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After facing criticism for not standing with in Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick counties over the controversial Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project, Gov. Wes Moore announced plans Friday to take a more proactive approach with the power companies behind the initiative. Moore plans to meet with leadership from PJM Interconnection and the Public Service Enterprise Group, the companies in charge of this project, to discuss “serious reservations” about how this process has been conducted thus far. Hundreds of opposed to the massive project have attended public hearings in those three counties. Officials with New Jersey-based Public Service Enterprise Group, which was contracted by PJM for the development, have faced backlash from citizens. Many residents fear the project would utilize eminent domain to seize property along the installation route to feed data centers in Northern Virginia. Moore, a Democrat, echoed their concerns Friday. “As I have said from the start, I share grave concerns about how the study area for this project was determined, the lack of community involvement in the planning process, and the lack of effective communication about the impacts of this project,” he said in a news release. “The single most important factor remains wholly unclear: the project’s comprehensive benefit to Marylanders.” Del. Nino Mangione, a Baltimore County Republican, hosted a night in Parkton where residents could voice concerns and learn about their rights regarding the project — a proposed 70-mile, high-voltage transmission line set to cut through Carroll, Frederick and Baltimore counties. Mangionen has also been critical of Moore, who has said he . Mangione implored Moore to side with Maryland residents on the issue. “The only person not standing with Maryland right now is Governor Moore,” Mangione said. “We need him to step forward and be a leader here. We need him to know that his constituents are under threat by an out-of-state company. We need him to be bold, strong and forceful in his opposition to help us with the project.” In October, Moore, along with the governors of Illinois, Delaware and New Jersey, sent a letter to PJM asking them “to embrace, without delay, opportunities to work collaboratively on transmission planning.” “Together, we recognize that energy and economic development goals are not mutually exclusive and that progress depends upon true partnership to achieve growth,” Moore said. The power line could be fully operational by June 2027 if there are no setbacks. The Maryland Public Service Commission has the authority to decide if the project can move forward and has created an email address — piedmontcomments.psc@maryland.gov — where residents can provide feedback. Despite the controversy, Moore reiterated the state’s need for sustainable and cost-effective energy. “But the approach must be one that puts people first,” he said.CHATHAM, N.J. – That buzzing coming out of New Jersey? It's unclear if it's drones or something else, but for sure the nighttime sightings are producing tons of talk, a raft of conspiracy theories and craned necks looking skyward. Cropping up on local news and social media sites around Thanksgiving, the saga of the drones reported over New Jersey has reached incredible heights. Recommended Videos This week seems to have begun a new, higher-profile chapter: Lawmakers are demanding (but so far not getting) explanations from federal and state authorities about what's behind them. Gov. Phil Murphy wrote to President Joe Biden asking for answers. New Jersey's new senator, Andy Kim, spent Thursday night on a drone hunt in rural northern New Jersey, and posted about it on X. But perhaps the most fantastic development is the dizzying proliferation of conspiracies — none of which has been confirmed or suggested by federal and state officials who say they're looking into what's happening. It has become shorthand to refer to the flying machines as drones, but there are questions about whether what people are seeing are unmanned aircraft or something else. Some theorize the drones came from an Iranian mothership. Others think they are the Secret Service making sure President-elect Donald Trump’s Bedminster property is secure. Others worry about China. The deep state. And on. In the face of uncertainty, people have done what they do in 2024: Create a social media group. The Facebook page, New Jersey Mystery Drones — let’s solve it , has nearly 44,000 members, up from 39,000 late Thursday. People are posting their photo and video sightings, and the online commenters take it from there. One video shows a whitish light flying in a darkened sky, and one commenter concludes it’s otherworldly. “Straight up orbs,” the person says. Others weigh in to say it’s a plane or maybe a satellite. Another group called for hunting the drones literally, shooting them down like turkeys. (Do not shoot at anything in the sky, experts warn.) Trisha Bushey, 48, of Lebanon Township, New Jersey, lives near Round Valley Reservoir where there have been numerous sightings. She said she first posted photos online last month wondering what the objects were and became convinced they were drones when she saw how they moved and when her son showed her on a flight tracking site that no planes were around. Now she's glued to the Mystery Drones page, she said. “I find myself — instead of Christmas shopping or cleaning my house — checking it,” she said. She doesn't buy what the governor said, that the drones aren't a risk to public safety. Murphy told Biden on Friday that residents need answers. The federal Homeland Security Department and FBI also said in a joint statement they have no evidence that the sightings pose “a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus.” “How can you say it’s not posing a threat if you don’t know what it is?” she said. “I think that’s why so many people are uneasy.” Then there's the notion that people could misunderstand what they're seeing. William Austin is the president of Warren County Community College, which has a drone technology degree program, and is coincidentally located in one of the sighting hotspots. Austin says he has looked at videos of purported drones and that airplanes are being misidentified as drones. He cited an optical effect called parallax, which is the apparent shift of an object when viewed from different perspectives. Austin encouraged people to download flight and drone tracker apps so they can better understand what they're looking at. Nonetheless, people continue to come up with their own theories. “It represents the United States of America in 2024,” Austin said. “We’ve lost trust in our institutions, and we need it.” Federal officials echo Austin's view that many of the sightings are piloted aircraft such as planes and helicopters being mistaken for drones, according to lawmakers and Murphy. That's not really convincing for many, though, who are homing in on the sightings beyond just New Jersey and the East Coast, where others have reported seeing the objects. For Seph Divine, 34, another member of the drone hunting group who lives in Eugene, Oregon, it feels as if it’s up to citizen sleuths to solve the mystery. He said he tries to be a voice of reason, encouraging people to fact check their information, while also asking probing questions. “My main goal is I don’t want people to be caught up in the hysteria and I also want people to not just ignore it at the same time,” he said. “Whether or not it’s foreign military or some secret access program or something otherworldly, whatever it is, all I’m saying is it’s alarming that this is happening so suddenly and so consistently for hours at a time,” he added. ___ Golden reported form Seattle.
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For more information about the Christmas Laser Bonanza, visit [ Company Website ] and discover the deals and rewards waiting for you this holiday season.Attorneys want the US Supreme Court to say Mississippi’s felony voting ban is cruel and unusualStock indexes closed mixed on Wall Street at the end of a rare bumpy week. The S&P 500 ended little changed Friday. The benchmark index reached its latest in a string of records a week ago. It lost ground for the week following three weeks of gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.2%. The Nasdaq composite edged up 0.1%. Broadcom surged after the semiconductor company beat Wall Street’s profit targets and gave a glowing forecast, highlighting its artificial intelligence products. RH, formerly known as Restoration Hardware, surged after raising its revenue forecast. Treasury yields rose in the bond market. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. Stocks slipped in afternoon trading Friday as Wall Street closes out a rare bumpy week. The S&P 500 was up by less than 0.1% and is on track for a loss for the week after three straight weekly gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 58 points, or 0.1% to 43,856 as of 3 p.m. Eastern time. The Nasdaq rose 0.1% and is hovering around its record. Broadcom surged 24.9% for the biggest gain in the S&P 500 after the semiconductor company beat Wall Street’s profit targets and gave a glowing forecast, highlighting its artificial intelligence products. The company also raised its dividend. The company's big gain helped cushion the market's broader fall. Pricey stock values for technology companies like Broadcom give the sector more weight in pushing the market higher or lower. Artificial intelligence technology has been a focal point for the technology sector and the overall stock market over the last year. Tech companies, and Wall Street, expect demand for AI to continue driving growth for semiconductor and other technology companies. Even so, some big tech stocks were in the red Friday. Nvidia slid 2.6%, Meta Platforms dropped 1.7% and Netflix was down 0.7%. Furniture and housewares company RH, formerly known as Restoration Hardware, surged 14.2% after raising its forecast for revenue growth for the year. Wall Street's rally stalled this week amid mixed economic reports and ahead of the Federal Reserve's last meeting of the year. The central bank will meet next week and is widely expected to cut interest rates for a third time since September. Expectations of a series of rate cuts has driven the S&P 500 to 57 all-time highs so far this year . The Fed has been lowering its benchmark interest rate following an aggressive rate hiking policy that was meant to tame inflation. It raised rates from near-zero in early 2022 to a two-decade high by the middle of 2023. Inflation eased under pressure from higher interest rates, nearly to the central bank's 2% target. The economy, including consumer spending and employment, held strong despite the squeeze from inflation and high borrowing costs. A slowing job market, though, has helped push a long-awaited reversal of the Fed's policy. Inflation rates have been warming up slightly over the last few months. A report on consumer prices this week showed an increase to 2.7% in November from 2.6% in October. The Fed's preferred measure of inflation, the personal consumption expenditures index, will be released next week. Wall Street expects it to show a 2.5% rise in November, up from 2.3% in October. The economy, though, remains solid heading into 2025 as consumers continue spending and employment remains healthy, said Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY. “Still, the outlook is clouded by unusually high uncertainty surrounding regulatory, immigration, trade and tax policy,” he said. Treasury yields edged higher. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.40% from 4.34% late Thursday. European markets slipped. Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.1%. Britain’s economy unexpectedly shrank by 0.1% month-on-month in October, following a 0.1% decline in September, according to data from the Office for National Statistics. Asian markets closed mostly lower.
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 11, 2024-- On November 14, 2024, Datalogz convened a compelling fireside chat as part of its Future Frontiers event series, exploring how data is transforming the federal government to address the nation’s most pressing challenges. The panel featured DJ Patil , the first U.S. Chief Data Scientist, Kristyn Jones , former Under Secretary of the U.S. Air Force, and Logan Havern , Co-Founder and CEO of Datalogz . This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241211419898/en/ Kristyn Jones, former Under Secretary of the U.S. Air Force, Logan Havern, Co-Founder and CEO of Datalogz, and DJ Patil, the former U.S. Chief Data Scientist. (Photo: Business Wire) The conversation delved into data’s pivotal role in advancing federal efficiency, integrating innovative technologies, and solving challenges ranging from healthcare to national security. Attendees gained exclusive insights into the opportunities and obstacles facing federal data leaders today. Highlights from the Discussion 1. Data’s Mission-Critical Role DJ Patil, a pioneer in the field of data science, emphasized that regardless of administration changes, the government’s mission remains constant: to serve the American public. From enabling organ donation reform to opening hospital data to the public, Patil’s experiences underscore data’s transformative potential. “The mission is to use these technologies to better serve the American public and support our long-term interests,” said Patil. “That focus is what matters most.” 2. Data as a Strategic Asset in Defense Kristyn Jones highlighted data’s importance in military operations, particularly in an era of rapid change and technological advancement. “Data is the new oil,” Jones stated. “In the military, where the pace of operations is fast, data drives efficiency and operational decisions, enabling transparency and innovation.” Jones also detailed ongoing modernization efforts within the U.S. Air Force, which include consolidating data environments to improve decision-making and enhancing auditability through robust governance. 3. Addressing BI Sprawl in Federal Systems Both Jones and Patil acknowledged challenges stemming from BI Sprawl—a condition where disparate business intelligence tools create inefficiencies and mistrust in data. “BI Sprawl is frustrating and costly,” said Patil. “A clean, unified data environment is critical for effective governance and for supporting advanced technologies like AI.” Datalogz CEO Logan Havern shared how modern data monitoring solutions can help federal agencies address BI Sprawl, ensuring accurate, accessible, and actionable insights. 4. Cultivating a Data-Driven Culture The panelists stressed the importance of fostering a culture where data is integral to decision-making. Jones recalled leadership strategies from her time in the U.S. Air Force, including emphasizing data-driven accountability at all levels. “The tone from the top is critical,” said Jones. “Leadership must demand data-driven insights, set the example, and ensure teams have the tools and training needed to succeed.” Patil added that empowering grassroots initiatives within organizations can foster collaboration and innovation, ultimately creating a self-sustaining ecosystem of data-driven practices. 5. The ROI of Public Service While acknowledging that government roles may not offer the highest salaries, the panelists highlighted the profound sense of purpose inherent in public service. “Government service allows you to work on the world’s most impactful problems,” said Jones. “From national security to public health, the opportunity to make a difference is unparalleled.” Patil encouraged attendees to explore opportunities in government, whether at the federal, state, or local level. “Just jump in and be relentless. Once you’re in, you’ll find a community ready to support you,” he said. About Future Frontiers Datalogz’s Future Frontiers series brings together thought leaders to discuss the transformative power of data in addressing society’s most pressing challenges. This latest event exemplifies the series’ mission to foster dialogue and inspire action at the intersection of data, technology, and public service. For more information about Datalogz and upcoming events, visit datalogz.io/events . About Datalogz Datalogz is a fast-growing, culture-focused, venture-backed startup dedicated to building products that re-imagine an organization's Business Intelligence environments. Datalogz is creating the future of BI Ops and is on a mission to end BI and analytics sprawl. The team comprises elite data technology entrepreneurs and analytics leaders and is always looking to bring on talent that aligns with its vision, mission, and values. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241211419898/en/ CONTACT: Tina Bhatia Datalogz +1-315-216-2203 Tina@datalogz.io KEYWORD: NEW YORK UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: PUBLIC POLICY/GOVERNMENT DEFENSE DATA ANALYTICS WHITE HOUSE/FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MILITARY CONTRACTS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY SOURCE: Datalogz Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/11/2024 05:49 PM/DISC: 12/11/2024 05:48 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241211419898/en
BAKU: Negotiators raced against the clock at UN climate talks Thursday to broker a potential trillion-dollar deal to help poorer nations tackle global warming after rich and developing countries roundly rejected a draft proposal. The UN climate summit is supposed to conclude on Friday but is almost certain to run into overtime as nations from the United States to China panned a text released by the Azerbaijani hosts. The main priority at COP29 in Baku is agreeing a new target to replace the $100 billion a year that rich nations provide poorer ones to reduce emissions and adapt to disaster. Developing countries plus China, an influential negotiating bloc, are pushing for $1.3 trillion by 2030 and want at least $500 billion of that from developed nations. Major contributors like the European Union have baulked at such demands, and insist private sector money must be counted toward the goal. The latest draft recognised that developing countries need at least “USD [X] trillion” per year but omitted a concrete figure. “There is a critical piece of this puzzle missing: the overall number,” said Cedric Schuster, the Samoan chairman of the Alliance of Small Island States, a coalition of nations facing an existential threat from rising seas. “The time for political games is over.” Ali Mohamed, the chair of the African Group of Negotiators, another important bloc, said the “elephant in the room” was the missing figure. “This is the reason we are here,” said Mohamed, who is also Kenya’s climate envoy. Azerbaijan said it would release a shorter, revised draft later Thursday that would contain numbers. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who flew back to Baku after attending COP29’s opening last week, said that negotiators had not yet shifted from initial positions and urged a “final push” for a deal.Monport Laser Unwraps the "Christmas Laser Bonanza" - Spark Your Creativity with Unbeatable Festive Offers
More Holiday Cards Bringing Winter Joy to Others Middle Schoolers Volunteering Supporting Their Community Bagel Sale for Students Supporting Many Community Initiatives Winter Joy Blanket A Gift for Their Community Neighbors Inspiration Cafe Guided by Long Time IC Staffer Inspiration Cafe Helping Over the Years Helping Prepare Meals Over the Years More Artwork for Neighbors Happy to Share Their Artwork Winter Joy Holiday Cards Winter Joy Cards for Their Neighbors Inspiration Café is abuzz. The kitchen is bustling. Parents, faculty and staff are busy chopping vegetables, whipping up potatoes, slicing turkeys and preparing and serving wonderful home-cooked meals for dozens of families whose goal is to exit homelessness. This annual Thanksgiving tradition and many others serve as a testament to the power of the human spirit, coming together in understanding and support of others. It has been a Sacred Heart Schools tradition for decades and is just one of many examples of how our community comes together to make a difference. Classroom Learning and Action Our faculty, staff, students and many parents are already preparing for various annual giving events around Thanksgiving, the winter holiday season and throughout the school year. As we do this, we celebrate the spirit of giving and care that is a hallmark of the remarkable dedication to social awareness, service, and action that our school community demonstrates throughout the year, in and out of the classroom. Essential to the fabric of an education of the whole person is the integration of everyday service learning and how that translates into action and care for others. Whether through partnership with Inspiration Café at Thanksgiving, or with other agencies in Edgewater and adjacent neighborhoods such as The Ignatian Services Mission, Howard Area Community Center, Misericordia, or Evanston Food Pantry, our entire community is engaged in service learning and action. Through an intricately developed partner program expanded into a broad net of caring more than 25 years ago, students, faculty, staff, and many families give of themselves to grow, as Head of Schools Meg Steele encourages, "not to be the best in the world, but the best for the world.” The goal is twofold: first, help those in need by understanding their need, the root causes, solutions and the immediate actions an individual can take to alleviate suffering. Second, we work to help students model personal responsibility, building life-long habits of empathy, outreach and giving. We want them to be "good neighbors” wherever they can be. In the classroom, students at every grade level learn about the poverties of substance and of spirit. They work to understand root causes and immediate as well as longer-term solutions. They learn to take individual responsibility to help where they can and they learn all this in an atmosphere that celebrates the dignity of every human being, regardless of their socio-economic circumstances. Paz Salas, Coordinator of Service Learning and Community Partnerships is the planning and positive force behind all these Sacred Heart efforts. She works with many community partners, including Inspiration Cafe's Associate Director, Hallie McDonald who reflects on the partnership. "Inspiration Corporation's work connecting people experiencing homelessness and poverty to services and resources is made possible thanks to partners like Sacred Heart Schools.” Note: SHS has been partnering with Inspiration Café since 1999. Our students have learned from the staff and guests of the Café for years. We have donated, cooked, and served Thanksgiving dinner for an average of 60 IC participants since 2002. About 1440 Thanksgiving dinners have been provided as well as decorations in the Café, created by the SHS students each year. About Sacred Heart Sacred Heart Schools opened its doors in Chicago in 1876. As the oldest independent elementary school in Chicago, we operate as a private, Catholic school, welcoming all faiths, for Preschool through 8th grade students. Along the shores of Lake Michigan, our unique single gender classroom experience on a co-ed campus allows girls, through The Academy, and boys, through Hardey Prep, to pursue and excel in their love of learning within a safe, diverse and inclusive community. Contact: Sacred Heart Schools Lis Slattery, Director of Marketing (312) 315-5253 [email protected] www.shschicago.org Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c94484f5-833a-4a8f-9c05-49c072c8b670 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d78373f9-2072-474e-958b-53eb35402088 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0708a0b4-b5be-4ac4-a5c3-415e39764d3d https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/67157649-da42-4f0c-aba9-12ebf76d54f0 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/346113ef-2120-427b-bc49-d7985453994d https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0ea2fc0b-e89b-49e0-b176-01639a1f1606 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/aec4d9a6-3925-4b03-8349-8739a4822973 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f0ea2127-cc9c-4cdb-8fd1-dc1e3d79d750 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/02747e3e-0988-4ac6-a0de-758ffc118134 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d71921e7-e395-45a5-905d-974ff095ab9fNATO and Ukraine to hold emergency talks after Russia's attack with new hypersonic missile
Is he a hero? A killer? Both? About the same time the #FreeLuigi memes featuring the mustachioed plumber from “Super Mario Brothers” mushroomed online this week, commenters shared memes showing Tony Soprano pronouncing Luigi Mangione, the man charged with murdering the UnitedHealthcare CEO in Manhattan, a hero. There were the posts lionizing Mangione’s physique and appearance, the ones speculating about who could play him on “Saturday Night Live,” and the ones denouncing and even threatening people at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s for spotting him and calling police. It was all too much for Pennsylvania’s governor, a rising Democrat who was nearly the vice presidential nominee this year. Josh Shapiro — who was dealing with a case somewhere else that happened to land in his lap — decried what he saw as growing support for “vigilante justice.” As with so many American events at this moment in the 21st century, the curious case of Brian Thompson and Luigi Mangione has both captivated and polarized a media-saturated nation. The saga offers a glimpse into how, in a connected world, so many different aspects of modern American life can be surreally linked — from public violence to politics, from health care to humor (or attempts at it). And it summons a question, too: How can so many people consider someone a hero when the rules that govern American society — the law — are treating him as the complete opposite? Mangione is in a Pennsylvania jail cell as he awaits extradition to New York on murder charges. Little new information is available about a possible motive, though writings found in Mangione’s possession hinted at a vague hatred of corporate greed and an expression of anger toward “parasitic” health insurance companies. That detail came after earlier clues showed some bullets recovered from the scene had the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose,” reflecting words used by insurance industry critics. A number of the posts combine an apparent disdain for health insurers – with no mention of the loss of life – with a vague attempt at what some called humor. “He took action against private health insurance corporations is what he did. he was a brave italian martyr. in this house, luigi mangione is a hero, end of story!” one anonymous person said in a post on X that has nearly 2 million views. On Monday, Shapiro took issue with comments like those. It was an extraordinary moment that he tumbled into simply because Mangione was apprehended in Pennsylvania. Shapiro’s comments — pointed, impassioned and, inevitably, political — yanked the conversation unfolding on so many people’s phone screens into real life. “We do not kill people in cold blood to resolve policy differences or express a viewpoint,” the governor said. “In a civil society, we are all less safe when ideologues engage in vigilante justice.” But to hear some of his fellow citizens tell it, that’s not the case at all. Like Bonnie and Clyde, John Dillinger, D.B. Cooper and other notorious names from the American past, Mangione is being cast as someone to admire. Regina Bateson, an assistant political science professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder, has studied vigilantism, the term to which Shapiro alluded. She doesn’t see this case as a good fit for the word, she says, because the victim wasn’t linked to any specific crime or offense. As she sees it, it’s more akin to domestic terrorism. But Bateson views the threats against election workers, prosecutors and judges ticking up — plus the assassination attempts against President-elect Donald Trump this past summer — as possible signs that personal grievances or political agendas could erupt. “Americans are voicing more support for — or at least understanding of — political violence,” she said. Shapiro, apparently fed up with the embrace of the killing, praised the police and the people of Blair County, who abided by a 9/11-era dictum of seeing something and saying something. The commenters have Mangione wrong, the governor said: “Hear me on this: He is no hero. The real hero in this story is the person who called 911 at McDonald’s this morning.” Even shy of supporting violence, there are many instances of people who vent over how health insurers deny claims. Consider Tim Anderson, whose wife, Mary, dealt with UnitedHealthcare coverage denials before she died from Lou Gehrig’s disease in 2022. “The business model for insurance is don’t pay,” Anderson, 67, of Centerville, Ohio, told The Associated Press. The discourse around the killing and Mangione is more than just memes. Conversations about the interconnectedness of various parts of American life are unfolding online as well, propelled by the saga. One Reddit user said he was banned for three days for supporting Kyle Rittenhouse, who was acquitted after testifying he acted in self-defense when he fatally shot two people in 2020 during protests. “Do you think people are getting banned for supporting Luigi?” the poster wondered. The comments cover a lot of ground. They include people saying the UnitedHealthcare slaying isn’t a “right or left issue” and wondering what it would take to get knocked off the platform. “You probably just have to cross the line over into promoting violence,” one commenter wrote. “Not just laughing about how you don’t care about this guy.” Taken together, the comments make one thing clear: The case — and now Mangione himself — have captured the American imagination, at least for the moment. And when that happens in a nation of phones and memes, a lot of people are going to have opinions — from anonymous commenters on Reddit to the governor of Pennsylvania himself. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
LONDON (AP) — A suspected Chinese spy with business ties to Prince Andrew has been barred from the U.K. because of concerns he poses a threat to national security. A British immigration tribunal upheld the decision on Thursday in a ruling that revealed the Chinese national had developed such a close relationship with Andrew that he was invited to the prince’s birthday party. Government officials were concerned the man could have misused his influence because the prince was under “considerable pressure” at the time, according to the ruling. British authorities believe the Chinese national, whose name wasn’t released, was working on behalf of the United Front Work Department, an arm of the Chinese Communist Party that is used to influence foreign entities. The government determined that the businessman “was in a position to generate relationships between senior Chinese officials and prominent U.K. figures which could be leveraged for political interference purposes by the Chinese State,” according to the tribunal's decision. In a statement from his office, Andrew, also known as the Duke of York, said he accepted government advice and ceased all contact with the Chinese national as soon as concerns were raised. “The Duke met the individual through official channels with nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed,′′ his office said. “He is unable to comment further on matters relating to national security.” Prince Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles III, has been repeatedly criticized for his links to wealthy foreigners, raising concerns that those individuals are trying to buy access to the royal family. Andrew’s finances have been squeezed in recent years after he was forced to step away from royal duties and give up public funding amid concerns about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein , the American financier and convicted pedophile who committed suicide in prison in 2019. British intelligence chiefs have become increasingly concerned about China’s efforts to influence U.K. government policy. In 2022, Britain’s domestic intelligence service, known as MI5, warned politicians that a British-Chinese lawyer had been seeking to improperly influence members of Parliament for years. A parliamentary researcher was arrested in 2023 on suspicion of providing sensitive information to China. The 50-year-old Chinese national covered by this week’s ruling was described as a man who worked as a junior civil servant in China before he came to the U.K. as a student in 2002. He earned a master’s degree in public administration and public policy at the University of York before starting a business that advises U.K.-based companies on their operations in China. He was granted the right to live and work in the U.K. for an indefinite period in 2013. Although he didn’t make Britain his permanent home, the man told authorities that he spent one to two weeks a month in the country and considered it his “second home.” He was stopped while entering the U.K. on Nov. 6, 2021, and ordered to surrender his mobile phone and other digital devices on which authorities found a letter from a senior adviser to Andrew confirming that he was authorized to act on behalf of the prince in relation to potential partners and investors in China. The letter and other documents highlighted the strength of the relationship between Andrew, his adviser and the Chinese national. “I also hope that it is clear to you where you sit with my principal and indeed his family,” the adviser wrote. “You should never underestimate the strength of that relationship. Outside of his closest internal confidants, you sit at the very top of a tree that many, many people would like to be on.” The letter went on to describe how they had found a way to work around former private secretaries to the prince and other people who weren’t completely trusted. “Under your guidance, we found a way to get the relevant people unnoticed in and out of the house in Windsor,” the adviser wrote. Andrew lives at the Royal Lodge, a historic country estate near Windsor Castle, west of London.SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will miss Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers with a sore throwing shoulder. Purdy injured his right shoulder in last Sunday's loss to the Seattle Seahawks . Purdy underwent an MRI that showed no structural damage but the shoulder didn't improve during the week and Purdy was ruled out for the game. Coach Kyle Shanahan said star defensive end Nick Bosa also will miss the game with injuries to his left hip and oblique. Left tackle Trent Williams is questionable with an ankle injury and will be a game-time decision. This will be the first time Purdy has missed a start because of an injury since taking over as the 49ers’ quarterback in December 2022. Brandon Allen will start in his place. The Niners (5-5) are currently in a three-way tie for second in the NFC West, a game behind first-place Arizona, and have little margin for error if they want to get back to the playoffs after making it to the Super Bowl last season. Purdy has completed 66% of his passes this season for 2,613 yards, 13 TDs, eight interceptions and a 95.9 passer rating that is down significantly from his league-leading mark of 113 in 2023. Allen has been mostly a backup since being drafted by Jacksonville in 2016. Allen last started a game in Week 18 of the 2021 season for Cincinnati and has thrown just three passes the last three seasons — including none since joining San Francisco in 2023. Joshua Dobbs will be the backup on Sunday. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
NASA's stuck astronauts hit 6 months in space. Just 2 more to go
U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf defended the agency’s role in addressing the country’s obesity epidemic as he was grilled by senators over FDA regulation of the food and beverage industry on Thursday. The hearing of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions follows President-elect Donald Trump’s selection of Robert F. Kennedy Jr, to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, the country’s top health agency. Kennedy, a vaccine skeptic, has also said those at the agency in charge of nutrition labels on food have “to go”. Kennedy has criticized popular weight-loss drugs such as Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and called for removing ultra-processed foods from school lunches as part of a goal to reduce the incidence of diet-related chronic diseases. “We have just completed the largest reorganization in FDA’s history, in no small part, so that we could take on the issues of nutrition and chemicals in our food supply,” Califf said during testimony to the Senate committee led by Bernie Sanders. Sanders and other senators questioned agency officials over several regulations related to the food and beverage industry, including a delayed proposal to require nutrition labels on the front of products. “According to the CDC, the rate of childhood obesity in America has tripled since the 1970s, and from where I’m standing here the FDA has not responded in any way with the urgency of the crisis. How long does it take to put a bloody label on a product?” Sanders said. Califf said the agency was trying to do its part within its authority and budget. “As you know, I’ll be leaving FDA (with) the change of administrations, but I can assure you that our people at FDA want to do more, and we need your partnership,” he said. Califf, a cardiologist and researcher, has held the role of FDA commissioner for a second time since 2022. He previously led the world’s most influential health regulator during the Obama administration between 2016 and 2017. Trump has nominated surgeon and author Martin Makary to succeed Califf as FDA Commissioner. Califf said the research around popular new weight-loss drugs had helped understanding of the addictive nature of some of the foods that Americans consumed. Unlike with drugs, he emphasized that the agency did not have insight into research done by the food industry. Lawmakers grilled Califf, and FDA executive James Jones, who has been tasked with leading the agency’s new human foods program, over the use of food dyes and criticized inadequate and complex labeling of plant-based and genetically-engineered products. Califf said the FDA had repeatedly asked for better funding for chemical safety, calling it a huge priority. He added that the agency was also trying to recruit more employees for food manufacturing site inspections, but said it did not always have the resources to do so.A 7-year-old rivalry between tech leaders Elon Musk and Sam Altman over who should run OpenAI and prevent an artificial intelligence "dictatorship" is now heading to a federal judge as Musk seeks to halt the ChatGPT maker's ongoing shift into a for-profit company. Musk, an early OpenAI investor and board member, sued the artificial intelligence company earlier this year alleging it had betrayed its founding aims as a nonprofit research lab benefiting the public good rather than pursuing profits. Musk has since escalated the dispute, adding new claims and asking for a court order that would stop OpenAI’s plans to convert itself into a for-profit business more fully. The world's richest man, whose companies include Tesla, SpaceX and social media platform X, last year started his own rival AI company, xAI. Musk says it faces unfair competition from OpenAI and its close business partner Microsoft, which has supplied the huge computing resources needed to build AI systems such as ChatGPT. “OpenAI and Microsoft together exploiting Musk’s donations so they can build a for-profit monopoly, one now specifically targeting xAI, is just too much,” says Musk's filing that alleges the companies are violating the terms of Musk’s foundational contributions to the charity. OpenAI is filing a response Friday opposing Musk’s requested order, saying it would cripple OpenAI’s business and mission to the advantage of Musk and his own AI company. A hearing is set for January before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland. At the heart of the dispute is a 2017 internal power struggle at the fledgling startup that led to Altman becoming OpenAI's CEO. Musk also wanted the job, according to emails revealed as part of the court case, but grew frustrated after two other OpenAI co-founders said he would hold too much power as a major shareholder and chief executive if the startup succeeded in its goal to achieve better-than-human AI known as artificial general intelligence , or AGI. Musk has long voiced concerns about how advanced forms of AI could threaten humanity. “The current structure provides you with a path where you end up with unilateral absolute control over the AGI," said a 2017 email to Musk from co-founders Ilya Sutskever and Greg Brockman. “You stated that you don't want to control the final AGI, but during this negotiation, you've shown to us that absolute control is extremely important to you.” In the same email, titled “Honest Thoughts,” Sutskever and Brockman also voiced concerns about Altman's desire to be CEO and whether he was motivated by “political goals.” Altman eventually succeeded in becoming CEO, and has remained so except for a period last year when he was fired and then reinstated days later after the board that ousted him was replaced. OpenAI published the messages Friday in a blog post meant to show its side of the story, particularly Musk's early support for the idea of making OpenAI a for-profit business so it could raise money for the hardware and computer power that AI needs. It was Musk, through his wealth manager Jared Birchall, who first registered “Open Artificial Technologies Technologies, Inc.”, a public benefit corporation, in September 2017. Then came the “Honest Thoughts” email that Musk described as the “final straw.” “Either go do something on your own or continue with OpenAI as a nonprofit,” Musk wrote back. OpenAI said Musk later proposed merging the startup into Tesla before resigning as the co-chair of OpenAI's board in early 2018. Musk didn't immediately respond to emailed requests for comment sent to his companies Friday. Asked about his frayed relationship with Musk at a New York Times conference last week, Altman said he felt “tremendously sad” but also characterized Musk’s legal fight as one about business competition. “He’s a competitor and we’re doing well,” Altman said. He also said at the conference that he is “not that worried” about the Tesla CEO’s influence with President-elect Donald Trump. OpenAI said Friday that Altman plans to make a $1 million personal donation to Trump’s inauguration fund, joining a number of tech companies and executives who are working to improve their relationships with the incoming administration. —————————— The Associated Press and OpenAI have a licensing and technology agreement allowing OpenAI access to part of the AP’s text archives.
Geoffrey Hinton to donate some of Nobel winnings to create new annual award
STATE COLLEGE — With 10 days before its College Football Playoff debut, Penn State got active on the transfer portal front on Wednesday. Looking to bolster their defensive line, the Nittany Lions offered Louisiana Tech defensive tackle David Blay out of the transfer portal. A native of Levittown, Blay was recently named First Team All-Conference USA after starting and playing in all 12 games at defensive tackle for the Bulldogs, and was one of only three Bulldogs’ defenders to start in all 12 games this season. The 6-foot-4, 303-pound lineman led La. Tech’s defensive front with 46 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and two quarterback hurries, and was best on the team in sacks and tackles for loss. Blay finished third in Conference USA in sacks and tied for third in TFLs. According to Pro Football Focus, Blay was credited with 12 QB pressures this season. According to reports, Penn State isn’t the only Big Ten team after Blay’s services, as Illinois hosted him on a visit Tuesday. With the departure of veteran defensive tackle Hakeem Beamon and the impending graduations of Dvon J-Thomas and Coziah Izzard, going after a player like Blay makes sense for Penn State. “We’re moving, and I’m pushing my staff to be very aggressive there,” Penn State coach James Franklin said Sunday. “Typically, when your season ends and you’re in that time getting ready for a bowl game, you have time to sit down with all of your players and find out what’s going on, who’s coming back, who’s considering going in their transfer portal, who is going in their transfer portal.” Franklin said it’s difficult to come up with a plan without knowing what the roster might look like in a year, but he asked his staff to be aggressive, make some decisions and make some moves.PGA drops Vegas from next year's autumn schedule