With holiday shopping as easy as a click or two on a smartphone, some of Denver’s top retail areas are vying for consumers’ attention with seasonal markets, scores of lights, specialized gift baskets and, of course, Santa. Although online shopping remains the force in retail, 47% of shoppers plan to shop in physical stores this holiday season, according to a by Experian, a global data and technology company that surveyed 1,000 U.S. consumers on holiday spending trends. President and CEO of the Cherry Creek North Business Improvement District Nick LeMasters said as consumers have returned to physical stores, they have prioritized local businesses and “experiences.” “People are always looking for something special when we talk about gift giving particularly,” he said. “But we’re starting to see more of a trend toward people making purchases on not just sort of those hard goods or apparel, but on experiences.” Think gift cards for massages or wellness spas or something distinctive like exploring Denver’s craft beer and . As a result, LeMasters said they are offering destinations like the on Fillmore Plaza for its fifth year. In addition to the holiday market, which has over 40 vendors such as and Hearth and Seoul Herbal Shop, Cherry Creek’s winter wonderland will feature other festivities like the Mistletoe Lounge pop-up bar, approximately a million twinkling lights displayed throughout the 16-block area and four red to help raise money for charities. Aside from tech products and western wear becoming popular this year as a result of Beyoncé’s album, Stanley Marketplace’s Director of Retail Jonathan Power said consumers are also seeking specialized services and gifts. “I think it’s been a time where people have really been comfortable investing in themselves,” he said. “If that’s a B12 shot at Beyond Human or a yoga class or a Pilates class or a facial at Clementine’s, we have a lot of self-care services available here and there’s been great energy towards those sorts of things.” With more than 50 independently owned businesses, Power said they were excited to see a lot of people at the marketplace for Black Friday and Small Business Saturday. To keep that momentum going, Power said the marketplace is also creating curated gift guides to highlight their vendors and providing like picking out a Christmas tree, holiday silent disco and even meeting Santa. Union Station, Dairy Block and McGregor Square have teamed up this year for . With each property just a few steps apart, shoppers can step into Buddy’s Bar, an Elf-themed pop-up at Miracle Bar, Dairy Block’s Mistletoe Market and go ice skating at McGregor Square. “We have our Mistletoe Market — a craft market that happens at Dairy Block — folks have a unique experience for them to meet the makers of their products that they’re purchasing for their gifts and for the holidays is something that’s really special,” said Sigri Strand, who is the director of marketing for Denver Union Station. This year, Union Station’s annual event saw more than 10,000 people in attendance, according to Strand. A count trending back toward 2019 levels. “That’s something that we’re really excited about is to see people embracing their city, embracing all of the history that we hold down here in this part of LoDo,” she said. Strand said they are also highlighting local businesses through their 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways. The at Union Station has seen a lot of foot traffic as a result of the station’s holiday festivities, according to Strand. “I think the campaigns like Dashing Thru LoDo, all those things help people rediscover these great businesses,” said Tattered Cover’s Managing Director Derek Holland. “It just helps remind people it’s not that far away you can get there. The public transit is really great. There’s an energy that cities have that I personally really like and thrive on.” Holland has worked for the bookstore for 35 years. “I’ve been in a number of conversations over the last year where people have either worked downtown or don’t any longer and that there’s reluctance to come downtown,” Holland said. “Please, please, please let that go. Find a place that you love to be. It’s still a wonderful place, and it’s actually one of the best places in Denver.”
Microbiome Sequencing Services Market 2024 Size, Share, Growth Report 2032 12-06-2024 07:47 PM CET | IT, New Media & Software Press release from: Prudent Markets Microbiome Sequencing Services Market Microbiome Sequencing Services Market Size & Growth 2024 Latest Updated Report 2024, The Global Microbiome Sequencing Services Market to Growing A CAGR of % during forecast period of 2024-2031. The Market is segmented by Global Microbiome Sequencing Services Market Breakdown by Application (Shotgun Sequencing, Targeted Gene Sequencing, RNA Sequencing, Whole Genome Sequencing, Others) by Type (Sequencing by Synthesis (SBS), Sequencing by Ligation (SBL), Pyrosequencing, Sanger Sequencing, Other Technologies (Omic Technologies)) and by Geography (North America, South America, Europe, Asia Pacific, MEA). The Microbiome Sequencing Services Market 2024 Report makes available the current and forthcoming technical and financial details of the industry. It is one of the most comprehensive and important additions to the Prudent Markets archive of market research studies. It offers detailed research and analysis of key aspects of the global Microbiome Sequencing Services market. This report explores all the key factors affecting the growth of the global Microbiome Sequencing Services market, including demand-supply scenario, pricing structure, profit margins, production, and value chain analysis. Discover Who You Really Compete Against In The Marketplace, Get PDF Sample Report Now! @ https://www.prudentmarkets.com/sample-request/114193/ The report concludes with the profiles of major players in the Microbiome Sequencing Services market are: MR DNA (Molecular Research Lp), Resphera Biosciences LLC, Metabiomics Corp., Clinical-Microbiomics A/S, Molzym GmbH & Co. Kg, Baseclear B.V., Openbiome, Diversigen Inc., Microbiome Insights Inc., Merieux Nutrisciences Corporation, Shanghai Realbio Technology Co. Ltd, Microbiome Therapeutics LLC., Zymo Research Corp., Rancho Biosciences, Ubiome Inc. Microbiome Sequencing Services Market 2024 Overview: Prudent Markets Predicts that Microbiome Sequencing Services Market was valued USD in 2020 and is expected to reach USD by the year 2025, growing at a CAGR of % globally. Global Microbiome Sequencing Services Market Overview: Global Microbiome Sequencing Services Market Report 2020 comes with the extensive industry analysis of development components, patterns, flows and sizes. The report also calculates present and past market values to forecast potential market management through the forecast period between 2020-2025.This research study of Microbiome Sequencing Services involved the extensive usage of both primary and secondary data sources. This includes the study of various parameters affecting the industry, including the government policy, market environment, competitive landscape, historical data, present trends in the market, technological innovation, upcoming technologies and the technical progress in related industry. Impact of COVID-19 on Microbiome Sequencing Services Market Since the COVID-19 virus outbreak in December 2019, the disease has spread to almost every country around the globe with the World Health Organization declaring it a public health emergency. The global impacts of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are already starting to be felt, and will significantly affected the Microbiome Sequencing Services market in 2020. Market Segmentation Are: Type Segmentation: Sequencing by Synthesis (SBS), Sequencing by Ligation (SBL), Pyrosequencing, Sanger Sequencing, Other Technologies (Omic Technologies) Industry Segmentation: Shotgun Sequencing, Targeted Gene Sequencing, RNA Sequencing, Whole Genome Sequencing, Others Speak To Our Analyst For A Discussion On The Above Findings, And Ask For A Discount On The Report @ https://www.prudentmarkets.com/discount-request/114193/ Prudent Markets provides attractive discounts that fit your needs. Customization of the reports as per your requirement is also offered. Get in touch with our sales team, who will guarantee you a report that suits your needs. The report covers the competitive analysis of the market. As the demand is driven by a buyer's paying capacity and the rate of item development, the report shows the important regions that will direct growth. This section exclusively shares insight into the budget reports of big-league members of the market helping key players and new entrants understand the potential of investments in the Global Microbiome Sequencing Services Market. It can be better employed by both traditional and new players in the industry for complete know-how of the market. Strategic Points Covered in Table of Content of Global Microbiome Sequencing Services Market: Chapter 1: Introduction, market driving force product Objective of Study and Research Scope the Microbiome Sequencing Services market Chapter 2: Exclusive Summary - the basic information of the Microbiome Sequencing Services Market. Chapter 3: Displaying the Market Dynamics- Drivers, Trends and Challenges & Opportunities of the Microbiome Sequencing Services Chapter 4: Presenting the Microbiome Sequencing Services Market Factor Analysis, Porters Five Forces, Supply/Value Chain, PESTEL analysis, Market Entropy, Patent/Trademark Analysis. Chapter 5: Displaying the by Type, End User and Region/Country Chapter 6: Evaluating the leading manufacturers of the Microbiome Sequencing Services market which consists of its Competitive Landscape, Peer Group Analysis, BCG Matrix & Company Profile Chapter 7: To evaluate the market by segments, by countries and by Manufacturers/Company with revenue share and sales by key countries in these various regions Chapter 8 & 9: Displaying the Appendix, Methodology and Data Source Any Questions? Feel Free To Enquire Here. We Will put you on the Right Path @ https://www.prudentmarkets.com/enquiry-request/114193/ Free Customization on the basis of client requirements on Immediate purchase: Free country-level breakdown of any 5 countries of your interest. Competitive breakdown of segment revenue by market players. Customization of the Report: This report can be customized to meet the client's requirements. Please connect with our sales team (sales@prudentmarkets.com), who will ensure that you get a report that suits your needs. You can also get in touch with our executives on +91 83560 50278 || USA/Canada(Toll Free): 1800-601-6071 to share your research requirements. Get ready to Recognize the pros and cons of the regulatory framework, local reforms, and its effect on the Industry. Understand how the Leaders in Intelligent Network are keeping themselves one stage forward with our most up-to-date survey analysis. For In-Depth Competitive Analysis - Purchase this Report now at a Complete Table of Contents (Single User License) @ https://www.prudentmarkets.com/checkout/?id=114193&license_type=su In conclusion, the Microbiome Sequencing Services Market report is a genuine source for accessing the research data which is projected to exponentially grow your business. The report provides information such as economic scenarios, benefits, limits, trends, market growth rates, and figures. SWOT analysis and PESTLE analysis is also incorporated in the report. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/assessing-impact-growth-consumer-behavior-llstc/ https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/understanding-factors-influencing-flexible-cigs-rd2tc/ https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/comprehensive-review-sheet-piles-market-ivmie/ https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/analysis-gas-flow-meters-market-its-impact-2032-comparative-nr5ue/ https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/fitness-equipment-market-size-trends-2030-research-analysis-2024-zm9ie/ Contact Us: Allan Carter Andheri, Maharashtra, 400102 USA/Canada(Toll Free): 1800-601-6071 Direct Line: +91 83560 50278 Mail: sales@prudentmarkets.com Web: www.prudentmarkets.com About Us: We are leaders in market analytics, business research, and consulting services for Fortune 500 companies, start-ups, financial & government institutions. Since we understand the criticality of data and insights, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available. To be at our client's disposal whenever they need help on market research and consulting services. We also aim to be their business partners when it comes to making critical business decisions around new market entry, M&A, competitive Intelligence and strategy. This release was published on openPR.Empowered Funds LLC boosted its position in shares of Chemung Financial Co. ( NASDAQ:CHMG – Free Report ) by 5.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 21,245 shares of the bank’s stock after buying an additional 1,072 shares during the quarter. Empowered Funds LLC’s holdings in Chemung Financial were worth $1,020,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of CHMG. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in Chemung Financial by 3.1% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 188,331 shares of the bank’s stock worth $8,000,000 after buying an additional 5,649 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its holdings in Chemung Financial by 4.4% during the 2nd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 132,134 shares of the bank’s stock worth $6,342,000 after buying an additional 5,584 shares in the last quarter. Bright Futures Wealth Management LLC. acquired a new position in Chemung Financial during the 2nd quarter worth $200,000. Acadian Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Chemung Financial by 8.2% in the 2nd quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 27,111 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $1,299,000 after purchasing an additional 2,054 shares during the period. Finally, Renaissance Technologies LLC lifted its stake in shares of Chemung Financial by 4.3% in the 2nd quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 34,322 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $1,647,000 after purchasing an additional 1,400 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 47.50% of the company’s stock. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Separately, StockNews.com downgraded Chemung Financial from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Chemung Financial Price Performance CHMG opened at $51.40 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 0.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24. Chemung Financial Co. has a 12 month low of $39.00 and a 12 month high of $52.59. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $48.42 and a 200 day simple moving average of $46.31. The stock has a market cap of $244.61 million, a P/E ratio of 11.37 and a beta of 0.15. Chemung Financial ( NASDAQ:CHMG – Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 22nd. The bank reported $1.19 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.13 by $0.06. Chemung Financial had a net margin of 14.56% and a return on equity of 10.60%. The business had revenue of $38.28 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $24.00 million. On average, research analysts expect that Chemung Financial Co. will post 4.94 EPS for the current year. Chemung Financial Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 2nd. Investors of record on Thursday, December 19th will be given a $0.31 dividend. This represents a $1.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.41%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, December 19th. Chemung Financial’s dividend payout ratio is currently 27.43%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Chemung Financial news, EVP Loren D. Cole sold 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $51.21, for a total transaction of $51,210.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 4,771 shares in the company, valued at approximately $244,322.91. This represents a 17.33 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link . Corporate insiders own 12.04% of the company’s stock. About Chemung Financial ( Free Report ) Chemung Financial Corporation operates as a bank holding company for Chemung Canal Trust Company that provides a range of banking, financing, fiduciary, and other financial services. The company provides demand, savings, and time deposits; non-interest and interest-bearing checking accounts; and insured money market accounts. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CHMG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Chemung Financial Co. ( NASDAQ:CHMG – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Chemung Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chemung Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .What's Going On With The MCU's Armor Wars Movie? (And Why I'm Concerned)
JAMESTOWN, N.D. — The District 12 delegation plans to introduce the Chinese Divestment Act in the North Dakota Legislature, which will require the State Investment Board to divest all its North Dakota Legacy Fund investments in China. Rep. Bernie Satrom, R-Jamestown, said the bill is with the Legislative Council. ADVERTISEMENT If the legislation becomes law, North Dakota will join six other states that have recently pulled their investments in China — Kansas, Indiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Florida and Texas. “Divesting our Legacy Fund holdings in China is long overdue,” the District 12 delegation said in a news release. “We have been voicing our concerns for years about our investments in Chinese-controlled companies involved in espionage, fentanyl, pornography, banking and real estate. But it looks like it will take legislation to get the State Investment Board to finally act on those concerns.” Two major entities have joined the growing trend to divest from China — the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, which is the main U.S. federal government pension fund, and the state of Texas — in just the last few weeks, the District 12 delegation said in the news release. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a “stark directive” ordering all state investing agencies to halt Chinese investments and liquidate existing holdings, the delegation said. Unless amended, the Chinese Divestment Act will apply only to Chinese holdings in the Legacy Fund — not the state’s pension funds — but will include any “underlying” investments in China that the SIB may hold in “commingled” funds. Investments in those commingled funds are being covered up by the State Investment Board, according to the delegation. Jan Murtha, executive director of the North Dakota Retirement and Investment Office, wrote in a response to Sen. Cole Conley, R-Jamestown, who requested records about Legacy Fund investments, that her office would not be able to provide him with the “holding level information” for 11 commingled funds. Holding level data refers to stocks and bonds the Legacy Fund owns. A commingled fund is a holding in a portfolio, Murtha wrote. “In a commingled fund, an investment is the pooling of assets from multiple investors into a single account, while the commingled fund holding is the result of that pooling,” she wrote. “The commingled fund must comply with all applicable laws and will not invest in securities sanctioned by the US Treasury. When the Legacy fund is invested in different types of commingled funds, the Legacy fund owns a proportional share of that fund. The Legacy fund does not directly own the underlying securities in the fund’s portfolio.” ADVERTISEMENT In 2010, North Dakota voters approved a measure that created the Legacy Fund, which is a perpetual source of state revenue from the finite national resources of oil and natural gas, according to the Office of State Treasurer’s website. Thirty percent of the taxes on petroleum produced and extracted in North Dakota are transferred to the Legacy Fund monthly, according to the North Dakota Retirement and Investment Office’s website. The Legacy Fund has almost $11.5 billion as of Oct. 31. Satrom said the Legacy Fund is or has been invested in Chinese companies that have been flagged by the U.S. government for assisting the Chinese military-industrial complex and helping with the distribution and financing of the fentanyl drug trade. He said the Legacy Fund is currently or has invested nearly $230 million in 89 companies in China in the past four years. He said the 89 companies are only what has been disclosed in a few open records requests between 2021 and 2024. Satrom said the Legacy Fund is or has been invested in the following Chinese companies among others with these concerns: Satrom also noted the Legacy Fund is or has been invested in companies that compete with North Dakota’s oil and gas industry. “We have problems getting capital coming, having people come here to invest, and then we’re shipping all this money, not only outside of North Dakota, but outside of our country,” he said. “So we’re investing in everybody else’s future but our own.” ADVERTISEMENT Satrom previously said the Legacy Fund is or has been used to invest in banks that have joined the Net-Zero Banking Alliance. The Net Zero Banking Alliance is a United Nations-backed group of leading global banks committed to aligning their lending, investment and capital markets activities with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, according to the United Nations Environment Programme’s website. State Treasurer Thomas Beadle, a member of the State Investment Board, said investments are in accordance with U.S. State Department and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission guidelines and requirements. “There’s a healthy list of those from a number of areas, anything that is on these bad actor lists by the U.S. State Department or the SEC or any of the federal guidelines, that’s the direction that our fund managers have been given to look towards and make sure that they’re not investing in any of those companies because those companies would be ones that the federal government has identified as being a bad faith actor that could be involved in espionage, spying, etc.,” he said. “We are very clear with our fund managers not to invest in any companies along those lines.” Beadle said there are investments with exposure to companies that operate in China. “We primarily have that exposure through index funds, where we buy shares within an index and then that index happens to have holdings from different companies and different funds,” he said. “So that’s where our primary exposure is into really all emerging markets, China included. Our exposure is more like 1.9% of our international fund, whereas the markets might say it should be more like 4 1/2% for the index.” Beadle said he doesn’t have a problem with divesting Legacy Fund investments from Chinese-owned companies. “But we need to also recognize what is the scope of that,” he said. “Is it just divesting from Chinese-owned companies or is it from companies like Apple where 95% of iPhones are still manufactured in China.” ADVERTISEMENT The District 12 delegation also plans to introduce the Legacy Fund Transparency Act during the next legislative session which will require the State Investment Board to publish every investment in the Legacy Fund. Satrom said the delegation is waiting for the draft of the bill. Satrom said there are more investments in categories — $800 million worth — such as “global region,” “international region” and “emerging markets region” where specific investments are hidden from public view. Satrom said a total of $3.1 billion in 24 funds is being invested from the Legacy Fund where the underlying investments are hidden from public view. He said the District 12 delegation has been denied information regarding those investments and contracts the State Investment Board has signed with over 30 out-of-state money managers. “Our constituents are demanding more accountability when it comes to how their Legacy Fund is being invested all around the world,” Conley said. “And they get particularly upset when they hear that investing in China and Russia is more important to the State Investment Board than investing in North Dakota.” Satrom said he’s not sure who’s even allowed to see the contracts the State Investment Board has with the out-of-state money managers. He also he’s been told that the attorney general has reviewed the contracts. “I’m sure they’re just reviewing to make sure ... that the format is proper and legal, and that it’s a binding contract,” he said. “I’m sure that’s their concern. It’s not the content. I’m concerned about the content.” Beadle said he is not familiar with the denial of the District 12 delegation’s request. But he said the information is being withheld if it is commercial confidential information when the request is for a fund manager. ADVERTISEMENT “If they want to see all of the holdings by fund manager A, we can’t specifically give them that if it’s under commercial confidential information for a private equity fund or a private fund manager because that gives away kind of their secret sauce blend,” he said.State pledges Sh28bn to modernize police service
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WASHINGTON (AP) — A lead organization monitoring for food crises around the world withdrew a new report this week warning of imminent famine in north Gaza under what it called Israel's “near-total blockade,” after the U.S. asked for its retraction, U.S. officials told The Associated Press. The move follows public criticism of the report from the U.S. ambassador to Israel. The rare public challenge from the Biden administration of the work of the U.S.-funded Famine Early Warning System, which is meant to reflect the data-driven analysis of unbiased experts, drew accusations from aid and human-rights figures of possible U.S. political interference. A finding of famine would be a public rebuke of Israel, which has insisted that its 15-month war in Gaza is aimed against the Hamas militant group and not against its civilian population. U.S. ambassador to Israel Jacob Lew earlier this week called the warning by the internationally recognized group inaccurate and “irresponsible ." Lew and the U.S. Agency for International Development, which funds the monitoring group, both said the findings failed to properly account for rapidly changing circumstances in north Gaza. Humanitarian and human rights officials expressed fear of U.S. political interference in the world's monitoring system for famines. The U.S. Embassy in Israel and the State Department declined comment. FEWS officials did not respond to questions. “We work day and night with the U.N. and our Israeli partners to meet humanitarian needs — which are great — and relying on inaccurate data is irresponsible,” Lew said Tuesday. USAID confirmed to the AP that it had asked the famine-monitoring organization to withdraw its stepped-up warning issued in a report dated Monday. The report did not appear among the top updates on the group's website Thursday, but the link to it remained active . The dispute points in part to the difficulty of assessing the extent of starvation in largely isolated northern Gaza. Thousands in recent weeks have fled an intensified Israeli military crackdown that aid groups say has allowed delivery of only a dozen trucks of food and water since roughly October. FEWS Net said in its withdrawn report that unless Israel changes its policy, it expects the number of people dying of starvation and related ailments in north Gaza to reach between two and 15 per day sometime between January and March. The internationally recognized mortality threshold for famine is two or more deaths a day per 10,000 people. FEWS was created by the U.S. development agency in the 1980s and is still funded by it. But it is intended to provide independent, neutral and data-driven assessments of hunger crises, including in war zones. Its findings help guide decisions on aid by the U.S. and other governments and agencies around the world. READ: A spokesman for Israel's foreign ministry, Oren Marmorstein, welcomed the U.S. ambassador's public challenge of the famine warning. “FEWS NET - Stop spreading these lies!” Marmorstein said on X . In challenging the findings publicly, the U.S. ambassador "leveraged his political power to undermine the work of this expert agency,” said Scott Paul, a senior manager at the Oxfam America humanitarian nonprofit. Paul stressed that he was not weighing in on the accuracy of the data or methodology of the report. “The whole point of creating FEWS is to have a group of experts make assessments about imminent famine that are untainted by political considerations,” said Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch and now a visiting professor in international affairs at Princeton University . “It sure looks like USAID is allowing political considerations -- the Biden administration’s worry about funding Israel’s starvation strategy -- to interfere." Israel says it has been operating in recent months against Hamas militants still active in northern Gaza. It says the vast majority of the area’s residents have fled and relocated to Gaza City, where most aid destined for the north is delivered. But some critics, including a former defense minister, have accused Israel of carrying out ethnic cleansing in Gaza’s far north, near the Israeli border. North Gaza has been one of the areas hardest-hit by fighting and Israel’s restrictions on aid throughout its war with Hamas militants. Global famine monitors and U.N. and U.S. officials have warned repeatedly of the imminent risk of malnutrition and deaths from starvation hitting famine levels. International officials say Israel last summer increased the amount of aid it was admitting there, under U.S. pressure. The U.S. and U.N. have said Gaza’s people as a whole need between 350 and 500 trucks a day of food and other vital needs. But the U.N. and aid groups say Israel recently has again blocked almost all aid to that part of Gaza. Cindy McCain , the American head of the U.N. World Food Program, called earlier this month for political pressure to get food flowing to Palestinians there. Israel says it places no restrictions on aid entering Gaza and that hundreds of truckloads of goods are piled up at Gaza’s crossings and accused international aid agencies of failing to deliver the supplies. The U.N. and other aid groups say Israeli restrictions, ongoing combat, looting and insufficient security by Israeli troops make it impossible to deliver aid effectively. Lew, the U.S. ambassador, said the famine warning was based on “outdated and inaccurate” data. He pointed to uncertainty over how many of the 65,000-75,000 people remaining in northern Gaza had fled in recent weeks, saying that skewed the findings. FEWS said in its report that its famine assessment holds even if as few as 10,000 people remain. USAID in its statement to AP said it had reviewed the report before it became public, and noted “discrepancies” in population estimates and some other data. The U.S. agency had asked the famine warning group to address those uncertainties and be clear in its final report to reflect how those uncertainties affected its predictions of famine, it said. “This was relayed before Ambassador Lew’s statement,” USAID said in a statement. “FEWS NET did not resolve any of these concerns and published in spite of these technical comments and a request for substantive engagement before publication. As such, USAID asked to retract the report.” Roth criticized the U.S. challenge of the report in light of the gravity of the crisis there. “This quibbling over the number of people desperate for food seems a politicized diversion from the fact that the Israeli government is blocking virtually all food from getting in,” he said, adding that “the Biden administration seems to be closing its eyes to that reality, but putting its head in the sand won’t feed anyone.” The U.S., Israel’s main backer, provided a record amount of military support in the first year of the war. At the same time, the Biden administration repeatedly urged Israel to allow more access to aid deliveries in Gaza overall, and warned that failing to do so could trigger U.S. restrictions on military support. The administration recently said Israel was making improvements and declined to carry out its threat of restrictions. Military support for Israel’s war in Gaza is politically charged in the U.S., with Republicans and some Democrats staunchly opposed any effort to limit U.S. support over the suffering of Palestinian civilians trapped in the conflict. The Biden administration’s reluctance to do more to press Israel for improved treatment of civilians undercut support for Democrats in last month’s elections. ___ Sam Mednick and Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Former participants of the Bayreuth Baroque are accusing director Max Emanuel Cenčić of abusive behavior and lack of complaint mechanisms. According to a report by Axel Brüggemann in Backstage Classical, “Accusations include insults, physical altercations, and conflicts of interest with his agency.” The article notes that 10 people were willing to go on record and tell their accounts about their experiences in connection with the Bayreuth Baroque Festival. The people who spoke out decided to remain anonymous but noted that they received abusive text messages and saw fistfights during rehearsals, and derogatory statements such as “You are so fucking stupid!” and the Greek word for “a*hole” or “wanker.” Another artist noted that there are no clear complaint channels and that many singers at Bayreuth Baroque are under contract with the Parnassus agency creating a conflict of interest. In a response to the report, Cenčić said that things were “taken out of context, dramatized or invented. A rehearsal period is generally difficult for everyone involved. You spend up to six hours a day in the rehearsal room for six weeks and do your best. Nobody is in the same good mood every day. The fact that sometimes words slip out or you don’t use the politeness you would under normal conditions when dealing with one another is something that happens not only to directors but also to singers and technicians.” Categories
The new, 12-team College Football Playoff brings with it a promise to be bigger, more exciting, more lucrative. Perfect or 100% fair? Well, nobody ever believed that. The first expanded playoff bracket unveiled Sunday left a presumably deserving Alabama team on the sideline in favor of an SMU squad with a better record after playing a schedule that was not as difficult. It ranked undefeated Oregon first but set up a possible rematch against Ohio State, the team that came closest to beating the Ducks this year. It treated underdog Boise State like a favorite and banged-up Georgia like a world beater at No. 2. It gave Ohio State home-field advantage against Tennessee for reasons it would take a supercomputer to figure out. It gave the sport the multiweek tournament it has longed for, but also ensured there will be plenty to grouse about between now and when the trophy is handed out on Jan. 20 after what will easily be the longest college football season in history. All of it, thankfully, will be sorted out on the field starting with first-round games on campuses Dec. 20 and 21, then over three succeeding rounds that will wind their way through traditional bowl sites. Maybe Oregon coach Dan Lanning, whose undefeated Ducks are the favorite to win it all, put it best when he offered: "Winning a national championship is not supposed to be easy.” Neither, it turns out, is figuring out who should play for it. SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings passes the ball in the first half of the ACC championship game against Clemson on Saturday in Charlotte, N.C. The Big Ten will lead the way with four teams in the tournament, followed by the SEC with three and the ACC with two. The lasting memory from the inaugural bracket will involve the decision that handed the ACC that second bid. Alabama of the SEC didn't play Saturday. SMU of the ACC did. The Mustangs fell behind by three touchdowns to Clemson before coming back to tie. But they ultimately lost 34-31 on a 56-yard field goal as time expired. “We were on pins and needles,” SMU coach Rhett Lashley said. “Until we saw the name ‘SMU’ up there, we were hanging on the edge. We're really, really happy and thankful to the committee for rewarding our guys for their total body of work." The Mustangs only had two losses, compared to three for the Crimson Tide. Even though SMU's schedule wasn't nearly as tough, the committee was impressed by the way the Mustangs came back against Clemson. “We just felt, in this particular case, SMU had the nod above Alabama,” said Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, the chairman of the selection committee. “But it’s no disrespect to Alabama’s strength of schedule. We looked at the entire body of work for both teams.” Oregon offensive lineman Iapani Laloulu celebrates after winning the Big Ten championship game against Penn State on Saturday in Indianapolis. Georgia, the SEC champion, was seeded second; Boise State, the Mountain West champion, earned the third seed; and Big 12 titlist Arizona State got the fourth seed and the fourth and final first-round bye. All will play in quarterfinals at bowl games on Dec. 31-Jan. 1. Clemson stole a bid and the 12th seed with its crazy win over SMU, the result that ultimately cost Alabama a spot in the field. The Tigers moved to No. 16 in the rankings, but got in as the fifth-best conference winner. Automatic byes and bids made the bracket strange The conference commissioners' idea to give conference champions preferable treatment in this first iteration of the 12-team playoff could be up for reconsideration after this season. The committee actually ranked Boise State, the Mountain West Champion, at No. 9 and Big 12 champion Arizona State at No. 12, but both get to skip the first round. Another CFP guideline: There’s no reseeding of teams after each round, which means no break for Oregon. The top-seeded Ducks will face the winner of Tennessee-Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. Oregon beat Ohio State 32-31 earlier this year in one of the season’s best games. Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. hits Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton during the second half of the SEC championship game on Saturday in Atlanta. No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas, Dec. 21: Clemson is riding high after the SMU upset, while Texas is 0-2 against Georgia and 11-0 vs. everyone else this season. The winner faces ... Arizona State in the Peach Bowl. Huh? No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State, Dec. 21: The biggest knock against the Mustangs was that they didn't play any big boys with that 60th-ranked strength of schedule. Well, now they get to. The winner faces ... Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. Yes, SMU vs. Boise was the quarterfinal we all expected. No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Notre Dame, Dec. 20: Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti thought his team deserved a home game. Well, not quite but close. The winner gets ... Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. The Bulldogs got the No. 2 seed despite a throwing-arm injury to QB Carson Beck. But what else was the committee supposed to do? No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State, Dec. 21: The Buckeyes (losses to Oregon, Michigan) got home field over the Volunteers (losses to Arkansas, Georgia) in a matchup of programs with two of the biggest stadiums in football. The winner faces ... Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Feels like that matchup should come in the semifinals or later. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, foreground right, dives toward the end zone to score past San Francisco 49ers defensive end Robert Beal Jr. (51) and linebacker Dee Winters during the second half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus) Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green goes up for a dunk during the second half of an Emirates NBA cup basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) South Carolina guard Maddy McDaniel (1) drives to the basket against UCLA forward Janiah Barker (0) and center Lauren Betts (51) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) Mari Fukada of Japan falls as she competes in the women's Snowboard Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) LSU punter Peyton Todd (38) kneels in prayer before an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. LSU won 37-17. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) South Africa's captain Temba Bavuma misses a catch during the fourth day of the first Test cricket match between South Africa and Sri Lanka, at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, left, is hit by Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, center, as Eagles wide receiver Parris Campbell (80) looks on during a touchdown run by Barkley in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough) Los Angeles Kings left wing Warren Foegele, left, trips San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, center, during the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) Olympiacos' Francisco Ortega, right, challenges for the ball with FCSB's David Miculescu during the Europa League league phase soccer match between FCSB and Olympiacos at the National Arena stadium, in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) Brazil's Botafogo soccer fans react during the Copa Libertadores title match against Atletico Mineiro in Argentina, during a watch party at Nilton Santos Stadium, in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) Seattle Kraken fans react after a goal by center Matty Beniers against the San Jose Sharks was disallowed due to goaltender interference during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Seattle. The Sharks won 4-2. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee (27), center, fight for the puck with Boston Bruins defensemen Parker Wotherspoon (29), left, and Brandon Carlo (25), right during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Jiyai Shin of Korea watches her shot on the 10th hole during the final round of the Australian Open golf championship at the Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake) Mathilde Gremaud of Switzerland competes in the women's Freeski Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) Lara Gut-Behrami, of Switzerland, competes during a women's World Cup giant slalom skiing race, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin cools off during first period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Brazil's Amanda Gutierres, second right, is congratulated by teammate Yasmin, right, after scoring her team's first goal during a soccer international between Brazil and Australia in Brisbane, Australia, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Pat Hoelscher) Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) tries to leap over Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Joshua Williams (2) during the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Luiz Henrique of Brazil's Botafogo, right. is fouled by goalkeeper Everson of Brazil's Atletico Mineiro inside the penalty area during a Copa Libertadores final soccer match at Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) England's Alessia Russo, left, and United States' Naomi Girma challenge for the ball during the International friendly women soccer match between England and United States at Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Gold medalists Team Netherlands competes in the Team Sprint Women race of the ISU World Cup Speed Skating Beijing 2024 held at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (33) reaches for an incomplete pass ahead of Arizona Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. (2) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Melanie Meillard, center, of Switzerland, competes during the second run in a women's World Cup slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. 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The pickleball community all over the country was left shaken, as the FBI served a search warrant at the home of Rodney Grubbs . Grubbs is the former owner of Pickeball Rocks or "All About Pickleball LLC". According to federal bankruptcy court documents, investors are accusing Grubbs are scamming them out of millions. Some of those investors are from as far away as Arizona, according to WCPO's sister station ABC15 . "It's just something that brings you together, and Rodney was there doing that," said Doug Smook. Smook lives in South Dakota, but spends the winter in Arizona. He is the tournament director for the Happy Trails Pickleball Club in Surprise. Smook told ABC15 that's how he met Grubbs a few years ago. Currently, Smook said he is one of the investors who has not received their money back despite asking. "I invested $15,000 and the promissory note was for a 14% interest over the year," said Smook. He said in 2023, he discovered others posting about investing on social media. Smook then said he reached out to Grubbs. "Well I sent an email to Rodney and said, look, I'm just calling my note," said Smook. "Just FYI, let me know. And it was radio silence, so never had any additional contact with Rodney." Federal bankruptcy court documents allege hundreds invested with Grubbs in the form of promissory notes through his pickleball company or an alleged real estate business dating back to the early 2000's. "I don't think that I ever felt that I was investing in Rodney," said Smook. "I was investing in pickleball, the sport of pickleball." Multiple Arizonans all shared similar stories, many meeting Grubbs at a tournament. They described him as well-known and a trustworthy friend. A few said his pitch was focused on growing the sport. One woman did tell ABC15 there was a time Grubbs asked her for a personal loan. That woman said, at this point, she's owed hundreds of thousands of dollars. As Grubbs deals with legal issues in civil court, WCPO was there as the FBI served a search warrant on his Indiana home. In January, Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales issued a cease and desist order to Grubbs "to stop an alleged fraudulent investment scheme concerning a Pickleball apparel and equipment company All About Pickleball LLC., also known as 'Pickleball Rocks.'" The petition alleges Grubbs solicited investments in the form of promissory notes from investors that "contained a high interest rate of 12% compounded monthly and contained an 18% penalty provision in the case of default." Wednesday the FBI did not tell WCPO if Grubbs was facing criminal charges. Court documents show he has denied fraud allegations in the past. But the FBI sent out an alert asking for people who invested with Pickleball Rocks to fill out an online form. The FBI’s Indianapolis Division is seeking to identify potential victims who invested with Rodney Grubbs, the former owner of Pickleball Rocks. Please visit https://t.co/XvWnr0AOKn for additional information and a link to a short form. But people like Smook want to know one thing. "Rodney, where's the money at?" After speaking to the FBI Thursday, ABC15 is reaching out to the US Attorney General's office. Online, the FBI has information on how to protect yourself from investing and possible schemes .Good news for retirees from Social Security – Official announcement of this important upgrade
Few people in politics inspire the kind of respect Sardar Manmohan Singh did Priyanka