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2017-11-07 00:00:00

BIRTHWEEK (was yesterday): Alison Patch of APCO Worldwide’s DC office (hat tip: Anthony DeAngelo) BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Brad Woodhouse, Democratic consultant and campaign director of Protect Our Care and alum of DNC, Americans United for Change, American Bridge and Correct the Record. He’s celebrating “so very quietly with my wife and kids, hopefully with a steak and a bottle of wine at Acqua Al 2 in Eastern Market.” How he got his start in politics: “In 1992 I volunteered on Rep. David Price’s (D-NC04) reelection campaign and went on to work in former Gov. Jim Hunt’s (D-N.C.) administration from 1993-97. My big break though was coming to D.C. in 1997 to work for Rep. Bob Etheridge which eventually led me into the communications side of the business and onto other campaigns, political committees, Super PACs and non-profits.” Read his Playbook Plus Q&A: http://politi.co/2hPFsKz BIRTHDAYS: Gen. David Petraeus ... Sheila Nix … Politico’s Elena Schneider and Kate Murphy ... Jen Friedman, senior director for corporate reputation at GE (h/t Ben Chang) ... Liz Allen, SVP at GPG and former Obama WH deputy comms director, who “celebrated with the Camp 30 crew over Italian Mixed Grill Sunday night, with lots of sax for mood music” (h/ts The Swan and Chris Ortman) … Billy Graham is 99 ... Peter Kadzik is 64 ... former Sen. Rudy Boschwitz (R-Minn.) is 87 ... Politico Europe’s Legris Agathe ... Caroline (Rabbitt) Tabler, comms. director for Sen. Tom Cotton ... Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) is 54 ... Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) is 59 … Rep. Rick Allen (R-GA) is 66 … Adams Nager ... CNN correspondent Kaylee Hartung, an ESPN and CBS alum ... Jonathan Tannenwald … Meghan Roh, director of public affairs at Epic and an HHS alum … Ben Golnik … Avi Zvi Zenilman is 33 ... ... Siobhan Gorman, director at Brunswick Group ... Facebook’s Erin Green … Jeff Bjornstad, president of federal affairs and strategic comms at Washington2 Advocates, is 5-0 ... Trey Graham … Daniel Libit, editor of NM Fishbowl and a Politico alum ... Olivia Lucas ... Phil LaRue ... Max Viscio … Perry Goffner, a staffer for Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.) ... Kelsey Suter of APCO Worldwide’s DC office (h/t Anthony DeAngelo) … Betsy Bourassa, media relations associate at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York ... George Thompson, partner at Banner Public Affairs (h/t Jon Haber) … Jamila Bey ... Kyle Kerchaert ... Liz Llorente ... Kathy Killeavy of Edelman … Kyle Kerchaert ... Jeanneane Maxon ... Adnaan Muslim … Jackie Lemaire … Glennis Meagher … Pat Devlin ... David Grossman … Tory Mazzola … Brad Root … Pat Devlin … Andrea Krizner … Dana Schultz (h/ts Teresa Vilmain)

2017-03-29

March 29 (Reuters) - Longxing Chemical Stock Co., Ltd.: * Says its shareholder, Shanghai-based fund management firm, cut 5 percent stake in the co, down from 6.4 percent Source text in Chinese:goo.gl/1F0KH1 Further company coverage: (Beijing Headline News)

2019-01-22 00:00:00

Move over Jay Cutler and Kristin Cavallari ... there's a new king and queen of the bare-ass game -- Brooks Koepka and his smokin' hot model GF!!! The PGA star and Jena Sims did their best Cutler-Cavallari impression in Maldives on Tuesday ... flashin' their asses for the camera in some tiny swimwear. The caption? "Who wore it better??" So far, Jena's leading the votes ... but it's close -- and yeah, easy to see why!!! It's been a hell of an offseason for Koepka -- a two-time U.S. Open winner -- the dude's been hoppin' around with Sims in Vegas, Santa Monica, Abu Dhabi and now South Asia. In fact ... it was a great REGULAR season for the guy too -- remember when Trump congratulated his "powerful mind" AND "powerful game" after winning the PGA Championship in August?? Bottom line ... it's GREAT to be Brooks.

2016-12-22 11:04:05

JERUSALEM — President-elect Donald J. Trump thrust himself into one of the world’s most polarizing debates on Thursday by pressuring President Obama to veto a United Nations resolution critical of Israel, the newly elected leader’s most direct intervention in foreign policy during his transition to power. Mr. Trump spoke out after Israeli officials contacted his team for help in blocking the draft resolution condemning settlement construction even as they lobbied its sponsor, Egypt. Within a couple of hours, Egypt withdrew the resolution, at least temporarily, and its president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, called Mr. Trump to discuss how “to establish true peace in the Middle East,” according to an aide to the president-elect. Mr. Trump’s forceful intervention was a rare effort by a new president to shape international events even before taking office. While new presidents typically refrain from weighing in on current issues during the interregnum between their election and inauguration, Mr. Trump’s statement underscored that he does not plan to wait for the swearing in. He has already upended decades of American policy by speaking directly with Taiwan’s leader, and he has spoken out regularly on events like this week’s terrorist attack in Germany. But his push to stop a United Nations resolution criticizing Israel was more directly aimed at decisions still being made by his predecessor in his final days in office. The move also highlighted the stark shift on Middle East policy ahead when the new administration takes over in a month. Combined with his pledge to move the United States Embassy to Jerusalem and his selection of a pro-settlement ambassador to Israel, Mr. Trump’s involvement Thursday signaled an intent to play an active role in Middle East peace issues as a strong ally of Israel’s. The Egyptian-sponsored resolution would have condemned Israeli housing construction in East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank as a “flagrant violation under international law” that was “dangerously imperiling the viability” of a future peace settlement establishing a Palestinian state. The United States has routinely used its veto at the Security Council to block similar measures, including under Mr. Obama in 2011. But Mr. Obama refused to commit to doing so again this time. Mr. Trump said flatly that he should. “As the United States has long maintained, peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians will only come through direct negotiations between the parties and not through the imposition of terms by the United Nations,” the president-elect said. “This puts Israel in a very poor negotiating position and is extremely unfair to all Israelis.” Mr. Trump amplified his position by posting the statement on Facebook and Twitter as well, but a transition official insisted on anonymity to confirm the president-elect’s conversation with Mr. Sisi because of the sensitivity of the matter. Mr. Trump’s words echoed the positions expressed by Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has welcomed Mr. Trump’s election as a breath of fresh air after years of clashes with Mr. Obama. According to Security Council Report, an independent research organization, the United States has vetoed 30 resolutions regarding Israel and the Palestinians, plus a dozen more regarding Israel and Lebanon or Syria, more than half of its 77 vetoes since the United Nations was founded in 1946. Mr. Netanyahu cited that history on Thursday. “I hope the U.S. won’t abandon this policy,” he said. “I hope it will abide by the principles set by President Obama himself in his speech in the U.N. in 2011 — that peace will come not through U.N. resolutions, but only through direct negotiations between the parties.” Frustrated by two failed efforts to broker peace between Israelis and Palestinians during his tenure, Mr. Obama has been considering an effort to lay out an American framework during his final days in office. Palestinian leaders and their allies had hoped he would allow the anti-settlement resolution at the United Nations to pass as an expression of frustration at Israeli policies. A Palestinian delegation traveled to Washington this month to urge Mr. Obama’s team to support the anti-settlement resolution or at least abstain. Mr. Obama’s advisers did not disclose a position and were holding out until the vote to watch how the matter developed. The Palestinians were unable to meet with Mr. Trump’s aides and expressed disappointment on Thursday with his position. “A veto means support of settlement activities,” Saeb Erekat, the Palestinian negotiator, said after the resolution was pulled. “A veto means abandoning the two-state solution and peace efforts.” Asked about Mr. Trump’s comments, a visibly upset Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, said, “He is acting on behalf of Netanyahu.” The return of the Palestinian cause to the world stage could serve the interests of some Arab leaders eager to turn public attention away from troubles at home. The government of Mr. Sisi, which sponsored the resolution as the Arab representative on the Security Council, faces domestic challenges stemming from a deteriorating economy, a persistent Islamic terrorist insurgency and this month’s bombing of a Coptic Christian cathedral. At the same time, it could distract from Mr. Netanyahu’s efforts to forge stronger relations with Sunni Arab nations on the basis of shared antipathy toward Iran, dominated by a Shiite theocracy that has threatened Israel’s existence and challenged Arab interests in the region. Arab leaders, who have largely overlooked the Palestinian issue in recent years, may feel pressured to distance themselves from Israel again if their own publics are angered at the treatment of Palestinians. Egypt backed off on the resolution after Mr. Netanyahu’s government put pressure on Mr. Sisi’s government to withdraw it, shortly before Arab ambassadors meeting at the United Nations endorsed it. Mr. Netanyahu treated the pending United Nations vote as a crisis, staying up late into the night discussing it with aides and posting on his own Twitter account, at 3:28 a.m. local time, a message urging Mr. Obama to veto what he called the “anti-Israel” resolution. “The Israelis leaned on the Egyptians this morning to postpone the vote, and the Egyptians basically caved,” said a Western official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the diplomatic sensitivity of the matter. Arab officials met in Cairo on Thursday night to consider their next move. “The negotiations over the Arab proposal for the Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian territories are still not finished at both the United Nations and the Arab League’s anti-occupation committee,” said Ahmed Abu Zeid, a spokesman for the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, according to Egyptian state news. If the White House had let the resolution pass, it would have been a symbolic blow to the diplomatic shield that the United States has always offered Israel. It would also have sent a strong signal of international disapproval over the construction of settlements, regarded by many as illegal under international law. A former top Obama adviser suggested that the president should consider supporting the resolution because settlements are an obstacle to peace and therefore the real damage to Israel. “The resolution is about settlements, not negotiations,” Martin Indyk, a former special envoy under Mr. Obama, wrote on Twitter. “Vetoing would mean vetoing US policy on settlements.” But Aaron David Miller, another former Middle East peace negotiator, said supporting the resolution would have plunged the administration into an issue that the past several administrations had avoided: the legality of the settlements. “The problem with voting for this,” Mr. Miller said, “is that Trump will disavow it and U.S. credibility on the issue will again be undermined, not to mention what the Israelis might do on the ground in response, to which the new administration may acquiesce.”

2018-08-23

Donald Trump is in deep. Time Magazine released its newest Trump-themed cover for the upcoming Sept. 3 issue, and if it looks a little familiar that's because it's the third installment in a series from collaborator Tim O’Brien.  The latest cover in the panic-inducing series shows the Oval Office filled with water, and though Trump's head remains above water, he's clearly struggling to stay afloat. Amidst the floating papers and phone, we the words "In Deep" are visible. A post shared by TIME (@time) on Aug 23, 2018 at 5:14am PDT Time shared the story behind the cover, which was revealed just days after Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort was found guilty on eight counts, and his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, reached a plea deal. Cohen implicated Trump in campaign finance crimes by claiming he directed him to pay off two women — Karen McDougal and Stormy Daniels — during the 2016 campaign to ensure they'd remain silent about their relationships with Trump. O’Brien translated this news into a striking visual, working off his progressing series. The Brooklyn-based artist also created Trump covers for the  Feb. 27, 2017 issue and April 23, 2018 issue of the magazine. The first, which included the words "Nothing to See Here," examined the early White House chaos two months after Trump's inauguration. And the second, which displayed the word, "Stormy," was in response to the early stages of the Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels drama, post-Cohen office raids. When addressing the decision to have Trump floating in the water, head off-cover in the third installment, O’Brien told Time, "I felt that it was too comical or perhaps morbid to see him sitting there. But to have him at the top suggests he’s still fighting despite the deepening issues." "When I painted the 'Nothing to See Here' cover art, like many, I assumed the level of chaos could not last," O’Brien went on, adding, "as the never-ending flood of breaking news washed over the White House, and the firings, the scandals and the general mayhem filled each news cycle, I felt the storm metaphor was as relevant as ever." Though Time has featured cover series and redesigns before, O'Brien's series just made history, becoming the first series of three Time covers in 95 years. It's an ambitious move for sure, but readers seem to be impressed. These three @TIME covers by Tim O’Brien over the past 18 months are pretty amazing. pic.twitter.com/FhiL1sP3sY — Matthew T. Hall 📚 (@SDuncovered) August 23, 2018 the latest in the series of Trump Time covers 👀 pic.twitter.com/8mSEnB5ovQ — David Mack (@davidmackau) August 23, 2018 Holy crap.@TIME Magazine's new cover.Wow.#ThursdayThoughts pic.twitter.com/Bt6SR6Vb7h — Holly Figueroa O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) August 23, 2018 Time Magazine finishing their Trump triptych cover art this week. As Trump himself tweeted in 2015: "On the cover of @TIME Magazine—a great honor!" pic.twitter.com/Yx4U5SUk6K — Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) August 23, 2018 If there was ever a time to take a step back from the chaos and cathartically rage scream Sum 41's "In Too Deep," it's now. Want more clever culture writing beamed directly to your inbox? Sign up here for the twice-weekly Click Click Click newsletter. It's fun – we promise.

2020-03-09 00:00:00

As cases of COVID-19 continue to spread, people are taking precautions like social distancing more seriously than ever.   Social distancing, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), is the practice of maintaining at least three feet of distance between you and anyone who is coughing or sneezing. It's just one measure being suggested to protect against the spread of the highly contagious new coronavirus.  Many people — even health officials — have started using handshake alternatives. And France has even told citizens to stop participating in "bise," the very French practice of kissing each other on the cheek.  Given that handshakes and kisses are being curtailed and working remotely is being encouraged, single people may wonder if they should "social distance" themselves from dates and simply stay home.  Tinder got ahead of the curve, creating a pop-up with health safety reminders and linked to information from WHO:  While pop-ups haven't shown up (yet) on other dating apps, a spokesperson from Bumble pointed out its voice call and video chat feature, should people not want to meet up in person.  Dr. Natasha Fuksina, Diplomate of American Board of Internal Medicine, also suggested Skype or FaceTime if it's a first date and you have some reservations. "It will lessen some of the fears and help build trust and a relationship going forward," she told Mashable.  Dr. Taylor Graber, an anesthesiology resident at the San Diego with University of California San Diego, said that dating does not need to stop because of COVID-19. "I do not believe we need to shut down dating amid the coronavirus. In young, healthy adults, there is a very low risk of contracting serious consequences of the illness," he said in an email to Mashable.  Common sense, however, still applies. If you have viral symptoms such as fever, cough, cold, and runny nose, that's when you should definitely avoid dating and kissing others, according to Graber. Fuksina agreed, citing the CDC and WHO guidelines. And if you're already in an established relationship? The same rules apply. Fuksina also noted that it's important to be mindful of your partner's concerns. Graber emphasized that honestly is necessary; if you do not feel well, postpone — your date will understand, especially now.  So, if you are not sick and want to continue to date, go for it. Just don't bail and use the coronavirus as an excuse; we all know you could've just FaceTimed instead.

2018-03-16 08:35:00

TOKYO — The United Nations detailed on Friday how North Korea gets around international sanctions designed to hobble the government and its nuclear weapons program. President Trump, after accepting an invitation last week to meet personally this spring with the North’s leader, Kim Jong-un, said that sanctions would remain in place during any talks. But the United Nations report shows just how difficult it is for governments to police North Korea and how widespread illicit trade with it is. The experts who compiled the report detailed violations across several countries, including Bulgaria, China, Germany, India, Myanmar, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Tanzania and Uganda. “It’s really kind of remarkable the scope of activities they are engaging in,” said Peter Harrell, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security in Washington, adding, “It brings home the fact that the North Korean tentacles still do have some global reach.” Here are some sanctions violations detailed in the report. One of the more eyebrow-raising examples described: Between January and June of last year, India exported $514,823 in diamonds to North Korea, along with other precious metals and stones. Other luxury goods that have made it to North Korea: sparkling wine and spirits from Germany, wine and vermouth from Italy, and perfume and cosmetics from Bulgaria. A Singapore-based company has been stocking department stores in Pyongyang, the capital, with luxury items from Japan and Europe. North Koreans have mastered “how to smuggle sanctioned items,” said Jay Song, a senior lecturer in Korean studies at the Asia Institute at the University of Melbourne in Australia. “Ironically, however, these trades, legal and illegal, grow the North Korean middle class, who then grow grievances against the authorities. They are also highly corrupt.” Mounting a ballistic missile and nuclear weapons program is not cheap. The report shows that the isolated country continues to sell commodities to United Nations member countries, even though sanctions prohibit such transactions. According to the panel, North Korea generated nearly $200 million between January and September 2017 by exporting “almost all the commodities prohibited in the resolutions.” Its largest export was coal; the report concluded that North Korea exported $413.6 million in coal in that time frame — $12.7 million above the United Nations cap. North Korea also sold $62.1 million in iron and steel, exports that violated sanctions. Using front companies, manipulations of automated signals that radar systems use to detect global shipments, and ship-to-ship transfers in the middle of the night, North Korea was able to “give the impression that the coal was loaded in ports other than in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” the report said. Still, “We’re really forcing the North Koreans to jump through hoops,” said Andrea Berger, a senior research associate and senior program manager at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in Monterey, Calif. “North Koreans are literally physically concealing the identity of ships at night and doing ship-to-ship transfers,” she said. “That’s not something you do unless you have to.” North Korean firms and individuals, utilizing front companies and working with foreign citizens, have opened bank accounts around the world. The report said some of the country’s banks “maintain a network of overseas representatives who continue to move freely across borders to undertake transactions in multiple countries and to establish residences abroad.” The experts found that many banks do not scrutinize account holders closely enough. It cited a “major European bank” that failed to verify answers that a representative of the Korea Daesong Bank gave to a questionnaire to screen for money laundering and ignored the fact that the account applicant appeared in a financial-crimes database. As previously reported, the experts contend that North Korea has shipped supplies to the Syrian government that could be used in the production of chemical weapons. The report also detailed sales of ballistic missile systems, multiple rocket launchers and surface-to-air missiles to Myanmar. These arms sales are concerning not only because they help the North raise money, but because of “the inherently destabilizing nature of military cooperation that looks like this,” Ms. Berger said. North Korea has become a well-known state actor in surveillance and hacking. The report detailed an incident in which the North sent a drone toward a military facility in Seongju, South Korea, and snapped 555 photographs. The drone crashed because of an engine malfunction and was recovered by South Korean intelligence. The report also indicated that some of the email accounts of the United Nations experts had been hacked or that the North had tried to hack their accounts. Last December, the United Nations Security Council tightened sanctions against North Korea by cutting the amount of refined petroleum it can import each year by 89 percent. Yet the experts found that North Korea had developed a sophisticated network of intermediaries willing to help it procure oil. “If anything, the sanctions are making it more lucrative for these intermediaries,” said John Nilsson-Wright, a senior research fellow at the London-based Chatham House at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, because North Korea will pay a higher price to circumvent the sanctions. A North Korean gallery in the fashionable 798 Art District in Beijing was closed by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce in January. The Mansudae Art Studio, run by the North Korean state agency responsible for art, sold oil paintings of beaming factory workers, bronze sculptures in the social realism style and tourist kitsch like postage stamps and currency. In a prestigious spot across from a branch of the top-drawer Pace Gallery, the gallery showed paintings with price tags of $20,000 and up. The United Nations report said it operated as a joint venture between North Korea and a Chinese partner, and for that reason the Chinese government had agreed to close it.

2016-05-09 11:15:00

Who knew Fez could move like that? In a sneak peak at Thursday’s Lip Sync Battle, Wilmer Valderrama tears up the stage with spot-on dance moves to Backstreet Boys‘ “Everybody.” Decked out in baggy pants, a black vest and a open white dress shirt, Wilmer breaks it down with a few bumps and grinds while mouthing that infamous line: “Am I sexual?“ The 36-year-old continues to jump around stage in the clip and even nails down the Backstreet Boys’ signature zombie hands. On Thursday, the That ’70s Show alum takes on Jane the Virgin star, Gina Rodriguez. Lip Sync Battle airs on Thursday (10 p.m. ET) on Spike.

2016-10-21

Former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke is polling high enough to earn a spot in the final televised debate of Louisiana’s crowded Senate race. The last debate of the "jungle primary" to replace outgoing Sen. David VitterDavid Bruce VitterGrocery group hires new top lobbyist Lobbying World Senate confirms Trump judge who faced scrutiny over abortion views MORE (R) is set for Nov. 2 at New Orleans's historically black Dillard University. “That’s amazing,” Duke, a former one-term member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, said upon learning of his invitation, according to The Advocate of Baton Rouge. Duke said he plans on participating in the debate but has concerns about security due to his views on race. “Dillard is pretty supportive of Black Lives Matter, and I’ve been pretty critical of them,” he said. A WAFB/Raycom Media poll out Thursday found Duke squeaked past the 5 percent threshold necessary for debate participation. Louisiana state Treasurer John Kennedy (R) took first in the survey with 24 percent, 5 points above his nearest competition. He is followed by Foster Campbell, a Democratic member of the Public Service Commission, who received 19 percent. New Orleans attorney Caroline Fayard (D) and GOP Reps. Charles BoustanyCharles William BoustanyMarch tariff increase would cost 934K jobs, advocacy group says Bottom Line On The Money: US adds 155k jobs in November | Unemployment holds at 3.7 percent | Wage growth strengthening | Trump signs stopgap spending bill delaying shutdown MORE and John FlemingJohn Calvin FlemingThe Hill's 12:30 Report: Dems aim to end anti-Semitism controversy with vote today Former congressmen, RNC members appointed to Trump administration roles Overnight Energy: Watchdog opens investigation into Interior chief | Judge halts Pruitt truck pollution rule decision | Winners, losers in EPA, Interior spending bill amendments MORE then tied for third, at 11 percent apiece. Twenty-four candidates are vying to replace Vitter, who is stepping down amid a prostitution scandal. The top two candidates on Election Day will advance to a runoff vote scheduled for Dec. 10. Boustany, Campbell, Fayard, Fleming and Kennedy met in the first televised Louisiana Senate debate late Tuesday at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston. Duke attracted national headlines after endorsing GOP presidential nominee Donald TrumpDonald John TrumpPossible GOP challenger says Trump doesn't doesn't deserve reelection, but would vote for him over Democrat O'Rourke: Trump driving global, U.S. economy into recession Manchin: Trump has 'golden opportunity' on gun reforms MORE earlier this year. Trump ultimately disavowed Duke’s support after widespread backlash. View the discussion thread. The Hill 1625 K Street, NW Suite 900 Washington DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 tel | 202-628-8503 fax The contents of this site are ©2019 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.

2019-03-20 00:00:00

Boeing is getting sued for wrongful death over the Lion Air crash of a 737 Max 8 in Indonesia ... a disaster that killed everyone on board -- and signaled the start of Boeing's troubles with the model. The federal lawsuit was filed by the estate of Rohmanir Pandi Sagala, one of the 189 souls lost when the flight went down last October. According to docs, obtained by TMZ, the 737 Max 8's problems stem from a system called MCAS -- Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System -- which is supposed to stabilize the plane during flight. However, in the suit, Sagala's attorneys say the MCAS on Lion Air's Flight 610 tilted the nose into a dive without any input from the pilot ... due to a faulty sensor. Sagala's estate claims the pilots fought to pull the nose back up, causing the plane to seesaw more than 2 dozen times before crashing into the Java Sea. The lawsuit says Boeing failed to warn the public and pilots about the "dangerous and defective design" of the 737 Max 8. It also references the March 10 Ethiopian Airlines disaster -- another 737 Max 8 -- which killed 157 people, and led the worldwide grounding of the model. For the record, investigators blamed the crash on the pilot overcorrecting the nose when a sensor indicated the danger of a stalled engine. Sagala's lawsuit happens to come the day after Bloomberg published new details about the doomed Lion Air flight. According to the report, a different crew had the exact same problem -- the nose pitching wildly -- on that very same plane one day prior to Flight 610's crash. They were only able to save it with the assistance of another pilot who was flying as a passenger.

2019-12-05 00:00:00

Rasir Bolton scored all 19 point of his points in the second half, and Michael Jacobson and Tyrese Haliburton also finished with 19 points each in Iowa State’s 79-61 win over Missouri-Kansas City in a nonconference game Wednesday night at Ames, Iowa. George Conditt contributed 12 points for the Cyclones (5-3). UMKC (5-5) was led by Marvin Nesbitt Jr., who had 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting before fouling out with 4:30 remaining and Iowa State up by seven. Rob Whitfield had 10 points for the Kangaroos. After Nesbitt exited, Iowa State went on a 16-2 run to pull away to a 79-58 lead with 1:12 left. Bolton had 11 points in that pivotal stretch, hitting 4 of 5 at the free-throw line. Iowa State made 18 of 19 shots at the line in the second half and 22 of 26 overall. UMKC wound up 7 of 10 on foul shots. Jacobson and Haliburton combined to score 27 points on 11-of-13 shooting from the field in the first half, leading the Cyclones to a 37-31 halftime lead. Jacobson made all six of his field-goal attempts, and Haliburton was 2 of 3 from 3-point range. UMKC was beset by poor 3-point shooting (2 of 11) and turnovers (nine) in the first half. The Kangaroos finished 4 of 18 from beyond the arc and had 17 giveaways that led to 30 Cyclones points. Iowa State built a 45-33 lead on a second-chance jumper by Conditt with 15:17 in regulation, but they then went cold and became turnover-prone. The Kangaroos went on an 11-0 run, taking advantage of three missed shots and four turnovers by Iowa State to cut the deficit to 45-44 with 11:19 remaining. The Cyclones went 4:15 without scoring until Haliburton made two free throws with 11:02 left, giving them a 47-44 lead. Their field-goal drought of 6:03 ended with Jacobson’s jumper with 9:14 left. Haliburton added a layup on the next possession to build on the 8-2 run that put Iowa State ahead 53-46 with 8:15 remaining. —Field Level Media

2019-10-10 10:09:59

The problem here is not Elizabeth Warren. Opinion Columnist This article is part of David Leonhardt’s newsletter. You can sign up here to receive it each weekday. Elizabeth Warren “sticks by her story,” USA Today said. She “stands by account,” NBC News explained and “defends” it, according to The Wall Street Journal. CBS News put it this way: Warren “insists she was fired from a teaching job nearly 50 years ago because she was pregnant. A series of reports have questioned the story she’s been telling on the campaign trail.” These descriptions all create an impression that Warren’s story is at least questionable and perhaps misleading. But the evidence suggests otherwise. From my reading of the stories, she has been telling the truth all along. This mini-controversy has instead ended up highlighting problems not with Warren but with media coverage and political discourse. I see at least three: Balance over accuracy. It is certainly true, as CBS noted, that some people have questioned Warren’s account. A story in the Washington Free Beacon, a conservative publication, did so, as did a writer for Jacobin, a socialist publication. But to say that stories have raised questions is not the same thing as saying the questions are good ones. Over the years, people have also “raised questions” about whether the earth rotates around the sun, the moon landing happened, Communism was fatally flawed, Elvis died and Barack Obama is an American. But I wouldn’t recommend putting any of those questions in a headline. A good rule: Whenever you see the phrase “raises questions” in a story, you should be deeply skeptical of its assertions. The phrase is a crutch that journalists too often use to make implicit accusations they can’t support. [Listen to “The Argument” podcast every Thursday morning, with Ross Douthat, Michelle Goldberg and David Leonhardt.] A false notion of inconsistency. One piece of supposed evidence of Warren’s prevaricating was that she hadn’t always blamed pregnancy discrimination for her job loss. That’s true — and largely meaningless. Human beings don’t include every detail of a story each time they tell it, especially when the story involves difficult personal history. In this case, the evidence is on Warren’s side. The same CBS News report that included such a misleading summary also featured some good reporting: “The rule was at five months you had to leave when you were pregnant,” Trudy Randall, who taught at the same school, remembered. “Now, if you didn’t tell anybody you were pregnant, and they didn’t know, you could fudge it and try to stay on a little bit longer. But they kind of wanted you out if you were pregnant.” Sexism. Discrimination — against women, racial minorities and others — often happens in unannounced ways. That doesn’t make every claim of discrimination true, of course. But it does mean that employers who discriminate don’t typically broadcast what they’re doing. The bias against pregnant women (and mothers) may be the classic version of this. Employers find excuses to avoid hiring a young, recently married woman who’s otherwise an excellent job candidate. Or co-workers express disappointment about a female colleague getting pregnant. In 1971, when the Warren episode happened, sexism was a bigger problem than it is today. Pregnancy discrimination was still legal, in fact. Yet the last few days of cluck-clucking show some of the ways that sexism is still with us today. In the end, Elizabeth Warren isn’t the person who should be reflecting on how she’s handled this story. For more … “You don’t have to like Warren or agree with her policies to acknowledge the reality of pregnancy discrimination,” National Review’s Alexandra DeSanctis wrote. “Too many conservatives don’t want to talk about it because it’s somehow a ‘liberal’ thing, but a more pro-woman, pro-family right would be willing to admit it happens.” “Throughout the American workplace, pregnancy discrimination remains widespread. It can start as soon as a woman is showing, and it often lasts through her early years as a mother,” Natalie Kitroeff and Jessica Silver-Greenberg wrote in The Times earlier this year. “Whether women work at Walmart or on Wall Street, getting pregnant is often the moment they are knocked off the professional ladder.” Whether or not the original Free Beacon story was fair, a “poisoned version” quickly spread among pro-Trump figures, The Washington Post’s Margaret Sullivan argued. “If there is a scandal here, it’s how — in the bad-faith media world — narrowly presented facts without sufficient context can do unfair harm. They can and will be weaponized, falsely regurgitated and twisted beyond recognition.” “The scrutiny on Warren’s pregnancy-discrimination story feels like an omen of even more blatantly gendered attacks to come,” Bridget Read wrote in The Cut. If you are not a subscriber to this newsletter, you can subscribe here. You can also join me on Twitter (@DLeonhardt) and Facebook. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram.

2017-10-18

(Reuters) - EBay Inc warned Wall Street on Wednesday that profit this quarter could fall below analysts’ estimates as it invests in marketing and a revamped website to attract more shoppers, sending shares down more than 5 percent in after-hours trade. The online marketplace is making a big push to catch up to Amazon.com Inc with three-day guaranteed delivery and a more user-friendly website, hoping to distinguish itself as a haven for specialty items rather than commodity products. It said marketing expenses rose by nearly 5 percent in the third quarter from a year earlier, as it got that message across to potential customers. Factoring in the higher costs, eBay forecast fourth-quarter adjusted profit, excluding some costs, of between 57 cents and 59 cents per share. On that basis, analysts on average were expecting a profit of 59 cents per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. For all of 2017, it narrowed its forecast for adjusted profit, now expecting $1.99 to $2.01 per share. In a sign the investments may be paying off, gross merchandise volume (GMV) - the value of goods sold on eBay websites - rose 8 percent to $21.7 billion in the just-ended third quarter. That is the fastest growth eBay has reported in three years. “Our customers are responding to the significant product enhancements we have been making, and this is reflected in our results,” Chief Executive Devin Wenig said in a statement. Revenue in the quarter increased 8.7 percent to $2.41 billion, edging past analysts’ estimate of $2.37 billion. Net income rose 27 percent to $523 million. Despite this growth, the San Jose, California-based company said its operating profit margin decreased slightly to 24 percent in the quarter, from 24.4 percent a year earlier. “Technology investments are partly responsible, but I’m guessing the market is also concerned that there’s more to the story,” said Morningstar analyst R.J. Hottovy. StubHub, the company’s marketplace for tickets, also raised a “potential ‘yellow flag,’” Baird Equity Research analyst Colin Sebastian said in a note. The unit’s 2 percent growth in GMV lagged the rest of the business, and CEO Wenig said a tough events landscape would pressure results further this year. EBay reported nearly 2 million more active buyers in the third quarter to reach 168 million, excluding customers in India. Active buyers tallied at 171 million in the second quarter, before eBay sold its India business to Flipkart in August. Reporting by Aishwarya Venugopal in Bengaluru and Jeffrey Dastin in San Francisco; editing by Bill Rigby and Cynthia Osterman

2019-10-28 00:00:00

(CNN)LeBron James said in a tweet early Monday that he had to evacuate from his home because of the wildfires in the Los Angeles area. "Had to emergency evacuate my house and I've been driving around with my family trying to get rooms. No luck so far!" James wrote. James later tweeted that he found accommodations and sent prayers to families in the area, saying, "Pretty please get to safety ASAP." "My best wishes as well to the first responders right now doing what they do best!" the Lakers star said in another tweet. The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) issued mandatory evacuation orders for areas bordering the 405 Freeway near the the Getty Center where a brush fire broke out early Monday. CNN's Artemis Moshtaghian contributed to this report.

2017-06-07

June 7 (Reuters) - Cab Cakaran Corporation Bhd * Cab Amesist Biomass Generation entered into a memorandum of understanding with Panasonic Eco Solutions Malaysia Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: (bangalore.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com)

2018-04-10 15:21:00

On Monday, Westworld creators-slash-professional mind-fuckers Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy did a Reddit AMA in honor of the show's new season coming later this month. It was pretty standard for the most part, with Nolan and Joy answering questions about Anthony Hopkins and episode titles and the looming robot apocalypse. But toward the end, things took a bit of a turn. In a supposed attempt to combat spoilers and the kind of obsessive theorizing that untangled last season's twist mid way through the season, Nolan and Joy announced that they would be willing to release a video spelling out all the major season two narrative beats ahead of time. "That way, the members of the community here who want the season spoiled for them can watch ahead," Nolan wrote, "and then protect the rest of the community, and help to distinguish between what's 'theory' and what's spoiler." If his post got 1,000 upvotes, Nolan promised, then he and Joy would go ahead and release the spoiler video. Well, it only took a few hours for the post to far surpass the 1,000 upvote mark, and—true to their word—Nolan reappeared on the AMA page late Monday evening to post the link for a 25-minute video called "Westworld Season Two - A Primer." The spoiler video opens with Jeffrey Wright, who plays Bernard, narrating the aftermath of the Delos bloodbath that capped off season one. Bernard wanders around in a daze for a while, wrestling with his programming to remember what happened, and then... Well, just give it a watch. If you were brave enough to click play then, yes, that's Evan Rachel Wood singing "Never Gonna Give You Up." Yes, this whole thing was an elaborate rickroll. Yes, the video then cuts to about 20 minutes of black and white footage of a cute dog sitting at piano as the Westworld theme plays. Well played, Nolan and Joy. Well played. But who knows? Maybe this actually is an accurate representation of what's in store next season. In that case, we should expect a lot of trolling and at least a few very good boys in season two, which debuts on HBO on April 22.Sign up for our newsletter to get the best of VICE delivered to your inbox daily.

2019-01-15

President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump pushes back on recent polling data, says internal numbers are 'strongest we've had so far' Illinois state lawmaker apologizes for photos depicting mock assassination of Trump Scaramucci assembling team of former Cabinet members to speak out against Trump MORE is welcoming news that German automaker Volkswagen will expand its operations in Tennessee to produce electric vehicles. The president called the announcement a "big win" in a tweet Tuesday morning, the day after the company announced its investment.  Volkswagen will be spending 800 million dollars in Chattanooga, Tennessee. They will be making Electric Cars. Congratulations to Chattanooga and Tennessee on a job well done. A big win! Volkswagen said Monday that it plans to expand its Chattanooga, Tennessee, factory with an $800 million investment and the addition of roughly 1,000 jobs in the U.S. Production on electric vehicles at the factory will begin in 2022. The Chattanooga factory, which opened in 2011, is home to roughly 3,500 workers, the company said.  “We could not be prouder to build the future of mobility here in the United States,” Scott Keogh, CEO and president of Volkswagen Group of America, said in a statement. “We’re known as ‘the people’s car’ for a reason, and we plan to build EVs for millions, not millionaires.” Volkswagen announced late last year it intends to shift its focus after 2026 to producing electric cars The Volkswagen investment comes roughly two months after General Motors announced plans to shutter factories in the U.S. and Canada, slashing 15,000 jobs in the process. In response to those layoffs, Trump threatened to end General Motors's federal tax credit for electric vehicles. In an interview last month with Fox News, Trump blamed GM's struggles on its focus on electric vehicles. "They’re going to all electric," he said. "All electric’s not going to work. I don’t run a car company, but all electric is not going to work." View the discussion thread. The Hill 1625 K Street, NW Suite 900 Washington DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 tel | 202-628-8503 fax The contents of this site are ©2019 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.

2016-06-22 13:53:38

Tech Fix CHILDREN are usually forced to pick just one or two of their beloved stuffed animals to take with them on summer vacation. Adults should consider doing the same with their electronic devices. You don’t want to weigh down your travel bag with gear you will barely use. And you probably should leave your more expensive gadgets at home, unless you want to become a target for muggers. What to do? My personal packing starts with devices that are compact and lightweight. The price tag should not exceed $500, and if my smartphone can capably perform a task, I don’t bother with something that does the same thing. Here is a guide to products that I have found useful on an airplane, in a rental car, in a hotel, in an Airbnb house rental and outdoors, or traveling overseas. I have tested all of the items in the last few years, and some of them were purchased through The Wirecutter, a product recommendations website and creative partner of The New York Times. This happens too often: After cramming into your airplane seat, you shut your eyes to relax and a baby starts screaming behind you. You need a media device to drown out the noise with music or a movie. My favorite media tablet for travel is the Apple iPad Mini, which starts at $399 (though I would buy the $499 model for the extra storage). Its compact size makes it easier to rest on an airplane tray. Because it is a multifunctional tablet, you can choose from a host of distractions, such as reading a book and playing a mobile game. (In other words, leave your Kindle at home.) For watching videos on a tablet, SeaGate’s wireless portable hard drive, which costs $100, may also be worth stowing in your carry-on luggage. Ahead of your trip, you can load movies and other media onto the hard drive, and the drive creates its own Wi-Fi network to stream movies to your iPad. As for earphones, I will skip recommending a fancy pair of earbuds — just another small, valuable item to lose on a trip. The earbuds that came with your smartphone, like the Apple EarPods, should sufficiently drown out the noise. Most hotels include cable television, but after channel surfing for a few hours, you will realize that the only movies that ever seem to air are “Total Recall” and “The Shawshank Redemption.” Chances are you will be aching for the variety of programs you could get from streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and HBO. So I would pack Roku’s new Streaming Stick, which is the size of a thumb drive, making it easy to stow in a travel pouch. One major bonus of the Roku stick is a feature called Hotel & Dorm Connect. It bypasses an obstacle in many hotels — the requirement that you log into their Wi-Fi networks through a web page — by letting you enter the credentials through your smartphone browser. Another common headache in a hotel is finding enough outlets to charge multiple gadgets. Anker’s four-port USB wall charger can be plugged into a single outlet to charge four USB devices at the same time. The most annoying part of renting a car is all the upsells, particularly the extra fee for a GPS device and a mount — as if your smartphone did not provide maps already. The best solution is to pack your own smartphone car mount. TechMatte’s MagGrip CD Slot, which costs only $11, is a fantastic travel companion on trips with lots of driving. The mount holds your phone with a magnet; you put a magnet sticker on your smartphone case, so mounting your phone is as simple as tapping the back of the phone on top of the magnet. What’s more, because the MagGrip hooks up to an unused CD player slot, the phone doesn’t block your view of the road. As for playing music from your phone, I recommend packing a standard audio jack that connects a smartphone with a stereo system, like the $5 audio cable from Amazon. When renting a house on Airbnb or a similar site like HomeAway, the situation may be different from a hotel if a large group and a kitchen are involved. This may sound odd, but I have found it extremely useful to pack a sous vide precision cooker on Airbnb trips. First, a primer: A sous vide cooker heats water to a precise temperature; you seal food like steaks and salmon into plastic bags and immerse them in the water to cook them evenly at that temperature. The $199 Anova Precision Cooker, recommended by our technology columnist Farhad Manjoo, is slim enough to store in a weekender bag. Anova’s cooker also includes a bracket so that the device can be easily mounted to your Airbnb host’s cooking pot — meaning all you probably need to pack are the cooker and some zip-close bags. The benefit of bringing along a sous vide cooker is the amount of time it frees up for you to enjoy other activities instead of paying attention to your food. Imagine going hiking for three hours and returning to a perfectly cooked medium-rare beef roast. It beats going to a restaurant. When you’re outside, you don’t need much technology other than a camera. Assuming you bought a smartphone in the last few years, don’t bother packing an extra camera like a GoPro — that’s just extra space and another power cable to carry around. Instead, if you’re going to be in the water kayaking or splashing around at the beach, consider a waterproof smartphone case like LifeProof’s Fre, which fits snugly around an iPhone to protect it from water without making it look ugly. If you are the type who enjoys drowning out the sounds of nature with music, the $100 Roll from Ultimate Ears, which I recommended last holiday season, continues to be my favorite wireless portable speaker. It has a slim disk shape, making it easy to pack in a travel pouch, and includes a bungee cord for strapping it onto a lawn chair or bench. Plus, it’s waterproof. Earlier this year, I wrote a guide on taking your smartphone abroad while traveling, which involved unlocking it and buying foreign SIM cards. Some readers encouraged me to also mention Google’s Project Fi, which is offered in more than 120 countries and charges the same rate no matter where you are: $20 a month for unlimited minutes and text messages and $10 per gigabyte of data. In my testing of Google Fi for a few weeks, I found that the service offered robust coverage comparable to that of traditional wireless carriers. However, there are caveats: Google Fi is available only on a small number of Android phones, and in foreign countries, the data speeds are capped. I recommend a Google Fi phone, with prices starting at $199 on Google’s webpage, for people who frequently travel abroad. But for those who seldom go overseas, it is more practical to use a foreign SIM card with your own phone. Also when traveling abroad, your smartphone battery is going to be struggling because of all the pictures you take. For iPhones, I recommend Apple’s $99 Smart Battery Case — it offers enough power to keep your phone running all day. You can also charge it with the Lightning cable included with iPhones, so you will have one fewer power cable to pack. For Androids, the AmazonBasics Portable Power Bank is an excellent battery pack.

2017-08-10

Aug 10 (Reuters) - Sumeeko Industries Co Ltd : * Says it will pay cash dividend of T$5 per share for 2016 to shareholders on Sept. 22 Source text in Chinese: goo.gl/UhYcLM Further company coverage: (Beijing Headline News)

2019-01-16

The IRS on Wednesday announced that it will waive a penalty for some taxpayers who didn't have enough money withheld from their paychecks last year, in an effort to aid people as they adjust to the tax-code changes made by President TrumpDonald John TrumpFacebook releases audit on conservative bias claims Harry Reid: 'Decriminalizing border crossings is not something that should be at the top of the list' Recessions happen when presidents overlook key problems MORE's tax law. “We realize there were many changes that affected people last year, and this penalty waiver will help taxpayers who inadvertently didn’t have enough tax withheld,” IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig said in a news release. “We urge people to check their withholding again this year to make sure they are having the right amount of tax withheld for 2019.” In early 2018, the IRS released new guidance about tax withholding from people's paychecks that was designed to reflect Trump's 2017 tax law. The guidance reflected changes such as the lower tax rates and larger standard deduction. Most taxpayers across the income spectrum are expected to receive a tax cut for 2018 because of the tax law.  When the withholding guidance came out, Treasury Secretary Steven MnuchinSteven Terner MnuchinFive key players in Trump's trade battles Pelosi warns Mnuchin to stop 'illegal' .3B cut to foreign aid Trump phoned bank CEOs as stock market plunged Wednesday: report MORE said he expected 90 percent of wage earners to see more take-home pay due to the guidance. The IRS also expects most taxpayers to receive refunds this year when they file their tax returns for 2018. But the new withholding guidance did not account for all of the tax changes made in the 2017 law, so some taxpayers may have ended up having too little in taxes taken from their paychecks last year. Those people will end up owing money when they file their taxes in the coming weeks and months. Taxpayers typically owe a penalty if they don't pay enough taxes during the year. Normally, the penalty wouldn't apply for 2018 if the taxpayer made payments throughout the year of at least 90 percent of their 2018 tax liability or at least 100 percent of their 2017 tax liability. But the IRS said that it will lower the 90 percent threshold to 85 percent for waiver purposes, to reduce the number of people who might have to pay a penalty this year. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle had requested that the IRS waive penalties for taxpayers who didn't have enough withheld from their paychecks. Senate Finance Committee ranking member Ron WydenRonald (Ron) Lee WydenWyden blasts FEC Republicans for blocking probe into NRA over possible Russia donations Wyden calls for end to political ad targeting on Facebook, Google Ex-CIA chief worries campaigns falling short on cybersecurity MORE (D-Ore.) had asked the IRS to waive underwithholding penalties in a letter earlier this month. Finance Committee Chairman Chuck GrassleyCharles (Chuck) Ernest GrassleyWhite House denies exploring payroll tax cut to offset worsening economy Schumer joins Pelosi in opposition to post-Brexit trade deal that risks Northern Ireland accord GOP senators call for Barr to release full results of Epstein investigation MORE (R-Iowa) said on the Senate floor Wednesday that he had "encouraged the IRS to be lenient on penalties, especially with this first time through a filing season under the new tax law." View the discussion thread. The Hill 1625 K Street, NW Suite 900 Washington DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 tel | 202-628-8503 fax The contents of this site are ©2019 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.

2018-09-10 16:03:04

Adam Clymer, who covered congressional intrigue, eight presidential campaigns and the downfall of both Nikita S. Khrushchev and Richard M. Nixon as a reporter and editor for The New York Times and other newspapers, died early Monday at his home in Washington. He was 81. The cause was pancreatic cancer, which was diagnosed in March, said Dr. Michael A. Newman, who treated him. Mr. Clymer also had Parkinson’s disease and Myasthenia gravis, a neuromuscular condition. Mr. Clymer received unsought attention in 2000, when, during a presidential campaign rally, he became the target of a vulgarism by George W. Bush that was captured on a live microphone. It was not the first time he had been attacked. Reporting from Russia for The Baltimore Sun during the Vietnam War, he was beaten at an anti-American demonstration, accused of assaulting a police officer and expelled from the Soviet Union as a “hooligan.” He had earlier covered Khrushchev’s ouster as the Soviet leader in 1964 and been a Washington reporter for The Sun before being named the newspaper’s South Asia correspondent, based in New Delhi. Returning to Baltimore, he covered his first presidential race, in 1972, and earned multiple entries in Timothy Crouse’s now classic book “The Boys on the Bus,” a sometimes rollicking behind-the-scenes account of reporters on the campaign trail. After a brief stint at The Daily News in New York, Mr. Clymer joined The Times in 1977 to cover Congress. He held a number of reporting and editing posts for the newspaper over the years, including Washington correspondent, chief congressional correspondent, Washington editor, weekend editor, polling editor and political editor — the newspaper’s first. As a Washington and political reporter, Mr. Clymer, a tall figure with an often crusty manner, covered the Watergate scandal and the fall of Richard Nixon for The Sun. For The Times, he wrote about Ronald Reagan’s presidential candidacy in 1980, observing that after Reagan had been repackaged to broaden his appeal beyond his hard-right base, his race to deny President Jimmy Carter a second term was “his to lose.” In 1994, covering Congress, Mr. Clymer revealed Newt Gingrich’s ultimately successful strategy to gain a Republican majority in the House in the midterm elections and then ascend to the speaker’s chair. And in 2000, returning to the campaign trail, he was thrust into the headlines himself while covering a Labor Day rally for the Republican presidential ticket in Naperville, Ill. Spotting Mr. Clymer, Mr. Bush pointed him out to his running mate, Dick Cheney, and unwittingly said into a live microphone, “There’s Adam Clymer, major-league asshole from The New York Times.” To which Mr. Cheney replied, “Oh yeah, he is, big time.” The Times did not publish the vulgarity, but it was widely reported. Mr. Bush never apologized. His campaign spokesman said Mr. Bush had been upset by “very unfair” coverage by Mr. Clymer. Hardly embarrassed, Mr. Clymer was gleeful that he had stirred things up. Interviewed afterward on CNN, he said that some of his articles had offended Democratic politicians, too. “You know,” he said, “if they all love you, you might as well just be driving a Good Humor truck.” Adam Clymer was born in New York City on April 27, 1937, the son of Kinsey and Eleanor (Lowenton) Clymer. His mother wrote children’s books, including “The Trolley Car Family” and “The Tiny Little House.” His father, a former reporter for The Baltimore Evening Sun and The Brooklyn Eagle, worked for the New York City welfare department. Mr. Clymer attended the private, progressive Walden School in Manhattan and Harvard, where he was the president of The Crimson, the student newspaper. He covered college games as a part-time correspondent for The Times before graduating magna cum laude in 1958. After returning from a fellowship at the University of Cape Town, he covered police news for The Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk, Va., and served in the Army. The Sun hired him in 1963. In addition to his stints for the paper in Washington, the Soviet Union and South Asia, he was also its East Asia correspondent for a time. After years of reporting for The Times, he was named polling editor in 1983. In that post, either in conjunction with CBS News or in independent Times projects, Mr. Clymer broadened the scope of opinion surveys beyond politics. One poll questioned Roman Catholic priests on marriage; another asked baseball players to name the umpires they most admired. His favorite, published on Christmas Eve 1985, found that 87 percent of children ages 3 to 10 said they believed in Santa Claus. He also helped popularize the practice of fleshing out surveys by calling respondents back on the telephone to expand on their answers. “Adam was one of the first journalists to identify and use poll numbers to explain the dynamics of the gender gap in American presidential politics, beginning with Ronald Reagan’s campaign in 1980,” said Janet Elder, a former Times polling editor and later a deputy executive editor. “He was instrumental in the use of exit polls to understand why voters voted the way they did.” (Ms. Elder died in 2017.) After his retirement in 2003, Mr. Clymer was political director of the National Annenberg Election Survey, which measures public attitudes on policy and candidates, and taught journalism at George Washington University. He also continued to write for The Times, producing many obituaries in advance on political figures he had covered, including the Democratic House speaker Jim Wright, the Senate lion Robert C. Byrd and Jack Kemp, the Republican congressman, housing secretary and vice-presidential nominee. Mr. Clymer was the author of “Edward M. Kennedy: A Biography” (1999) and “Drawing the Line at the Big Ditch: The Panama Canal Treaties and the Rise of the Right” (2008). He had recently published a novel, “Escape From 9/11,” and had planned to celebrate it with an event at the Times headquarters in New York on Sept. 26. The National Press Foundation in 1993 awarded him its Everett McKinley Dirksen Award for distinguished congressional reporting, and in 2003 the American Political Science Association gave him its Carey McWilliams Award for political reporting. Mr. Clymer’s wife, Ann Wood (Fessenden) Clymer, who taught piano and worked for a time at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, died in 2013 at 75. Mr. Clymer leaves no immediate survivors. His and his wife’s only child, Jane emily Clymer (as she rendered her name), was killed by a drunken driver in 1985 when she was a student at the University of Vermont. Her death led the Clymers to wage a long legal campaign seeking punitive damages from the restaurants that had served alcohol to the driver, asserting in a lawsuit that they shared responsibility for the death. In 1991 the Vermont Supreme Court, setting a precedent, ruled that the Clymers could collect punitive damages from the restaurants and that they could sue the driver for the loss of companionship of a child. The Clymers and the restaurants reached a settlement for $250,000 in 1992. The driver’s insurance company settled with the Clymers for $120,000. They used the money to create a scholarship in their daughter’s name that has helped dozens of women attend the University of Vermont. Writing about the ordeal in The New York Times Magazine in 1986, Mr. Clymer recalled his emotional courtroom appeal to the judge to reject a plea bargain under which the driver would have received 18 months of nights and weekends in prison. His daughter, Mr. Clymer said, “would not be looking for revenge on the killer, but for an action by the authorities that would make it clear that Vermont takes drunk driving seriously, because she would hope that such a message would deter other drunk drivers, save other lives.” The driver was sentenced to 30 months in prison. The well-traveled Mr. Clymer took a reporter’s pride in having written articles from all over the United States. Indeed, a month before he retired, he wrangled an assignment in Alaska so he could end his career having had a dateline from each of the 50 states. His favorite was with an article for The Sun in 1973, in which he quoted a scandal-plagued Nixon as telling a convention of newspaper executives at a hotel in Florida, “I am not a crook.” The dateline was Disney World, Fla.

2018-10-29

Screenshot: TwitterBig alert from the president: SICKO HOLLYWOOD LIBS have BANNED his Stephen Colbert interview because of something something something!!! On Monday, Donald Trump’s account quote tweeted a video from an account using the display name “Blacks for Trump” (@BlacksForTrump5) alleging that CBS had taken down a Sept. 22, 2015 episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert featuring the president. The video is bizarrely edited and only barely comprehensible, but claims, “You are not supposed to see this video” and that “CBS DELETED this entire episode from their official website. You will not find these segments on YouTube either.”While Colbert could be reasonably accused of lobbing softballs during the interview, the video also selectively edits the episode in question to cut off jokes and make it appear as though the host is a Trump supporter. (He is not, though it’s unclear whether the editing was intended as some kind of snark or was made in wild-eyed earnestness.)Gizmodo has reached out to CBS for comment, and we’ll update this post if we hear back. But the CBS All Access website did not show any episodes of The Late Show prior to the month of October 2018. Clips of the Sept. 22, 2015 episode of the show in question, however, were available via that site, and more than one was on The Late Show’s official YouTube. It is hardly unusual for networks to pull older episodes of shows from streaming services due to licensing restrictions, something that the Verge noted was a particular problem with CBS All Access in a 2018 review.In other words, it’s super-obvious this is yet more vapid bullshit the president and/or the various underlings that tweet from his account—it’s not always clear which—either lack the capacity to think critically about or are just throwing out as some kind of distraction.Trump has previously spread outright lies alleging blacklisting on Google, discrimination against conservatives by social media companies, and that the media deliberately cooks up “Fake News” about his presidency. Even by those low, low standards, this is a particularly lazy hit job, less an Orwellian missive from the Ministry of Truth than a cringeworthy FWD: FWD: from a confused relative who just figured out how to use email.This video has apparently been circulating among the most credulous #MAGA types on Twitter and Facebook since at least April 2018, after which point the trail dithers off into an underbelly of social media spam. It appears to be the first tweet on the @BlacksForTrump5 account, which is not widely followed, raising the question of how the president or his staff even found it. Its only newsworthiness is that Trump retweeted it, which would be profoundly embarrassing were Trump not well past the point of feeling shame about anything and everyone else well aware the emperor has a distinct shortage of things other than clothes.Beyond that, it’s just another middle finger to anyone who actually cares about the consequences of his presidency—as well as a reminder that even after the horrific events of the past few weeks, which have included a mail bomb campaign and a mass murder at a synagogue, Trump is not slowing down with the conspiracy stuff.Update: 10/30/2018, 11:20 a.m. ET: In response to a request for comment, CBS directed us to this tweet from Colbert:

2018-12-16 00:00:00

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Thousands of Hungarians thronged the streets of Budapest on Sunday in the fourth and largest protest in a week against what they see as the increasingly authoritarian rule of right-wing nationalist Viktor Orban. Braving sub-zero temperatures, setting off flares and waving Hungarian and European Union flags, about 10,000 demonstrators walked from historic Heroes’ Square toward parliament and then state TV in a march dubbed “Merry Xmas Mr. Prime Minister.” The march was largely peaceful until police fired tear gas at protesters jostling outside the TV station late at night. Footage showed people crouching and blinded by the gas. The demonstration was organized by opposition parties, students, and trade unions to demand a free media, withdrawal of a labor law increasing overtime, and an independent judiciary. “All I want for Xmas is democracy,” read one banner. Hundreds of police in riot gear shepherded what was one of the biggest demonstrations Orban has faced since he rose to power in 2010 and began wielding his large parliamentary majority to pressure courts, media and non-government groups. The prime minister projects himself as savior of Hungary’s Christian culture against Muslim migration into Europe, and won a third straight term earlier this year. On Saturday, Orban’s ruling party Fidesz said “criminals” were behind the “street riots” and accused Hungarian-born U.S. billionaire George Soros of stoking the protests. Soros is a strong critic of Orban but denies claims against him as lies to create a false external enemy. Late on Sunday, several opposition lawmakers gained access to the state TV building in Budapest seeking to have a petition read out, but security personnel told them that was impossible. “The TV is lying!” shouted protesters, of the state channel viewed as mouthpiece for the government. “Dirty Fidesz!” they added. “Discontent is growing,” said Andi, 26, a sociology student who did not want to give her full name. “They have passed two laws this week which ... won’t serve Hungarian people’s interest,” she added, referring to the labor legislation critics dub a “slave law” and new courts for sensitive issues such as elections, protests and corruption. Frequently clashing with the European Union over his policies, Orban has tweaked the election system to favor Fidesz and put loyalists at the head of institutions, while allies have enriched themselves. But he has rarely angered large voter groups at home, and the opposition is weak and fragmented. Additional reporting by Bernadett Szabo; Editing by Toby Chopra and Andrew Cawthorne

2016-09-07 00:00:00

NEW YORK — Hillary Clinton spent a third of the time fending off questions about her emails. Donald Trump struggled to explain his secret plan to defeat the Islamic State. Both presidential candidates walked into Wednesday night’s national security forum seeking to prove themselves ready to serve as commander in chief. Clinton sought to showcase her superior experience, and Trump to indict her foreign policy along with President Barack Obama’s. Instead, both almost immediately found themselves on the defensive. The Democratic nominee, appearing first at the “Commander-in-Chief Forum” held by NBC News and a veteran’s group, was hit with a barrage of detailed questions about her use of a private email system as secretary of state, as well as her initial support of the Iraq war — both of which she has called mistakes. Her Republican counterpart, meanwhile, faced broader queries about his qualifications for the Oval Office, his many past controversial statements about the state of the military, and even his apparent admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin. The result was a scattered hour at the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum that set the stage for a particularly bitter lead-up to the first presidential debate in under three weeks — where the candidates will not be constrained by the guidelines put in place on Wednesday by moderator Matt Lauer that they should refrain from attacking each other. The evening began on shaky footing for Clinton almost immediately, as she carefully weighed her answer to Lauer’s opening question about the FBI’s conclusion that she was “extremely careless” in handling classified information. “I have a lot of experience dealing with classified material,” Clinton said defensively, her jaw setting. “Classified material has a header which has ’top secret,’ ’secret,’ ‘confidential.’ Nothing — and I will repeat this, and this is verified in the report by the Department of Justice, none of the emails sent or received by me had such a header,” she explained. It took Clinton nearly one-third of her allotted half-hour to work in a shot at her GOP rival, but her opening answer — that a commander-in-chief must have “absolute rock steadiness” — was also a potential dig at a man her campaign has portrayed as erratic and untested. Clinton noted that Trump, who appeared at the forum separately, supported invading Iraq, but found herself forced to answer yet again why she had voted to give President George W. Bush the green light. "I think the decision to go to war in Iraq, and I have said that my voting to give President Bush that authority was, from my perspective, my mistake,” she said, promising yet again not to commit ground troops to Iraq “ever again” and ruling out additional ground troops in Syria. “I also believe that it is imperative that we learn from the mistakes like after-action reports are supposed to do, so we must learn what led us down that path so it never happens again,” she said. Trump, appearing after Clinton, insisted to Lauer that he had opposed the war — despite telling radio host Howard Stern in 2002 that he supported it — quickly turning to criticize the current state of American foreign policy under Obama. Presented with his past statement that he knows more about ISIS than “the generals,” Trump responded that those same generals he would have to work with “have been reduced to rubble” under Obama’s leadership. And he repeated his lament that the United States failed to “take the oil” in Iraq, an idea that national security experts across the political spectrum have panned as ludicrous. Thought Lauer missed an opportunity to corner Trump on his support for the war, he did press the Republican nominee on an apparent contradiction between his declaration that he would have top generals present him with a blueprint to defeat ISIS with his longstanding intimation that he already has a secret plan to do so. “I have a substantial chance of winning, but if I win I don’t want to broadcast [the plan],” Trump explained. “The fact is, we have had the worst — and you could say the dumbest — foreign policy." Trump was perhaps most emphatic in defending his past comments about Putin, despite the fodder those remarks have provided for attacks from Clinton and her allies. “I think when he calls me brilliant I’ll take the compliment, but it’s not going to get him anywhere,” Trump told Lauer, who had just listed a roster of controversial Russian moves, including Moscow’s reported culpability for the hack of the Democratic National Committee earlier this year. Trump responded that Putin has an 82 percent approval rating in Russia: “He’s been a leader far more than our president has been a leader.” And, as part of his answer to a question posed by a father who said his daughter was concerned about rising incidents of sexual assault in the military, Trump also stood by a past tweet suggesting that allowing women to serve — rather than lax enforcement of military discipline — was to blame. If Clinton appeared defensive and cautious in answering the specific, pointed questions posed to her, Trump also stumbled with the broader queries Lauer offered him. At one point, he corrected a veteran who had lost two friends to suicide about veteran suicide statistics — when she in fact had the right number, shaking her head at his retort. His defense of Putin was politically dodgy, too — the Russian leader’s American approval rating is in the single digits, according to an NBC News survey conducted even before the DNC hack that his government is widely believed to be behind. And his insistence that the generals currently serving had “been reduced to rubble” neared crossing a line in military circles because of the implication that he would replace officers who are not political appointees. Tensions boiled over between Democrats and NBC News, as well, as they questioned Lauer's questioning: "@NBCNews it is irresponsible to allow Trump to go on a 60 second rant about a military intervention that he supported w/o clarifying," tweeted Clinton's traveling press secretary, Nick Merrill. The forum landed in the wake of new NBC News/Survey Monkey polling showing that Trump holds a substantial lead over Clinton when it comes to military and veteran voters — a crucial voting bloc in states like Virginia -- 55 percent to 36 percent overall. Even so, as the two campaigns spar over the numbers of military endorsers each has, Trump’s poll numbers in the military community are lower than either Mitt Romney's in 2012 or John McCain’s in 2008 relative to Obama’s. After a summer of Clinton bombarding Trump’s fitness for the office and a stretch in which he saw his support waver after clashing with the parents of a deceased soldier, however, this week’s pitches are not just targeted at the significant military community: They are each campaign’s latest attempt to appeal to middle-class voters concerned about national security and their own safety. While Trump has gone after Clinton aggressively over her emails, she has responded by pointing out some of his policy inconsistencies on the trail and specifically identifying his ties to Russia as particularly troubling. Prior to the event, members of the Trump team spent pieces of the morning playing defense after Clinton’s super PAC, Priorities USA Action, promoted an ad that prominently featured the candidate declaring his love for war, the latest in a series of spots from both the campaign and super PAC making the case that Trump is far too inconsistent and unpredictable to sit in the Oval Office or have control of the nuclear codes. But on Wednesday, the man who once promised to “bomb the hell out of ISIS" spit the accusation right back at his opponent. “The current strategy of toppling regimes, with no plan for what to do the day after, only produces power vacuums that are filled by terrorists,” Trump said earlier in the day at a speech in Philadelphia. “Immediately after taking office, I will ask my generals to present me with a plan within 30 days to defeat and destroy ISIS." Even as he called for a massive increase in the military budget, Trump suggested he would more judicious in using force -- upending the traditional partisan battles lines on national security. “Unlike my opponent, my foreign policy will emphasize diplomacy, not destruction. Hillary Clinton’s legacy in Iraq, Libya, and Syria has produced only turmoil and suffering,” he said in Pennsylvania, skipping over his own one-time support for intervention in some of those conflicts. “Sometimes it has seemed like there wasn’t a country in the Middle East that Hillary Clinton didn’t want to invade, intervene or topple. She is trigger-happy and unstable when it comes to war,” he said.

2019-10-15 00:00:00

LUXEMBOURG/DUBLIN (Reuters) - Last-ditch talks between Britain and the European Union to get a Brexit deal ahead of a summit of the bloc’s leaders this week went on past midnight to Wednesday, but it was still unclear if London could avoid postponing its departure due on Oct. 31. Officials and diplomats involved in negotiations over the acrimonious divorce between the world’s fifth-largest economy and its biggest trading bloc said that differences over the terms of the split had narrowed significantly. However, the European Union’s Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, made clear at a meeting of the bloc’s ministers in Luxembourg that if an agreement could not be reached on Tuesday, it would be too late to send anything for leaders to approve at a summit in Brussels on Thursday and Friday. Barnier also told EU ministers earlier on Tuesday that customs arrangements for the island of Ireland, the issue of giving more say to Northern Irish authorities as well as the so-called level-playing field clauses for fair competition were all still open. On Tuesday night, an EU official said: “What is outstanding is the level-playing field provisions... There would be no customs duties on goods crossing to Northern Ireland if they were to stay there.” But, as the clock struck midnight in Brussels, the talks were still going on between Britain’s Brexit negotiator David Frost and the EU’s executive European Commission. That could force another extension of the date for the UK’s split from the 27 other member states, the third since Britons voted in a June 2016 referendum to quit the EU. Britain’s plan to leave the EU, which has only ever added new member states, has compounded problems for a bloc torn by euroscepticism and economic disparities. Britain has itself been polarized bitterly by Brexit. A second EU official said an agreement was “close but not 100% certain”, adding “there are still parts that need to be nailed down”. Sterling surged to its highest level against the dollar and the euro since May on Tuesday on rising hopes for a deal.The main sticking point in talks has been the border between EU member Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland. The question is how to prevent the border becoming a backdoor into the EU’s single market without erecting controls which could undermine the 1998 peace agreement that ended decades of conflict in the province. Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar told reporters in Dublin that talks had moved in the right direction. “But whether we will be able to conclude a revised withdrawal agreement, which after all is an international treaty, in time for the summit on Thursday, that’s as of now unclear,” he said, adding that some hours earlier the gap had been “quite wide, particularly on the issue of customs.” The small Northern Irish party supporting Britain’s minority government said further work was required to get a deal through. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is likely to need the Democratic Unionist Party’s (DUP) support if he is to get it through a vote in the British parliament. “We respect (the) fact negotiations are ongoing therefore cannot give a detailed commentary but it would be fair to indicate gaps remain and further work is required,” the DUP said in a statement. If London is unable to clinch a deal, an acrimonious divorce could follow that would hit trade and business, roil financial markets and potentially lead to the United Kingdom splitting. Even if Johnson wins the approval of Europe’s big powers for the deal his negotiators have proposed, he must still sell it to a British parliament in which he does not command a majority. Brexit-supporting Conservative lawmaker Owen Paterson said Johnson’s emerging divorce deal was “unacceptable”. A leading figure in the 2016 referendum who came to power as head of ruling Conservative Party in July, Johnson has pledged to take the country out of the bloc on Oct. 31 whether or not a withdrawal agreement has been reached. But parliament has passed a law saying Britain cannot leave without an agreement, and Johnson has not explained how he can get around that. The main obstacle has been around customs, with the latest proposal envisaging that Northern Ireland stays in the UK customs area. Tariffs would apply on goods crossing from mainland Britain to Northern Ireland if they were deemed to be headed further to EU member Ireland and the bloc’s single market. A compromise of that order could be derailed in the UK parliament, where a rare Saturday session is due to be held this weekend. Indeed, the DUP insisted that the region must remain within the United Kingdom customs union as part of any Brexit deal and not have to follow tariffs set by the European Union. Deal or no deal for the summit, EU officials believe another delay to Britain’s departure date is still likely. Extension options range from an extra month to half a year or longer. Additional reporting by John Chalmers in Brussels and by Kate Holton and Elizabeth Piper in London; Writing by John Chalmers; editing by Mike Collett-White and Lisa Shumaker

2016-11-16

STOCKHOLM, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Deliveries of the six biggest categories of white goods (AHAM 6) in the United States rose 7.0 percent year-on-year in October, data from industry body Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) showed late on Wednesday. Shipments in the country, a major market for companies such as Swedish home appliances maker Electrolux, were up 3.9 percent in the year through October. (Reporting by Niklas Pollard; editing by Johannes Hellstrom)

2018-06-09

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany’s transport minister has sharply criticized the country’s environment minister for planning tougher emissions rules for cars in the European Union, as the government struggles to find a way to cut pollution while protecting jobs. “We don’t need arbitrary, political-ideological emission limits ..., but realistic, technically feasible limits,” Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer told Der Spiegel magazine, adding: “I do not participate in the destruction of a leading European industry!” Germany’s Environment Ministry has drawn up a position paper suggesting CO2 emissions from cars and light commercial vehicles should be halved by 2030 compared with 2021 levels, documents seen by Reuters showed on Wednesday. That compares with proposals from the European Commission for a 30 percent reduction. German Environment Minister Svenja Schulze also wants a 25 percent reduction by 2025 compared with a 15 percent decline envisaged by the European Commission. Earlier this week, Schulze said German carmakers had a moral obligation to refit heavily polluting diesel vehicles on the country’s roads, but she also conceded that the government had no legal means to make them do so. In an interview published in Die Welt newspaper on Monday, Schulze said refits could first be carried out on cars on the road in particularly polluted cities. By targeting areas most affected, the costs of such refits need only be “in the low single-digit billions”, she said. Revelations in the wake of Volkswagen’s (VOWG_p.DE) emissions scandal that nitrogen oxide emissions of diesel cars are much higher than previously thought have led to tougher regulations, and in some cases fines, on carmakers. Diesel emissions have also led to several German cities exceeding European Union air pollution limits, which has triggered enforcement action by the European Commission. Some diesel vehicle owners are also seeking compensation from Volkswagen, which admitted in 2015 to cheating U.S. emissions tests. In a response to a parliamentary question from a Green Party lawmaker, deputy justice minister Rita Hagl-Kehl said the government had “no insight” into how many diesel car customers may have outstanding claims, business daily Handelsblatt will report on Monday, according to an advance release. Reporting by Michael Nienaber; Additional reporting by Vera Eckert; Editing by Mark Potter

2018-09-03

Amid the grays and browns of a lively stretch of Bleecker Street near the Bowery, a lacy curtain glows red. Ghost Donkey, a mezcalería from the collective behind Saxon + Parole, has served the swanky downtown masses a dizzying array of potent drinks for the past year and a half; on Saturdays, lines snake around the block. Red Christmas lights hang from the wood-slatted ceiling, like a festive, agreeable rain of blood. A throb of Mexican music plays steadily, though there is no room to swing your hips because the place is so crowded with young fashionistas taking selfies against the red brick walls. In case the effort of edgy self-regard makes you thirsty, cocktails abound; the El Diablo Swizzle (Altos Blanco, crème de cassis, ginger beer) is a sweet, smoky muddle garnished with mint, while the Mezcal Sun-Risa (tequila, bitter orange, hibiscus) is a burgundy-and-orange ode to brightness anchored by floral savor. A drink of prosecco and paletitas —little fruit-flavored popsicles—makes for a heady pair, sweet, dry, chilled, lip-tickling. Mezcals traced from Querétaro and the Tlacolula Valley are sold by the ounce for the discerning drinker. There’s a mycological bent to the menu—the Mushroom Margarita, made with huit­lacoche-­infused mezcal, is a rather unfortunate shade of greenish-gray, and there are truffle nachos, whose dense umami taste is abetted by slick white Cheddar. But perhaps the most important thing to do at Ghost Donkey is to see and be seen, in a blue dress that fits like a second skin, or a flapperesque black bob, or a sharp linen suit. One recent night, a man clutching a Huracán Ramírez—an elegant tall rum drink topped with an edible flower—and wearing a conspicuous “Eat the Rich” T-shirt, scanned the crowd. “I wonder,” he said, “how many people here are Instagram stars?” (4 Bleecker St. 212-254-0350.)  ♦

2018-05-26 11:53:36

Outside contributors' opinions and analysis of the most important issues in politics, science, and culture. Elaine Showalter has been reading Philip Roth, who died this week at age 85, since his first collection of fiction, Goodbye, Columbus, appeared in 1959. She was in her first year at Bryn Mawr. A longtime professor of English at Princeton, now retired, Showalter considers Roth “a transformative artist” who belongs in the pantheon alongside Henry James, James Joyce, and Joseph Conrad. Showalter is a feminist critic, and Roth has long been criticized for his portrayals (or non-portrayals) of women, which makes her in some ways a surprising champion of his work. But even though there are pages in his books she skips out of distaste, she says, “I don’t think that puts Roth beyond the pale in any sense at all. There are passages of great tenderness and understanding for women throughout the whole range of his novels.” “He was a very, very moral, as well as extraordinarily erudite writer,” she says. Showalter continues to teach courses on Roth through a bookstore in Washington, DC, and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. We discussed the literary “explosion” that was Portnoy’s Complaint (with its portrayal of a young Jewish man’s lusts and longings), the “nearly perfect” novel The Ghost Writer, and why feminists shouldn’t turn their backs on Roth. The conversation has been edited for clarity and concision. What were your first thoughts upon hearing of Roth’s death? What did you feel? It wasn’t shock — he was 85 and in poor health, of course — but it’s a moment for grief. Such a great writer and such a writer of historical importance —an American and Jewish transformative artist. It seemed to me the end of a writer’s life that was complete. The work was complete, the life was complete. There was something about the perfection of that that brings its own satisfaction and joy, in a way. it is just so sad that we now have to write about him in the past tense. When did you start reading Roth? I have been reading Roth my entire life. I started reading when Goodbye, Columbus came out in 1959. I was a freshman in college. And I read every book as it came out, pretty much. Can you give us a sense of what it was like when Portnoy’s Complaint arrived on the scene? It was a shocking literary event. It was an explosion. I have to say a couple of things. It’s a book that I love, and I teach it frequently. But it has always meant more to men than to women. It is very much a book for men, and there’s never really been an equivalent written by a woman, except maybe Fear of Flying [by Erica Jong]. But of course, it is just a stunning book. It’s so gutsy and obscene and wild and outrageous in every respect. As Roth said many times himself, obscenity was not a new thing in 1969. Lenny Bruce had been around. The sexual revolution had happened, or was happening. So it was not that Portnoy was such a shock to the community that read it. But certainly if you were a reader of a certain generation that was very close to his, or had lived through the whole period of repression that he is talking about in that novel —if you’d come from a Jewish background or any kind of a religious background — it was a liberating and outrageous and illicit and funny and hilarious book. And it still is. It has not lost any of its capacity to shock and enlighten and surprise and create indignation. And it’s a very moving book as well. The success and scandal of Portnoy ended up shaping the way Roth wrote. He began to write about the experience of being a famous writer who had written a controversial book. Did you follow him down that path of self-referential fiction — and did you think that was a productive path? I did. But that [trend in Roth’s writing] wasn’t exactly a result of Portnoy. Portnoy was his fourth novel. It came out in 1969. He was at that point 39 years old, and it was written at the end of a decade that was very turbulent for history and culture. And it was a very turbulent and difficult one for him. I won’t go into all the details of his personal life, but it was a really, really difficult time. Give us some of the details. The first thing that happened was he had a really terrible marriage. It was a marriage you would not wish on your worst enemy. … They spit up after two years. He was in litigation over the divorce. He was being held up for alimony, and he had a long writing block and he went into psychoanalysis. So Portnoy at the end of the ’60s was a liberating book for him as well as for his readers. He had broken through a lot of restraints. He had found a particular voice through the concept of talking to a psychoanalyst — that was the liberating thing. [The novel is written in the voice of Alexander Portnoy, who is speaking to his therapist.] In the books that follow, he begins to build on that. But the book that really sets the course for his mature work is The Ghost Writer, which came out 10 years later, in 1979. In my view, and in the view of many readers, it is his greatest novel, aesthetically his most perfect novel. It marked the end of one whole long phase of his career and launches him on the great long arc of the middle of his career. That’s when he adopts his alter ego Nathan Zuckerman. When he made that discovery, that really launched him as a mature artist. What discovery? Of the Zuckerman alter ego? Zuckerman. He was looking for a voice. He had the tremendous idea of finding a persona, of creating a character who was him but wasn’t him, you know. He had Portnoy for a while — he had some other doubles and alter egos — but when he came up with the concept of Nathan Zuckerman, that became the medium through which he expressed himself in many of the novels of the middle of his career. [Zuckerman] shared many of his experiences, and shared his family history, and shared his background, and had all of the memories and history that he had, but was a fictional creation. He was a persona through which Roth could project all of the kind of wild and serious and eloquent elements of his imagination — and his moral imagination. He was a very, very moral as well as extraordinarily erudite writer. To go back to The Ghost Writer: What makes it so perfect? It’s an extraordinary novel. If there are any readers who are wondering where to start, that might be a good place. It’s irresistible. It’s a novel about a young man — it came out in 1979 but is set back in the 1950s — who is breaking away from his Jewish family, who are concerned that he is betraying his faith, that he is showing Jews in a bad light, that his writing is breaking faith with his community, and so on. He is struggling against that because he has a vocation to be a writer and he attaches himself to an older writer, a spiritual father —although he’s attached lovingly to his real father, just as Roth was. I don’t want to give the spoiler, but it is wonderful. It’s short, it’s full of surprises, it has some of his most beautiful writing, some of his funniest writing, some of his most outrageous writing. Roth also is declaring his vocation as an artist, and he is committing himself to a very austere life of dedication to art. I recently watched on YouTube an old discussion between the critic Clive James and the novelist Martin Amis about Roth. They shared the view that Roth had kind of been a little stingy with the humor after Portnoy. Did he lose comedic force? Did he trade humor for something more powerful? There are elements of humor through all the books — pretty much throughout, until the last stretch of books that he called Nemeses, the last shorter books, which are really all about death. There’s nothing to laugh about there. And he is dealing with death for a long part of the end of his career. So there definitely is a loss of humor. But he was getting older. He was 49 when The Ghost Writer was published, pretty far along already. The Ghost Writer is not precisely a midpoint [in his career], but close. It definitely marked a change in the way he was going to write. But not entirely. Because some of the books that come after the Zuckerman novels — up to Sabbath’s Theater — they are funny, they are very obscene, they are very raucous and rowdy. So I think there’s a lot of that, but there’s not the kind of simpler humor of Portnoy. Many people think that the books Roth called his American trilogy — American Pastoral, I Married a Communist, and The Human Stain — were his greatest accomplishment. The Ghost Writer aside, do you agree? In part. I love The Human Stain. I think that really is one of his finest books — a remarkable book, a very compassionate book. I am not such a fan of American Pastoral, which I know many people think is his greatest book. That’s because in both, Zuckerman is a kind of narrator, but in American Pastoral, he is an observer. He is outside the story. And in The Human Stain, he becomes a character and he becomes involved in the story. The richer novels to me are the ones where he allows the narrative self to be changed by the story he is telling. I say “he” deliberately, because these are almost entirely male narrative structure — a man telling a story about another man. So here’s the obvious question. Did you find all of the maleness, all the focus on male sexuality, limiting, or maybe suffocating — or is that a caricature of what Roth is all about? I wouldn’t call it a caricature. No, not at all. For many of the people who took my Roth classes, this is a strong point of view. There are certainly passages in some of the novels — not so much about sexuality but about the women who are the objects of sexuality — which I find offensive and find hard to teach. I think that Roth is certainly a writer of male experience primarily, but I don’t think that that should stop people from reading the books. I am a feminist critic by conviction. That has been my whole career, and I have loved Roth since the beginning. He is just a great artist, and he is also a very compassionate writer. So despite the fact that there are these passages that I skip over when I’m reading, I don’t think that puts Roth beyond the pale in any sense at all. And there are passages of great tenderness and understanding for women throughout the whole range of his novels. James Joyce wasn’t perfect either. Roth said he did not want to be thought of as a Jewish-American writer, but he returned to Jewish themes throughout his work. You could say he was protesting too much. I think he expressed to perfection the experience of the generation of American Jews who were assimilating rapidly. I belong to that generation. I came at the tag end of it, really. In 1964 or ’65, Fiddler on the Roof was produced on Broadway. And Fiddler on the Roof is really a musical about intermarriage. Coincidentally or not, that was the moment when American Jews began to intermarry in great numbers, and the feeling of a very separate identity of American Jews was totally transformed. I think Roth describes that pre-Fiddler moment of separateness, and is very moving and engaging about it. I think not only people who grew up as Jews and remember that time, but any immigrant population or minority population or religious population that grew up within a separate community and then broke out of it and saw it change, I think will identify with that. Updike, Roth, Bellow — that’s the trio that was always spoken of. Is that still an accurate view of the best American novelists of the second half of the 20th century? Well, maybe. But I think it’s a bit parochial. Even when that was being said, it was putting him in a fairly narrow context. I would compare him on a grander historical scale. I mean, I’m really seeing him in the lineage of Joyce, of some of the great writers of Eastern Europe whom he championed. I see him in a more global context. I also think he went beyond them both. He was better? Yes, yes.

2017-11-03 09:45:00

Rapper Fetty Wap is facing a slew of charges after he was allegedly found drag racing early Friday morning in Brooklyn, New York. The 26-year-old rapper was allegedly found racing another vehicle in a Mercedes on the Gowanus Expressway at around 1:21 a.m., a New York Police Department spokesperson tells PEOPLE. “[He was] in the vicinity of Hamilton Avenue driving recklessly at a high rate of speed causing a dangerous condition while racing another vehicle within the confines of the 72 precinct,” the spokesperson says. Wap, whose real name is Willie Maxwell II, is charged with reckless endangerment, illegal speed, DWI, reckless driving, and aggravated unlicensed operation vehicle.” • Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. A rep for the rapper declined to comment on the arrest. This isn’t the “Trap Queen” lyricist’s first run-in with the law. Earlier this year, he was allegedly involved in a shootout in New Jersey that left three people with non-life threatening injuries. The incident occurred after an argument at a deli erupted in gunfire, police said at the time. Wap was not injured and another man was reportedly arrested later in connection with the shooting.

2017-05-24 11:00:00

We're fully capable of living in the present and seizing the day and all that jazz, but let's be honest, as a decade, the '90s killed it. There was better entertainment back then (RIP Kurt Cobain and 2Pac). Better fashion (as evidenced by the fact that we're all obsessed with chokers and velvet again). Better TV shows. Competent government leaders. Freaknik. And, of course, we can't forget the hair. There were plenty of 'fros big and small, and wildly creative iterations of protective styles (Brandy was — and still is — box braid queen) we reference to this day. If you're in the market for some throwback inspiration, click through the slides ahead to see what Black hair looked like 20 — yes, 20! — years ago, and prepare to call your stylist on your flip phone.

2016-07-27 00:00:00

SHANGHAI, July 27 (Reuters) - Hong Kong shares finished modestly higher on Wednesday, shaking off sharp losses in mainland China markets. The Hang Seng index rose 0.4 percent to 22,218.99 points, while the China Enterprises Index gained 0.6 percent to 9,115.29. China stocks closed sharply lower, with major indexes suffering their worst daily losses in six weeks, as investors sold off on worries that regulatory changes are coming. (Reporting by the Shanghai Newsroom; Editing by Kim Coghill)

2016-03-01

Jim Cramer always abides by one simple rule. When there are accounting irregularities, you do not ask questions, you do not make excuses, you do not wait for clarity — you just sell. "Accounting irregularities equals sell. That has been one of my cardinal rules for decades now, and if you want to know why, you only need to look at Valeant, " the "Mad Money " host said. A dark cloud has hung over Valeant ever since speculation began that it may use unorthodox methods to sell drugs. Cramer traced the initial charge of accounting irregularities to Andrew Left, of Citron Research. "While unorthodox and inflammatory, Left has done some pretty good work, and I thought his allegations seemed well documented," Cramer said, "even as it seemed a little rash to call Valeant the pharmaceutical Enron." At the time Left's statement was published, Valeant traded in the $120s and he gave it a $50 price target. Cramer had heard a lot of talk about price gouging at Valeant, but a lot of companies were raising drug prices at the time. So, he assumed Valeant was just more aggressive. Cramer Remix: The election stock opportunity Cramer: Angry politics are hurting this market Cramer: S&P could be headed for new highs As soon as Cramer read Citron's report, he recognized that any potential upside simply was not worth it. "You never want to get behind some stock when the accounting is being challenged, unless you have total comfort that the short seller is wrong," Cramer said. The most promising bullish thesis on Valeant that Cramer found indicated that even if Philidor was being used to move inventory in a shady way, it would not hurt earnings that bad. And if Valeant slowed down price increases, it would still have amazing cash flow. But Cramer stood by his rule firmly. He had not yet heard anything that the accounting was cleared, and when the stock plummeted he was glad his rule did not fail him. Even as Walgreen's announced a deal with Valeant for discounted drugs, Cramer did not budge. "Sorry, as much as we all may like and respect Walgreens … the fact is, they are not the U.S. government, and it is the government we need to be worried about here," Cramer said. The second accounting bombshell dropped on Feb. 22 when the company said it had mistakenly recognized too much profit in 2014 and needed to have some of that shifted to 2015. Cramer knew to stay far away, as the SEC hates restatements and almost always opens an investigation into them. Valeant now trades at roughly half of where it was when the first potential accounting irregularity surfaced. Cramer has often been criticized for his rule, especially those that kept investors out of companies that were legitimate but tarred unfairly with accounting charges. "It is true. I have been too cautious at times and have missed opportunities," Cramer said. However, the pain in Valeant should be a constant reminder of how right his rule is. This stock has been a nightmare that simply could have been avoided by following one straightforward principle. Questions for Cramer? Call Cramer: 1-800-743-CNBC Want to take a deep dive into Cramer's world? Hit him up! - Jim Cramer Twitter - Facebook - Instagram - Vine Questions, comments, suggestions for the "Mad Money" website? madcap@cnbc.com

2018-06-20

The Environmental Protection Agency can give West Virginia more time to develop its own limits on the amount of contaminants that can be discharged into already-polluted rivers and streams, a federal appeals court held on Tuesday. A unanimous three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a 2017 ruling in favor of the Sierra Club and other groups, who sued the EPA under the Clean Water Act. They argued that the state’s five-year failure to set such limits was a “constructive submission” of a plan to set no limits, which triggered a 30-day window for the EPA to take action. To read the full story on WestlawNext Practitioner Insights, click here: bit.ly/2Mbu1cT

2018-11-21 17:47:00

The Thanksgiving salad can be a welcome blessing. Although never the the star of the table, its raw leaves are the antidote when you’re beaten down by heavy piles of stuffing and butter-whipped potatoes. But if you were pining for your Thanksgiving salad—a classic Caesar, maybe, with a bed of crisp romaine—you might as well put those dreams to bed, or find a recipe that’s based on iceberg instead. As of yesterday afternoon, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an alert for consumers, restaurants, and retailers to not eat or serve any romaine lettuce. That includes bunches of romaine and any salad mixes that could contain romaine. Basically, unless you’re 100 percent sure that it doesn’t have romaine, the CDC says you shouldn’t eat it. And if you’ve so much as had romaine in your fridge recently, they recommend cleaning and sanitizing those areas. (Go ahead and wipe down whole fridge while you're at it—that's not a CDC recommendation, we just know that most people are a little lax on fridge cleanliness.) It might sound like a lot, but the sweeping statement follows an outbreak of Escherichia coli that’s popped up in multiple states. Since the CDC hasn’t yet isolated a specific grower or brand, it’s best to swear off the crunchy green entirely, for now. As of publication, they report that 32 people in 11 states, and 18 in Canada, have been infected with E. coli, and specifically, the strain E. coli O157:H7. The strain—typically the one in question when you hear about E. coli outbreaks—is particularly problematic because of its ability to produce Shiga toxin, which has been called “one of the most potent bacterial toxins known.” Infection from Shiga toxin-producing E. coli can range from mild to life-threatening, often including painful stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Romaine is no stranger to E. coli issues. As reported by the Morning Call, it’s been tied to several outbreaks just this year. In fact, a 2017 report from the CDC estimated that more than 75 percent of E. coli O157 infections were linked to beef and “vegetable row crops,” a category that includes leafy greens. This happens, apparently, because of contamination during growing and packaging, according to the Washington Post. As convenience steers more consumers toward packaged greens, salad leaves are exposed to more workers and equipment, thereby increasing opportunities for bad pathogens to glomb on. At least now you’ll have a good excuse for not eating your greens on Thanksgiving. Or maybe just try a different kind of salad vegetable.

2019-04-12

April 12 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index rose at open on Friday after a rise in oil prices buoyed energy stocks. * At 9:33 a.m. ET (1333 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX Composite index was up 75.1 points, or 0.46 percent, at 16,474.57. (Reporting by Shreyashi Sanyal in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)

2018-08-06 07:09:17

Good morning! Here's what you need to know in markets on Monday. 1. US employers added 157,000 jobs last month, fewer than expected, according to a Bureau of Labour Statistics report released Friday. Economists had expected the jobs report to show nonfarm payrolls increasing by 193,000 on net. The job gains in June were revised higher. 2. British trade minister Liam Fox said "intransigence" from the European Commission was pushing Britain towards a no-deal Brexit, in an interview published on Saturday by the Sunday Times. Fox put the odds of Britain leaving the European Union without first agreeing a deal over their future relationship at 60-40, the newspaper reported. 3. Oil prices rose on Monday after Saudi crude production registered a surprising dip in July and as American shale drilling appeared to plateau. Markets also anticipated an announcement from Washington due later on Monday detailing renewed US sanctions against major oil exporter Iran, set to be reinstated at 1201 EDT on Tuesday (1601 GMT), according to a US Treasury official. 4.Munich Re, the world's biggest reinsurer, will stop investing in bonds and shares of companies that generate more than 30% of their sales with coal-related business, its chief executive said, caving to pressure from investors. "In the individual risk business, where we can see the risks exactly, we will in future in principle no longer insure new coal-fired power plants or mines in industrial countries," Joachim Wenning added in a commentary to be published in German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on Monday. 5.HSBC said on Monday its pretax profit rose 4.6% for the first half of the year, as Europe's biggest bank showed early progress in its strategy of returning to growth mode after years of restructuring. HSBC reported a pretax profit of $10.7 billion in the six months through June, up from $10.2 billion in the same period a year earlier. 6.China's Unipec, the trading arm of state oil major Sinopec, has suspended crude oil imports from the United States due to a growing trade spat between Washington and Beijing, three sources familiar with the situation said on Friday. The sources declined to be identified as they are not authorized to speak to the media. 7.Huawei Technologies is facing increased scrutiny in Britain because it is using an ageing software component sold by a firm based in the United States, one of the countries where lawmakers allege its equipment could facilitate Chinese spying, sources told Reuters. The fact that the British misgivings stem in part from Huawei's relationship with a US company shows how trade wars and heightened national security concerns are making it harder for technology firms and governments to safeguard products and communication networks. 8.Deutsche Bank has uncovered shortcomings in its ability to fully identify clients and the source of their wealth, internal documents seen by Reuters show, more than a year after it was fined nearly $700 million for allowing money laundering. In two confidential reviews, dated June 5 and July 9, Germany's biggest lender detailed the results of tests on a sample of investment bank customer files in several countries, including Russia. 9.Asian shares pared gains on Monday as Chinese stocks swung into negative territory, dragged lower by the escalating Sino-US trade war, though Beijing's efforts to stop sharp declines in the yuan helped support the currency. Japan's Nikkei closed down 0.05%, the Hong Kong Hang Seng is up 0.10% at the time of writing (8.05 a.m. BST/3.05 a.m. ET), and the Shanghai Composite is down 1.26%. 10. ICE, the parent company of the iconic New York Stock Exchange, is making a big move into the crypto market with a digital asset platform. The firm, which previously dove into the market for digital assets via a data feed product earlier this year, had reportedly been exploring a cryptocurrency exchange platform. On Friday, the company officially announced it had been developing out such an offering.

2017-05-02 00:00:00

May 2 (Reuters) - Superior Plus Corp- * Superior Plus Corp announces strong 2017 first quarter results * Superior Plus Corp - qtrly adjusted operating cash flow per share before transaction and other costs of $0.77 * Superior Plus Corp - 2017 financial outlook of aocf per share has been updated to $1.50 to $1.75 * Superior Plus Corp qtrly net earnings per share, diluted $0.34 * Qtrly revenue $675.7 million versus $563.5 million Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:

2017-04-02 22:15:00

Thomas Rhett and Maren Morris released their new duet single on Friday, and fans didn’t have to wait long for its live debut. The country artists took the stage to perform “Craving You” at the 52nd Academy of Country Music Awards, live from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday night. The performance kicked off with Rhett performing on top of a triangular platform as a smoke machine filled the stage below him. Wearing a black bomber jacket with white accents, the singer played guitar for the first half of his new single. Joining Rhett about half-performance, Morris wowed as she walked onstage in a shimmering pink crop-top and skirt, showing off her shorter new hairdo. The dad-to-be hopped down from his platform to join Morris as they belted the last half of the soulful track. .@ThomasRhett & @MarenMorris make an amazing pair – we're so glad they debuted "Craving You" here on the #ACMs stage! pic.twitter.com/XtWEMJE88E — ACM Awards (@ACMawards) April 3, 2017 Rhett recalled the genesis of the collaboration on the red carpet before the broadcast. “We recorded the song three or four months ago without any intention of it being a duet, period. [Then] our minds went immediately to Maren. She came and sang on the song and took it to a whole different level.” Morris was crowned best new female vocalist earlier in the night while Rhett took home male vocalist of the year and song of the year. .@marenmorris you freaking rock pic.twitter.com/tRZTA9qIPG — Thomas Rhett (@ThomasRhett) April 3, 2017 We did it! And this is the most epic expression I've ever pulled. 😂 So proud of you, TR! https://t.co/RBpBgTXdxg — MAREN MORRIS (@MarenMorris) April 3, 2017 “Any ideas for a super talented chick duet partner for my @acmawards performance this Sunday? 
#ACMs,” Rhett posted to his Instagram feed on Wednesday. Morris had four nominations for new female vocalist of the year, album of the year for Hero, single record of the year for her track, “My Church,” and female vocalist of the year, taking home the new female vocalist trophy. Rhett won for his two nominations: male vocalist of the year and song of the year for his hit single “Die a Happy Man.” FROM COINAGE: What Is the Grammy Bounce? (No, It’s Not a Dance Move) Check out PEOPLE’s full 2017 ACMs coverage. In February, Morris won her first Grammy for best country solo performance for her hit “My Church.” It was the perfect way to cap off what she calls “the most incredible year of my life.” Rhett was vocal about Morris’ incredible talent in a press release that accompanied the song. “I remember hearing ‘Craving You’ and was immediately blown away by the story behind the longing of this guy who can’t wait to see his girl again,” he said. “There’s this ’80s vibe that’s rocking throughout this track that makes it really euphoric. It was so nice to be able to work with Maren, whose voice is undeniably powerful and soulful and just really adds a lot of intensity to the song.”

2016-07-14 00:00:00

Pretty bold allegation from Bill Simmons ... who claims the NFL co-opted several ESPN employees to smear Tom Brady's image during the Deflategate saga ... including Stephen A. Smith. Stephen A. had tweeted about Brady's 4-game suspension on Wednesday -- saying, "Tom Brady was ARROGANT, UPPITY, SELFISH and in the end he brought this on himself." That's when Simmons -- who famously left ESPN on bad terms -- chimed in about his former colleague. "One of multiple ESPN employees used by the NFL to leak anti-Brady info during this saga decides to weigh in." Gonna guess Stephen A. will have some thoughts on this ... FYI, we reached out to ESPN -- but the network had no comment.

2019-09-16 23:03:00

A weekend report by The New York Times containing a new sexual-misconduct allegation against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh originally left out a key piece of information.The 11th paragraph of the report, which was adapted from a forthcoming book on Kavanaugh from two Times reporters, said that Kavanaugh's college classmate Max Stier saw him "with his pants down" at a rowdy dorm party "where friends pushed his penis into the hand of a female student."On Sunday evening, The Times amended the report with an editors' note that helped explain why the newsworthy charge wasn't near the top of the article.The note said that friends of the female student said she couldn't recall the incident and that she declined to be interviewed for the book.Critics and defenders of Kavanaugh are using The Times' reporting as ammo in a renewed battle over whether Kavanaugh is fit to serve on the Supreme Court.Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.A weekend report by The New York Times containing a new sexual-misconduct allegation against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh originally left out a key piece of information.The story — adapted from a forthcoming book on Kavanaugh from two Times reporters — focused mostly on the experiences of Deborah Ramirez, who went to university with Kavanaugh. At a party one evening, Ramirez told the Times, "a freshman named Brett Kavanaugh pulled down his pants and thrust his penis at her, prompting her to swat it away and inadvertently touch it," the article said.But the report then outlined a new, separate incident in its 11th paragraph, involving another woman. In that incident, Kavanaugh's college classmate Max Stier saw him "with his pants down" at a rowdy dorm party "where friends pushed his penis into the hand of a female student."Stier contacted senators about the incident and reported it to the FBI, but it did not investigate, the report said.Read more: A former classmate of Brett Kavanaugh reportedly tipped off the FBI and senators to another allegation of sexual misconductOn Sunday evening, The Times added an editors' note with more information about the allegation.—Alex Thompson (@AlxThomp) September 16, 2019The note explained that friends of the anonymous female student said she couldn't recall the incident and that she declined to be interviewed for the book.Normally, such a newsworthy bombshell would be near the top of an article, and critics pounced on the paper for the revelation's location and framing.The journalist Laura Rozen said it appeared that The Times sought to "diminish" its reporting with "soft cultural context."—Laura Rozen (@lrozen) September 15, 2019Critics and defenders of Kavanaugh are using The Times' reporting as ammo in a renewed battle over whether Kavanaugh is fit to serve on the Supreme Court.After he was nominated to the high court last year, he faced several allegations of sexual misconduct — and he was narrowly confirmed, despite emotional testimony from the Stanford University professor Christine Blasey Ford alleging that Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted her at a party in high school. Kavanaugh has denied the allegations.Read more: Democrats are demanding Brett Kavanaugh's impeachment over a new sexual misconduct allegationRepublicans are using the clarification to defend KavanaughPresident Donald Trump on Monday tore into the paper's reporting on Kavanaugh with a barrage of tweets defending him.—Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 16, 2019"The one who is actually being assaulted is Justice Kavanaugh - Assaulted by lies and Fake News!" Trump tweeted.The president followed up with more tweets Monday evening, calling for everyone who was involved in the story to resign, and that The Times is "DEAD.""They've taken the Old Grey Lady and broken her down, destroyed her virtue and ruined her reputation," he added.Other Republicans also leaped to Kavanaugh's defense. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said on ABC on Sunday that last year's Senate hearings had already reviewed the allegations against Kavanaugh. Cruz also accused Democrats of trying to smear Kavanaugh again.Democrats are using the story to call for Kavanaugh's removal from the courtDemocrats, however, latched onto the revelations to push for Kavanaugh's removal from the Supreme Court. Over the weekend, a flurry of 2020 presidential candidates, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Kamala Harris, Julian Castro, and Beto O'Rourke, called for his impeachment.The Times' handling of the report was heavily scrutinized as well. The paper apologized for a Saturday tweet with the article from its Opinion account that partially read "Having a penis thrust in your face at a drunken dorm party may seem like harmless fun.""This is.... such a profound lapse in judgment and common sense," the author Roxane Gay said. "Sexual assault isn't harmless fun. What the hell is going on at the NYT?"The paper's official communications account also tweeted an explanation about the book's reporting process.

2017-05-22 15:07:36

Letter To the Editor: Re “A Homeless Shelter Plan in Place, Now Mayor Quietly Searches for Allies” (news article, May 18): The percentage of New York City homeless families placed in shelters near their youngest child’s school has fallen by more than a third in just five years. Now, nearly half of families entering a shelter are separated from their support systems and are often moved to unfamiliar neighborhoods with limited resources, high crime and poorly performing schools. As we explain in a recent report, this is useful to no one — not the families in crisis or the struggling communities where they have moved. It is crucial that the city has committed to keeping homeless families in their communities, where they will remain connected to their schools, child care supports, neighbors, doctors and houses of worship. It is also vital to open shelters in the city’s wealthier neighborhoods, so that families who are moved can benefit from new opportunities. KENDRA HURLEY, NEW YORK The writer is senior editor at the Center for New York City Affairs, the New School.

2019-08-19

Whenever emergencies leave governments too overwhelmed to provide basic requirements, like food, water, shelter, and education, they rely on aid workers for much needed support to alleviate human suffering. But these humanitarian organizations are severely underfunded, especially those that are providing education in emergencies, which currently gets around 2 percent of all humanitarian funding. This is nowhere near enough to reach the most vulnerable children and youth. And even this already diminutive support is at risk as news last week indicates that foreign aid funding through USAID may be frozen, due to the administration’s proposed reversal of the budget that Congress passed and the president signed in 2018. America’s international humanitarian aid plays a key role in keeping kids safe around the world. For an already underfunded issue like education in emergencies, the proposed cuts will hit the hardest. For the 75 million kids whose education has been halted permanently or interrupted by conflict, crisis or displacement, this puts them at an even greater risk of violence, trafficking, child labor, child marriage and recruitment by extremist groups. The normalcy and security of going to school and being part of a community can keep a child safe and motivated, helping them cope with trauma. Take, 5-year-old Daniel, whose family fled the crisis in Venezuela, travelling on foot for two months. They were robbed along the way, and Daniel had to grow up too soon, remaining strong for his pregnant mother and two younger siblings as they finally crossed the border into Peru. His family fled in search of a better life, but without access to education in their new home, their perilous journey will have been in vain. When asked about what he misses the most from home, Daniel immediately said ‘school.’ He missed being with his friends and teachers, and when asked about his future hopes, his only desire was to work so he could ensure his family never gets hungry again. When crisis strikes, education gives kids with endless potential, like Daniel, the tools and hope to build a better future, unlocking their potential to rebuild torn systems. But their education cannot wait. In recognition of the fundamental role that a quality education plays in the lives of affected children and their families, a coalition of U.S. civil society organizations today released a joint statement asking the U.S. Government to provide funding for education in emergencies through a breakthrough fund aptly called: “Education Cannot Wait.” The fund repositions education as a priority when crises - whether natural or man-made, hit, offering a rapid-response mechanism that provide education in the onset of a crisis, and a comprehensive humanitarian education program to help children and youth through recovery phases. This support would not have been possible without U.S. leadership. In 2016, at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, the U.S. was one of nine governments who, through a joint contribution from the State Department and USAID, made an initial $21 million contribution to the fund. This pledge helped, for example, to support the rebuilding and training efforts after the El-Niño-related mudslides in the Piura region of Peru as well as to the rapid-response to crises in Syria, Ethiopia and Yemen. Its impact was felt by children like 5-year-old Evans and Kauri, whose school was rebuilt in Peru and whose teachers and parents were trained in how to respond if another crisis hits. Evans and Kauri’s parents were relieved and grateful to see them return to new classrooms and resume classes with hope and excitement after losing their homes and classmates to the floods. But U.S. funding to Education Cannot Wait has long since run out and other donors like Denmark and Germany have since made multiple commitments to Education Cannot Wait. Unfortunately, the onset of crisis around the world has not run out and the recent earthquakes in Mozambique, unrest in the Sudan and the Venezuelan crisis closer to home are timely reminders that we’re just one crisis away from another lost generation. It’s time to ask the U.S. to step up again and keep the flow of aid to crisis affected and poverty stricken parts of the world flowing. Global Citizen together with Save the Children, Jesuit Refugee Service, UNICEF USA and many others who have signed the joint statement are asking USAID to release crucial funds to provide urgent assistance in 2019 to Education Cannot Wait and to appropriate at least $25 million from its 2019/2020 international affairs budget for the fund. And what better time than on World Humanitarian Day to make this call to stop the freezes and increase support for those who risk their own lives for a better future for others. As we commemorate the brave people who work on the front-line of the most dangerous places on earth, making sure no one is left behind, let’s make sure that we support, rather than halt their critical work. Close to 60,000 constituents across the US have supported the campaign and we remain hopeful their voices will be heard by governmental leaders, helping advance quality education for every child, everywhere. Madge Thomas is senior director of Global Policy and Government Affairs at Global Citizen.     View the discussion thread. The Hill 1625 K Street, NW Suite 900 Washington DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 tel | 202-628-8503 fax The contents of this site are ©2019 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.

2017-05-01 00:00:00

Fox News reporter Diana Falzone filed a lawsuit Monday against the network claiming she was sidelined from appearing on-air after writing an article detailing a medical condition which led to her infertility. Falzone, host of Fox411 and other FoxNews.com shows, alleges that three days after her company-approved article titled "Women Should Never Suffer in Silence" ran in January, she was informed by her manager that she would never again be permitted to host her own show, conduct her own interviews, or even do voiceovers. In the article, Falzone shared that she suffered from endometriosis — a condition where the tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus actually grows outside of the uterus. This can cause severe pain and inflammation. Shortly after the article was published, Falzone's supervisor told her the "second floor" — which houses the offices of Fox News executives — permanently banned her from appearing on air. "The male-dominated senior management of Fox News obviously objected to thefact that a female on-air host had disclosed that she suffers from a women's reproductive health condition, which, in their eyes, detracted from her sex appeal and made her less desirable," the lawsuit states. Falzone also says she asked for an explanation, but her supervisor allegedly told her to look for another job. "The issues raised in Diana Falzone's lawsuit are a concern for all women," Falzone's attorney, Nancy Erika Smith, said in a statement. "Fox News never banned her male counterparts who have discussed their personal health issues on air. Indeed, those men saw their careers advance." Falzone claims her career has been significantly damaged since she was banned from the air and that the stress caused by her removal has exacerbated her medical condition. Falzone's lawsuit, filed on the basis of gender and disability discrimination, comes as the embattled network faces mounting claims of sexual harassment and racial discrimination. Last month, top-rated host Bill O'Reilly was fired over sexual harassment claims and last summer, and former network chief Roger Ailes was ousted for the same reasons. Both men have vehemently denied the allegations. Last week, Fox News anchor and reporter Kelly Wright joined 12 other current and former employees in a lawsuit against the cable news network, claiming they endured repeated racial discrimination and harassment for years. Fox News did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Later on Monday, Fox News confirmed its co-president, Bill Shine, was leaving the company. "This is a significant day for all at FOX News. Bill has played a huge role in building Fox News to its present position as the nation’s biggest and most important cable channel in the history of the industry," Rupert Murdoch said in a statement. Falzone, on Monday, tweeted a motivational quote about fighting for one's rights.

2018-05-03 22:55:00

Kevin Hart survived a scary landing when the private jet he was on board touched down in Boston. The comedian, 38, took to Instagram Thursday afternoon to detail what happened when the plane he was traveling in landed on the runway at Boston Logan International Airport, as well as share a photo of the aircraft following the incident. “God is Good with a capital G…Had our first serious Airplane scare today. Our planes tire busted on one side as we were landing and s— got real for a second,” Hart captioned a photo of himself, Na’im Lynn, Spank Horton and John Burgandee all outside the plane and squatting with their hands folded in a prayer pose. “No body was harmed…Our pilot handled the situation perfectly. Once again God is GOOD!!!!” he continued. “#Blessed ….P.S you Can tell that spank is still shaken up by the way he is posing 😂😂😂.” He also shared a closeup video of the blown-out tire, as well as footage of the firefighters who responded after the plane had landed. In a statement obtained by PEOPLE from the Federal Aviation Administration, “a Gulfstream IV aircraft landed at Boston Logan International Airport at 3:29 pm and blew a left main gear tire.” “Passengers were deplaned by stairs and the aircraft was towed to the ramp,” the statement continued. “The runway was closed temporarily to make sure all debris was cleared.” WATCH: Scary moments for Kevin Hart after his private plane blows a tire while touching down in Boston. The comedian was emotional when he took to Snapchat after deplaning. No injuries have been reported. #WBZ #Breaking pic.twitter.com/fqrsEcmT0X — Anaridis Rodriguez (@Anaridis) May 3, 2018 Hart confirmed in his Instagram Story that he flew to Boston for the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers game. Thursday is game two of the conference semifinals between the Celtics and the 76ers. “Boston, I am here and yes I am going to the game Boston, but I gotta get my little run in first — get my mind right. It’s a big game, it’s game two. Philadelphia stand up, stand up, stand up, we need this one here,” he said in a video of himself walking on a treadmill ahead of the game. LMAO Kevin Hart is way too happy right now pic.twitter.com/meulybkVhW — Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) May 4, 2018 In the evening, Hart was seen on TV, laughing while sitting courtside at the game with a drink in hand. CBS Boston first reported the news.

2019-11-08 12:00:00

"Ready? Let's take it from the top!" a choreographer yells from atop the library steps. Below her, on U.C. Berkeley's Sproul Plaza, a massive congregation of dancers—comprised almost entirely of Asian bodies—breaks into an intricate hip-hop routine. Running into one of these dance groups is an everyday occurrence at U.C. Berkeley. But it's 10 p.m., the air is bitingly cold, and dancing on concrete is a recipe for shin splints, so it's surprising that the dancers are still giving every beat their all. After the San-Diego-based Jabbawockeez won the first season of America's Best Dance Crew in 2008, the Asian American presence in hip-hop dance has been impossible to ignore. You can see clips of these crews on YouTube, throwing it down at famed Los Angeles dance studios like Playground or Millennium. College hip-hop groups like U.C. Berkeley's AFX or CalPoly Pomona's Barkada Modern are proliferating across the West Coast. L.A.'s Sean Lew, a dancer of Chinese and Japanese descent, made international waves as a finalist on NBC's second season of "World of Dance." And Asian American centered choreography-based hip-hop competitions like Fusion and Body Rock seem to grow by the year. When it emerged in the post-industrial South Bronx of the 1970s, hip-hop's amalgam of rapping, DJing, graffiti writing, and breakdancing brought together the city's Black and Puerto Rican youths in a city ridden by fires, gang wars, and economic blight. And while the art form has always been a space for community-building and resistance, its significance within Asian American youth culture can be a bit harder to parse. In countries like Korea and Japan, young people have been practicing the art form for decades. Hip-hop dance first touched down in Korea in the 1980s, when American music was banned in the country but youths in Itaewon and other cities near military bases started tuning in to American TV. (Some accounts suggest that American soldiers actually introduced breakdancing to local youths.) In 1992— henceforth known as "Year Zero" of Korean breaking—a Korean American promoter named John Jay Chon brought a VHS tape of an American breakdancing competition to Seoul dance groups, spurring crews and battles to pop up like wildfire. Over in Japan, hip-hop dancer Crazy-A began the long-running tradition of breakdancing in Tokyo's Yoyogi Park in 1984. As the leader of the Rock Steady Crew Japan—a hip-hop and breakdancing collective associated with New York's legendary Rock Steady Crew—he went on to found B-boy Park in 1998, an annual Japanese hip-hop festival that acted as a catalyst for the Japanese B-boy scene we know today. In many Asian countries, hip-hop rose to popularity as a form of self-expression and resistance, sometimes in the face of colonialism and oppressive regimes. "Any country that's been colonized can relate to the ideas of hip-hop," said photographer An Roug Xu, who lives in New York and spent five days in Seoul with the city's elite breakdancers this November. "Hip-hop was created so you could feel like you belonged, and that's what these B-boys found. It's sort of like a religion for them." But the contemporary boom of Asian Americans in hip-hop seems born out of a different impulse—one of finding belonging and connecting with others who share your unique experience. Community is at the core of these contemporary Asian American hip-hop dance groups, so it's no surprise that this movement was born out of collegiate cultural clubs. Arnel Calvario, a Filipino American college freshman at the University of California, Irvine, started the first of these groups in 1992: Kaba Modern. Calvario had spent his childhood attending L.A. cyphers, battles, and jams with family members, and had been dancing in them since middle school. "I was actually born the same year that hip-hop was created, so my entire childhood was surrounded by it," Calvario said. "I was a fan of the cypher, but I was definitely on the outside looking in." When he joined Kababayan, the Filipino cultural club on campus, the group's president, Calvario said, wanted to focus solely on traditional dances. Calvario argued that hip-hop was an integral part of the Filipino American experience and ended up creating a whole new group. Rather than focus on battles and rivalries between different crews, Calvario wanted to make Kaba Modern feel like a family, drawing on what he describes as the Asian ideal of respecting elders to form leadership structures dancers were meant to respect. The concept resonated. Soon after, UCI's Chinese cultural club formed its own hip-hop faction. Then the Vietnamese group followed suit, and the Japanese one. Within three years, Calvario said, the movement had blossomed from two groups on campus to 20. Through the 90s, Calvario recalled, club promoters in Irvine started booking dancers at their public events to draw bigger crowds. Eventually, he and his friends realized they could start their own hip-hop dance competition. So in 1995, they created the Southern California hip-hop dance competition VIBE—one of the first competitions of its kind to center Asian American dancers. Today, it's one of the biggest hip-hop competitions in California, drawing dozens of teams and hundreds of spectators to its annual battles. For young Asian Americans just starting out in hip-hop dance, though, these collegiate dance crews can provide a much-needed avenue for connecting with others who can relate to their experiences while expressing themselves through movement. Some dancers start following these teams as early as high school, where they may even form their own competitive groups. Better known by her stage name Sosupersam, Samantha Duenas is a Filipina American dancer, musician, and DJ who grew up dancing in the studio and at lively family functions. Born and raised in LA, she always found the city's dance scene to be relatively diverse—until, that is, she enrolled at UCSD, where it skewed extremely Asian American. But for her, these mostly Asian American groups provided a sense of familiarity. "I think I went into college knowing that a lot of the big dance teams I wanted to join were going to be founded in Asian American cultural groups, so I didn't think much of it," Duenas said. "A lot of people I enjoyed dancing with throughout my childhood and in high school were also all cousins or friends of cousins that were all Filipino American or Asian." She said the tight network of friends she formed in collegiate choreography groups followed her into her career, helping kick-start her work as a professional backup dancer. She still draws from that community when casting for her own live shows today. Historically born out of the margins, hip-hop has always been a refuge for people who consider themselves outsiders—those who don't necessarily feel like they fit in, or who battle oppressive circumstances. Given America's long history of racial discrimination against Asian Americans, it's unsurprising that we feel such a deep connection with hip-hop—no matter how far we might be from where the form came from. "Hip-hop as a form was this space in-between that almost mirrored the hyphenated experience of being Asian American: being Asian or American—but not really being one or the other, and trying to find identity," said Dr. grace jun, a professor of dance at the University of California San Diego whose work focuses on race, gender, and class representations in movement. Jun grew up during the rise of hip-hop in the 80s and 90s, something she says continues to influence her work as a performer and choreographer. "It provided a space to be other yourself, unconfined by the stereotypes of my own culture, which has this whole list of problematics. It allowed [me] to expand, figure out who I was, through an expression of the body that's not attached to the Asian American body." Still, some Asian American hip-hop dancers say they've faced skepticism, both from other communities and within their own. Ellen Kim, a Korean American dancer and choreographer born and raised in the Bay, said she struggled with feeling like she needed to prove her worth while dancing in majority Black and brown spaces growing up. Kim never studied hip-hop at a studio—she picked it up through music videos and community members—but she started dancing more seriously after she joined a dance team in high school. There, she often found that she was the only Asian in a room of Black, Latinx, and white bodies. Teachers and team members sometimes mocked her in rehearsals, she said, but her desire to escape a difficult home life and passion for dance outweighed the embarrassment. "I used to get made fun of all the time," Kim said. "I think they took my shyness as being standoffish since I was just so timid and shy. But when I danced, I wasn't." Now, she travels the world performing and teaching workshops. "I was living my life when I was dancing, but when I came back home, I was a different person," she said of her adolescence. "I think that when you're contained like that as an Asian American and you find something like hip-hop, it changes your life." The Internet is another factor contributing to the proliferation of these groups. Before YouTube, the only way to learn was going to battles and cyphers in person. But with more and more individual dancers, studios, and crews broadcasting videos—and sometimes even step-by-step tutorials—on social media, you can start learning from the comfort of your own home. For many Asian American hip-hop dancers, especially those in predominantly Asian American choreography groups, this greater access raises a question: Is it right for us to claim an art form that isn't our own? For Jillian Roberts, managing director of New York's Mint Dance Company, which features a multicultural cast of dancers, hip-hop is meant to be shared: "People have a lot of freedom within hip-hop culture because it's such a culture of sharing and celebrating as a group—it's not a singular art form. As an African American, it's pretty natural for me to feel connected to hip-hop. But it's been really cool on Mint specifically to understand how my Asian American dance friends connect so closely to hip-hop, and how their status as people of color, but non-Black people of color, puts them in a really cool, unique relationship with hip-hop." But according to Dr. Imani Kai Johnson, an assistant professor of dance at the University of California, Riverside who specializes in the African diaspora, global popular culture, and hip-hop, the answer is a bit more complicated: "A lot of students I meet [in choreo teams] really don't know much about hip-hop beyond what they learn in studio classes," she said. For Dr. Johnson, practicing a historically Black and African diasporic art form like hip-hop without paying homage to the foundations of that culture or delving into its history (she cites the example of calling yourself a breakdancer when you don't know Ken Swift) can quickly veer into disrespect. "When it comes to Black people and that kind of global anti-Blackness, there is a fundamental history of exploitative engagement with our cultures and cultural practices," she said. "Acting as if well, because I love this [art form], I'm clearly not [appropriating] and therefore don't need to think hard about [it]—that's problematic. Cross-racial or cross-ethnic participation in hip-hop is not necessarily an appropriative act. But if you're not even remotely aware of these histories of exploitation, the ease with which you can appropriate, even without that intention, is fully there." As an Asian American practitioner and teacher of hip-hop dance, Dr. jun constantly grapples with those very questions in her work: “I'm hyper, hyper-critical when I'm teaching about appropriation, because we think, if we have access, it's OK. But you can get deeper into issues of colonialism—if you have access, does that give you permission to take something? Without really understanding the implications?” With the Internet, it's easier than ever before to practice hip-hop without ever connecting with the communities who created it, bypassing the discomfort that arises when we confront difficult questions about what it means to use somebody else's culture for our own self-expression. But how do we bring that insight to an actual dance practice? At Mint, Roberts told me, dancers start with foundational hip-hop lessons: Team leaders incorporate foundational movement drills as class warm-ups, hold regular group discussions about the meaning of the team's training and choreography, and invite specialized guest choreographers to teach unique styles and the history behind them. Roberts said that when she teaches, she'll point out who she learned a certain move or style from—and that she encourages students to cite their sources as well. "As long as you're citing your sources and pointing out what's a personal creative adaptation or innovation [versus moves that are not your own]—I think a person of any culture can respect themselves and their artistry, but also not be disrespectful to the people, culture, and history that made way for you to be innovative," Roberts said. As the face of dance grows increasingly diverse, Dr. Johnson said, knowing the history of the art forms we practice is crucial. What we learn from that history can manifest in all kinds of ways, whether it's educating fellow dancers on foundational B-boy figures or publicly calling out anti-blackness or racism within the Asian American community. Creating community and finding release in hip-hop are beautiful things—but that doesn't excuse us, as Asian Americans, from engaging these conversations or finding ways to offer respect. There's an endless amount of work that can be done to help honor the communities at its origins, starting with the knowledge that Asian American hip-hop dancers only exist because hip-hop culture does too.

2019-07-11 05:30:06

A July 2 airstrike in Libya killed more than 50 migrants and refugees at a detention center. Our investigation found that they were being held less than 100 yards from a weapons depot that had been struck two months earlier. The 53 migrants and refugees killed in a July 2 airstrike on a detention center in Libya were being held less than 100 yards from a militia’s arms depot at the time of the attack, a Times investigation has found. The depot had also been struck just two months earlier, and both the detainees and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees had warned of the dangers faced by those held there. Our video investigation used satellite imagery to pinpoint the location of the detention center in Tajoura, a town on the eastern outskirts of the capital, Tripoli, and confirmed its proximity to the militia’s depot. The investigation shows how the Directorate for Combating Illegal Migration, an agency of the United Nations-backed government in Tripoli, ran the detention center for nearly 600 migrants and refugees within a large military compound that became a target in the country’s raging civil war. After the deadly attack, which also wounded at least 130, a representative of Khalifa Hifter, the military strongman who launched an offensive on Tripoli in April, confirmed that the rebel forces had struck the depot. The migrants and refugees detained in the Tajoura center had long complained of the dire conditions in which they lived. In videos they provided to The Times earlier this year, they showed the filthy stalls in which they showered and the rows in which they slept on the floor. They said they lacked good food and that some had been held for as long as two and a half years. And they also said the pro-government militia forced some of them into service. On July 9, the Libyan authorities running the center released the remaining detainees but gave them nowhere to go. With the United Nations unable to house them, hundreds set off down the road in the dusk, to unknown destinations. Reporting was contributed by Sally Hayden, Malachy Browne, Christiaan Triebert, Haley Willis, Sara Creta, Husen Gdora, Barbara Marcolini and Thomas Gibbons-Neff.

2018-10-30

When Apple announced a bunch of new iPhones back in September without mentioning any other devices, things sort of felt incomplete. So now, nearly two months later, Apple is coming back around to finish the job with a number of hardware refreshes highlighted by a pair of new iPad Pros.Design and specsThe old iPad Pro is on the left, the new one is on the right.Screenshot: AppleLike rumors have suggested for months, the biggest change on the new iPad Pros is the loss of the traditional front-mounted home button in exchange for slimmer bezels and Face ID. This move follows in the footsteps of the iPhone X and iPhone XS, and continues to pave the way for an all Face ID future from Apple, whether you like it or not.That said, by reducing extra features on the front of the tablet, Apple was able to increase the iPad Pro’s screen size from 10.5 to 11-inches on the smaller model, while also reducing the overall size of larger 12.9-inch version, which retains the same screen size as before.Screenshot: AppleThankfully, even with the iPad Pro’s new slimmer dimensions, Apple still had enough room to hide the tablet’s Face ID sensors in its bezels, instead of sticking out into the display using some sort of notch. Additionally, while the iPad Pro’s new Face ID sensor is positioned across the top of the tablet when in landscape orientation, Apple claims you’ll be able to unlock the device in portrait mode too without issue.Inside, the new iPad Pros are powered by Apple’s new A12X Bionic chip which boasts an 8-Core CPU and a 7-core GPU that the company claims is 35 percent faster when performing single-core tasks and 90 percent faster in multi-core workloads. And on the storage side, Apple says the new iPad Pros can be configured with up to 1TB of storage.Screenshot: AppleHowever, one of the most fundamental changes for long-time iPad users is that the new iPad Pros are ditching Apple’s traditional Lightning port for USB-C. This has several advantages such as the ability to send out 5K video to external monitors, faster data transfer, and speedier charging. But the real neat trick is that Apple says the iPad Pro’s USB-C port can also be used to reverse charge other devices like an iPhone (assuming you have the necessary USB-C to Lighting cable). Sadly, it seems Apple’s courage regarding headphone jacks (or lack thereof) has claimed another victim now that the iPad Pro’s lone USB-C port will be its only option for connectivity. Revamped Apple Pencil and Smart Folio KeyboardScreenshot: AppleIf new specs weren’t enough, the iPad Pro’s stylus is also getting an update in the form of the new Apple Pencil. Now you’ll be able to tap and swipe along the side of the pen to do things like change fonts or stroke weights. And when you need to recharge the new Pencil, you can attach it magnetically to the side of the iPad Pro, which also doubles as a way to store the Pencil when it’s not in use. And as a final nod to Apple’s continuous quests towards simplicity, the company has streamlined the Pencil 2’s design by removing the thin strip of metal found on previous models.Screenshot: AppleApple didn’t forget about the iPad Pro’s keyboard either, as the Smart Folio has been updated with a new Smart Connector on its back that uses 102 magnets to attach and communicate with an iPad Pro. This should make connecting the keyboard a much simpler process, and with a new second angle of adjustment, it should be easier to use an iPad Pro in awkward environments like an airplane tray table. Unfortunately, it seems the new Smart Folio still doesn’t have a touchpad, which means you’ll still have to rely on an Apple Pencil for more precise movements.Price and AvailabilityScreenshot: AppleThe new 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $800, while the 12.9-inch iPad Pro starts at $1,000. Pre-orders for both are live today, with shipments going out starting November 7th.

2017-02-21

Feb 21 (Reuters) - RLS Global AB: * Says has signed a new distribution agreement with Regedent AG * The new agreement means a global launch of Perisolv where the next step is to register the product in the United States * When Regedent also takes over the actual production of Perisolv, a more extensive license agreement will be signed Source text: bit.ly/2mi6sBX Further company coverage: (Gdynia Newsroom)

2017-11-07

Two members of the House are looking to rein in the size and the scope of the criminal justice system with a new bipartisan bill targeting the federal criminal code and prison system. Reps. Bobby ScottRobert (Bobby) Cortez ScottDemocrats: Trump plan could jeopardize 500,000 children's free school meals Lawmakers, press hit the courts for charity tennis event House approves bill raising minimum wage to per hour MORE (D-Va.) and Jason Lewis (R-Minn.) introduced a bill Wednesday that would reform mandatory minimum sentences, expand funding for community policing and crime prevention initiatives and increase the use of "evidence-based" sentencing alternatives such as probation. In a press release Wednesday, the two lawmakers say the bill will reduce crime as well as hold the federal government accountable for billions of dollars spent every year on criminal justice. “Since 1980, Congress usurped state and local authority by putting more than 4,500 federal crimes on the books —including arbitrary mandatory minimums that in some cases throw non-violent or first-time offenders in jail, leading to a vicious cycle of recidivism,” said Lewis.  “There are better ways to spend Americans’ tax dollars and keep our communities safe through real evidence-based initiatives that actually reduce crime by reserving costly prison space for hardened criminals." The bill, called the Safe, Accountable, Fair, and Effective (SAFE) Justice Act, is supported by a wide range of groups from the NAACP to the Tea Party group FreedomWorks. It has also been cosponsored by several lawmakers from both parties, including Reps. John ConyersJohn James ConyersEXCLUSIVE: Trump on reparations: 'I don't see it happening' McConnell: Reparations aren't 'a good idea' This week: Democrats move funding bills as caps deal remains elusive MORE Jr. (D-Mich.), Mia Love (R-Utah), Sheila Jackson LeeSheila Jackson LeeJackson Lee: 'Racism is a national security threat' Most oppose cash reparations for slavery: poll Poll: Most Americans oppose reparations MORE (D-Texas), Carlos CurbeloCarlos Luis CurbeloOvernight Energy: Warren edges past Sanders in poll of climate-focused voters | Carbon tax shows new signs of life | Greens fuming at Trump plans for development at Bears Ears monument Carbon tax shows new signs of life in Congress Democratic lawmaker pushes back on Castro's call to repeal law making illegal border crossings a crime MORE (R-Fla.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) and Brian FitzpatrickBrian K. FitzpatrickHouse Democrats targeting six more Trump districts for 2020 Ensuring quality health care for those with intellectual disabilities and autism House Democrats target 2020 GOP incumbents in new ad MORE (R-Pa.). "The SAFE Justice Act will bring long-overdue sentencing reforms that will ensure prisons are reserved for violent and career criminals. It also proposes corrections reforms designed to reduce recidivism and enhance public safety," wrote FreedomWorks's Vice President for Legislative Affairs Jason Pye. “I strongly commend the bipartisan efforts of Congressmen Bobby Scott and Jason Lewis to introduce the SAFE Justice Act,” added the NAACP's Washington D.C. director Hilary Shelton. View the discussion thread. The Hill 1625 K Street, NW Suite 900 Washington DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 tel | 202-628-8503 fax The contents of this site are ©2019 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.

2019-10-25 00:00:00

Former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and scores of others from both sides of the political aisle paid tribute to the late Rep. Elijah Cummings at his packed funeral Friday in Baltimore. Cummings, a Democrat who represented Maryland's 7th Congressional District since 1996, died on Oct. 17 at age 68 due to longstanding health challenges, according to his office. On Thursday, Cummings became the first black lawmaker to lie in state at the Capitol Building. "This is the day for the home-going celebration of a great man, a moral leader, and a friend," former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in opening remarks at New Psalmist Baptist Church in Baltimore. Cummings was seen as an advocate for cutting prescription drug prices, fighting addiction, strengthening gun control and reforming the criminal justice system. "It now falls on us to continue his work so that other young boys and girls across Baltimore, across Maryland, across the United States and around the world, might too have a chance to grow and to flourish," Obama said in his eulogy. "That's how we'll remember him. It's what he would hope for." Pelosi, who appointed Cummings to be chairman of the House Oversight Committee after the 2018 midterms, called him the "Master of the House" and the "North Star of the Congress" for his moral clarity. Cummings' death led to an outpouring of condolences from Democrats and Republicans alike. North Carolina Republican Rep. Mark Meadows, who was a close friend of Cummings, said on Twitter that he knew "no stronger advocate and no better friend" than Cummings. Bill Clinton also praised Cummings on a personal level. "I loved this man. I loved every minute I ever spent with him, every conversation we ever had," the former president said. "We should hear him now in the quiet times at night and in the morning when we need courage," he added. "When we don't know if we can believe anymore we should hear him."

2019-01-28

Not all was well in Toy Land in 2018. Sales in the industry fell 2 percent last year as toy manufacturers endured their first Christmas without Toys R Us in more than 60 years, according to a new report. In the U.S., customers spent $21.6 billion on toys last year, less than the $22 billion shelled out for action figures, dolls and games in 2017, according to market researcher NPD Group. "After the liquidation announcement of Toys‟R"Us last year, there was a great deal of speculation about what would happen to the industry, with some predicting double-digit declines," Juli Lennett, vice president and industry advisor at NPD Group, said in a statement. Lennett called the 2 percent decline a "solid performance" considering how much the landscape has changed in the last year. Toys R Us was estimated to account for 10 to 15 percent of all toy sales prior to its closure in June. Jefferies analyst Stephanie Wissink said NPD's figures imply that toy sales fell 6 percent in the fourth and suggests that retailers were able to recapture about 35 percent of the market share displaced by Toys R Us.  While a number of retailers, including Target, Walmart and even drug stores, expanded their toy sections this past holiday season, there were still far fewer shelves showcasing toys in 2018 than in years prior. The loss of shelf space appeared to disproportionately affect items like plush toys, building sets and sports toys. Nostalgia over the loss of Toys R Us boosted toy sales in the beginning of the year, but it wasn't enough to fuel full-year sales. First half toy sales rose 7 percent, according to NPD.  Wissink said about $650 million to $700 million of toy sales were pulled forward into the first half of the year.  However, sales of action figures, dolls and arts and crafts grew during the year, fueled by sales of MGA Entertainment's LOL Surprise dolls, Hasbro's Marvel toys and Mattel's Barbie, NPD said. "While TRU recapture was significantly lower than initial forecasts, the gap to expectations is well known and factored into current stock prices," Wissink said in a research note. The focus now shifts to how quickly inventories can be reduced and what the outlook is for 2019.  While Toys R Us stores have been dark for months, a group of former Toys R Us executives have reportedly been reaching out to toy manufacturers to create a comeback plan for the toy brand, according to the New York Post.

2019-08-26 14:43:11

Exit Interview As “What the Constitution Means to Me” ends its Broadway run, Rosdely Ciprian and Thursday Williams reflect on meeting R.B.G. and Streisand, and how they juggled it all. Sitting in the balcony of the Helen Hayes Theater on Saturday evening, two teenagers munched on Welch’s Fruit Snacks and said goodbye to their Broadway show, “What the Constitution Means to Me.” Rosdely Ciprian, 14, and Thursday Williams, 18, make up half the cast of “Constitution,” a play by Heidi Schreck that was extended three times Off Broadway and played five months at the Hayes, a longer and more life-changing commitment than they had ever expected. In the play, Ms. Schreck revisited her personal history of giving presentations about the Constitution as a high school student. Ms. Ciprian or Ms. Williams appeared toward the end of the show — they alternated performances — for a formal debate with the playwright over whether the founding document, with its history of enshrined inequities, should be abolished. The young women, who were cast because of their involvement in debate at their respective New York City schools, embodied the future generations who would face down the country’s unmet promises. But they were also just kids — Ms. Williams driven and studious, Ms. Ciprian bubbly and animated, both typing away at their homework backstage. Between Ms. Ciprian’s final Saturday matinee and Ms. Williams’s Saturday night show, the Broadway finale, they sat down to talk about their experience, and what comes next. Ms. Ciprian will continue with the show for its 11-day run at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., while Ms. Williams goes off to college. The conversation has been edited and condensed. How are you feeling? WILLIAMS I’m sad, I’m happy. I’m sad that this is the end — you know, I’ve been on the show for one year and I have so much fun onstage. So I’m going to miss that part. But I’m happy I get to start a new chapter of my life. And what’s next for you? WILLIAMS I’m going to Trinity College in Hartford, Conn. CIPRIAN Lucky you! Going to college! Has this changed what you want to do with your lives? CIPRIAN I’ve always wanted to act. But this gave me more of an intense feeling of what it’s like to act. So I would love to do that, but I would also like to go into the medical field. I don’t know if I can do both. But I’ve been bit by the theater bug. All the lights! All the people watching me! I love that. WILLIAMS Before I started this show, I wanted to be a lawyer, and now I want to run for office. I’ve had the opportunity to meet senators and politicians. It was a real eye opener. That’s what I want to do. I will create the foundation for the change. How did you balance Broadway with being a student? CIPRIAN Broadway and high school — that was weird. I would have to leave at 12 o’clock for some matinees and have to email my teachers to do my work and take tests online, and submit them. What did your classmates think? WILLIAMS When I got this part, kids in my school were like, “What do you know about Broadway?” And I’m like, “Absolutely nothing — but I’m on it!” At the end of the show, you answer questions, some asked by audience members. The last one is always about imagining your future. Is it hard to come up with answers on the spot? CIPRIAN It depends on the questions, sometimes I’ll blank out! WILLIAMS Last night, I was asked the last question — what do you imagine your life to be — and I froze. I don’t even remember what I said! I only said it because I just wanted to get off that stage. Do you think that’s because you’re going to college on Thursday? WILLIAMS I think it’s because the show is about to end and things are about to switch up. I’m really good with change. I love change. But as much as I think I’m ready for this next chapter, I’m still a little anxious. Who has come backstage to say hello? CIPRIAN Sonia Sotomayor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Barbra Streisand. WILLIAMS I [had done] the Sonia and Celina Sotomayor judicial internship program. I met Sonia Sotomayor for five seconds at the elevator, and when they snatched her away from me, I said, “I’ll see you soon!” not knowing when I was going to see her or how I was going to see her. But this show gave me the opportunity. What happened when you saw her at the theater? WILLIAMS She looked me in my eyes and she goes, “I’m really happy that you chose college." CIPRIAN She was a mess when Ruth came. WILLIAMS I have a giant poster of that woman in my house. My mom would be like, “Why is there an old lady staring at me before I leave my house?” Sonia Sotomayor came from the Bronx, R.B.G. came from Brooklyn, I’m coming from Queens. Seeing these people say “I love you and I’m so proud of you” really makes me think I can get to their level. CIPRIAN We’re kind of obsessed with three things: R.B.G., unicorns and doughnuts. Those three things are our vibe. We have a life-size poster of R.B.G. in our green room. When she came, everybody was freaking out. And I think the audience members knew she was here, because the show brings up R.B.G. multiple times and people would be like “WOO-WOO-WOO!” So we knew something was off. Then she came backstage! Do you remember what you talked to her about? WILLIAMS She said, “Sonia and I have been talking about you.” It’s so like — I just really want to go college and I want to get my 3.9 G.P.A. and I want to go to Columbia Law School and I want to be a lawyer — right now! I want to start tomorrow. But I more remember Sonia Sotomayor’s conversation. She spoke to me more directly. I feel like with R.B.G., I didn’t speak very much. I was crying. Anything you want to say to her in the newspaper? WILLIAMS (Pause.) No. I have V.I.P. access to the Supreme Court by the way, so I will go and say it to her! Anything you want to say to anyone in the newspaper, Rosdely? CIPRIAN Michelle Obama! The show is going on tour. Please come to the show! You’re amazing! You’re a legend! I love you. Can you imagine if Beyoncé came? No, that’d be too much.

2017-03-16

(Adds FCA comment, background) LONDON, March 16 (Reuters) - The head of a British parliamentary committee has asked a regulator to look into media reports, including one by Reuters, about movements in financial markets ahead of economic data releases that raised the possibility of leaks. Andrew Tyrie, chair of the Treasury Committee, urged the Financial Conduct Authority to look into the reports which suggested data could have been leaked ahead of time to give some investors an edge in financial markets. “The Financial Conduct Authority will want to consider this matter, if it is not already doing so, given one of its objectives is to protect and enhance the integrity of the UK financial system,” he said in a letter to FCA chief executive Andrew Bailey dated March 15. A spokesman for the FCA, which is responsible for investigating misconduct in financial markets, said the agency would “work on a response to the letter in due course.” He declined to comment further. Reuters reported on Tuesday that on eight occasions over the past 12 months the pound moved against the dollar in the minutes before the release of the retail sales numbers in a way that correctly anticipated the direction of the currency once the figures were published. On Monday, the Wall Street Journal published an analysis of 207 releases of British inflation, industrial production and labour market data, which showed that on 59.5 percent of occasions British government bond futures moved ahead of the data in what proved to be the right direction. The Office for National Statistics, which publishes the data, has declined to comment on the specifics of the analyses but a spokesman said on Tuesday it takes protection of unreleased economic data “extremely seriously”. In 2011, the ONS investigated rumours that data showing an unexpected drop in inflation had been circulating in the markets before the official release time. The ONS has declined to comment on the outcome of that investigation. The ONS provides the retail sales figures 24 hours ahead of their publication to 41 people at the Bank of England, the business ministry, Cabinet Office, Downing Street and the Treasury. GRAPHIC - Sterling moves ahead of retail sales data tmsnrt.rs/2nfNwsi Writing by William Schomberg; Editing by Elisabeth O'Leary and Toby Chopra

2017-09-08 00:00:00

(Reuters) - A former top security official who helped put in place a program protecting people brought to the United States illegally as children, is suing the Trump White House as head of the University of California system over plans to roll back the policy. Janet Napolitano, the former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security under President Barack Obama, said in a lawsuit filed on Friday that ended the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program, or DACA, violates the due process of about 800,000 beneficiaries, known as “dreamers,” who were granted permits that protected them from deportation. “The University has constitutionally-protected interests in the multiple educational benefits that flow from a diverse student body,” the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Northern California said. “If these students leave the University before completing their education, UC will lose the benefits it derives from their contributions, as well as the value of the time and money it invested in these students.” The lawsuit also argues Trump did not follow the proper procedures needed to cancel a program of this magnitude. California has more DACA recipients than any other state, many are in their 20s and are current students. “They’ve grown up here, they’ve gotten their educations here, many of them don’t even speak the language of the country to which they would be deported if this decision were allowed to stand,” Napolitano said on a call with reporters. The legal challenge comes on top of a separate lawsuit filed earlier in the week by 16 Democratic Attorneys General saying the president’s decision to end the program was based in part on racial animus towards Mexicans, who are the largest beneficiaries. Department of Justice spokesman Devin O’Malley gave the same comment about Napolitano’s lawsuit as he did in response to the lawsuit by the states. Attorney General Jeff Sessions in announcing his decision to end the program said it was “inconsistent with the Constitution’s separation of powers.” Obama enacted DACA through an executive action implemented by the Department of Homeland Security after Congress failed to pass legislation. “While the plaintiffs in today’s lawsuit may believe that an arbitrary circumvention of Congress is lawful, the Department of Justice looks forward to defending this Administration’s position,” O’Malley said in a statement. Trump, who delayed the end of the program until March 5, shifted responsibility to a Congress controlled by his fellow Republicans, saying it was now up to lawmakers to pass immigration legislation that could address the fate of those protected by DACA. Trump’s move was criticized by business and religious leaders, mayors, governors, Democratic lawmakers, unions and civil liberties advocates. Legal experts have said that court challenges to Trump’s actions could face an uphill battle, since the president typically has wide authority when it comes to implementing immigration policy. Reporting by Mica Rosenberg in New York; Additonal reporting by Yehaneh Torbati; editing by Grant McCool

2018-01-24

More than 30 senators — about a third of the entire Senate — met late Wednesday afternoon to discuss the outlines of an immigration deal before a March 5 deadline for hundreds of thousands of immigrants facing deportation. The senators huddled shortly before President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump pushes back on recent polling data, says internal numbers are 'strongest we've had so far' Illinois state lawmaker apologizes for photos depicting mock assassination of Trump Scaramucci assembling team of former Cabinet members to speak out against Trump MORE announced he would be willing to create a 10- to 12-year-long path to citizenship for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program recipients in exchange for $25 billion to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. The White House announced it would unveil a more detailed framework for immigration reform on Monday. Senate Democratic Leader Charles SchumerCharles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerLewandowski on potential NH Senate run: If I run, 'I'm going to win' Appropriators warn White House against clawing back foreign aid Colorado candidates vying to take on Gardner warn Hickenlooper they won't back down MORE (N.Y.) told Trump in a one-on-one meeting Friday that he would be willing to put $25 billion for the border wall “on the table” for negotiation. But Schumer later rescinded the offer after Trump refused to negotiate with him during a government shutdown triggered by a fight over immigration. That put negotiations in limbo until senators met Wednesday to put the talks back on track. Moderate Republican Sen. Susan CollinsSusan Margaret CollinsCook Political Report moves Susan Collins Senate race to 'toss up' The Hill's Morning Report — Trump and the new Israel-'squad' controversy Trump crosses new line with Omar, Tlaib, Israel move MORE (Maine) and Sen. Lindsey GrahamLindsey Olin GrahamPelosi warns Mnuchin to stop 'illegal' .3B cut to foreign aid Graham warns Trump on Taliban deal in Afghanistan: Learn from 'Obama's mistakes' Appropriators warn White House against clawing back foreign aid MORE (R-S.C.) hosted Wednesday’s session, which was so large that it was held in the Senate Armed Services Committee room in the Russell Building.  Collins has seen her influence grow since her party lost the Alabama Senate seat in December. Other Republicans who attended included Senate Majority Whip John CornynJohn CornynThe Hill's Morning Report - Trump on defense over economic jitters Democrats keen to take on Cornyn despite formidable challenges The Hill's Campaign Report: Battle for Senate begins to take shape MORE (Texas), Sens. Lamar AlexanderAndrew (Lamar) Lamar AlexanderThe Hill's Morning Report - How will Trump be received in Dayton and El Paso? McConnell faces pressure to bring Senate back for gun legislation Criminal justice reform should extend to student financial aid MORE (Tenn.), James LankfordJames Paul LankfordHillicon Valley: GOP hits back over election security bills | Ratcliffe out for intel chief | Social media companies consider policies targeting 'deepfakes' | Capital One, GitHub sued over breach The Hill's 12:30 Report: Biden camp feels boost after Detroit debate GOP punches back in election security fight MORE (Okla.), Thom TillisThomas (Thom) Roland TillisThe United States broken patent system is getting worse Gun reform groups to pressure GOP senators with rallies in all 50 states To cash in on innovation, remove market barriers for advanced energy technologies MORE (N.C.), Jerry MoranGerald (Jerry) MoranSenators introduce bill aimed at protecting Olympic athletes in response to abuse scandals Overnight Defense: Senate fails to override Trump veto on Saudi arms sales | Two US troops killed in Afghanistan | Senators tee up nominations, budget deal ahead of recess Senate fails to override Trump veto on Saudi arms sale MORE (Kan.), Mike RoundsMarion (Mike) Michael RoundsThe Hill's Morning Report - Progressives, centrists clash in lively Democratic debate Senate braces for brawl over Trump's spy chief Overnight Defense: Esper sworn in as Pentagon chief | Confirmed in 90-8 vote | Takes helm as Trump juggles foreign policy challenges | Senators meet with woman accusing defense nominee of sexual assault MORE (S.D.), Johnny IsaksonJohn (Johnny) Hardy IsaksonGeorgia senator discharged from hospital after fall Georgia senator hospitalized after fall Senate GOP raises concerns about White House stopgap plan to avoid shutdown MORE (Ga.) and Lisa MurkowskiLisa Ann MurkowskiThe Hill's Morning Report - Progressives, centrists clash in lively Democratic debate Senate braces for brawl over Trump's spy chief Congress kicks bipartisan energy innovation into higher gear MORE (Alaska). Sen. Marco RubioMarco Antonio RubioTrump moves forward with F-16 sale to Taiwan opposed by China The Hill's Morning Report — Trump and the new Israel-'squad' controversy Trump crosses new line with Omar, Tlaib, Israel move MORE (R-Fla.), who was a driving force behind the comprehensive immigration reform bill that passed the Senate in 2013, also attended. The majority of participants were Democrats, including many centrists. “There were over 35 RSVPs. I think we had more,” Graham told reporters afterward. “I’ve never seen that many senators in a room on immigration since I’ve been here.” A senior Democratic aide said the large number of Republican participants was a good sign of getting an immigration bill through the Senate next month. “It shows there’s a lot of interest on their side in getting a deal done,” said the aide.  Participants said the purpose of the meeting was to establish a process for moving immigration legislation in the next few weeks. “We didn’t really talk about specific provisions but more about the process,” Cornyn told reporters. “It generally was a very positive and constructive meeting,” said Democratic Sen. Christopher CoonsChristopher (Chris) Andrew CoonsThe United States broken patent system is getting worse Biden faces scrutiny for his age from other Democrats Democrats press FBI for details on Kavanaugh investigation MORE (Del.). “We’ve got to get narrowing terms and define what it is what we can all agree on." “This was a hopeful initial conversation, not a line-drawing exercise,” he added. At the same time, there’s growing skepticism that a dozen Republican moderates will be able to persuade the rest of the Senate Republican Conference to back the effort. One GOP aide called the meeting “inconsequential.” And even lawmakers at the center of the immigration talks are beginning to talk about a two- or three-year “patch” or “extension” to keep DACA program recipients protected from deportation but without a long-term solution or path to citizenship. House Republicans are talking about pushing a conservative immigration plan sponsored by Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob GoodlatteRobert (Bob) William GoodlatteImmigrant advocacy groups shouldn't be opposing Trump's raids Top Republican releases full transcript of Bruce Ohr interview It’s time for Congress to pass an anti-cruelty statute MORE (R-Va.) that Democrats are already dismissing out of hand. It would end chain migration or family reunification, the diversity visa program and crack down on employers who hire immigrants who are not legally permitted to work in the country by requiring them to use the E-Verify system.  Several key players did not attend, such as Sen. Tom CottonThomas (Tom) Bryant CottonCongress must address gender gap in nominations to military service academies GOP senators press Google on reports it developed a smart speaker with Huawei Sunday shows - Mass shootings grab the spotlight MORE (R-Ark.), who has emerged as an influential voice representing conservatives. Cotton helped persuade President Trump two weeks ago to oppose a bipartisan immigration bill that had been negotiated by Senate Democratic Whip Dick DurbinRichard (Dick) Joseph DurbinSenate Democrats push Trump to permanently shutter migrant detention facility House panel investigating decision to resume federal executions To combat domestic terrorism, Congress must equip law enforcement to fight rise in white supremacist attacks MORE (Ill.) and Graham in recent weeks. Sen. David Perdue (D-Ga.), who also has been involved in immigration talks, did not attend either. An aide to Perdue said he had another meeting. Trump rescinded the DACA program in September, putting hundreds of thousands of immigrants who came to the country illegally as children at risk for deportation. He gave Congress until March 5 to come up with a solution.  The purpose of Wednesday’s meeting was to give a broad swath of the Senate a forum in which to exchange ideas in hopes of coming up with a proposal that can win 60 votes — the required number — before the March deadline. Cornyn and Durbin, the chairman and ranking Democrat on the Judiciary immigration subcommittee, will vet the proposals before crafting a bill intended for the Senate floor. “Sen. Durbin and I are tasked with the job of being the sort of clearinghouse for ideas so we can build from the bottom up a plan that hopefully can get enough support that we can get passed. But will also have to get the president’s support eventually because without his support I don’t think it will pass the House of Representatives,” Cornyn told reporters earlier in the day. Cornyn said Democrats must agree to a multiyear plan to fund the border wall if they want a multiyear deal to protect DACA recipients from deportation. Durbin said negotiators have yet to set a schedule. “I’m going to sit down with Sen. Cornyn to establish how we start receiving suggestions and ideas from our colleagues. There’s an open invitation for them to join us in this and there are a lot of ideas,” he said. The preliminary plan is to bring a bill straight to the Senate floor instead of going through the Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over immigration and crafted the comprehensive reform bill that passed the chamber in 2013. “My assumption is this would not go through the Judiciary Committee. There would be a bill that would be agreed to on a bipartisan basis that would come to the floor,” Cornyn said. Collins told reporters that different groups are talking among themselves to restart the immigration talks that stalled during a three-day government shutdown earlier in the week. “Today is an opportunity to discuss a path forward and how we proceed to get to ... a variety of bills that can be considered on the Senate floor," she said.  Collins and centrist Democratic Sen. Joe ManchinJoseph (Joe) ManchinSunday shows - Recession fears dominate Manchin: Trump has 'golden opportunity' on gun reforms Trump vows to 'always uphold the Second Amendment' amid ongoing talks on gun laws MORE (W.Va.) will host another round of bipartisan immigration meetings Thursday. Senators who attended Wednesday’s meeting expressed optimism about the prospect of passing a bill through the upper chamber. View the discussion thread. The Hill 1625 K Street, NW Suite 900 Washington DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 tel | 202-628-8503 fax The contents of this site are ©2019 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.

2016-01-13 10:45:00

On January 7, Jennifer Lopez's new show debuted on NBC. The series is called Shades of Blue. Shades of Blue, however, is not about the color blue. It is about a dirty NYPD cop (Lopez), who gets roped into ratting on her unit by the FBI. But what if it were about the cool hue? What if it were just about J.Lo wearing blue? That's what we've chosen to imagine. So, the following slideshow consists of photos of Lopez donning blue garments over the years. Lopez has worn various, yes, shades of the color in her career as dramatic actress, romantic comedy heroine, pop star, provocateur, and, as always, Jenny From the Block.Shades of Blue airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. EST.

2019-10-08 10:50:00

Jennifer Aniston’s ex-husband Justin Theroux had her take a little walk down memory lane when they started dating. Aniston, who next stars in Apple’s The Morning Show with Reese Witherspoon, recently stopped by SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show where she looked back on her career, including her appearance in the 1993 slasher film Leprechaun. While the horror didn’t open to great reviews, it was Aniston’s first starring role in a movie and marked a huge turning point for the actress. “I really thought I arrived when I did Leprechaun,” she told host Howard Stern. “It was with Warwick Davis, the guy from Willow was in it. It was a big deal!” But while most actors prefer to never watch their early work again, Aniston was forced to revisit the movie when her ex-husband made her sit through it early on in their relationship. “I watched it like, 8 years ago with our mutual friend Justin Theroux for s—and giggles,” she explained. “We were dating. It was one of those things when I tried to get that remote out of his hand and there was just no having it. He was like, ‘No, no, no, no, this is happening.’ I just kept walking in and out, cringing.” The former Friends actress calls it a “cult classic” — and is still proud of starring in it. “I really did think it was an amazing thing that I was in a movie,” Aniston said. Aniston, 50, and Theroux, 48, began dating in 2011 and married in 2015. The pair split in early 2018. “In an effort to reduce any further speculation, we have decided to announce our separation,” they said in the statement in February 2018. “This decision was mutual and lovingly made at the end of last year. We are two best friends who have decided to part ways as a couple, but look forward to continuing our cherished friendship.” They’ve since remained on good terms, with Theroux even wishing Aniston a happy birthday earlier this year. The actor shared a black-and-white photo of Aniston on Instagram carrying a horned statue above her head as she gazed down at the camera. “Happy Birthday to this fierce Woman,” he wrote in the caption. “Fiercely loving. Fiercely kind. ….and fiercely funny. ❤️ you B.” The Morning Show will debut on Apple TV+ on Nov. 1.

2017-03-09

March 10 (Reuters) - Novogen Ltd: * Cristyn Humphreys, chief financial officer (CFO) at Novogen will leave Novogen later this month to assume a new role outside industry * Andrew Heaton, CEO of Novogen North America, will leave Novogen * Transition of CFO will be overseen by Kate Hill, formerly a partner at Deloitte, who currently serves as company secretary Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:

2017-05-23

VIENNA (Reuters) - OPEC is likely to extend production cuts for another nine months, ministers and delegates said on Tuesday as the oil producer group meets this week to debate how to tackle a global glut of crude. OPEC’s top producer, Saudi Arabia, favors extending the output curbs by nine months rather than the initially planned six months, as it seeks to speed up market rebalancing and prevent oil prices from sliding back below $50 per barrel. On Monday, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih won support from OPEC’s second-biggest and fastest-growing producer, Iraq, for a nine-month extension and said he expected no objections from anyone else. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries meets in Vienna on Thursday to consider whether to prolong the deal reached in December in which OPEC and 11 non-members, including Russia, agreed to cut output by about 1.8 million barrels per day in the first half of 2017. The decision pushed prices back above $50 per barrel, giving a fiscal boost to major oil producers. But it also spurred growth in the U.S. shale industry, which is not participating in the output deal, thus slowing the market’s rebalancing. Saudi Arabia’s Gulf ally Kuwait said on Tuesday not every OPEC member was on board yet for an extension to March 2018, but most ministers and delegates in Vienna said they expected a fairly painless meeting. Ecuador Oil Minister Carlos Perez said OPEC and other oil-producing countries would discuss a six- or nine-month extension to output cuts and probably choose the latter. “Six and nine months are both proposals on the table ... we will support the majority, probably the nine months,” Perez, whose country is in OPEC, told reporters after arriving in Vienna on Tuesday. Asked whether deeper cuts would be discussed, he said: “Not at this point, I don’t think so.” Noureddine Boutarfa, energy minister of OPEC member Algeria, said OPEC was discussing a possible nine-month extension, with curbs kept at the same level as under the group’s existing deal. “Right now we are talking about nine months,” Boutarfa told reporters in the Austrian capital. Falih also arrived in Vienna on Tuesday but made no comment to reporters. “The Saudi oil minister’s view seems accurate and no serious objection is expected if at all,” said one OPEC delegate, who asked not to be identified as he is not allowed to speak to the media. “No surprises,” said a second delegate. Many OPEC meetings in recent years witnessed bitter fights between Saudi Arabia and its rival Iran, OPEC’s third-largest oil producer. Tehran has kept relatively quiet in the past few weeks, saying it saw a need to extend cuts. Iran is emerging from a presidential election won by the incumbent, Hassan Rouhani. “It has been some time since we had such a strong consensus going into an OPEC meeting,” BNP Paribas’s commodities strategist Harry Tchilinguirian said. “Despite a supply cut extension being factored in by the market, oil prices have made only modest progress. It may take more than an extension to rekindle bullish spirits,” he added. Oil prices initially fell 1 percent on Tuesday after U.S. President Donald Trump proposed to sell half of the United States’ Strategic Petroleum Reserve in the next 10 years as well as to speed up Alaskan exploration. By 1550 GMT, Brent crude was up 13 cents at $54.00 a barrel as most analysts said the sale would not affect immediate OPEC efforts. Two OPEC sources said a one-year extension was also an option, though others said most discussions were centering on nine months due to weak seasonal demand in the first quarter. Saudi’s Falih said on Monday he expected the new deal to be similar to the old one, “with minor changes”. “He (Falih) has talked to several countries including Norway, including Turkmenistan, including Egypt, and they have made signs of their willingness to join the collaboration,” Kuwait’s oil minister Essam al-Marzouq said on Tuesday. Norway’s oil ministry said later on Tuesday it had no plan to join cuts but had a good dialogue with OPEC. Deutsche Bank said the market had priced in a nine-month extension. “The inclusion of smaller producing non-OPEC countries such as Turkmenistan, Egypt and the Ivory Coast would be a negligible boost, in our view,” Deutsche said. “A deepening of cuts, though, has more potential to provide an upside surprise.” Additional reporting by Ernest Scheyder; Writing by Dmitry Zhdannikov; Editing by Dale Hudson

2016-07-18 13:50:00

Last winter, we launched Money Diaries, where twice a week, a millennial woman opens up about her spending and saving habits and tells all. While the women stay anonymous, we know everything about them, from how much they make to what they eat for breakfast to whom they go home with, and a million little details in between. It’s amazing how money touches every facet of our lives, and yet it’s something many of us are reluctant to talk about. The goal with Money Diaries is to break down this last taboo, and if the comments (good and bad) are any indication, it’s working.Ahead, eight of our favorite lessons we learned about money from the past six months of Money Diaries. Surely there is more wisdom to be gleaned from the diaries still to come. Lesson 1: Budget For The Little Luxuries.From: A Week In NYC On A $55,000 SalaryThe social media strategist celebrating her birthday and budgeting for Starbucks.Day 4:I stop by Starbucks to pick up my latte that I have budgeted in three times a week. $4.84Lesson 2: Tax Deductions Are Your FriendFrom: A Week As A Cam Girl On A $70,000 SalaryA cam girl in San Francisco stocking up on work supplies (lingerie, vibrators, and makeup).Day 2:This week is "upkeep week," so it's going to be a little more expensive than usual. I head to Victoria's Secret and get 15 pairs of panties, four bras, and a pair of sweats (the sweats are just for me). I keep tabs of these work expenses, so I can deduct them at the end of the year. $250 Lesson 3: Cooking At Home Is The Key To Saving BigFrom: A Week In NYC On A $42,000 SalaryAn entry-level fashion photographer prepping for a gallery show.Day 7: At Key Foods, I grab blueberries (on sale 2/$5!), two avocados, a cucumber, onion, half a dozen eggs, greek yogurt, chicken breasts, ground beef, salsa, and chips. $50Lesson 4: Avoid Unnecessary PurchasesFrom: A Week In NYC On A $91k SalaryA woman in Brooklyn buying birthday cards and sushi.Day 4: I go work out, but forget my water bottle, so I had to buy water. Such a waste of money. $2Lesson 5: Sometimes It’s Okay To SplurgeFrom: A Week In NYC In On A $100,000 SalaryAn architect in NYC, spending her tax return.Day 2:I got my tax return earlier this week, so I've decided to go ahead and spend it on a few big purchases. I book a plane ticket for a summer trip with a friend. $249 Lesson 6: Don’t Let Bad Days At Work Lead You To Impulse-SpendFrom: A Week In NYC On A $65k SalaryA designer who eats her feelings — and goes on back-to-back dates.Day 5: I've been pretty unhappy and inundated at my job lately, so I impulse-buy a beauty treatment on Gilt City. Oops. $59Lesson 7: Set Up Automatic Transfers To Save More MoneyFrom: A Week In NYC On A $45,000 SalaryA librarian buying concert tickets and taking a physics course on the side.Day 1: I have $25 automatically transferred to my emergency/long-term savings account, bringing it up to $3,260. My goal is to get it to at least $5,000, and most months I contribute something extra, but this is the minimum.Lesson 8: Actively Set Aside Savings For “Future Fun” Plans, Like WeddingsFrom: A Week In San Francisco On A $115,000 SalaryA San Franciscan in biotech saving $1,500 a month for a down payment.Day 6:Book a rental car for a wedding we are going to in Hawaii in September, but it’s already been planned for in the “Future Fun” budget. At the beginning of the year, I tallied up the costs of all the trips, travel, weddings, major gifts, and expenses I knew I had to pay for, and then divided that by 12 to understand what I should be “saving” each month.

2017-07-10

July 10 (Reuters) - Reata Pharmaceuticals Inc * ‍U.S. FDA has granted orphan designation to bardoxolone methyl for treatment of alport syndrome​ * ‍Reata expects data from phase 2 portion of trial to be available by year-end 2017​ Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:

2016-03-10 23:20:00

Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders is almost here – and PEOPLE has an exclusive look at the cast together! The Criminal Minds spin-off will follow a select team of highly elite FBI agents solving cases that involve Americans on international grounds. Starring Gary Sinise, Alana de la Garza, Daniel Henney, Tyler James Williams and Annie Funke, the series will dig deep into the global chaos, all while keeping the original Criminal Minds (or, as Sinise likes to call, “the mother ship”) feel. “We go to a different country each week to search for and rescue Americans in jeopardy,” Sinise, 60, tells PEOPLE. “There’s a lot of real-life material to draw from.” Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders premieres on March 16 at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.

2018-12-21 00:00:00

Facebook is building a cryptocurrency designed to make it easier to transfer money on WhatsApp, according to Bloomberg. The currency will reportedly be focused on India and allowing Indian workers abroad to send money back home, something that other Bitcoin startups have already been working to solve given the difficult and expensive process for international transfers. Facebook has been looking to develop its own cryptocurrency at least as far back as May, when Cheddar first broke the news. Around that time, Facebook Messenger leader David Marcus was reassigned to lead a new blockchain division, focused on exploring “how to best leverage Blockchain across Facebook, starting from scratch.” Bloomberg’s report offers the first concrete details on the goals that Facebook is trying to achieve and how it might work. Facebook is reportedly looking to develop what’s known as a “stablecoin,” which will have a value based on US currency to minimize the volatility seen by more high-tech alternatives like Bitcoin. Facebook is apparently far from actually releasing the coin, so don’t necessarily expect to see a real-world implementation anytime soon.

2018-02-19

The New York Daily News rips President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump pushes back on recent polling data, says internal numbers are 'strongest we've had so far' Illinois state lawmaker apologizes for photos depicting mock assassination of Trump Scaramucci assembling team of former Cabinet members to speak out against Trump MORE with its Tuesday cover for golfing near Mar-a-Lago while funerals for those killed in the Florida high school shooting were taking place just miles away. “May I play thru?” the headline for Trump’s hometown newspaper reads. The front page depicts Trump giving a thumbs up, with an image of pallbearers carrying the casket of one of the victims in the background. Trump visited his private golf course in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Monday, but White House officials did not say whether he was playing golf. He had not gone golfing over the weekend, a move staffers said was out of respect for the victims of the shooting. Seventeen people were killed when a gunman opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland on Friday. Some of the funerals for the victims took place over the holiday weekend and into Monday. Trump visited with injured victims and first responders from the school shooting on Friday. He returned to the White House on Monday night after the Presidents Day holiday. View the discussion thread. The Hill 1625 K Street, NW Suite 900 Washington DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 tel | 202-628-8503 fax The contents of this site are ©2019 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.

2019-07-03 00:00:00

(Reuters) - Bob Ryan, a special advisor to the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, will depart from the agency, which oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as of July 12 after serving in that role since 2014, the FHFA said on Wednesday. Ryan was appointed as a special adviser along with three others by then-FHFA head Mel Watt, who was succeeded by Mark Calabria in April. Before joining the FHFA, Ryan was a senior vice president of capital markets at Wells Fargo Home Mortgage. From 2009 to 2012, he was a senior adviser to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan and served as the first chief risk officer at the Federal Housing Administration. Ryan also spent over 27 years at Freddie Mac, where he served in several senior executive roles. Reporting by Richard Leong; editing by Jonathan Oatis

2017-12-18

Dec 18 (Reuters) - InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp : * INVIVO THERAPEUTICS ANNOUNCES EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT AND BOARD CHANGES * INVIVO THERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS CORP - ‍RICHARD TOSELLI, NAMED ACTING CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER​ * INVIVO THERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS CORP - ‍ TOSELLI REPLACES MARK PERRIN, WHO HAS RESIGNED AS CEO AND CHAIRMAN OF INVIVO’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS​ * INVIVO THERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS CORP - ‍ TOSELLI WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE IN HIS CAPACITY AS INVIVO’S CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER​ * INVIVO THERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS CORP - ANN MERRIFIELD WAS APPOINTED AS CHAIR OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS​ Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:

2016-11-04 12:17:00

When voters in Maine and Nevada head to the polls on Tuesday, they will decide whether to expand background checks for gun buyers. For Julianne Moore, it is vital that both ballot measures pass — which is why she was recently in Nevada to meet with voters and volunteers from Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense In America, an organization dedicated to promoting gun violence prevention. Last month, Moore traveled to Nevada to encourage voters there to support Question 1, which, if passed, would require a background check on anyone in the state trying to purchase a gun. If such initiatives are adopted in both Maine and Nevada, more than half of the U.S. population will live in states that require a background check on every gun sale. “The majority of Americans want universal background checks,” Moore tells PEOPLE. “Even gun owners — responsible gun owners. You can find ways to protect the Second Amendment and still ensure the safety of all people.” Echoing the statistics of other gun violence prevention advocates, she says that in the 18 states that require universal background checks for gun sales, “shootings [of police] are down by half, domestic violence is down and suicides are down.” Polling shows Question 1 has double-digit public support, but it is also opposed by many of Nevada’s sheriffs and its governor, who argued it would be ineffective. (The link between background checks and a criminal’s access to guns is tricky to analyze.) Moore, 55, became a staunch advocate for gun safety following the December 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. She prevented her daughter from seeing any of the news coverage following the killings, but then she discovered she wanted to do more. “In trying to keep the news of the shooting away from my daughter, I realized I wasn’t protecting her at all,” Moore explains. “I realized the only way I can protect my daughter and all children is by becoming involved in gun safety. People need to realize a gun is a machine, and it comes with a tremendous responsibility, and I thought, ‘I am not a responsible person if I don’t lend my voice to these efforts.’ “ So the Hunger Games and Children of Men star joined forces with Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the U.S., to launch the Everytown Creative Council, which includes members of the creative community who support gun violence prevention. Moore chairs the council, which also counts as members Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Lawrence and Kim Kardashian West. “It’s about safety and preventing gun violence,” Moore tells PEOPLE. “Growing up, I didn’t feel like there was a problem in the U.S. with guns. I knew plenty of people who had guns. Ronald Reagan signed the assault rifle ban, and suddenly the NRA became a huge lobbying force, and guns became an untouchable issue.” But instituting controls on who can purchase guns “is just common sense,” Moore says. “Just look at what we did with cars,” she says. “When automobiles were first introduced, people died in car crashes, so we made them safer. That’s what we need to do with guns. I don’t want to get rid of guns, I just want to improve safety in this country. It took a culture change for improvements to car safety — people demanded it.” • Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. When Moore went to Nevada to talk to voters about Question 1 and meet with Moms Demand Action volunteers, she says she was struck by who she met. “It was amazing,” Moore tells PEOPLE. “These are such wonderful people who are so, so deeply dedicated. … There are a lot of passionate people out in Nevada, and so many people and communities have been affected by gun violence. We are bringing all of these communities together to talk about this issue.” There Moore says she met a gun owner who supports gun safety but is worried his right to bear arms will be quashed. “He said, ‘Often people talk about guns and crime,’ ” but he said it was important to have guns to protect ourselves against danger,” Moore recalls. “Our major concern is taking guns out of the hands of people who may be a threat to themselves or others.” For Moore, Tuesday’s ballot measures are about much more than protecting citizens from gun violence. “This is about us finding our voice as a society and coming together for change,” Moore says. “That is how you’re going to affect change in the United States, and that’s how we’re going to get the politicians to listen.”

2018-08-28 00:00:00

Best Buy shares tumbled is Tuesday's premarket even though the electronics retailer reported second-quarter earnings and sales that topped analysts' expectations. The company also raised its full-year profit outlook, building on its strong performance during the first six months of the year. Still, the retailer's stock fell more than 6 percent in early trading, as Best Buy's third-quarter outlook was much lower than Wall Street estimates. Best Buy said it expects to earn between 79 and 84 cents a share, far below the 92 cents projected by analysts. Here's what Best Buy reported for the second quarter ended Aug. 4 compared with what analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters were expecting: * Adjusted earnings per share: 91 cents vs. 83 cents expected* Revenue: $9.38 billion vs. $9.28 billion expected* Same-store sales: up 6.2 percent vs. up 3.7 percentNet income was $244 million, or 86 cents per share, compared with $209 million, or 67 cents, a year ago. Excluding one-time items, Best Buy earned 91 cents, 8 cents ahead of analysts' forecast. Revenue climbed nearly 5 percent to $9.38 billion, surpassing the expected $9.28 billion. Sales at Best Buy stores open for at least 12 months were up 6.2 percent overall. That included domestic same-store sales growth of 6 percent and international same-store sales growth of 10.1 percent. CEO Hubert Joly said the sales growth "was helped by the favorable environment in which we operate and driven by how customers are responding to the unique and elevated experience we are building." The electronics retailer has benefited, like its rivals, from a healthier economy across North America with stronger consumer confidence and low unemployment, putting more money back into shoppers' pockets ahead of the 2018 holiday season. Looking to the full year, Best Buy is now calling for same-store sales to climb as much as 4.5 percent, compared with a prior target of up to 2 percent growth. Earnings per share should fall within a range of $4.95 to $5.10, Best Buy said Tuesday, compared with a prior range of $4.80 to $5 a share. The company also said operating margins should decline in the third quarter as investments ramp up, including those backing the national rollout of a tech support platform. Higher supply chain costs and higher transportation expenses are expected to pressure Best Buy's gross profit rate, CFO Corie Barry said on an earnings conference call. Retailers Walmart and Target have similarly cited greater fuel costs as hurting profit margins. Earlier this year, Best Buy announced it would be closing all 250 of its smaller-format mobile phone shops in order to focus more on its core business and service options within its existing, full-service locations. It's since made several moves to do so. The retailer announced plans this month to acquire health services provider GreatCall for $800 million, in a bid to sell more products to an aging demographic. The purchase by Best Buy will help "counterbalance the pressure on both sales growth and margins of electronics products," GlobalData Retail managing director Neil Saunders said. Best Buy is also working with longtime rival Amazon to sell smart TVs, CNBC reported in April. Best Buy has managed to hold onto market share as it locks in new sources of revenue that aren't so dependent on product sales, including building its Geek Squad and in-home advisor network and expanding outside of the U.S. As of Monday's market close, Best Buy shares were up about 33 percent over the past 12 months, bringing the company's market cap to about $22.8 billion.

2018-02-13 16:52:00

A medical examiner who conducted the autopsy on 8-year-old Cherish Perrywinkle became emotional in court Tuesday as she discussed the last moments of the young girl’s life. Dr. Valerie Rao was testifying during the trial of Donald James Smith, 61, who faces charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping and sexual battery of the girl. If convicted, he faces the death penalty. Rao testified that Cherish had sustained severe injuries from being strangled, tortured and raped. As she looked at photos of Cherish’s battered body, Dr. Rao began to cry and asked to take a break. The testimony came one day after State Attorney Melissa Nelson gave a devastating opening statement.  “Cherish did not die quickly, and she did not die easily,” she told jurors. “In fact, hers was a brutal and tortured death.” The trial has been difficult for the jurors, who have wiped their eyes, covered their mouths and looked away from the grisly crime scene photos, according to Jacksonville.com. According to a police report obtained by PEOPLE, Smith allegedly lured Cherish’s family to a Jacksonville-area Walmart in June 2013, promising to buy them food and clothing. Cherish’s mother, Rayne Perrywinkle, initially declined to go with Smith, but he allegedly said that his wife had a $100 Walmart card and they would meet her at the store. Rayne Perrywinkle told police that she told him, “I don’t usually go with strangers, but if your wife is coming, then it’s OK.” Perrywinkle was unaware that Smith was not married and that he was on the Florida sex offender registry. He had been released from prison just 21 days earlier. At some point on that trip, the girl vanished. Surveillance video showed Smith and Cherish leaving together. Her mother called 911. “I hope to God he doesn’t kill her and I hope to God he doesn’t rape her,” Perrywinkle told the dispatcher. The next morning, Cherish’s half-naked body — still wearing the same dress orange dress she wore to Wal-Mart – was found under a fallen tree in a grassy marsh area several miles away. • Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. The defense has tried to suppress several graphic photos of the girl’s injuries, but the judge has ruled that the jury will be able to see them. The jury is currently being selected. The jury will not hear testimony about Smith’s prior convictions. • For more compelling true crime coverage, follow our Crime magazine on Flipboard. According to records obtained by PEOPLE, Smith has a long criminal history. In 1977, he was convicted of lewd and lascivious behavior on a child under 16. In 1993, he was sentenced to five years in prison for the attempted kidnapping of a minor. He is registered as a sex offender. Last year he pleaded guilty to attempted impersonation of a public employee and attempted child abuse by mental harm.  He spent a year in jail and was released just three weeks before Cherish was found dead. During the defense opening statement, attorney Julie Schlax urged jurors to focus on the law rather than emotion. “We are here in this courtroom because the state of Florida is seeking the death penalty, and you have just heard an emotionally charged opening statement designed to anger you,” Schlax told jurors. “What we are asking you to do is to ask the state of Florida to live up to the burdens of proof, because they share it alone.” The trial is expected to last more than a week.

2019-08-12

LONDON (Reuters) - Nigel Farage, the leader of Britain’s Brexit Party, has lambasted Prince Harry and his American wife Meghan along with other members of the royal family in a speech in Australia, the Guardian newspaper reported on Monday. According to the Guardian, Farage ridiculed Harry’s remarks last month that the couple only wanted two children because of the environmental impact, while he also described the Queen Mother, the late mother of the monarch, as an “slightly overweight, chain-smoking gin drinker”. Despite having repeatedly failed to be elected to Britain’s parliament, Farage has over the last decade become one of the most prominent political figures in the country, first as leader of UKIP and now head of the Brexit Party, which came out on top in the UK in May’s European Parliament elections. Media were not present for Farage’s speech to Sydney’s Conservative Political Action Conference on Saturday but the Guardian said it had heard a recording of part of it. Farage’s spokesman said the comments had been taken out of context and the Guardian had “been naughty”. “They’re playing fast and loose with this,” he said. While Farage, who relishes his reputation as a plain-speaking man of the people, lavished praise on the Queen, saying she was “an amazing, awe-inspiring woman, we’re bloody lucky to have her”, he derided her son and heir Prince Charles. “When it comes to her son, when it comes to Charlie Boy and climate change, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. Her mother, Her Royal Highness the queen’s mother, was a slightly overweight, chain-smoking gin drinker who lived to 101 years old,” he said according to the paper. “All I can say is Charlie Boy is now in his 70s ... may the queen live a very, very long time.” He also took aim at Charles’s younger son Harry and his wife Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. “Well, if I want the queen to live a long time to stop Charlie Boy becoming king, I want Charlie Boy to live even longer and William to live forever to stop Harry becoming king,” Farage was quoted as saying. “Terrifying! Here was Harry, here he was this young, brave, boisterous, all male, getting into trouble, turning up at stag parties inappropriately dressed, drinking too much and causing all sorts of mayhem. He was the most popular royal of a younger generation that we’ve seen for 100 years. “And then he met Meghan Markle, and it’s fallen off a cliff.” Farage’s spokesman said the comments were not meant as criticism of Elizabeth’s mother, the wife of George VI who died in 2002, and the paper appeared to have taken off the cuff answers and changed their meaning. “This is not an attack on the Queen Mother in the slightest. It’s basically saying she lived until 101 so the queen, given that has a much better lifestyle than the Queen Mother, will live for a lot longer,” the spokesman said. Farage’s brand of populism and anti-EU rhetoric helped force the government of David Cameron to hold the 2016 EU referendum and then was a leading figure in the successful campaign to secure a vote in favor of Brexit. Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and David Holmes

2017-11-03

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - BMW AG said on Friday it is recalling about 1 million vehicles in North America for two separate issues involving fire risks and said it may expand the recalls to other countries. One recall covers 670,000 2006-2011 U.S. 3-Series vehicles to address a wiring issue for heating and air conditioning systems that may overheat and could increase the risk of a fire. The second recall covers 740,000 U.S. 2007-2011 vehicles with a valve heater that could rust and lead to a fire in rare cases. The recall includes some 128i vehicles, 3-Series, 5-Series and X3, X5 and Z4 vehicles. BMW spokesman Michael Rebstock said the recalls overlap and cover about 1 million vehicles, nearly all in the United States and about 15,000 in Canada. He said the recalls may be expanded. “We are examining whether it will be necessary in the future to widen this (recall) into other countries,” he said. BMW said both recalls followed recent meetings with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In the heating and air conditioning recall, BMW told NHTSA it first got a report of an incident in 2008 involving heat- related damage to a 2006 3-Series sedan, but did not determine a root cause. The automaker continued to monitor additional field incidents in the following years. In 2011, BMW made a quality improvement to the blower-regulator wiring harness. No injuries were reported between 2007 and 2014, but in 2015, BMW was made aware of three incidents in which there were allegations of injuries. In early September, BMW learned of another incident involving a 2011 BMW 3 Series vehicle. Dealers will replace a wiring harness if necessary and potentially additional parts. In the valve heater issue recall, BMW first received a report in 2009 of an incident in a 2007 X5 involving heat-related damage to the engine compartment, the company told NHTSA. It received other reports and continued to review the issue and inspect returned parts, but had no reports of injuries or crashes related to the issue. Dealers will replace the valve heater. Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington and Laurence Frost in Paris; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Dan Grebler

2017-03-10 20:04:59

WASHINGTON — The Marine Corps’ top officer on Friday urged female Marines whose intimate photos were secretly shared by a members-only Facebook group of active-duty and retired Marines to come forward and cooperate with military investigators. “I understand why that might be a bit of a reach for them right now,” said Gen. Robert B. Neller, the Marine Corps commandant, during a Pentagon news conference. “The only way that there’s going to be accountability in this, is if somebody comes forward and tells us what happened to them.” The Marine Corps has been rocked by disclosures that an all-male, invitation-only group called Marines United shared thousands of nude and other private photos of Marine Corps women. As reports spread that illicit images may have also been shared on other social media sites, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has harshly criticized such violations of privacy and betrayals of trust, and has signaled that he will hold military and civilian officials accountable for cracking down on the abuses. “The purported actions of civilian and military personnel on social media websites, including some associated with the Marines United group and possibly others, represent egregious violations of the fundamental values we uphold at the Department of Defense,” Mr. Mattis said in a statement. “The chain of command is taking all appropriate action to investigate potential misconduct and to maintain good order and discipline throughout our armed forces,” he added. “Lack of respect for the dignity and humanity of fellow members of the Department of Defense is unacceptable and counter to unit cohesion. We will not excuse or tolerate such behavior if we are to uphold our values and maintain our ability to defeat the enemy on the battlefield.” Most of the focus has fallen on the Marine Corps — not only because of the Facebook group, but also its warrior culture and the fact that it has the smallest percentage of women among the services. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service has begun an investigation into the site. Investigating the abuse, however, will require the Marines to win the trust of women whose photos and personal details were posted in the group. So far, fewer than 10 women have taken their complaints to the Marines, General Neller said. And despite General Neller’s call for cooperation from the victims, it remained unclear how many women were even aware their photos were posted, since the site was members-only and now has been taken down. General Neller said he was establishing a task force to examine what institutional changes need to be made to training and policy to combat the “subculture that may have given rise to this.” He said the task force would include female Marines. “I’m not going to lay this off on anybody else, on the society or anybody else,” he said. “This is our problem and I own it. We own it.” He also pledged to any women who lodged complaints that “the chain of command is obligated and required by order, rule and regulation and by my direct directions to make sure that they’re protected.” General Neller has a long military record, including service in the invasion of Panama, operations in Haiti and in the war in Iraq. But he has little familiarity with Facebook or direct experience with social media — which he acknowledged might have made him slow to respond to the problem of misogynist websites. “I don’t have a Facebook page; I don’t do social media,” he said. “I’m generationally challenged here, all right.” The Marines also took action on another front: allegations of physical abuse by drill instructors at Parris Island, the training center in South Carolina. On Friday, the service announced that it would hold a preliminary hearing next Thursday to determine whether charges should proceed against a gunnery sergeant in relation to the death of a Muslim recruit. Raheel Siddiqui, 20, died last March after falling three stories from a stairwell at the training depot at Parris Island. An earlier investigation into the case found that on March 18, Mr. Siddiqui gave a note to an instructor before breakfast, asking to go to sick call because he “coughed blood a few times last night” and “completely lost his voice and can barely whisper.” The instructor yelled at Mr. Siddiqui and made him do sprints the length of the barracks, which are known in the Marine Corps as squad bays. Mr. Siddiqui, crying, collapsed, holding his throat, at which point the instructor slapped him in the face loud enough that it could be heard throughout the squad bay, according to the report. After being hit, Mr. Siddiqui got up, ran out of the barracks, and jumped into a stairwell, falling 38 feet. He was pronounced dead a few hours later. While investigators ruled his death a suicide, they noted a pattern of abuse and hazing in training. The sergeant’s name has not been released.

2018-02-26

The Apple TV 4K didn’t get rave reviews, which makes its $179 price tag a bit tough to swallow if you’ve been waiting to upgrade your current model. But if you’re locked into the Apple ecosystem and have been scouring for a steep discount, DirecTV Now is currently running a pretty good deal that’ll get you new Apple TV model for just $105. At about $74 off retail, it’s one of the best deals out there for the new Apple TV, which still goes for about $149 for a refurbished model. With the promotion, the AT&T-owned company is giving away a free Apple TV 4K with 32GB for three prepaid months of DirecTV Now service (the cheapest of which is $35 a month for about 60 live channels). Only new subscribers are eligible, and your service will automatically renew after three months, so if you just want the keep Apple TV and not the service, remember to cancel before the renewal period.

2017-02-28

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump told Congress on Tuesday he was open to immigration reform, shifting from his harsh rhetoric on illegal immigration in a speech that offered a more restrained tone than his election campaign and first month in the White House. Trump, in a prime-time address to a country that remains divided over his leadership, set aside disputes with Democrats and the news media to deliver his most presidential performance to date, seeking to regain the confidence of Americans rattled by his leadership thus far. The president’s speech was long on promises but short on specifics on how to achieve a challenging legislative agenda that could add dramatically to budget deficits. He wants a healthcare overhaul, broad tax cuts and a $1 trillion public-private initiative to rebuild degraded roads and bridges. Trump built a base of support behind his presidential campaign by vowing to fight illegal immigration. In his speech, he took a more moderate tone, appealing to Republicans and Democrats to work together on immigration reform. He said it was possible if both Republicans and Democrats in Congress were willing to compromise, although he also said U.S. immigration should be based on a merit-based system, rather than relying on lower-skilled immigrants. Comprehensive immigration reform eluded his two predecessors, Democrat Barack Obama and Republican George W. Bush, because of deep divisions within Congress and among Americans over the issue. Trump said reform would raise wages and help more struggling families enter the middle class. “I believe that real and positive immigration reform is possible, as long as we focus on the following goals: to improve jobs and wages for Americans, to strengthen our nation’s security, and to restore respect for our laws,” said the Republican president. Trump’s first month in office was dominated by a fight over his temporary travel ban on people from seven Muslim-majority nations, repeated attacks on the news media and harsh personal criticism of judges who blocked his immigration order. In his speech on Tuesday, he appeared to look for a reset, trying to move past a chaotic period that sowed doubts about his ability to govern effectively. “The time for trivial fights is behind us,” he said. Financial markets showed a muted reaction as Trump gave few specifics or new details. Early signs showed Trump’s speech drew a positive response. A CNN/ORC poll found 57 percent of viewers thought Trump’s speech was very positive and 69 percent said they felt more optimistic about the future of the country. “He’s lost his foot and mouth disease,” said Tom Beckwith, 71, of Seminole, Florida. “This was a tremendous speech. He’s cured.” Still, there was plenty of evidence of ongoing partisan divisions. In the chamber of the House of Representatives where Trump spoke, Democrats sometimes sat in silence and turned their thumbs down at his remarks. Many women lawmakers wore white in a subtle show of protest. Democratic Senator Christopher Coons of Delaware called Trump’s speech one of “the most coherent public addresses he’s given in a month.” But Coons said he viewed Trump’s forthcoming budget proposals as “gravely concerning,” citing the president’s plan for paying for a defense buildup by cutting foreign aid and other programs. Much of Trump’s speech focused on solving problems at home in line with his “America first” rhetoric. Apart from criticizing Obama for increasing the national debt, Trump did not mention the federal budget deficit, which will severely limit any new spending programs. On immigration, Trump again pledged to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, but he made no mention this time of Mexico paying for it. He also said he would “shortly take new steps to keep our nation safe,” referring to a new executive order he is to sign to replace one embroiled in the courts. Trump focused part of the speech on foreign policy, stressing his support for NATO but insisting allies pay more for their defense. In a possible nod to his bid to warm relations with Russia, which he did not mention by name, Trump said: “America is willing to find new friends, and to forge new partnerships, where shared interests align.” Trump has been criticized for his praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin. A U.S. congressional committee is investigating contacts between Trump’s election campaign and Russia to see if there were any inappropriate communications. “We want harmony and stability, not war and conflict,” said Trump, who said, however, he would embark on a big defense buildup. Trump said he wanted to provide “massive tax relief” to the middle class and cut corporate tax rates. But he did not offer specifics and failed to comment on the most pressing tax issue facing Congress, a proposed border adjustment tax to boost exports over imports. Lawmakers have been looking to Trump for more leadership on an issue that has divided corporate America and Republicans in Congress. Trump called on the Republican-led Congress to repeal and replace Obamacare with reforms that expand choice, increase access and lower costs. Republicans remain divided on how to accomplish that goal and Democrats vehemently oppose tampering with a system that provides health insurance for millions of low-income Americans. While Trump’s comments lacked detail, it was the first time he publicly supported tax credits to help Americans purchase their own coverage, a nod to health insurers who say they are necessary to keep people in the market. Former Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear said in the Democratic response to Trump’s speech that “you and your Republican allies in Congress seem determined to rip affordable health insurance away from millions of Americans who most need it.” In the most emotional moment of the night, Trump singled out Carryn Owens, the widow of U.S Navy SEAL William “Ryan” Owens, who was killed in a raid on al Qaeda in Yemen. Owens, tears streaming down her face, clasped her hands and looked upward from her spot in the balcony as lawmakers and the president applauded her in the longest ovation of Trump’s hour-long speech. Trump said the mission that her husband participated in obtained vital intelligence that could be used against Islamist militants, taking issue with news reports quoting U.S. officials who said little was gained from the raid. Additional reporting by Richard Cowan, Ayesha Rascoe, Jeff Mason, Emily Stephenson, Doina Chiacu in Washington, Megan Davies in New York and Letitia Stein in Clearwater, Fla.; Editing by Peter Cooney

2018-08-29 00:00:00

The Iranian disinformation campaign uncovered by Facebook this month is much larger than previously thought, with a network of at least 10 sites and dozens of social media accounts known as the International Union of Virtual Media (IUVM) found to be part of the same operation, according to a Reuters investigation. The big picture: The sites and social media accounts, which appear on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube in 11 different languages, push content from Iranian state media while concealing the original source of information. The discovery continues to highlight efforts to influence American public opinion by foreign adversaries beyond Russia.

2019-12-11 00:00:00

JAKARTA, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Indonesia plans to sell two new types of bonds next year, including one tailored for Indonesians living overseas, to diversify its bond market, a finance ministry official said on Wednesday. The 2020 state budget has an estimated deficit of 307.2 trillion rupiah ($21.82 billion), or 1.76% of gross domestic product (GDP), but Indonesia typically raises a lot more through bond sales and multilateral loans to roll over maturing debts. The government will sell diaspora bonds and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) bonds next year, Luky Alfirman, who heads the ministry’s budget financing department, told the parliament’s finance commission. “Our intention is to obtain funding from the diaspora community. So Indonesians abroad can participate in our bond market,” Alfirmans said, adding that the government will offer savings bonds online for the first sale. The SDG bonds are part of the government’s thematic issuance, according to Alfirman’s presentation to the commission, though he did not elaborate. Such bonds are usually sold to raise funds for government programmes to meet the SDGs. In addition to the two new bonds, the government will also expand issuance of endowment-linked Islamic bonds in 2020, Alfirman said. Indonesia first sold such bonds, called waqf-linked sukuk, in 2018 though only for a very small amount. “This is part of our development of social based investment,” Alfirman said. The government will continue to frontload bond sales in the first six months of 2020, Alfirman said, a strategy it has been implementing in recent years to navigate global uncertainty. Around 15%-20% of the total debts will be issued in foreign currencies next year, smaller than the 23% composition of foreign currency debts in 2019, Alfirman said. The government also has plans to convert some U.S. dollar denominated multilateral loans into euro next year to reduce interest payments, Scenaider Siahaan, the finance ministry’s director of loans and grants, said. ($1 = 14,080.0000 rupiah) (Reporting by Maikel Jefriando; Writing by Gayatri Suroyo; Editing by Kim Coghill)

2019-03-07

(CNN)The powerful tornadoes that devastated Lee County, Alabama, not only shattered homes, they sent photographs, diaries and other precious family heirlooms flying for miles. People have been finding these treasures while cleaning up after the deadly storms and are using Facebook to reunite them with their owners. Beauregard resident Heather Lake Jones told CNN that she was "very blessed with no damage" from the tornado and wanted to do something to help. Her friend, Michelle Vann, urged her to start the Lost Treasures and Photographs for Beauregard Tornado Victims Facebook group after they had seen a lot of people sharing photos of the things they'd found. "The power of Facebook is amazing," Jones said. "I have often wondered what I would do if I lost all of my pictures to a fire or something like this. They are irreplaceable treasures." Angelita Hitchcock came to the group on Wednesday in hopes that some of her children's baby pictures might have turned up. She was at home with her husband and two of their three children when a tornado tore the roof off their home and twisted it up "like a pretzel," she said. They barely had a chance to make it to safety, much less think about belongings. "We didn't even have time to get to a bathroom or anything, but we have an interior hallway and we just hunkered down there," she said. Hitchcock said she had taken most of her family photos to their work shed so she could make a photo book for her oldest daughter Aryana's high school graduation. The shed was destroyed. Hitchcock said she did find a few photos of her kids when they were older, but she was sure their baby photos were gone. But on Thursday, Jessica Griggs posted photos that someone brought to Providence Baptist Church while dropping off some donations. Griggs told CNN that she doesn't know who the person was, or where the photos were found. Within an hour, a friend recognized the picture of Hitchcock and Aryana, which was taken when she was about 2. "I am so thankful," Hitchcock said. Hitchcock has lived in the area since she was 7 and knows pretty much everyone in town because she works at Beauregard's only pharmacy. "We are such a strong community, we all know each other, so she [her friend] saw that picture and she knew it was me," Hitchcock said. Cherished motorcycle vest recovered Relatives of Marshall Lynn Grimes, one of the 23 people killed in the tornadoes, also reached out to the group. One person responded that she had found a piece of his mail 26 miles away in Salem. "It's not anything valuable but it was his," she said and offered to mail it to the family. Grimes' stepdaughter, Brooke Waldrop, had asked for help finding his black motorcycle vest. He was the local president of a Christian motorcycle club. CNN affiliate WSFA reports that the vest was found and that the family plans to have a shadow box made to preserve it.

2018-02-07

SEOUL, Feb 7 (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s younger sister, Kim Yo Jong, will visit South Korea to attend the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics on Friday, Seoul’s Unification Ministry said on Wednesday. Pyongyang notified Seoul that Kim Yo Jong would be accompanying Kim Yong Nam, North Korea’s nominal head of state, along with two other senior officials, the ministry said. (Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; Editing by Paul Tait)

2016-06-10

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The hot summer months are the boom time for U.S. gasoline sales, and naturally the season when refiners are all-in on pumping out the motor fuel for drivers on U.S. highways. But an unusual glut of gasoline - just as refiners are ramping up to produce more - has caught them on the wrong side of distillate margins for the second time in less than 12 months. Instead of minting bigger profits on refining gasoline, they are seeing margins shrink because of oversupply, potentially leading to disappointing earnings. U.S. gasoline inventories are currently about 9 percent above their five-year average, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The gasoline oversupply has presented refiners with the unusual dilemma of whether to switch summer output toward distillates. It is a mirror image of what happened with distillate products in the winter, when weak demand for diesel and heating oil left a big surplus in those products, and hammered independent refiners’ earnings at a time when those products are normally in high use. Typically, gasoline trades at a premium to diesel during the hot months of June, July and August. However, on Wednesday, gasoline’s premium to diesel and heating oil fell to a mere one cent, down from a peak of 29 cents in early April. “Gasoline is on the verge of trading under diesel... in JULY!!! That’s insane,” a trader at a U.S. bank said in an instant message. The industry as a whole has been churning out gasoline hard for the past year, as a golden period of refining margins emerged out of the ashes of the crude oil rout. A mild winter led to swelling distillate stockpiles, resulting in a rare winter occurrence where heating oil traded at a discount to gasoline, catching refiners off-guard at a time when they typically increase distillate production to meet high demand for heating oil. As a result, independent U.S. refiners reported their worst quarterly profits in five years in April. With better margins for gasoline, refiners moved in that direction. Phillips 66 CEO Greg Garland said in an April earnings call that the company had been running “pretty much max gasoline,” a point echoed by several other CEOs that month. Despite strong demand, gasoline margins dipped in recent weeks as traders feared high imports and rising supply would make it harder to work through record inventories. “Refiners killed the gasoline golden goose this year by overproducing. They were actually making summer gasoline during winter. That says it all,” said Nevyn Nah, oil products analyst at Energy Aspects. Earnings per share at top U.S. refiners, including Phillips 66, Valero and Marathon Petroleum, are expected to fall well short of analysts’ expectations in the second quarter, according to StarMine, a unit of Thomson Reuters. The surprise strength in diesel has again caught refiners off-guard. Prices of distillates, which include heating oil and diesel, have seen an unusual surge in recent weeks due to robust overseas demand combined with lower domestic production. Refinery strikes in France have also propelled prices forward. “This (strong distillate demand) will continue to run into back end of June. We still see strong demand into July right now, so I think it may have an even longer bull run,” an East Coast refining source said. Seasonally, the last time gasoline traded at a discount to diesel was in 2013. If diesel’s premium does return, refiners will likely make a switch, said Mark Broadbent, Wood Mackenzie’s senior research analyst for refining and oil product markets. Delta Air Lines Inc is currently considering pulling back the reins on gasoline output to boost diesel production, according to a source familiar with the plant’s operations. Others think it might not be the easiest or the best strategy to switch just yet. Gasoline is still the marquee product for the summer, said Tom Kloza, global head of energy analysis at OPIS. “If I were in a refinery meeting in the next 60 days, there’s no question I would say, ‘Let’s make as much gasoline as possible,’” said Kloza. Reporting by Devika Krishna Kumar and Jarrett Renshaw in New York

2016-06-02 00:00:00

(CNN)First he shot and killed an elephant in Africa. Then he fried it in butter and ate it. But don't ask Australian lawmaker and proud huntsman Robert Borsak for any apologies, despite the backlash he's getting for admitting it to parliament. "What do you think happens to elephant carcasses that are killed under license?" Borsak, a member of parliament of the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party (SFF), asked CNN. "They are the property of the traditional owners, they value the meat as one of their only sources of protein." He was speaking to parliament in New South Wales about animal rights Tuesday night when Green Party MP Jeremy Buckingham interrupted him, asking if he ate the dead elephant pictured with him in a hunting photo. Borsak said he did, and later confirmed to CNN that he found it tasty. The politician says he ate one meal of cooked elephant, but then ate more "mostly as biltong for a few days afterwards whilst hunting." Biltong is a type of dried cured meat, similar to jerky. Buckingham took to Twitter, calling the act "disgusting." But Borsak fired back on social media, showing a photo of Buckingham chowing down on Borsak's venison sausages at a parliamentary barbeque. Animal rights groups such as the UK's Labour Animal Welfare Society have been retweeting the news, but Borsak's hunting supporters are standing behind him. The controversy over legal elephant trophy hunting has raged for many years, with countries such as Zimbabwe, Tanzania, South Africa and Mozambique allowing controlled hunts. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES) allows several African countries to legally export hundreds of ivory tusks annually. But due to poaching, wildlife protection group WildAid estimates 33,000 elephants are killed each year.

2020-02-20 00:00:00

Feb 20 (Reuters) - WARBA BANK: * Q4 NET PROFIT ATTRIBUTABLE 4.4 MILLION DINARS VERSUS 4.6 MILLION DINARS YEAR AGO * Q4 TOTAL OPERATING REVENUE 17.7 MILLION DINARS VERSUS 14.7 MILLION DINARS YEAR AGO Source:(bit.ly/39Q5wxC) Further company coverage:

2019-05-19 00:00:00

(CNN)The 2020 Democratic primary, which already boasts more than 20 candidates, may seem tame compared to a House race in the Bronx. A couple of months after veteran Rep. José Serrano announced he would retire in 2020, some Democrats in New York and Washington have grown worried that Councilman Rubén Díaz Sr., a 76-year-old, cowboy hat-wearing Pentecostal minister known for his constituent services and controversial statements on social issues, could be elected to Congress in a deep blue district next to one led by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. While the presidential contenders quibble over policy, this congressional race has already turned personal. Councilman Ritchie Torres — the first out gay person to hold elected office in the borough and a likely competitor in the race — told CNN, "Rubén Díaz Sr. is the most vicious homophobe in New York State politics." Díaz, a self-proclaimed "conservative Democrat" is out of step with the national party's views on abortion and same-sex marriage. He was the only Democrat in the state Senate to vote against a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in 2011. And he has been sharply criticized in recent months for saying the City Council is "controlled by the homosexual community"; he was subsequently stripped of his chairmanship of the For-Hire Vehicle committee and urged to resign by the City Council Speaker Corey Johnson. Díaz did not respond to multiple requests from CNN for comment on this story. He has said publicly that he is in favor of traditional family values and is attacked for espousing them. "What I said is not homophobic, it's the truth," Díaz told the New York Daily News in February, adding he was the "victim" amid the demands for him to apologize. But Díaz, who previously served in the New York State Senate for 15 years, is viewed as a strong contender in the campaign with a proven base of support, especially among senior citizens, ministers through his New York Hispanic Clergy Organization and taxi cab drivers. "No one should underestimate Rubén Díaz Sr.," said US Rep. Nydia Velázquez, who has not endorsed anyone in the emerging race. "The voters know him." A crowded race emerges Díaz is set to face Torres and Assemblyman Michael Blake, a vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee who will officially announce his campaign at a rally Sunday, in the primary. Torres told CNN it is "extremely probable" that he will run for Serrano's seat. He said he would focus on issues like increasing federal investment in public housing, building on his work as the chairman of the relevant committee in the City Council. In a separate interview, Blake said his record on criminal justice reform issues — including boosting efforts to raise the age of criminal responsibility, banning commercial bail and helping charitable bail organizations assist poor people — can't be beat. Yet, they both turned their sharpest comments for Díaz Sr. In calling out his controversial statements regarding the gay community, Torres said Díaz Sr. should be running in the Republican primary instead. And Blake called Díaz's rhetoric "absolutely unacceptable," "divisive," "hateful" and "not at all becoming of someone that should be running for Congress or quite frankly an elected office." A week ago, local media reported that Díaz said at a City Council sexual harassment training session, "I'm not gonna rat my people out!" Legislators including Torres quickly began writing bills to tighten the rules for reporting such incidents. Blake told CNN his comments were "appalling." Díaz responded that the reports had "distorted" what he said, arguing he has "immediately addressed any sexual harassment or bullying if I have even suspected that a woman has felt uncomfortable when someone is violating the rules." Paul Lipson, a former chief of staff for Serrano, said that aspects of the current congressman's legacy — from restoring the Bronx river to his work on immigrants' rights — will last. "But I do think that the values that he brought to the seat may not endure," he added. Díaz Sr. boasts multiple advantages in a congressional race, from sharing the same name as his son, Rubén Díaz Jr., the Bronx borough president, to having a defined constituency in a multi-candidate race. And more may come besides Torres and Blake: Marlene Cintron, the president of the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation, told CNN she was considering running and will make her decision in June or July. "If it's more than two candidates running in the same race that he's in, I'm afraid that he is going to be the next member of Congress from that district," said Gerson Borrero, a NY1 political commentator, told CNN. "He does have a base, which is a problem with this guy." The South Bronx district is poorer and less white than the one next door represented by Ocasio-Cortez. But it's even more Democratic. Serrano, who has served the district for almost 30 years and is the longest-serving Puerto-Rican member of Congress, won reelection in 2018 with 96% of the vote. The demographics of the district — about two-thirds Latino and one-third black—could favor Latino candidates like Díaz Sr. or Torres. "Our primary voters in the district skew older and slightly, every so slightly more socially conservative than you might expect in such a thoroughly Democratic district," Lipson said. He said that every candidate's challenge will be to motivate people to come out to vote next June, when segments of the electorate, particularly young people, don't. New York delegation 'monitoring the situation' All of these factors are on the minds of some of the Democratic members of Congress from New York. In interviews, they generally praised Torres and Blake — who worked on Barack Obama's 2008 campaign and then in the White House — while noting others could also join the race. But the conversation turned sour when asked about Díaz Sr. Rep. Adriano Espaillat said Torres is "one of the good candidates" and Blake is "also a worthy candidate." When asked about Díaz, Espaillat said, "We'll leave that one." Ocasio-Cortez, who serves the neighboring district, said it was "unfortunate" that Díaz entered the race. "He has a disturbing track record towards the LGBT American community," Ocasio-Cortez told CNN. She said she would "absolutely not" support his candidacy. (Díaz has claimed he is the "opposite" of Ocasio-Cortez.) Another member of the delegation said, "I don't think there's any real concern right now that he's guaranteed to win that race, but people are monitoring the situation." To be sure, there will be other issues in the race besides Díaz's candidacy. Torres called for a congressional investigation into Trump administration's "almost willfully starving" of Puerto Rico. And he has straddled ideological lines, supporting Sen. Bernie Sanders in the 2016 presidential primary, without embracing that candidate's signature issues like single-payer health care or the Green New Deal. Torres calls himself a "pragmatic progressive" that wants to "maximize" renewable energy and supports "at a minimum" providing a public health insurance option. He notes all the hospitals in the area and says he wants to hear from the unions before considering more sweeping overhaul of the health care sector. "The residents of the South Bronx are largely motivated by bread and butter concerns, a struggle to survive in the most expensive city in the world in a city that's becoming crushingly unaffordable," he said. As for Blake, he's pitching a "believe in the Bronx" campaign, while trying to prove that he can win a race for Congress after losing a campaign for New York City Public Advocate in a special election earlier this year. He said the campaign raised his profile and he has plenty of time before the congressional primary. "I already represent a Latino-majority district and been elected three times," Blake said. "People are looking for a vision, they're not just looking to you because of race." "I think this is about people deciding who is the best representative for us, not just on ethnicity and background but truly who can unite," he added. But on one thing, both agree: Rubén Díaz Sr. needs to go.

2017-11-30

BERLIN, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Germany’s unemployment total fell more than expected in November, data showed on Thursday, reflecting the strength of a labour market that continues to generate new jobs and support a consumption-led upswing in Europe’s largest economy. Data published by the Federal Labour Office showed the seasonally adjusted jobless total fell by 18,000 to 2.476 million, a far bigger drop than the 10,000 forecast in a Reuters poll. The October figure was revised to a fall of 12,000 from a previously reported decrease of 11,000. The unemployment rate remained at 5.6 percent, the lowest level since German reunification in 1990. “The very good development on the labour market continues,” said Valerie Holsboer of the Labour Office. “Unemployment and underemployment are falling, insurable employment and demand by companies for new workers have risen strongly to a new level.” The healthy labour market should continue supporting a consumption-based growth cycle in Germany, contributing to rising tax revenues which also help the government to increase public spending. For a table of figures, click on: (Reporting by Joseph Nasr; Editing by Michael Nienaber)

2019-02-13

PARIS (Reuters) - Hardline French unions called on Wednesday for a day of strikes and demonstrations on March 19 to protest against President Emmanuel Macron’s economic policies. The strike is the latest union attempt to tap into popular discontent over Macron’s reform drive that has fueled the “yellow vests” (“gilets jaunes”) protest movement. The CGT, Force Ouvriere, Solidaires unions, and the UNL and UNEF student unions, said in a statement that they would protest in favor of higher wages and pensions and in defense of welfare programs. The militant CGT, France’s second-biggest union, already organized a day of nationwide demonstrations on Feb. 5, which attracted some support from yellow vest demonstrators. The loosely organized “yellow vests” protests, named after the fluorescent vests French drivers are required to keep in their cars, started in mid-November over since-scrapped fuel tax hikes, but have since become a broader anti-government movement. France’s largest union, the centrist CFDT, and several other smaller unions have refused so far to participate in the strike. Reporting by Caroline Paillez; Writing by Leigh Thomas; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta

2019-08-07

President Donald Trump pressed his demand Wednesday for the Federal Reserve to accelerate interest rate cuts, saying the U.S. central bank needs to keep pace with its global counterparts. "They must Cut Rates bigger and faster, and stop their ridiculous quantitative tightening NOW," Trump said in a series of early morning tweets. The call comes with U.S. government bond yields tumbling and the closely watched spread between the 3-month and 10-year notes at its biggest inversion since April 2007, just as the economy was heading into the financial crisis. Trump has been a persistent Fed critic even though it approved a quarter-point rate cut at its meeting a week ago. Markets expect another cut at the September meeting, then one or even two more before the end of the year. Waiting, though, isn't an option, Trump said, as he called on the Fed to act now. "Our problem is not China - We are stronger than ever, money is pouring into the U.S. while China is losing companies by the thousands to other countries, and their currency is under siege - Our problem is a Federal Reserve that is too.....proud to admit their mistake of acting too fast and tightening too much (and that I was right!)." Trump's tweet mistakenly implies that the Fed is still in the process of "quantitative tightening," a reference to reducing the amount of bonds the Fed is holding on its balance sheet by allowing a capped level of proceeds to roll off each month. The policymaking Federal Open Market Committee at last week's meeting voted to end the program as of this month. The president also characterized the yield curve as "too wide" even though the gap between the two-year and 10-year notes is at its narrowest since April 2007 and the spread between other maturities continues to contract. Still, he said the Fed could take care of its problems "sooo easily. We will WIN anyway, but it would be much easier if the Fed understood, which they don't, that we are competing against other countries, all of whom want to do well at our expense!" The latest market sell-off accelerated with a Trump tweet last Thursday announcing his intentions to implement 10% tariffs on the remaining $300 billion or so of Chinese goods not already subject to duties. The Dow that day staged a more than 500-point reversal after being up more than 200 points. The blue chip index is off 3.1% over the past week.

2018-12-12 09:00:04

corner office Frustrated with the “ethnic beauty” aisle and products that didn’t work, he built a company for the demographic future. Tristan Walker of Walker & Company.CreditCreditMatt Edge for The New York Times Tristan Walker founded Walker & Company, a maker of health and beauty products for people of color, in 2013. On Wednesday, the company was acquired by Procter & Gamble for an undisclosed sum. The deal represents a successful exit for Mr. Walker and his investors. It also signals an effort by Procter & Gamble, the maker of Gillette, to reach new markets with its shaving products. But while many start-up founders make a hasty exit after getting acquired, Mr. Walker is planning to stay on and grow Bevel, his men’s shaving brand, and Form, his women’s hair care brand. “We’re a team of 15 with very grandiose ambitions,” he said of Walker & Company, which is based in Palo Alto, Calif., but will move to Atlanta as part of the deal. “We want this company and its purpose to still be around 150 years from now.” Mr. Walker grew up poor in Queens. His mother focused on his education, and he was accepted into an elite boarding school. From there he went to Stony Brook University, on Long Island, and then the Graduate School of Business at Stanford. After working at Foursquare, he became an entrepreneur in residence with the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, and from there he started Walker & Company. Mr. Walker also co-founded Code2040, an organization working to improve diversity in the technology industry. This interview, which was condensed and edited for clarity, was conducted earlier this year in San Francisco. What’s that book you’ve got there? It’s “Parallel Lives” by Plutarch. I’ve really been getting into Greek and Roman mythology. I’m reading something right now about the history of Rome during the 53 years when they really came into power, and this idea of the Roman state growing, the Greek state growing, and the differences therein fascinate me beyond belief. I’ve just been devouring it for the past few weeks now. Would you say you’re more of a Greek or a Roman? Roman. In 53 years, these guys came from nothingness and became a global power. It’s just fascinating how you can do that so quickly, with such discipline. For them to reach their apex and decline so quickly, I think there’s something really interesting to learn in that. When I think about my own business, and think about how history really does repeat itself, the Rome story is one that really rings true. This idea of arrogance matched with discipline is a kind of interesting dichotomy to explore a little bit more deeply. Did you read the classics in school? No, no. I was an economics major. I was a great student — 4.0 G.P.A., valedictorian, all that stuff. I learned to study and play to the test, play to the grade, get to the next step. Now I’m in a position where I can actually devour the content I always wanted to. I remember reading Ben Franklin’s autobiography and being so delighted by it. It gave me this real delight to pursue a path of more knowledge. Where’d you grow up? I grew up in the projects in Queens. Fortunately, I had a mother who worked three jobs, did everything she could to ensure that I was set up for success and had the education that I needed. I got a full-ride scholarship to the Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Conn. And from there, I got to see how the other half lived. It completely changed my life. I got to see what success could look like. I got to see what wealth was. And it completely changed my worldview. How so? I would walk down the halls and see last names like Ford, go to some classes and realize they’re Rockefellers. These are names that were in my imagination. It taught me the importance of name and what that can mean, not only for you but your progeny. When I started at Hotchkiss, I didn’t know what a verb was. So I spent all of my time in the library studying. I spent all of my time thinking about what I wanted to be when I grew up. What motivated you during this time? Wealth creation. I mean, I know what the opposite looks like. And I don’t wish that on anybody. I think everyone deserves the opportunity to succeed, and when I saw how the other half lived, it motivated me. When I was younger I realized there are three ways to get rich. The first was to be an actor or an athlete, which didn’t work out for me too well. The second way was to work on Wall Street. And the third way is entrepreneurship, which is what I’m pursuing now. What was your first job after college? I worked for Lehman Brothers each summer during college. Then I graduated, went to work on Wall Street, and realized I hated it. I was a trader. Your goal as a trader is to make money with other people’s money to, at the end of the year, make money for yourself. And there was really nothing validating there for me. I felt that the world was bigger, and that there were other things that needed solving. I have a lot of friends who continued to pursue that path. Thank goodness I left after two years, because they start paying you enough money to keep you there. And then your opportunity cost gets so high that you don’t want to leave, and you get miserable. I saw this happen over and over and over again. I didn’t want to be the victim of that. What did you make of Silicon Valley when you arrived? I was 24 when I came to Stanford. The other 24-year-olds here were not only making millions of dollars but fundamentally changing the world. Why did I not have any idea this place existed? There was this world, this innovation economy, that by design I was unable to participate in because I didn’t know about it. That’s a pretty rosy view of things, about changing the world. Has it changed at all? This diversity problem in Silicon Valley continues to not improve. It is a fundamental problem. The majority of the world is people of color. The majority of this country in 20, 30 years will be. It’s the most culturally influential demographic group on the planet. Why are we not participating in this? When you think about the percentage of black, Latino folks getting funding, it has not gotten better. You had been working at technology companies. How did you wind up starting a consumer goods company? I don’t think there’s much difference. Instead of selling bits, I’m selling physical products. The need here was really the fact that I could not shave. Why are there no products that really understood the fact that I have curly hair? The shaving products that exist cut the hair beneath my skin, and that hair grows into my skin, leading to some irritation issues. That’s just a really simple insight. I’ve also been frustrated for years about having to walk down what’s called an “ethnic beauty aisle,” which is always next to the beauty aisle. There’s not a great assortment of products. The products are usually dirty. There’s a photo on it of some 65-year-old bald black dude in a towel drinking a Cognac, petting a tiger, and it’s absolutely ridiculous. People of color spend more money on this stuff than anyone else. So I said, “I’m going to respect those things before anybody else does, and really create a long-term view around celebrating this beautiful community and culture.” There are other shaving start-ups out there, like Harry’s and Dollar Shave Club. What’s different about Bevel? I can’t use their products. I mean, the fundamental problem is that things like multi-blade razors help exacerbate the condition for folks with curly hair. A hundred years ago, both men and women used to shave with a single-blade razor. This idea of multi-blade did not exist. Multi-blade razors cut the hair beneath your skin, whereas single-blade cuts level with the skin, so there’s nothing to grow into. There’s no patent on single-blades anymore. Let’s think about what that means as a business person, if you lose your patent. What do you do? You try to generate more innovations that get you more intellectual property. So now we have two- all the way up to six-blade razors, which really don’t do anything much different. And companies are neglecting a growing audience of folks that can’t use those things. I recently met with the C.E.O. of a large consumer packaged goods company, and I asked him, “When was the last time you saw a black man shaving in an ad?” Now, this guy has sold tens of millions, maybe billions, of blades. And he said, “Hm. Never.” And I remember feeling not only sad, but really upset. This is your first time leading a company. How are you growing into your shoes as a leader? I’ve worked with a sports psychologist. He said, “Tristan, all you need to do is be better by like 1.2 percent each week, and by the end of the year you’re two times better than you were previously.” I’ve always been this step-function kind of guy. I want to effect change quickly and now. But it’s important to gradually ease into your own personal growth. Slow down and be patient. And then, if you’re two times better than you were the previous year, and everybody else is too, the power of compounding starts to kick in. What are your priorities as you keep building the company? I’m dedicating my life to the demographic shift happening in this country. Not only for Silicon Valley. Not only for business. But for this country’s competitiveness. It’s changing. And folks need to respect that and they need to celebrate it. And if there’s any frustration I continue to have, it’s when folks are lacking in their celebration of it. The more quickly everyone comes to grips with the importance of focusing on this, the better off we’ll all be. The more fair we’ll all be. The more equitable we’ll all be. And the more competitive we’ll all be.

2016-08-12 15:00:06

As America’s criminal justice system became more punitive over the past few decades, so did school discipline. In fact, school discipline became so harsh that it became tied to the criminal justice system — getting students sent to jail for infractions that may have gotten them detention before. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on Thursday announced that it’s suing South Carolina to fight laws that fuel this "school-to-prison pipeline." According to the ACLU, the "disturbing schools" law "allows students in school to be criminally charged for typical adolescent behaviors including loitering, cursing, or undefined ‘obnoxious’ actions on school grounds." The organization is also going after a vague "disorderly conduct" law, which "prohibits students from conducting themselves in a ‘disorderly or boisterous manner.’" The ACLU found that these laws have been used on hundreds of students — some as young as 7 years old. And black students are nearly four times as likely to be targeted under the law. These laws came under some public scrutiny last year when a police officer at Spring Valley High School was fired after he brutally arrested a black student. Richard County Sheriff Leon Lott questioned at the time whether the deputy should have been called into the classroom at all: "I think that's one of the problems that we've got. If we have a child that's not following the rules, deputies are getting called in to handle that. And that's really not our role in the school. And I think sometimes the teachers and administrators should be handling things like this." One of the students involved in the ACLU lawsuit witnessed and tried to protest the brutal arrest in Spring Valley High School. She was then arrested. The ACLU explained: Plaintiff Niya Kenny, 18, is a former student at Spring Valley High School in Columbia. As a student last October, she witnessed a violent, headline-grabbing altercation in her classroom when a school resource officer flipped a classmate over in her desk and dragged her across the room. Kenny, who is African-American, spoke up against the officer’s actions, recounting, "I was in disbelief and I started praying out loud. I said, ‘Isn’t anyone going to help her?’" Kenny was in turn arrested and hauled off to a detention center. The "disturbing schools" law is incredibly vague — students can be charged for "acting in an obnoxious manner" at school. It carries a hefty punishment: a fine of up to $1,000 or jail time up to 90 days. It's under this statute that the student who was brutally arrested in Spring Valley High School was charged after she allegedly refused a teacher’s orders to put away her phone and leave the classroom. Over the past few years, "disturbing schools" has been the third most common offense associated with juvenile cases sent to the solicitor, according to data from the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice. In fiscal years 2013 and 2014, about 1,189 kids were processed through the department for disturbing schools, which made up about 7 percent of all 16,754 processed juvenile cases. These are arrests that likely would not have existed before the law. Instead of sending kids to the juvenile justice system, schools would have likely handled most of these situations with their own in-school discipline, like detention or suspension. Or perhaps the schools would have seen the students’ behavior in these cases as part of a mental health problem, and referred them to get medical help. But through these laws, states and schools have created a pipeline from the classroom to a juvenile detention center. That’s not to say that police officers aren’t going to be needed in schools sometimes. In a country with such a big gun problem, they are. But laws like South Carolina’s enable excessive use of police officers — particularly in situations when students may be disobedient but aren’t posing a real threat to anyone. The ACLU argues that the law violates students’ constitutional due process protections. One of the other problems with these types of "zero tolerance" policies, which states around the country have adopted, is that they're so vague. This makes it easy for school staff to selectively enforce them, often in a way that disproportionately targets black students. There’s good reason to believe this discrimination happens. In a 2014 study, researchers interviewed 264 mostly white, female college students and found that they tended to perceive black children ages 10 and older as "significantly less innocent" than their white counterparts. And as Brent Staples reported for the New York Times, federal investigations have found that schools are more likely to punish black students than white students even when they take part in identical behavior. These are the types of factors that have driven the ACLU to challenge South Carolina’s law. But beyond South Carolina, the challenge could signal to other states that the rise of criminalization in education is excessive and unnecessary. South Carolina isn't the only state to have this kind of law. Over the past few decades, as lawmakers passed tough-on-crime policies, the idea of a tough approach trickled down to schools across the nation. As a result, schools began to outsource more and more discipline to law enforcement. "School disturbance" laws reflect that: Whereas a teacher would have had to find a way to deal with a disturbance before, he or she can now call on police to do the job. The result has been a school-to-prison pipeline that acts as many kids' first exposure to the criminal justice system — and it can lead to more interactions with the justice system later on, because the lost school time and bad marks on kids' records can make it much more difficult to get ahead. But there's also a lot of research and data that shows black kids are much more likely to be affected by schools’ punitive disciplinary policies: So schools aren't just more likely to criminalize their students nowadays. They're more likely to criminalize their black students in particular.

2016-03-25

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Belgium’s interior minister blamed police negligence on Friday for failing to track an Islamic State militant expelled by Turkey last year who blew himself up at Brussels airport on Tuesday. Confronted with the disbelief of the Belgian parliament at a special session, Interior Minister Jan Jambon, who offered to resign over the issue on Thursday, said that while he took political responsibility, “someone has been negligent, and was not sufficiently proactive.” “Someone in our police apparatus blundered,” he said. Belgian authorities are facing embarrassment after Turkey said on Wednesday that Ankara expelled Ibrahim El Bakraoui back to Europe last July, warning that he was a militant. Bakraoui was one of the suicide bombers who carried out the attacks on Tuesday. Belgian and Dutch authorities had been notified of Turkish suspicions that he was a foreign fighter trying to reach Syria. At the time, Belgian authorities replied that Bakraoui, who had skipped parole after serving less than half of a 10-year sentence for armed robbery, was a criminal but not a militant and sought more information from Turkey. Jambon said Bakraoui was caught in Turkey near the Syrian border on June 11, 2015. Turkey informed the Belgian embassy that he would be put on a plane to Amsterdam on July 14 last year, where he was not arrested because Dutch police had not received any instruction to do so from their Belgian counterparts. Jambon said the Belgian police liaison officer at the embassy in Turkey only told police in Belgium six days later, on July 20, that Bakraoui had been detained in Turkey on suspicion of terrorism. The official then sought further confirmation about Bakraoui from Turkish authorities, reporting back with the reply six months later on Jan. 11. Reporting by Robin Emmott; editing by Philip Blenkinsop

2016-09-27 17:23:00

Pro-sports executives like to talk up the value of their franchises to the cities in which they are based. Often this comes in the form of broad, sweeping statements about a team bringing communities together, offering a way to bridge those matters which usually divide us. They seldom define these real-world problems they hope to solve for fear of offending some part of their fan base. And then there's Milwaukee Bucks president Peter Feigin. The city was in the news this summer when the shooting death of Sylville Smith, an African-American, at the hands of the police led to several nights of protests by locals. It was an embarrassing moment for Milwaukeeans, who have longed struggled with racial tension. And Feigin did not mince words when he spoke to a Madison, Wisconsin, Rotary club last week: "We know we can't cure the world. But we are very determined to get ourselves involved in programs that we can measure a difference in and put our claws into for a long period of time and show a difference. "Very bluntly, Milwaukee is the most segregated, racist place I've ever experienced in my life. It just is a place that is antiquated. It is in desperate need of repair and has happened for a long, long time. One of our messages and one of our goals is to lead by example." Now there's something you don't hear everyday from representatives of your local team. This idea of Milwaukee didn't just come to Feigin out of thin air, however. Research from the Brookings Institute, among others, has empirically concluded that it is the most segregated city in America. The Bucks are no strangers to dealing with racial tension in their hometown. Last season, forward John Henson publicly called out a local jewelry store for racial profiling after they locked the door and called the police when he and his friends attempted to enter the store to shop during regular business hours. It will likely be noted that Feigin, a New York native, "ain't even from 'round here." Midwesterners have a long history of railing against accusations from snooty East Coasters that they are behind the times. That doesn't make Feigin wrong, though. [Madison.com]

2018-01-14 20:18:14

Editorial Notebook Normally, the United States ambassador to the Netherlands has a harmonious time, with few controversies, in a safe country that is one of America’s oldest allies. Friendliness has its limits, though, and tenacious Dutch reporters showed Peter Hoekstra, America’s new envoy, that he could be in for a rough ride. Mr. Hoekstra, a Trump nominee and a former nine-term congressman from Michigan, formally took up his post on Wednesday. Celebratory smiles turned to grimaces, however, when, at what should have been a pro forma news conference, Mr. Hoekstra ran into journalists who wouldn’t take no comment for an answer. It all began in December, when a Dutch TV reporter asked Mr. Hoekstra about comments he made in 2015. “The Islamic movement has now gotten to a point where they have put Europe into chaos,” Mr. Hoekstra said at the time. “Chaos in the Netherlands. There are cars being burned. There are politicians that are being burned … and yes, there are no-go zones in the Netherlands.” Mr. Hoekstra said the reporter’s claim about the statement was “fake news.” The reporter then showed a video clip of the remarks, prompting Mr. Hoekstra to deny he had just used the term “fake news.” The exchange went viral. Last week, Dutch reporters had one question they particularly wanted to press Mr. Hoekstra on: Would he admit that his 2015 claims were false, or could he cite an example of a Dutch politician who was burned in recent years? Looking like a deer in headlights, the ambassador tried to brush off his interrogators. Maybe Mr. Hoekstra had watched President Trump spew lies and hate without apology for so long that he thought he could get away with it, too. Not in The Hague, apparently. The journalists came back repeatedly — “This is the Netherlands, you have to answer questions,” one said. They invoked a quote from John Adams, the first American envoy to the Netherlands, about “honest and wise men.” They were probably being ironic. The ambassador looked uncomfortable, but it was refreshing to see reporters demanding honesty from an official and not letting up in the face of resistance. It would be good to see that more often on this side of the ocean, especially since the confrontation seemed to have had a salutary effect. On Friday, Mr. Hoekstra apologized in an interview with a Dutch newspaper: “I’m shocked I said it. It was a misstatement. It was simply wrong.” He added, “I got countries mixed up.”

2020-02-26 00:00:00

Feb 26 (Reuters) - Nordic Nanovector ASA: * NORDIC NANOVECTOR APPOINTS DR LARS NIEBA AS INTERIM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER * NIEBA REPLACES EDUARDO BRAVO WHO AS OF TODAY HAS LEFT CO TO PURSUE OTHER CAREER OPPORTUNITIES Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: (Gdansk Newsroom)

2017-03-08

A Trump campaign aide who argues that Democrats committed "ethnic cleansing" in a plot to "liquidate" the white working class. A former reality show contestant whose study of societal collapse inspired him to invent a bow-and-arrow-cum-survivalist multi-tool. A pair of healthcare industry lobbyists. A lobbyist for defense contractors. An "evangelist" and lobbyist for Palantir, the Silicon Valley company with close ties to intelligence agencies. And a New Hampshire Trump supporter who has only recently graduated from high school. These are some of the people the Trump administration has hired for positions across the federal government, according to documents received by ProPublica through public-records requests. While President Trump has not moved to fill many jobs that require Senate confirmation, he has quietly installed hundreds of officials to serve as his eyes and ears at every major federal agency, from the Pentagon to the Department of Interior. Unlike appointees exposed to the scrutiny of the Senate, members of these so-called "beachhead teams " have operated largely in the shadows, with the White House declining to publicly reveal their identities. While some names have previously dribbled out in the press, we are publishing a list of more than 400 hires, providing the most complete accounting so far of who Trump has brought into the federal government. The White House said in January that around 520 staffers were being hired for the beachhead teams. The list we obtained includes obscure campaign staffers, contributors to Breitbart and others who have embraced conspiracy theories, as well as dozens of Washington insiders who could be reasonably characterized as part of the "swamp" Trump pledged to drain. The list is striking for how many former lobbyists it contains: We found at least 36, spanning industries from health insurance and pharmaceuticals to construction, energy and finance. Many of them lobbied in the same areas that are regulated by the agencies they have now joined. That figure is almost certainly an undercount since we only included those who formally registered as lobbyists, a process increasingly avoided by many in Washington. During the campaign, Trump said he would have "no problem " banning lobbyists from his administration. But they have nonetheless ended up in senior roles, aided by Trump's weakening of Obama-era ethics rules that modestly limited lobbyists' role in government. The White House didn't respond to requests for comment. There are many former congressional staffers, several top officials from the George W. Bush administration, and even a handful of holdovers from the Obama administration. The list also includes at least eight staffers drawn from the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank that forged close ties to the new administration during the transition. Much about the role of the beachhead teams at various federal agencies is unclear. But close observers of the early weeks of the Trump administration believe they have taken on considerable influence in the absence of high-level political appointees. "If the public and Senate is in the dark about a team created without a Senate confirmation process, no one will be permitted to shed light on who is hopelessly conflicted or who is obviously unqualified — and who is both," said Jeff Hauser, director of the Revolving Door Project at the Center for Economic and Policy Research. The beachhead team members are temporary employees serving for stints of four to eight months, but many are expected to move into permanent jobs. The Trump administration's model is based on plans developed but never used by the unsuccessful presidential campaign of Mitt Romney. "The beachhead teams involve people with considerable authority over the federal government," said Max Stier, the CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, a nonpartisan group that advises presidential candidates on smooth transitions. "We need clarity about what they're doing and what their role is going to be." The Obama administration also hired temporary staffers after the inauguration. But Trump has brought in many more, Stier said. The new list of names was provided to us by the Office of Personnel Management, the government's human resources agency. We received additional names from other federal agencies in response to Freedom of Information Act requests. At least a few people on the list have changed agencies or left the administration, including, for example, the young Department of Housing and Urban Development staffer who was fired after his anti-Trump writings during the campaign came to light. Here is a run-down of some of the Trump hires. Ellis was hired Jan. 20 as a special assistant to the secretary at the Labor Department. Asked about his role in a brief phone interview Tuesday, he said: "Nothing I can tell you." Perdue was featured on CNBC's reality series "Make Me a Millionaire Inventor" for his invention, the Packbow, which Perdue came up with while studying "collapsed societies, and what people who lived in those societies came up with to either defend themselves or to survive." It's a bow and arrow that doubles as a compass, tent pole, walking stick, spearfishing rig, and water purification tablet receptacle. Perdue was hired as a special assistant at the Treasury Department. The agency didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Jaggers was hired Jan. 20 as senior adviser at the General Services Administration, which oversees tens of billions of dollars of government procurement every year. But records show he left the job on March 3. He declined to comment. Asked about the three HHS staffers, an agency spokeswoman said: "We are not confirming or commenting on personnel at this time." Mikolay was a speechwriter to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta between 2011 and 2013, according to his LinkedIn profile. Mikolay also previously served as a speechwriter for current Secretary of Defense James Mattis. He declined to comment. Reached Tuesday, Wolf declined to comment. George Rogers, CEO of Wolf's lobbying firm, Wexler Walker, told ProPublica that Wolf is currently on unpaid leave. As we've previously reported, lobbyists for the construction industry trade association and financial services firm TransAmerica are on the team at the Department of Labor. The list also includes what appear to be dozens of former Trump campaign staffers, including several who graduated from college last year. One, Danny Tiso at the Department of Labor, graduated from high school in 2015, according to his LinkedIn profile. He worked for the Trump campaign in New Hampshire. Seth Harris, who was on the first Obama-Biden transition team and later became a top Labor Department official, said it's not uncommon to bring in campaign staff to agencies — "as long as there are senior political people to direct the junior people." "This is how you incorporate the people who are your strongest supporters into the government," he said. "There are plenty of junior jobs in the government that these people can do — public-affairs jobs, special assistant jobs." Reporting was contributed by Robert Faturechi, Jesse Eisinger, Alison Gregor, Jessica Huseman, Lauren Kirchner, Alec MacGillis, Clifford Michel, T. Christian Miller, Charles Ornstein, Andrew Revkin, Marcelo Rochabrun, Lisa Song and Annie Waldman. If you have any information about members of the Trump beachhead teams or their roles in the agencies, contact us at beachhead@propublica.org or via Signal at (774)-826-6240. Here is a guide for how to leak to ProPublica.

2016-12-16 01:45:44

Warriors 103, Knicks 90 OAKLAND, Calif. — Carmelo Anthony is 32 years old. By conventional actuarial tables, he is in the prime of his adult life. In N.B.A. terms, however, Anthony is grizzled beyond his years — a fact that was thrown into sharper relief Thursday, when the Knicks announced hours before tipoff that he would sit out the team’s marquee matchup against the Golden State Warriors. It was the first game this season that Anthony, who has logged more than 36,000 regular-season and playoff minutes in a career that dates to 2003, has missed. Anthony is 11th among active N.B.A. players in terms of career regular-season minutes played. Without Anthony, whose absence was ascribed to a sore right shoulder, and point guard Derrick Rose, held out because of a sore back, the Knicks provided little resistance to the Warriors. Golden State, holders of the league’s best record at 23-4, steadily pulled away for a 103-90 victory at Oracle Arena. “There was no way that I could get out there tonight and be not at the top level, not at full strength, going up against a team like this,” Anthony told reporters before the game. “I just wanted to play it safe.” Anthony described the injury as a bruise he had suffered Sunday while diving for a loose ball in the first quarter of the Knicks’ 118-112 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers. After the injury, he shot 3 for 12 against the Lakers and followed it up with a 4-for-15 performance at Phoenix on Tuesday. “Totally,” Anthony said when asked whether the problem had affected his shooting. “Totally. I mean, that’s everything, being able to extend your shoulder and extend your follow-through. Rebounding, passing the ball — I mean, the Phoenix game, I realized that I couldn’t pass the ball a couple of times.” Anthony did not mention the problem at the shootaround Thursday morning; about 90 minutes after that, the Knicks’ public relations staff announced his impending absence via Twitter. “We weren’t sure if he was going to play,” Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said. “He’s been complaining about his shoulder now for a couple of games. It stiffens up on him. I think what happened is they looked at it and it got stiff and they said, ‘You know what? Let’s make sure that we can get him healthy.’ ” Some opposing teams have seemed to err this season on the side of getting their players some recuperation time when the Warriors come up on the schedule. The Dallas Mavericks went without six players, including four likely starters, in a 116-95 loss to Golden State on Nov. 9. The Utah Jazz were similarly short-handed when the Warriors pulled out a 106-99 win in Salt Lake City on Dec. 8. The hope now is that, with rest and downtime, Anthony will be able to return to action Saturday in the finale of the Knicks’ five-game road trip — against the Denver Nuggets, who took Anthony third over all in that 2003 draft. “I didn’t want to miss this game,” Anthony said. “I definitely don’t want to miss the Denver game. But at this point, it’s just a matter of doing what’s best for my shoulder.” The Knicks flailed offensively without Anthony and Rose, who combine for an average of 38.4 points per game, but the Knicks’ deficiencies at the other end were even more glaring, as they chased after Golden State’s seemingly endless loop of passes. The Warriors were credited with assists on each of their first 36 baskets, before Ian Clark’s layup with 1 minute 11 seconds remaining in the third quarter broke the streak. The Warriors finished with 41 assists on 45 field goals, and won convincingly — leading by 22 points after three quarters — despite a relatively pedestrian night from 2015 MVP Stephen Curry, who finished with eight points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. Klay Thompson led all scorers with 25 points. “Once they get you scrambling around, then you’re kind of in trouble,” Hornacek said. “A lot of time, guys, when they drive, they’re looking for their own shot — ‘How can I get to the basket?’ These guys, they don’t. They drive the ball into the lane going, ‘O.K., where’s my next guy? Because I’ve got Curry out there. I’ve got Thompson out there. I’ve got [Kevin] Durant out there ready to shoot.’ ” The Knicks started sluggishly, which was perhaps to be expected. The team’s final bus from its hotel in San Francisco was caught in snarled traffic coming across the Bay Bridge and was badly delayed; most of the Knicks walked into their locker room just after 6:40 p.m., barely an hour before tipoff. The Knicks shot 39.3 percent in the first quarter while JaVale McGee, the Warriors’ fill-in center with Zaza Pachulia still nursing a right wrist contusion, was busy throwing in alley-oop dunks on consecutive possessions. The Knicks’ Ron Baker, a shooting guard pressed into backup point-guard duty in Rose’s absence, provided a spark offensively in the second quarter, knocking down all three of his field goal attempts. But back-to-back buckets from Curry — including his first of the game, a 3-pointer, after he had opened with six misses — and Shaun Livingston helped the Warriors build their lead back to double digits, and a closing burst left them up 14 points at intermission. Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis, who was thoroughly muzzled by Warriors forward Draymond Green in their two meetings last season, was once again kept under wraps by Green, a two-time runner-up in N.B.A. defensive player of the year voting. Coming off a two-game stretch in which he had scored 60 points, Porzingis drew a foul on Green with a nifty crossover dribble in the second quarter. However, his night was more generally summed up by an earlier sequence in which Green forced Porzingis, the second-year forward, off the left block and elicited an air ball from 12 feet. Porzingis missed nine of his 13 field-goal attempts and felt that the Knicks were rushing their attack to keep up with the Warriors, falling into the trap of taking the first available shot instead of working for the best look. Justin Holiday’s 15 points topped the Knicks’ output. “That’s a chain reaction,” Porzingis said. “Everybody gets a little anxious and starts playing their own game. I think that’s what we did. It just carried through the game. We didn’t play our basketball, the way we can play.”

2018-02-02 11:33:00

Jennifer Braica and April Kreppel have spent nearly 20 years searching for each other. When Braica was born, she was placed for adoption before she and then 2-year-old Kreppel ever had a chance to meet. “Mom had said that she couldn’t afford her, so she had to give her a good home,” Kreppel said, according to ABC News. When Kreppel was 19, she learned that she had a sister who had been placed for adoption. And Braica did not learn she had a sister until she was 27 years old. “I always wanted to find my biological parents,” 47-year-old Braica, of Las Vegas, said, “not to replace my adoptive family, but out of curiosity, to see where my roots were.” After years of searching, Ancestry.com led Braica to distant relatives who helped her find Kreppel. The pair united at a Florida airport on Friday, and shared an emotional embrace. “My sissy!” Braica said as she hugged Kreppel, of Wellington, Florida, at the airport. “Our daughters are so happy because they’ve listened to us whine about it since they were babies,” Braica told WPBF. Since meeting, the sisters have catching up on lost time, spending several days together. “We had a childhood song that we both sand and never knew. We sang it together cooking dinner,” Braica said. “It’s just been amazing. This has been the best week of my life.” Now, the sisters plan to keep in touch and hope to eventually live near each other. “I look at her and I feel like I’ve known her my entire life,” Braica told the station. “She’s beautiful and she’s so much more than I ever expected. And she will never get away from me again.”

2016-09-19 00:50:00

Surprises don’t stop coming for Game of Thrones! After winning three awards at the 68th annual Emmy Awards on Sunday night, the HBO show pushed its total number of awards to 38 – that’s one more award than Frasier – making it the most ever for a primetime TV show. • Check out PEOPLE’s full 2016 Emmy Awards coverage and complete winners list! • Watch PEOPLE & EW Red Carpet Live Sunday night on PEOPLE.com and on People/Entertainment Weekly Network – available on streaming devices or at people.com/PEN. The show won 12 Emmys this year, including awards for best writing in a drama series, best directing in a drama series and best drama, out of 23 nominations. Thrones lost out awards in the acting categories, which included actors such as Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, Maisie Williams, Peter Dinklage and Kit Harington. This is the second consecutive year that the sci-fi show has won the award for outstanding drama series.

2018-04-04 00:00:00

Over the weekend, a compilation video of television anchors parroting the same phrase put together by Deadspin went viral, leading to accusations of news bias and meddling from the Trump administration. In 2016, Politico reported on Jared Kushner's claims that his father-in-law's campaign had "struck a deal" with Sinclair Broadcast Group to "try and secure better media coverage," especially in swing states. Mother Jones also reported on the Sinclair brothers' close ties to the White House last year, citing coverage that called their segments "classic propaganda." But while it's obvious that the mash-up decrying fake news looks like a segment from the Borg, it is less clear if Sinclair's employee directives behind the scenes cross legal lines. On Twitter, Los Angeles Times correspondent Matt Pearce shared an employee contract that a former Sinclair journalist sent him. It included provisions forbidding employees from expressing their personal political views during broadcasts (which isn't that unusual at most organizations, especially in news). However, there were also several sections detailing cases in which an employee's appearance might be grounds for termination. "Employee acknowledges and agrees that his/her employment is based upon, among other things, Employee maintaining a certain physical appearance," one clause says, adding that an employee may not alter their physical appearance wiinthout written authorization from the News Director and General Manager. Another clause — under termination of employment — includes "disability of Employee (including but not limited to any which limits Employee's ability to present a pleasant personal appearance and a strong, agreeable voice)." These sections of the contract (among others) are harsh, even distasteful — but are they illegal? Not necessarily, says Samuel Estreicher, a law professor and the director of the Center for Labor and Employment Law at New York University School of Law. "In general, employment is at will and the employer can fire you for any reason," he says. "Ordinarily, employers may require a uniform of some sort, but with respect to these on-air employees, there may be contractual provisions on appearance." Some local jurisdictions in California, including San Francisco and Santa Cruz, prohibit appearance-based discrimination, but those protections are rare. Nearly all states in the U.S. legally allow employers to discriminate based on weight, making it "very hard to bring a claim," Estreicher explains. (Although in some cases, discrimination against extreme weight can be challenged based on disability.) "You might be able to challenge it in California, and if [an employee] had a union representative, that would be challengeable under a just cause provision," he says. Since an employee's looks can be categorized as a business appearance to some extent, he believes termination based on those criteria would generally be seen as reasonable. It may not be fair, but it isn't against the law either. Additionally, some of Sinclair's anchors are union members, but as SAG-AFTRA told reporter Steven Greenhouse, their contracts may "contain language about journalistic integrity" but "generally nothing" carries specific protections from spouting propaganda. One place Sinclair might run into some trouble, Estreicher counters, is with the latter provision on termination, which seems to link any obstruction to someone having a "pleasant" personal appearance and "agreeable voice" with a disability that would provide grounds for termination. "It sounds like there are a lot of provisions in this contract that may invite arbitrary conduct," Estreicher says. "With on-air people, a lot of the success of their programs depends on their appearance and I don't think it is rare for employers to take on-air appearance into account. But if it is because of disability that someone has a problem with their voice, there may be issues under the Americans With Disabilities Act." Those kinds of conditions might induce many people to up and quit, but as Bloomberg just revealed, the cost of doing so is too high for many Sinclair employees — some of whom were expected to pay as much as 40% of their annual salary to the company by leaving before their contracts are up. In some cases, it might be cheaper to stay and quote the party lines. Read More Like This: Can You Get Fired For Talking Politics On Social Media? Weight Discrimination In The Workplace: The Troubling Lack Of Plus-Sized CEOs The Visible And Invisible Challenges That Workers With Disabilities Face

2017-07-03

Health savings accounts are one of the most-favored investment options in the U.S. tax code. Your HSA contributions are tax-deductible, they grow tax-free and withdrawals avoid taxes if used for qualified health expenses, such as doctor's visits, prescription drugs and dental care. All those advantages can be squandered if you use a high-fee HSA. Investment research firm Morningstar recently evaluated 10 large HSA providers and found that account maintenance fees vary greatly and investment menus could be improved. "Account maintenance fees are the most important factor in choosing an HSA if you plan on using it as a spending vehicle," said Leo Acheson, a senior analyst at Morningstar. "Because interest rates are low, maintenance fees have a much larger impact on balances than rates for the average account holder." Some providers, such as Alliant Credit Union and The HSA Authority, do not charge any monthly fees. Others will waive the maintenance charge if account deposits cross a certain threshold. And a few banks will levy a fee regardless of the balance. (See table below.) "If you're a spender, a fee-free account with a debit card is a great option," said Eric Remjeske, president and co-founder of Devenir, an HSA consulting firm in Minneapolis. Picking an HSA is trickier when you are using it as an investment account. Morningstar gave four providers — Bank of America, HealthEquity, Optum Bank and The HSA Authority — positive scores for their investment options based on below-average fees and the quality of the underlying funds. In general, HSA providers could offer greater transparency about investment fees, Acheson said. For example, not only do providers charge an annual fee for the underlying funds, a majority of them also tack on a fee to invest in their fund lineup. About 10 percent of the roughly 20 million HSA account holders have a balance of $5,000 or more and 4 percent of people are using their HSAs as investment plans, according to Devenir. Many HSA providers require that you have at least $1,000 in your account before you can invest. Morningstar only analyzed a small part of the HSA market. You can comparison shop for accounts from more the 320 providers at HSASearch, which is run by Devenir. Your employer may direct you to sign up with its preferred HSA provider and give you cash to fund it. Roughly 80 percent of employers help fund their workers' HSAs, according to Fidelity. That money can come in the form of a direct contribution or a dollar-for-dollar match. The average contribution at Fidelity-run plans was $541 last year. As long as you are enrolled in a qualified high-deductible health plan, you can choose whatever provider you want. However, if your employer only offers matching HSA contributions to its preferred provider, it makes sense to stick with that account until you have a large enough balance to invest with another HSA provider. In 2017, you (and your employer) can contribute up to $3,400 to an HSA for individuals and $6,750 for families. Account holders age 55 and older can contribute an extra $1,000. Republican lawmakers have proposed nearly doubling contributions limits as part of their efforts to replace Obamacare. "Investors should evaluate HSAs on their investment menus, quality of investments and price," Acheson said. "We don't believe that past performance is predictive of future results, so we placed little emphasis on performance when choosing an HSA."

2017-05-03 18:14:08

BEIRUT, Lebanon — Russia is circulating a draft proposal to Syrian rebel groups and diplomats that envisions pausing the war in Syria through the creation of safe “de-escalation zones,” with outside troops possibly acting as buffers between the antagonists. The draft proposal, shared with The New York Times on Wednesday by participants at Syria talks held in Astana, Kazakhstan, is one of the most detailed suggestions to emerge in recent months in the rocky negotiations to halt the war, now in its seventh year. The proposal would apply to Syrian government and rebel forces in the four main areas of the country where insurgents unaffiliated with the Islamic State still hold significant territory. But it faces a number of challenges, most notably acceptance by the Syrian government and the insurgent groups attending the talks. The insurgent groups suspended participation in the talks on Wednesday to protest what they described as heavy bombing by the Syrian government’s Russian-backed forces the day before that killed dozens, including civilians. The Russian proposal does not specify measures to prevent government warplanes from carrying out such bombings. Rebels said they remained suspicious of Russian guarantees, regardless, because Russia has been unable or unwilling to curb government attacks on civilians. President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia said on Wednesday that the proposal had the backing not only of Russia but also of Iran, another ally of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, and Turkey, which backs some anti-Assad groups. “We as guarantors — Turkey, Iran, Russia — will do everything for this to work,” Mr. Putin said in remarks carried on Russian television, speaking in Sochi, Russia, after meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey. The proposal was made as the United States, another supporter of some anti-Assad groups, appeared to be re-engaging in the negotiations after a prolonged absence. Stuart E. Jones, the acting assistant secretary of state, was in Astana, the most senior American official to participate in Syria talks since President Trump took office. He arrived after Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin held a phone conversation on Tuesday about renewing efforts to resolve the conflict, which has left hundreds of thousands dead and half the population displaced. The draft proposal calls for “de-escalation zones” of safety to be established in four areas: Idlib Province, almost entirely held by jihadist and other rebel groups; Eastern Ghouta, a large area of the Damascus suburbs besieged by government forces; a besieged pocket north of the central city of Homs; and southern Syria along the Jordanian border, where rebel groups backed by the United States and its allies have made gains in recent months against both Islamic State and government forces. Under the proposal, checkpoints ringing those areas would be maintained by both government and rebel forces to allow the free movement of civilians and relief aid. That provision could offer respite from siege warfare, which has been a main weapon of the government. The proposal also says rebel groups would be required to fight the Islamic State and the formerly Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front, now called Tahrir al-Sham, which are not part of any peace process. But the proposal offers few details on how fighting would be thwarted inside the secure zones. An earlier draft circulated by some opposition members included a provision that Syria’s air force would be grounded in those zones — but no mention is made of that provision in a longer draft. It was removed, participants said, because of Syrian government objections. But without that provision, rebels would probably reject the proposal. Analysts in Damascus close to the government of Mr. Assad said the government had rejected any proposal that would accept rebel control of any area, even temporarily. The government has long insisted that it aims to take back all of the country, and it has so far refused any territorial or political compromise with its opponents. The proposal raises the possibility of outside forces’ helping to guarantee a cease-fire. It says military units or “guarantors” would be deployed as monitors. Rebel representatives said they would not accept any from Iran or Russia. Russian news outlets, including the Interfax news agency, said the forces could be from former Soviet states — Kazakhstan was floated as a possibility — or members of the bloc of emerging economies that include Russia, Brazil and India. Those reports also mentioned Arab countries, leading to speculation that Egypt could contribute. Egyptian officials have denied any intention of sending forces to Syria. Changes on the ground in Syria have given credence to the possibility of cease-fire zones as outlined in the Russian proposal. On Tuesday, pro-government militias opened a new commercial corridor between government and rebel-held areas in the town of Khirbet Ghazaleh in southern Syria, imposing a tax of 20 percent. The tax essentially formalized smuggling routes that have profited militants on both sides and could presage the opening of routes in other areas. Hisham Skeif, a former member of the opposition council in Aleppo and now a political spokesman for a rebel faction, was skeptical of the Russian proposal, saying it needed clarification on the precise boundaries of the cease-fire zones and the identities of the monitoring forces. “It was thrown by the Russians as a step in the air,” he said. Russia and the government have typically described rebel fighters as jihadists as a justification to bomb them, he said, “so we are back to the same vortex.”

2016-04-28

DETROIT — Anthony Gose hit a two-run homer to lead the revived Detroit offense and the Tigers downed the Oakland Athletics 7-3 on Thursday on Comerica Park. Gose also doubled and scored another run, and Nick Castellanos had two doubles and knocked in a run. Ian Kinsler notched his American League-leading 11th multi-hit game while scoring two runs and driving in another for the Tigers, who scored at least seven runs for the third time in four games while taking the series 3-1. Detroit slugger Miguel Cabrera chipped in two singles, a run scored and an RBI. Anibal Sanchez (3-2) labored through 5 2/3 innings to get the victory. He gave up two runs and three hits and had a season-high nine strikeouts but also walked seven batters and threw 114 pitches. Francisco Rodriguez got the final out for his fifth save. Stephen Vogt hit a solo homer, and Josh Reddick and Khris Davis knocked in the other runs for the A’s, who finished 5-5 on their 10-day road trip. Jed Lowrie reached base four times with two hits and two walks. Losing pitcher Chris Bassitt (0-2) alllowed seven runs and 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings. Reddick’s RBI single in the third gave Oakland a 1-0 lead. The Tigers responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning, sparked by Gose’s leadoff double. Kinsler and Castellanos had run-scoring doubles during the inning, sandwiching Miguel Cabrera’s RBI single. Vogt led off the fourth with his third homer of the season. The Tigers then knocked out Bassitt with three more runs in their half of the inning. Gose’s second home run of the season followed a leadoff walk to Jose Iglesias. Justin Upton brought in the Tigers’ final run with a two-out single. Davis had a run-scoring single off reliever Blaine Hardy in the ninth before Rodriguez retired Vogt on a flyout with two runners on. NOTES: The Tigers and A’s will have top pitching prospects make their major-league debuts on Friday. The Tigers will promote RHP Michael Fulmer from Triple-A Toledo to face Minnesota at the start of a six-game road trip, while A’s LHP Sean Manaea will open a home series against Houston. Fulmer is making a spot start in place of injured RHP Shane Greene (finger blister), while Oakland hopes Manaea’s call-up from Triple-A Nashville will be permanent. ... A’s RHP Henderson Alvarez, who underwent shoulder surgery last summer, will continue his rehab assignment with Single-A Stockton on Saturday. He’s scheduled to throw four innings and approximately 60 pitches. ... Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera’s multi-hit game on Wednesday was his 435th since joining the team, tying him for 10th place in franchise history with Bill Freehan. ... Tigers OF Cameron Maybin is expected to resume a rehab stint with Triple-A Toledo on Friday. Maybin suffered a wrist fracture when hit by a pitch in spring training.