nichido juicy lips
The year in money: inflation eased, optimism ticked upwardPrince Adewole Adebayo, former presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has commended the reappointment of Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as Drirector-General (DG) of World Trade Organisation (WTO), saying it was well deserved. The General Council of the World Trade Organisation on Friday, November 29, reappointed Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for a second term as its DG. The new four-year tenure will begin on September 1, 2025. Writing on his official X, @Pres_Adebayo, the SDP chieftain thanked Predident Bola Tinubu and other global stakeholders at WTO for making her reappointment posdible. He equally expressed hope that her reappointment would improve global trade, which will, in turn, foster social justice, international friendship and sustainable development. “I am most delighted to congratulate our dear sister and one of the world’s finest public servants @NOIweala on her reappointment for a second term as the Director-General of the World Trade Organization. I thank @officialABAT and other global stakeholders of the @wto for their support for a most deserving candidate. “It is my hope that global trade will become a means of fostering social justice, international friendship and sustainable development in our time to bid farewell to poverty and insecurity in a world awash with capital, technology and enterprise,” he stated.Scott Gillingham. Wab Kinew. A battle on the ice for hockey supremacy. The Manitoba premier is set to face off against Winnipeg's mayor on Nov. 30 to mark Winnipeg's 150th anniversary. Gillingham, councillors, and members of Winnipeg's Public Service will hit the ice against Kinew, MLAs, and provincial staff in a friendly competition. "I can't promise the hockey will be pretty, but municipal government is about being scrappy and digging hard in the corners. We're going to give it 110 per cent and stick to the game plan," Gillingham said in a news release. This matchup is meant to recreate a game from 50 years ago when then-mayor Stephen Juba and his City Fathers team battled former premier Edward Schreyer and his Golden Boys. An old poster for a hockey game between former mayor Stephen Juba and his City Fathers team and former premier Edward Schreyer and his Golden Boys. Uploaded Nov. 21, 2024. (Winnipeg Archives) "I'm excited to face off with the mayor and his team to celebrate Winnipeg's 150th anniversary in front of a packed barn full of the best fans in the NHL – Manitobans," said Kinew in a news release. The two teams will clash at the Gateway Recreation Centre at 1717 Gateway Rd. Puck drop is at 11:15 a.m., admission is free, and the first 250 people to show up will get free hotdogs and drinks. The city is also encouraging people to bring non-perishable food items to donate to Manitoba Harvest.
Simon and Paula Herbert buy into NZX-listed WasteCo
WASHINGTON — The House on Wednesday passed a $895 billion measure that authorizes a 1% increase in defense spending this fiscal year and would give a double-digit pay raise to about half of the enlisted service members in the military. The bill is traditionally strongly bipartisan, but some Democratic lawmakers opposed the inclusion of a ban on transgender medical treatments for children of military members if such treatment could result in sterilization. It passed by a vote of 281-140 and next moves to the Senate, where lawmakers sought a bigger boost in defense spending than the current measure allows. The Pentagon and the surrounding area is seen Jan. 26, 2020, from the air in Washington. Lawmakers are touting the bill's 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5% increase for others as key to improving the quality of life for those serving in the U.S. military. Those serving as junior enlisted personnel are in pay grades that generally track with their first enlistment term. Lawmakers said service member pay failed to remain competitive with the private sector, forcing many military families to rely on food banks and government assistance programs to put food on the table. The bill also provides significant new resources for child care and housing. "No service member should have to live in squalid conditions and no military family should have to rely on food stamps to feed their children, but that's exactly what many of our service members are experiencing, especially the junior enlisted," said Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. "This bill goes a long way to fixing that." The bill sets key Pentagon policy that lawmakers will attempt to fund through a follow-up appropriations bill. The overall spending tracks the numbers established in a 2023 agreement that then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., reached with President Joe Biden to increase the nation's borrowing authority and avoid a federal default in exchange for spending restraints. Many senators had wanted to increase defense spending some $25 billion above what was called for in that agreement, but those efforts failed. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who is expected to serve as the next chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the overall spending level was a "tremendous loss for our national defense," though he agreed with many provisions within the bill. "We need to make a generational investment to deter the Axis of Aggressors. I will not cease work with my congressional colleagues, the Trump administration, and others until we achieve it," Wicker said. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., speaks with reporters Nov. 21 on Capitol Hill in Washington. House Republicans don't want to go above the McCarthy-Biden agreement for defense spending and are looking to go way below it for many non-defense programs. They are also focused on cultural issues. The bill prohibits funding for teaching critical race theory in the military and prohibits TRICARE health plans from covering gender dysphoria treatment for children under 18 if that treatment could result in sterilization. Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state, the ranking Democratic member of the House Armed Services Committee, said minors dealing with gender dysphoria is a "very real problem." He said the treatments available, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy, have proven effective at helping young people dealing with suicidal thoughts, anxiety and depression. "These treatments changed their lives and in many cases saved their lives," Smith said. "And in this bill, we decided we're going to bar service members' children from having access to that." Smith said the number of minors in service member families receiving transgender medical care extends into the thousands. He could have supported a study asking medical experts to determine whether such treatments are too often used, but a ban on health insurance coverage went too far. He said Speaker Mike Johnson's office insisted on the ban and said the provision "taints an otherwise excellent piece of legislation." Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, called the ban a step in the right direction, saying, "I think these questions need to be pulled out of the debate of defense, so we can get back to the business of defending the United States of America without having to deal with social engineering debates." Smith said he agrees with Roy that lawmakers should be focused on the military and not on cultural conflicts, "and yet, here it is in this bill." Branden Marty, a Navy veteran who served for 13 years, said the loss of health coverage for transgender medical treatments could prompt some with valuable experience to leave the military, affecting national security because "we already struggle from a recruiting and retention standpoint." He also said the bill could regularly force service members into difficult choices financially. "It will be tough for a lot of them because of out-of-pocket expenses, especially enlisted members who we know already struggle with food insecurity," said Marty, the father of a transgender teenager. "They don't get paid very much, so they're going to be making a lot of choices on a day-to-day, tactical level." House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., responds to reporters Dec. 6 during his weekly news conference at the Capitol in Washington. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, said his team did not tell Democrats how to vote on the bill. "There's a lot of positive things in the National Defense Authorization Act that were negotiated in a bipartisan way, and there are some troubling provisions in a few areas as well," Jeffries said. Overall, 81 Democrats voted for the bill and 124 against it. On the Republican side, 200 voted for the bill and 16 against it. "It's disappointing to see 124 of my Democrat colleagues vote against our brave men and women in uniform over policies that have nothing to do with their intended mission," Johnson, R-La., said. The defense policy bill also looks to strengthen deterrence against China. It calls for investing $15.6 billion to build military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region. The Biden administration requested about $10 billion. On Israel, the bill, among other things, includes an expansion of U.S. joint military exercises with Israel and a prohibition on the Pentagon citing casualty data from Hamas. The defense policy bill is one of the final measures that lawmakers view as a must-pass before making way for a new Congress in January. Rising threats from debt collectors against members of the U.S. armed forces are undermining national security, according to data from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a federal watchdog that protects consumer rights. To manage the impact of financial stress on individual performance, the Defense Department dedicates precious resources to improving financial literacy, so service members know the dangers of notorious no-credit-check loans. “The financial well-being of service members and their families is one of the Department’s top priorities,” said Andrew Cohen, the director of financial readiness in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon. But debt collectors are gaining ground. Last quarter, debt collection complaints by U.S. military service members increased 24% , and attempts to collect on “debts not owed” surged 40%. Complaints by service members against debt collectors for deceptive practices ballooned from 1,360 in the fourth quarter of 2023 to 1,833 in the first quarter of 2024. “There’s a connection between the financial readiness and the readiness of a service member to perform their duty,” said Jim Rice, Assistant Director, Office of Servicemember Affairs at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Laws exist to protect the mission readiness of U.S. troops from being compromised by threats and intimidation, but debt collectors appear to be violating them at an alarming pace. “If they’re threatening to call your commander or get your security clearance revoked, that’s illegal,” says Deborah Olvera, financial readiness manager at Wounded Warriors Project, and a military spouse who’s been harassed herself by a collection agency that tried to extort money from her for a debt she didn’t owe. But after she requested the name of the original creditor, she never heard from them again. “The financial well-being of service members and their families is one of the Department’s top priorities.” —Andrew Cohen, Director of Financial Readiness at the Pentagon Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, it’s illegal for debt collectors to threaten to contact your boss or have you arrested because it violates your financial privacy. The FDCPA also prohibits debt collectors from making false, deceptive, or misleading representations in connection with the collection of a debt, even for borrowers with bad credit scores. But according to the data, debt collectors are increasingly ignoring those rules. “Debt collection continues to be one of the top consumer complaint categories,” said a spokesperson at the Federal Trade Commission. The commission released a report earlier this year revealing that consumers were scammed $10 billion in 2023, a new benchmark for fraud losses. In his book Debt: The First 5,000 Years, David Graeber argues that debt often creates a relationship that can feel more oppressive than systems of hierarchy, like slavery or caste systems because it starts by presuming equality between the debtor and the creditor. When the debtor falls into arrears, that equality is then destroyed. This sense of betrayal and the subsequent imbalance of power leads to widespread resentment toward lenders. Photo Credit: Olena Yakobchuk / Shutterstock The debt collector reportedly harassing military service members most was Resurgent Capital Services, a subsidiary of collection giant Sherman Financial Group. The company tacks on accrued interest and junk fees and tries to collect on debts purchased for pennies on the dollar from cable companies, hospitals, and credit card companies, among others. Sherman Financial Group is run by billionaire Benjamin Navarro, who has a reported net worth of $1.5 billion, according to Forbes. Sherman Financial also owns subprime lender Credit One Bank and LVNV Funding, which outsource collections to Resurgent Capital. According to CFPB data, the second worst offender is CL Holdings, the parent company of debt-buyer Jefferson Capital Systems. The company has also been named in numerous complaints to the Better Business Bureau for alleged violations of the FDCPA, such as failing to properly validate debts or update credit reports with accurate information. Under the leadership of CEO David Burton, Jefferson Capital Systems is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CompuCredit Corporation, which markets subprime credit cards under the names Aspire, Majestic, and others. The third most referenced debt collector is publicly traded Portfolio Recovery Associates [NASDAQ: PRAA], which was forced to pay $27 million in penalties for making false representations about debts, initiating lawsuits without proper documentation, and other violations. Portfolio Recovery Associates is run by CEO Vikram Atal. Fourth place for alleged worst offender goes to Encore Capital Group [NASDAQ ECPG], which was required to pay $42 million in consumer refunds and a $10 million penalty for violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Encore collects under its subsidiary Midland Credit Management Group. These debt collectors all operate under a veritable shell game of company and brand names, almost none of which are disclosed on their websites, sending consumers on a wild goose chase to try and figure out how they’re related to each other. But despite their attempts to hide their tracks behind a smoke screen of subsidiaries, a leopard can’t change its spots, and the CFPB complaint database makes it harder for them to try. Photo Credit: Bumble Dee / Shutterstock Although widely considered a consumer-friendly state, complaints spiked most in California, which saw a 188% increase in complaints filed from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. California is home to 157,367 military personnel, making it the most populous state for active-duty service members. The second-largest increase in debt collection complaints was in Texas, which saw a 66% jump from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. The U.S. Department of Defense reports 111,005 service members stationed in the Lone Star State, which is the third-most populous state for active-duty military. The rising trends do not correlate to the number of military personnel by state. Complaints against debt collectors in Virginia, the second most populous state with 126,145 active duty personnel, decreased by 29% in the same quarter-over-quarter period. And complaints filed quarter-over-quarter in North Carolina, the fifth most populous state with 91,077 military personnel, decreased by 3% in the same period. The third largest percentage increase in debt collection complaints was from service members stationed in Maryland, where alleged harassment reports jumped 112% from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. Maryland ranks number 12 with just 28,059 active duty service members. Fourth place goes to Ohio – the 28th most populous active-duty state – where complaints doubled, followed by Arizona – the 15th most populous military state – where complaints were up 70% in the same quarter-over-quarter period. Photo Credit: PeopleImages.com - Yuri A / Shutterstock In 2007, Congress passed the Military Lending Act to cap the cost of credit to a 36% annual percentage rate, inclusive of junk fees and late charges, for active duty military service members. That rate is still considerably higher than average credit card rates, which range from 8% for borrowers with excellent credit scores to as high as 36% for borrowers with bad credit. But lenders still get hauled into court for violating the MLA. Don Hankey, the billionaire subprime auto lender who funded Donald Trump’s $175 million appeal bond , is among those violators. His company, Westlake Financial, which markets high-interest car loans for bad credit, has been sued twice by the Department of Justice for harassing military service members. In 2017, the DoJ alleged Hankey’s Westlake Financial illegally repossessed at least 70 vehicles owned by military service members. Westlake Financial paid $700,000 to settle the charges. In 2022, Westlake Financial paid $250,000 for allegedly cheating U.S. troops out of interest rates they were legally entitled to. Westlake Financial continues to receive complaints from military service members alleging abusive debt collection practices on its no-credit-check loans. A steady year-over-year increase in the number of complaints filed against Westlake Financial continued from 2020 to 2023. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau data shows a 13% increase in the number of complaints against the company from 2020 to 2021, a 28% increase from 2021 to 2022, and a torrential 119% surge from 2022 to 2023. The numbers suggest systemic complaint-handling processes and inadequate customer service resources. Photo Credit: Cynthia Shirk / Shutterstock On May 16, 2024, a deceptively named predatory lending industry front group dubbed the Community Financial Services Association of America (CFSA) lost a legal attempt to defund the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. In an effort to deprive Americans of essential consumer protections, the lobby group argued that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s funding structure was unconstitutional. But the Supreme Court denied its claim. In a 7-2 ruling, the Court held that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s funding structure is indeed constitutional. That means the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau cannot be defunded, but it does not mean the agency cannot be defanged. The New York Times suggested that Hankey’s incentive to finance Trump’s $175 million bond could have been a reciprocity pledge to neuter the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau if Trump wins the upcoming U.S. presidential election. If Trump wins a second term, he could replace Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director Rohit Chopra, an American consumer advocate, with a predatory lending advocate. In 2020, the Trump Administration secured a Supreme Court ruling that made it easier for the president to fire the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The ruling struck down previous restrictions on when a president can fire the bureau’s director. Like other federal agencies, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has also been confronted for overstepping its bounds, pushing too far, and acting unfairly against entities it regulates. Photo Credit: Lux Blue / Shutterstock Seasonality and rising interest rates do not explain the increase in debt collection complaints from service members. The surge in complaints is not tied to predictable seasonal fluctuations or changes in interest rates. The increase in debt collection complaints by service members may point to underlying systemic issues, such as aggressive and predatory debt collection practices that exploit the unique financial vulnerabilities of service members, who face frequent relocations and deployments. Debt Complaints by Service Members The 24% spike in debt collection complaints exhibits no correlation to fluctuations in interest rates. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Pandemic stimulus checks were also not a factor. COVID-19 relief benefit checks went through three major rounds during the pandemic. The final round of Economic Impact Payments went out in March 2021 . To better understand the rising trend of debt collection complaints, we calculated the increase in the total number of complaints and the percentage increase quarter-over-quarter. For example, New Jersey has the second largest percentage increase in complaints quarter-over-quarter, but the total number of complaints increased by just 16. The data for this study was sourced from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) complaint database. The dataset specifically targeted complaints filed by U.S. military service members, identified using the tag “Servicemember” within Q4 2023 and Q1 2024. Readers can find the detailed research methodology underlying this news story in the accompanying section here . For complete results, see U.S. Troops Face Mounting Threats from Predatory Debt Collectors on BadCredit.org . Homelessness reached record levels in 2023, as rents and home prices continued to rise in most of the U.S. One group was particularly impacted: people who have served in the U.S. military. "This time last year, we knew the nation was facing a deadly public health crisis," Jeff Olivet, executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, said in a statement about the 2023 numbers. He said the latest homelessness estimates from the Department of Housing and Urban Development "confirms the depth of the crisis." At least 35,000 veterans were experiencing homelessness in 2023, according to HUD. While that's about half of what it was in 2009—when the organization began collecting data—things have plateaued in recent years despite active efforts to get that number to zero. Although they make up just 6.6% of the total homeless population, veterans are more likely to be at risk of homelessness than Americans overall. Of every 10,000 Americans, 20 were experiencing homelessness. Of veterans living in the United States, that number jumps to 22, HUD data shows. Complicated by bureaucracy, family dynamics, and prejudice, the path from serving in the military to homelessness is a long one. According to a 2022 study by Yale School of Medicine researchers, homelessness typically occurs within four years of leaving the military, as veterans must contend with the harsh reality of finding a job in a world where employers struggle to see how skills on the battlefield transfer to a corporate environment. These days, veterans also deal with historically high rent and home prices, which causes many to rely on family generosity while figuring out a game plan. Stacker examined academic studies, analyzed government data, and spoke with members of the Biden administration, experts, and former members of the armed forces to see the struggles members of the military face when leaving the armed forces. The Department of Veterans Affairs offers transition assistance to the roughly 250,000 service members who leave each year. However, those programs can be burdensome and complex to navigate, especially for those who don't have a plan for post-military life. Only a small portion of veterans have jobs lined up when they leave, according to 2019 Pew Research. Many also choose to live with relatives until they get on their feet, which can be longer than anticipated. Some former service members are unsure what kind of career they'd like to pursue and may have to get further education or training, Carl Castro, director of the Military and Veteran Programs at the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work at the University of Southern California, told Stacker. "It takes years for that kind of transition," Castro said. Many have trouble finding a job after leaving the service, even if they are qualified. Some employers carry misconceptions about those who have served. A 2020 analysis from the journal Human Resource Management Review found that some veterans face hiring discrimination due to negative stereotypes that lead hiring managers to write them off as a poor culture fit. Underemployment, or working low-wage jobs below their skill level, is also an issue. While the unemployment rate for veterans was 3% in March 2024, a study released by Penn State at the end of 2023 found three years after leaving the service, 61% of veterans said they were underemployed because of perceived skill mismatches . This phenomenon can have long-term economic effects, and eventually, that frustration can boil over, strain relationships, and potentially lead to housing instability. Working, especially a low-wage job, is not protection against homelessness. A 2021 study from the University of Chicago found half of people living in homeless shelters and 2 in 5 unsheltered people were employed, full or part-time. High rents make it difficult to save up, even when applying for a VA loan—a mortgage backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs that typically has more favorable terms. While the VA does not require a downpayment, some lenders, who ultimately provide the loan, do. They're not entirely risk-free either, and veterans can still lose their homes if they are unable to keep up with their mortgages. In November 2023, the VA put a six-month pause on foreclosures when an NPR investigation found thousands of veterans were in danger of losing their homes after a COVID forbearance program ended. Biden officials pointed to high rents and the end of COVID-era housing restrictions like eviction moratoriums to explain the spike in Americans experiencing homelessness. In the last year, homelessness rose 12%—to more than 650,000 people—the highest level since data began being collected in 2007. Overall, more than half of people experiencing homelessness in 2023 live in states with high living costs. Most were in California, followed by New York and Florida. Western states, including Montana and Utah, experienced massive population growth during the pandemic, becoming hubs for remote workers who drove home prices and rents even further. For veterans, housing costs certainly play a role, but those who leave the military also face systemic barriers. "It's worrying there are people that continue to fall through the cracks," said Jeanette Yih Harvie, a research associate at Syracuse University's D'Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families. Just under a quarter of adults experiencing homelessness have a severe mental illness , according to 2022 HUD survey data. They are also likely to have chronic illnesses but are unable to maintain preventative care, which only exacerbates these problems. Veterans facing homelessness are more likely to have experienced trauma , either before or after joining the military, according to Yale researchers who analyzed the 2019-2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study. Childhood trauma was among the most significant commonalities among vets who become homeless. Substance use disorder is also widespread and can indicate an undiagnosed mental illness . Racial and ethnic disparities are at play, too. A 2023 study in the Journal of Psychiatric Research showed that Hispanic and Black veterans were more likely to screen positive for PTSD, and Hispanic veterans were more likely to report having suicidal ideation. Overall, access to mental health care has improved in the last decade or so. In December 2023, the VA announced it would open nine additional counseling centers. However, the stigma of getting help remains, especially after years of being conditioned to be self-reliant and pull oneself up by their bootstraps. That help, in the form of public policy, is slowly working to catch up to the need. In 2023, the Biden administration invested millions into research programs and studies on suicide prevention by the VA office in addition to a proposed $16 billion to improve quality and lower-cost mental health care services for veterans. And, in February of this year, HUD and the VA announced they would give up to $14 million in vouchers to public housing agencies for veterans experiencing homelessness. The program would also offer case management and other services. Still, with a culture that pushes people to keep going, it can be challenging for servicemembers to take advantage of these opportunities, Harvie said. "When you've been doing that for the last 15 or 20 years, it's difficult to stop and say, 'I'm the person that needs help.'" Story editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox!(BPT) - Tech gifts are consistently some of the most popular presents to give and receive during the holidays. In fact, according to the annual Consumer Technology Holiday Purchase Patterns report , a record 233 million U.S. adults (89%) will buy tech products during the 2024 holiday season. But with so many devices out there, it can be hard to decide on the perfect option for the loved one on your list. A tablet like the new Fire HD 8 from Amazon offers the versatility of an all-in-one device, with access to streaming, gaming, video chatting, reading or writing all at your fingertips. Fire HD 8 also features a vibrant 8-inch HD display and lightweight, portable design, for high-quality entertainment on the go. Plus, Fire HD 8 comes with three new AI features that can help you get the most out of your tablet experience. Check them out below and learn how they can help you with daily tasks this holiday season and beyond. 1. Meet your personal writing assistant Do you struggle with writing a heartfelt message or finessing a tricky email? Fear not! Writing Assist is here to help. Writing Assist works as part of your Fire tablet's device keyboard and compatible apps, including email, Word documents and social media. In just a few taps, you can transform your writing from good to great. Try Writing Assist's pre-set styles to turn a simple email into a professionally written note. Or, you can ask Writing Assist for grammar suggestions to make your writing more concise, or elaborate on your ideas. You can even "emojify" your writing to add more fun and personality. 2. Learn more in less time Say goodbye to scrolling through pages of information. The new Webpage Summaries feature allows you to learn pertinent information as quickly as possible. Available on the Silk browser on Fire tablets, Webpage Summaries provides quick insights on web articles. In a matter of seconds, this feature will distill the key points in an article or on a webpage into a clear, concise summary of what you need to know. 3. Get creative with your device wallpaper With Wallpaper Creator, you can easily add a touch of creative flair and customization to your tablet's home screen. You can choose from one of the curated prompts to get started on creating a unique background. Or, if you're ready to let your imagination run wild, type a description of what you'd like to see. For example, you can ask for an image of a tiger swimming underwater or a watercolor-style image of a desert landscape in space. Wallpaper Creator will then turn your vision into a reality, delivering a high-resolution image that you can use as your tablet's wallpaper. Celebrate an AI-powered holiday season Writing Assist, Webpage Summaries, and Wallpaper Creator are now available on Amazon's new Fire HD 8 and other compatible Fire tablet devices, including the latest Fire HD 10 and Fire Max 11 tablets. To learn more, or to order a new Fire tablet this gift-giving season, visit Amazon.com .B.C. Premier David Eby says his party has reached an agreement in principle with the B.C. Greens to ensure "stable governance" for the next four years. The agreement, subject to annual reviews, spells out the basis on which B.C. Greens provide "confidence" to the B.C. NDP and areas where the parties will work together. They include healthcare, where the B.C. NDP will support the growth of Community Health Centres, a key proposal of the B.C. Greens during the election campaign. Other key elements include housing with the government actively supporting efforts by various groups to "protect, purchase and build 30,000 units of non-market housing" over the next four years with 7,500 units as a goal by the end of 2025. Electoral reform also makes a return with the establishment of a special commitment to "review and consider preferred methods of proportional representation" as part of deliberations designed to "increase democratic engagement, address increasing political polarization, and improve the representativeness of government." The agreement does "not lay out the full program" of government "nor does it presume support" for "initiatives and other matters not addressed within this agreement" but gives Eby's government more stability once the legislature returns next year. The agreement echoes without replicating the confidence-and-supply agreement of 2017 that allowed the B.C NDP to return after 16 years in opposition as a minority government with the help of three B.C. Greens. The B.C. NDP currently holds 47 seats, enough for a bare majority, while the B.C. Greens hold two seats. More to come...
OpenAI's Altman will donate $1 million to Trump's inaugural fundCGI expands operations in multiple U.S. metro markets with DaughertyUnwrap the latest AI features with Amazon Fire Tablets
Sprinklr (NYSE:CXM) Exceeds Q3 Expectations, Stock SoarsQuick Links Company overview and brief history A company born from mergers Current products include aircraft, ships, and other weapons systems Impressive financial performance in recent years While the vast majority of the world's largest defense contractors are located in the United States and service the world's highest-spending military and the majority of its allies, there are a few defense contractors across Europe that still play a major role in global defense production. On the continent, Airbus Defense plays a major role in the arms manufacturing industry, especially when it comes to helicopters . Get all the latest aviation news from Simple Flying! The Italian defense contractor Leonardo also plays an important role , even providing some services to the United States Armed Forces. In the United Kingdom, the defense industry was extensively fractured following WWII, with many different manufacturers having thrived during the wartime production period. However, once the conflict was over, there was a major void in the market, with an oversupply of manufacturers and much weaker demand for military aircraft and other weapons systems with the conflict coming to an end. As a result, the British defense industry underwent an extensive period of corporate consolidation, in which several mergers and acquisitions slowly lowered the number of defense contractors in the United Kingdom. Electronic warfare drones will be a huge asset on the modern battlefield. Today, BAE Systems is Britain's largest and most important defense contractor While some contractors attempted to either enter the commercial manufacturing space or market their products abroad, the majority failed to achieve the level of financial stability needed to continue independent operations. As a result, further consolidation continued until the twenty-first century, where only one true dominant player remains in the United Kingdom's defense manufacturing industry. Formed from the merger of multiple different manufacturers over the years, today's BAE Systems is one of the largest arms manufacturers worldwide. Let's take a deeper look at this massive company, the products it sells on the market today and examine its continued financial success. Company overview and brief history According to an analysis from Defense News , BAE Systems is the seventh-largest defense contractor in the world today, and its importance in the European market is only continuing to grow. The following table demonstrates the ten largest defense contractors worldwide, according to their revenues from 2023. Defense contractor: Country of origin: 2023 revenue (billion, USD): Lockheed Martin United States $64.6 Aviation Industry Corporation of China China $44.9 RTX Corporation United States $40.6 Northrop Grumman United States $35.1 General Dynamics United States $33.6 Boeing United States $32.6 BAE Systems United Kingdom $27.5 China State Shipbuilding Corporation China $21.1 China North Industries Group China $16.6 L3Harris Technologies United States $15.5 As we can immediately tell from this graphic, BAE Systems is the largest defense contractor in Europe and is one of the only ones globally that stands toe to toe in scale with the major contractors from the United States and China. The company currently employs over 90,000 people across the globe. A company born from mergers BAE Systems today is a massive multinational aerospace, defense, and cybersecurity-oriented conglomerate that remains headquartered in London. The company's primary markets for product sales unsurprisingly include the United Kingdom and multiple other European nations, but its US subsidiary, BAE Systems Inc., is a major defense contractor for the United States Armed Forces. Other major customers have historically included Saudi Arabia, Australia, Canada, India, and Japan. The company as it stands today was founded in 1999 when it entered the market following the merger of British Aerospace and Marconi Electronic Systems. The company also emerged as the successor to de Havilland, Hawker Siddeley, and Supermarine, all British aircraft manufacturers with storied heritages. The Irish flag carrier had humble beginnings. The company has expanded through acquisitions over the years, including that of US-based United Defense and Armor Holdings, and has also diverted its shares in multiple major joint ventures, including Airbus. The company later became a key partner in multiple major aircraft programs, including the F-35 Lightning II and Eurofighter Typhoon, as well as multiple different submarine and ship classes for the Royal Navy. Current products include aircraft, ships, and other weapons systems BAE Systems today specializes in the production of multiple types of next-generation military weapons systems and other equipment. Its most important product in the aerospace sector is the Eurofighter Typhoon , which it produces through a joint venture with Airbus and Leonardo, where it maintains a 33% stake. The aircraft is a major partner in the F-35 Lightning II program as well, which remains a major piece of air superiority strategy for global air forces. The organization also produces several trainer aircraft, including the popular Hawk , and it is currently developing the Tempest, a sixth-generation trainer aircraft set to enter service by 2035. The company also plays an important role in land-based weapons systems manufacturing , including Challenger 2 tanks and M777 Howitzer artillery. The company also produces widely distributed weapons like the SA80 assault rifle, according to Defense Procurement International . The company plays an important role in naval manufacturing, including the production of Astute-class submarines, Type 26 frigates, and Dreadnought-class submarines. Impressive financial performance in recent years Despite a relatively lukewarm financial performance this year, BAE Systems, a publicly traded company, has achieved fairly impressive returns in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the beginning of 2020, nearly five years ago, the company has seen stock prices rise by over 100%, with sales booming amid a period of extended global conflict.Broadcast Equipment Market: Poised for USD 7.96B by 2031 12-04-2024 09:36 PM CET | Industry, Real Estate & Construction Press release from: SkyQuest Technology Broadcast Equipment Market Scope: Key Insights : Broadcast Equipment Market size was valued at USD 5.27 Billion in 2023 and is poised to grow from USD 5.54 Billion in 2024 to reach USD 7.96 Billion by 2031, at a CAGR of 5.3% during the forecast period (2024-2031). Discover Your Competitive Edge with a Free Sample Report : https://www.skyquestt.com/sample-request/broadcast-equipment-market Access the full 2024 Market report for a comprehensive understanding @ https://www.skyquestt.com/report/broadcast-equipment-market In-Depth Exploration of the global Broadcast Equipment Market: This report offers a thorough exploration of the global Broadcast Equipment market, presenting a wealth of data that has been meticulously researched and analyzed. It identifies and examines the crucial market drivers, including pricing strategies, competitive landscapes, market dynamics, and regional growth trends. By outlining how these factors impact overall market performance, the report provides invaluable insights for stakeholders looking to navigate this complex terrain. Additionally, it features comprehensive profiles of leading market players, detailing essential metrics such as production capabilities, revenue streams, market value, volume, market share, and anticipated growth rates. This report serves as a vital resource for businesses seeking to make informed decisions in a rapidly evolving market. Trends and Insights Leading to Growth Opportunities The best insights for investment decisions stem from understanding major market trends, which simplify the decision-making process for potential investors. The research strives to discover multiple growth opportunities that readers can evaluate and potentially capitalize on, armed with all relevant data. Through a comprehensive assessment of important growth factors, including pricing, production, profit margins, and the value chain, market growth can be more accurately forecast for the upcoming years. Top Firms Evaluated in the Global Broadcast Equipment Market Research Report: Sony Corporation (Japan) Cisco Systems, Inc. (US) Harmonic Inc. (US) Evertz Microsystems Ltd. (Canada) Grass Valley (US) Panasonic Corporation (Japan) Imagine Communications Corp. (US) Avid Technology, Inc. (US) Belden Inc. (US) Key Aspects of the Report: Market Summary: The report includes an overview of products/services, emphasizing the global Broadcast Equipment market's overall size. It provides a summary of the segmentation analysis, focusing on product/service types, applications, and regional categories, along with revenue and sales forecasts. Competitive Analysis: This segment presents information on market trends and conditions, analyzing various manufacturers. It includes data regarding average prices, as well as revenue and sales distributions for individual players in the market. Business Profiles: This chapter provides a thorough examination of the financial and strategic data for leading players in the global Broadcast Equipment market, covering product/service descriptions, portfolios, geographic reach, and revenue divisions. Sales Analysis by Region: This section provides data on market performance, detailing revenue, sales, and market share across regions. It also includes projections for sales growth rates and pricing strategies for each regional market, such as: North America: United States, Canada, and Mexico Europe: Germany, France, UK, Russia, and Italy Asia-Pacific: China, Japan, Korea, India, and Southeast Asia South America: Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, etc. Middle East and Africa: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa This in-depth research study has the capability to tackle a range of significant questions that are pivotal for understanding the market dynamics, and it specifically aims to answer the following key inquiries: How big could the global Broadcast Equipment market become by the end of the forecast period? Let's explore the exciting possibilities! Will the current market leader in the global Broadcast Equipment segment continue to hold its ground, or is change on the horizon? Which regions are poised to experience the most explosive growth in the Broadcast Equipment market? Discover where the future opportunities lie! Is there a particular player that stands out as the dominant force in the global Broadcast Equipment market? Let's find out who's leading the charge! What are the key factors driving growth and the challenges holding back the global Broadcast Equipment market? Join us as we uncover the forces at play! To establish the important thing traits, Ask Our Experts @ https://www.skyquestt.com/speak-with-analyst/broadcast-equipment-market Table of Contents Chapter 1 Industry Overview 1.1 Definition 1.2 Assumptions 1.3 Research Scope 1.4 Market Analysis by Regions 1.5 Market Size Analysis from 2023 to 2030 11.6 COVID-19 Outbreak: Medical Computer Cart Industry Impact Chapter 2 Competition by Types, Applications, and Top Regions and Countries 2.1 Market (Volume and Value) by Type 2.3 Market (Volume and Value) by Regions Chapter 3 Production Market Analysis 3.1 Worldwide Production Market Analysis 3.2 Regional Production Market Analysis Chapter 4 Medical Computer Cart Sales, Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2023-2023) Chapter 5 North America Market Analysis Chapter 6 East Asia Market Analysis Chapter 7 Europe Market Analysis Chapter 8 South Asia Market Analysis Chapter 9 Southeast Asia Market Analysis Chapter 10 Middle East Market Analysis Chapter 11 Africa Market Analysis Chapter 12 Oceania Market Analysis Chapter 13 Latin America Market Analysis Chapter 14 Company Profiles and Key Figures in Medical Computer Cart Business Chapter 15 Market Forecast (2023-2030) Chapter 16 Conclusions Address: 1 Apache Way, Westford, Massachusetts 01886 Phone: USA (+1) 351-333-4748 Email: sales@skyquestt.com About Us: SkyQuest Technology is leading growth consulting firm providing market intelligence, commercialization and technology services. It has 450+ happy clients globally. This release was published on openPR.
The year in money: inflation eased, optimism ticked upward
Nokia Corporation: Repurchase of own shares on 04.12.2024
Outlook Wealth Advisors LLC Has $785,000 Stock Position in Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN)
The year in money: inflation eased, optimism ticked upward
The world of Smithsonian scholars is vast and limitless—from the oceans to outer space, from the prehistoric past to the dawn of the digital age. This year, they worked to bring the public such exhibitions as “ Staging the Supernatural ,” a showcase of amazing Japanese woodblock prints at the National Museum of Asian Art; “ Reclaiming My Time ,” a display of contemporary design at the National Museum of African American History and Culture; “ Forensic Science on Trial ,” a journey through the history of forensics in the courtroom at the National Museum of American History; and NASA’s Earth Information Center , a look at the state of planet Earth at the National Museum of Natural History. The Smithsonian also welcomed new pandas to the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, hosted its annual Folklife Festival and helped celebrate 25 years of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory . Smithsonian staff members’ reading tastes are just as varied as their work, a reflection of the breadth of their knowledge and interests. We asked some of these curators, educators and experts what 2024 books they would recommend, and they answered with a wonderfully wide-ranging mix: a deep dive on food and culture in New Orleans, the personal writing of an esteemed saxophonist, a time-travel adventure, and much more. Here are 11 books to add to your reading lists. Recommended by Katherine Ott , curator in the Division of Medicine and Science at the National Museum of American H istory History can be fierce and troubling as well as informative and healing. David Rosner and Gerald Markowitz’s newest book demonstrates this through a focus on the history of American health. It is a given that we all die eventually, but the lives that take us there are puzzles of history, gender, race, location and other social factors. And our health is affected in ways many of us are unaware of. The authors are great storytellers, and they begin with the early days of the nation and take us through the elements and decisions wedded to medicine’s efficacy: the physicians and thinkers, industry and commerce, and, most strikingly, the maze of profit and politics that has led to the health care inequities and inefficiencies of today. Human health depends upon much more than advanced technology and effective medications—so much more. Through the lens of death and disease, this book provides a new way of understanding the history of the United States from the colonial era to the present. Recommended by Elizabeth C. Babcock , director of the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum In a year dominated by national elections and public debates about leadership, Remember the First Ladies: The Legacies of America’s History-Making Women provides a timely consideration of the often overlooked, yet influential ways in which presidential spouses have shaped America. Less a series of biographies and more a cogent analysis of the evolution of the role of first lady, this book provides an eminently readable introduction to the women who have filled this role. The first half of the book provides a glimpse into the defining moments that shaped each woman’s approach, while the second half examines the complexities of curating a legacy for themselves and their spouses. Well-researched and drawing on memorable primary sources, this thought-provoking book brings these women to life in a way that enriches our public discourse about gender, politics and presidential leadership, and provides a critically important perspective about women in American history. A groundbreaking book showing the evolutionary role of first lady and its historic importance on the American presidency. Recommended by Ann Caspari , early childhood education specialist at the National Air and Space Museum How do you explain something as otherworldly as a nebula to a young child? This beautiful nonfiction book employs the character Nebula to introduce herself. The combination of folkloric illustrations with real images of nebulae makes this, well, nebulous topic more understandable and relatable. In the book, we become a space traveler to explore cosmic wonders with Nebula and see how we are connected to exploding stars, swirling molecules and clouds of stardust. Teresa Robeson’s poetic text and Diana Renzina’s luminous illustrations make an unusually lovely scientific book for older elementary school children. In this gorgeous nonfiction look into the cosmos, the nebula narrator invites young astronomers to learn more about these immense space clouds, from how they form to what they do. Recommended by Melanie Adams , director of the Anacostia Community Museum Growing up in New Jersey, I traveled into New York City to view the beautiful window displays. I never thought much about the history of these retail giants until I read Julie Satow’s When Women Ran Fifth Avenue: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American Fashion . This book documents the golden era of American department stores through the lives of three pioneering women: Hortense Odlum, Dorothy Shaver and Geraldine Stutz. These leaders reshaped the retail landscape and championed women’s roles in business during the 20th century. While the book focuses on New York, it also provides short histories of department stores in other parts of the country, such as the St. Luke Emporium, opened in 1905 by Maggie Walker in Richmond, Virginia . Run by African Americans, the store was an opportunity for Black women both to shop and to have careers and become independent. The book highlights how these women turned department stores into cultural hubs of style and innovation while breaking gender barriers in a male-dominated industry. Journalist Julie Satow draws back the curtain on three visionaries who took great risks, forging new paths for the women who followed in their footsteps. Recommended by Nicole Dowd , head of public programs at the National Museum of Asian Art This past May, during the National Museum of Asian Art’s IlluminAsia Festival celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we had the opportunity to host Vietnamese American author Susan Lieu for a poignant conversation on mental health and intergenerational healing, which produced moments of both tears and laughter onstage and throughout the auditorium. Lieu’s book, The Manicurist’s Daughter , spans storytelling of Vietnam War refugees, pressures of the American dream, Asian beauty standards, and how the untimely death of her mother affected her family and relationships for decades after. The book is a moving memoir that seamlessly blends personal storytelling with cultural reflection while simultaneously breaking down cultural stereotypes around grief, intergenerational trauma and mental health. This is a story of fierce determination, strength in shared culture and finding your place in the world. Recommended by Karen Osborn , curator of polychaetes, peracarids and plankton at the National Museum of Natural History Are you ready to stretch your awareness of other worlds—or, better yet, explore the alien realm that is the vast majority of our own planet? By far the largest living space on Earth lies below the surface of the ocean and above the deep-sea floor. This massive environment is not the empty space that we have long thought of it as. Instead, it is a complex set of habitats organized by factors we are only just beginning to be able to appreciate and measure. In the mysterious ocean, billions of incredible animals survive and thrive, typically looking unlike anything most people have seen before. Biologist Sönke Johnsen weaves his story of ocean discovery with fascinating explanations of the challenges that have shaped ocean animals into the often beautiful, sometimes hideous creatures we are feverishly working to learn from. This book will feed your curiosity, introduce you to the denizens of the deep and make you laugh. Dive in! Journey inside the peculiar world of the seagoing scientists who are providing tantalizing new insights into how the animals of the open ocean solve the problems of their existence. Recommended by James Deutsch , content coordinator for the Smithsonian’s America at 250 Book Project New Orleans is justly famous for its food—beignets, gumbo and crawfish étouffée, to name just a few. But Theresa McCulla, formerly with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History and now with Mars Inc., approaches the city’s culinary delights from a cultural perspective. Covering some 200 years of New Orleans’ history, McCulla convincingly demonstrates how the sensory pleasures of food consumption have been inextricably linked to commodification and violence, resulting from the complicated relations among the area’s Black, White, Creole and Indigenous populations. The book explores the tensions among auction blocks, dining tables, street vendors, sugar plantations, food markets, cookbooks, tourism and much more. McCulla opens our eyes to some of the unexpected ways in which New Orleans has long been an insatiable city. Theresa McCulla probes the overt and covert ways that the production of food and the discourse about it both created and reinforced many strains of inequality in New Orleans, a city significantly defined by its foodways. Recommended by Steven Lewis , curator of music and performing arts at the National Museum of African American History and Culture At 94, tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins is one of American music’s most revered figures and the last living link to the bebop revolution of the 1940s and ’50s. Musicians and scholars continue to study his classic recordings, such as Saxophone Colossus (1957), Freedom Suite (1958) and The Bridge (1962), which established his reputation as one of the greatest jazz improvisers. The New York Review of Books ’ new edited collection of Rollins’ writing draws on the six boxes of notebooks he donated to the New York Public Library in 2017. The selections, and the insightful introduction by editor Sam V.H. Reese, trace 50 years of Rollins’ studies of saxophone technique and music theory, along with his varied explorations of science, history and religion. Rollins’ notes also document his evolving understanding of his central place in jazz history. This book offers a uniquely intimate look at a monumental artist. Take an unequaled glimpse into the mind and workshop of a musical titan, as well as a wealth of insight and inspiration to readers. Recommended by Julie Botnick , access and outreach archivist of the Archives Center at the National Museum of American History I often say that each piece of archival material saved is a bit of a miracle, and that is absolutely apparent when reading this cookbook. The recipes in The Jewish Holiday Table survived and were adapted over generations of movement across the Jewish diaspora—the Rosh Hashanah recipes of the Solnicki family span a journey of war and displacement from Italy and Tunisia to Paris and Argentina, while Fany Gerson’s Passover Seder honors her great-grandmother, who started incorporating Mexican ingredients like lime and chiles into her traditional Ukrainian dishes when she immigrated in the 1920s. The Jewish Food Society, which started as a digital archive to document ephemeral Jewish family recipes passed down in oral histories, reveres the past but isn’t stuck in it; the design is modern, the food styling is vibrant, and the recipes are meticulously tested. This is an accessible cookbook for history lovers and a unique way for chefs to gain inspiration for celebratory feasts, though I will warn you to double the recipes if you want leftovers. The 135 recipes and accompanying stories in this book are a dazzling expression of all the ways we celebrate through what we bring to the table. Recommended by Gathoni Kamau, community outreach specialist and acting head of visitor experience at the National Museum of African Art Ugandan American designer Nasozi Kakembo’s beautiful book features stunning decor with traditional African heritage objects. It highlights artisans in Africa and their communities, giving context to the furniture, textiles, baskets, rugs and accessories that they create. In addition to showcasing inspiring interiors, the book also contains a sourcing guide to help readers learn about cultural appropriation, the origins of objects and ethical shopping models. The African Decor Edit is thoughtfully crafted and includes personal stories and photos, making it more intimate than your average decor book. In this book demonstrating the beauty of African decor, each chapter presents artisans in their home countries, telling their stories in their own words. Recommended by Sanchita Balachandran , director of the Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute Preserving cultural heritage is a bit like time travel. As a conservator of archaeological materials, I examine items made in the past to imagine what the lives of those ancient people were like, wishing I could just have a conversation with them. Kaliane Bradley’s swoony speculative fiction thriller The Ministry of Time brings that wish to life. She writes a crisply observed, laugh-out-loud study of a civil servant trying to do a decent job at a very odd assignment: being a guide of sorts to a person literally plucked out of history and brought into our own time. Bradley’s book asks what might be possible—and what hope we as humans might have—if we could meet and truly engage with past people and even our past selves. It’s a novel that takes on some big, existential questions about the weight of history with a lightness and deftness that is utterly unexpected and delightful. An exquisitely original and feverishly fun fusion of genres and ideas, this book asks: What does it mean to defy history, when history is living in your house? Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday. A Note to our Readers Smithsonian magazine participates in affiliate link advertising programs. If you purchase an item through these links, we receive a commission. Kayla Randall | READ MORE Kayla Randall is Smithsonian magazine's digital editor, museums.
Harris has ‘no knowledge’ anyone tried to get RTE to take down viral clip