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Greece's S-300 missiles could bolster Ukraine's air defenses at a critical moment 2024-03-14 20:24:12+00:00 - By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . You can opt-out at any time. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. download the app Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read preview Greece is reconsidering sending Ukraine its Russian-made S-300 air defense missiles, a turnabout that comes after a Russian military struck close to its leader during a visit to Ukraine. Ukraine would undoubtedly welcome any potential transfer since its air defenses are under tremendous strain from unrelenting Russian bombardments. Greek media reported on Monday that Greece might provide Ukraine with its S-300PMU-1 system if it obtains the superior US-made MIM-104 Patriot. Greek officials had ruled out supplying the S-300, initially purchased by Cyprus in the 1990s but ultimately delivered to Crete to defuse a crisis with Turkey. Athens has supplied Kyiv infantry fighting vehicles and small arms since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. The list of advanced weapons that countries initially denied Ukraine is long and includes F-16s, M1 Abrams tanks, and ATACMS missiles. The conversation around the Greek S-300 is changing, said George Tzogopoulos, a senior fellow at the Centre International de Formation Européenne. "What is new is the change in the tone of the national media coverage about such a possibility," Tzogopoulos told Business Insider. "Greece's priority is its defense. As long as Greek defense needs are satisfied, the policy of swap deals will continue. The deeper Greek-American military collaboration goes, the more likely the Greek government will give new 'green lights' to US requests." Advertisement Warnings that Ukraine's existing stockpiles of Soviet-era air defenses, including its inherited S-300s, are nearing depletion made headlines in April 2023. Frederico Borsari, a defense expert at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), told Insider the potential delivery of Greek S-300s "acquires even more relevance considering the recent destruction of at least one M903 launcher for the Patriot PAC-2 air defense system by a Russian Iskander-M ballistic missile." The United States, Germany, and the Netherlands supplied Ukraine with Patriot missiles, which had success shooting down Russian Kinzhal hypersonic missiles and several Russian military aircraft. Ukraine may have lost at least one Patriot launcher — not an entire system — in a Russian Iskander missile strike outside the eastern city of Pokrovsk on Mar. 9; this claim could not be independently confirmed. The Russian defense ministry identified the destroyed launcher as a Ukrainian S-300. Related stories There were already credible theories in January that Ukraine had relocated Patriots near the front lines, enabling them to shoot down a dozen Russian fighter jets in February. Advertisement "The loss showed the consequences of not changing location frequently in the context of a much faster detection-engagement cycle enabled by ubiquitous drones integrated with fire capabilities as part of multi-level reconnaissance-strike complexes," Borsari said. Russia attacked Ukraine's Odesa on Mar. 6 while Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was visiting. A Russian missile exploded a mere 500 meters from the convoy he was traveling in with Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelensky. "The Odesa military strike was a personal shock for the Greek delegation visiting Ukraine," Tzogopoulos said. "But strategic decisions are not made on the grounds of personal experiences. Greece values its strategic relationship with the US, which is how the new tone of the media discussion about sending S-300s to Ukraine could be better framed." While Ukraine's capacity to continue fighting against Russia's invasion depends on many factors, Tzogopoulos pointed out that Greece's contribution could "acquire new significance" if it transfers S-300s. Greece is estimated to have 32 launchers and up to 175 missiles it could provide. Advertisement "Important as it will be, such a decision can hardly be considered a game changer, though," Tzogopoulos said. "Ukraine already possesses that type of long-range surface-to-air system and will benefit by seeing the number of its batteries increase — not by acquiring a new type of weapon." Although it certainly won't be a new capability, the particular S-300 variant in Greece's possession could benefit Ukraine. Borsari of CEPA pointed out that Greece's S-300PMU-1 variant is more capable than the S-300PS variant typically operated by Ukraine. "The S-300PMU-1 relies on an upgraded battery's radar module with improved detection, tracking, and engagement capabilities (comprising the 30N6E fire control radar and 76N6E low-level early warning/acquisition radar — and potentially the battalion-level 64N6E acquisition radar) and can fire the 48N6E missile besides the usual 5V55 series," Borsari said. Advertisement Borsari added, "The latter has better kinematics, a longer range (up to 150 km), and a larger warhead. It uses a combination of radio command guidance and semi-active radar homing guidance and is effective against a wide target set, from cruise missiles and fast jets to ballistic-type threats." Kinematics refer to the flight paths that can be flown to intercept an incoming missile or aircraft. Given the "attrition suffered" by Ukrainian S-300 systems so far in this war, Borsari believes that even a "limited number of launchers" could be "very useful" for Kyiv. "If radars and spare interceptors are also included in the package, that would be a significant addition to Ukraine's air and missile defense," Borsari said.
Trump’s dangerous Jan. 6 ‘hostages’ lie is the ultimate test for Republicans 2024-03-14 20:16:20+00:00 - Replacing history with a lie is not an easy task. To convince millions that the Confederacy was a noble cause or that the Holocaust never happened requires an extraordinary effort, one that will fail more often than it succeeds. There is a similar effort unfolding before us right now and every American who cares about maintaining our democracy has an obligation to resist it. I speak of the attempt to rewrite the history of Jan. 6, 2021, to convince America that the attempt by Donald Trump and his fanatical supporters to overthrow the U.S. government was, in fact, a principled protest undertaken by virtuous patriots. Just as Trump pardoned a bevy of his miscreant cronies on his way out of the White House, he now pledges to release those who overran the Capitol. The lie of the righteous insurrection has become central to Trump’s effort to return to the White House. It’s not just that Trump repeats endlessly that the 2020 election was stolen and that he was its true victor, though he does. He has made his campaign into an extension of the insurrection itself. Earlier this week, Trump promised on his social media platform that “My first acts as your next President will be to Close the Border, DRILL, BABY, DRILL, and Free the January 6 Hostages being wrongfully imprisoned!” Just as he pardoned a bevy of his miscreant cronies on his way out of the White House, he now pledges to release those who overran the Capitol. And this priority is so important that it must be accomplished on his first day, he says. Spreading the lie that Jan. 6 convicted criminals are not who they are — members of a violent group who assaulted law enforcement officers, smashed windows and doors, pursued lawmakers with bloodthirsty intent, and ransacked the place where our laws are made — but are instead unjustly imprisoned “hostages” has become the ultimate test for Republicans seeking to prove their loyalty to Trump. It's no surprise then that Elise Stefanik, Trump lickspittle par excellence, went on "Meet the Press" to say, “I have concerns about the treatment of January 6th hostages.” This “hostages” lie is something Trump repeats seemingly at every opportunity. “They ought to release the J6 hostages. They’ve suffered,” he recently said. “I call them hostages. Some people call them prisoners. I call them hostages. Release the J6 hostages, Joe.” Since Trump’s rallies do not receive the same coverage they once did, it may not be as widely known that the events now often feature the playing of a recording of a group of Jan. 6 rioters singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" in jail. The honoring of Jan. 6 becomes a kind of sacred ritual within what was already a quasi-religious gathering. Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress are ramping up new bogus “investigations” of the previous Jan. 6 investigation. The purpose, as House Speaker Mike Johnson puts it, is “to correct the incomplete narrative” of the select committee that examined the insurrection. You can trust Johnson on this subject, since he played a key role in Trump’s coup attempt, spearheading an effort to invalidate the votes of states won by Biden. The result will no doubt be a parade of conspiracy theories and efforts to exonerate Trump of any wrongdoing. A reminder of the facts: The Justice Department has charged more than 1,200 people with federal crimes related to that day; about 730 have pled guilty, while another 170 were convicted at trial. They’ve received sentences ranging from a few days to 22 years in prison. Trump may not yet have convinced his entire party to view those criminals as warriors for justice, but he doesn’t have far to go. YouGov polls, for instance, have consistently shown at least a quarter of Republicans saying that they approve of “Trump supporters taking over the Capitol building in Washington, D.C.” on Jan. 6; at one point, it was more than a third. By a year after the insurrection, three-quarters of Republicans said they didn’t consider the events of that day “a threat to democracy.” One year ago — the last time YouGov asked this question — 60% of those who voted for Trump in 2020 said they considered the insurrection “legitimate political discourse.” Nine months ago, Monmouth University found that 51% of Republicans said Jan. 6 was “a legitimate protest.” And in the most recent poll on these questions, CBS News found that 30% of Republicans and 43% of those who identify with the MAGA movement approved of “the actions of those who forced their way into the Capitol.” A full 66% of Republicans favored pardons for these people explicitly identified by their violent acts. One can only imagine what will happen if Trump wins the White House in November. One of the reasons the lie of the Lost Cause was so successful while Holocaust denial has largely (though by no means entirely) failed is that the former had power on its side. There were political leaders in a position to erect Confederate monuments in town squares and require that pro-Confederacy textbooks fill the schools of the South. There were federal officials ready to rename military bases across the country in honor of Confederate traitors. There were books written, movies produced and well-funded organizations established to promote the lie. The Jan. 6 revisionism effort is not so organized — at least not yet. But it may have the power of the federal government behind it next year, trying to convince us all that the insurrectionists’ crimes were heroism, their treason was patriotism and their assault on our democratic system a day to be celebrated. This effort is not incidental to Trump’s plans to dismantle our democracy; it is at the very center. Trump wants us to believe that there is no accountability for crimes against America; there is only power, and once Trump and his allies seize it they can do whatever they like. If the public becomes convinced of that, we’re all in deep trouble.
Morgan Stanley names a head of artificial intelligence as Wall Street leans into AI 2024-03-14 20:16:00+00:00 - The Morgan Stanley digital sign is seen at the company's Times Square headquarters in New York, U.S., on Friday, Jan. 12, 2016. Morgan Stanley promoted a tech executive in its wealth management division to become the bank's first head of firm-wide artificial intelligence, CNBC has learned. The bank is elevating Jeff McMillan, a veteran of the New York-based bank, to help guide its implementation of AI across the firm, according to a memo sent Thursday from co-presidents Andy Saperstein and Dan Simkowitz. Last year, Morgan Stanley became the first major Wall Street firm to create a solution for employees based on OpenAI's GPT-4, a project overseen by McMillan. The move shows the rising importance of artificial intelligence in financial services, sparked by the meteoric rise of generative AI tools that create human-like responses to queries. While Wall Street firms broadly pared back jobs last year, they competed to fill thousands of AI positions, poaching employees from one another. In June, JPMorgan named Teresa Heitsenrether its chief data and analytics officer in charge of AI adoption. At Goldman Sachs , Chief Information Officer Marco Argenti is seen as the lead AI advocate. Read the full Morgan Stanley memo announcing McMillan's new role:
Exclusive: Social Security chief vows to fix "cruel-hearted" overpayment clawbacks 2024-03-14 19:57:00+00:00 - The Social Security Administration's new chief is promising to overhaul the agency's system of clawing back billions of dollars it claims was wrongly sent to beneficiaries, saying it "just doesn't seem right or fair." In an interview with KFF Health News, SSA Commissioner Martin O'Malley said that in the coming days he would propose changes to help people avoid crushing debts that have driven some into homelessness and caused financial hardships for the nation's most vulnerable — the poorest of the poor and people with disabilities or persistent medical conditions or who are at least age 65. O'Malley, who took office in December, said that "addressing the injustice we do to too many Americans because of overpayments, the rather cruel-hearted and mindless way that we recover those overpayments," is among his top priorities. He said he has concrete steps in mind, such as establishing a statute of limitations, shifting the burden of proof to the agency, and imposing a 10% cap on clawbacks for some beneficiaries. "We do have the ability and we do have the authority to address many of these injustices," he said, suggesting that the SSA won't have to wait for congressional action. The pledge comes after an investigation by KFF Health News and Cox Media Group television stations revealed that SSA routinely reduces or halts monthly benefit checks to reclaim billions of dollars in payments it sent to beneficiaries then later said they should not have received. In some cases, years passed before the government discovered its mistake and then imposed debts that sometimes have reached tens of thousands of dollars on people who cannot afford to pay. KFF Health News and Cox Media Group discovered that more than 2 million people a year have been hit with overpayment demands. Most overpayments are linked to the Supplemental Security Income program, which provides money to people with little or no income, who are disabled, blind, or at least age 65. Others are connected to the Social Security Disability Insurance program, which aids disabled workers and their dependents. O'Malley said the agency plans to cease efforts to claw back years-old overpayments and halt the practice of terminating benefits for disabled workers who don't respond to overpayment notices because they did not receive them or couldn't make sense of them. "We're not fulfilling congressional intent by putting seniors out of their homes and having them live under a bridge when they didn't understand our notice," O'Malley said. Denise Woods lives in her Chevy, seeking a safe place to sleep each night at strip malls or truck stops around Savannah, Georgia. Woods said she became homeless in 2022 after the SSA — without explanation — determined it had overpaid her and demanded she send back roughly $58,000. Woods didn't have that amount on hand, so the agency cut off her monthly disability benefits to recoup the debt. The agency later restored some of her benefit allowance: She gets $616 a month. That's not enough to cover rent in Savannah, where even modest studio apartments can run $1,000 a month. In January, she fell ill and landed in intensive care with pneumonia. "I signed a [Do Not Resuscitate form] and a nurse asked, 'Do you know what this means?'" Woods said. "I told her there was no reason to revive me if my heart stops. They have already ruined my life. I'm beyond exhausted." After KFF Health News and Cox Media Group published the series "Overpayment Outrage," hundreds of disability beneficiaries came forward with troubling accounts, including how the government sent them overpayment notices without explanation and threatened to cut off their main source of income with little warning. Members of Congress publicly demanded that SSA fix the problems. Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon said he would meet monthly with agency officials "until it is fixed." Sens. Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow, both Michigan Democrats, sent a letter dated Feb. 29 to the SSA, saying many overpayments were caused by the agency. They asked officials to explain what is causing the problems. "It's absolutely critical that the agency is accurately administering these benefits," Peters said in written response to an interview request. "I've heard from too many people across Michigan who have faced financial hardship after the agency sent them incorrect payments." The agency recovered $4.9 billion of overpayments during the 2023 fiscal year, with an additional $23 billion in overpayments still uncollected, according to its latest annual financial report. O'Malley said he wants to address overpayment clawbacks as part of a larger effort to address SSA's "customer service crisis." He did not provide specifics but said he anticipated plans would be implemented this year. Officials have long acknowledged that the federal disability system is dogged by lengthy delays and dysfunction. Some people become homeless or grow sicker while waiting for an initial decision on an application, which took an average of over seven months in 2023, according to a letter signed by dozens of members of Congress. O'Malley said the agency terminates disability benefits for some people who don't contact the SSA after receiving a clawback letter. "To be honest, a lot of problems [are caused by] our notices being hard to read," O'Malley said. "In fact, one might argue that the only thing that's really clear about the notice is to call the 800 number." The agency's toll-free number, O'Malley said, is on his fix-it list, too. Callers complain of lengthy hold times and often are unable to reach an agent for help, according to congressional members, disability attorneys, and others. O'Malley pointed to a 27-year low in staffing. "We've been unpacking many of these customer service challenges," he said. "There's not one of them that hasn't been made worse by the short staff." Still, he said, the overpayment process is unfair. Beneficiaries often must produce evidence to show they did not receive extra money, O'Malley noted. "One would assume that in a country where people are innocent until proven guilty," he said, "that the burden should fall more on the agency than on the unwitting beneficiary." Advocates for the poor and disabled said they are hopeful O'Malley will stick to his commitments. "Overpayments have long plagued our clients and caused severe hardship," said Jen Burdick, an attorney with Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, which represents clients who have received overpayment notices. "We are heartened to see that SSA's new commissioner is taking a hard look at overpayment policy reforms and optimistic and hopeful his administration will provide these folks some long-needed relief." Mike Pistorio is worried that change won't come fast enough for him. A letter dated Sept. 21, 2023, that he received from the Social Security Administration says he was overpaid $9,344. The letter alleges Pistorio — a disabled 63-year-old who said he has four stents in his heart — received too much money on behalf of his children, who are now adults. Pistorio said that he doesn't understand why he owes the government money and that the SSA has not answered his questions. He said he and his wife live in fear of being evicted from their home because they depend on his $1,266 monthly disability benefits to pay rent. "What makes me mad is none of this is my fault," said Pistorio, who lives in Middletown, Pennsylvania, and worked as a plumber until his health faltered. "The stress of this has made my diabetes go up." Pistorio said the agency has offered to deduct $269 a month from his benefits to pay off his debt — an amount he says he cannot afford. "I have told them 'I will lose my housing,'" Pistorio said. David Hilzenrath of KFF Health News and Jodie Fleischer of Cox Media Group contributed to this report. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF. Subscribe to KFF Health News' free Morning Briefing.
JPMorgan Fined $348 Million for Lapses in Trade Monitoring 2024-03-14 19:52:00+00:00 - JPMorgan Chase plays a part in trillions of dollars of financial market trading around the world every day, but federal regulators said the bank’s systems for sharing details of that activity with them had not been working properly for about a decade. Those lapses are costing it more than $348 million in fines — and more could follow. On Thursday, the bank’s main federal regulator, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, fined JPMorgan $250 million over the omissions. The action followed a $98.2 million penalty from the Federal Reserve on March 8. The bank recently told investors in a public filling that a third regulator is preparing a separate action that is likely to come with its own monetary penalty. The breaches at the bank, which occurred from around 2014 until 2023, affected regulators seeking data on financial market activity to help catch instances of misbehavior, like insider trading and market manipulation. JPMorgan was not retaining and sharing information about trades made by customers and businesses in connection with around 30 different trading platforms and venues, the regulators said. Brian Marchiony, a JPMorgan spokesman, said the bank found the problems on its own and notified regulators. JPMorgan did not expect any services to customers to be disrupted as it works to fix the problems, he said.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, returns to Instagram to tease new food, cookbook, cutlery brand 2024-03-14 19:50:44+00:00 - MONTECITO, Calif. (AP) — Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has returned to Instagram to tease a new brand that records show could feature jams, household items, cookbooks and cutlery. The former actor left Instagram when she got engaged to Prince Harry, and as recently as last week, spoke about the dangers of social media. On Thursday, a new account called American Riviera Orchard appeared on Instagram, saying it was created by Meghan. The unverified account included photos of a logo and link to a website to join a waitlist to learn more details. Documents filed in February with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office registered the American Riviera Orchard name and sought trademark protection for a variety of goods and services. Those include textiles, cutlery, “jellies, jams; marmalades” and assorted food spreads. It also said the brand might feature “coffee services in the nature of tableware; tea services in the nature of tableware; servingware for serving food and drinks; decanters” and other beverage wear. The filing also said cookbooks and a retail space should be covered by the application. A message to a representative of the duchess was not immediately returned. The trademark was filed under a company called Mama Knows Best, which Delaware records show was registered in January. “The American Riviera” has been a trademarked phrase used to promote tourism and travel in the Santa Barbara area. During a panel at the South by Southwest festival last week, Meghan spoke at a panel alongside Katie Couric and Brooke Shields and talked about the negative impact social media had on young mothers, including herself. She said she experienced online “bullying and abuse” when pregnant with her two children, as well as after they were born. “I keep my distance from it right now just for my own well-being,” she said. “You really wrap your head around why people would be so hateful. It’s not catty. It’s cruel.” Before marrying Prince Harry, Meghan starred on the series “Suits” and operated a popular blog, The Tig. She shuttered it after her engagement, though she and Harry shared an Instagram account when they were still senior working royals. Meghan and Harry live in Montecito, California, a coastal community near Santa Barbara that is home to numerous celebrities. The Instagram post announcing American Riviera Orchard includes a reference to Montecito. The couple left official royal duties in January 2020, giving up their titles of “your highness” and stopped receiving public funds. Meghan did a podcast for Spotify and Harry released a successful memoir in the years since then.
House Republicans say they support IVF but are divided on how to protect it 2024-03-14 19:50:00+00:00 - WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, West Virginia — House Republicans said they emphatically support in vitro fertilization at their annual policy retreat here this week. But they’re all over the map on how to protect access to the treatment that has helped millions of families have children. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Congress doesn’t have a role to play — it’s an issue that should be handled by individual states. But he and more than 120 other Republicans have signed onto legislation from West Virginia Rep. Alex Mooney that could threaten the use of IVF for pregnancy, a process in which unused embryos or those with abnormalities can be discarded. Meanwhile, Republicans facing tough re-election bids this fall are grappling with the IVF issue in the wake of the Alabama Supreme Court’s stunning ruling last month that embryos are considered children, raising questions about the legality of IVF and sparking a national debate. Rep. Michelle Steel, R-Calif., who represents a swing district in Orange County, withdrew her co-sponsorship from Mooney’s Life at Conception Act, saying she backs IVF. And on Wednesday, freshman Rep. Marc Molinaro, R-N.Y., who represents a competitive Hudson Valley-based district became the first Republican to sign onto House Democrats’ bill protecting access to IVF, calling it “just commonsense.” The bill’s Democratic author, Rep. Susan Wild of Pennsylvania, said Molinaro exhibited a “profile in courage” and that she welcomes other Republicans getting on board. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., a new mother who flipped a Democratic seat in 2022, briefly signed onto Wild’s IVF bill but withdrew her name last month. On Thursday, she introduced her own IVF protection legislation, the Right to Try IVF Act. “I have always supported the responsible use of IVF. IVF is an amazing innovation of modern medicine that helps families have children who would otherwise be unable to do so. ... IVF is Pro-Life, and has helped so many families, several of whom I know personally,” Luna said in a statement. GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, a New York Republican and the highest-ranking GOP woman in Congress, said vulnerable Republicans know their districts the best and should be talking about issues of life — like IVF and abortion — on the campaign trail. “We believe it’s important for our members to engage on this issue and not, you know, stick their heads in the sand, which I think some potential candidates had done in the past,” Stefanik told a small group of reporters during the GOP’s three-day gathering at the historic Greenbrier resort. “My position is I’m pro-life with exceptions for rape, incest … but I’ve always spoken to this issue with compassion, and I strongly support IVF,” added Stefanik, who has aggressively recruited female GOP candidates during her time in Congress. “Members are going to sign onto bills that they support and again, my position is I support IVF, and the House Republicans support IVF the speaker strongly supports IVF, the top of the ticket, President Trump, supports IVF.” Attendance is sparse at the GOP retreat, with one source saying roughly 100 lawmakers — less than half of the 219 Republicans in the House — made the four-hour bus ride to ruby-red West Virginia. Both Molinaro and Luna said they would not attend the retreat, where guest speakers included Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser and March for Life President Jeanne Mancini, as well as Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Herzog and former Energy and Commerce Chairman Greg Walden. Asked by NBC News about Molinaro co-sponsoring the Democrats’ bill and Steel withdrawing from the Life at Conception Act, Johnson said he fully supports IVF but said it’s an issue that should be decided by the states. "It’s not my belief that Congress needs to play a role here," Johnson, an evangelical Christian who often quotes the Bible, said at a news conference Thursday. "I think this is being handled by the states. Look, we support access to IVF. We believe, I believe, personally, this is my personal belief, in the sanctity of life and we know, Kelly and I know many families, beautiful families that were created with the use of that technology." “We need to do it ethically and well, and I think the states are handling that well. But it’s something that we should protect access to. And I think every Republican is committed to that idea,” he continued. “Life is a beautiful thing. I think the estimate is about 8 million babies have been born because of IVF since its creation in the late 70s. And that’s a remarkable thing and it’s something we ought to protect and preserve, and I think our party is certainly committed to that.” Democrats feel strongly that Congress needs to protect access to IVF following the Alabama ruling and the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade. They also believe that reproductive rights issues will help propel them to victory in 2024. Republicans barely captured control of the House and failed to win the Senate in the 2022 midterms, months after the Supreme Court's Roe decision that gutted the constitutional right to abortion. The Alabama Supreme Court’s ruling last month that embryos created through in vitro fertilization are children sparked a fierce backlash across the country and another round of GOP hand-wringing. In response, the GOP-controlled Alabama legislature passed a bill protecting IVF, and this month GOP Gov. Kay Ivey signed it into law. Wild, the author of the Democrat’s IVF bill, praised Molinaro for joining her legislative push. “Rep. Molinaro, and any member of Congress who is willing to put partisan politics aside and do what’s right for the American people, deserves a profile in courage award. I hope that he is the first of many Republicans to join me in the fight to protect IVF and other assisted reproductive technologies, and I’m glad this bill is finally receiving the attention from across the aisle that it deserves,” Wild told NBC News. “It reflects the outpouring of support I’ve seen from people in my community across the political spectrum, who are united in defending every hopeful parent’s ability to start or grow their family,” she said. The House Democrats’ campaign arm, which is working to defeat Molinaro this fall, wasn’t as generous, highlighting his support for certain abortion restrictions. “Marc Molinaro publicly supported the overturning of Roe v. Wade, voted to punish doctors for providing reproductive care and to restrict abortion care for service members, and is indisputably on the record supporting sweeping abortion restrictions,” DCCC spokesperson Ellie Dougherty said. “No matter how hard he tries to spin it, Molinaro can’t erase his extreme agenda that’s attacking reproductive freedoms and endangering New York women.”
Top websites block Google from training AI models on their data. Nowhere near as much as OpenAI, though. 2024-03-14 19:48:47+00:00 - Google launched a new tool that lets publishers opt out of training Google's AI models. More and more top-ranking websites are using it. Google is not being blocked as much as OpenAI, though. There may be a good reason for this. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read preview Thanks for signing up! Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . You can opt-out at any time. Advertisement There's a grand bargain at the heart of the web: A small piece of code that has maintained order for decades. Robots.txt lets website owners choose whether to let Google and other tech giants scrape their online content. Most sites have let Google do this because the company distributes so much valuable traffic. Then, the AI wars began. It turns out that all this content has been stored in datasets that are the foundation for training powerful AI models, including those from OpenAI, Google, Meta, and others. These models often answer user questions directly, so less traffic may be distributed and the grand web bargain begins to unravel. Part of Google's response has been to launch a new tool that lets websites block the company from using their content for training AI models. It's called Google-Extended. It came out in September, and it's getting some pickup. Advertisement Data shared by Originality.ai shows the Google-Extended snippet is being used by about 10% of the top 1,000 websites, as of late March. Use of code snippets that block tech companies from using online content for AI model training. Originality.ai The New York Times has enabled the Google-Extended blocker, according to a review of its robots.txt file. The publication, which is in a heated AI copyright battle with OpenAI, has also blocked that startup's access to its content. It's on a warpath with other companies that either tap online data for AI model training, or compile this type of data for others to use in similar ways. Related stories "Use of any device, tool, or process designed to data mine or scrape the content using automated means is prohibited without prior written permission," NYT states on its robots.txt page. Advertisement Prohibited uses include "the development of any software, machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI), and/or large language models (LLMs)," the publisher adds. A spokesperson for NYT declined to comment. Google blocked less than OpenAI For Google-Extended, other websites have switched this on too, including CNN, BBC, Yelp, and Business Insider, the publisher of this story. However, Google-Extended has had much less pickup than OpenAI's GPTBot, which is hovering at around 32% of the top 1,000 websites. CCBot, offered by Common Crawl, also has been switched on more. BI asked Originality.ai CEO Jonathan Gillham why Google-Extended is being used less than other AI training data-blockers. Advertisement He said that if Google rolls out a generative AI search engine to the wider public, there's a risk that sites that have blocked the company's access to training data won't get picked up in AI-generated results. "If a query is 'What is the best deep dish pizza in Chicago?' and a Pizza shop excludes Google's AI from using its website data to train on, then it will not have any knowledge of that restaurant and be unable to include it in its response," Gillham explained. Google is testing an early version of genAI search through its Search Generative Experience, or SGE. It's unclear if the company will launch this fully in the future, or how much different it will be from the traditional Google search engine. Those decisions will go a long way to deciding the future of the web in this new AI world. Advertisement Axel Springer, Business Insider's parent company, has a global deal to allow OpenAI to train its models on its media brands' reporting.
Kristi Noem sued over suspiciously enthusiastic video promoting her Texas dentist 2024-03-14 19:47:42+00:00 - A consumer advocacy group has filed a lawsuit against South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem over a bizarre video she posted about her dentist in Texas, accusing the governor of failing to disclose that her video was an advertisement. The complaint, filed on Wednesday by Travelers United, a public interest nonprofit that promotes consumer rights, alleges that Noem not only received compensation for promoting the dental practice Smile Texas, but also that she appears to have filmed the video at its office in Sugar Land, Texas. The complaint does not provide any evidence that Noem was compensated for the video. The governor’s office has not commented publicly about the video or the lawsuit, nor has it responded to multiple news outlets’ requests for comment, including MSNBC’s. Smile Texas did not respond to NBC News’ request for comment. An AP reporter who called the dental office spoke to a woman who “cited privacy under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act in response to The Associated Press asking to speak with a member of the practice.” “No one with an extremely important job in the South Dakota would fly to Texas to receive dental treatment and then sit in that office and film an advertisement without some form of compensation,” the group said in its filing. “Kristi Noem acted here as an influencer. She likely either received free dental care in exchange for this advertisement, discounted dental care in exchange for this advertisement or she was paid and received free dental care for the advertisement. Unfortunately Noem did not mark this as an ‘Ad’ or ‘Advertisement’ when posting so she is participating in an unfair and deceptive practice." United Travelers is seeking to bar Noem “from advertising on social media without disclosing that she is advertising,” as well as damages and legal fees. “Sitting politicians do not typically work as part-time social media influencers,” the suit says. In the video, posted Monday night on her personal accounts on various social media platforms, Noem gushes over the team at Smile Texas for giving her “a smile that I can be proud of and confident in.” The video very much resembles an advertisement in its tone and has raised questions about whether she violated ethics policies. Noem is among the front-runners for Donald Trump's running mate, and a state accountability board has taken unspecified "action" against the governor over ethics misconduct in the past involving intervening with a licensing authority on behalf of her daughter. The video may also lead to an inquiry by the South Dakota Legislature's Government Operations and Audit Committee. State Sen. Reynold Nesiba, a Democrat and committee co-chair, has asked that Noem's video be discussed in the next meeting in July, The Associated Press reports. “I just thought it was a very strange video about how much she enjoyed having her teeth done at that particular place,” Nesiba said.
Meghan Markle is returning to her lifestyle roots with a mysterious new venture 2024-03-14 19:46:09+00:00 - Meghan Markle has launched a new website and Instagram page called American Riviera Orchard. Fans speculate the venture may be similar to The Tig, Markle's pre-royal blog. A trademark application suggests the website may be used to sell kitchen products and food items. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read preview Thanks for signing up! Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . You can opt-out at any time. Advertisement Meghan Markle has something up her sleeve. On Thursday, the Duchess of Sussex launched a website and matching Instagram page for a new venture called American Riviera Orchard. So far, the brand's Instagram page displays nine photos that align to show the brand's name and a monogram logo followed by "Montecito," the California city where Markle has lived since relocating to the US.
Wall Street isn't pleased that Kevin Plank is returning as Under Armour's CEO, shares plunge 12% 2024-03-14 19:42:00+00:00 - The interior of an Under Armour store is seen on November 03, 2021 in Houston, Texas. Wall Street is not pleased that Under Armour founder Kevin Plank is returning as its CEO. Shares of the athletic apparel company plunged about 12% on Thursday after the retailer announced late Wednesday that CEO Stephanie Linnartz would be stepping down after barely a year on the job and Plank would replace her on April 1. Following the announcement, both Williams Trading and Evercore ISI downgraded Under Armour and lowered their price targets. Williams Trading rated it a hold from buy and lowered its price target from $11 to $8, while Evercore downgraded the company to underperform from in line and lowered its price target from $8 to $7. Linnartz, a former Marriott International executive who took the helm last February, is the second CEO the company has cycled through in less than two years. Former Aldo Group CEO Patrik Frisk replaced Plank as Under Armour's chief executive in January 2020 only to suddenly announce plans to resign a little over two years later, in May 2022. That December, Under Armour announced plans to hire Linnartz on a bet that her experience building out Marriott's renowned Bonvoy loyalty program and driving digital revenue for the hotel giant would offset her lack of experience in the retail industry. Since she started at Under Armour, Linnartz had been focused on rehauling the company's C-suite, building out its loyalty program, UA Rewards, and pivoting the brand's assortment to a more athleisure-focused offering that had more stylish options for women. In its downgrade, Evercore ISI said Plank's return to the company was a "clear signal" that the strategy wasn't working and its key performance indicators were continuing to deteriorate in the current quarter. "We think the most likely scenario Mr. Plank will pursue will include efforts to accelerate a return to N. America revenue growth … which we think will add significant risk to the brand longer-term," analyst Michael Binetti wrote. Sales at Under Armour slowed during the holiday quarter as the company grappled with soft demand in North America and sluggish wholesale orders. However, these dynamics also have affected rivals and are emblematic of larger forces that are pressuring the retail industry. In the face of persistent inflation, high interest rates and dwindling savings accounts, consumers in North America have been more choosy with their discretionary dollars and have been pulling back on buying new clothes and shoes in favor of spending on dining out and traveling. On the other hand, wholesalers have kept tight order books as of late after they were crushed with high inventories that they accumulated during pandemic-era supply chain snarls. Now that inventory levels have largely normalized throughout the industry, wholesalers have been careful with their orders as they look to maintain those levels while contending with an uncertain demand picture. Analysts from William Blair agreed that Plank will be focused on driving revenue growth at Under Armour, which challenges the firm's thesis that fiscal 2025 will be a year of cost efficiencies. "Moreover, with about two-thirds of leadership new to Under Armour in the past year, the departure of Linnartz poses some risk that Under Armour could undergo more changes in key roles, which could push out our hope for rebounding domestic revenue growth in fiscal 2026 given inherent product lead times if key leadership changes," the note read. "That said, Plank has been heavily involved over the past year as brand chief and executive chair, which bolsters our optimism somewhat that key hires will remain in place." Retail analyst and GlobalData managing director Neil Saunders said Linnartz's imminent departure is "emblematic of a brand that can't quite decide which direction it wants to go in." "Under Armour has already been through several rounds of change as it tries to address declining sales and issues with the brand but, as the latest set of poor quarterly results show, it has not yet found a successful path to rebuilding the business," Saunders said in an emailed note. "All of the twists and turns have created a brand that has become increasingly confusing to consumers and to wholesale partners," Saunders continued. "This in turn, has made Under Armour easier to overlook. Remedying these problems are not simple, no matter who occupies the CEO seat."
These rich right-wingers want to buy TikTok. Let’s hope they never do. 2024-03-14 19:41:34+00:00 - The sharks smell blood in the water, and they’re circling TikTok. Wealthy right-wingers in the U.S. are looking to sink their teeth into the app after Wednesday’s House vote in favor of banning the social media platform unless it’s divested from its China-based parent company, ByteDance. To be clear, TikTok isn’t up for sale. The legislation faces an uncertain future in the Senate and, even if the bill is signed into law, there’s no guarantee that ByteDance would sell. And even if the company did, any ban would be likely to face a legal challenge. But deep-pocketed American executives seem to think it’s feeding time, regardless. And they’re angling for their shot at what is arguably one of the world’s most powerful mind control tools. Great. The current list of hopefuls is a who’s who of wealthy conservatives. To put it plainly: The idea that any of these people might control a massive social media company is frightening. Steven Mnuchin, the scandal-plagued treasury secretary from the Trump administration, announced Thursday that he’s forming an investor group to try to acquire TikTok. (I’ll note here that Mnuchin’s Liberty Strategic Capital reportedly has received $1 billion from Saudi Arabia’s government.) Kevin O’Leary, the Trump-loving conservative investor known for appearing on “Shark Tank,” is interested, too. And controversial former Activision CEO Bobby Kotick, a right-wing megadonor, has reportedly discussed putting in a bid as well. To put it plainly: The idea that any of these people might control a massive social media company is frightening. To be clear: I’m a staunch critic of TikTok and all social media platforms. I’ve written for years about how they deploy algorithms to addict users and capitalize on conflict. And I think TikTok — like Instagram and X — has become a breeding ground for propaganda and misinformation (spread, at times, by leftists and right-wingers alike). Consequently, I think there are compelling arguments for why TikTok ought to be sold to an American entity. But looking at the early list of potential buyers, I wouldn’t feel any more comfortable with them having access to my data than I do about the current setup.
Starbucks faces lawsuit for tacking on charge for nondairy milk in drinks 2024-03-14 19:41:00+00:00 - Three lactose-intolerant women are steamed over a surcharge for nondairy milk substitutions in Starbucks beverages. California residents Maria Bollinger, Dawn Miller and Shunda Smith filed a lawsuit earlier this month in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, alleging the coffee giant discriminated against customers with lactose allergies by charging them an extra fee for nondairy alternatives to its coffee-based drinks and other beverages. "Starbucks charges customers with lactose intolerance and milk allergies an excessively high Surcharge to substitute Non-Dairy Alternatives in its drinks," according to the complaint, which seeks restitution as well as monetary damages. The "excessively high" fee alleged in the suit involves a surcharge ranging from 50 cents to 80 cents on Starbucks beverages that contain nondairy, lactose-free options, such as soy, almond, coconut, oat and other plant-based milks. Lactose intolerance, which affects 30 million to 50 million Americans, qualifies as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The plaintiffs claim that by charging extra for plant-based milks in their beverages, Starbucks violated their rights under the ADA and California Unruh Civil Rights Act, a law that bars businesses from discriminating against residents of the state on the basis of age, race, sex, disability and other criteria. A Starbucks spokesperson said the company can't comment on pending litigation, but noted that domestic customers do have nondairy options at no extra charge. "In U.S. Starbucks stores, at no additional cost, customers can add up to four ounces of nondairy milk to hot or iced brewed coffee or tea, cold brew and Americano beverages," the spokesperson said. Members of the Starbucks' Rewards loyalty program also can redeem points to get nondairy milk when it is not part of the standard recipe. "Additionally, customers can choose to customize any beverage with a non-dairy milk on the menu for an additional charge. This is similar to other beverage customizations, such as an additional espresso shot or syrup, the Starbucks spokesperson added, noting that pricing varies by market. Starbucks isn't the only restaurant chain to come under fire for tacking on charges for plant-based milk. Dunkin' in January was hit with a similar suit, while a number of other coffee sellers around the country are also being called out for nondairy milk charges.
The US military doesn't have the icebreakers to compete in the Arctic and is 'severely outnumbered' by Russia, commander warns 2024-03-14 19:32:33+00:00 - By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . You can opt-out at any time. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. download the app Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read preview The US does not have enough icebreaker ships to compete in the Arctic the way Russia can with its much larger fleet, a US military commander warned. US Air Force Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, the commander of US Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command, said on Thursday that the US currently has really only one heavy icebreaker ship for Arctic operations while Russia has approximately 40 available. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. "We do appreciate that the Coast Guard is procuring more icebreakers, but even with those, we will be severely outnumbered," Gen. Guillot said during a US Committee on Armed Services hearing. "That does limit our freedom of maneuver in that region." Icebreaker ships are special-purpose vessels designed with a stronger hull, a very specific shape, and greater power to effectively break through thick ice blocking access to strategic waterways and clear paths for other ships. Advertisement The one available heavy US icebreaker is the USCGC Polar Star, and then there is the medium icebreaker Healy. Another vessel has been out of action for years. Related stories Maine Sen. Angus King expressed concerns during the hearing Thursday about the icebreaker "gap" or deficit and urged that the US military not wait to build up defenses in the Arctic as Russia increases its own military presence in the region. To the senator, not having sufficient icebreakers is unproductive, like "not having a road to get where you need to get." Russia has deployed nuclear-powered icebreakers called Arktika and Sibir, which have been characterized as the largest and strongest icebreaker ships in the world. Advertisement This isn't the first time alarms have sounded over the lack of icebreakers. Last fall, the US had a noticeable icebreaker gap, and lawmakers determined that investing in the Coast Guard is crucial for maintaining momentum in the Arctic. "We need to make sure that we are trying to close a very very significant icebreaker gap, Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan said at the time. "Even China's icebreaker capacity is on pace to surpass ours in 2025," he said, "and they are not even an Arctic nation." For more than 20 years, the Coast Guard has been asking for funds for the Arctic, but those requests have been deferred, US Coast Guard Vice Admiral Peter W. Gautier said last year. Now, conversations around Arctic militarization are being discussed amid proposals for the 2025 fiscal year budget. In addition to Russia becoming more active, China has also shared Arctic aspirations. Advertisement With growing threats in this region, the US military has been increasingly looking at Arctic training. US Navy SEALs, for instance, recently conducted training operations deep in the Arctic, and the Army just recently wrapped a large-scale training exercise in Alaska to prepare soldiers for war in challenging environments and sub-zero temperatures.
This week provided a reminder that inflation isn't going away anytime soon 2024-03-14 19:13:00+00:00 - From consumer and wholesale prices to longer-term public expectations, reports this week served up multiple reminders this week that inflation isn't going away anytime soon. Data across the board showed pressures increasing at a faster-than-expected pace, causing concern that inflation could be more durable than policymakers had anticipated. The bad news began Monday when a New York Federal Reserve survey showed the consumer expectations over the longer term had accelerated in February. It continued Tuesday with news that consumer prices rose 3.2% from a year ago, and then culminated Thursday with a release indicating that pipeline pressures at the wholesale level also are heating up. Those reports will provide a lot for the Fed to think about when it convenes Tuesday for a two-day policy meeting where it will decide on the current level of interest rates and offer an updated look on where it sees things heading longer term. "If the data keep rolling in like this, it becomes increasingly difficult to justify a pre-emptive rate cut," wrote Steven Blitz, chief U.S. economist at TS Lombard. Taken together, the numbers show "the great disinflation has stalled and looks to be reversing." The latest jolt on inflation came Thursday when the Labor Department reported that the producer price index, a forward-looking measure of pipeline inflation at the wholesale level, showed a 0.6% increase in February. That was double the Dow Jones estimate and pushed the 12-month level up 1.6%, the biggest move since September 2023. Earlier in the week, the department's Bureau of Labor Statistics said the consumer price index, a widely followed gauge of goods and services costs in the marketplace, increased 0.4% on the month and 3.2% from a year ago, the latter number slightly higher than forecast.
Unilever boss could be paid up to €17.4m if he hits maximum targets 2024-03-14 18:45:00+00:00 - Unilever could face a potential row with shareholders after it emerged that the new boss of the consumer goods company can earn up to €17.4m (£14.9m) this year if he hits maximum targets. Hein Schumacher, who joined the owner of Marmite, Domestos and Dove in June last year, took home €3.9m for his first six months as chief executive. He earned a €1.86m annual bonus on top of his €1.4m in basic pay and benefits, which included €292,492 to help cover his relocation to the UK, according to Unilever’s annual report published on Thursday. He was also awarded €648,000 in compensation for long-term bonuses that would have been earned at his previous employer the Dutch dairy co-operative FrieslandCampina. Schumacher could have earned more. Along with Unilever’s other executives, the group’s compensation committee decided to lower his annual bonus to 115% of salary, down from to 150%, which it should have been after achieving set targets announced last year. Andrea Jung, the chair of the compensation committee, said it had made the change because while “performance delivered in the year was strong, we believe there is scope to improve our competitiveness”. She said the committee had concluded the group was “not winning sufficient market share in a number of key markets” and the share price performance was below expectations. The change was “reasonable and aligns the experience of shareholders stakeholders and the executive directors”, it said. Unilever’s former chief executive Alan Jope and Schumacher earned a combined total of €6.07m last year. In the year ahead, Schumacher’s fixed annual salary will remain at €1.85m. Unilever promised to keep that figure steady for two years after almost 60% of shareholders voted to reject its remuneration report last year. However, Schumacher can earn up to €8.5m for hitting basic targets, which are not disclosed, and more than double that if he achieves maximum targets and raises the company’s share price by 50% from the date his bonus shares are granted. skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Business Today Free daily newsletter Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning Enter your email address Sign up Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion That figure includes an annual bonus worth 225% of his salary – nearly €4.2m – if he hits maximum targets that include undisclosed targets for underlying sales growth and increases in underlying operating profit. He could also collect a further 400% of salary – €7.4m – under a three-year incentive plan that includes targets on return on capital and sustainability as well as sales growth. Jung said the targets had been tweaked from last year after discussions with shareholders. “Having undertaken an extensive consultation exercise before finalising the new remuneration policy, the committee believes it can be fully supported by the great majority of our shareholders,” she said.
It’s no burden – we have a duty to pay tax 2024-03-14 18:38:00+00:00 - Jack D Stephen is looking for a phrase to replace “tax burden” (Letters, 10 March). I can help him with an alternative I’ve been using: replace the word tax with duty, as we currently do at airports. Which figure could remain in public life if found to have avoided, let alone evaded, duty to their country? My tax isn’t my burden, it’s a duty to my country that I should be proud to be able to contribute. How would articles in a newspaper read with this one small change? I’d like to see. Chris Whittaker Stithians, Cornwall In his letter pointing out that the phrase “tax burden” is rightwing, Jack D Stephen struggled to come up with an alternative. The Guardian’s excellent style guide recommends using “simpler, less politically loaded terms such as tax, taxation or tax bill”. Sean Farrell Ramsgate, Kent Tax, like a subscription to a golf club, is a fee for the privilege of membership of a wealth-creating society, and ought to be charged proportionally to the amount of financial benefit individuals derive from participation in a market‑driven economy. Paul Anderton Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire Maybe the answer is to focus less on what we’re paying and more on what we’re buying. The real debate is: what should we pay for individually and what should we pay for collectively? Rosie Boughton London No to “tax burden”. Yes to “tax responsibility”. Bob Epton Brigg, North Lincolnshire
Biden issues statement on death of LGBTQ teen Nex Benedict, drawing attention to suicide crisis 2024-03-14 18:29:00+00:00 - President Joe Biden issued a statement on the death of transgender Oklahoma teen Nex Benedict, whose Feb. 8 death a day after a fight at Owasso High School was ruled a suicide Wednesday. “Jill and I are heartbroken by the recent loss of Nex Benedict,” Biden said in a statement Thursday. “Every young person deserves to have the fundamental right and freedom to be who they are, and feel safe and supported at school and in their communities. Nex Benedict, a kid who just wanted to be accepted, should still be here with us today.” In memory of Nex, Biden said, “we must all recommit to our work to end discrimination and address the suicide crisis impacting too many nonbinary and transgender children.” “Bullying is hurtful and cruel, and no one should face the bullying that Nex did,” Biden said. “Parents and schools must take reports of bullying seriously. My prayers are with Nex’s family, friends, and all who loved them — and to all LGBTQI+ Americans for whom this tragedy feels so personal, know this: I will always have your back.” A candlelight vigil for 16-year-old nonbinary student Nex Benedict on Feb. 24 in Oklahoma City. J Pat Carter / Getty Images file The president closed his message by telling LGBTQ youth that they can call or text 988, the National Crisis Hotline, and dial the number “3” to talk to a counselor who has been specifically trained to support LGBTQ youth. Nex, who was transgender and used he and they pronouns, according to friends and family, was involved in a fight at Owasso High School’s West Campus on Feb. 7. Nex told police three students “jumped” him after he threw water on them because they were bullying him and his friend for the way they dressed. Sue Benedict, Nex’s mother, told the Independent that Nex had previously told her he was bullied due to his gender identity. On Feb. 8, Sue Benedict called 911 and told the operator that Nex’s hands were posturing, which refers to an involuntary movement that can indicate abnormal brain activity, according to audio of the 911 call that the Owasso Police Department released last month. She also said the teen’s eyes were rolled in the back of his head and his breathing was shallow, and she worried that he had a brain injury from the fight at school. Nex was transported to St. Francis Children’s Hospital and pronounced dead. The Oklahoma medical examiner’s office released a summary report Wednesday that found Nex died by suicide, with a probable cause of death from the “combined toxicity” of two drugs, one of which is available over the counter and the other by prescription. The full report will be released March 27, according to the medical examiner’s office. Lt. Nick Boatman, a spokesperson for the Owasso Police Department, said in an email Thursday that the department’s investigation won’t be concluded until investigators present their findings to the Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office. The district attorney will then determine what charges, if any, could be filed against other students involved in the fight with Nex. LGBTQ youth face a disproportionate risk of suicide, according to research. A 2022 survey of about 28,000 LGBTQ young people conducted by The Trevor Project, an LGBTQ youth suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization, found that more than 40% of respondents ages 13 to 24 said they seriously considered attempting suicide in the previous year, including half of trans and nonbinary respondents. Those rates were higher for respondents in Oklahoma, with 48%, saying they seriously considered suicide in the past year, including 55% of trans and nonbinary youth. Of respondents in Oklahoma, 16% said they attempted suicide in the past year, including 20% of trans and nonbinary youth. The Department of Education opened a federal investigation into Owasso Public Schools earlier this month for allegedly failing to address previous complaints of discrimination from students. The investigation was opened following a complaint from the Human Rights Campaign, the country’s largest LGBTQ rights group. If you are an LGBTQ young person in crisis, feeling suicidal or in need of a safe and judgment-free place to talk, call the TrevorLifeline now at 1-866-488-7386 or the Rainbow Youth Project at 1-317-643-4888.
Why Taiwan Is Building a Satellite Network Without Elon Musk 2024-03-14 18:11:38+00:00 - In Taiwan, the government is racing to do what no country or even company has been able to: build an alternative to Starlink, the satellite internet service operated by Elon Musk’s rocket company, SpaceX. Starlink has allowed militaries, power plants and medical workers to maintain crucial online connections when primary infrastructure has failed in emergencies, such as an earthquake in Tonga and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Officials in Taiwan face constant reminders that its communication infrastructure must be able to withstand a crisis. The island democracy sits 80 miles from China, where leaders have vowed to use force if needed to assert claims that Taiwan is part of its territory. Taiwan experiences regular cyberattacks and near-daily incursions into its waters and airspace by the People’s Liberation Army, which has been built up in recent years.
Panic over at John Lewis Partnership, but still a long way to go | Nils Pratley 2024-03-14 18:10:00+00:00 - Is the crisis over at the John Lewis Partnership? Not yet. A pre-tax profit of £56m was a big improvement from a thumping loss of £234m last time, but remember that the group’s definition of a sustainable annual return is £400m. That isn’t scheduled to be achieved until the financial year that ends in January 2028. There is still a long way to go. But the state of panic that infected the place a year ago does seem to have passed. Back then, chair Dame Sharon White was scaring everybody with loose talk about bringing in outside investors, which sounded like a threat to the 100% employee-owned model. Such speculative thinking has been canned, thankfully. The balance sheet is in better shape now that cashflow is moving in the right direction. It lends credibility to the claim that the partnership has all the funding it needs to complete the next four years of investment. Good. Waitrose, despite past IT headaches, remains strong and has reported trading profits up by £170m. Opening a few more stores for the first time in a decade looks like a low-risk use of capital. If the often-promised pan-partnership loyalty card eventually appears, the supermarket side of the business ought to be the main beneficiary. The bigger concern, as ever, is the John Lewis department stores (plus its website). Sales fell 4% in the year, making boasts about “a record 13.4 million customers” feel irrelevant. More punters buying less stuff is not a winning formula, especially when “home and technology” – two core departments – were the weak elements. New management, in the form of the returning Peter Ruis, has only just arrived, so it’s too early to hear fully formed ideas on efficiencies and staffing levels and so on. But don’t hang about – Marks & Spencer, the most direct competitor, is buzzing. The key point about the improved balance sheet is that it allows proper sums to be spent on investment again across both sides – £542m is promised this year, a 70% boost from last year’s pauper’s ration. As a whole, the partnership looks to be in more normal operational territory again. White’s final lap as chair – her five-year term ends in February next year – should be less filled with drama. And she surely made the correct call on denying partners a bonus: aside from investment in the business, the priority ought to be basic hourly pay, where, even after a payroll increase of £116m, the group lags behind the rates set by the major supermarket chains. It’s hard, though, to know what to make of the other half of her plan for revitalisation – the investments in financial services and build-to-rent homes. A target of generating 40% of profits from non-retailing activities by 2030 has been ditched, but could surely have been dropped long before now if the explanation is that inflation and interest rates have changed since 2020. skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Business Today Free daily newsletter Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning Enter your email address Sign up Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion An open question is whether White’s successor will share her enthusiasm for non-retailing adventures. Financial services shouldn’t be problematic because many retailers, including the mighty Next, run successful credit operations. But building a portfolio of 10,000 buy-to-rent properties looks fiddly and time-consuming work, as the partnership is discovering with planning delays on its three current development sites. A few supermarket chains dabble in residential developments around their stores, but none has taken a plunge on the scale JLP intends. It looks like a distraction. Prediction: the landlord plans will be watered down eventually.