Chester County firm expects to raise $42M after trimming staff and naming new CEO
Using Z-Joule’s POOL.FM, SEA-LNG has undertaken analysis based on a modelled mid-sized, 14,000 TEU container vessel. This analysis is in the form of both a single vessel and also an eight-vessel fleet operating the Rotterdam – Singapore trade route over the period 2025 to 2040. The full white paper is available for download here. The analysis focuses on the LNG, methanol, and ammonia fuel pathways and compares their compliance costs against the default of using VLSFO (very low sulphur fuel oil). The analysis uses the specifications for main and auxiliary engines published by the main marine engine manufacturers MAN ES, Wärtsilä and WinDG. The study indicates that LNG, methanol, and ammonia dual-fuel engine technologies can reduce compliance costs compared with VLSFO, with LNG dual-fuel vessels providing a significantly lower cost compliance solution. The basis for this is that the LNG pathway offers immediate greenhouse gas reductions now and in the future compared with the other fuel choices. The use of LNG also dramatically reduces SOx, NOx and Particulate Matter (PM), thereby avoiding the use of relatively expensive MGO (marine gas oil) for ECA (Emission Control Area) compliance. In terms of fleet operations, for an eight-vessel fleet with two alternatively fuelled “balancing vessels,” the overall cost of compliance with LNG will be between $5 million and $17 million per annum lower than other alternative fuels such as methanol and ammonia. Further, as FuelEU Maritime is implemented from 2025 onwards, fleet operators using ammonia and methanol dual-fuel vessels are likely to need significant quantities of expensive green fuels in an effort to avoid very high penalty charges. SEA-LNG COO Steve Esau Credit: SEA-LNG Commenting on the analysis, Steve Esau, Chief Operating Officer at SEA-LNG, said, “It’s our mission to provide objective data and analysis to support owners and operators in decision-making at this critical juncture for shipping. As greenhouse gas emissions become subject to increasingly stringent regulation, the industry needs cost-effective solutions to meet its decarbonisation goals. Today, this study clearly illustrates that the LNG pathway is a cost-effective way to meet regulatory compliance targets now and in the future.” Fernando Alvarez, Founder of Z-Joule, said, “Intuition and simple rules of thumb are no longer sufficient when developing optimal regulatory compliance strategies. Sophisticated decision-support tools are needed to model the complex interaction between recent and forthcoming regulations, vessel operations, and commercial drivers. Z-Joule’s software provides the industry with a robust platform to explore and optimise their decarbonisation journey. ”POOL.FM is a fuel-agnostic model which utilises an advanced optimisation algorithm to determine the optimal fuel mix, pooling strategy, and target speed for each vessel in a fleet (or vessel pool). The regulations currently modelled include CII, ECAs, EU ETS, FuelEU Maritime and Onshore Power Supply (OPS) mandates. Functionality to model possible IMO Market Based Measures (MBM)s is already in place and will be refined as more details about the forthcoming regulations emerge.” Source: SEA-LNG
Louisville scores 52 second-half points to race past No. 14 Indiana 89-61 in the Battle 4 Atlantisnarvikk Major equity averages were mostly higher Thursday, aided by Nvidia ( NVDA ) shares shaking off weaker levels, while investors saw bitcoin ( BTC-USD ) surge past another milestone closer to the $100,000 mark, The S&P 500 ( SP500 ) +0.7% , and the Dow (
Charles & Colvard, Ltd. Receives Non-Compliance Letter from NasdaqNASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Chucky Hepburn had 16 points, 10 assists and seven steals, Noah Waterman also had 16 points and Louisville beat No. 14 Indiana 89-61 on Wednesday in the opening game of the Battle 4 Atlantis. Louisville (4-1) beat a ranked team for the first time since topping Virginia Tech 73-71 on Jan. 6, 2021. Kasean Pryor scored 10 of his 14 points in the second half and Reyne Smith added 12 points for Louisville. Malik Reneau scored 21 points and Oumar Ballo added 11 for Indiana (4-1). Reneau reached 20-plus points for the eighth time in his career. The Cardinals led 37-29 at the break after making 7 of 17 from 3-point range and shooting 57% overall. Indiana missed six straight shots on two occasions in the first half, sandwiched around a string of seven missed field goals, as the Cardinals shot 9 of 29 (31%). Louisville exploded for 52 second-half points by shooting 66.7% from the field. Pryor missed only one of his six shots in the second half. Louisville quickly built a commanding lead in the second half after starting on an 11-2 run, highlighted by Pryor's fast-break dunk . The lead reached 30 on freshman Khani Rooths' alley-oop dunk that came during the Cardinals’ 16-0 run for a 78-40 lead. Louisville entered the week ranked sixth in the country in 3-point attempts per game at 34. The Cardinals attempted 27 against Indiana and made 10 of them — with four apiece from Waterman and Smith. Louisville also came into the game averaging 19 forced turnovers per game. The Cardinals scored 30 points off 23 Indiana turnovers. Louisville, which played its first road game of the season, faces West Virginia on Thursday. Indiana plays No. 3 Gonzaga in the consolation bracket. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Climate Change Karma: Who is to be blamed?LUQUE, Paraguay — Sake is perhaps more Japanese than the world-famous sushi. It's brewed in centuries-old mountaintop warehouses, savored in the country’s pub-like izakayas, poured during weddings and served slightly chilled for special toasts. The smooth rice wine that plays a crucial role in Japan's culinary traditions was enshrined on Wednesday by UNESCO on its list of the “intangible cultural heritage of humanity." At a meeting in Luque, Paraguay, members of UNESCO’s committee for safeguarding humanity's cultural heritage voted to recognize 45 cultural practices and products around the world, including Brazilian white cheese, Caribbean cassava bread and Palestinian olive oil soap. Unlike UNESCO’s World Heritage List, which includes sites considered important to humanity like the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, the Intangible Cultural Heritage designation names products and practices of different cultures that are deserving of recognition. Japan's Takehiro Kano, ambassador to UNESCO, reacts after the traditional Japanese brewing of sake was officially named to UNESCO's "intangible cultural heritage of humanity" list during a World Heritage Convention in Asuncion, Paraguay on Wednesday. A Japanese delegation welcomed the announcement in Luque. “Sake is considered a divine gift and is essential for social and cultural events in Japan,” Kano Takehiro, the Japanese ambassador to UNESCO, told The Associated Press. The basic ingredients of sake are few: rice, water, yeast and koji, a rice mold that breaks down the starches into fermentable sugars like malting does in beer production. The whole two-month process of steaming, stirring, fermenting and pressing can be grueling. The rice — which wields tremendous marketing power as part of Japan's broader cultural identity — is key to the alcoholic brew. For a product to be categorized Japanese sake, the rice must be Japanese. Japanese sake, a nominee for UNESCO's "intangible cultural heritage of humanity" list, are displayed on Japan's delegation table, during a UNESCO World Heritage Convention in Asuncion, Paraguay, on Wednesday. The UNESCO recognition, the delegation said, captured more than the craft knowledge of making high-quality sake. It also honored a tradition dating back some 1,000 years — sake makes a cameo in Japan’s famous 11th century novel, “The Tale of Genji,” as the drink of choice in the refined Heian court. Now, officials hope to restore sake's image as Japan's premier alcoholic drink even as the younger drinkers in the country switch to imported wine or domestic beer and whiskey. Japanese breweries also expressed hope the listing could give a lift to the country's export economy as the popularity of sake booms around the world and in the United States amid heightened interest in Japanese cuisine. “I hope that this will also be an opportunity for Japanese people to take another look at sake, shochu and awamori, which are the essence of their culture," Hitoshi Utsunomiya, director of the trade group Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association, said in Tokyo. "I would like them to try it even once and see what it tastes like,” he said. Sake exports, mostly to the U.S. and China, now rake in over $265 million a year, according to the association. Japan's Takehiro Kano, ambassador to UNESCO, reacts as the traditional Japanese brewing of sake was named to UNESCO's "intangible cultural heritage of humanity" list during a World Heritage Convention in Asuncion, Paraguay on Wednesday. Japan's delegation appeared ready to celebrate Wednesday — in classic Japanese style. After the announcement, Takehiro raised a cypress box full of sake to toast the alcoholic brew and cultural rite. “It means a lot to Japan and to the Japanese,” he said of the UNESCO designation. "This will help to renew interest in traditional sake elaboration.” In Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said he was “delighted” by UNESCO's recognition of traditional sake-making techniques, and he congratulated those dedicated to preserving and promoting the tradition. The crisp autumn air ushers in more than just pumpkin spice latte season. Consider cozying up inside with friends for a wine tasting and sharing delicious food and drinks with more complex flavors than cinnamon and sugar. Perhaps once thought of as stuffy affairs only for wine connoisseurs, today a tasting can be as casual as pouring a few bottles while doing another activity—say, bar games like darts or art activities like painting. The tasting can also be more traditional, especially if held at a winery or local wine shop, which is a great way to learn about what wines you might like to later serve at home. To host the ultimate wine tasting, it pays to do some R&D. One of the best aspects of hosting a wine tasting at home is that you get to establish the mood, tone, and guest list for the gathering—you can't pick a playlist when you sample wines at a bar or wine shop or make the dress code loungewear. So whether the mood is serious or playful, sophisticated or laid-back, the key to a successful tasting is enjoying and appreciating the wine and having fun with friends and family. Of course, there are a few other things to figure out along the way. Peerspace put together a few tips for hosting your wine-tasting party. A tasting party is all about sampling different wines and evaluating and hopefully enjoying them—and there are a variety of ways to do that. Would you like to host a playful gathering where each guest brings a mystery bottle of wine within a certain price range—a BYOB affair? Or would it be better to have more control over which wines are featured by curating and supplying all the wines as a host? This decision sets the tone—a tasting where guests contribute wine can be a bit of a free-for-all, whereas one where you select wines you supply allows guests to sit back and simply enjoy. And you don't have to break the bank to buy excellent wines—there are lots of wine experts ready to share their affordable picks. How much folks know about wine differs—and that's a good thing. Tastings are group learning experiences. Expertise isn't necessary to host or attend a tasting, but it is helpful to think about what will keep guests comfortable and having fun. Decide whether the vibe will be relaxed and laid-back, like friends sipping wine fireside, or more upbeat and formal. Think about elements like the atmosphere and the location, and consider whether folks will be seated or standing. Will you have a spirited playlist (couldn't resist) or live music? Do you want an expert to introduce each wine, or will you be that expert? Consider how guests will share their thoughts on what they are tasting. Do you want to just talk about them or do something more organized, like take notes or give ratings? Then supply notebooks or notecards and pencils, with categories or questions established ahead of time—all of which can reflect your evening's tone as well. How many people to invite is a question largely informed by the answers to tip #1: Are you having a big, formal affair or an intimate catch-up with close friends? Or something in between? Whatever the case, an RSVP is essential because not only do you need to plan the setup of the space, but you must also make sure there's enough wine for everyone to taste, including each of the wines featured. There's nothing worse than a tasting that runs dry! The math to determine how much wine you need considers the size of the tasting pours—a full glass of wine at a restaurant is usually around 5 ounces, which yields around five glasses of wine from a standard bottle. For tastings, you'll want to do less, depending on how many wines you are featuring—say, 2 ounces if you'll be trying a lot of different wines. Experts agree, having more wine than you need is always a good idea—that way you can send guests home with a bottle should there be a prize at the end of the night. Picking a theme is essential to curating the selection of wines—it's the organizing principle behind your selections. Otherwise, your tasting might as well be just walking down the wine aisle at the grocery store and taking sips from random bottles. There's too much wine out there not to be strategic about this. Plus, a theme helps you to tell the story of each wine better—it's the plot line of the night, if you will. Common themes are types of wine, regions they are from, or even price points—really, one can get as creative as they wish. For inspiration, check out local wine shops and see what they do for tastings. Often, they will follow seasonality and group wines in novel ways for their own in-house tastings. Don't let food be an afterthought for the festivities—after all, food can enhance particular qualities of wine and vice versa. There are many rules around what foods to pair with which wines, but consider this simple advice from Alder Yarrow's Vinography : "Stick with eating good food and drinking good wine." Since the focus is on the wines, allow the drinks to determine what food makes sense, but don't overthink it. Food is a supporting character here—at the very least, guests will need something to soak up all the alcohol (unless you are spitting it out). Eating foods that contain a mixture of protein, fats, and carbs when drinking helps increase the rate of alcohol elimination . Whether it's a full meal or heavy hors d'oeuvres, thoughtful noshes are necessary. The bottom line is, however you do it, hosting the ultimate wine tasting should be fun. Wine can feel intimidating to many people, but most wine experts are passionate, inspired folks who want to share what they know and help you find wines you like. So visit your local wine store or winemaker and ask questions. There are good guides specifically concerning how to taste wine. Dig a little, taste a lot, and have fun. It's all research for your next ultimate wine tasting. Story editing by Carren Jao. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick. This story originally appeared on Peerspace and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!
By LOLITA BALDOR and FATIMA HUSSEIN WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday that he has chosen Keith Kellogg, a highly decorated retired three-star general, to serve as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, who is one of the architects of a staunchly conservative policy book that lays out an “America First” national security agenda for the incoming administration, will come into the role as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its third year in February. Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social account, and said “He was with me right from the beginning! Together, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN!” Kellogg, an 80 year-old retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as national security adviser to Vice President Mike Pence , was chief of staff of the National Security Council and then stepped in as an acting security adviser for Trump after Michael Flynn resigned. As special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Kellogg will have to navigate an increasingly untenable war between the two nations. The Biden administration has begun urging Ukraine to quickly increase the size of its military by drafting more troops and revamping its mobilization laws to allow for the conscription of troops as young as 18. The White House has pushed more than $56 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s February 2022 invasion and expects to send billions more to Kyiv before Biden leaves office in less than months. Trump has criticized the billions that the Biden administration has poured into Ukraine. Washington has recently stepped up weapons shipments and has forgiven billions in loans provided to Kyiv. The incoming Republican president has said he could end the war in 24 hours, comments that appear to suggest he would press Ukraine to surrender territory that Russia now occupies. As a co-chairman of the American First Policy Institute’s Center for American Security, Kellogg wrote several of the chapters in the group’s policy book. The book, like the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025,” is a move to lay out a Trump national security agenda and avoid the mistakes of 2016 when he entered the White House largely unprepared. Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” Trump’s proposed national security advisor U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) tweeted Wednesday that “Keith has dedicated his life to defending our great country and is committed to bringing the war in Ukraine to a peaceful resolution.” Kellogg was a character in multiple Trump investigations dating to his first term. He was among the administration officials who listened in on the July 2019 call between Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which Trump prodded his Ukrainian counterpart to pursue investigations into the Bidens. The call, which Kellogg would later say did not raise any concerns on his end, was at the center of the first of two House impeachment cases against Trump, who was acquitted by the Senate both times. On Jan. 6, 2021, hours before pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, Kellogg, who was then Pence’s national security adviser, listened in on a heated call in which Trump told his vice president to object or delay the certification in Congress of President Joe Biden ’s victory. He later told House investigators that he recalled Trump saying to Pence words to the effect of: “You’re not tough enough to make the call.” Baldor reported from Washington. AP writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.NEW YORK , Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces it is investigating potential breaches of fiduciary duties by the directors and officers of Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) in connection with Southwest Airlines' information technology infrastructure impacting the Company's business, operations, and stock price. If you currently own shares of Southwest Airlines stock, please visit the firm's website at https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=10716 for more information. You may also contact Phillip Kim of Rosen Law Firm toll free at 866-767-3653 or via email at case@rosenlegal.com . Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ . The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40 th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rosen-law-firm-announces-investigation-of-breaches-of-fiduciary-duties-by-the-directors-and-officers-of-southwest-airlines-co--luv-302334153.html SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A.
Stock market today: Wall Street rallies ahead of Christmas
NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Zeta Global Holdings Corp. (NYSE: ZETA) between February 27, 2024 and November 13, 2024, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”), of the important January 21, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline. SO WHAT: If you purchased Zeta securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Zeta class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=31333 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than January 21, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs’ Bar. Many of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, during the Class Period, defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Zeta used two-way contracts to artificially inflate financial results; (2) Zeta engaged in round trip transactions to artificially inflate financial results; (3) Zeta utilized predatory consent farms to collect user data; (4) these consent farms have driven almost the entirety of Zeta’s growth; and (5) as a result of the foregoing, defendants’ positive statements about Zeta’s business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the Zeta class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=31333 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor’s ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ . Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. ------------------------------- Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com08In this week’s installment of the Glam Guide, we explore the impact of influencers on makeup trends, particularly among young women. This article is written by Anuradha Kodagoda, based on a conversation with Hasini Gunasekara, a renowned beautician and beauty educationist. Influencers: redefining cosmetics Influencers play a crucial role in shaping the cosmetic landscape for today’s youth. Hasini said that the trend is shifting away from mega influencers, like celebrities, who are often paid to advertise products. Instead, micro-influencers have emerged as pivotal figures in this space. These individuals cultivate a more personal connection with their followers, providing honest and relatable content. “Young people are increasingly discerning,” Hasini said. “They are not afraid to voice their opinions if they feel an influencer is not being truthful about a product.” This demand for authenticity drives young consumers toward real users providing genuine feedback, creating a community that values honest opinions over glamorous portrayals. Hasini highlights a growing consciousness among young consumers regarding their spending habits. Today’s youth are more mindful about where and how they invest in beauty products, reflecting a trend toward conscious buying and sustainable choices. Debunking misconceptions While influencers can guide trends, there are pitfalls in the information being consumed. Many young individuals still fall prey to common misconceptions surrounding makeup and skincare. Hasini identifies a concerning trend where the younger generation adopts skincare routines from older influencers, often leading them to use products misaligned with their skin’s actual needs. “When youngsters follow routines designed for older skin, they end up using chemical-laden products that can harm their skin,” she warned. These misinterpretations stem from a lack of understanding regarding their unique skin requirements and a desire to keep up with trends. “Ultimately,” Hasini said, “The misunderstanding often leads to wasted money and ineffective results. It’s crucial for young consumers to evaluate what products are genuinely beneficial for their skin type rather than relying solely on social media trends.” Makeup preferences: everyday vs bold looks Turning our focus to makeup application, Hasini observes a notable shift in young people’s preferences. There is a transition from heavy makeup toward softer, more natural looks. “Younger consumers are now gravitating towards sheer coverage, aiming for a more radiant and dewy skin appearance,” she said. This shift reflects a desire for everyday elegance over dramatic styles, with many opting for simplistic, effortless beauty routines that enhance their natural features. Advice for the new generation For those looking to craft their unique cosmetic style, Hasini emphasised the importance of foundational skincare. “Young people should focus on basic skincare regimens that cater specifically to their needs,” she advised. Rather than chasing trends blindly, they should prioritise what truly benefits their skin. “Less is more,” she encourages, advocating for a straightforward approach that nurtures skin health and natural beauty. By establishing effective skincare practices, young individuals can develop a personalized makeup style that remains timeless and effective. As the beauty landscape continues to evolve, it is evident that young consumers hold the power to drive trends while also navigating the challenges presented by misinformation. By fostering a deep understanding of their skin needs and focusing on authenticity, they can confidently embrace their unique beauty journey. Await more insights in the next edition of Glam Guide by Hasini Gunasekara.
NEW DELHI: From an anonymous office in a New Delhi mall, matrimonial detective Bhavna Paliwal runs the rule over prospective husbands and wives — a booming industry in India, where younger generations are increasingly choosing love matches over arranged marriage. The tradition of partners being carefully selected by the two families remains hugely popular, but in a country where social customs are changing rapidly, more and more couples are making their own matches. So for some families, the first step when young lovers want to get married is not to call a priest or party planner but a sleuth like Paliwal with high-tech spy tools to investigate the prospective partner. Sheela, an office worker in New Delhi, said that when her daughter announced she wanted to marry her boyfriend, she immediately hired Paliwal. “I had a bad marriage,” said Sheela, whose name has been changed as her daughter remains unaware her fiance was spied on. “When my daughter said she’s in love, I wanted to support her — but not without proper checks.” Paliwal, 48, who founded her Tejas Detective Agency more than two decades ago, says business is better than ever. Her team handles around eight cases monthly. In one recent case — a client checking her prospective husband — Paliwal discovered a decimal point salary discrepancy. “The man said he earns around $70,700 annually,” Paliwal said. “We found out he was actually making $7,070.” It is discreet work. Paliwal’s office is tucked away in a city mall, with an innocuous sign board saying it houses an astrologer — a service families often use to predict an auspicious wedding date. “Sometimes my clients also don’t want people to know they are meeting a detective,” she laughed. Hiring a detective can cost from $100 to $2,000, depending on the extent of surveillance needed. That is a small investment for families who splash out many times more on the wedding itself. It is not just worried parents trying to vet their prospective sons or daughters-in-law. Some want background checks on their future spouse — or, after marriage, to confirm a suspected affair. “It is a service to society,” said Sanjay Singh, a 51-year-old sleuth, who says his agency has handled “hundreds” of pre-matrimonial investigations this year alone. Private eye Akriti Khatri said around a quarter of cases at her Venus Detective Agency were pre-marriage checks. “There are people who want to know if the groom is actually gay,” she said, citing one example. Arranged marriages binding two entire families together require a chain of checks before the couple even talk. That includes financial probes and, crucially, their status in India’s millennia-old caste hierarchy. Marriages breaking rigid caste or religious divisions can have deadly repercussions, sometimes resulting in so-called “honor” killings. In the past, such premarital checks were often done by family members, priests or professional matchmakers. But breakneck urbanization in sprawling megacities has shaken social networks, challenging conventional ways of verifying marriage proposals. Arranged marriages now also happen online through matchmaking websites, or even dating apps. “Marriage proposals come on Tinder too,” added Singh. The job is not without its challenges. Layers of security in guarded modern apartment blocks mean it is often far harder for an agent to gain access to a property than older standalone homes. Singh said detectives had to rely on their charm to tell a “cock and bull story” to enter, saying his teams tread the grey zone between “legal and illegal.” But he stressed his agents operate on the right side of the law, ordering his teams to do “nothing unethical” while noting investigations often mean “somebody’s life is getting ruined.” Technology is on the side of the sleuths. Khatri has used tech developers to create an app for her agents to upload records directly online — leaving nothing on agents’ phones, in case they are caught. “This is safer for our team,” she said, adding it also helped them “get sharp results in less time and cost.” Surveillance tools starting at only a few dollars are readily available. Those include audio and video recording devices hidden in everyday items such as mosquito repellent socket devices, to more sophisticated magnetic GPS car trackers or tiny wearable cameras. The technology boom, Paliwal said, has put relationships under pressure. “The more hi-tech we become, the more problems we have in our lives,” she said. But she insisted that neither the technology nor the detectives should take the blame for exposing a cheat. “Such relationships would not have lasted anyway,” she said. “No relationship can work on the basis of lies.”Adrian Butler Elected to PRA Group Board of Directors
Push for tech-transfer initiatives to boost economic growthIn the wake of a season that began with major arm injuries to prominent pitchers Shane Bieber, Spencer Strider and Eury Pérez , Major League Baseball has issued a report to the front offices of all 30 clubs citing an increase in velocity, an added emphasis on generating movement, and the proliferation of pitchers throwing at maximum effort as the primary culprits behind the sport’s ongoing injury crisis. Advertisement “Injury rates among pitchers have skyrocketed over the past several decades,” reads the report, a 63-page document that represented the summation of more than 200 interviews conducted during the past year with executives, coaches, trainers, surgeons, representatives from amateur baseball and former big-league pitchers. The purpose of the study, MLB officials said, was to spur conversation about a topic that tends to engulf the sport every April. The study cited additional factors at the professional and amateur level that have contributed to the increase in arm ailments. The number of surgeries to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow rose from 104 between the majors and the minors in 2010 to 281 in 2024. This past season began with the loss of high-profile pitchers, like Bieber, Strider and Pérez. The World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers were so beset by pitching injuries this past season that the organization ordered an offseason audit of its developmental practices. There are no easy solutions, the MLB report explained. The document is light on prescriptions. The report includes the suggestion that MLB rules “could be adjusted or designed to encourage or require starting pitchers to preserve enough energy to allow them to pitch deeper into games,” but does not offer specifics. In addition, there could be more restrictions on how often teams make roster moves with pitchers. The study, which was run by MLB vice president for amateur and medical baseball operations John D’Angelo, does not include interviews with current big-league players. The Major League Baseball Players Association has engaged with MLB officials about a joint study that would involve input from active players, according to MLB and MLBPA officials who requested anonymity in order to speak freely about the situation. The report called for “a detailed examination of offseason training regimens and early-season workloads,” indicating that arm injuries tend to spike at the start of each season. Advertisement At the center of the dilemma is heightened velocity. The average four-seam fastball clocked at 91.3 mph in 2008. That average rose to 94.2 mph in 2024, with corresponding increases in the velocity of offspeed pitches. The rising tide matches the growing realization that faster pitches, of all kinds, are harder to hit. “That’s why you see these guys throwing 87 mph sliders now,” one big-league executive told The Athletic earlier this year, as part of a series on the rise of strikeouts . “It might have fringe-y spin and movement. But the fact that it’s hard makes it miss bats.” The MLB report outlines a vicious cycle: Players at the big-league level are incentivized to throw as hard as possible with as much movement as possible. Players in the minors pursue the same practices in order to get promoted. Players in college and high school attempt to mimic those attributes in order to get drafted. Children in youth baseball do the same in search of travel-ball opportunities and college scholarships; children in Latin America likewise do so in hopes of signing with a big-league club. “The current generation of amateur players ... tries to emulate how they view professionals training and performing,” the report reads. This cycle “poses a unique risk to young, amateur players,” who often lack access to high-quality trainers and coaches, according to the report. The pursuit of velocity leads to more amateur arm injuries, which leads more players to enter the professional ranks having already undergone surgery and thus are more susceptible to future injury. “I have a 14-year-old who played travel ball last summer into the fall,” Athletics general manager David Forst said at the general managers’ meetings in November. “He had three pitchers on his team by August who were unavailable because of arm injuries. I mean, those aren’t Tommy John surgeries — but they’re kids with arm problems.” Advertisement At the professional level, the report outlines, exacerbating the problem is the usage of ball-tracking technology. That includes innovations like Edgertronic cameras, Rapsodo monitors and Trackman radar systems, which permit pitchers to chase the maximum velocity and the maximum amount of movement on individual pitches, potentially placing the arm in unnatural positions. The technology also allows teams to monitor bullpen sessions with a level of scrutiny that was once reserved for actual games. Because teams might become alarmed when a pitcher’s performance wavers, players are now motivated to operate at higher levels of effort in those once-relaxed settings. The access to granular data also allows teams and players to reshape pitches on a daily basis. In recent years, pitchers have embraced the splitter , which was once mothballed for fear of injury risk, and pioneered the sweeper, a horizontal-moving slider variant that some within the industry have condemned . All of these pitches, along with fastballs and curveballs and changeups, are thrown as hard as possible, because they generate better results. In turn, some trainers interviewed in the report indicated they found pitchers have over-emphasized strength training and de-emphasized cardiovascular conditioning, which may contribute to the problem. “Pitchers increasingly throw near maximum effort in accordance with modern baseball strategies that prioritize the pursuit of swings and misses over inducing weak contact from batters,” the report reads. Rather than offer concrete solutions, the report emphasizes the importance of ongoing dialogue and more research. The trouble comes in reshaping a system in which all of the actors — from amateur players all the way up to the major leagues — are behaving rationally. Pitchers are rewarded for throwing harder, with heightened movement, at maximum effort, because it’s effective. In other words, a healthy pitcher with a 5.00 ERA still has a 5.00 ERA. Advertisement Near its conclusion, the report reads, “many experts agreed that creating a system where pitchers are encouraged or required to moderate their activity and throw at sub-maximum effort to go deeper into games may be better for pitcher health.” That may be better for the pitcher’s health. The problem, as those involved in this process understand, is it won’t necessarily help the club win games. (Top photo of Strider: AP Photo / Brynn Anderson)