NEW YEAR, NEW LOOK: HYATT CENTRIC SOUTH BEACH MIAMI DEBUTS ELEVATED STYLE AND LUXURYAtram has edge in 60 remote Aheri hamlets over daughter, nephew
ANDOVER, Mass. , Dec. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- TransMedics Group, Inc. ("TransMedics") (Nasdaq: TMDX), a medical technology company that is transforming organ transplant therapy for patients with end-stage lung, heart, and liver failure, today announced the appointment of Mr. Gerardo Hernandez as the Company's Chief Financial Officer, effective December 2, 2024 . In this role, Mr. Hernandez joins the TransMedics executive leadership team, succeeding Mr. Stephen Gordon . To enable a smooth transition, Mr. Gordon will remain a non-executive employee of the Company until March 31, 2025 , before serving as a non-employee senior advisor to the Company focusing on national transplant stakeholder engagement until March 31, 2026 . TransMedics also updated its 2024 financial outlook. Dr. Waleed Hassanein , Mr. Gerardo Hernandez and Mr. Stephen Gordon will attend the upcoming Piper Sandler Conference on December 3, 2024 , the TransMedics Investor & Analyst Day on December 10, 2024 , as well as the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in January 2025 . Mr. Hernandez is an accomplished finance leader with over 25 years of experience across the healthcare and consumer packaged goods (CPG) sectors. He most recently served as Vice President Finance, Head of Corporate Financial Planning and Analysis at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company focused on RNAi therapeutics. In this role, Mr. Hernandez led a global team as the company scaled rapidly. Prior to his role at Alnylam, Mr. Hernandez spent nearly a decade at Shire, where he rose through the organization, eventually leading corporate FP&A. During his tenure, Shire was acquired by Takeda in a $62 billion transaction, after which he was instrumental in the integration effort. Mr. Hernandez began his career at Unilever where he held several finance roles of increasing responsibility before joining Shire in 2010. Mr. Hernandez holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Wisconsin , La Crosse and an MBA in Strategy and Economics from Fundação Getulio Vargas , Sao Paulo, Brazil . "Stephen has been an exceptional partner to me as a member of the TransMedics leadership team for nearly a decade. During his tenure we transitioned the Company from a clinical stage organization to a high growth, publicly traded commercial business," said Waleed Hassanein , M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer. "On behalf of the entire management team and the Board, I want to thank Stephen for his countless contributions to our business that will have lasting benefits for the Company. I am grateful for Stephen's dedication and efforts to advance our corporate strategy while delivering considerable shareholder value, and I look forward to his continued partnership to affect a smooth transition as we start our next chapter at TransMedics." "I am delighted to welcome Gerardo to the TransMedics leadership team as our new Chief Financial Officer," added Dr. Hassanein. "His proven record over two decades of leadership across FP&A functions within high-growth, complex global organizations makes him an ideal addition to our team. I am looking forward to partnering with Gerardo as we continue to deliver significant long-term corporate growth and shareholder value." "I am thrilled to join TransMedics as Chief Financial Officer," said Mr. Hernandez. "I look forward to working with the entire leadership team to expand access to the Company's unparalleled products and services in the organ transplant field while enhancing operational efficiency and delivering lasting value to both our shareholders and the patients we serve." Dr. Hassanein concluded, "As we enter the final weeks of the fourth quarter, we are also updating our financial outlook for the full year 2024. Our updated guidance reflects our continued expectation for considerable year-over-year revenue growth. We look forward to providing additional context at our upcoming Investor & Analyst Day." 2024 Financial Outlook TransMedics now expects revenue for the full year 2024 to be in the range of $428 million to $432 million, which represents 77% to 79% growth compared to the Company's prior year revenue. Piper Sandler 36th Annual Healthcare Conference Members of the TransMedics management team will participate in a fireside chat at the upcoming Piper Sandler 36th Annual Healthcare Conference at the Lotte New York Palace. The fireside chat will take place on Tuesday, December 3, 2024 , at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time . A live and archived webcast of the fireside chat will be available on the "Investors" section of the TransMedics website at https://investors.transmedics.com . The Company's standard investor presentation is also available through this link. TransMedics Investor & Analyst Day Details TransMedics will discuss the transition and updated financial outlook, as well as the Company's growth strategy, clinical pipeline, and operations, in greater detail at its Investor & Analyst Day in New York City on Tuesday, December 10, 2024 , at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time . A live and archived webcast of presentations and Q&A sessions will be available on the "Investors" section of the TransMedics website at https://investors.transmedics.com . Please note management will only take questions from the live audience during the question-and-answer session following formal presentations. About TransMedics Group, Inc. TransMedics is the world's leader in portable extracorporeal warm perfusion and assessment of donor organs for transplantation. Headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts , the company was founded to address the unmet need for more and better organs for transplantation and has developed technologies to preserve organ quality, assess organ viability prior to transplant, and potentially increase the utilization of donor organs for the treatment of end-stage heart, lung, and liver failure. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements with respect to, among other things, a leadership transition and our full-year guidance. For this purpose, all statements other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking statements. The words "believe," "may," "will," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "expect," "should," "could," "target," "predict," "seek" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Our management cannot predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in or implied by any forward-looking statements we may make. In light of these risks and uncertainties, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this press release may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated in or implied by the forward-looking statements. Some of the key factors that could cause actual results to differ include: our ability to maintain profitability on a sustained basis; our ability to attract, train and retain key personnel; our existing and any future indebtedness, including our ability to comply with affirmative and negative covenants under our credit agreement to which we will remain subject until maturity; the fluctuation of our financial results from quarter to quarter; our need to raise additional funding and our ability to obtain it on favorable terms, or at all; our ability to use net operating losses and research and development credit carryforwards; our dependence on the success of the Organ Care System or OCS; our ability to expand access to the OCS through our National OCS Program or NOP; our ability to scale our manufacturing and sterilization capabilities to meet increasing demand for our products; the rate and degree of market acceptance of the OCS; our ability to educate patients, surgeons, transplant centers and private and public payors on the benefits offered by the OCS; our ability to improve the OCS platform and develop the next generation of the OCS products; our dependence on a limited number of customers for a significant portion of our revenue; our ability to maintain regulatory approvals or clearances for our OCS products in the United States , the European Union, and other select jurisdictions worldwide; our ability to adequately respond to the Food and Drug Administration or FDA, or other competent authorities, follow-up inquiries in a timely manner; the performance of our third-party suppliers and manufacturers; our use of third parties to transport donor organs and medical personnel for our NOP and our ability to maintain and grow our logistics capabilities to support our NOP and reduce dependence on third party transportation, including by means of attracting, training and retaining pilots, and the acquisition, maintenance or replacement of fixed-wing aircraft for our aviation transportation services or other acquisitions, joint ventures or strategic investments; our ability to maintain Federal Aviation Administration or FAA or other regulatory licenses or approvals for our aircraft transportation services; price increases of the components of our products and maintenance, parts and fuel for our aircraft; the timing or results of post-approval studies and any clinical trials for the OCS; our manufacturing, sales, marketing and clinical support capabilities and strategy; attacks against our information technology infrastructure; the economic, political and other risks associated with our foreign operations; our ability to protect, defend, maintain and enforce our intellectual property rights relating to the OCS and avoid allegations that our products infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate the intellectual property rights of third parties; the pricing of the OCS, as well as the reimbursement coverage for the OCS in the United States and internationally; regulatory developments in the United States, European Union and other jurisdictions; the extent and success of competing products or procedures that are or may become available; our ability to service our 1.50% convertible senior notes, due 2028; the impact of any product recalls or improper use of our products; our estimates regarding revenues, expenses and needs for additional financing; and other factors that may be described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Additional information will be made available in our annual and quarterly reports and other filings that we make with the SEC. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and we are not able to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law. Investor Contact: Brian Johnston Laine Morgan 332-895-3222 Investors@transmedics.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/transmedics-appoints-gerardo-hernandez-as-chief-financial-officer-and-provides-updated-2024-financial-outlook-302320060.html SOURCE TransMedics Group, Inc.Deal expected to avoid Urban Alchemy layoffs
EPIC: Emotion recognition tech violates EU fundamental rightsThe Energy Commission of Nigeria has expressed outrage over the arrest of its workers by police at the construction site of the multi-billion-naira Renewed Hope Bio-Methanol Pilot Plant in Nkanu West Local Government Area, Enugu State. The commission, an agency under the Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology, alleged that the arrests, which occurred on Friday, were orchestrated by the Enugu State Government. According to the commission, the detained workers have not yet been released, and construction activities at the site have been halted. An official of the commission, Mr. E. Okeke, told journalists in Enugu that seven construction workers were arrested during the operation. He identified them as Ambrose Edeh, Chibuike Edeh, Monday Nwodo, Obinna Samuel, Ebuka Chukwurah, Chibuike Okereke, and Maduabuchi Okoro. Okeke reported that police officers, accompanied by the chairmen of Nkanu East and Nkanu West Local Government Areas, also removed batteries from earth-moving machines at the site to disrupt construction. “The workers were initially detained at the RRS Government House in Enugu, then moved to the anti-kidnapping section at Independence Layout. Around midnight, they were transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department,” Okeke said. The methanol plant is said to be valued at over N40bn. Alongside the proposed N60bn Solar PV project for solar panel production, both projects are expected to generate significant employment opportunities for Enugu youths. Related News Energy commission accuses Enugu of methanol project disruption $4bn investment needed to boost renewable energy supply - ECN FG inaugurates committee to harness bioenergy potential Community leaders in Nkanuland, which is also the homeland of Governor Peter Mbah and the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, expressed anger over the incident. They claimed the land for the project was properly donated to the Federal Government. Chief John Ogbodo, a community elder, described the arrests as politically motivated, alleging that the state government was attempting to disrupt the project. Efforts to get comments from key Enugu government officials proved unsuccessful. Calls and messages to the spokesman for the Enugu State Police Command, Daniel Ndukwe, went unanswered. Similarly, the Chairman of Nkanu West Local Government Area, John Ogbodo, who reportedly led the police operation, did not respond to inquiries. The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Mr. Dan Nwaome, was also unreachable as of the time of filing this report.
A broad coalition of civil liberties and activist organizations is calling on lawmakers across the U.S. to oppose bans on wearing masks in public before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January. Dozens of mask bans, which are typically presented as “anti-crime” bills, have been proposed at the local, state and federal level s in what critics say is a direct response to protests against the mass killing and displacement of Palestinians by Israel. Police in some states are reviving once-defunct mask bans dating back to the 19th and early 20th centuries, when masked members of the Ku Klux Klan violently terrorized Black people and immigrants. During the height of the COVID pandemic, politicians put out statements to ensure the public that archaic anti-mask laws still on the books in 16 states would not be enforced. Now, members of both parties are reversing course after months of mass protests in solidarity with Palestine that pro-Israel pundits conflate with violence and mischaracterize as antisemitism, despite the fact that pro-peace Jewish groups are integral to the movement. For example, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul recently expressed support for proposals to criminalize mask-wearing in public for reasons besides health protection. Similar proposals to restrict or ban masks have received bipartisan support in North Carolina , Los Angeles , St. Louis , Louisville , and beyond. “It’s no surprise that fascists and science-deniers want to ban masks from protests. But it’s alarming that supposedly progressive lawmakers are helping them do it,” said Evan Greer, director of the digital rights group Fight for the Future, in a statement . Greer said bans on masking in public have massive implications for social movements and personal autonomy. Masking is now the norm at many political protests — as well as at abortion and reproductive health clinics — to protect against both COVID and doxxing by far right extremists who seek to attack the privacy of people they disagree with and harass them online. “There are many reasons to cover your face at a protest or in public, from defending yourself from harassment and doxxing to protecting your community from COVID during an ongoing public health crisis,” Greer said. For people living with disabilities or compromised immune systems, masking to prevent illness is necessary for participating in public forums in the first place. Face masks also defend against rapidly advancing digital surveillance and facial recognition technology, which is providing both law enforcement and internet trolls with new tools to target individuals as Trump pledges to take “retribution” against Democrats and leftists. While new and proposed masking laws typically contain exceptions for masks worn for religious or health reasons, it’s virtually impossible for police to tell the difference at a large event without confronting people directly. Everyone has a health reason to mask in public with COVID still floating around, and that ambiguity creates space for “discretionary and selective enforcement,” according to the American Civil Liberties Union. A newly instated mask ban on Long Island, New York, has already been weaponized against a peaceful demonstrator wearing a keffiyeh, the iconic scarf symbolizing solidarity with Palestine. A video shows activist Xavier Roa being handcuffed with a keffiyeh around his neck during a protest in September outside a synagogue that was reportedly promoting the sale of stolen Palestinian land to buyers in the United States. Roa faced up to a year in jail or a $1,000 fine under a law approved by Nassau County Republicans one month earlier in response to anti-genocide protests. The law has exceptions for masking in public for health or religious purposes, but police said Roa was concealing his identity and claimed to be wearing the keffiyeh in solidarity with Palestine, so they arrested him. Mayor Adams has pushed for a similar ban in New York City. In an early test of their ability to enforce anti-mask laws against protesters, prosecutors dropped the charges against Roa on November 22 after determining that they did not have enough evidence to convince a jury. The Nassau County mask ban also faces lawsuits filed by disabled residents who wear masks for health protection. However, even if violations of anti-mask laws may be difficult to prove in court, civil rights groups argue the laws provide police with enormous power to harass and arrest protesters as well as people who are disabled, immunocompromised, or suffering from Long COVID. “Like other anti-protest laws, these draconian measures will be selectively enforced, and used as an excuse by law enforcement to crack down on marginalized communities and protesters who they don’t like,” Greer said. In an open letter to policymakers, more than 40 organizations fighting for COVID justice, reproductive rights, organized labor and civil liberties, argues that criminalizing masking is a “serious threat” to public health, privacy and free speech, making “everyone less safe” while putting marginalized and disabled people already targeted by police at further risk. “As we continue to see sustained death and disablement due to COVID and Long COVID, the public health and disability justice implications of criminalizing mask-wearing are disastrous alone,” the letter states. “But to make matters worse, these bans violate our most fundamental civil liberties.” The letter points to North Carolina, where people who wear masks for health reasons reported an escalation in harassment as Republicans overrode the Democratic governor’s veto and put a harsh mask ban into effect . In June, a woman being treated for cancer was accosted and coughed on for wearing a mask. The North Carolina law allows police and property or business owners to demand that people unmask to be identified, which the groups argue could expose people not just to insults but also facial recognition software and “bad actors and their cameras.” Due to right-wing attacks on abortion rights and gender-affirming care, people may also choose to wear masks to avoid harassment and doxing when accessing reproductive health care, according to Jenna Sherman, a campaign director at the gender justice group UltraViolet. “Particularly in an era of increased surveillance and facial recognition, people are living in fear of being targeted for what should be routine, protected parts of our lives, like accessing reproductive healthcare,” Sherman recently wrote. “Everyone must have the right to choose to wear a mask regardless of whether it’s to protect their health or safeguard their privacy.” Sean O’Brien, founder of the Yale Privacy Lab, said masks provide people with “vital protection” not only from harassment but the “pervasive and growing tendrils of surveillance in our society.” “Mask bans create a chilling effect on speech and allow for biased and predictive policing, making it possible for facial recognition technology to follow individuals from protests and rallies all the way to their homes,” O’Brien wrote in a statement.Alex and Scott connect virtually to record this episode on a Wednesday. The OT win over the Jets was a stresser and the Dolphins D could do little against a QB that hasn’t had a 300 yard day in years, so they are concerned. Jonnu Smith is our hero again and Tua earned this one. Jet’s game talk is well mixed in with the challenge the Dolphins have next: The Texans. These two think it’s going to be a hard road to travel to earn a win in Houston, and explain why. One cool thing has an announcement from Alex and some meandering recommendation on another wine region on the opposite side of the country from Scott.
NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams met with President-elect Donald Trump's incoming “border czar” on Thursday, with the Democratic mayor expressing an enthusiasm to work with the incoming administration to pursue violent criminals in the city while Trump promises mass deportations. The mayor's meeting with Tom Homan, who will oversee the southern and northern borders and be responsible for deportation efforts in the Trump administration, came as Adams has welcomed parts of the president-elect's hardline immigration platform. Adams told reporters at a brief news conference that he and Homan agreed on pursuing people who commit violent crimes in the city but did not disclose additional details or future plans. “We’re not going to be a safe haven for those who commit repeated violent crimes against innocent migrants, immigrants and longstanding New Yorkers," he said. “That was my conversation today with the border czar, to figure out how to go after those individuals who are repeatedly committing crimes in our city.” The meeting marked Adams' latest and most definitive step toward collaborating with the Trump administration, a development that has startled critics in one of the country's most liberal cities. In the weeks since Trump’s election win, Adams has mused about potentially scaling back the city’s so-called sanctuary policies and coordinating with the incoming Trump administration on immigration. He has also said migrants accused of crimes shouldn’t have due process rights under the Constitution, though he eventually walked back those comments. The mayor further stunned Democrats when he sidestepped questions last week on whether he would consider changing parties to become a Republican, telling journalists that he was part of the “American party.” Adams later clarified that he would remain a Democrat. For Adams, a centrist Democrat known for quarreling with the city's progressive left, the recent comments on immigration follow frustration with the Biden Administration over its immigration policies and a surge of international migrants in the city. He has maintained that his positions have not changed and argues he is trying to protect New Yorkers, pointing to the law-and-order platform he has staked out throughout his political career and during his successful campaign for mayor. At his news conference Thursday, Adams reiterated his commitment to New York’s generous social safety net. “We’re going to tell those who are here, who are law-abiding, to continue to utilize the services that are open to the city, the services that they have a right to utilize, educating their children, health care, public protection,” he said. “But we will not be the safe haven for those who commit violent acts.” While the education of all children present in the U.S. is already guaranteed by a Supreme Court ruling, New York also offers social services like healthcare and emergency shelter to low-income residents, including those in the country illegally. City and state grants also provide significant access to lawyers, which is not guaranteed in the immigration court as they are in the criminal court. Still, Adams’ recent rhetoric has been seen by some critics as an attempt to cozy up to Trump, who could potentially offer a presidential pardon in his federal corruption case. Adams has been charged with accepting luxury travel perks and illegal campaign contributions from a Turkish official and other foreign nationals looking to buy his influence. He has pleaded not guilty. Homan, who was Trump’s former acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement director, also met this week with Republicans in Illinois, where he called on Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, both Democrats, to start negotiations over how Trump's mass deportation plans, according to local media. Separately, New York City officials this week announced continued efforts to shrink a huge emergency shelter system for migrants because of a steady decline in new arrivals. Among the planned shelter closures is a massive tent complex built on a federally owned former airport in Brooklyn, which advocates have warned could be a prime target for Trump's mass deportation plan. Elsewhere, Republican governors and lawmakers in some states are already rolling out proposals that could help him carry out his pledge to deport millions of people living in the U.S. illegally. Izaguirre reported from Albany, N.Y. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Editor’s note: The Social Security Administration previously warned users that accounts not connected to Login.gov would be retired starting in September 2024. However, as of Dec. 12 2024, Social Security recipients still have the ability to use their old login methods to access my Social Security. SSA told VERIFY: “We are currently in the transition process and our current goal is to notify the public about these upcoming changes, therefore we have not set a final deadline for legacy accounts to transition to a Login.gov account.” In an update to the frequently asked questions page on Dec. 12, SSA addressed concerns the process would affect payments, saying: “Your Social Security benefits and Medicare premium deduction are not affected by the transition. While we strongly encourage you to transition to or create a Login.gov or ID.me account to access your personal my Social Security account, it is optional.” The story continues as originally published below. The Social Security Administration has an online system, my Social Security , where people can log on and see information about their Social Security cards, applications or benefits. VERIFY readers Mary and Joan reached out to ask if notifications they received about setting up an account with a different website, Login.gov, to access their Social Security information online were real and whether it’s safe to create an account. Is it safe to use Login.gov to access online Social Security accounts? Social Security Administration AARP Yes, it’s safe to use Login.gov to access online Social Security accounts. Sign up for the VERIFY Fast Facts daily Newsletter! Login.gov is a legitimate website run by the federal government to authenticate the identity of online account holders. Users who aren’t using it or another government-approved authenticator will be required to do so in the coming months. The Social Security Administration is making updates to its online account system, according to a July 12 press release published by the agency. Starting in September , Social Security recipients will be required to use verification tools Login.gov or ID.me in order to access Social Security information online. “The agency is making the changes to simplify the sign-in experience and align with federal authentication standards while providing safe and secure access to online services,” the Social Security Administration says . The Social Security Administration has an update regarding the change pinned to the top of its website, ssa.gov . The email notice VERIFY reader Mary sent to us came from subscription.service@subscriptions.ssa.gov , a legitimate Social Security email address, according to the administration’s website . A pop up on Login.gov also confirms the website is an “official website of the United States government.” The .gov domain is also specifically reserved for government agencies. The other option for authentication, ID.me, is also legitimate. The company has partnered with 16 federal agencies to facilitate a login service “that meets the U.S. government's online identity proofing and authentication requirements,” the Social Security administration says. RELATED: No, Project 2025 doesn’t propose eliminating Social Security benefits Both provide users the ability to use just one username and password across multiple websites with two-factor authentication. The big difference between the two is that Login.gov is operated and run by the government, while ID.me is a third-party login system that can be used for government agencies, as well as non-government businesses. The Social Security Administration recommends ID.me for people living outside the United States. The systems offer additional protection from scammers who may “obtain your Social Security number and other personal information phishing, data breaches or other means may be able to go online and set up a My Social Security account in your name,” AARP says. Users already have the option to log in to their my Social Security accounts using Login.gov or ID.me, and people who have previously set up accounts through one of the authentication sites won’t need to take any action. Users who created my Social Security accounts before Sept. 18, 2021, and who have not created a login on one of the new authentication websites have just a few more months before their account is phased out. The Social Security Administration says “over five million of these account holders have already transitioned to Login.gov.” “Starting September 2024, these accounts will be retired,” the my Social Security login page says . For users who do not currently use Login.gov, switching over an account can be done when logging into my Social Security. After logging in on the my Social Security website with their username and password as usual, users with soon-to-be outdated accounts will be given an option to transfer over to the Login.gov system. They will then need to set up a second authentication method. Once the user links their account, a confirmation message will be shown, and Login.gov can be used to sign in to my Social Security in the future. The Social Security Administration recommends switching to a Login.gov account as soon as possible.
CEO Sundar Pichai to employees: Google layoffs saw 10% reduction in managers, directors, and vice presidents
Young women are being trafficked and exploited by local drug lords, says Minister for Women Lynda Tabuya. Speaking to this newspaper, Ms Tabuya provided the example of the two OnlyFans pornography creators who were booted out of Fiji because of their plans to shoot porn with Australian schoolies. “Now, this was done very visibly, because she (Bonnie Blue) went online visibly,” Ms Tabuya said. “But we have the local porn industry that is working quietly and doing porn videos and posting it up and preying on young people. “I mean, look at the trafficking of our young people, it’s almost every week we’re seeing a missing person, and they are usually young girls. So where do they go missing? “So, I’ve done some investigation from the ministry to ask these young girls where they go and they tell us it’s actually part of the drug trade. So for example, a drug lord will want a young girl for his entertainment. He will send one of his drug peddlers to go and get a young girl, lure her to come. So she’s missing for a few days. She goes and she’s with this drug lord and entertaining him, including sex and bribing her with all sorts of gadgets and things and giving her money, then returns her home. “Young girls are getting involved in this, and they’re getting paid for it. It is exploitation, it is sex trafficking, and it’s happening in our country because of the drug trade.” Ms Tabuya said she understood there was institutional corruption that needed to be addressed fast, but it was not an issue that a single agency or ministry could deal with. “Honourable Pio Tikoduadua should not be fighting this alone. It’s got to be all of us together to come together and say, how do we deal with this institutional corruption? “How do we remove it and there are ways to do it. So as a result, we formed a sub-committee to Cabinet on drugs, and it’s actually chaired by the Prime Minister.” Ms Tabuya said the committee also had the Ministries of Women, Health and Education, Home Affairs, iTaukei Affairs, and Youth and Sports. “This is how important this issue is, about drugs. So when we sit together, we said, OK, we are now on this highest level to make decisions about the issues on drugs. So it’s coming together. “We are guided by and looking at what the National Counter Narcotics Strategy and see the work that they’re doing, but it has to come to that highest level, and it takes political will to make these decisions. “It’s work in progress, but we’re doing our best.”The drug dealers, thieves and gang leaders who are granted clemency by BidenSaturday, December 21, 2024 Sydney’s public transport network is bracing for significant disruptions as train workers intensify industrial action, creating a ripple effect across the city’s commuter system. The ongoing standoff between the Rail, Tram, and Bus Union (RTBU) and the New South Wales (NSW) government has already led to the cancellation of 52 services, with more delays and interruptions expected in the coming days. The timing could not be worse, as the city gears up for its iconic New Year’s Eve celebrations. NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb issued a stark warning about the possibility of cancelling the Sydney Harbour New Year’s Eve fireworks if disruptions persist. This announcement has drawn sharp criticism from the RTBU, which accused the commissioner of employing scare tactics. The cancellation of the fireworks, a hallmark of Sydney’s global image, would be a significant blow to the city’s tourism and hospitality industries during one of the busiest times of the year. Discover everything and anything about travel , tourism , trade shows at the Travel And Tour World , including breaking travel news and weekly travel updates for travel trade , airlines , cruise , railways , technology , travel association , DMCs, and video interviews and promotional videos . The Federal Court’s recent ruling in favor of the RTBU has emboldened train workers, who are now enforcing 25 industrial bans. These include restrictions on travel distances and a partial ban on the use of the network’s signalling system. RTBU NSW Secretary Toby Warnes stated that these measures are necessary to push the government to address longstanding worker grievances. The RTBU’s demands revolve around improved wages, better working conditions, and the rectification of safety concerns. Despite the protracted negotiations, the NSW government remains steadfast, showing no willingness to compromise. The NSW government’s efforts to suspend the industrial action faced a setback when the Fair Work Commission adjourned their application after a brief hearing. The government’s inability to secure immediate relief highlights the complexity of the legal and industrial landscape surrounding this dispute. As the weekend approaches, Sydney commuters face growing uncertainty. The 52 services already impacted are just the beginning, with delays expected to worsen as the bans take full effect. Passengers relying on Sydney Trains, Intercity, and NSW Trainlink services are urged to delay non-essential travel or explore alternative transport options. Frequent commuters are no strangers to disruptions, but the scale of this industrial action sets it apart. Many passengers have expressed frustration over the lack of resolution and the inconvenience caused during a critical period. The timing of this industrial action underscores its potential to disrupt one of Sydney’s most celebrated events. The New Year’s Eve fireworks draw thousands of spectators to the harbor, generating significant revenue for local businesses and cementing Sydney’s reputation as a premier global destination. The threat of cancellation has raised concerns within the tourism and hospitality sectors, which are still recovering from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the standoff between the RTBU and the NSW government raises broader questions about labor relations and public sector management. The prolonged nature of the dispute suggests a lack of effective communication and negotiation strategies on both sides. Discover everything and anything about travel , tourism , trade shows at the Travel And Tour World , including breaking travel news and weekly travel updates for travel trade , airlines , cruise , railways , technology , travel association , DMCs, and video interviews and promotional videos . For those navigating Sydney’s disrupted transport network, planning ahead is crucial. Here are some tips for minimizing inconvenience: The ongoing conflict between the RTBU and the NSW government serves as a critical test for Sydney’s public transport resilience. While the immediate focus remains on mitigating the impact of the industrial action, long-term solutions will require meaningful dialogue and mutual concessions. As Sydney braces for a challenging holiday season, the stakes are high for commuters, government officials, and union members alike. The resolution of this dispute will not only determine the fate of New Year’s Eve celebrations but also set the tone for labor relations in Australia’s public transport sector. In the meantime, Sydney’s residents and visitors must navigate a landscape of uncertainty and adapt to the evolving situation. Discover everything and anything about travel , tourism , trade shows at the Travel And Tour World , including breaking travel news and weekly travel updates for travel trade , airlines , cruise , railways , technology , travel association , DMCs, and video interviews and promotional videos .Broncos, left tackle Garett Bolles agree on 4-year extension to protect rookie quarterback Bo Nix
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Maher reveals reasons for changing systems during Blues' draw with Forest GreenLONDON — What does a spy agency give for Christmas? How about a riddle wrapped in an enigma inside a mystery. GCHQ, Britain’s electronic and cyber-intelligence agency, on Wednesday published its annual Christmas Challenge — a seasonal greeting card that doubles as a set of fiendishly difficult puzzles designed to excite young minds about solving cyphers and unearthing clues. The challenge is aimed at young people aged 11 to 18, who are encouraged to work in teams and use “lateral thinking, ingenuity and perseverance” to crack the seven brainteasers set by GCHQ’s “in-house puzzlers.” The card is sent by the head of GCHQ — short for Government Communications Headquarters — to other national security chiefs around the world. Puzzles were first included in 2015 and have become an annual tradition. The card can be downloaded from the GCHQ website and has become popular with teachers — the agency says a third of British secondary schools have downloaded it. The agency admits the festive fun has an ulterior motive. GCHQ Director Anne Keast-Butler said she hoped the card would inspire young people to explore STEM subjects — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — “and to consider what a career in cybersecurity and intelligence might have to offer.” It also aims to dispel some myths about intelligence work, fueled by super-agent James Bond and other fictional spies. GCHQ’s “chief puzzler,” Colin, said the challenge is best solved by teamwork, in contrast to the popular image of the lone genius or solo secret agent. “Don’t get me wrong — we have geniuses in the department,” said Colin, who gave only his first name because of the secret nature of his work. “But critically what we have is a large number of people with different skills coming together. “The skills we want are quite diverse. We like analytical skills but also lateral thinking skills. And we like the idea with some of these puzzles that it involves a certain amount of perseverance to get to the answer.” The card features a map of the U.K., linked to the locations where GCHQ has bases, including its high-tech headquarters in Cheltenham, western England, nicknamed the doughnut because of its shape. Many British people are keen puzzle-solvers, and the link between puzzlers and spycraft is often celebrated — notably in the many books, films and TV shows about Bletchley Park, a complex of buildings and wooden huts northwest of London where, during World War II, hundreds of mathematicians, cryptologists, crossword puzzle experts and computer pioneers worked to crack Nazi Germany’s secret codes. Historians say their work shortened World War II by as much as two years. Colin said that among new recruits to GCHQ, “we now hear more and more that they first heard of GCHQ through puzzling.” “It definitely inspires people.” Technology has advanced immeasurably since the days of Bletchley Park, but — reassuringly — making and solving puzzles is one area that still needs the human touch. “AI doesn’t have a good record either setting or solving puzzles, not of this sort,” Colin said. “It is still the case that people are able to set interesting puzzles in a way that AI isn’t — thank goodness.” — By JILL LAWLESS, Associated Press