lol646 0h

lol646 0h By ALEXANDRA OLSON and CATHY BUSSEWITZ NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart’s sweeping rollback of its diversity policies is the strongest indication yet of a profound shift taking hold at U.S. companies that are revaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups in business. The changes announced by the world’s biggest retailer followed a string of legal victories by conservative groups that have filed an onslaught of lawsuits challenging corporate and federal programs aimed at elevating minority and women-owned businesses and employees. The risk associated with some of programs crystalized with the election of former President Donald Trump, whose administration is certain to make dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs a priority. Trump’s incoming deputy chief of policy will be his former adviser Stephen Miller , who leads a group called America First Legal that has aggressively challenged corporate DEI policies. “There has been a lot of reassessment of risk looking at programs that could be deemed to constitute reverse discrimination,” said Allan Schweyer, principal researcher the Human Capital Center at the Conference Board. “This is another domino to fall and it is a rather large domino,” he added. Among other changes, Walmart said it will no longer give priority treatment to suppliers owned by women or minorities. The company also will not renew a five-year commitment for a racial equity center set up in 2020 after the police killing of George Floyd. And it pulled out of a prominent gay rights index . Schweyer said the biggest trigger for companies making such changes is simply a reassessment of their legal risk exposure, which began after U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in June 2023 that ended affirmative action in college admissions. Since then, conservative groups using similar arguments have secured court victories against various diversity programs, especially those that steer contracts to minority or women-owned businesses. Most recently, the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty won a victory in a case against the U.S. Department of Transportation over its use of a program that gives priority to minority-owned businesses when it awards contracts. Companies are seeing a big legal risk in continuing with DEI efforts, said Dan Lennington, a deputy counsel at the institute. His organization says it has identified more than 60 programs in the federal government that it considers discriminatory, he said. “We have a legal landscape within the entire federal government, all three branches — the U.S. Supreme Court, the Congress and the President — are all now firmly pointed in the direction towards equality of individuals and individualized treatment of all Americans, instead of diversity, equity and inclusion treating people as members of racial groups,” Lennington said. The Trump administration is also likely to take direct aim at DEI initiatives through executive orders and other policies that affect private companies, especially federal contractors. “The impact of the election on DEI policies is huge. It can’t be overstated,” said Jason Schwartz, co-chair of the Labor & Employment Practice Group at law firm Gibson Dunn. With Miller returning to the White House, rolling back DEI initiatives is likely to be a priority, Schwartz said. “Companies are trying to strike the right balance to make clear they’ve got an inclusive workplace where everyone is welcome, and they want to get the best talent, while at the same time trying not to alienate various parts of their employees and customer base who might feel one way or the other. It’s a virtually impossible dilemma,” Schwartz said. A recent survey by Pew Research Center showed that workers are divided on the merits of DEI policies. While still broadly popular, the share of workers who said focusing on workplace diversity was mostly a good thing fell to 52% in the November survey, compared to 56% in a similar survey in February 2023. Rachel Minkin, a research associated at Pew called it a small but significant shift in short amount of time. There will be more companies pulling back from their DEI policies, but it likely won’t be a retreat across the board, said David Glasgow, executive director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at New York University. “There are vastly more companies that are sticking with DEI,” Glasgow said. “The only reason you don’t hear about it is most of them are doing it by stealth. They’re putting their heads down and doing DEI work and hoping not to attract attention.” Glasgow advises organizations to stick to their own core values, because attitudes toward the topic can change quickly in the span of four years. “It’s going to leave them looking a little bit weak if there’s a kind of flip-flopping, depending on whichever direction the political winds are blowing,” he said. One reason DEI programs exist is because without those programs, companies may be vulnerable to lawsuits for traditional discrimination. “Really think carefully about the risks in all directions on this topic,” Glasgow said. Walmart confirmed will no longer consider race and gender as a litmus test to improve diversity when it offers supplier contracts. Last fiscal year, Walmart said it spent more than $13 billion on minority, women or veteran-owned good and service suppliers. It was unclear how its relationships with such business would change going forward. Organizations that that have partnered with Walmart on its diversity initiatives offered a cautious response. The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, a non-profit that last year named Walmart one of America’s top corporation for women-owned enterprises, said it was still evaluating the impact of Walmart’s announcement. Pamela Prince-Eason, the president and CEO of the organization, said she hoped Walmart’s need to cater to its diverse customer base will continue to drive contracts to women-owned suppliers even if the company no longer has explicit dollar goals. “I suspect Walmart will continue to have one of the most inclusive supply chains in the World,” Prince-Eason wrote. “Any retailer’s ability to serve the communities they operate in will continue to value understanding their customers, (many of which are women), in order to better provide products and services desired and no one understands customers better than Walmart.” Walmart’s announcement came after the company spoke directly with conservative political commentator and activist Robby Starbuck, who has been going after corporate DEI policies, calling out individual companies on the social media platform X. Several of those companies have subsequently announced that they are pulling back their initiatives, including Ford , Harley-Davidson, Lowe’s and Tractor Supply . Walmart confirmed to The Associated Press that it will better monitor its third-party marketplace items to make sure they don’t feature sexual and transgender products aimed at minors. The company also will stop participating in the Human Rights Campaign’s annual benchmark index that measures workplace inclusion for LGBTQ+ employees. A Walmart spokesperson added that some of the changes were already in progress and not as a result of conversations that it had with Starbuck. RaShawn “Shawnie” Hawkins, senior director of the HRC Foundation’s Workplace Equality Program, said companies that “abandon” their commitments workplace inclusion policies “are shirking their responsibility to their employees, consumers, and shareholders.” She said the buying power of LGBTQ customers is powerful and noted that the index will have record participation of more than 1,400 companies in 2025.Thai government suffers setback in campaign to sway central bank

In conclusion, Emirates Stadium stands as a timeless symbol of Arsenal's legacy, a place where history is made, rivalries are forged, and dreams are realized. As the club looks towards the future with optimism and determination, one thing remains certain – Emirates Stadium will continue to be a stage where the magic of football comes to life, where heroes are born, and where the legacy of Arsenal Football Club is written in the stars.AstroDevam is a premium organisation providing ancient and authentic knowledge of Astrology, Vastu, Numerology, and Innovative Corporate Solutions with a contemporary perspective. AstroDevam, having patrons in more than 100 countries, has been promoted by Achary Anita Baranwal and Achary Kalki Krishnan, who not only have Master's Degrees in Astrology, but are engaged in teaching Scientific Astrology, Vastu, and Numerology for more than three decades. Read More Zodiac Signs That Can Become Good Detective Zodiac Signs that Have the Cutest Smile 5 Most Generous Zodiac Signs Zodiac Signs Who Should Believe Their Intuition 5 Zodiac Signs That Are Masters of Manipulation 5 Most Stylish Zodiac Signs Zodiac Signs That Are Extremely Loving 5 Zodiac Signs Who Always Act Like Smart Zodiac Signs That Love to be Single Top 6 Religious Zodiac Signs As Per AstrologyOne of the key topics of discussion has been Barcelona's recent struggles in major competitions, notably in the Champions League. Messi, who has tasted success and glory in the prestigious tournament before, is eager to lead his team to more triumphs on the European stage. Barcelona's management is committed to providing the necessary support and resources to ensure that Messi and the team can compete at the highest level.

Hunter Biden special counsel pushes back on president's politicization claim

What just happened in Aleppo, and what it means for Syria's civil warFurthermore, the left-wing position has also been a source of concern for Arsenal. Nicolas Pepe, a club-record signing, has struggled to consistently deliver on the left side, often cutting inside onto his stronger foot and becoming predictable for opposition defenders. Willian, another summer signing, has failed to make a significant impact on the left flank, with his performances lacking the creativity and dynamism needed to support Saka effectively.

Meet the Democrats looking to lead the party forward after brutal 2024 losses Democrats line up to be the next Democratic National Committee chair Sign up for the latest with DailyMail.com's U.S. politics newsletter By SARAH EWALL-WICE, SENIOR U.S. POLITICAL REPORTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM IN WASHINGTON, DC Published: 20:07, 28 December 2024 | Updated: 20:07, 28 December 2024 e-mail View comments Democrats are beginning to regroup after their brutal losses in the 2024 election , and the first step on their long road forward will be electing new party leadership. The election for the next chair of the Democratic National Committee is set for February 1. Already a series of contenders have announced they are running to lead the Democratic party in the new age of Donald Trump . It comes after Republicans not only won the White House including the GOP president-elect picking up the popular vote for the first time, but Republicans were able to flip the Senate and will hold a slim majority in the House come January. Democrats will be on defense as they face a GOP trifecta with only limited options to block Republicans from enacting their agenda in the new year. At the same time, Democrats have the momentous task of figuring out why voters across the country shifted away from the party as Trump made small gains not just in battleground states and red areas but nationwide. They also have to determine their best messaging approach moving forward if they have any hope of recapturing a majority in Congress in the 2026 midterms . Earlier this month, the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee (RBC) voted to recommend the rules that will guide the election process for the next DNC Chair and other officers. Democrats have the momentous task of figuring out why voters across the country shifted away from the party Marianne Williamson speaking to supporters in February 2024. The former Democratic presidential candidate announced her bid for DNC chair the day after Christmas To be elected, the candidate must be receive a majority of the votes cast by the DNC members. If that does not happen on a first ballot, it will head to a second ballot and so on until the person is elected. Here are the candidates running for DNC chair in the upcoming leadership election: Marianne Williamson Speaker, author and activist Marianne Williamson announced she is running to lead the Democratic party after long-shot presidential bids in 2020 and 2024. Williamson argues politics is not about what people think but what they feel and that it does not matter how many times people are contacted if they're not feeling it. She believes the party has been working with an outdated '20th century toolkit' which cannot create a political phenomenon necessary to take on MAGA. 'We've got to create a solution on the level of the problem. The greatest political car mechanic in the world is not the answer, because the problem is that we're on the wrong road. And people can feel it,' she wrote in a post. She believes she is the person to lead the party forward because she has been working in personal transformation for more than 40 years and knows something about 'changing people's hearts and uplifting people's spirits.' Williamson has argued the Democratic party has strayed from its advocacy for working people, and unless they reverse that, they won't do any better than in 2024. She has also been critical of the Democratic party's handling of the 2024 election because it did not hold a robust primary. She accused the party of 'ethical corruption' and argued it did not carry out the will of the people by backing Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris after he dropped out. Williamson vowed her first move if elected DNC chair would be to go on a listening tour. Martin O'Malley Former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley announced his bid for DNC chair in November and has called for Democrats to focus messaging on what people talk about at the kitchen table Former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley was the first candidate to announce his intentions to run for DNC chair last month. The former governor has argued Democrats' messaging always needs to go back to the 'kitchen table' and that the party needs to 'return to our true selves' to win. He's also claimed the party is about 'hope for tomorrow' while Republicans are about fear. He previously served as governor from 2007 to 2015, mayor of Baltimore from 1999 to 2007 and most recently served as commissioner of the Social Security Administration under President Biden. O'Malley, 61, gained national attention when he ran as a third long shot candidate against Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary. The former governor has said the party needs to learn from candidates who won in states where Harris lost at the top of the ticket. He has the backing of prominent Democrats from his home state of Maryland including several lawmakers and signaled he's not running to be a 'peacetime DNC Chair.' Ken Martin Ken Martin is the chair of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party and a candidate for DNC chair. He has said Democrats have a branding and messaging problem that needs to be fixed Ken Martin is the current chair of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party, a post he has held since 2011. He announced his bid for DNC chair last month with a video in which he introduced himself as someone raised as a single mom who got involved in politics in high school and has been in the fight ever since. Martin, 51, has argued the party needs a leader 'who can connect with working-class voters and restore faith in the party.' He touts turning around the Minnesota Democratic party which was in debt when he became chair. He also pointed out Democrats in his state have 22 statewide elections in a row. Martin argued he's 'not a creature of DC' but knows how the DNC works. He has said Democratic party ideas such as increasing the minimum wage, paid family leave and abortion protections are popular but need to be reconnected to the party. Martin has said Democrats have a branding and a messaging issue that needs to be fixed. His campaign slogan in the race is 'Build to win. Build to expand. Build to last.' James Skoufis New York State Senator James Skoufis launched a bid for DNC chair as an outsider and underdog looking to bring generational change to the party James Skoufis is the New York state senator who represents part of the state about 50 miles north of New York City in Hudson Valley. The little-known 37-year-old state lawmaker launched his bid late last month as an outsider and underdog representing generational change. He has argued Democrats need to 'show up and compete everywhere' including in rural red areas and pointed out he has won in Trump country three times. Skoufis has also called for his party to recommit to a populous message and move away from 'hair on fire texts and emails.' He has pushed to move the party funds away from consultants and expensive TV ads and dedicate resources to sate and local parties where people can do the work in communities face-to-face. Ben Wikler Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler at a campaign event November 1 Ben Wikler is the chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party where he is credited with a series of Democrats winning in the state even as Trump won the top of the ticket. The party in his state has been focused on a year-round effort to help Democrats across Wisconsin. Wikler has served as Wisconsin Democratic party chair since 2019. While he has been at the helm, Democrats flipped the state Supreme Court, helped reelect Governor Tony Evers, and he believes the state is on track for Democrats to recapture a majority in the state legislature in 2026. He also previously served as Washington, DC director of the progressive policy advocacy group MoveOn. Wikler has argued of all the swing states that went to Trump in 2024, Wisconsin has the smallest shift toward the Republican president-elect. He has called for Democrats to have a 'nationwide permanent campaign' and has focused his messaging on working people. Wikler launched his DNC chair bid in December 1 arguing what Democrats have done in his state can be done nationwide and needs to demonstrate to people that the party is on their side. His slogan in the DNC chair race is 'Unite. Fight. Win.' Democrats Republicans Politics Share or comment on this article: Meet the Democrats looking to lead the party forward after brutal 2024 losses e-mail Add comment

Title: Inter Milan Targets 26-Year-Old Dutch Defensive Iron Gate, Achelebi’s Top Replacement, 3 Giants Enter the FrayWEST PALM BEACH — At least three firefighters were hospitalized and a dozen people were injured after a Brightline train collided with a fire engine in Delray Beach on Saturday morning, officials said. The crash happened just before 10:50 a.m. at the intersection of East Atlantic Avenue and Southeast 1st Avenue, Delray Beach Fire Rescue Chief Ronald Martin told reporters. Photos shared by CBS News Miami viewers show a heavily damaged Brightline train stopped at the rail crossing with what appears to be the smashed fire engine behind it. According to City of Delray Beach officials , Palm Beach County Fire Rescue provided assistance, taking a total of 12 people to the hospital with minor injuries. Three firefighters were also injured during the crash, two of which were in critical condition at the scene. Martin said they were taken to Delray Beach Trauma Center, where they are now in stable condition. Martin said there are no known deaths at this time. One CBS News Miami viewer said on X that the fire engine was reportedly responding to a car crash in the area. Martin said there was a concurrent call for service just before the crash; however, he could not confirm whether the fire engine involved was responding or assigned to that incident as the timing is still unknown. Martin added that he had not received information on whether the guardrail was down at the time of the crash. Delray Beach Police said on X the intersection of East Atlantic Avenue and Southeast 1st Avenue is closed due to the accident. Drivers in the area are advised to use Northeast 1st Avenue or Southeast 2nd Avenue as an alternative route. The Delray Beach Police Department, Brightline officials and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash. Train Accident South Florida Train Crash Hunter Geisel is a digital producer at CBS Miami. Hunter has previously produced digital content for local and national outlets, covering several topics from breaking news and current events to politics and pop culture.Authorities and organizers quickly sprang into action to assess the situation and ensure that all safety protocols were followed. Emergency response teams were deployed to recover the fallen drones from the water and investigate the cause of the malfunction. Preliminary reports suggest that technical issues may have been to blame for the drones' sudden descent, but a thorough investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the incident.

Title: Qingdao Mortgage Rates on the Rise, New Home Loans to be Executed at 3.1%With the confirmation of this policy turning point, the government has signalled its intention to ramp up efforts to bolster the economy through a combination of fiscal, monetary, and structural policies. This strategic shift is expected to provide a much-needed boost to various sectors, stimulate domestic consumption, and enhance the overall resilience of the economy in the face of external uncertainties.

In a recent press conference, the Herona manager spoke about the significance of the match against Liverpool and highlighted the unique opportunity it presents for the players and fans alike. He emphasized the need for the team to approach the game with a positive mindset, embracing the challenge and relishing the opportunity to test themselves against a top-tier opponent like Liverpool.

As the project moves forward, Tang's excitement and determination only grow stronger. He knows that building a new house for his mother is not just about the physical structure but also about creating a lasting legacy of love and gratitude. Tang hopes that his gesture will inspire others to cherish and appreciate their own mothers, and to always remember the sacrifices they have made for their families.According to various sources close to the club, the issues within the Barcelona squad have been brewing for some time but came to a head during a recent training session when Lewandowski got into a heated argument with the seven local stars, whose names have been withheld for privacy reasons. The clash reportedly stemmed from a disagreement over tactics and playing style, with Lewandowski allegedly questioning the commitment and effort of his teammates.But beyond his tactical acumen and motivational skills, Klopp's deep understanding of Liverpool as a club and a community has been instrumental in shaping the team's success. He has embraced the rich history and traditions of the club, while also looking to the future and pushing for innovation and progress.

Will New Year's Eve be loud or quiet? What are the top 2025 resolutions? AP-NORC poll has answers

As the debate continues to unfold, it is essential for authorities to investigate the matter thoroughly and hold accountable those responsible for setting such exorbitant ticket prices. Additionally, consumers are urged to exercise caution and diligence when purchasing flight tickets, ensuring that they are aware of the true cost and value of the services they are paying for.