the first of a five-game set on Thursday in St. Louis. Mikolas is 3-4 with a 5.55 ERA in 15 appearances against the Reds.
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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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2022-09-15 21:00:27
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President Biden announces a plan to forgive some federal student loan debt. DOJ faces deadline to submit redacted Trump affidavit. The Pentagon ramps up support of Ukraine in its war against Russia.
Copyright 2022 NPR
President Biden announces a plan to forgive some federal student loan debt. DOJ faces deadline to submit redacted Trump affidavit. The Pentagon ramps up support of Ukraine in its war against Russia.
Copyright 2022 NPR
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https://www.ctpublic.org/2022-08-25/news-brief-student-debt-relief-trump-investigation-ukraine-military-aid
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2022-08-25 10:53:00
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NEW YORK, March 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Burford Capital Limited ("Burford"), the leading global finance and asset management firm focused on law, today releases an update on its 2022 business activity. We also discuss in this release the status and timing of Burford's Annual Report on Form 20-F which will reflect the impact of anticipated modifications to our fair value methodology discussed in more detail below. In addition, we have released a 2022 Business Review which is available at [LSE URL] and on the Burford Capital website at http://investors.burfordcapital.com.
Burford is hosting two conference calls for investors. The first will be today at 5.30pm EDT / 9.30pm GMT and the second will be at 10.00am EDT / 2.00pm GMT tomorrow. Further details are provided at the end of this release.
2022 business highlights1
- Robust cash receipts of more than $300 million in 2022
- Meaningful upswing in portfolio activity as courts resume fully normal operations post-pandemic
- Settlement in February paid cash of $90 million to Burford on a Group-wide basis
- Trial win in February would result in $67 million of proceeds Group-wide if upheld and paid in full
- Arbitration award in March would result in $52 million of proceeds to one of our private funds if upheld and paid in full
- Successful appellate resolution in March would result in approximately $400 million of proceeds Group-wide and approximately $100 million on a Burford-only basis
- Record-breaking levels of new business on both a Group-wide and especially on a Burford-only basis as we continue to pivot in favor of balance sheet investing for our highest returning assets
- Solid liquidity at year-end 2022, benefiting from realizations, collections and external capital raising
- Interim dividend of 6.25¢ per ordinary share declared payable in June 2023
Christopher Bogart, Burford Capital's Chief Executive Officer, commented:
"Burford had a strong 2022, with record new business activity and meaningful cash generation and portfolio activity. We are happy to report that we believe the lingering effects of the pandemic on courts and legal processes are finally falling away. Indeed, we may well be at a turning point for the portfolio, with a very significant level of activity – more than 30 trials and final merits hearings, almost three times as many as last year - scheduled for 2023."
New business
- Group-wide new commitments of $1.2 billion (2021: $1.1 billion)
- Group-wide deployments of $928 million (2021: $842 million)
2022 was a strong year for new business, with new commitments and deployments both setting new records. In addition to undertaking more new commitments than in 2021 on both a Group-wide and a Burford-only basis, there was greater diversification than in the prior year, which included a global antitrust portfolio matter to which we deployed $350 million, comprised of $212 million on our balance sheet. Furthermore, with the Burford balance sheet now underwriting 75% of new core legal finance assets, historically our most profitable, Burford-only capital provision-direct deployments excluding the global antitrust portfolio matter increased 94% to $457 million in 2022 (2021: $235 million).
Portfolio activity and returns
- Burford-only capital provision-direct realizations of $350 million (2021: $264 million)
- Burford-only capital provision-direct realized gains of $137 million (2021: $128 million)
Both the volume and the value of case realizations picked up in 2H 2022, building on the incremental progress Burford previously reported for 1H 2022, as courts and legal processes continued to return to normal after the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic during 2020 and 2021. Group-wide realizations were recognized across 60 capital provision-direct assets that concluded in 2022, up from 50 capital provision-direct assets that concluded in the prior year. On a Burford-only basis, realizations were recognized from over 50 resolutions in 2022, as compared to 37 resolutions in 2021.
Realized losses remained very low, suggesting that portfolio activity has not yet normalized. Burford-only gross realized losses of $14 million represented 1.0% of average capital provision-direct deployed cost during the year ended December 31, 2022, as compared to $9 million and 0.8% of average capital provision-direct deployed cost during the year ended December 31, 2021.
The positive development in the global antitrust portfolio matter we indicated in our 1H 2022 interim results generated a partial realization during 2H 2022 of $258 million on a Group-wide basis and $161 million on a Burford-only basis. Due to the rapidity of its resolution, while this partial realization generated $52 million in realized gains on a Burford-only basis and a 42% IRR, its ROIC was only 48% - but it is hard to complain about 42% IRRs on large matters. The speed and capital intensity of this partial realization had the effect of reducing our Burford-only cumulative ROIC to 88% (2021: 93%). Our cumulative Burford-only IRR decreased modestly by around 30 basis points during the six months ended December 31, 2022 to 29% (June 30, 2022: 30%; December 31, 2021: 30%), principally due to the delay in the payment of a $23 million receivable (the payment of which is not considered at risk but awaits the resolution of some collateral litigation).
In 2022, we saw further encouraging activity in our ongoing portfolio in a number of capital provision-direct assets as post-pandemic courts and legal processes continued to normalize. 2023 is off to a good start, with over 30 trials or final merits hearings scheduled, almost three times as many as actually occurred in 2022. In the year to date, one of our cases has already paid $90 million of cash proceeds to Burford on a Group-wide basis. In another matter we saw a trial verdict in our client's favor, which would, if upheld and paid, produce $67 million of proceeds on a Group-wide basis. A third matter resulted in an arbitration award which would, if upheld and paid, produce $52 million of proceeds to one of our non-consolidated private funds if upheld and paid in full. Finally, a fourth matter has seen a successful appellate resolution and would produce approximately $400 million in Group-wide proceeds (including to Burford's non-consolidated private funds) and approximately $100 million in Burford-only proceeds.
Cash and capital
We generated record cash receipts from Burford-only capital provision-direct assets during 2022, up 28% to $296 million (2021: $231 million). Total Burford-only cash receipts from operations were $328 million, up 17% (2021: $281 million). Deployments continued at higher pre-pandemic levels, while our Burford-only liquidity position remained solid at $210 million of cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities at December 31, 2022 (December 31, 2021: $315 million).
In 2022, we raised more than $1 billion in new external capital, including the closing of two new private funds and a new senior unsecured debt issuance.
Our Burford-only capital provision asset due from settlement balance at December 31, 2022 was $115 million, the majority of which we expect to convert into cash during 2023. Of the $63 million of Burford-only due from settlement receivables at December 31, 2021, 60% was collected in cash during the year ended December 31, 2022. The majority of the amount not yet collected from the December 31, 2021 balance related to a $23 million single litigation matter concluded in our counterparty's favor. However, a pending collateral litigation is delaying receipt of our payment; that collateral litigation does not relate to our entitlement.
Fair value and our financial statements
Burford's approach to its required fair value accounting for legal finance assets has historically been based on the occurrence of objective events in the underlying litigation matter. We have not adjusted fair value based on the passage of time or our internal assessment of how a case is progressing; we wait for the court or tribunal to make a decision, and then we mark up or down the asset value based on that decision using a detailed methodology that we have developed over time. Instead of starting with the expected outcome and moving backwards with a discounted value, we have been starting with our cash deployments and moving forwards based on events, either case milestones or transactions.
For some time, we have been expanding our data science capabilities and undertaking probabilistic modeling of our portfolio, including as previously disclosed at our 2021 Investor Event. As we do so, we continue to consider the possibility that over time our modeling may form a part of our valuation approach. For the last six months, we have been engaged with the staff of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") regarding the fair value of legal finance assets, including the acceptability of our historical valuation methodology under US GAAP. We are very pleased with the amount of time and attention the SEC staff has put into this effort, which has included accounting staff at the most senior levels of the SEC.
As a result, and with the benefit of those discussions and the ongoing expansion of our probabilistic modeling, we are engaged in modifications to our fair value approach. We are in the process of finalizing that approach, whereupon we will apply it to our capital provision assets and ask Ernst & Young LLP to audit it, with the completion of the audit driving the timetable for the publication of our audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2022. Because our revised approach is yet to be finalized, we cannot comment on its likely outcome, but our methodology will still rely heavily on objective adjudicative events as it does today.
While we would obviously have preferred this process to have occurred some months earlier so as not to disrupt the release of our audited annual financial statements, we are pleased with these developments, which should put to rest the years of investor discussion we have had about this issue. Burford is the industry leader, and it is only appropriate that we be the vehicle for the resolution of a valuation methodology – and given that US GAAP and IFRS are essentially identical when it comes to fair value principles, we would expect this methodology to be the industry standard. We look forward to providing further detail upon publication of our audited financial statements and our annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2022 (the "2022 Annual Report"), which we expect to be within the next 45-60 days following the date of this announcement.
Burford has always considered and managed the business on a cash basis and provided significant amounts of data to investors to enable them to do the same (as we have today). These events have no impact on the management and operation of the business, which is well positioned for a strong 2023.
We note the following risk factors. Notwithstanding our present belief, we do not know at this time whether there will be a material change in our asset values as a result of this new approach. Our audited financial statements and other disclosures in the 2022 Annual Report may differ materially from prior disclosures as a result of our new fair value methodology. In addition, in connection with implementing our new fair value methodology, we may be required to recast or restate our historical financial statements and/or disclose a material weakness in our internal controls in connection with these changes. We could be unable to complete our audited financial statements and file the 2022 Annual Report prior to May 15, 2023, following which we would be in default under the SEC and NYSE rules, although a further six-month period is generally available to cure such defaults. If we are unable to file the 2022 Annual Report with the SEC on a timely basis or our audited financial statements and related disclosures differ materially from the information in this announcement, the trading price of our securities and our access to the capital markets could be adversely affected. In addition, under the terms of the indentures governing our senior notes issued in private placement transactions pursuant to Rule 144A and Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, we are obligated to provide audited financial statements to the holders of such senior notes by April 30, 2023. Our inability to do so would constitute an event of default under the indentures governing such senior notes if unremedied for 60 days following requisite written notice. Accordingly, our inability to complete our audited financial statements in a timely manner could require us to seek an amendment or waiver of the reporting covenant in the indentures governing such senior notes. If we were unable to do so, we would need to refinance such indebtedness, and there can be no assurance that we would be able to do so on a timely basis or on satisfactory terms, if at all.
Annual General Meeting and Dividend
Once we have completed the fair value review process and released our annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2022, we will schedule our annual general meeting. We are not anticipating anything other than routine, recurring business for this year's annual general meeting.
In order to continue our regular flow of semi-annual dividends, the board of directors has declared an interim dividend of 6.25¢ per ordinary share payable on June 16, 2023 to shareholders of record on May 26, 2023 (with an ex-dividend date of May 25, 2023).
YPF-related assets
As previously disclosed, summary judgment motions in the YPF-related cases have been fully briefed and are pending before the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York as of June 23, 2022. As of the date hereof, the parties are awaiting the next step in the case, which could be an oral argument on the summary judgment motions or a written decision on those motions. As ever with litigation, it is difficult to predict the timing of the next step in the cases or the outcome of the summary judgment motions.
Given the potential significance of a summary judgment decision, we provide here information with respect to the procedure that Burford intends to follow subsequent to the release of a summary judgment decision by the court. That decision – like US federal court decisions generally – is expected to be made publicly available without any advance notice to Burford or the parties to the case through the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) system at www.pacer.uscourts.gov. When Burford becomes aware of the release of a decision on PACER, given that many shareholders do not have access to PACER, Burford will endeavor to release a public statement promptly about the fact that a decision has been released, without any details about its outcome or contents. Burford will also thereafter endeavor to post the decision on its website. However, depending on the timing of the release of the decision, there can be no assurance that either of those events will occur rapidly and the process of generating an unexpected public release will inevitably incur some delay.
It is reasonable to expect that a summary judgment decision, in this case, would be voluminous and complex. Burford will only be able to provide any substantive public comment on the decision after it and its litigation counsel have had sufficient time to undertake a review and analysis of it. As such, it is very unlikely that such a comment will occur on the day the decision is released.
Investor and Analyst Conference Calls
Burford will host two management conference calls to maximize the opportunity for investor and analyst participation in a management conference call in both time zones of our dual listings. Management's prepared remarks for both conference calls will be pre-recorded to ensure equivalent disclosure, while the question-and-answer session in each event will be real-time.
First conference call
Burford's first conference call for investors and analysts will occur at 5.30pm EDT / 9.30pm GMT on Wednesday, March 15, 2023. For this conference call, we encourage audio webcast pre-registration at: https://www.investis-live.com/burfordcapital/63b5b0eeaeebb9120002ff8e/raboe.
The dial-in number for the conference call is +1 646 664-1960 (US local) / +44 (0)20 3936 2999 (UK local) / +44 (0)20 3936 2999 (all other locations) and the access code is 055968. To minimize the risk of delayed access, participants who have not pre-registered are urged to dial into the conference call by 5:10pm EDT / 9:10pm GMT.
In addition to being available through the audio webcast, an accompanying 2022 business update presentation for investors and analysts will also be made available on the Burford Capital website prior to the conference call: http://investors.burfordcapital.com.
Following the first conference call, a replay facility for this event will be available until Thursday, March 30, 2023, by dialling +1 845 709-8569 (US local) / +44 (0)20 3936 3001 (UK local) / +44 (0)20 3936 3001 (all other locations) and using the replay access code 697297. A replay facility will also be accessible through the webcast at:
https://www.investis–live.com/burfordcapital/63b5b0eeaeebb9120002ff8e/raboe.
Second conference call
Burford's second conference call for investors and analysts will occur at 10.00am EDT / 2.00pm GMT on Thursday, March 16, 2023. For this conference call, we encourage audio webcast pre-registration at: https://www.investis-live.com/burfordcapital/640b4ffc3e92bb0c00da171e/sjedc.
The dial-in number for the conference call is +1 646 664-1960 (US local) / +44 (0)20 3936 2999 (UK local) / +44 (0)20 3936 2999 (all other locations) and the access code is 640912. To minimize the risk of delayed access, participants who have not pre-registered are urged to dial into the conference call by 9.40 am EDT / 1.40pm GMT.
In addition to being available through the audio webcast, an accompanying 2022 business update presentation for investors and analysts will also be made available on the Burford Capital website prior to the conference call: http://investors.burfordcapital.com.
Following the conference call, a replay facility for this event will be available until Thursday, March 30, 2023, by dialling +1 845 709-8569 (US local) / +44 (0)20 3936 3001 (UK local) / +44 (0)20 3936 3001 (all other locations) and using the replay access code 904879. A replay facility will also be accessible through the webcast at: https://www.investis-live.com/burfordcapital/640b4ffc3e92bb0c00da171e/sjedc.
About Burford Capital
Burford Capital is the leading global finance and asset management firm focused on law. Its businesses include litigation finance and risk management, asset recovery and a wide range of legal finance and advisory activities. Burford is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BUR) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE: BUR), and it works with companies and law firms around the world from its offices in New York, London, Chicago, Washington, DC, Singapore, Dubai, Sydney and Hong Kong.
For more information, please visit www.burfordcapital.com.
Reconciliations
Reconciliation of consolidated to Burford-only and Group-wide proceeds from resolution of asset in early 2023
Reconciliation of consolidated to Burford-only and Group-wide proceeds if favorable trial verdict is upheld and paid
Reconciliation of consolidated to Burford-only and Group-wide estimated proceeds if successful appellate resolution is upheld and paid
Reconciliation of consolidated to Burford-only and Group-wide deployments
Reconciliation of consolidated to Burford-only capital provision-direct deployments
Reconciliation of consolidated to Burford-only realizations and realized gains to capital provision-direct assets, in each case, inclusive of related net realizations from, and related movement on, financial liabilities at fair value through profit and loss
Reconciliation of consolidated to Burford-only and Group-wide partial realization related to development in global antitrust portfolio matter
Reconciliation of consolidated to Burford-only cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities
Reconciliation of consolidated proceeds from capital provision assets to Burford-only cash receipts
Reconciliation of consolidated to Burford-only due from settlement of capital provision assets
Definitions and Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Alternative Performance Measures
Burford reports its financial results in accordance with US GAAP, which requires Burford to present financial statements that consolidate some of the limited partner interests in private funds it manages as well as assets held on its balance sheet where Burford has a partner or minority investor. Therefore, for purposes of various presentations of Burford's financial results:
- Consolidated refers to assets, liabilities and activities that include those third-party interests, partially owned subsidiaries and special purpose vehicles that Burford is required to consolidate under US GAAP. At the date of this announcement, the major entities where there is also a third-party partner in, or owner of, those entities include BCIM Strategic Value Master Fund, LP, Burford Opportunity Fund C LP, Burford Advantage Master Fund LP, Colorado Investments Limited ("Colorado") and several other entities in which Burford holds investments where there is also a third-party partner in, or owner of, those entities.
- Burford-only refers to assets, liabilities and activities that pertain only to Burford on a proprietary basis, excluding any third-party interests and the portions of jointly owned entities owned by others.
- Group-wide refers to the totality of assets managed by Burford, including those portions of the private funds owned by third parties and including private funds that are not consolidated into Burford's consolidated financial statements. Group-wide is therefore the sum of Burford-only and non-controlling interests in consolidated and non-consolidated private funds. Group-wide does not include third-party interests in capital provision assets, the economics of which have been sold to those third parties, that do not meet the criteria to be recognized as a sale under US GAAP. This includes the third-party interests in Colorado and other capital provision asset subparticipations.
Burford subdivides its capital provision assets into two categories:
- Direct, which includes all of Burford's capital provision assets that Burford has originated directly (i.e., not through participation in a private fund) from its balance sheet. Burford also includes direct (i.e., not through participation in a private fund) complex strategies assets in this category.
- Indirect, which includes Burford's balance sheet's participations in two of its private funds (i.e., BCIM Strategic Value Master Fund, LP and Burford Advantage Master Fund LP).
Burford also uses certain unaudited alternative performance measures, including:
- Internal rate of return ("IRR") is a discount rate that makes the net present value of a series of cash flows equal to zero and is expressed as a percentage figure. Burford computes IRR on concluded (including partially concluded) legal finance assets by treating that entire portfolio (or, when noted, a subset thereof) as one undifferentiated pool of capital and measuring actual and, if necessary, estimated inflows and outflows from that pool, allocating costs appropriately. IRRs do not include unrealized gains or losses.
- Return on invested capital ("ROIC") from a concluded asset is the absolute amount of realizations from such asset in excess of the amount of expenditure incurred in funding such asset divided by the amount of expenditure incurred, expressed as a percentage figure. ROIC is a measure of Burford's ability to generate absolute returns on its assets. Some industry participants express returns on a multiple of invested capital ("MOIC") instead of a ROIC basis. MOIC includes the return of capital and, therefore, is 1x higher than ROIC. In other words, 70% ROIC is the same as 1.70x MOIC.
Non-GAAP financial measures and other unaudited alternative performance measures Burford uses include:
- Commitment refers to the amount of financing Burford agrees to provide for a legal finance asset. Commitments can be definitive (requiring Burford to provide funding on a schedule or, more often, when certain expenses are incurred) or discretionary (allowing Burford to provide funding after reviewing and approving a future matter). Unless otherwise indicated, commitments include deployed cost and undrawn commitments.
- Deployment refers to funding provided for an asset, which adds to Burford's deployed cost of such asset.
- Deployed cost refers to the amount of funding Burford has provided for an asset at the applicable point in time.
- Realization: A legal finance asset is realized when the asset is concluded (i.e., when litigation risk has been resolved). A realization will result in Burford receiving cash or, occasionally, non-cash assets or recognizing a due from settlement receivable, reflecting what Burford is owed on the asset.
- Realized gain / (loss) reflects the total amount of gain or loss generated by a legal finance asset when it is realized, calculated as realized proceeds less deployed cost, without regard for any previously recognized fair value adjustment.
- Unrealized gain / (loss) represents the fair value of Burford's assets over or under their funded cost, as determined in accordance with the requirements of the applicable US GAAP standards, for the relevant financial reporting period (consolidated statement of operations) or cumulatively (consolidated statement of financial position).
For additional information with respect to non-GAAP financial measures and unaudited alternative performance measures, see Burford's annual report on Form 20-F filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on March 29, 2022 and Burford's interim report on the Form 6-K for the six months ended June 30, 2022 furnished to the US Securities and Exchange Commission on August 9, 2022 and, in each case, made available on Burford's website at https://investors.burfordcapital.com. Non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered in isolation form, as a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures calculated in accordance with US GAAP.
This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any ordinary shares or other securities of Burford.
This announcement does not constitute an offer of any Burford private fund. Burford Capital Investment Management LLC, which acts as the fund manager of all Burford private funds, is registered as an investment adviser with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The information provided in this announcement is for informational purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results. The information contained in this announcement is not, and should not be construed as, an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities (including, without limitation, interests or shares in any of Burford private funds). Any such offer or solicitation may be made only by means of a final confidential private placement memorandum and other offering documents.
Forward-looking statements
This announcement contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the US Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, regarding assumptions, expectations, projections, intentions and beliefs about future events. These statements are intended as "forward-looking statements". In some cases, predictive, future-tense or forward-looking words such as "aim", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "could", "estimate", "expect", "forecast", "guidance", "intend", "may", "plan", "potential", "predict", "projected", "should" or "will" or the negative of such terms or other comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements, but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. In addition, Burford and its representatives may from time to time make other oral or written statements which are forward-looking statements, including in its periodic reports that Burford files with, or furnishes to, the US Securities and Exchange Commission, other information sent to Burford's security holders and other written materials. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. Burford cautions you that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are based on numerous assumptions, expectations, projections, intentions and beliefs and that Burford's actual results of operations, including its financial position and liquidity, and the development of the industry in which it operates, may differ materially from (and be more negative than) those made in, or suggested by, the forward-looking statements contained in this announcement. Significant factors that may cause actual results to differ from those Burford expects include, among others, (i) impacts resulting from changes to Burford's valuation policy for capital provision assets, including any requirement to recast or restate Burford's historical financial statements and/or disclose a material weakness in internal controls in connection with these changes, (ii) the successful completion of audit and other procedures and other conditions necessary to issue Burford's audited financial statements and to file Burford's annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2022 with the SEC, and (iii) those discussed under "Risk Factors" in Burford's annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2021 filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on March 29, 2022, Burford's interim report on Form 6-K furnished to the US Securities and Exchange Commission on August 9, 2022 and other reports or documents that Burford files with, or furnishes to, the SEC from time to time. In addition, even if Burford's results of operations, including its financial position and liquidity, and the development of the industry in which it operates are consistent with the forward-looking statements contained in this announcement, those results of operations or developments may not be indicative of results of operations or developments in subsequent periods.
Except as required by law, Burford undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained in this announcement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
View original content:
SOURCE Burford Capital
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2023-03-15 21:07:26
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HOOD RIVER On Oct. 30, 20 of Kendra Apland’s music students performed in Halloween recitals for residents of Hawks Ridge Assisted Living in Hood River, to the delight of residents there. Students dressed in Halloween costumes to accompany their performances.
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2022-11-15 01:06:05
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What is the safest seat on an airplane in the event of a crash? Results are surprising
Research from universities and FAA reveals air safety findings
While airplane crashes may be relatively rare when compared to other crashes like automobile crashes, they do happen.
Airplane crashes even happen on the ground.
A collision between a passenger bus and a commercial plane on the Los Angeles International Airport tarmac late Friday night left several people injured, according to officials, as Fox News Digital reported.
Airline passengers, particularly those who may enter an aircraft with some level of fear about flying, may wonder: What is the safest seat on an airplane in the event of a crash?
FLIGHT NIGHTMARES: OVERSTUFFED BAGGAGE BINS, RUDE OASSENGERS AND NOT ENOUGH SPACE
"I always try to sit over the wing. I have always heard that is the safest — and it’s near the emergency exits," one frequent flyer from Baltimore, Maryland, told Fox News Digital.
She added, "When the flight attendants ask the people in the emergency evacuation rows if they are able to assist other passengers, I always hope that they really can help us, should they need to."
Universities and the FAA, among others, have done research on seat location and survival.
The University of Greenwich in London determined in a study that those passengers sitting closest to an emergency exit had the best chance of getting out alive after a crash, according to aviation website Simpleflying.com.
"This is particularly key to survival in post-crash fires," the site notes.
It all depends, however, on what type of crash the airplane has.
"The middle third and the front third of the aircraft had a fatality rate of 39% and 38% respectively."
Logically, if the plane's tail takes the brunt of the impact, "passengers in the back will fare worse," that website also says.
If the nose of the airplane were to have impact first, "the people in the front of the aircraft would come off worse."
AIRLINE PASSENGER YELLS, DEMANDS WATER FROM FLIGHT ATTENDANT, ALL CAUGHT ON VIDEO
"Since planes do not fly into mountains backward, and the fact you nearly always see a tail fin in the wreckage, logic would suggest that sitting at the back of the plane would be the safest," the site points out.
In April 2012, a group of Mexican scientists deliberately crashed a Boeing 727 to study the effects of impact, as Simpleflying.com noted.
"While this had been done before," the purpose of the experiment was different, as they wanted to examine passengers' survival chances in different parts of the aircraft.
"The worst part to sit … is actually on the aisle of the middle third of the cabin, as it [has] a 44% fatality rate."
The same site said, "Their findings showed that those at the front faced the greatest risk, with the danger decreasing the further back you went."
JUST ‘PLANE’ BAD ETIQUETTE: AIRLINE PASSENGER DRAPES HER LONG, THICK HAIR OVER THE BACK OF HER SEAT
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released a database of accident records, including both fatalities and survivors along with seating charts, according to aviation website 14daypilot.com.
The report was done over a 35-year period; the first report originated in 1985 and the last in 2020.
TWIN SISTERS HELP SAVE WOMAN WITH MEDICAL EMERGENCY ON FIGHT FROM BOSTON TO FORT MYERS, FLORIDA
"We were able to observe that those seated at the back part, or more [well] known as the back third, of the aircraft had a 32% fatality rate," the site reports, citing a TIME analysis of the data.
"The middle third and the front third of the aircraft had a fatality rate of 39% and 38% respectively."
Factoring in row position, the report said the middle seat in the rear of the aircraft "had the best position, with just [a] 28% fatality rate," 14daypilot.com said.
"The worst part to sit … is actually on the aisle of the middle third of the cabin as it comes at a 44% fatality rate," the same site said.
"Flying is actually one of the safest methods of travel, sitting at a probability of 1 in 9,821 chance of dying on an air travel incident," the site also reports.
A Boston-based business professional who flies often said that he "doesn’t really think about safety" when he chooses his seat.
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"I think about not being in the middle, for comfort reasons," he said.
He added, "I like to have an aisle seat — it gives me more room, and I don’t feel so closed in."
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One woman in New York who often travels to see a family member across the country said she, too, prefers an aisle seat, and "usually in the first third of the plane, just because it's easier to get on and get off" that way.
She added, "I might give more thought to safety considerations going forward."
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2023-02-11 18:30:55
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ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. (AP) — ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. (AP) — Bridgewater Bancshares, Inc. (BWB) on Wednesday reported first-quarter net income of $11.6 million.
The St. Louis Park, Minnesota-based bank said it had earnings of 37 cents per share.
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The company posted revenue of $53.9 million in the period. Its revenue net of interest expense was $30.5 million, which fell short of Street forecasts.
Bridgewater shares have fallen 47% since the beginning of the year. In the final minutes of trading on Wednesday, shares hit $9.38, a drop of 42% in the last 12 months.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on BWB at https://www.zacks.com/ap/BWB
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2023-04-26 21:24:11
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LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill. (AP) — LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill. (AP) — CDW Corp. (CDW) on Wednesday reported first-quarter earnings of $230.1 million.
The Lincolnshire, Illinois-based company said it had profit of $1.68 per share. Earnings, adjusted for amortization costs and costs related to mergers and acquisitions, came to $2.03 per share.
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The results beat Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of six analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $2.01 per share.
The information technology company posted revenue of $5.1 billion in the period, which matched Street forecasts.
CDW shares have declined 6% since the beginning of the year. The stock has risen slightly more than 2% in the last 12 months.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on CDW at https://www.zacks.com/ap/CDW
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri officials on Tuesday abruptly terminated an unusual emergency rule proposed by the Republican attorney general that would have placed limits on transgender care for minors and some adults.
The move was announced without explanation on the Missouri Secretary of State’s website, which said: “This emergency rule terminated effective May 16, 2023.”
The rule pushed by Attorney General Andrew Bailey would have required adults and children to undergo more than a year of therapy and fulfill other requirements before they could receive gender-affirming treatments such as puberty blockers, hormones and surgery.
Bailey said in a statement Tuesday evening that his office was “standing in the gap” until the GOP-controlled Legislature decided to act on the issue.
“The General Assembly has now filled that gap with a statute,” he said. “I’m proud to have shed light on the experimental nature of these procedures, and will continue to do everything in my power to make Missouri the safest state in the nation for children.”
House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, said in a statement that Missouri should not have an attorney general “who persecutes innocent Missourians for political gain.”
“Andrew Bailey grossly overstepped his legal authority, and everyone knows it,” she said. “So it isn’t surprising he withdrew his unconstitutional rule knowing another embarrassing court defeat was inevitable.”
Bailey had sought to implement the rule on April 27. But the ACLU of Missouri filed a lawsuit to stop it, arguing that Bailey bypassed the Legislature and did not have the authority to regulate health care through Missouri’s consumer-protection law.
St. Louis County Judge Ellen Ribaudo later granted a temporary restraining order and scheduled a hearing for July 20.
The law’s termination comes less than a week after the Missouri Legislature approved a ban on minors starting care. Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, who threatened to call a special session if lawmakers did not pass that bill and another banning transgender girls and women playing on female school sports teams, is expected to sign the law.
Bailey’s proposed rule would have required people to have experienced an “intense pattern” of documented gender dysphoria for three years and to have received at least 15 hourly sessions with a therapist over at least 18 months before they could receive treatment. Prospective patients also would have been required to be screened for autism, and any psychiatric symptoms from mental health issues would have to be treated and resolved.
Legal experts and transgender advocates have said the rule would have made Missouri the first state in the country to restrict gender-affirming care for adults and the first to enact such restrictions through emergency rules rather than a new law.
Bailey said he proposed the rule to protect minors from what he called experimental medical treatments, though puberty blockers and sex hormones have been prescribed for decades and the rule would also apply to adults.
The attorney general’s office has said there are 12,400 Missourians who identify as transgender. The office has estimated that 600 to 700 Missourians would begin treatment in the next year.
Bailey issued the restrictions after he began an investigation in February into Washington University’s Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital after a former employee alleged the center was providing children with gender-affirming care without informed consent, not enough individualized case review and wraparound mental health services.
The university’s internal review found the claims were unsubstantiated.
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2023-05-17 20:38:20
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SEATTLE, June 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
Beginning in 2022, over 1,500 cybersecurity researchers will be testing a new technology from Democracy Live that allows voters who are unable to vote on a paper postal ballot, due to geography or disabilities, to access, mark and return their ballot. Democracy Live, the nation's leading provider of remote balloting technologies, has teamed with Synack, the premier on-demand security platform for continuous penetration testing to test the Democracy Live "OmniBallot" remote ballot marking and printing system.
Under the agreement between Democracy Live and Synack, 1,500 independent cybersecurity researchers will have access to the OmniBallot balloting portal to continuously test the OmniBallot remote ballot printing portal.
"The OmniBallot balloting portal has been deployed in over 4,000 elections to over 20 million voters over the last decade with zero compromises." Democracy Live CEO, Bryan Finney stated. "Our engagement with Synack will enhance the security of OmniBallot and continue to give our customers and voters the assurance that Democracy Live is doing all that can be done to ensure voters, including voters that cannot vote a paper postal ballot, are fully and securely enfranchised."
The Synack Platform combines the skills of 1,500 elite cybersecurity researchers along with cutting-edge smart technology to help Fortune 500 businesses, government agencies and leading healthcare organizations protect their most critical assets.
"We're committed to making sure any technology used for voting is as secure as possible. Our democracy depends on it. We need to make sure these technologies are protected against attacks. It's imperative that we do everything we can to ensure the trust in the technologies people use to cast their votes," said Jay Kaplan, Synack's CEO. "We also believe in Democracy Live's mission of expanding the vote securely to as many eligible voters as possible. Democracy works best when as many people as possible participate."
More than 8,000 elections jurisdictions across all 50 states are required by law to transmit ballots electronically. More than half the states are required to offer eligible voters the option to return their ballots electronically. Surprisingly, many of election jurisdictions still use fax machines, or email attachments to comply with the law.
Learn more about the work Synack is doing with Democracy Live at www.democracylive.com and https://synack.com/elections
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SOURCE Democracy Live, Inc.
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https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2022/06/14/cybersecurity-researchers-test-new-remote-ballot-printing-system-democracy-live/
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2022-06-14 23:43:48
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