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PHOENIX — An unloaded gun was found in a student's backpack Thursday morning at Kyrene Altadeña Middle School. The school said the firearm was located after another student reported it, resulting in the school resource officer finding the weapon. No threats were made to any specific individuals as part of Thursday's incident, officials said. Phoenix police said the student in possession of the gun was taken into custody for misconduct involving weapons. Police are continuing to investigate the incident. The school district intends to conduct its own investigation. Watch 12News for free You can now watch 12News content anytime, anywhere thanks to the 12+ app! The free 12+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"—on Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV . 12+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona. Users can also watch on-demand videos of top stories, local politics, I-Team investigations, Arizona-specific features and vintage videos from the 12News archives. Roku : Add the channel from the Roku store or by searching for "12 News KPNX." Amazon Fire TV : Search for "12 News KPNX" to find the free 12+ app to add to your account , or have the 12+ app delivered directly to your Amazon Fire TV through Amazon.com or the Amazon app. What is the Valley?: “The Valley” is what locals call the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. It is considered the largest metropolitan area in the Southwest. The Valley is made up of various major cities other than Phoenix, including: Mesa Chandler Scottsdale Tempe Glendale Surprise Peoria Gilbert El Mirage Avondale Litchfield Park Goodyear Buckeye Whether a city is in the “East Valley” or “West Valley” depends on where it is in relation to Phoenix. The cities of the Valley have a combined population of 4,845,832 people, according to the 2020 United States Census. This makes it the 11th largest metropolitan area in the country right behind the Boston and Atlanta areas.US sex-abuse watchdog fires investigator after learning of his arrest for stealing drug money DENVER (AP) — The U.S. Center for SafeSport abruptly fired one of its investigators last month after learning he’d been arrested for stealing money confiscated after a drug bust he was part of during his previous job as a police officer. Jason Krasley left his job with the Allentown Police Department in Pennsylvania in 2021 and was hired by the Denver-based SafeSport center to look into sensitive cases involving sex abuse and harassment. The center said it conducts multiple interviews and a “comprehensive background check” of potential employees. The center said it was looking into cases Krasley handled to make sure they were dealt with appropriately. Jim Larrañaga steps down at Miami, Bill Courtney takes over to finish season CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Jim Larrañaga has stepped down as Miami’s men’s basketball coach effective immediately. Larrañaga will be replaced by associate head coach Bill Courtney — one of Larrañaga’s best friends for the past three decades or so — for the remainder of the season. The now-former coach says he loves the university but believes it's the right time to step away. Larrañaga says "I’ve tried every which way to keep this going.” Larrañaga joins a long line of prominent college basketball coaches who have left their jobs in recent years citing the changes in the game and the challenge of coaching in the Name, Image and Likeness era. Detroit Red Wings fire coach Derek Lalonde, name Todd McLellan as his replacement The Detroit Red Wings have fired coach Derek Lalonde and named Todd McLellan as his replacement. The move a day after Christmas comes after the Red Wings lost 21 of their first 34 games this season. They're on a three-game skid. Assistant Bob Boughner was also fired and Trent Yawney hired to work on McLellan's staff. McLellan signed a multiyear contract to start his fourth NHL head coaching job. Lalonde was nearly midway through his third season with Detroit after winning the Stanley Cup twice as an assistant with Tampa Bay. Penn State offensive coordinator Kotelnicki's creativity has the Nittany Lions humming in the CFP Penn State's offense is thriving under first-year offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. The Nittany Lions are one of a handful of Power Four schools averaging 200 yards per game rushing and receiving heading into their College Football Playoff quarterfinal against Boise State. Penn State has one of the most unique offensive weapons in the country in tight end Tyler Warren. Warren has 92 receptions this season and has become a threat out of the backfield, rushing for 197 yards and two touchdowns. Pat Riley says the Miami Heat will not trade Jimmy Butler ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — If Jimmy Butler wants a trade, the Miami Heat have no plans to make him happy. Heat President Pat Riley — in a rare move — spoke out to address rumors Thursday, saying the team has no plans to trade Butler. It’s a clear sign that, if necessary, the team will be willing to let Butler leave as a free agent and get nothing in return. Riley says in a release distributed by the team "we usually don’t comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches.” Organizers say two sailors have died in Sydney to Hobart yacht race amid wild weather conditions SYDNEY (AP) — Organizers said that two Sydney to Hobart sailors have died at sea amid wild weather conditions that forced line honors favorite Master Lock Comanche to withdraw among mass retirements. The race will continue as the fleet continues its passage to Constitution Dock in Hobart, with the first boats expected to arrive later on Friday or early Saturday morning. The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, which administers the yacht race, has said that one sailor each on entrants Flying Fish Arctos and Bowline were killed after being struck by the boom, a large horizontal pole at the bottom of the sail. Haaland penalty failure and Fernandes red card pile on woes for City and United in Premier League Erling Haaland’s failure from the penalty spot and Bruno Fernandes’ latest red card have compounded the woes of Manchester City and Manchester United on another tough day for the two Premier League giants. City dropped more points in its improbably poor run of form by drawing 1-1 at home to Everton. Haaland had a spot kick saved by England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford in the 53rd minute. The four-time defending champions have only won one of its last 13 games in all competitions. While City is languishing in seventh place, United is even further adrift in 14th place after a 2-0 loss at lowly Wolverhampton. Fernandes was sent off in the 47th. Simona Halep withdraws from Australian Open qualifying because of knee and shoulder pain MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep has pulled out of Australian Open qualifying and a tuneup tournament in Auckland, New Zealand, because of pain in her knee and shoulder. Thursday's news represents the latest interruption of her comeback from a drug suspension. Halep posted on social media that she was feeling poorly after participating in an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi. The 33-year-old Romanian said she is planning to next enter the Transylvania Open in her home country, where play begins Feb. 3. Halep was granted a wild-card entry for qualifying in the Australian Open last week. Mahomes throws 3 TDs as Chiefs clinch AFC's top seed by breezing past the skidding Steelers 29-10 PITTSBURGH (AP) — Patrick Mahomes passed for 320 yards and three touchdowns and the Kansas City Chiefs locked up the top seed in the AFC for the fourth time in seven seasons with a 29-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The two-time defending Super Bowl champions raced to an early 13-point lead and were never really threatened by the Steelers (10-6). Pittsburgh has dropped three straight to see its chances of capturing the AFC North take another hit. Travis Kelce caught eight passes for 84 yards and a touchdown. Kelce also became the third tight end in NFL history to reach 1,000 receptions, joining Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten. Jackson breaks Vick's NFL rushing record for QBs in Ravens' rout over Texans HOUSTON (AP) — Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson passed Michael Vick for the most yards rushing by a quarterback in NFL history in a 31-2 win over the Houston Texans in Wednesday. Jackson moved past Vick on a 6-yard run in the third quarter. Jackson had 87 yards rushing to give him 6,110 yards, moving him past Vick, who piled up 6,109 in his 13-year career.
Houston to host key hydrogen summit as industry faces new politicalPresident-elect Donald Trump has once again suggested he wants to revert the name of North America’s tallest mountain — Alaska's Denali — to Mount McKinley, wading into a sensitive and decades-old conflict about what the peak should be called. Former President Barack Obama changed the official name to Denali in 2015 to reflect the traditions of Alaska Natives as well as the preference of many Alaska residents. The federal government in recent years has endeavored to change place-names considered disrespectful to Native people. “Denali” is an Athabascan word meaning “the high one" or “the great one.” A prospector in 1896 dubbed the peak “Mount McKinley” after President William McKinley, who had never been to Alaska. That name was formally recognized by the U.S. government until Obama changed it over opposition from lawmakers in McKinley's home state of Ohio. Trump suggested in 2016 that he might undo Obama's action, but he dropped that notion after Alaska's senators objected. He raised it again during a rally in Phoenix on Sunday. “McKinley was a very good, maybe a great president,” Trump said Sunday. “They took his name off Mount McKinley, right? That’s what they do to people.” Once again, Trump's suggestion drew quick opposition within Alaska. “Uh. Nope. It’s Denali,” Democratic state Sen. Scott Kawasaki posted on the social platform X Sunday night. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski , who for years pushed for legislation to change the name to Denali, conveyed a similar sentiment in a post of her own. “There is only one name worthy of North America’s tallest mountain: Denali — the Great One,” Murkowski wrote on X. Various tribes of Athabascan people have lived in the shadow of the 20,310-foot (6,190-meter) mountain for thousands of years. McKinley, a Republican native of Ohio who served as the 25th president, was assassinated early in his second term in 1901 in Buffalo, New York. Alaska and Ohio have been at odds over the name since at least the 1970s. Alaska had a standing request to change the name since 1975, when the legislature passed a resolution and then-Gov. Jay Hammond appealed to the federal government. Known for its majestic views, the mountain is dotted with glaciers and covered at the top with snow year-round, with powerful winds that make it difficult for the adventurous few who seek to climb it. Rush reported from Portland, Oregon.Jimmy Butler remains behind amid conjecture as Heat move on to Atlanta
Recently, I attempted to plan a road trip through Canada. What should have been exciting—imagining stunning national parks and scenic drives—became a digital nightmare of juggling 50 different websites. Just figuring out the basics was exhausting: Could I take my dog to the parks? Were there direct flights? What activities would be good for my three kids? What’s the best driving route? Each question spawned five new browser tabs. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of planning a trip yourself, you’re probably nodding your head. Here’s the reality of travel planning today: 43% of Americans dislike booking travel , including 23% of GenZ travelers. 88% of potential travelers abandon their bookings (85% of desktop users and 91% of mobile device users). 33% of families find the process extremely time-consuming . Meanwhile, travel industry companies are racing to implement basic AI chatbots that can handle simple questions like “What’s my flight status?” But they’re missing the real opportunity. Today’s AI is capable of so much more—it can think the way actual travelers think, handling complex requests, and solving real problems. Instead of forcing us to break our trips into rigid search boxes and dropdown menus, AI can help booking sites work the way our brains do. Here’s what that could look like. Search with human language No two people approach travel the same way. Some start with a destination, others with the experiences they want, and some just with a season. Travel companies could use AI to follow each person’s unique chain of thought, delivering personalized results and planning processes that fit how they think—not the other way around. Book by budget When was the last time you started vacation planning with a precise budget in mind? We think more naturally: “What can I get for my money in Thailand with the family?” Booking platforms can use AI to lay out complete vacation options at different price points—showing you exactly what each tier offers from flights to activities. Dynamic visual planning Trip ideas begin with inspiration, not itineraries. We save posts on Instagram, collect Pinterest boards, and share TikToks of dream destinations. Travel sites could harness AI to transform these wish lists into bookable trips—turning social inspiration into real adventures. On-demand replanning Travel plans aren’t set in stone. Weather changes, flights get delayed, kids get tired. Smart travel platforms should be using AI to handle these real-world changes, suggesting alternatives that keep your trip on track without starting over. Simplified group booking Planning group trips means balancing different wishes and constraints. AI can help travel companies transform individual preferences—from beachfront hotels to local hiking trails—into perfectly matched itineraries that work for everyone. The most frustrating part? None of this is science fiction. Companies already use natural language AI to understand complex customer service requests, visual AI to organize and catalog millions of images, and real-time systems to manage everything from stock trades to factory operations. The same technologies could transform travel planning—if companies would stop settling for quick fixes and start reimagining what’s possible. These examples are just the beginning of what’s possible when we reimagine travel planning. So, the next time a booking site asks you to start with “Where to?” remember: That’s not how we dream about travel, and it’s not how we should have to plan it. The future of travel planning is hiding in plain sight—we just need to demand better. Peter Smart is chief experience officer and managing partner at Fantasy. The application deadline for Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas Awards is Friday, December 6, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today.10th Circuit's chief judge dismisses misconduct complaint against judge for presentations to political group
Judge weighs whether to order Fani Willis to comply with lawmakers’ subpoenas over Trump caseNone
Riding a 3-game win streak, the Bengals cling to playoff hopes with the Broncos nextDubai Weeklys Unveils Highlights Of Winter City Expo 2024 And New Year’S Eve 2025Milton Keynes: Two women killed on Christmas Day pictured for first time
Some tech industry leaders are pushing the incoming Trump administration to increase visas for highly skilled workers from other nations. Related Articles National Politics | Trump threat to immigrant health care tempered by economic hopes National Politics | In states that ban abortion, social safety net programs often fail families National Politics | Trump vows to pursue executions after Biden commutes most of federal death row National Politics | Elon Musk’s preschool is the next step in his anti-woke education dreams National Politics | Trump’s picks for top health jobs not just team of rivals but ‘team of opponents’ The heart of the argument is, for America to remain competitive, the country needs to expand the number of skilled visas it gives out. The previous Trump administration did not increase the skilled visa program, instead clamping down on visas for students and educated workers, increasing denial rates. Not everyone in corporate America thinks the skilled worker program is great. Former workers at IT company Cognizant recently won a federal class-action lawsuit that said the company favored Indian employees over Americans from 2013 to 2022. A Bloomberg investigation found Cognizant, and other similar outsourcing companies, mainly used its skilled work visas for lower-level positions. Workers alleged Cognizant preferred Indian workers because they could be paid less and were more willing to accept inconvenient or less-favorable assignments. Question: Should the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers? Caroline Freund, UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy YES: Innovation is our superpower and it relies on people. Sourcing talent from 8 billion people in the world instead of 330 million here makes sense. Nearly half our Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children. Growing them also relies on expanding our skilled workforce. The cap on skilled-worker visas has hardly changed since the computer age started. With AI on the horizon, attracting and building talent is more important than ever. Kelly Cunningham, San Diego Institute for Economic Research YES: After years of openly allowing millions of undocumented entrants into the country, why is there controversy over legally increasing somewhat the number having desirable skills? Undocumented immigration significantly impacts lower skill level jobs and wages competing with domestic workers at every skill level. Why should special cases be made against those having higher skills? Could they just not walk across the border anyway, why make it more inconvenient to those with desirable skills? James Hamilton, UC San Diego YES: Knowledge and technology are key drivers of the U.S. economy. Students come from all over the world to learn at U.S. universities, and their spending contributed $50 billion to U.S. exports last year. Technological advantage is what keeps us ahead of the rest of the world. Highly skilled immigrants contribute much more in taxes than they receive in public benefits. The skills immigrants bring to America can make us all better off. Norm Miller, University of San Diego YES: According to Forbes, the majority of billion-dollar startups were founded by foreigners. I’ve interviewed dozens of data analysts and programmers from Berkeley, UCSD, USD and a few other schools and 75% of them are foreign. There simply are not enough American graduates to fill the AI and data mining related jobs now exploding in the U.S. If we wish to remain a competitive economy, we need highly skilled and bright immigrants to come here and stay. David Ely, San Diego State University YES: Being able to employ highly skilled workers from a larger pool of candidates would strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. companies by increasing their capacity to perform research and innovate. This would boost the country’s economic output. Skilled workers from other nations that cannot remain in the U.S. will find jobs working for foreign rivals. The demand for H-1B visas far exceeds the current cap of 85,000, demonstrating a need to modify this program. Phil Blair, Manpower YES: Every country needs skilled workers, at all levels, to grow its economy. We should take advantage of the opportunity these workers provide our employers who need these skills. It should be blended into our immigration policies allowing for both short and long term visas. Gary London, London Moeder Advisors YES: San Diego is a premiere example of how highly skilled workers from around the globe enrich a community and its regional economy. Of course Visa levels need to be increased. But let’s go further. Tie visas and immigration with a provision that those who are admitted and educated at a U.S. university be incentivized, or even required, to be employed in the U.S. in exchange for their admittance. Bob Rauch, R.A. Rauch & Associates NO: While attracting high-skilled immigrants can fill critical gaps in sectors like technology, health care and advanced manufacturing, increasing high-skilled immigration could displace American workers and drive down wages in certain industries. There are already many qualified American workers available for some of these jobs. We should balance the need for specialized skills with the impact on the domestic workforce. I believe we can begin to increase the number of visas after a careful review of abuse. Austin Neudecker, Weave Growth YES: We should expand skilled visas to drive innovation and economic growth. Individuals who perform high-skilled work in labor-restricted industries or graduate from respected colleges with relevant degrees should be prioritized for naturalization. We depend on immigration for GDP growth, tax revenue, research, and so much more. Despite the abhorrent rhetoric and curtailing of visas in the first term, I hope the incoming administration can be persuaded to enact positive changes to a clearly flawed system. Chris Van Gorder, Scripps Health YES: But it should be based upon need, not politics. There are several industries that have or could have skilled workforce shortages, especially if the next administration tightens immigration as promised and expected. Over the years, there have been nursing shortages that have been met partially by trained and skilled nurses from other countries. The physician shortage is expected to get worse in the years to come. So, this visa program may very well be needed. Jamie Moraga, Franklin Revere NO: While skilled immigration could boost our economy and competitiveness, the U.S. should prioritize developing our domestic workforce. Hiring foreign nationals in sensitive industries or government-related work, especially in advanced technology or defense, raises security concerns. A balanced approach could involve targeted increases in non-sensitive high-demand fields coupled with investment in domestic STEM education and training programs. This could address immediate needs while strengthening the long-term STEM capabilities of the American workforce. Not participating this week: Alan Gin, University of San DiegoHaney Hong, San Diego County Taxpayers AssociationRay Major, economist Have an idea for an Econometer question? Email me at phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com . Follow me on Threads: @phillip020
Single heat wave wiped out millions of Alaska's dominant seabirdIt has a population of just under 3.5 million inhabitants, produces nearly 550,000 tons of beef per year, and boasts a glorious soccer reputation with two World Cups in its history and a present full of world-class stars. Uruguay, the country of writer Mario Benedetti and soccer player Luis Suárez, has achieved what many countries have pledged for decades: 98% of its grid runs on green energy. Luis Prats, 62, is a Uruguayan journalist and contributor to the Montevideo newspaper El País . He remembers that during his childhood, blackouts were common in Uruguay because there were major problems with energy generation. “At that time, more than 50 years ago, electricity came from two small dams and from generation in a thermal plant,” Prats explained in Spanish by telephone. “If there was a drought in the Negro River basin, where those dams are, there were already cuts and sometimes restrictions on the use of electrical energy.” Just 17 years ago, Uruguay used fossil fuels for a third of its energy generation, according to the World Resources Institute . | Today, only 2% of the electricity consumed in Uruguay is generated from fossil sources. The country’s thermal power plants rarely need to be activated, except when natural resources are insufficient. Half of Uruguay’s electricity is generated in the country’s dams, and 10% percent comes from agricultural and industrial waste and the sun. But wind, at 38%, is the main protagonist of the revolution in the electrical grid. But how did the country achieve it? Who were the architects of this energy transition? Energy revolution In 2008, Uruguay faced a problem that many developing countries face. The economy was growing, but it did not have enough electrical energy to fuel all that growth. Energy rationing had to be implemented, and electricity bills continued to rise. “It was difficult for us to cope,” Ramón Méndez Galain, a professor at the University of the Republic in Montevideo, Uruguay, said in an interview with NPR . He is one of the architects of the energy revolution in that country. “It was difficult to get electricity. For a while, we began to have power outages, but the crisis also represents an opportunity.” In 2008, President Tabaré Vázquez appointed Méndez Galain as national director of energy. Although the blackouts posed an immediate threat to the economy, the country’s continued dependence on oil undermined its autonomy. A primary question guided Méndez Galain’s work: What strategies could lead the country toward long-term energy independence? The physicist developed a detailed plan to move Uruguay toward almost exclusive dependence on renewable energy. Méndez Galain’s plan was based on two simple facts about his country. First, although there was no domestic supply of fossil fuels such as coal or oil, there was a large amount of wind. Second, that wind was blowing over a country that was largely made up of uninhabited agricultural land. His vision for Uruguay’s energy future was to cover those empty lands with hundreds of wind turbines. Pablo Capurro, agronomist and livestock engineer, shared with Deutsche Welle his concern at the time about the possible impact of wind turbines on the life of his farm. Capurro and other farmers in the region sought advice from a team of engineers and took a trip to Brazil to visit wind farms in that country. After the trip, they were convinced that the implementation of the wind turbines would not affect the production system. Capurro’s cows seem not to be affected by the presence of the windmills: “I feel very satisfied for having introduced a wind energy park on a livestock farm.” In 2010, Uruguay reached a multiparty agreement and adopted the energy transition to indigenous and renewable sources as a state policy, guaranteeing its execution and continuity, Walter Verri, Uruguay’s undersecretary of industry, energy, and mining, explained by telephone in Spanish: “This policy included a long-term perspective and also incorporated the social, ethical, and cultural dimensions in addition to the classic technical-economic analysis of the energy issue.” The state energy company, UTE, pays rent every year to the owners of the land where the wind farms operate. Don Quixote, Ivy, and the windmills In the vision of the ingenious gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha, windmills stood like defiant giants, reflecting his boundless imagination and idealistic perspective on the world. This mythical interpretation of the windmills resonates with the contemporary perception of wind towers in Uruguay, where they are seen as symbols of a clean and renewable energy source. Today, Mendez Galain directs the nongovernmental organization Ivy , which means “land without evil” in Guaraní. Guaraní is the native language of the inhabitants of that area and is one of the two official languages of Paraguay. Just as Don Quixote faced the windmills as a challenge that he had to overcome to fulfill his duty as a knight-errant, the installation and maintenance of wind farms in Uruguay also involved facing significant obstacles. From technical challenges to financial and regulatory barriers, the transition to clean energy sources needed a concerted effort to overcome these difficulties and move toward a more sustainable future. How to pay for all those turbines? Méndez Galain, winner of the 2023 Carnot Prize , which recognizes distinguished contributions to energy policy, conceived a variation of an approach used by some electric companies in Brazil. These companies operated through public-private partnerships, where the companies were responsible for energy generation, while private entities managed distribution and customer service. Méndez Galain’s innovation lay in reversing that dynamic: Private companies would be responsible for installing and maintaining the wind turbines that would supply Uruguay’s grid, while the public company would continue to distribute the energy to consumers. This approach had the inherent advantage of transferring the costly initial outlay for the construction of wind turbines to private companies. The state company agreed to acquire all the energy produced by said turbines at a preestablished rate for 20 years. “Investors need assurance that their investment will be repaid,” Méndez Galain explained during the interview with NPR, “and for that, they need a specific time horizon.” There was political will for this approach: All parties in Uruguay agreed with the transition. In 2009, Uruguay began auctions in which wind companies from around the world competed to offer the cheapest renewable energy to the country. In 2011, a specific auction aimed to secure an additional 150 megawatts of wind energy, which would represent approximately 5% of the country’s total power generation capacity. After receiving offers from more than 20 international companies, the professor and his team decided to drastically accelerate the country’s energy transition. Ultimately, they accepted many more offers than initially planned, signing contracts that expanded Uruguay’s capacity to generate electricity not by 5%, but by more than 40%. Uruguay’s energy grid became powered almost exclusively by domestic renewable sources, and consumer prices, adjusted for inflation, fell. “Electricity bill prices dropped substantially,” said Alda Novell, a resident of Montevideo, by telephone. Today, Uruguay has more than 700 wind turbines distributed throughout its territory. “At first glance, the change is seen in many areas of the country: You go down the road and see the modern windmills in rural areas,” Prats said. “Starting in 2010, with the variety of energy sources, and also renewable ones, blackouts became very rare. It was a relief for state coffers not to have to spend on fossil fuels for energy generation.” For Walter Verri, undersecretary of industry, energy, and mines, the development of renewable energy in Uruguay has been possible thanks to the collaboration of various actors, including the entire political sector and public and private companies. This energy transformation created new careers, job opportunities, and training pathways in Uruguay, Verri added. Countries around the world have spent the last decade announcing ambitious goals to reduce the emissions that cause climate change. Few are on track to achieve that goal. Uruguay is a good example that the green transition is still possible. This article was translated by Climate Cardinals . This article first appeared on Yale Climate Connections and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. — Johani Carolina Ponce
By KATE BRUMBACK ATLANTA (AP) — A judge is weighing whether a Georgia state Senate committee has the right to subpoena testimony and documents from Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis as it looks into whether she has engaged in misconduct during her prosecution of President-elect Donald Trump. The Republican-led committee sent subpoenas to Willis in August seeking to compel her to testify at its September meeting and to produce scores of documents. The committee was formed earlier this year to examine allegations of “various forms of misconduct” by Willis, an elected Democrat, during her prosecution of Trump and others over their efforts to overturn the former president’s 2020 election loss in Georgia. Willis’ attorney, former Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes, told Fulton County Superior Court Judge Shukura Ingram during a hearing Tuesday that although the Georgia General Assembly has subpoena power, that power is not automatically conferred on a single legislative chamber or its committees. Even if the committee did have such power, he argued, the subpoenas in question are overly broad and not related to a legitimate legislative need. Barnes said the focus on Willis and her investigation into Trump shows that the committee was politically motivated and not a legitimate inquiry into the practices of district attorneys’ offices: “What they were trying to do is chill the prosecution of Donald Trump and find out what they had.” Josh Belinfante, a lawyer representing the lawmakers, said there is nothing in the Georgia Constitution that prohibits the Senate from issuing a subpoena. The duly formed interim committee is looking into whether new legislation is needed to regulate the practices of district attorneys’ offices in the state, he argued. “They are investigating and making an inquiry into these allegations that may show that existing state laws, including those establishing the processes for selecting, hiring and compensating special assistant district attorneys, are inadequate,” Belinfante said. The resolution creating the committee focused in particular on Willis’ hiring of special prosecutor Nathan Wade , with whom she had a romantic relationship , to lead the prosecution against Trump and others. It says the relationship amounted to a “clear conflict of interest and a fraud upon the taxpayers” of the county and state. One of the committee’s subpoenas orders Wills to produce documents related to Wade, including documents related to his hiring and payment, documents related to money or items of value that Wade and Willis may have exchanged, text messages and emails between the two, and their phone records. The committee also requested any documents her office sent in response to requests from the U.S. House, as well as communications Willis and her office had with the White House, the U.S. Justice Department and the House relating to the 2020 presidential election. And they asked for documents related to federal grant money Willis’ office has received. Before the deadlines in the subpoenas, Willis challenged them in court. Willis’ challenge was pending in mid-September when she skipped a hearing during which the committee members had hoped to question her. In October, the committee asked Ingram to require Willis to comply with the subpoenas. The committee’s lawyers wrote in a court filing that Willis’ failure to do so had delayed its ability to finish its inquiry and to provide recommendations for any legislation or changes in appropriations that might result. Barnes also argued that once the regular legislative session has adjourned, which happened in March this year, legislative committees can meet to study issues and come up with recommendations but do not have the power to compel someone to appear or produce documents. Belinfante rejected that, saying the state Constitution expressly permits the creation of interim committees and allows them to make their rules. Even if these subpoenas were validly issued, Barnes argued, they ask for too much, including private and personal information that is not a legitimate target of a legislative subpoena. Belinfante said the lawmakers are simply trying to do their jobs. He asked that Willis be ordered to appear before the committee in early January. He also asked that she be ordered to provide the requested documents and explain what privilege justifies any that are excluded. With a glaring lack of state case law on the issue of the General Assembly’s subpoena power, that’s one issue Ingram will have to address. She said she will consider the arguments and release her order as soon as she can. Willis and Wade have acknowledged that they had a relationship but have said it began after he was hired and ended before the indictment against Trump was filed. Trump and other defendants argued that the relationship created a conflict of interest that should disqualify Willis and her office from continuing with her prosecution of the case. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee ruled in March that Willis’ actions showed a “tremendous lapse in judgment,” but he did not find a conflict of interest that would disqualify Willis. He said she could continue her prosecution as long as Wade stepped aside, which he did. Trump and others have appealed that ruling to the Georgia Court of Appeals, and that appeal remains pending.From AI to Wearables: What Lies Ahead for Medical Devices?
Louis Vuitton Revives Murakami's 'Superflat' Short FilmsUS to send $1.25 billion in weapons to Ukraine, pushing to get aid out before Biden leaves office
INPEX Advances FEED for Blue Hydrogen Project in Japan Australia’s Ichthys LNG facility will provide feedstock, along with production from legacy Japanese gas fields that will also serve as repositories for CO2 storage. Japan’s INPEX has initiated front-end engineering and design (FEED) work for a blue hydrogen production project, utilizing the company’s legacy natural gas fields in Niigata Prefecture as both a feedstock source and depleted reservoir space to support the development of a carbon capture and storage (CCS) business in parallel. The projects are among five net-zero businesses that INPEX aims to develop by 2050. By 2030, the company expects to bring three of those projects on stream, producing and supplying 100,000 tons or more of hydrogen and ammonia per year. It also plans by then to inject volumes of at least 2.5 million tons of CO into its depleted reservoir stock. INPEX is Japan’s largest exploration and production company. It operates Australia’s Ichthys LNG project which will also provide feedstock to the new blue hydrogen plant. In announcing the startup of FEED on 18 December, INPEX reported that it had completed the design concept and feasibility studies for the project. The planned hydrogen production plant with 100,000 ton/year capacity in Niigata Prefecture will source its raw materials from natural gas produced at the INPEX-operated Minami-Nagaoka Gas Field (Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture) together with LNG imports arriving at INPEX’s Naoetsu LNG Terminal (Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture). The LNG will be come mainly from the Ichthys LNG in Australia. INPEX plans to market hydrogen to domestic customers in Niigata Prefecture and neighboring regions for power generation and heating applications with an eye to satisfy 10% of Japan’s domestic energy demand by 2050, the company said. CO generated during the hydrogen production process will be captured and injected (as a CCS initiative) into depleting gas fields in Niigata Prefecture, enabling the hydrogen to be marketed as blue (low-carbon) hydrogen. INPEX has been engaged in oil and gas exploration and production as well as projects to supply pipeline gas in Niigata Prefecture for more than 60 years. More recently it moved into LNG terminal operations. the latest news shaping the hydrogen market at INPEX Advances FEED for Blue Hydrogen Project in Japan, Double Zero Holdings and SJ Environmental Collaborate to Transform Natural Gas into Blue Hydrogen OUSTON, Oct. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Double Zero Holdings and SJ Environmental are excited to announce a... Europe’s Blue Hydrogen Plans Risk Generating Annual Emissions on par With Denmark – DeSmog This story is the fourth part of a DeSmog series on carbon capture and was developed with the support... Equinor Cancels Blue Hydrogen Export Plans to Germany Amid Low Demand Norway’s Equinor (EQNR.OL), opens new tab has scrapped plans to export so-called blue hydrogen to Germany because it is too expensive and...Reverse Mortgage Second Lien Program Gains Momentum as Essential Financial Tool for Seniors
A local Jubo Dal leader was killed during a clash between two factions of BNP in Ulipur upazila of Kurigram last night. The deceased Ashraful Islam, 38, was joint convener of Kurigram's Ulipur Upazila Jubo Dal. He was a supporter of Tasvirul Islam, former president of Kurigram District BNP. Police and local BNP men said the clash took place between supporters of former district BNP president Tasvirul Islam and Rangpur divisional joint organising secretary Abdul Khalek at Ulipur Police Station premises at 7:30pm. The clash broke out while leaders of the party tried to settle an non-political dispute between some leaders and activists. Jubo Dal leader Ashraful, who tried to stop the altercation, was seriously injured in the clash. He was taken to Ulipur Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared him dead. Tension spread in Ulipur upazila town soon after the news of his death came out. Angry leaders and activists of Tasvir Group vandalised the Sahawan Hotel owned by Khalek's supporter Aminul Islam and also set fire to the houses of Krishak Dal leader Abu Jafar Sohel Rana and former Chhatra Dal leader Firoz Kabir Kajal, who were present at the meeting. Kurigram Civil Surgeon Dr Manjur-e-Murshed said one person was brought to the hospital dead after the clash. Several others were admitted to the hospital. The Civil Surgeon could not immediately provide any information on the injury marks on the deceased's body. Ulipur Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Zillur Rahman said he was on leave. He has received a report of clash between two BNP groups near the police station premises. One person has died. However, it is not yet confirmed whether he died of a beating or stroke. A local Jubo Dal leader was killed during a clash between two factions of BNP in Ulipur upazila of Kurigram last night. The deceased Ashraful Islam, 38, was joint convener of Kurigram's Ulipur Upazila Jubo Dal. He was a supporter of Tasvirul Islam, former president of Kurigram District BNP. Police and local BNP men said the clash took place between supporters of former district BNP president Tasvirul Islam and Rangpur divisional joint organising secretary Abdul Khalek at Ulipur Police Station premises at 7:30pm. The clash broke out while leaders of the party tried to settle an non-political dispute between some leaders and activists. Jubo Dal leader Ashraful, who tried to stop the altercation, was seriously injured in the clash. He was taken to Ulipur Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared him dead. Tension spread in Ulipur upazila town soon after the news of his death came out. Angry leaders and activists of Tasvir Group vandalised the Sahawan Hotel owned by Khalek's supporter Aminul Islam and also set fire to the houses of Krishak Dal leader Abu Jafar Sohel Rana and former Chhatra Dal leader Firoz Kabir Kajal, who were present at the meeting. Kurigram Civil Surgeon Dr Manjur-e-Murshed said one person was brought to the hospital dead after the clash. Several others were admitted to the hospital. The Civil Surgeon could not immediately provide any information on the injury marks on the deceased's body. Ulipur Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Zillur Rahman said he was on leave. He has received a report of clash between two BNP groups near the police station premises. One person has died. However, it is not yet confirmed whether he died of a beating or stroke.Kentucky ends Mizzou volleyball's season in Sweet 16
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