
Diversity statements will no longer be used in University of Michigan faculty hiring, promotion and tenure, a move applauded by critics who have called the practice "litmus tests" that limit diversity of thought while diversity advocates said the process was "preordained" and dishonest. Provost Laurie McCauley announced the decision Thursday based on a recommendation from a UM faculty working group to end diversity statements. But the recommendation is "deceptive," coming after the regents rejected a previous recommendation to keep the diversity statements, a faculty leader said. Diversity statements are documents written by faculty job candidates that let applicants explain to a search committee the distinct experiences they would bring to the university along with their commitment to diversity. The statements help search committees identify applicants "who have professional skills, experience and/or willingness to engage in activities that would enhance campus diversity and equity efforts," according to a University of California at San Diego statement referenced by UM's Center for Research on Learning & Teaching. McCauley's announcement came hours before the Board of Regents is scheduled to meet and a protest is planned beforehand at UM President Santa Ono's house. Many in the UM community are concerned the regents may dismantle a multimillion dollar diversity, equity and inclusion effort built after the school was at the center of a decade-long national debate around affirmative action in higher education, and DEI programs have been under attack across the nation.. "Diversity, equity and inclusion are three of our core values at the university," McCauley said in the University Record, an internal UM publication for faculty and staff, in announcing the end of diversity statements. "Our collective efforts in this area have produced important strides in opening opportunities for all people. As we pursue this challenging and complex work, we will continuously refine our approach.” But there is more that happened in this process, UM Faculty Senate Chair Rebekah Modrak wrote on the University Record page under the announcement. After the regents called for diversity statements to be banned last summer, McCauley formed a faculty committee to review diversity statements in the spirit of shared governance that came up with a different recommendation, Modrak wrote. "My understanding is that the committee’s first report recommended that the use of diversity statements should be up to each unit, a recommendation that honors our decentralization, independence, and academic freedom," Modrak wrote. "The Regents rejected that report and central leadership didn’t support their own faculty committee. Sending a committee back to work to give a second report with preordained results is neither honest nor respectful of faculty expertise. The University Record’s erasure of the Regents’ autocratic hand in this process is also deceptive." Regents will not vote on the provost's action, but may discuss it during the meeting, said Regent Sarah Hubbard, one of two Republicans on the eight-member UM board. "I applaud the provost for ending the practice of requiring diversity statements," said Hubbard. "This policy change removes a barrier to diversity of thought on campus by eliminating the ideological litmus test." No action is expected during Thursday's meeting around other DEI issues, added Hubbard, who previously said the regents have been looking for a long time at the university's DEI efforts and want to realign funds closer to student scholarships. Any budget decisions wouldn't happen until next year when budgetary decisions get made, she said. Even so, hundreds of students, faculty and staff demonstrated on campus earlier this week to show support for the university's DEI programs, and others are planning to attend the protest organized by UM's Black Student Union before the regents meeting and show up to the official meeting. UM's decision to discontinue diversity statements came after the statements were also eliminated in May at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and in June at Harvard University’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences. In June, UM's provost charged the eight-member faculty working group to examine diversity statements, though the university did not have an institutional policy on the statements but units did have the discretion to ask for them. The working group recommended the end of the statements after reviewing other policies and surveying more than 2,000 faculty members. “Critics of diversity statements perceive them as expressions of personal identity traits, support of specific ideology or opinions on socially-relevant issues, and serve as a ‘litmus test’ of whether a faculty member’s views are politically acceptable,” the working group wrote in its report. “Thus, as currently enacted, diversity statements have the potential to limit viewpoints and reduce diversity of thought among faculty members.” The working group said it acknowledged the concerns. "But, well-written diversity statements do not necessarily require expression of one’s identity, and they need not express one's beliefs or stances on socially-charged issues," the working group wrote. "Instead, well-written diversity statements contain reflections of how identity has shaped a faculty member’s approach with their students, how they work with their colleagues, and how they interact with society. These are desirable features of current and future U-M faculty members, and this information should be considered when potential faculty are hired and current faculty are promoted." The work group also offered two other recommendations, including that the university "can and must" incorporate of content about DEI into teaching, research and service statements. "Through this incorporation, the problematic features of diversity statements can be eliminated, while the useful and necessary information that exists in diversity statements can be saved and placed where it more naturally belongs," the group wrote in its report. However, UM did not adopt those recommendations. UM's decision to discontinue diversity statements followed other steps the university has taken in recent months that supporters said will create an environment that expands diverse views on campus. They include the regents' controversial adoption last month of a policy on institutional neutrality that prohibits some officials from taking public stances on political and social issues not related to the internal governance of the university. Last month the Faculty Senate passed a resolution censuring the Board of Regents and accusing the regents of "increasingly exhibiting authoritarian tendencies, and silencing free speech. ©2024 The Detroit News. Visit detroitnews.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.By MATTHEW BROWN and JACK DURA BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Donald Trump assigned Doug Burgum a singular mission in nominating the governor of oil-rich North Dakota to lead an agency that oversees a half-billion acres of federal land and vast areas offshore: “Drill baby drill.” That dictate from the president-elect’s announcement of Burgum for Secretary of Interior sets the stage for a reignition of the court battles over public lands and waters that helped define Trump’s first term, with environmentalists worried about climate change already pledging their opposition. Burgum is an ultra-wealthy software industry entrepreneur who grew up on his family’s farm. He represents a tame choice compared to other Trump Cabinet picks. Public lands experts said his experience as a popular two-term governor who aligns himself with conservationist Teddy Roosevelt suggests a willingness to collaborate, as opposed to dismantling from within the agency he is tasked with leading. That could help smooth his confirmation and clear the way for the incoming administration to move quickly to open more public lands to development and commercial use. “Burgum strikes me as a credible nominee who could do a credible job as Interior secretary,” said John Leshy, who served as Interior’s solicitor under former President Bill Clinton. “He’s not a right-wing radical on public lands,” added Leshy, professor emeritus at the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. The Interior Department manages about one-fifth of the country’s land with a mandate that spans from wildlife conservation and recreation to natural resource extraction and fulfilling treaty obligations with Native American tribes. Most of those lands are in the West, where frictions with private landowners and state officials are commonplace and have sometimes mushroomed into violent confrontations with right-wing groups that reject federal jurisdiction. Burgum if confirmed would be faced with a pending U.S. Supreme Court action from Utah that seeks to assert state power over Interior Department lands. North Dakota’s attorney general has supported the lawsuit, but Burgum’s office declined to say if he backs Utah’s claims. U.S. Justice Department attorneys on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to reject Utah’s lawsuit. They said Utah in 1894 agreed to give up its right to the lands at issue when it became a state. Trump’s narrow focus on fossil fuels is a replay from his 2016 campaign — although minus coal mining, a collapsing industry that he failed to revive in his first term. Trump repeatedly hailed oil as “liquid gold” on the campaign trail this year and largely omitted any mention of coal. About 26% of U.S. oil comes from federal lands and offshore waters overseen by Interior. Production continues to hit record levels under President Joe Biden despite claims by Trump that the Democrat hindered drilling. But industry representatives and their Republican allies say volumes could be further boosted. They want Burgum and the Interior Department to ramp up oil and gas sales from federal lands, in the Gulf of Mexico and offshore Alaska. The oil industry also hopes Trump’s government efficiency initiative led by billionaire Elon Musk can dramatically reduce environmental reviews. Biden’s administration reduced the frequency and size of lease sales, and it restored environmental rules that were weakened under Trump . The Democrat as a candidate in 2020 promised further restrictions on drilling to help combat global warming, but he struck a deal for the 2022 climate bill that requires offshore oil and gas sales to be held before renewable energy leases can be sold. “Oil and gas brings billions of dollars of revenue in, but you don’t get that if you don’t have leasing,” said Erik Milito with the National Ocean Industries Association, which represents offshore industries including oil and wind. Trump has vowed to kill offshore wind energy projects. But Milito said he was hopeful that with Burgum in place it would be “green lights ahead for everything, not just oil and gas.” It is unclear if Burgum would revive some of the most controversial steps taken at the agency during Trump’s first term, including relocating senior officials out of Washington, D.C., dismantling parts of the Endangered Species Act and shrinking the size of two national monuments in Utah designated by former President Barack Obama. Officials under Biden spent much of the past four years reversing Trump’s moves. They restored the Utah monuments and rescinded numerous Trump regulations. Onshore oil and gas lease sales plummeted — from more than a million acres sold annually under Trump and other previous administrations, to just 91,712 acres (37,115 hectares) sold last year — while many wind and solar projects advanced. Developing energy leases takes years, and oil companies control millions of acres that remain untapped. Biden’s administration also elevated the importance of conservation in public lands decisions, adopting a rule putting it more on par with oil and gas development. They proposed withdrawing parcels of land in six states from potential future mining to protect a struggling bird species, the greater sage grouse. North Dakota is among Republican states that challenged the Biden administration’s public lands rule. The states said in a June lawsuit that officials acting to prevent climate change have turned laws meant to facilitate development into policies that obstruct drilling, livestock grazing and other uses. Oil production boomed over the past two decades in North Dakota thanks in large part to better drilling techniques. Burgum has been an industry champion and last year signed a repeal of the state’s oil tax trigger — a price-based tax hike industry leaders supported removing. Burgum’s office declined an interview request. In a statement after his nomination, Burgum echoed Trump’s call for U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. The 68-year-old governor also said the Interior post offered an opportunity to improve government relations with developers, tribes, landowners and outdoor enthusiasts “with a focus on maximizing the responsible use of our natural resources with environmental stewardship for the benefit of the American people.” Related Articles National Politics | Attorneys want the US Supreme Court to say Mississippi’s felony voting ban is cruel and unusual National Politics | Trump convinced Republicans to overlook his misconduct. But can he do the same for his nominees? National Politics | Beyond evangelicals, Trump and his allies courted smaller faith groups, from the Amish to Chabad National Politics | Trump’s team is delaying transition agreements. What does it mean for security checks and governing? National Politics | Judge delays Trump hush money sentencing in order to decide where case should go now Under current Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the agency put greater emphasis on working collaboratively with tribes, including their own energy projects . Haaland, a member of the Pueblo of Laguna tribe in New Mexico, also advanced an initiative to solve criminal cases involving missing and murdered Indigenous peoples and helped lead a nationwide reckoning over abuses at federal Indian boarding schools that culminated in a formal public apology from Biden. Burgum has worked with tribes in his state, including on oil development. Badlands Conservation Alliance director Shannon Straight in Bismarck, North Dakota, said Burgum has also been a big supporter of tourism in North Dakota and outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing. Yet Straight said that hasn’t translated into additional protections for land in the state. “Theodore Roosevelt had a conservation ethic, and we talk and hold that up as a beautiful standard to live by,” he said. “We haven’t seen it as much on the ground. ... We need to recognize the landscape is only going to be as good as some additional protections.” Burgum has been a cheerleader of the planned Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, North Dakota. Brown reported from Billings, Montana.
First Horizon Names New Head of Investor Relations
Will CBP Search Your Employee’s Laptop and Cell Phone at the Port of Entry?None
Anti-Aging Drugs Market Demand, Growth Prediction, Segments And Outlook By 2033 11-25-2024 12:55 AM CET | Advertising, Media Consulting, Marketing Research Press release from: The Business Research Company Anti-Aging Drugs Market The Business Research Company recently released a comprehensive report on the Global Anti-Aging Drugs Market Size and Trends Analysis with Forecast 2024-2033. This latest market research report offers a wealth of valuable insights and data, including global market size, regional shares, and competitor market share. Additionally, it covers current trends, future opportunities, and essential data for success in the industry. According to The Business Research Company's, The anti-aging drugs market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $53.76 billion in 2023 to $57.85 billion in 2024 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.6%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to rise in chronic diseases associated with aging, increasing awareness of aging-related health issues, regulatory support for aging research, consumer focus on wellness and longevity. The anti-aging drugs market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $77.85 billion in 2028 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.7%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to precision medicine approaches, emergence of senolytic drugs, collaborations and partnerships in research, regulatory pathways for aging therapeutics, increased consumer adoption of anti-aging interventions. Major trends in the forecast period include targeted therapies and personalized medicine, senolytic drugs for cellular senescence, gene therapy and crispr technologies, focus on mitochondrial health, microbiome modulation for longevity. Get The Complete Scope Of The Report @ https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/anti-aging-drugs-global-market-report Market Drivers and Trends: The rise in the aging population is expected to propel the growth of the anti-aging drugs market going forward. The rise in the aging population refers to the increase in the proportion of older adults aged 60 years or more as compared to other age groups within a population. This demographic shift has resulted from advances in healthcare that lead to a longer lifespan, declining fertility rates, and changes in social and economic structures. Anti-aging medications are used to increase a human being's healthy lifetime who still exhibits youthful traits. For instance, in October 2022, according to World Health Organization a Switzerland-based international public health organization, By 2030, one out of every six persons in the globe will be over the age of 60, and by 2020, the number of elderly people will have increased by 1 billion to 1.4 billion. Moreover, according to Eurostat database, a statistical office of the European Union, older persons (aged 65 and above) made up 21.1% of the population (a 0.3 % point (pp) rise from the previous year and a 3.1% pp increase from ten years ago). Therefore, the rise in the aging population is driving the growth of the anti-aging drugs market. Product innovations are a key trend gaining popularity in the anti-aging drugs market. Companies operating in the anti-aging drug market are adopting new innovative products to sustain their position in the market. For instance, in April 2023, SkinCeuticals, a US-based advanced skincare company, launched a new corrective cream A.G.E Interrupter Advanced. The product improves collagen matrix integrity. The formulation contains wild fruit flavonoids, glycyrrhetinic acid, and concentrated proxy lane (20% more than the original A.G.E Interrupter). A.G.E. Interrupter Advanced goes above standard anti-aging products by addressing all stages of the glycation process, correcting current aging indicators, and defending against new and reoccurring harm caused by A.G.E. formation. Key Benefits for Stakeholders: • Comprehensive Market Insights: Stakeholders gain access to detailed market statistics, trends, and analyses that help them understand the current and future landscape of their industry. • Informed Decision-Making: The reports provide crucial data that support strategic decisions, reducing risks and enhancing business planning. • Competitive Advantage: With in-depth competitor analysis and market share information, stakeholders can identify opportunities to outperform their competition. • Tailored Solutions: The Business Research Company offers customized reports that address specific needs, ensuring stakeholders receive relevant and actionable insights. • Global Perspective: The reports cover various regions and markets, providing a broad view that helps stakeholders expand and operate successfully on a global scale. Ready to Dive into Something Exciting? Get Your Free Exclusive Sample of Our Research Report @ https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/sample.aspx?id=10231&type=smp Major Key Players of the Market: L'Oréal S.A.; Galderma S.A.; Merz Pharma GmbH & Co. KGaA; Sanofi S.A.; Elysium Health Inc.; Estée Lauder Companies Inc.; AbbVie Inc.; La Roche-Posay; Nu Skin Enterprises Inc.; Dermafix Biotech Private Limited; The Procter & Gamble Company; Johnson & Johnson Services Inc.; Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.; BioTime Inc.; PT. Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.; Allergan plc; Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.; MMJ PhytoTech Limited; Revitacare; SciVision Biotech; Canbex Therapeutics Ltd.; Lumenis Ltd.; Cynosure Inc.; Age Sciences Inc.; ALMA LASERS Ltd.; Bausch Health Companies Inc.; Hansen Supplements; Ponce De Leon Health Inc. ; Youth & Earth; Vitality Pro Anti-Aging Drugs Market 2024 Key Insights: • The anti-aging drugs market will grow to $77.85 billion in 2028 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.7%. • Aging Population Propelled Growth Of Anti-Aging Drugs Market • Product Innovations Skinceuticals' A.G.E Interrupter Advanced Driving Anti-Aging Drug Market • North America was the largest region in the anti-aging drugs market in 2023 We Offer Customized Report, Click @ https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/Customise?id=10231&type=smp Contact Us: The Business Research Company Europe: +44 207 1930 708 Asia: +91 88972 63534 Americas: +1 315 623 0293 Email: info@tbrc.info Follow Us On: LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/the-business-research-company Twitter: https://twitter.com/tbrc_info Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBusinessResearchCompany YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC24_fI0rV8cR5DxlCpgmyFQ Blog: https://blog.tbrc.info/ Healthcare Blog: https://healthcareresearchreports.com/ Global Market Model: https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/global-market-model Learn More About The Business Research Company The Business Research Company ( www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com ) is a leading market intelligence firm renowned for its expertise in company, market, and consumer research. With a global presence, TBRC's consultants specialize in diverse industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, chemicals, and technology, providing unparalleled insights and strategic guidance to clients worldwide. This release was published on openPR.The reason behind star Upton's shock early NRLW release
What are wall mounted parts bins? Their Features and Applications 12-27-2024 08:50 PM CET | Industry, Real Estate & Construction Press release from: ABNewswire What is a parts bin? Parts bins [ https://www.agriculture-solution.com/products/ ] are mainly made of polyethylene or copolypropylene, and have excellent mechanical properties, are lightweight and have a long life. They are resistant to common acids and alkalis at normal working temperatures and are very suitable for storing various small parts, materials and stationery. Whether in the logistics industry or corporate manufacturing, parts bins can help companies achieve universal and integrated management of parts storage, and are essential for modern logistics management. Image: https://www.agriculture-solution.com/uploads/%E8%83%8C%E6%8C%82%E5%BC%8F%E8%AF%A6%E6%83%852-22.jpg Features and Benefits:* Constructed from high-quality plastic, these storage bins are not only durable but also easy to clean, ensuring that they remain hygienic over time. * The wall-mounted design makes efficient use of often underestimated vertical space. It allows easy access to tools and components while keeping everything neatly stored in individual containers. * Louvre panel is made from steel making it strong yet lightweight.The louvred panel has an epoxy powder coating that protects it from temperature or humidity change, gives it chemical resistance as well as being easy to clean. * The panel has unique double indented louvres for extra strength for a variety of storage needs from heavy-duty loads to lightweight supplies. * Customization options. Many manufacturers offer customization options for plastic parts bins [ https://www.agriculture-solution.com/products/ ], allowing businesses to customize their storage solutions to meet specific needs. What material is the backplate made of? The panel was designed to have a long service life and is made from mild steel which makes it lightweight yet strong and durable. The louvre panel is also epoxy coated to add additional corrosion resistance and make it more hardwearing, making it suitable for workshops, warehouses, factories, and more. Image: https://www.agriculture-solution.com/uploads/%E8%83%8C%E6%8C%82%E5%BC%8F%E8%AF%A6%E6%83%8511.jpg Can this be used in a warehousing system? Incorporating louvre panel & bins into your warehouse management system can lead to significant improvements in efficiency. By organizing parts in a systematic manner, employees can quickly locate and retrieve items, reducing downtime and increasing productivity. Additionally, the ability to hang allows for better use of vertical space, resulting in a more organized, tidier environment. Applications: Plastic parts bins [ https://www.agriculture-solution.com/products/ ] are a warehouse must-have for increased organization and efficiency. Their durability, versatility, and ease of use make them a smart investment for businesses of all sizes. By implementing these boxes into your inventory management system, you can create a more streamlined operation that not only saves time but also increases overall productivity. Whether you manage a small store or a large distribution center, plastic parts bins can help you achieve a new level of organization and efficiency in your warehouse. Media Contact Company Name: Xian Yubo New Materials Technology Co., Ltd. Email:Send Email [ https://www.abnewswire.com/email_contact_us.php?pr=what-is-a-wall-mounted-parts-bins ] Country: China Website: https://www.agriculture-solution.com/ This release was published on openPR.Broncos hope to utilize 2021 formula of slowing down Bengals QB Joe Burrow and this time get a win
Cracks emerge in Trump's MAGA coalitionMAGA Republicans and their billionaire backers like Elon Musk have finally honed-in on a ten-point formula that works for obtaining political and economic power. And they are never going to ditch it. Pandering conspiracy theories to high school grads rather than trying to impress college grads with knowledge of history and science is one key. Those blue-collar kids never paid much attention to social studies during their 12-year ordeal in school. Education was too boring compared to skating the internet on their phones during class. They want crazy gossip, and the more the better. Falsely blaming others for exhibiting one’s own manifest faults works extremely well too. This is called “projecting” in the parlance of psychology and “smearing” in communist political science. Doing this upsets Democrats to no end and causes them to swoon with great anxiety and lose sight of any reasonable path to success. Lying is the new truth-telling. We told the truth for 400 years on the North American continent and this people are clearly getting tired of it. No fun at all. Very slow path to power. We also covered up the flesh in public places, and men and women are so over that too. Republicans will steadfastly keep AR-15s legal for the many mentally unstable citizens of our country to purchase and utilize at their own pleasure. Those violence-minded folks provide almost nightly entertainment for law-abiding citizens looking for ever-more insane true-crime stories and reality TV. All this anti-civic entertainment in turn is necessary for preventing America from returning to serious participation in democracy on any level of government. Why participate if you are just going to get shot to bits when you step out in public? In addition, all the blood and guts make us want to lean on Republican despots, authoritarians, dictators, and tyrants for security because they are the only ones who can fix things. They create the problems for sure, but then they alone can solve the problems. Republicans will continue to elaborate the political philosophy of autocracy and monarchy. This is the idea that one human being is just so much more special than others that he must make all the laws instead of Congress making them. Furthermore, his DNA is the key to keeping stability in the nation, so it is clearly best for him to pass on the reins of government to his first-born son and establish a hereditary-style government. Making barrels of money and thus becoming an untouchable celebrity is the only cherished path to personal success for Republicans today, and even a few Democrats. Encouraging everybody to become a gold digger by investing in new kinds of currency and supporting wild new technologies is the perfect answer to the plodding, science-based small-business capitalism that built this country. That is so passe. We must also turn America into a false advertising mecca. If propaganda works in Republican politics, it surely works just as well in Republican business and banking. Marketing departments must build fantastic new fantasy worlds through advertising campaigns in order to marginalize the competition and become a monopoly in the industry. Those monopolies can then more easily use the Citizens United decision to purchase the budding new Republicans they want to see governing things on national and local levels. Religion must maintain all the doctrines that theologists and politicians cooked up during the Dark Ages to make the Roman Catholic church the ruler of all of Europe. Citizens must be charmed into swallowing them whole, never bothering to digest them, for that might cause alarm and insight. Protestant churches must also move forward toward to an authoritarian system of church government that will allow them to quickly marshal their members to support Republican candidates on the national, state, and local levels. Republicans must double-down on the idea that childless cat ladies are a problem. Those who avoid child-rearing do not understand the imperative of the aristocratic class and the monarchy to produce heirs to pass along their wealth to. Besides, child rearing in the commoner class is meritorious because it populates the underclass that must do the economic bidding of the Republican aristocracy. If DNA works in aristocracy and monarchy, it also works in race relations. White DNA is much superior to off-white or colored DNA. That’s just obvious to every MAGA cheerleader. Besides, colored folk tend toward communism, and that must be stopped.
Ares management sells $28.7m in Frontier Communications stockYoung women are being trafficked and exploited by local drug lords, says Minister for Women Lynda Tabuya. Speaking to this newspaper, Ms Tabuya provided the example of the two OnlyFans pornography creators who were booted out of Fiji because of their plans to shoot porn with Australian schoolies. “Now, this was done very visibly, because she (Bonnie Blue) went online visibly,” Ms Tabuya said. “But we have the local porn industry that is working quietly and doing porn videos and posting it up and preying on young people. “I mean, look at the trafficking of our young people, it’s almost every week we’re seeing a missing person, and they are usually young girls. So where do they go missing? “So, I’ve done some investigation from the ministry to ask these young girls where they go and they tell us it’s actually part of the drug trade. So for example, a drug lord will want a young girl for his entertainment. He will send one of his drug peddlers to go and get a young girl, lure her to come. So she’s missing for a few days. She goes and she’s with this drug lord and entertaining him, including sex and bribing her with all sorts of gadgets and things and giving her money, then returns her home. “Young girls are getting involved in this, and they’re getting paid for it. It is exploitation, it is sex trafficking, and it’s happening in our country because of the drug trade.” Ms Tabuya said she understood there was institutional corruption that needed to be addressed fast, but it was not an issue that a single agency or ministry could deal with. “Honourable Pio Tikoduadua should not be fighting this alone. It’s got to be all of us together to come together and say, how do we deal with this institutional corruption? “How do we remove it and there are ways to do it. So as a result, we formed a sub-committee to Cabinet on drugs, and it’s actually chaired by the Prime Minister.” Ms Tabuya said the committee also had the Ministries of Women, Health and Education, Home Affairs, iTaukei Affairs, and Youth and Sports. “This is how important this issue is, about drugs. So when we sit together, we said, OK, we are now on this highest level to make decisions about the issues on drugs. So it’s coming together. “We are guided by and looking at what the National Counter Narcotics Strategy and see the work that they’re doing, but it has to come to that highest level, and it takes political will to make these decisions. “It’s work in progress, but we’re doing our best.”
Bitcoin catapulted above $100,000 for the first time on Thursday, a milestone hailed even by skeptics as a coming-of-age for digital assets as investors bet on a friendly U.S. administration to cement the place of cryptocurrencies in financial markets. Once it broke $100,000 in Thursday’s Asian morning, boosted by U.S. President-elect Trump’s nomination of pro-crypto Paul Atkins to run the Securities and Exchange Commission, it was soon at an all-time high of $103,619. It last fetched $101,139, up about 3.2% on the day. The total value of the cryptocurrency market has almost doubled over the year so far to hit a record over $3.8 trillion, according to data provider CoinGecko. By comparison, Apple alone is worth about $3.7 trillion. Bitcoin’s march from the libertarian fringe to Wall Street has minted millionaires, a new asset class and popularised the concept of “decentralised finance” in a volatile and often controversial period since its creation 16 years ago. Bitcoin has more than doubled in value this year and is up more than 50% in the four weeks since Donald Trump’s sweeping election victory, which also saw a slew of pro-crypto lawmakers being elected to Congress. “CONGRATULATIONS BITCOINERS!!! $100,000!!! YOU’RE WELCOME!!! Together, we will Make America Great Again!” Trump said on Truth Social, his social media network, on Thursday. “We’re witnessing a paradigm shift,” said Mike Novogratz, founder and CEO of U.S. crypto firm Galaxy Digital. “Bitcoin and the entire digital asset ecosystem are on the brink of entering the financial mainstream – this momentum is fuelled by institutional adoption, advancements in tokenisation and payments, and a clearer regulatory path.” Trump — who once labeled crypto a scam — embraced digital assets during his campaign, promising to make the United States the “crypto capital of the planet” and to accumulate a national stockpile of bitcoin. “We were trading basically sideways for about seven months, then immediately after Nov. 5, U.S. investors resumed buying hand-over-fist,” said Joe McCann, CEO and founder of Asymmetric, a Miami digital assets hedge fund. Bitcoin’s proponents cheered Trump’s nomination of Atkins to the SEC. A former SEC commissioner, Atkins has been involved in crypto policy as co-chair of the Token Alliance, which works to “develop best practices for digital asset issuances and trading platforms,” and the Chamber of Digital Commerce. “Atkins will offer a new perspective, anchored by a deep understanding of the digital asset ecosystem,” said Blockchain Association CEO Kristin Smith. “We look forward to working with him ... and ushering in — together — a new wave of American crypto innovation.” A slew of crypto companies including Ripple, Kraken and Circle are also jostling for a seat on Trump’s promised crypto advisory council. PART OF THE LANDSCAPE Bitcoin has proven a survivor through precipitous downturns. Its move into six-figure territory is a remarkable comeback from a dip below $16,000 in 2022 when the industry was reeling from the collapse of the FTX exchange. Founder Sam Bankman-Fried was subsequently jailed. Analysts say the growing embrace of bitcoin by big investors this year has been a driving force behind the record-breaking rally. U.S.-listed bitcoin exchange-traded funds were approved in January and have been a conduit for large-scale buying, with more than $4 billion streaming into these funds since the election. “Roughly 3% of the total supply of bitcoins that will ever exist have been purchased in 2024 by institutional money,” said Geoff Kendrick, global head of digital assets research at Standard Chartered. “Digital assets, as an asset class, is becoming normalized,” he said. It is already becoming increasingly financialised, with the launch of bitcoin futures in 2017 and a strong debut for options on BlackRock’s ETF in November. Crypto-related stocks have soared along with the bitcoin price, with shares in bitcoin miner MARA Holdings and exchange operator Coinbase each up around 65% in November. Software firm Microstrategy, which has repeatedly raised funds to buy bitcoin and held an aggregate of about 402,100 bitcoins as of Dec. 1, has gained around 540% this year. Trump himself unveiled a new crypto business, World Liberty Financial, in September, although details have been scarce and billionaire Elon Musk, a major Trump ally, is also a proponent of cryptocurrencies. Some say the asset remains a speculative or investment vehicle and not an instrument for payments. On Wednesday, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell likened bitcoin to gold, “only its virtual, its digital.” “People are not using it as a form of payment, or as a store of value. Its highly volatile, it’s not a competitor for the dollar.” While earlier big bitcoin rallies have been followed by significant pullbacks, its wider adoption now may help tamp down volatility, analysts said. “That is not to say that there will not be 30-50% drawdowns over time, but my base case is that the nature of the drawdowns will be less severe than what we saw in the last bear market,” Sean Farrell, head of digital asset strategy at Fundstrat Global Advisors, said. “Passive flows into ETFs, a liquid options market, corporate treasury adoption, and nation state adoption will likely play a large role in dampening volatility,” Farrell said. ‘WHO CAN PROHIBIT IT’ Cryptocurrencies have been criticized for their massive energy consumption and use in crime around the world, and the underlying technology is far from delivering a revolution in the way money moves around the globe. The U.S. and Britain announced on Wednesday they had disrupted what they described as a global money laundering ring which used cryptocurrency to help rich Russians to evade sanctions and launder cash for drug traffickers. Although calculations vary, the Cambridge University Centre for Alternative Finance estimates bitcoin uses around the same amount of electricity each year as Poland or South Africa. Still, as Russian President Vladimir Putin pointed out at an investment conference on Wednesday: “Who can prohibit it? No one.” And its longevity is perhaps testament to a degree of resilience. “As time goes by it’s proving itself as part of the financial landscape,” said Shane Oliver, chief economist and head of investment strategy at AMP in Sydney. “I find it very hard to value it ... it’s anyone’s guess. But it does have a momentum aspect to it and at the moment the momentum is up.”
Why I want to represent Anambra South in Senate – Aspirant
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks fell broadly on Friday as Wall Street closed out a holiday-shortened week on a down note. The losses were made worse by sharp declines for the Big Tech stocks known as the “Magnificent 7”, which can heavily influence the direction of the market because of their large size. The S&P 500 fell 66.75 points, or 1.1%, to 5,970.84. Roughly 90% of stocks in the benchmark index lost ground, but it managed to hold onto a modest gain of 0.7% for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 333.59 points, or 0.8%, to 42,992.21. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite fell 298.33 points, or 1.5%, to 19,722.03. Semiconductor giant Nvidia slumped 2.1%. Microsoft declined 1.7%. Each has a market value above $3 trillion, giving the companies outsized sway on the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq. A wide range of retailers also fell. Amazon fell 1.5% and Best Buy slipped 1.5%. The sector is being closely watched for clues on how it performed during the holiday shopping season. Energy stocks held up better than the rest of the market, with a loss of less than 0.1% as crude oil prices rose. “There’s just some uncertainty over this relief rally we’ve witnessed since last week,” said Adam Turnquist, chief technical strategist for LPL Financial. The S&P 500 gained nearly 3% over a 3-day stretch before breaking for the Christmas holiday. On Thursday, the index posted a small decline. Despite Friday's drop, the market is moving closer to another standout annual finish . The S&P 500 is on track for a gain of around 25% in 2024. That would mark a second consecutive yearly gain of more than 20%, the first time that has happened since 1997-1998. The gains have been driven partly by upbeat economic data showing that consumers continued spending and the labor market remained strong. Inflation, while still high, has also been steadily easing. A report on Friday showed that sales and inventory estimates for the wholesales trade industry fell 0.2% in November, following a slight gain in October. That weaker-than-expected report follows an update on the labor market Thursday that showed unemployment benefits held steady last week. The stream of upbeat economic data and easing inflation helped prompt a reversal in the Federal Reserve's interest rate policy this year. Expectations for interest rate cuts also helped drive market gains. The central bank recently delivered its third cut to interest rates in 2024. Even though inflation has come closer to the central bank's target of 2%, it remains stubbornly above that mark and worries about it heating up again have tempered the forecast for more interest rate cuts. Inflation concerns have added to uncertainties heading into 2025, which include the labor market’s path ahead and shifting economic policies under incoming President Donald Trump. Worries have risen that Trump’s preference for tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation , a bigger U.S. government debt and difficulties for global trade. Amedisys rose 4.7% after the home health care and hospice services provider agreed to extend the deadline for its sale to UnitedHealth Group. The Justice Department had sued to block the $3.3 billion deal, citing concerns the combination would hinder access to home health and hospice services in the U.S. The move to extend the deadline comes ahead of an expected shift in regulatory policy under Trump. The incoming administration is expected to have a more permissive approach to dealmaking and is less likely to raise antitrust concerns. In Asia, Japan’s benchmark index surged as the yen remained weak against the dollar. Stocks in South Korea fell after the main opposition party voted to impeach the country’s acting leader. Markets in Europe gained ground. Bond yields held relatively steady. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.62% from 4.59% late Thursday. The yield on the two-year Treasury remained at 4.33% from late Thursday. Wall Street will have more economic updates to look forward to next week, including reports on pending home sales and home prices. There will also be reports on U.S. construction spending and snapshots of manufacturing activity.
Donald Trump has yet to move back into the White House and already fissures are opening in his coalition, amid squabbling between Elon Musk and his Silicon Valley "tech bros" and his hardcore Republican backers. At the heart of the internecine sniping is Trump's central election issue -- immigration -- and the H1-B visas that allow companies to bring foreigners with specific qualifications to the United States. The permits are widely used in Silicon Valley, and Musk -- who himself came to the United States from South Africa on an H1-B -- is a fervent advocate. The world's richest man, who bankrolled Trump's election campaign and has become a close advisor, posted on X Thursday that welcoming elite engineering talent from abroad was "essential for America to keep winning." Vivek Ramaswamy, appointed by Trump as Musk's co-chair on a new advisory board on government efficiency, suggested that companies prefer foreign workers because they lack an "American culture," which he said venerates mediocrity. "A culture that celebrates the prom queen over the math olympiad champ, or the jock over the valedictorian, will not produce the best engineers," he posted, warning that, without a change in attitude, "we'll have our asses handed to us by China." Skepticism over the benefits of immigration is a hallmark of Trump's "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) movement and the billionaires' remarks angered immigration hawks who accused them of ignoring US achievements in technological innovation. Incoming White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller posted a 2020 speech in which Trump marveled at the American "culture" that had "harnessed electricity, split the atom, and gave the world the telephone and the Internet." The post appeared calculated to remind critics that Trump won November's election on a platform of getting tough on immigration and boosting American manufacturing. But it was Michael Faraday, an English scientist, who discovered that an electric current could be produced by passing a magnet through a copper wire and Ernest Rutherford, a New Zealander, who first split the atom. And Alexander Graham Bell may have died a US citizen but he was a British subject in Canada when he invented the telephone. Trump voiced opposition to H1-B visas during his successful first run for the White House in 2016, calling them "unfair for our workers" while acknowledging that he used foreign labor in his own businesses. The Republican placed restrictions on the system when he took office, but the curbs were lifted by President Joe Biden. Trump is known for enjoying the gladiatorial spectacle when conflict breaks out in his inner circle. He has been conspicuously silent during the hostilities that Politico characterized as "Musk vs MAGA." Many MAGA figures have been agitating for a complete closure of America's borders while the problem of illegal entries is tackled, and hoping for a steer from Trump that would reassure them that he remains firm in his "America First" stance. For some long-time loyalists, Silicon Valley has already inserted itself too deeply into MAGA politics. "We welcomed the tech bros when they came running our way to avoid the 3rd grade teacher picking their kid's gender -- and the obvious Biden/Harris economic decline," said Matt Gaetz, the scandal-hit congressman forced to withdraw after being nominated by Trump to run the Justice Department. "We did not ask them to engineer an immigration policy." When Musk almost single-handedly blew up a deal painstakingly hammered out between Democrats and Republicans to set the 2025 federal budget, Democrats used "President Musk" to mock Trump, who is famously sensitive about being upstaged. It remains to be seen whether these cracks can be smoothed out or if they are a portent of further strife, but critics point to the chaos in Trump's first term as a potential indicator. "Looking forward to the inevitable divorce between President Trump and Big Tech," said far-right conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer, a MAGA figure with so much influence that she had a seat on Trump's plane during the campaign. "We have to protect President Trump from the technocrats." Loomer has subsequently complained of censorship after she was stripped of her paying subscribers on X, which is owned by Musk. "Full censorship of my account simply because I called out H1B visas," she posted. "This is anti-American behavior by tech oligarchs. What happened to free speech?" rle/ft/sms
Is AI progress slowing down?
Synagogue blaze an 'act of hate, anti-Semitism': PM
The midseason four-game winning streak that lifted the Arizona Cardinals into the playoff picture seemed as though it happened fast. Their subsequent free fall has been even more jarring. The Cardinals could have moved into a tie for first place in the NFC West with a home win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. Instead, they were thoroughly outplayed in a 30-18 loss and are now tied for last in the tightly packed division. Arizona has lost three straight and will face an uphill battle to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2021. The Seahawks (8-5) are in first place, followed by the Rams (7-6), Cardinals (6-7) and 49ers (6-7). Even more daunting for their playoff hopes, the Cardinals lost both of their games against the Seahawks this season, meaning a tiebreaker would go to Seattle. Four games remain. “I just told them we put ourselves in a little bit of a hole now, but all you can do is attack tomorrow, learn tomorrow and have a good week of practice,” second-year coach Jonathan Gannon said. There are plenty of reasons the Cardinals lost to the Seahawks, including Kyler Murray's two interceptions, a handful of holding penalties, a porous run defense and a brutal missed field goal. It all adds up to the fact Arizona is playing its worst football of the season at a time when it needed its best. “I’m sure we’ll stick to our process, but we have to tweak some things,” Gannon said. "I have to tweak some things.” It's probably faint praise, but the Cardinals did make the game interesting in the second half while trying to fight back from a 27-10 deficit. Murray's shovel pass to James Conner for a 2-yard touchdown and subsequent 2-point conversion cut the margin to 27-18. The Cardinals had a chance to make it a one-score contest early in the fourth quarter, but Chad Ryland's 40-yard field goal attempt bounced off the left upright. “I thought we spotted them a lot of points there, but then we battled back,” Gannon said. “I appreciate their effort. That was good. We battled back there, had a couple chances to even cut the lead a little more, but ultimately didn’t get it done." Murray's in a bit of a mini-slump after throwing two interceptions in back-to-back games for the first time in his career. He also didn't do much in the run game against the Seahawks, with 16 yards on three carries. The quarterback's decision-making was nearly flawless for much of the season and the Cardinals need that good judgment to return. “I’m not looking at it like I have to try to be Superman,” Murray said. “I don’t think that’s the answer. I just need to play within the offense like we’ve done for the majority of the season. Today, I didn’t. Like I said, throwing two picks puts yourself behind the eight ball.” Said Gannon: “I thought he stuck in there and made some big time throws, though, but he has to protect the ball a little bit better. That’s not just him, that’s all 11. So there’ll be a lot of corrections off those plays." The defense didn't have its best day, but it's not Budda Baker's fault. The two-time All-Pro safety is having another phenomenal season and was all over the field against the Seahawks, finishing with 18 tackles. Baker's energy is relentless and he's the unquestioned leader of a group that has been better than expected this season, even with Sunday's mediocre performance. Left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. had a tough day, getting flagged for holding three times, though one of those penalties was declined by the Seahawks. The second-year player moved from right tackle to the left side during the offseason and the transition has gone well, but Sunday was a step backward. The Cardinals remain fairly healthy. DL Roy Lopez (ankle) and P Blake Gillikin (ankle) left Sunday's game, but neither injury is expected to be long term. 9 — It looks as if the Cardinals will go a ninth straight season without winning the NFC West. The last time they won the division was 2015 with coach Bruce Arians and a core offense of quarterback Carson Palmer, running back David Johnson and receiver Larry Fitzgerald. The Cardinals are in must-win territory now for any chance at the playoffs. They'll host the New England Patriots on Sunday. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL