Amazon's massive Black Friday sale has no.1 bestsellers on sale for up to 65% off, and prices start at only $18New high-tech cameras on Perth roads ‘not revenue-raisers’, safety tsar says
I Brought You Back to Life, Wike Slams Odili Accusing Him of Sycophancy
NEW YORK (AP) — Richard Parsons, one of corporate America's most prominent Black executives who held top posts at Time Warner and Citigroup, died Thursday. He was 76. Parsons, who died at his Manhattan home, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2015 and cited “unanticipated complications” from the disease for cutting back on work a few years later. The financial services company Lazard, where Parsons was a longtime board member, confirmed his death. The NBA, where Parsons was interim CEO of the Los Angeles Clippers in 2014, was among organizations offering condolences. “Dick Parsons was a brilliant and transformational leader and a giant of the media industry who led with integrity and never shied away from a challenge,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. Parsons’ friend Ronald Lauder told The New York Times that the cause of death was cancer. Parsons stepped down Dec. 3 from the boards of Lazard and Lauder's company, Estée Lauder, citing health reasons. He had been on Estée Lauder’s board for 25 years. Parsons, a Brooklyn native who started college at 16, was named chairman of Citigroup in 2009, one month after leaving Time Warner Inc., where he helped restore the company’s stature following its much-maligned acquisition by internet provider America Online Inc. He steered Citigroup back to profit after financial turmoil from the subprime mortgage crisis, which upended the economy in 2007 and 2008. Parsons was named to the board of CBS in September 2018 but resigned a month later because of illness. Parsons said in a statement at the time that he was already dealing with multiple myeloma when he joined the board, but “unanticipated complications have created additional new challenges.” He said his doctors advised him to cut back on his commitments to ensure recovery. “Dick’s storied career embodied the finest traditions of American business leadership,” Lazard said in a statement. The company, where Parsons was a board member from 2012 until this month, praised his “unmistakable intelligence and his irresistible warmth.” “Dick was more than an iconic leader in Lazard’s history — he was a testament to how wisdom, warmth, and unwavering judgment could shape not just companies, but people’s lives,” the company said. “His legacy lives on in the countless leaders he counseled, the institutions he renewed, and the doors he opened for others.” Parsons was known as a skilled negotiator, a diplomat and a crisis manager. Although he was with Time Warner through its difficulties with AOL, he earned respect for the company and rebuilt its relations with Wall Street. He streamlined Time Warner’s structure, pared debt and sold Warner Music Group and a book publishing division. He also fended off a challenge from activist investor Carl Icahn in 2006 to break up the company and helped Time Warner reach settlements with investors and regulators over questionable accounting practices at AOL. Parsons joined Time Warner as president in 1995 after serving as chairman and chief executive of Dime Bancorp Inc., one of the largest U.S. thrift institutions. In 2001, after AOL used its fortunes as the leading provider of Internet access in the U.S. to buy Time Warner for $106 billion in stock, Parsons became co-chief operating officer with AOL executive Robert Pittman. In that role, he was in charge of the company’s content businesses, including movie studios and recorded music. He became CEO in 2002 with the retirement of Gerald Levin, one of the key architects of that merger. Parsons was named Time Warner chairman the following year, replacing AOL founder Steve Case, who had also championed the combination. The newly formed company’s Internet division quickly became a drag on Time Warner. The promised synergies between traditional and new media never materialized. AOL began seeing a reduction in subscribers in 2002 as Americans replaced dial-up connections with broadband from cable TV and phone companies. Parsons stepped down as CEO in 2007 and as chairman in 2008. A year later AOL split from Time Warner and began trading as a separate company, following years of struggles to reinvent itself as a business focused on advertising and content. Time Warner is now owned by AT&T Inc. A board member of Citigroup and its predecessor, Citibank, since 1996, Parsons was named chairman in 2009 at a time of turmoil for the financial institution. Citigroup had suffered five straight quarters of losses and received $45 billion in government aid. Its board had been criticized for allowing the bank to invest so heavily in the risky housing market. Citigroup returned to profit under Parsons, starting in 2010, and would not have a quarterly loss again until the fourth quarter of 2017. Parsons retired from that job in 2012. In 2014 he stepped in as interim CEO of the Clippers until Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer took over later that year. Parsons, a Republican, previously worked as a lawyer for Nelson Rockefeller, a former Republican governor of New York, and in Gerald Ford’s White House. Those early stints gave him grounding in politics and negotiations. He also was an economic adviser on President Barack Obama’s transition team. Parsons, who loved jazz and co-owned a Harlem jazz club, also served as Chairman of the Apollo Theater and the Jazz Foundation of America. And he held positions on the boards of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, the American Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Parsons played basketball at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and received his law degree from Albany Law School in 1971. He is survived by his wife, Laura, and their family. This obituary was primarily written by the late Associated Press reporter Anick Jesdanun, who died in 2020 .
Japan Industrial Production (YoY) down to -2.8% in November from previous 1.4%The surged 26% in 2023 and is on track for a 27% gain in 2024. While it may seem like 2025 has a tough act to follow, Carson Group chief market strategist Ryan Detrick says the odds are pretty high that another year of big gains is ahead for investors. In a Monday note, Detrick highlighted that history suggests stocks will likely extend their bull rally next year and deliver returns higher than their average annual return of about 10%. "The bears might be disappointed to find that strong returns after back-to-back 20% years is perfectly normal," Detrick said. Since 1950, there have been eight times the S&P 500 gains 20% or more two years in a row. In six of those eight times, the third year saw positive gains, with an overall average and median return of 12% and 13%, respectively. "The bottom line is up 20% two years in a row actually suggests the potential for better than average returns in 2025, something we are on record in expecting next year," Detrick said. The fundamental reasons behind Detrick's bullish view on the stock market next year include an overall solid economy and rising corporate profits. "When you have an economy that continues to surprise to the upside, you tend to have solid earnings," Detrick said, adding that the S&P 500's earnings per share is expected to hit $269 next year, up 19% from early 2023. "There is no holy grail when it comes to investing, but when we saw earnings estimates making new highs, we took it as a big reason to be overweight equities and still do," Detrick said. Finally, Detrick said that "bull markets last longer than you think" with an average age of 5-and-a-half years. With the current bull market Detrick said that suggests there is plenty of runway ahead for the stock market, even after the last two years experienced a stellar bull rally. Read the original article on
Here's How High MicroStrategy Stock Can Climb as Bitcoin Races to New HighsParsons, who died at his Manhattan home, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2015 and cited “unanticipated complications” from the disease for cutting back on work a few years later. The financial services company Lazard, where Parsons was a longtime board member, confirmed his death. The NBA, where Parsons was interim CEO of the Los Angeles Clippers in 2014, was among organizations offering condolences. “Dick Parsons was a brilliant and transformational leader and a giant of the media industry who led with integrity and never shied away from a challenge,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. Parsons’ friend Ronald Lauder told The New York Times that the cause of death was cancer. Parsons stepped down Dec. 3 from the boards of Lazard and Lauder's company, Estée Lauder, citing health reasons. He had been on Estée Lauder’s board for 25 years. Parsons, a Brooklyn native who started college at 16, was named chairman of Citigroup in 2009, one month after leaving Time Warner Inc., where he helped restore the company’s stature following its much-maligned acquisition by internet provider America Online Inc. He steered Citigroup back to profit after financial turmoil from the subprime mortgage crisis, which upended the economy in 2007 and 2008. Parsons was named to the board of CBS in September 2018 but resigned a month later because of illness. Parsons said in a statement at the time that he was already dealing with multiple myeloma when he joined the board, but “unanticipated complications have created additional new challenges.” He said his doctors advised him to cut back on his commitments to ensure recovery. “Dick’s storied career embodied the finest traditions of American business leadership,” Lazard said in a statement. The company, where Parsons was a board member from 2012 until this month, praised his “unmistakable intelligence and his irresistible warmth.” “Dick was more than an iconic leader in Lazard’s history — he was a testament to how wisdom, warmth, and unwavering judgment could shape not just companies, but people’s lives,” the company said. “His legacy lives on in the countless leaders he counseled, the institutions he renewed, and the doors he opened for others.” Parsons was known as a skilled negotiator, a diplomat and a crisis manager. Although he was with Time Warner through its difficulties with AOL, he earned respect for the company and rebuilt its relations with Wall Street. He streamlined Time Warner’s structure, pared debt and sold Warner Music Group and a book publishing division. He also fended off a challenge from activist investor Carl Icahn in 2006 to break up the company and helped Time Warner reach settlements with investors and regulators over questionable accounting practices at AOL. Parsons joined Time Warner as president in 1995 after serving as chairman and chief executive of Dime Bancorp Inc., one of the largest U.S. thrift institutions. In 2001, after AOL used its fortunes as the leading provider of Internet access in the U.S. to buy Time Warner for $106 billion in stock, Parsons became co-chief operating officer with AOL executive Robert Pittman. In that role, he was in charge of the company’s content businesses, including movie studios and recorded music. He became CEO in 2002 with the retirement of Gerald Levin, one of the key architects of that merger. Parsons was named Time Warner chairman the following year, replacing AOL founder Steve Case, who had also championed the combination. The newly formed company’s Internet division quickly became a drag on Time Warner. The promised synergies between traditional and new media never materialized. AOL began seeing a reduction in subscribers in 2002 as Americans replaced dial-up connections with broadband from cable TV and phone companies. Parsons stepped down as CEO in 2007 and as chairman in 2008. A year later AOL split from Time Warner and began trading as a separate company, following years of struggles to reinvent itself as a business focused on advertising and content. Time Warner is now owned by AT&T Inc. A board member of Citigroup and its predecessor, Citibank, since 1996, Parsons was named chairman in 2009 at a time of turmoil for the financial institution. Citigroup had suffered five straight quarters of losses and received $45 billion in government aid. Its board had been criticized for allowing the bank to invest so heavily in the risky housing market. Citigroup returned to profit under Parsons, starting in 2010, and would not have a quarterly loss again until the fourth quarter of 2017. Parsons retired from that job in 2012. In 2014 he stepped in as interim CEO of the Clippers until Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer took over later that year. Parsons, a Republican, previously worked as a lawyer for Nelson Rockefeller, a former Republican governor of New York, and in Gerald Ford’s White House. Those early stints gave him grounding in politics and negotiations. He also was an economic adviser on President Barack Obama’s transition team. Parsons, who loved jazz and co-owned a Harlem jazz club, also served as Chairman of the Apollo Theater and the Jazz Foundation of America. And he held positions on the boards of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, the American Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Parsons played basketball at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and received his law degree from Albany Law School in 1971. He is survived by his wife, Laura, and their family. This obituary was primarily written by the late Associated Press reporter Anick Jesdanun, who died in 2020 .NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The largest artificial intelligence data center ever built by Facebook’s parent company Meta is coming to northeast Louisiana, the company said Wednesday, bringing hopes that the $10 billion facility will transform an economically neglected corner of the state. Republican Gov. Jeff Landry called it “game-changing” for his state's expanding tech sector, yet some environmental groups have raised concerns over the center's reliance on fossil fuels — and whether the plans for new natural gas power to support it could lead to higher energy bills in the future for Louisiana residents. Meanwhile, Elon Musk's AI startup, xAI, is expanding its existing supercomputer project in Memphis, Tennessee, the city's chamber of commerce said Wednesday. The chamber also said that Nvidia, Dell, and Supermicro Computer will be “establishing operations in Memphis,” without offering further details. Louisiana is among a growing number of states offering tax credits and other incentives to lure big tech firms seeking sites for energy-intensive data centers. The U.S. Commerce Department found that there aren’t enough data centers in the U.S. to meet the rising AI-fueled demand, which is projected to grow by 9% each year through 2030, citing industry reports. Meta anticipates its Louisiana data center will create 500 operational jobs and 5,000 temporary construction jobs, said Kevin Janda, director of data center strategy. At 4 million square feet (370,000 square meters), it will be the company's largest AI data center to date, he added. “We want to make sure we are having a positive impact on the local level,” Janda said. Congressional leaders and local representatives from across the political spectrum heralded the Meta facility as a boon for Richland parish, a rural part of Louisiana with a population of 20,000 historically reliant on agriculture. About one in four residents are considered to live in poverty and the parish has an employment rate below 50%, according to the U.S. census data. Meta plans to invest $200 million into road and water infrastructure improvements for the parish to offset its water usage. The facility is expected to be completed in 2030. Entergy, one of the nation's largest utility providers, is fast-tracking plans to build three natural gas power plants in Louisiana capable of generating 2,262 megawatts for Meta's data center over a 15-year period — nearly one-tenth of Entergy's existing energy capacity across four states. The Louisiana Public Service Commission is weighing Entergy's proposal as some environmental groups have opposed locking the state into more fossil fuel-based energy infrastructure. Meta said it plans to help bring 1,500 megawatts of renewable energy onto the grid in the future. Louisiana residents may ultimately end up with rate increases to pay off the cost of operating these natural gas power plants when Meta's contract with Entergy expires, said Jessica Hendricks, state policy director for the Alliance for Affordable Energy, a Louisiana-based nonprofit advocating for energy consumers. “There’s no reason why residential customers in Louisiana need to pay for a power plant for energy that they’re not going to use," Hendricks said. "And we want to make sure that there’s safeguards in place.” Public service commissioner Foster Campbell, representing northeast Louisiana, said he does not believe the data center will increase rates for Louisiana residents and views it as vital for his region. “It’s going in one of the most needed places in Louisiana and maybe one of the most needed places in the United States of America,” Foster said. “I’m for it 100%.” Environmental groups have also warned of the pollution generated by Musk's AI data center in Memphis. The Southern Environmental Law Center, among others, says the supercomputer could strain the power grid, prompting attention from the Environmental Protection Agency. Eighteen gas turbines currently running at xAI’s south Memphis facility are significant sources of ground-level ozone, better known as smog, the group said. Patrick Anderson, an attorney at the law center, said xAI has operated with “a stunning lack of transparency” in developing its South Memphis facility, which is located near predominantly Black neighborhoods that have long dealt with pollution and health risks from factories and other industrial sites. “Memphians deserve to know how xAI will affect them,” he said, “and should have a seat at the table when these decisions are being made.” Sainz reported from Memphis, Tennessee. Associated Press writer Matt O’Brien in Providence, Rhode Island, contributed to this report. Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Brook on the social platform X: @jack_brook96Google Search Will Be Unrecognizable in the Future. That’s Just Fine for Alphabet Stock.
NEW YORK, Dec. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- My Blend is a groundbreaking blockchain project committed to integrating traditional ecosystems into a distributed digital space. Its methodology revolves around smart contracts, which execute transactions automatically based on predefined rules, reducing manual oversight and human error. By aligning established market practices with modern blockchain principles, Blend strives to create a system that is both verifiable and accessible to a wider audience. How Blend is Building an Evolving Ecosystem Beginning with gaming and expanding into AI and other industries, Blend aims to bridge the gap between conventional frameworks-where closed processes often lead to limited trust-and an environment where every participant can confirm outcomes, probabilities, and the flow of funds. Blend focuses on sustainable development that can adapt over time, emphasizing open participation at every step, letting the project adapt to new industry trends and community demands. A key motivator behind this evolving design is the desire to unite real-world operations with open, on-chain technology. In other words, instead of relying solely on traditional institutions or centralized platforms, Blend wants to eliminate obscure processes by moving critical components-such as game outcomes, probability calculations, and payout mechanisms-onto a public ledger. Initial Focus: Fair and Verifiable Gaming One of Blend's earliest and most prominent goals is to transform the gaming industry into a space where participants can see exactly how each round or match is determined. This shift marks a significant departure from traditional online casinos and gaming portals, which often rely on hidden algorithms or confidential odds. By contrast, games on Blend operate with open logic, meaning that everyone can review the parameters before deciding whether to join a table or place a wager. Planned Types of Games Wager-based experiences bring an added level of excitement. However, they also come with the risk of undisclosed odds or unfair house edges. Blend mitigates these challenges by using verifiable techniques for determining probabilities. This ensures that bettors know their likelihood of winning before placing any money on the line. Card games have long been popular due to their blend of luck and strategy. By digitizing them with verifiable mechanics, Blend intends to ensure that each shuffle is unbiased. This addresses a common concern among online card players: "Are the cards truly random?” Since all operations occur within a blockchain framework, the shuffle process can be checked by anyone with the interest to do so. However, while the game is fully auditable, cards will remain private to their owners during gameplay through high-end encryption. Many online games pit players against bots or depend on hidden advantage mechanisms. Blend's approach aims to remove these suspicions by making game rules and performance data clearly visible. In these contests, user skill takes center stage, as there is no behind-the-scenes manipulation that skews outcomes. Traditional board games often require strategy, forward-thinking, and careful planning. By putting each move on-chain, Blend hopes to foster a sense of trust among participants. Players can track every piece movement, roll of the dice, or resource allocation with complete clarity. A standout aspect of Blend's approach to gaming involves the way it manages the "pot”-or the collective pool of funds used for rewards. Instead of a central house acting as the primary stakeholder, the system allows anyone to become a liquidity provider. This offers two main advantages: For computations that must remain unbiased-particularly probability calculations and random number generation-Blend uses Chainlink. This is a well-known solution in the blockchain community for: Generating random numbers within a fully on-chain environment can be complex. Chainlink helps ensure that random outcomes are genuinely unpredictable, preventing manipulation. Many games rely on external data-anything from sports scores in certain betting scenarios to live events in real-time contexts. Chainlink provides dependable external data, enabling automated smart contracts to execute with accurate information. All probabilities and results are hashed and stored on a distributed ledger. This means that once they're recorded, no single party can alter them afterward, reinforcing credibility in the system. While gaming is a focal point, Blend also plans to explore AI-driven applications as a complementary pursuit. This emerging sector includes: Smart chatbots have grown increasingly popular for both customer service and personalized guidance. Blend aims to harness these technologies to support user queries, moderate gaming chats, or potentially even facilitate automatic matchmaking based on player preferences. AI-based tools that create images, artwork, or other creative outputs have captured the public's imagination. Blend is looking to incorporate these capabilities into its ecosystem, potentially offering unique digital art minted as NFTs or providing creative resources for game interfaces. Incentives and Profitability for Investors Initial Staking with Exclusive Benefits To incentivize early backers, Blend introduces a 10-day lock mechanism with a 15% return. Investors who lock their tokens during this initial period receive guaranteed yields, a move designed to reward those who show confidence in the project's roadmap. During this launch phase, participants also have access to a 12-level referral program , encouraging them to help the community expand. Commissions are distributed not just to direct referrers but also to multiple layers above them. Transition to Variable Staking Once the gaming platform, AI elements, and other key products reach operational maturity, the project plans to shift from a fixed-rate staking model to one driven by real profitability. This means that any returns offered to stakers would reflect the actual revenue generated by Blend's suite of services. Rather than relying on flat percentages, staking rewards would adjust in response to daily or weekly performance, aligning stakeholder interests with the health of the entire ecosystem. Governance and Community Decision-Making (DAO) A Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) underpins Blend's vision of shared responsibility. Under this model: Holding the project's token grants individuals the right to vote on initiatives such as partnerships, development priorities, or changes to incentive structures. By integrating a DAO, Blend ensures that pivotal decisions are not made in private channels but rather in a transparent forum, open for discussion. This furthers the goal of creating an inclusive environment that values user feedback. As Blend moves beyond its foundational offerings, it will look for additional ways to bridge different industries with blockchain technology. Potential avenues include financial services (like decentralized lending or borrowing), extended entertainment collaborations, and even collaborations with established corporations seeking to optimize supply chain processes through smart contracts. The overarching ambition is to deliver a broad ecosystem where each new application-be it gaming, AI, or another area-connects back to a unified set of principles. Users can then explore diverse functionalities, all secured by the same base of trust and on-chain validation. Final Thoughts Blend represents a forward-thinking effort to unify traditional industries with the benefits of blockchain. Through decentralized governance mechanisms and the ongoing integration of advanced tools, the project's roadmap underscores the belief that active communities drive long-term success. Over time, Blend aspires to become a robust platform where new ideas can be tested, refined, and broadly implemented-with each contributor playing a meaningful role in shaping the journey. Participate in the Blend Community Join a revolution where innovation is powered by openness and collaboration. Blend opens the door to a world of possibilities for enthusiasts of blockchain, gaming, and decentralized innovation. Visit myblend.io to explore the platform and join the movement transforming industries through technology and transparency. For updates, connect with Blend on social media: X: https://x.com/myblend_io Telegram: https://t.me/myblend_updates/ Contact person: Michael Allen Company name: My Blend Website: https://myblend.io Email: [email protected] Disclaimer: This content is provided by My Blend. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4eed872b-9649-4145-8880-597cdf97922b
SRK tries to go incognito as he exits jetty with pet and familySo you're gathering with relatives whose politics are different. Here are some tips for the holidaysHitachi Rail partners with Invest Ontario to develop next generation of urban rail signalling technology in Toronto C$100m investment to create cutting-edge Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) product for urban rail operators in Canada and globally R&D program to integrate AI and 5G tech in new SelTracTM solution, creating 100 new high skilled jobs and growing Canadian employees to 1,200+ TORONTO, Nov. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hitachi Rail is proud to partner with Invest Ontario as part of a more than C$100 million investment to upgrade its world-leading Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) signalling technology. Hitachi Rail aims to develop a new generation of its CBTC technology, SelTracTM (G9), which will integrate artificial intelligence (AI), 5G communications, edge and cloud computing. The next generation system will offer transit operators worldwide lower costs, minimized carbon footprint and enhanced passenger experience. The investment includes the expansion of Hitachi Rail’s workforce in Toronto, Ontario, creating 100 new jobs and retaining 1,000 highly skilled positions in its York Mills office, including R&D and engineering roles. “The over $100 million investment in the next generation of our world-leading SelTracTM technology is hugely exciting – and we are grateful to the Government of Ontario and Invest Ontario for their support,” said Ziad Rizk, Managing Director, Urban Rail Signalling, Hitachi Rail . “By integrating AI, 5G, edge and cloud computing, our system will allow urban rail transportation operators around the globe to improve passenger journeys and operate more efficiently. This Ontario-invented technology is a Canadian success story that is creating jobs and boosting economic growth.” CBTC is a modern urban signalling system that uses wireless communication between trains and infrastructure to operate urban transit and subway systems more efficiently and safely than conventional signalling. SelTracTM, invented in Ontario, is the world’s first moving block CBTC signalling system, currently operating in more than 100 lines in 40 major cities around the world including the O-Train in Ottawa. Ontario, home to one of the largest tech clusters in North America, is renowned for its strength in AI, automation and connectivity technologies. The province’s expertise in smart mobility, combined with Hitachi Rail’s global competence centre, makes Ontario the natural place to develop next-generation digital solutions for urban rail and metros. “As one of the largest and most sought-after tech hubs in North America, Ontario is driving the development of next-generation technologies that will strengthen economic growth across key sectors, including automation and transportation,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade . “Through Invest Ontario, we are proud to support Hitachi Rail’s expansion in Toronto and thank them for choosing our province as the ideal place for their continued growth and success.” The company’s York Mills office in Toronto serves as its engineering centre of excellence, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities including labs, testing areas, and simulation environments. This expansion adds to Hitachi Rail’s growing presence in Canada that includes around 1,200 employees across the country, who are delivering and maintaining major transit projects in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Ottawa. Toronto is home to the company’s international urban transit signalling technology business, as well as large program teams based downtown and Mississauga that are delivering major new transit infrastructure, like the Ontario Line and Hurontario. “Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is investing $70 billion in the largest transit expansion in North America, connecting millions more Ontarians to reliable and affordable public transit. Today's announcement means Hitachi Rail will be helping even more workers gain the critical expertise needed to deliver Ontario's generational projects,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation . “Hitachi Rail’s investment is a testament to Ontario’s strengths in future technologies that are transforming industries from manufacturing to transportation. We are excited to support the company in advancing a made-in-Ontario technology that keeps cities around the world on the move,” said Jennifer Block, Interim CEO of Invest Ontario . In support of this investment, Ontario is providing $4.5 million in funding through the Invest Ontario Fund . Contact: Adam Love, Hitachi Rail on +1 (437) 234 4024, adam.love@hitachirail.com Notes to the editors: Hitachi Rail invented moving block CBTC technology in 1974 in Toronto with the support of the Ontario government. Since then, it has evolved into the world's leading technology for urban rail and transit systems. The investment in G9 coincides with the 50 th anniversary of the invention of the original technology. We have deployed CBTC technology in Ottawa, Montreal, London, Hong Kong, Doha, New York, Chile, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the UAE in the past 10 years. About Hitachi Rail Hitachi Rail is committed to driving the sustainable mobility transition and has a clear focus on partnering with customers to rethink mobility. Its mission is to help every passenger, customer and community enjoy the benefits of more connected, seamless and sustainable transport. With revenues of over €7bn and 24,000 employees across more than 50 countries, Hitachi Rail is a trusted partner to the world's best transport organisations. The company's reach is global, but the business is local - with success built on developing local talent and investing in people and communities. Its international capabilities and expertise span every part of the urban, mainline and freight rail ecosystems – from high quality manufacturing and maintenance of rolling stock to secure digital signalling, smart operations and payment systems. Hitachi Rail, famous for Japan's iconic high speed bullet train, draws on the digital and AI expertise of Hitachi Group companies to accelerate innovation and develop new technologies. Hitachi Group is present in 140 countries with over 270,000 employees and global revenues of €54.55bn / ¥8,564 bn. For more information, visit hitachirail.com . A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b33bb2d6-81f0-4e40-9dd0-f3e21c70080e
Explosions in the LA sky were art, not cloud seeding experiments
Judge unlikely to embrace US government’s push to require Chrome divestiture, experts say
Helping to drown out the noiseHelping to drown out the noise
NEW YORK: Former US president Jimmy Carter passed away. He was 100. He was a Nobel peace laureate and the oldest former US President. He had served as President from 1977 to 1981. He was 39th president of the USA. Carter became president after the Watergate corruption allegation and the Vietnam War shook American politics. Jimmy Carter died Sunday afternoon in Plains town, Georgia, according to the organization he founded, The Carter Center. He was also a groundnut farmer before becoming president. He breathed his last with all his family members nearby. US President Joe Biden said that an extraordinary leader, philanthropist and statesman has been lost. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Although he was diagnosed with cancer, he survived and had health problems including melanoma that spread to his liver and brain. Carter, the Democratic candidate, won the presidency by defeating Gerald Ford. But lost to Ronald Reagan in 1981. Carter's wife Rosalynn of 77 years died on November 19, 2023 at age 96. He is survived by four children three sons and a daughter.In Gaza's crowded tent camps, women wrestle with a life stripped of privacyPakistan can’t move forward with ‘remote controlled democracy’: Saad Rafique
Universal Corporation Receives NYSE Notice Regarding Filing of Form 10-Q for the Fiscal Quarter Ended September 30, 2024The right of transgender minors to access gender-affirming care has sparked debate in many parts of the United States, and it’s now heading to the U.S. Supreme Court. The court heard oral arguments Wednesday on a challenge, brought by young people who identify as transgender and their families, to a law in Tennessee that bans gender-affirming medical care for minors. It’s one of 26 states that have passed bans on gender-affirming health care for transgender children and teenagers, according to a CNN analysis of data from the Movement Advancement Project, a nonprofit think tank that advocates for LGBTQ rights. Gender-affirming care is a multidisciplinary approach that includes medically necessary and scientific evidence-based practices to help a person safely transition from their assigned gender – the one a clinician assigned them at birth, based mostly on anatomic characteristics – to their affirmed gender – the gender by which the person wants to be known. Although the term gender-affirming care came into the public’s lexicon fairly recently, Dr. Madeline Deutsch, director of the UCSF Gender Affirming Health Program in San Francisco, said the practice has been around for some time and is based on decades of scientific research. Major mainstream medical associations – including the American Medical Association , the American Psychiatric Association , the Endocrine Society , the American Psychological Association , the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry – have affirmed the practice of gender-affirming care and agree that it’s the gold standard of clinically appropriate care that can provide lifesaving treatment for children and adults. “While we are always assessing the strength of the evidence for this kind of care, every major US medical association has found that the medical evidence is strong and in support of centers that provides this kind of care and have been doing so for decades,” said Dr. Kellan Baker, executive director of the Whitman-Walker Institute, a health care organization that works on LGBTQ+ issues. This year, an extensive but controversial research review in the UK called the use of puberty-delaying medications into question, saying that the rationale for early puberty suppression was “unclear” and that any benefit for mental health was supported by “weak evidence.” The review — known as the Cass Review for Dr. Hilary Cass, the pediatrician who conducted it — has prompted providers in the UK to scale back their use of the treatment. However, its methodology have come under sharp criticism from some scholars and practitioners. The process typically starts with a conversation between a clinician and the individual. If the patient is a child, the conversation will also include the family when possible. “It’s to really get a better sense of what’s bringing them into the clinic,” said licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Melina Wald, co-founder and former clinical director of the Columbia Gender Identity Program at Columbia University Medical Center. “We are also looking to understand the child’s understanding of their own gender, gender expression and a history related to that.” After experts determine what the person needs, a multidisciplinary group of clinicians will design a plan for them. Depending on the person’s age, care can include mental health and support groups, legal help and sometimes medical help like hormones or surgery when a person is past puberty. “This is individualized care, not some one-size-fits-all-plan,” Baker said. A transition plan can be as simple as offering support to someone when they start using different pronouns, change their hairstyle or clothing, or use a different name. “When we support and allow people to do these things, their lives get better,” Deutsch said. Mental health care: Often, gender-affirming care will include counseling. A 2018 study found that the prevalence of mental health problems among transgender youth was seven times higher than among their cisgender peers. Mental health problems don’t necessarily stem from a person’s identity; a growing number of studies show that they often occur because of social discrimination and what’s known as minority stress. Stigma, marginalization , discrimination, bullying, harassment and violence can lead to feelings of isolation and rejection. People who identify as transgender may also need mental health help just to determine what their identity is, to come to terms with it and to find self-acceptance. Mental health care can also help people come out to their family and friends and develop coping mechanisms so they can be who they are in a world that isn’t always friendly or accepting. Gender-affirming care, studies show, lowers a person’s odds of depression and suicidality and is associated with improved well-being. Medication and surgery: Some people may also receive age-appropriate medical care like hormone treatments, puberty blockers, voice and communication therapy, gynecologic and urologic care and reproductive treatments. Typically, surgeries are offered only to adults. The World Professional Association for Transgender Health’s guidelines , which are considered the gold standard for gender-affirming care around the world, say this kind of care should provide a person “safe and effective pathways to achieving lasting personal comfort with their gendered selves with the aim of optimizing their overall physical health, psychological well-being, and self-fulfillment.” When children get to a certain stage of puberty – diagnosed by a medical provider – and still have a persistent, well-documented sense that their gender does not align with the sex assigned at birth, doctors and family may decide to move forward with reversible pubertal suppression , commonly called puberty blockers . Although not all patients choose this treatment, some research shows that gender-incongruent youth may feel increased distress when they start to develop secondary sex characteristics. These gonadotrophin-releasing hormone drugs were first used to delay puberty for people with what’s known as precocious puberty , when a child’s body changes into that of an adult too soon. Puberty blockers can keep secondary sex traits from developing for a few years, to give the child time to access support, explore their gender identity and develop coping skills, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. If a patient decides to stop treatment, puberty resumes. “That just basically puts everything on pause, and children can be on that for a couple of years without any ill effects, and it’s totally reversible,” Deutsch said. “If it’s stopped, then everything just continues where you left off.” Studies show that puberty blockers can reduce the distress that may happen when a child develops secondary sex characteristics such as breasts, an Adam’s apple or voice changes. Studies show that transgender adolescents who used puberty blockers were less likely to have suicidal thoughts than those who wanted the treatment but did not get it. Puberty blockers can also make a transition later in life easier, since the person did not develop these secondary sex characteristics. At this stage in the gender-affirming care process, after a thorough evaluation by a medical professional, a patient may also receive hormone therapy that can lead to gender-affirming physical change. Puberty blockers can carry some risks, and more long-term studies are needed, according to the Pediatric Endocrine Society . Long-term studies on fertility and bone health are limited and provide “varied results,” according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The World Professional Association for Transgender Health guidelines say that before giving puberty blockers, the provider must make sure the person has demonstrated a sustained and persistent pattern of gender dysphoria or gender incongruence; they must have the emotional and cognitive maturity to provide informed consent; any coexisting mental health problems that could interfere with treatment or consent need to be addressed; the person needs to be told that there could be reproductive effects, and fertility preservation options should be discussed; and the child must have reached Tanner Stage 2 of puberty, which is when a girl starts to develop breast buds and a boy’s scrotum and testicles begin to increase in size. A pediatric endocrinologist must agree with this decision. Professional medical guidelines, with some rare exceptions, do not recommend puberty blockers, hormone therapies or surgery for children who have not gone through puberty. If such treatment is indicated, the clinician would first do a thorough evaluation in collaboration with the patient and their caregiver to understand the child’s unique needs. “I think one of the big myths out there is that there’s a sense that kids are rushed into decisions related to medical care, like hormone therapy or surgery. That’s just not the case,” Wald said. Deutsch agreed: “Kids don’t make stuff up about this, wanting to become trans because it’s trendy or something,” she said. “Trans youth and trans people in general do not have access to a hormone vending machine.” Some critics point out that youth who take puberty blockers may change their minds about their gender identity later in life. Several studies have shown that most people who opt for gender-affirming care don’t later regret their choices — including an October 2022 study in the Netherlands that found 98% of transgender youth who had started gender-affirming medical treatment in adolescence continued to use those hormones around five or six years later in adulthood. Among 3,306 UK Gender Identity Development Service patients included the Cass Review analysis, fewer than 10 patients detransitioned to their birth-registered gender. Questions about the benefits of puberty-blocking medications gained fresh attention in October when the author of a federally funded study was quoted as saying she had delayed publication of some of her results because of fears that they would be “weaponized” in a heated political climate. Johanna Olson-Kennedy, medical director at the Center for Transyouth Health and Development at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, said that in the study , which she helped lead, puberty blockers did not appear to improve the mental health of 95 children ages 8 to 16 who were followed for two years to understand their mental and physical functioning as doctors used the medications to delay the physical changes associated with puberty. Some advocates for gender-affirming care for youth said this is a typical level of caution taken by researchers to carefully present and interpret scientific data. However, researchers said it remains critical to publish data; puberty blockers may have prevented a decline in mental health, even if they didn’t lead to improvement in mental functioning, but it’s impossible to know if the data isn’t released. If a child identifies as transgender or gender-diverse, research suggests that they know their gender as clearly and consistently as their peers who identify as cisgender or the gender they were assigned at birth, even if it conflicts with other people’s expectations about what a typical “boy” or “girl” is. Some critics of the process suggest that children should wait until adulthood to transition, but the American Academy of Pediatrics says in its guidelines that this approach is “outdated,” in part because it assumes that gender identity becomes fixed at a certain age, and the approach is based on “binary notions of gender in which gender diversity and fluidity is pathologized.” The group also argues that the approach was based on early studies with methodological flaws, limited follow-up and validity concerns. More recent research shows that “rather than focusing on who a child will become, valuing them for who they are, even at a young age, fosters secure attachment and resilience, not only for the child but also for the whole family.” Wald says that waiting to transition can create additional psychological distress for a child and can raise their risk of depression, suicidality, self-harm or substance misuse. “Withholding intervention means that the child is going to go through a puberty that is discordant with their gender identity and would ultimately mean that later, at the age of 18, there would be changes to their body that they would make it even more difficult,” she said. “These children and teens can be incredibly resilient,” Wald added. “With support and access to care, they will thrive and can be just as successful as any kid.” A 2022 analysis of data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and its Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that a tiny fraction of people in the United States – about 0.6% of those 13 and older, or about 1.6 million people – identify as transgender, according to the Williams Institute , a think tank at UCLA Law that provides scientific research on gender identity and sexual orientation. While the percentage of adults who identify as transgender in the US has remained basically the same, the number of young people who identify as such doubled – to 300,000 – from the last time the Williams Institute did the research in 2016 and 2017. It may not be a direct comparison, however, as the Williams Institute’s previous survey did not have survey data for younger teens and had to use statistical modeling to extrapolate based on adult data. The report cannot explain why more young people may be identifying as transgender, but it notes that more data has become available about this population. CNN’s Brenda Goodman, Meg Tirrell and Kristen Rogers contributed to this report.