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NEW CANAAN, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 23, 2024-- Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: BWFG), the parent company of Bankwell Bank, has announced board approval of a measure that will allow individual shareholder and director, Lawrence B. Seidman, to increase his position in the Company from a maximum of 9.9% to 14.99% of common stock. Mr. Seidman is the Manager of Seidman and Associates, LLC based in Parsippany, NJ. He has served on Bankwell’s board of directors since 2020. Christopher R. Gruseke, President and CEO of Bankwell, commented, “Larry has been a steadfast supporter of the Company’s strategic direction and growth initiatives. We look forward to our continued relationship.” Mr. Seidman added, “My decision to increase my position in Bankwell aligns with my long-term investment strategy to purchase undervalued publicly traded community banks and reflects my strong support for the management team and the Company’s promising outlook.” About Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. is the holding company for Bankwell Bank (“Bankwell”), a full-service commercial bank headquartered in New Canaan, CT. Bankwell offers its customers unmatched accessibility, expertise, and responsiveness through a range of commercial financing products including working capital lines of credit, SBA loans, acquisition loans, and commercial mortgages as well as treasury management and deposit services. More about Bankwell can be found at www.mybankwell.com . View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241223418285/en/ CONTACT: Courtney E. Sacchetti (203) 652-0166 KEYWORD: CONNECTICUT UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: BANKING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FINANCE SOURCE: Bankwell Financial Group, Inc Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/23/2024 03:41 PM/DISC: 12/23/2024 03:41 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241223418285/en
‘Pilot declared Mayday’: What caused the Jeju Air plane crash in South Korea?Jack Smith Drops All Criminal Charges Against Donald Trump—Judge Dismisses Jan. 6 Case
Mam accepts nine-game NRL ban, fined additional $90,000 by BroncosThe Chargers made it official, announcing they have activated running back J.K. Dobbins from injured reserve. Dobbins will play in Saturday’s game against the Patriots after missing the past four games with a knee injury. Dobbins has 158 carries for 766 yards and eight touchdowns in 11 games. Gus Edwards was ruled out with an ankle injury, so the timing of Dobbins’ return is good news for the Chargers. The team also announced it has elevated safety Eddie Jackson and safety Kendall Williamson from the practice squad. Jackson, a two-time Pro Bowler, played nine games with four starts with the Ravens before his release Nov. 23. The Chargers signed him to the practice squad Dec. 23. He has 30 tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass defensed this season. Williamson, a seventh-round pick of the Bears in 2023, made his NFL debut last week against the Broncos. He made a tackle in 17 defensive snaps and 10 on special teams. He also has spent time with the Bears and Bills before he joined the Chargers practice squad in October.THE Covid-19 pandemic was one of the darkest periods in modern day history. And yet the lightning speed at which people have resumed their lives has given the illusion that the global outbreak along with the periods of lockdown, isolation, social distancing, vaccination drives, high mortality rates and daily Covid updates were just all part of a bad distant memory. First-time author and Covid-19 survivor Allan Rai is determined never to forget, but to honour the lives lost and inspire persons like him who were once at death’s door and were fortunate enough to get a second lease on life. PERSONAL MEMOIR: Allan Rai’s personal memoir Breath of Resilience in the Face of Death. In his deeply personal memoir Breath of Resilience in the Face of Death which was launched on December 8, Rai gives a harrowing, behind-the-scenes account of his weeks-long hospitalisation. The pages of his book are like an emotional exploration of the delicate balance between life’s fragility and the resilience of the human spirit. Rai was employed as an essential worker when the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Covid-19 a global pandemic. He received one shot of the Sinopharm vaccine but shortly before he was due to receive his second dose, Rai fell sick with flu-like symptoms. “I was struggling to breathe and couldn’t walk or stand up and I had this violent cough,” he tells the Express. That was the beginning of the longest day in Rai’s life. He and his family got tested for Covid and about four hours later he received a call and an e-mail informing him that the tests were negative. Rai googled his symptoms and the results all pointed to pneumonia, but when a friend of his who is also a doctor visited Rai, she urged him to go to the hospital immediately. After a private hospital refused to admit anyone with flu-like symptoms, Rai ended up at the Arima District Hospital where it was confirmed that he had Covid. He was placed in a wheelchair with an oxygen tank before being transferred to a room. The last thing he remembers from that 24-hour ordeal was a prisoner, also sick with flu-life symptoms, being led into the room and handcuffed to a bed by a prison officer whose parting words to him were: “I’m not getting sick because of you.” In the days that followed, it was impossible for Rai to breathe on his own, he was hooked up to a ventilator and eventually transferred to Caura hospital where he drifted in and out of consciousness. Rai lost all motor skills and developed blood clots in his lungs and kidneys; on two occasions the medical staff told his family to prepare for the worst. Teens from a nearby children’s home were recruited to assist patients and take them to the washrooms but Rai recalls that sometimes fights would break out among the boys and drip stands were used as weapons. One night while Trinidad was under a tropical storm watch, lightning struck a tree which brought down an electrical cable, plunging the hospital in darkness. With the power cut off, there was no oxygen supply for him and others whose survival depended on it. After 18 days, doctors determined that Rai could go home and continue his recovery. But his feelings of joy at having cheated death were deflated when he learned that his father was admitted into the Intensive Care Unit at the Arima District Hospital with Covid-19. After spending three months in the ICU, his father returned home and made a full recovery, he resumed driving and exercising around the savannah. As for Rai, his mortal enemy is anything more than two flights of stairs; as a result of Covid-19, he still has difficulties breathing. Even though he almost lost his life to Covid, Rai does not regret having the virus. In fact, he says his life and mindset have changed for the better since 2021. “Covid humbled me,” he says. “When I was on oxygen and couldn’t move my legs or hands, all I cared about were my loved ones, not the bills, my vehicle or loans.” It also taught Rai to be grateful for life — he remembers persons dressed in hazmat suits removing the bodies of patients who just hours earlier were talking to Rai about their lives and families. Rai also emerged from his ordeal with a greater appreciation for the medical staff who cared for him. He recalls that while suffering from a terrible fever, one of the nurses wheeled him to the washroom at midnight and put him under a cold shower before wrapping him in a wet towel to break his fever. “I will never forget that nurse for saving my life,” he says. However, Rai believes that in the years since the pandemic, the world has moved on too quickly and has for the most part forgotten what happened during those dark days, weeks and months. The word “pandemic” has become somewhat taboo, he says. At the start of 2024, Rai, who always had ambitions of becoming a writer, made a promise to himself that he would start writing his experiences and publish his book by the end of the year. “My memoir provides closure to families who have lost loved ones,” says Rai. “The pandemic must never be forgotten, we must make sure that the people who died, did not die in vain. My experiences could also be relatable to persons who have been through the same things. I also want to remind people that at a time when our health and freedom were at risk, when lives were being lost, we as a nation survived. And we should be proud of that.” Rai is convinced that his mental resilience, his refusal to never take “no” for an answer, and the moral support he received via encouraging messages from his family and friends, are what helped him survive. “I hope my story encourages people to never give up. Whatever trials you are going through, view it as a lesson and use it to make yourself a better person. Appreciate your loved ones and try to be more kind and understanding towards others,” he says. Breath of Resilience in the Face of Death is available on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. Hardcopies will also be available from January 17, 2025. For more info, e-mail Allan Rai at allanrai54@gmail.com or contact him on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok: @allan_n_rai'Slapping Lipstick on a Pig' – Investors Are Snatching Up Hurricane-Damaged Homes in Florida To Flip, But Concerns Rise Over Repair Quality
US homelessness up 18% as affordable housing remains out of reach for many people Federal officials say the United States saw an 18.1% increase in homelessness, a dramatic rise driven mostly by a lack of affordable housing as well as devastating natural disasters and a surge of migrants in several parts of the country. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said that federally required tallies taken across the country in January found that more than 770,000 people were counted as homeless. That increase comes on top of a 12% increase in 2023, which HUD blamed on soaring rents and the end of pandemic assistance. Among the most concerning trends was a nearly 40% rise in family homelessness. An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump’s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in the president-elect’s political movement into public display. The argument previews fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — that is, wealthy members of the tech world who want more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. A 9th telecoms firm has been hit by a massive Chinese espionage campaign, the White House says WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official says a ninth U.S. telecoms firm has been confirmed to have been hacked as part of a sprawling Chinese espionage campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Administration officials said this month that at least eight telecommunications companies, as well as dozens of nations, had been affected by the Chinese hacking blitz known as Salt Typhoon. But Anne Neuberger, a deputy national security adviser, said Friday that a ninth victim had been identified after the administration released guidance to companies about how to hunt for Chinese culprits in their networks. Israeli troops burn northern Gaza hospital after forcibly removing staff and patients, officials say DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Gaza's Health Ministry says Israeli troops have stormed one of the last hospitals operating in the territory's north on Friday and forced many of the staff and patients outside. Then they had to remove their clothes in winter weather. It was the latest assault on Kamal Adwan Hospital. Parts of it were set on fire. Staff say it has been hit multiple times in the past three months by Israeli troops waging an offensive against Hamas fighters in surrounding neighborhoods. Israel's military says Hamas uses the hospital as a base. It did not provide evidence, and hospital officials have denied it. Azerbaijani and U.S. officials suggest plane that crashed may have been hit by weapons fire U.S. and Azerbaijani officials have said weapons fire may have brought down an Azerbaijani airliner that crashed on Wednesday, killing 38 people. The statements from Rashad Nabiyev and White House national security spokesman John Kirby on Friday raised pressure on Russia. Officials in Moscow have said a drone attack was underway in the region that the Azerbaijan Airlines flight was destined for but have not addressed statements from aviation experts who blamed the crash on Russian air defenses responding to a Ukrainian attack. The plane was flying from Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku to Chechnya on Wednesday when it crashed, killing 38 people and leaving all 29 survivors injured. Court rules Georgia lawmakers can subpoena Fani Willis for information related to her Trump case ATLANTA (AP) — A judge has ruled that the Georgia state Senate can subpoena Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. It's part of a inquiry into whether Willis has engaged in misconduct during her prosecution of President-elect Donald Trump. But Fulton County Superior Court Judge Shukura Ingram is giving Willis the chance to contest whether lawmakers’ demands are overly broad before Willis responds. A Republican-led committee was formed earlier this year and sent subpoenas to Willis in August seeking to compel her to testify during its September meeting and to produce scores of documents. Willis argued that the committee didn’t have the power to subpoena her. In states that ban abortion, social safety net programs often fail families MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee has a nearly total abortion ban and a porous safety net for mothers and young children. GOP state leaders in Tennessee and other states that banned abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 argue that they are bolstering services for families. Recent research and an analysis by The Associated Press has found that from the time a Tennessee woman gets pregnant, she faces greater obstacles to a healthy pregnancy, a healthy child and a financially stable family life than the average American mom. Maryland sues maker of Gore-Tex over pollution from toxic 'forever chemicals' Maryland is suing the company that produces the waterproof material Gore-Tex. State officials say the company's leaders kept using so-called “forever chemicals” long after learning about serious health risks. The federal complaint alleges Delaware-based W.L. Gore & Associates polluted the air and water around 13 facilities in northeastern Maryland with chemicals that have been linked to certain cancers, reproductive issues and high cholesterol. They’re nearly indestructible and can build up in various environments, including the human body. The company stopped using the harmful chemicals in 2014 and says it’s working with state regulators on testing and cleanup efforts. Man indicted in burning death of woman inside a New York City subway train, prosecutors say NEW YORK (AP) — The man accused of burning a woman to death inside a New York City subway train has been indicted on state charges. A prosecutor announced Sebastian Zapeta’s indictment at a court hearing Friday. The development comes days after Zapeta’s arrest and subsequent police questioning in which they say he identified himself in photos and surveillance video showing the fire being lit. The indictment will be under seal until Jan. 7. He remains jailed. Federal immigration officials say the 33-year-old Zapeta is from Guatemala and entered the U.S. illegally. Authorities are continuing to work to identify the victim. Alex Ovechkin is on track to break Wayne Gretzky's NHL career goals record Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals is chasing the NHL career goals record of 894 held by Wayne Gretzky. Ovechkin entered the season 42 goals short of breaking a record that long seemed unapproachable. He is set to play again Saturday at the Toronto Maple Leafs after missing more than a month with a broken left fibula. Ovechkin was on pace to get to 895 sometime in February before getting injured. At 868, he his 27 goals away from passing Gretzky.
An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump’s political coalition
CLEVELAND (AP) — Chase Robinson had 16 points in Cleveland State's 78-64 victory over Wright State on Sunday night. Robinson shot 6 of 9 from the field, including 2 for 3 from 3-point range, and went 2 for 4 from the line for the Vikings (9-6, 3-1 Horizon League). Dylan Arnett added 14 points while shooting 6 of 9 from the field and also had seven rebounds. Tevin Smith had 12 points and shot 4 for 10 (2 for 6 from 3-point range) and 2 of 4 from the free-throw line. Brandon Noel finished with 20 points, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks for the Raiders (7-8, 1-3). Jack Doumbia added 19 points and three blocks for Wright State. Michael Imariagbe had nine points and seven rebounds. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100 ATLANTA (AP) — Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has died. He was 100 years old and had spent roughly 22 months in hospice care. The Georgia peanut farmer served one turbulent term in the White House before building a reputation as a global humanitarian and champion of democracy. He defeated President Gerald Ford in 1976 promising to restore trust in government but lost to Ronald Reagan four years later amid soaring inflation, gas station lines and the Iran hostage crisis. He and his wife Rosalynn then formed The Carter Center, and he earned a Nobel Peace Prize while making himself the most internationally engaged of former presidents. The Carter Center said he died peacefully Sunday afternoon in Plains, Georgia, surrounded by his family. Jimmy Carter: Many evolutions for a centenarian ‘citizen of the world’ PLAINS, Ga. (AP) — The 39th and longest-lived U.S. president, James Earl Carter Jr., died Sunday at the age of 100. His life ended where it began, in Plains, Georgia. He left and returned to the tiny town many times as he climbed to the nation’s highest office and lost it after four tumultuous years. Carter spent the next 40 years setting new standards for what a former president can do. Carter wrote nearly a decade ago that he found all the phases of his life challenging but also successful and enjoyable. The Democrat's principled but pragmatic approach defied American political labels, especially the idea that one-term presidents are failures. The Latest: Former President Jimmy Carter is dead at age 100 Former President Jimmy Carter has died at the age of 100. The 39th president of the United States was a Georgia peanut farmer who sought to restore trust in government when he assumed the presidency in 1977 and then built a reputation for tireless work as a humanitarian. He earned a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. He died Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care, at his home in Plains, Georgia. Carter was sworn in as president on Jan. 20, 1977, after defeating President Gerald R. Ford in the 1976 general election. He left office on Jan. 20, 1981, following his 1980 general election loss to Ronald Reagan. Jimmy Carter: A brief bio Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has died at his home in Plains, Georgia. His death comes more than a year after the former president entered hospice care. He was 100 years old. Jetliner skids off runway and bursts into flames while landing in South Korea, killing 179 SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A jetliner skidded off a runway, slammed into a concrete fence and burst into flames in South Korea after its landing gear apparently failed to deploy. Officials said all but two of the 181 people on board were killed Sunday in one of the country’s worst aviation disasters. The 737-800 operated by Jeju Air plane arrived from Bangkok and crashed while attempting to land in the town of Muan, about 290 kilometers (180 miles) south of Seoul. Footage of the crash aired by South Korean television channels showed the plane skidding across the airstrip at high speed, evidently with its landing gear still closed. Tornadoes in Texas and Mississippi kill 2 and injure 6 as severe weather system moves east HOUSTON (AP) — A strong storm system is threatening to whip up tornadoes in parts of the U.S. Southeast, a day after severe weather claimed at least two lives as twisters touched down in Texas and Mississippi. Strong storms moving eastward Sunday are expected to continue producing gusty, damaging winds, hail and tornadoes through Sunday. That is according to National Weather Service meteorologist Frank Pereira. So far, the line of severe weather has led to about 40 tornado reports from southeastern Texas to Alabama, Pereira said, but those reports remain unconfirmed until surveys of damage are completed. Israeli hospital says Netanyahu has undergone successful prostate surgery TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli hospital says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has undergone successful prostate surgery. Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center said his prostate was removed late Sunday and that he was recovering. Netanyahu’s office had said Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a close ally, would serve as acting prime minister during the procedure. Doctors ordered the operation after detecting an infection last week. Netanyahu is expected to remain hospitalized for several days. With so much at stake, Netanyahu’s health in wartime is a concern for both Israelis and the wider world. Syria's de facto leader says it could take up to 4 years to hold elections BEIRUT (AP) — Syria’s de facto leader has said it could take up to four years to hold elections in Syria, and that he plans on dissolving his Islamist group that led the country’s insurgency at an anticipated national dialogue summit for the country. Ahmad al-Sharaa, who leads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group leading the new authority in Syria, made the remarks in an interview Sunday. That's according to the Saudi television network Al-Arabiyya. It comes almost a month after a lightning insurgency led by HTS overthrew President Bashar Assad’s decades-long rule, ending the country’s uprising-turned civil war that started back in 2011. A fourth infant dies of the winter cold in Gaza as families share blankets in seaside tents DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — A fourth infant has died of hypothermia in Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced by nearly 15 months of war are huddled in tents along the rainy, windswept coast as winter arrives. The baby's father says the 20-day-old child was found with his head as “cold as ice” Sunday morning in their tent. The baby’s twin brother was moved to the intensive care unit of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. Their father says the twins were born one month premature and spent just a day in hospital, which like other Gaza health centers has been overwhelmed and only partially functions. Musk causes uproar for backing Germany's far-right party ahead of key elections BERLIN (AP) — Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has caused uproar after backing Germany’s far-right party in a major newspaper ahead of key parliamentary elections in the Western European country, leading to the resignation of the paper’s opinion editor in protest. Germany is to vote in an early election on Feb. 23 after Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party governing coalition collapsed last month in a dispute over how to revitalize the country’s stagnant economy. Musk’s guest opinion piece for Welt am Sonntag, published in German over the weekend, was the second time this month he supported the Alternative for Germany, or AfD.
Nikkei Trading Near 1989 Stock Peak: Double Top?Ezra Mam will have to pay $120,000 in fines to Brisbane and the NRL, after the under-fire five-eighth accepted his nine-game ban for driving offences. The Broncos confirmed late on Friday evening that Mam would accept his NRL sanctions, which included a $30,000 fine. Brisbane have slapped the 22-year-old with an additional $90,000 fine for being caught drug driving while unlicensed after crashing his ute into an oncoming car in October. In a statement, the Broncos said Mam would also have to complete a safe-driving program, work or study placement and commit to ongoing wellbeing support. Mam was also fined $850 and had his license suspended for nine months in court last week , with a magistrate telling Mam he had a “cocktail of cocaine and other matters” in his system, and that he “could’ve injured or killed” someone. That punishment was widely been criticised as too lenient, after a woman and her young daughter were injured in the collision. Ezra Mam leaves Brisbane Magistrates Court after a hearing earlier this month. Credit: William Davis “Whilst we are extremely disappointed that we have been placed in this position, we believe both the NRL and club-imposed penalties adequately reflect the gravity of what’s transpired and should act as a deterrent from this type of risky and anti-social behaviour,” Broncos CEO Dave Donaghy said in a statement. “Ezra clearly did the wrong thing, but he has taken responsibility for his actions and shown genuine remorse towards those involved. “He understands the impact this has had on everyone around him, and the game. Ezra has taken steps to get his life back on track since this incident and that must continue. We have been very clear about that. “We believe the additional measures in place are important and will go hand in hand with integrating Ezra back into the work underway at the Broncos.” Mam will not be able to include the Indigenous All-Stars fixture to his ban, meaning he will not be able to return until Brisbane play South Sydney in round 10 of 2025. Ben Hunt is set to partner Adam Reynolds in the Broncos’ halves for the first two months of the season after his move from St George Illawarra. It is then possible Hunt could shift to hooker if Mam and Reynolds are fit, allowing him to share dummy-half duties with Billy Walters under new coach Michael Maguire. Hunt will also need to bring significant leadership to Brisbane, with Broncos bosses admitting it is lacking. Mam was one of their best players in 2023 as they went within a few minutes of ending a 17-year premiership drought, scoring a hat-trick in the grand-final loss to Penrith. But off-field issues returned to Red Hill in 2024, with co-captains Pat Carrigan and Reynolds involved in a scuffle outside of a bar following a pre-season fan day. Mam and Reece Walsh were then investigated by the NRL’s integrity unit over a post-season interaction with a fan, weeks before Mam’s driving offence. AAP