Porter's 26 lead Middle Tennessee over South Florida 95-88Funding supports trauma-informed mental wellness programs that empower individuals through entrepreneurship and personal development MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Nov. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LegalZoom (Nasdaq: LZ) is proud to announce the expansion of its partnership with Defy Ventures, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing career readiness, personal development, and entrepreneurship training to currently and formerly incarcerated individuals. The expanded partnership will include funding for mental health and wellbeing programs, reinforcing LegalZoom's commitment to creating pathways to economic opportunity for underrepresented communities that face significant challenges due to employment history, race and ethnicity, gender identity, and incarceration. With LegalZoom's support, Defy Ventures will be able to expand its mental health and wellbeing initiatives for its clients, focusing on trauma-informed care that addresses the unique challenges they face. By helping to fund Defy Ventures' mental wellness programs, LegalZoom is helping to ensure that these individuals have access to crucial mental health resources, empowering them not only to build businesses but also to rebuild their lives with dignity and resilience. "Defy Ventures exemplifies the incredible power of resilience and the potential for true transformation. We are honored to extend our partnership to support their mental health initiatives, which are essential for giving people a real second chance,” said Nicole Miller, Chief Legal Officer at LegalZoom and Board Member of Defy Ventures. "Our ongoing investment in Defy Ventures' impactful programs reflects our commitment to social equity and empowering individuals to rebuild their lives and communities.” Defy Ventures offers a range of holistic programs, including CEO of Your New Life , Entrepreneur Bootcamp , and Business Accelerator , which equip individuals with the business and confidence-building skills they need to succeed. The mental health and wellbeing program, first launched in 2023 with funding from LegalZoom, integrates trauma-informed principles into the full suite of Defy's programs, offering a critical layer of support for participants facing past trauma and the challenges of reintegration. These combined efforts had allowed Defy to maintain a three-year recidivism rate of less than 15%, far below the national average. In 2025, LegalZoom will deepen its commitment to Defy Ventures' mental health and wellbeing programs, providing $100,000 in funding to support and expand critical mental health resources. This funding will allow Defy Ventures to: Since the beginning of its partnership with Defy Ventures in 2021, LegalZoom has made a meaningful impact through funding, volunteer support, and product donations, helping Defy transform the lives of individuals re-entering society. Previous contributions from LegalZoom have enabled Defy to: About LegalZoom LegalZoom is a leading online platform for business formation in the United States. Driven by a mission to unleash entrepreneurship, LegalZoom delivers comprehensive legal and compliance products and expertise for small business owners through easy-to-use technology. From free business formations to business management solutions and professional advisory services, LegalZoom supports millions of small business owners and their families throughout the entrepreneurial journey. Founded on the belief that everyone should have affordable access to legal and financial expertise, LegalZoom empowers entrepreneurs to make their dream a reality. For more information, please visit www.legalzoom.com. Contact: [email protected]
Jammu, Dec 20: Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary Friday asserted that Jammu and Kashmir would get its statehood back besides the special status to safeguard citizens’ right to land and jobs. “We will get statehood; that is our right. It is right of all of us, here. You too need to speak on this account. We are raising this issue at every forum. We will also get special status to safeguard our jobs and lands,” he said. Choudhary was responding to media queries after inaugurating the IT expo Jammu at Kala Kendra here. Asked to comment on the JKPCC chief spokesperson’s statement that the present NC government did not have power as J&K has a dual power structure, the Deputy Chief Minister said, “As far as power is concerned, if you are asking me regarding my ministry or our government, are you not able to notice it (power) in our performance? Yes, there are certain things where some interference is there. Everyone knows that.” “But let me tell you, whether we have power or not, this government will live up to the expectations of the people. We have a mandate for five years and we will do during this period (five years) what others could not do in ten years. This is the commitment of the National Conference government,” he asserted. Confronted with queries about the National Conference government facing accusations of discrimination against “Dogri, Hindi and Sanskrit languages in advertising posts of Plus Two lecturers”, the Deputy Chief Minister said, “J&K is a state, converted to Union Territory presently, where people speak varied languages – Urdu, Pahari, Gojri, Sanskrit, Hindi, Dogri and Punjabi. Unfortunately, we talk only about a few languages. We need to talk about Punjabi as well. Provisions should be made for all languages so that students can study the languages they have opted for. There should be provision for Hindi and Sanskrit as well.” “But we’ll have to understand which pockets need to be identified. I have studied Sanskrit in my childhood but nowadays children don’t opt for Sanskrit. Even students don’t opt for Hindi as our children fail in Hindi subjects while they find it very easy to clear English as a subject. We (in our childhood) used to find Hindi as a very easy language,” Choudhary said. “We believe that all languages should be respected and should be taught as subjects in schools so that our children can get jobs. We have been in the government for just over two months. We have inherited a very weak (disempowered) Jammu and Kashmir, which is not a state but a UT. There are certain things which are not in our hands like the Police are not with us. So we need your (media’s) support and cooperation of youth, who comprise the future of J&K and this nation. We all, including our leaders – Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah – say that all languages should be respected and taught,” he added. In response to a question about the Congress demand for the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his statement in the Parliament on B R Ambedkar, Choudhary said, “Congress has demanded it so you better ask them.” Regarding BJP’s accusations against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the registration of an FIR against him for “manhandling some of its (BJP’s) MPs”, the Deputy Chief Minister echoed the stance of his party leader and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. “However, as far as yesterday’s incident is concerned wherein some accusations have been made against the Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhiji, we believe that given his inherent nature and behaviour, he (Rahul) cannot do like this (pushing MPs). B R Ambedkar is the architect of the Constitution of India,” he said. “For all the communities and people belonging to all religions in India, the constitution comes only next to their respective religious scriptures. It (the constitution) has safeguarded our freedom and ensured the rights of all citizens. We both (media and politicians) are talking to each other this way because of the rights given by our constitution. This is why the respect for the Constitution and Dr Ambedkar should always remain intact,” Choudhary said. About queries regarding the IT Expo, he stated, “Expo was a good opportunity for Jammuites to get acquainted with the new revolutionary trends and innovation in the IT sector. People associated with the IT sector from across India are here bringing expertise and innovation in branded products and technology from across the globe.” “They will be able to witness “smart classes” here and will also be able to equip themselves to check cyber crimes. I’ve suggested sending IT experts to schools and colleges to create awareness among students against cyber crimes which have emerged as the latest threat and people lose crores due to lack of awareness. I’ve been told that school students will also visit this exhibition. I exhort all Jammuites to visit this expo and derive benefits out of it,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.Best Contracting Services Breaks Ground on 264kW Microgrid and EV Charging Network in Gardena, CA
New plan seeks to force big tech to pay for Australian journalismSaquon Barkley is rooting for his former Giants teammate Daniel Jones. Jones was granted his release from the Giants on Friday after he had been benched as starting quarterback earlier this week. Barkley, who signed with the Eagles this offseason and is having a phenomenal year amid the change of scenery, was asked about his reaction to Jones’ release during media availability on Friday. “I’m not going to speak too much on that. I’ve been in contact with him. Our friendship has stayed close throughout the whole process of me being here. It sucks to see how everything went down for him over there [with the Giants],” Barkley told reporters . “I’ve got nothing but great things to say about him. You’re not going to find anybody who’s really got a lot of negative things to say about him. But it’s the NFL. Hopefully, wherever he ends up next, they’re gonna get a guy who will come in and work. [Coming from the Giants], I’m doing well [with the Eagles]. Hopefully, he can find the same kind of fresh start and success.” Jones was in the second season of a four-year, $160 million contract with about $80 million fully guaranteed. An injury guarantee made the Giants less likely to put him on the field, forcing the team to sign Tim Boyle to the practice squad and demoting Jones to fourth-string. He spent Tuesday playing safety on the scout team. With the Giants at 2-8 — tied with the Jaguars and Raiders for the fewest wins in the league — everyone involved ultimately felt it was best for Jones to part ways. “Daniel came to see me this morning and asked if we would release him,” Giants owner John Mara said in a statement on Friday. “We mutually agreed that would be best for him and for the team. Daniel has been a great representative of our organization, first class in every way. His handling of this situation yesterday exemplifies just that. We are all disappointed in how things have worked out. We hold Daniel in high regard and have a great appreciation for him. We wish him nothing but the best in the future.”
PINE BLUFF, Ark. (AP) — Quintell Quinn ran for 154 yards and two touchdowns to lead Texas Southern to a 31-23 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday. Quinn scored on a 32-yard run to open the scoring midway through the first quarter, and his 75-yard touchdown run gave Texas Southern a 17-13 lead with 6:59 remaining in the third. A little more than three minutes later, Jace Wilson threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Trenton Leary that stretched the Tigers' lead to 24-13. Athean Renfro added 55 yards rushing with a 1-yard TD run in the fourth quarter for Texas Southern (5-6, 4-4 Southwestern Athletic Conference). DJ Stevenson threw a touchdown pass and an interception for Arkansas-Pine Bluff (3-8, 2-6). Abdulbasit Osholake had an 80-yard pick-6 that tied it 7-all late in the second quarter for the Lions. ___ Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll throughout the season. Sign up here ___ AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballNEW YORK (AP) — In a string of visits, dinners, calls, monetary pledges and social media overtures, big tech chiefs — including Apple's Tim Cook , OpenAI’s Sam Altman , Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg , SoftBank's Masayoshi Son and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos — have joined a parade of business and world leaders in trying to improve their standing with President-elect Donald Trump before he takes office in January. “The first term, everybody was fighting me,” Trump said in remarks at Mar-a-Lago . “In this term, everybody wants to be my friend.” Tech companies and leaders have now poured millions into his inauguration fund, a sharp increase — in most cases — from past pledges to incoming presidents. But what does the tech industry expect to gain out of their renewed relationships with Trump? During an interview Tuesday, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff said the incoming Trump administration seems more interested in hearing about issues that are important to the industry than the Biden administration. “Put all the politics aside, everybody wants to reboot some things," said Benioff, who stressed he strives to stay nonpartisan because he also owns Time magazine. ”We are just at a very exciting moment, it’s a new chapter for America. I think we should all have our best intentions going forward. I think a lot of people realize there is a lot of incredible people like Elon Musk in the tech industry and in the business community. If you tap the power and expertise of the best in America to make the best of America, that’s a great vision." A clue to what the industry is looking for came just days before the election when Microsoft executives — who’ve largely tried to show a neutral or bipartisan stance — joined with a close Trump ally, venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, to publish a blog post outlining their approach to artificial intelligence policy. “Regulation should be implemented only if its benefits outweigh its costs,” said the document signed by Andreessen, his business partner Ben Horowitz, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and the company's president, Brad Smith. They also urged the government to back off on any attempt to strengthen copyright laws that would make it harder for companies to use publicly available data to train their AI systems. And they said, “the government should examine its procurement practices to enable more startups to sell technology to the government.” Trump has pledged to rescind President Joe Biden’s sweeping AI executive order, which sought to protect people’s rights and safety without stifling innovation. He hasn’t specified what he would do in its place, but his campaign said AI development should be “rooted in Free Speech and Human Flourishing.” Trump's choice to head the Interior Department, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, has spoken openly about the need to boost electricity production to meet increased demand from data centers and artificial intelligence. “The AI battle affects everything from defense to healthcare to education to productivity as a country,′′ Burgum said on Nov. 15, referring to artificial intelligence. “And the AI that’s coming in the next 18 months is going to be revolutionary. So there’s just a sense of urgency and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration′′ to address it. Demand for data centers ballooned in recent years due to the rapid growth of cloud computing and AI, and local governments are competing for lucrative deals with big tech companies. But as data centers begin to consume more resources, some residents are pushing back against the world’s most powerful corporations over concerns about the economic, social and environmental health of their communities. “Maybe Big Tech should buy a copy of ‘The Art of The Deal’ to figure out how to best negotiate with this administration,” suggested Paul Swanson, an antitrust attorney for the law firm Holland & Hart. “I won’t be surprised if they find ways to reach some accommodations and we end up seeing more negotiated resolutions and consent decrees.” Although federal regulators began cracking down on Google and Facebook during Trump’s first term as president — and flourished under Biden — most experts expect his second administration to ease up on antitrust enforcement and be more receptive to business mergers. Google may benefit from Trump’s return after he made comments on the campaign trail suggesting a breakup of the company isn’t in the U.S. national interest, after a judge declared its search engine an illegal monopoly . But recent nominations put forward by his transition team have favored those who have been critical of Big Tech companies, suggesting Google won’t be entirely off the hook. Cook’s notoriously rocky relationship with the EU can be traced back to a 2016 ruling from Brussels in a tax case targeting Apple. Cook slammed the bloc’s order for Apple to pay back up to 13 billion euros ($13.7 billion) in Irish back taxes as “total political crap.” Trump, then in his first term as president, piled on, referring to the European Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, who was spearheading a campaign on special tax deals and a crackdown on Big Tech companies, as someone who “really hates the U.S.” Brussels was eventually vindicated after the bloc’s top court rejected Apple’s appeal this year, though it didn’t stop Cook from calling Trump to complain, Trump recounted in a podcast in October. Altman , Amazon and Meta all pledged to donate $1 million each to Trump’s inaugural fund. Salesforce's Benioff said Tuesday that he won't be donating money to the inauguration because of his ties to Time, which named Trump as its “Person of The Year” — a decision that landed picture of the president elect on the magazine's cover. “I think we just donated that photo,” Benioff said as he chuckled. “He can use the Time magazine cover for free.” During his first term, Trump criticized Amazon and railed against the political coverage at The Washington Post, which billionaire Bezos owns. Meanwhile, Bezos had criticized some of Trump’s past rhetoric. In 2019, Amazon also argued in a court case that Trump’s bias against the company harmed its chances of winning a $10 billion Pentagon contract. More recently, Bezos has struck a more conciliatory tone. He recently said at The New York Times’ DealBook Summit in New York that he was “optimistic” about Trump’s second term, while also endorsing president-elect’s plans to cut regulations. The donation from Meta came just weeks after Zuckerberg met with Trump privately at Mar-a-Lago. During the 2024 campaign, Zuckerberg did not endorse a candidate for president, but voiced a more positive stance toward Trump. Earlier this year, he praised Trump’s response to his first assassination attempt. Still, Trump in recent months had continued to attack Zuckerberg publicly. And Altman, who is in a legal dispute with AI rival Elon Musk, has said he is “not that worried” about the Tesla CEO’s influence in the incoming administration. Musk, an early OpenAI investor and board member, sued the company earlier this year alleging that the maker of ChatGPT betrayed its founding aims of benefiting the public good rather than pursuing profits. “We have two multi-billionaires, Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who are tasked with cutting what they’re saying will be multiple trillions of dollars from the federal budget, reducing the civil service, the workforce,” said Rob Lalka, a business professor at Tulane University. Musk, he said, has a level of access to the White House that very few others have had -- access that allows him to potentially influence multiple policy areas, including foreign policy, automotive and energy policy through EVs, and tech policy on artificial intelligence. “Elon Musk walked into Twitter’s headquarters with a sink and then posted, ‘let that sink in,‘” he said. “Elon Musk then posted a status update on X, a picture of himself with a sink in the Oval Office and said, 'Let that sink in.′" —— Associated Press writers Kelvin Chan, Michael Liedtke, Matt O'Brien, Barbara Ortutay and Sarah Parvini contributed to this report.Massive change to pension rules planned in savings boost for millions – but experts warn about risk to saversNasal Irrigation Market Set to Reach USD 1.9 Billion by 2034, Growing at a CAGR of 18.1% | Transparency Market Research
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