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Dollar General agrees to pay $12 million fine to settle alleged workplace safety violations None - The U.S. Department of Labor says Dollar General has agreed to pay a $12 million fine and improve conditions at its thousands of retail stores nationwide to make them safer for workers NEW YORK -- NEW YORK (AP) — Dollar General has agreed to pay a $12 million fine and improve conditions at its thousands of retail stores nationwide to make them safer for workers, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday. The discount retailer and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration reached the settlement to resolve alleged violations that included unsafe storage, blocked emergency exits and fire extinguishers, and inaccessible electrical panels. If inspectors find similar problems in the future, Dollar General may be fined $100,000 a day for any that are not resolved within 48 hours, the agreement states. “We are pleased to have reached an agreement with OSHA to resolve these matters,” the company said in a statement. “We remain committed to ensuring a safe working environment for our employees and a pleasant shopping experience for our customers.” The terms of the deal require Dollar General, which operates the nation's largest chain of dollar stores, to significantly reduce inventory and improve stocking to prevent such hazards. The company also must hire more safety managers and establish a health and safety committee with employee participation. The agreement covers all of the Goodlettsville, Tennessee, company's 20,000 stores in the U.S. with the exception of its pOpshelf locations, the Labor Department said. According to the Labor Department, Dollar General hired an outside consultant and an independent auditor to identify potential workplace hazards and to make recommendations for removing them.
Microsoft faces UK competition investigation over hiring of AI startup's founder and key staff None - British regulators have opened a preliminary investigation into Microsoft’s hiring of an AI startup’s key staff over concerns that it could thwart competition in the booming artificial intelligence market LONDON -- British regulators opened a preliminary investigation on Tuesday into Microsoft's hiring of an AI startup's key staff over concerns that it could thwart competition in the booming artificial intelligence market. The Competition and Markets Authority said its review of the hirings from Inflection AI, including its co-founder and CEO Mustafa Suleyman, turned up “sufficient information” to open an investigation. Microsoft hired Suleyman to head up its consumer artificial intelligence business earlier this year, and brought over several top engineers and researchers. Suleyman co-founded the AI research lab DeepMind, which is now owned by Google, before setting up Inflection and is considered an influential figure in the AI world. The watchdog has indicated that it was assessing whether the hirings amount to a merger that results in “a substantial lessening of competition” in the U.K.'s AI market, in breach of the country's antitrust rules. “We are confident that the hiring of talent promotes competition and should not be treated as a merger," Microsoft said in a statement. "We will provide the UK Competition and Markets Authority with the information it needs to complete its inquiries expeditiously.” The British watchdog has until Sept. 11 to decide whether to give its approval or escalate the probe into an in-depth investigation. The authority has the power to reverse deals or impose fixes to address competition concerns. Authorities on both sides of the Atlantic have become concerned about how the biggest technology companies are gobbling up the talent and products of innovative AI startups without formally acquiring them. Three members of the U.S. Senate wrote last week to antitrust enforcers at the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission, urging them to investigate Amazon's deal with San Francisco-based Adept. The deal will result in Adept's CEO and key employees going to Amazon and giving the e-commerce giant a license to Adept’s AI systems and datasets. The senators noted that the FTC is already looking into the Microsoft-Inflection deal and described it as “alarmingly similar to the one between Amazon and Adept, and it effectively eliminated a major competitor to OpenAI.”
Is Maddow in Milwaukee? No, That’s an LED Screen on MSNBC. None - MSNBC’s prime-time coverage of the Republican National Convention has featured a typical TV tableau: anchors at a desk perched high above the convention floor, pontificating as the starred-and-striped political pomp unfolds below. But Rachel Maddow, Nicolle Wallace, Jen Psaki, Joy Reid and the rest of MSNBC’s A-list anchor team have not been inside the convention hall. They were not even in Milwaukee. Instead, they were broadcasting from a studio in Midtown Manhattan, as a live feed of the convention floor was projected onto an LED screen behind them.
'Tone down the temperature': J.D. Vance praises Trump's leadership None - In his first appearance as Republican vice-presidential nominee, J.D. Vance praised former President Trump for his leadership after the assassination attempt, saying "the media keeps on saying they want somebody to tone down the temperature. Well, Donald Trump got shot, and he toned down the temperature. That's what a real leader does." July 17, 2024
Why GOP security hawks are slamming Vance selection None - Politico's Jonathan Martin joins Morning Joe to discuss his latest piece on how Trump accelerated his party’s rejection of its Reaganite roots in naming J.D. Vance as his VP pick.July 17, 2024
Can a lottery winner run an effective foundation? Meet Roy Cockrum None - In the early 1980s, soon after graduating from college, Roy Cockrum was trying to make it as an actor in New York In the early 1980s, soon after graduating from college, Roy Cockrum was trying to make it as an actor in New York. He was hanging on by his fingernails, getting paid $40 a show for two supporting roles in the off-Broadway comedy “Vampire Lesbians of Sodom.” To cover his rent, Cockrum would pick up extra cash doing financial-document proofreading at 2 a.m. Risk factors, operating margins — the terms washed over him endlessly. “I was both without money — and around money a lot,” he recalls. Then, in 2014, at age 58, Cockrum’s luck abruptly changed. After decades of character-actor obscurity, Cockrum won America’s Powerball lottery, collecting a lump-sum check for $153 million. Instead of spending it all on himself, he decided to take half his after-tax winnings, about $60 million, and set up a foundation focused on helping U.S. nonprofit theaters rediscover their boldness. Over the past quarter-century, 95 people have won lump-sum payouts of at least $100 million by playing the Powerball lottery. More than 10% have formed foundations, according to a Chronicle analysis of ProPublica records. These foundations support everything from medical research to college scholarships for low-income students. In this rarified group, the Roy Cockrum Foundation stands out. It has given away about $25 million, funding 47 theatrical productions across the United States. This spring, a Cockrum-financed play, “Prayer for the French Republic,” was a finalist in the Tony Awards’ best-play category. What makes Roy Cockrum unique among these accidental philanthropists? Lynne Meadow, artistic director of the Manhattan Theatre Club, says, simply: “He’s a man of the theater.” What’s more, she says, Cockrum has a gift for spotting potential and inspiring others with his support. “I regard him as exactly what a philanthropic soul should be,” she says. The first stirring of Cockrum’s new role took shape in a 2004 visit to London, when he saw a brilliant performance of “His Dark Materials” at the National Theatre. “It was huge; it had changing sets every second, and a young audience that leapt to their feet at the end,” he recalls. “I made a mental note that if I ever had two nickels to rub together, I would try to help American theaters do something like that.” That moment arrived in June 2014 with Cockrum’s lottery win. Cockrum quickly reached out to Benita Hofstetter Koman, a Washington, D.C., theater consultant whom he’d known since they both were acting apprentices in Louisville, Kentucky. “I think I have a really good idea,” he wrote. “Could you come to Tennessee tomorrow? I’m sending a plane for you.” A plane? That didn’t square with the cash-strapped Cockrum she knew. Curious to see what was up, Koman took him up on the offer. Over dinner at a restaurant in his hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee, she learned about his windfall — and his desire to award big grants that could bring brilliant theatrical projects to life, even if ticket sales and donor support weren’t enough. “It was jaw-dropping,” Koman recalled. Her own experience as a contractor with the National Endowment for the Arts gave her excellent insights into regional theaters across the United States. When Cockrum asked her if she’d like to be the foundation’s executive director and sole employee, she said yes. “I had a very steep learning curve,” Cockrum recalls. There were moments when he considered going the donor route instead, which would have been simpler and more tax efficient. “But I didn’t want to be at the whim of other people’s priorities.” By early 2015, Cockrum and Koman were ready to start calling on the U.S. theater community. In meetings with artistic directors, Cockrum often asked: “Is there a project you’ve dreamed of doing, but you assumed you couldn’t afford?” Theater executives melted at his invitation. An early breakthrough came in 2015, when Robert Falls, artistic director of Chicago’s Goodman Theatre, confided that he had been hoping for years to do a staged version of Chilean novelist Roberto Bolaño’s 900-page novel 2666. Falls had gone so far as to buy the English-language dramatic rights to the book, which would soon expire if unused. Ordinary business logic couldn’t justify staging this sprawling tale of literary quarrels, boxing, Prussian nobility, and quite a few murders. It would require more than a dozen actors whizzing through 88 roles. Each night’s run might take five hours. When Falls finished explaining this fragile dream, Cockrum shot back: “That’s exactly what we’re looking for!” And at that point, Falls recalls, “I got a little tearful.” When the play opened in early 2016, with $1 million of funding from the Cockrum Foundation, critics found it astonishing but “recklessly ambitious.” Even so, Cockrum says he regards “2666” as “the model for how the foundation works.” By his standard of art for its own sake, “it was perfect. People came from all over the world to see it.” Over the past decade, the Cockrum Foundation has seen at least 90 percent of its grants deliver the expected results. There have been a few missteps along the way, but nothing too disruptive. The CoVID-19 pandemic wrecked plans for an April 2020 opening of a stage adaptation of James Agee’s novel “Knoxville: Summer of 1915.” But that show finally made its debut in Sarasota, Florida, two years later, albeit with additional financial support. “Whether a play runs for two weeks or two years is not part of our mission,” Cockrum says. “That’s up to the artists; it’s not up to us. We’re making things happen that people assumed they couldn’t do. When they happen, we’ve succeeded.” “We prefer large casts,” Cockrum defiantly adds. “We want to employ as many people as we can: as many artists and designers and actors.” After all, Cockrum knows what it’s like to live on the edge of the professional theater world, hoping that a big new play might bring a few weeks’ work. Many of the Cockrum Foundation’s grants help bring drama’s classics back to the stage — ranging from Shakespeare’s less famous plays to an assortment of Greek tragedies. That’s a boon for artistic directors eager to stretch beyond “Hamlet” and “Romeo & Juliet.” Plays with strong social justice themes also win support from the Cockrum Foundation. These include a trilogy about the 1955 murder of Black teenager Emmett Till, as well as “Between Two Knees,” a fierce comedy about Native American land rights. One unexpected headache for Cockrum and other big lottery winners: scammers who create fake narratives — using the winners’ names — to fool gullible people into revealing their bank information while applying for bogus grants. “It’s an ongoing scam by criminals that I have no power to stop,” Cockrum says. “Please let people know that I am not giving away $300,000 to everyone in America.” Thanks to a careful investment strategy and strong financial markets, the foundation has grown its assets slightly in its first decade, even while making steady grants and not taking in new cash. Optimistic that his foundation will have a long future, Cockrum says its charter calls for staying open until the year 2113. “I don’t know where theater will be in 200 years,” Cockrum says, “but we hope it will be around for another hundred.” _____ George Anders is editor-at-large at the Chronicle of Philanthropy, where you can read the full article. This article was provided to The Associated Press by the Chronicle of Philanthropy as part of a partnership to cover philanthropy and nonprofits supported by the Lilly Endowment. The Chronicle is solely responsible for the content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.
UK's new government announces legislation for 'national renewal' as Parliament opens with royal pomp None - Britain’s new Labour Party government has set out its plans for “national renewal,” saying it will calm the country’s febrile politics and ease its cost-of-living crisis LONDON -- Britain’s new Labour Party government promised to calm the country’s febrile politics and ease its cost-of-living crisis as it set out its plans for “national renewal” at the grand State Opening of Parliament on Wednesday. Stabilizing the U.K.’s public finances and spurring economic growth were at the center of Prime Minister Keir Starmer ’s legislative agenda, announced in a speech written by government officials and delivered by King Charles III. “My government will seek a new partnership with both business and working people and help the country move on from the recent cost-of-living challenges by prioritizing wealth creation for all communities,” the king said in a speech to hundreds of lawmakers and scarlet-robed members of the House of Lords. Starmer, who has moved his left-leaning party towards the center since becoming Labour leader in 2020, campaigned on a promise to bring bold change to Britain at modest cost to taxpayers. He aims to be both pro-worker and pro-business, in favor of vast new construction projects and protective of the environment. The risk is he may end up pleasing no one. In a written introduction to the speech, Starmer urged patience, saying change would require “determined, patient work and serious solutions” rather than easy answers and “the snake oil charm of populism.” The King’s Speech is the centerpiece of the State Opening, an occasion where royal pomp met hard-nosed politics, as the king donned a diamond-studded crown, sat on a gilded throne and announced the laws his government intends to pass in the coming year. Labour won a landslide election victory on July 4 as voters turned on the Conservatives after years of high inflation, ethics scandals and a revolving door of prime ministers. Starmer has promised to patch up the country’s aging infrastructure and frayed public services, but says he won’t raise personal taxes and insists change must be bound by “unbreakable fiscal rules.” But he clearly believes in an active role for the state in public life. Wednesday’s speech included 40 bills – the Conservatives’ last speech had just 21 – ranging from housebuilding to nationalizing Britain’s railways and decarbonizing the nation’s power supply with a publicly owned green electricity firm, Great British Energy. The government said it would “get Britain building,” setting up a National Wealth Fund and rewriting planning rules that stop new homes and infrastructure being built. Economic measures included tighter rules governing corporations and a law to ensure all government budgets get advance independent scrutiny. That aims to avoid a repetition of the chaos sparked in 2022 by then-Prime Minister Liz Truss, whose package of uncosted tax cuts rocked the British economy and ended her brief term in office. The government promised stronger protections for workers, with a ban on some “zero-hours” contracts and a higher minimum wage for many employees. Also announced were protections for renters against shoddy housing, sudden eviction and landlords who won’t let them have a pet. The government promised more power for local governments and better bus and railway services – keys to the “levelling up” of Britain’s London-centric economy that former Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised but largely failed to deliver. Though Starmer eschewed large-scale nationalization of industries, the government plans to take the delay-plagued train operators into public ownership. Trade unions and business groups gave the economic announcements a tentative welcome. Gary Smith, leader of the GMB union, called the speech a “breath of fresh air.” Rain Newton-Smith, chief executive of business group the Confederation of British Industry, said it “sets out a program of big choices and bold moves needed to deliver a shift in gear for the economy.” The speech said the government “recognizes the urgency of the global climate challenge” — a change in tone from the Conservative government’s emphasis on oil and gas exploration. As well as increasing renewable energy, it pledged tougher penalties for water companies that dump sewage into rivers, lakes and seas. The speech included new measures to strengthen border security, creating a beefed-up Border Security Command with counter-terrorism powers to tackle people-smuggling gangs. It follows Starmer’s decision to scrap the Conservatives’ contentious and unrealized plan to send people arriving in the U.K. across the English Channel on a one-way trip to Rwanda. The speech also tackled an issue that has foxed previous governments: reforming the House of Lords. The unelected upper chamber of Parliament is packed with almost 800 members – largely lifetime political appointees, but including almost 100 hereditary aristocrats. The government said it would remove the “outdated and indefensible” presence of hereditary nobles, though there was no mention of Labour's promise to set a Lords retirement age of 80. There also was no mention of its pledge to lower the voting age from 18 to 16, though the government still plans to do it before the next election. While Starmer’s agenda marks a break with the defeated Conservative government of former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, he has revived Sunak’s plan to stop future generations from smoking by gradually raising the minimum age for buying tobacco. The speech confirmed that the government wants to “reset the relationship with European partners” roiled by Britain’s exit from the European Union in 2020 and said there would be no change to Britain’s strong support for Ukraine. The king traveled from Buckingham Palace to Parliament in a horse-drawn carriage – past a small group of anti-monarchy protesters with signs reading “Down with the Crown” – before donning ceremonial robes and the Imperial State Crown to deliver his speech. Police said 10 members of an environmental activist group were arrested near Parliament over alleged plans to disrupt the ceremony. For all its royal trappings, it is the King’s Speech in name only. The words are written by government officials, and the monarch betrayed no flicker of emotion as he read them out. “The king has zero agency in this,” said Jill Rutter, senior research fellow at the Institute for Government think tank.
A wind turbine is damaged off Nantucket Island. Searchers are combing beaches for debris None - Wind developers off the touristy Massachusetts island of Nantucket have sent teams to search for debris after one of their wind turbine blades suffered damage NANTUCKET, Mass. -- Offshore wind developers have sent teams to search for debris on the beaches of Nantucket Island, a popular summer tourist destination, after one of their turbine blades suffered damage. Vineyard Wind said Tuesday it is mobilizing teams on Nantucket to recover debris on south-facing beaches. The development said a “blade damage incident” took place Saturday. Vineyard Wind said it's also working with the U.S. Coast Guard to maintain a safety zone of 500 meters (1,640 feet) around the affected offshore turbine. It said that the debris consists of nontoxic fiberglass fragments and that any washing ashore will be pieces of one square foot or less. "Vineyard Wind is fully committed to a swift and safe recovery of all debris, with an unwavering focus on community safety and environmental protection," it said in a statement. Vineyard Wind is a joint venture between Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and said no personnel or third parties were near the turbine when the damage occurred. It said in a statement that blade manufacturer and installation contractor GE “will now be conducting the analysis into the root cause of the incident.” The development's massive wind turbines began sending electricity to the grid this past winter. It said it will deploy trained individuals to collect the debris for the next several days.
What to know as Social Security recipients have to update their online accounts None - What to know as Social Security recipients have to update their online accounts CBS News business analyst Jill Schlesinger explains a change to online Social Security accounts that will impact millions of beneficiaries.
DNC has to make a decision in the next 'couple of days' amid calls for Biden to step down None - Now Playing DNC has to make a decision in the next 'couple of days' amid calls for Biden to step down 09:31
'We're close to the end': Biden world braces for the possibility he steps down None - 'We're close to the end': Biden world braces for the possibility he steps down The Biden campaign expects it will only raise 25% of big donor money projected for July, according to a source. This comes amid growing calls for the president to step down. New York Times political correspondent Teddy Schleifer joins Chris Jansing to discuss reporting that megadonors are plotting to change Biden's mind.July 18, 2024
Lou Dobbs, cable news pioneer who vocally backed Donald Trump, dies at 78 None - Lou Dobbs, a veteran broadcast journalist who helped launch CNN and later became an outspoken conservative, died Thursday. He was 78. Dobbs’ career spanned five decades, during which he became one of the most recognizable business journalists in the U.S. Dobbs won a variety of news awards, including a Peabody Award for coverage of the 1987 stock market crash and a lifetime achievement Emmy in 2005. But in later years he espoused extremist rhetoric and embraced rising populist and conspiratorial ideas in the Republican Party, earning him widespread criticism from mainstream journalists. “It’s with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of ‘the great Lou Dobbs,'” a post on his Instagram and Facebook profiles said Thursday. “Lou was a fighter till the very end — fighting for what mattered to him the most, God, his family and the country. Lou’s legacy will forever live on as a patriot and a great American. We ask for your prayers for Lou’s wonderful wife Debi, children and grandchildren.” Dobbs also became a supporter of former President Donald Trump, who appeared to be the first person to tell the world that he had died. “The Great Lou Dobbs has just passed away — A friend, and truly incredible Journalist, Reporter, and Talent. He understood the World, and what was “happening,” better than others,” Trump posted to his social media platform, Truth Social. “Lou was unique in so many ways, and loved our Country. Our warmest condolences to his wonderful wife, Debi, and family. He will be greatly missed!” Dobbs, a Texas native who attended Harvard University, started out as a local news reporter in Arizona, where he eventually became an on-air anchor and drew the attention of Ted Turner as he was looking for people to start a new kind of cable channel that would focus entirely on news. Dobbs' “Moneyline” became a staple of that channel, CNN, for more than 20 years, making him one of the most recognized business journalists in the world. But his political evolution toward an embrace of populism, including a deep and outspoken skepticism of immigration, eventually put him at odds with Turner and CNN management. Dobbs left CNN in 1999 to found Space.com, only to return in 2001 to host what would become "Lou Dobbs Tonight." He left again in 2009 when he began to embrace the unfounded theory that Barack Obama had not been born in the U.S. and was not an American citizen. Dobbs would go on to host a radio show, and in 2010 joined Fox Business Network, which would remain his home for a decade. Lou Dobbs at the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Md., on Feb. 24. Celal Gunes / Anadolu via Getty Images file In 2021, Dobbs was named as a defendant in a lawsuit against Fox News alleging it lied about the role of voting machines in the 2020 election. Dobbs refused to abandon the false contention that the machines contributed to what he called a fraudulent election outcome, at one point calling the presidential vote a “cyber Pearl Harbor.” Fox canceled Dobbs’ show one day after Smartmatic, the voting software company, filed its suit. While Fox has settled a separate suit filed by Dominion, which manufactures voting machines, the Smartmatic suit is still being litigated. Fox News Media said in an emailed statement: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Lou Dobbs. An incredible business mind with a gift for broadcasting, Lou helped pioneer cable news into a successful and influential industry. We are immensely grateful for his many contributions and send our heartfelt condolences to his family.” Most recently, according to Forbes, Dobbs hosted a show on FrankSpeech.com, a website run by the outspoken election conspiracy activist and former MyPillow executive Mike Lindell.
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Sen. Coons says he hopes Harris will be Democratic nominee None - ‘Notorious for not holding grudges’: Former aide on how Biden is dealing with calls to end campaign 05:10
Harris says she plans to 'earn and win' presidential nomination None - Vice President Kamala Harris released a statement following President Joe Biden’s endorsement to replace him as the Democrats’ presidential nominee, saying her intention is to “earn and win this nomination.” She praised Biden for his “extraordinary leadership” and says she will do everything in her power to unite the Democratic party.July 21, 2024
Nancy Pelosi praises Biden after he withdraws from 2024 race None - Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi praised Joe Biden’s values and leadership after the president withdrew from the 2024 race. Biden is “one of the most consequential presidents in American history,” Pelosi said.July 21, 2024
Biden reportedly informed team of decision minutes before public statement None - NBC News’ Monica Alba reports that President Joe Biden told his team he had changed his mind about staying in the race as of Sunday afternoon with some members not knowing of his decision until moments before he released a statement on X.July 21, 2024
Harris becoming Democratic nominee will be ‘close to a coronation,’ Todd says None - Harris becoming Democratic nominee will be ‘close to a coronation,’ Todd says NBC News' Chuck Todd discusses the high potential of Vice President Kamala Harris becoming the Democratic presidential nominee and says it will be “close to a coronation."July 21, 2024
Who are potential contenders to replace Biden in the 2024 race None - Following President Joe Biden's decision to step aside in the 2024 presidential race, Vice President Kamala Harris has received endorsements from many Democrats, including Biden himself. NBC News' Ryan Nobles discusses potential options for her running mate and explores who could be the Democratic nominee if she isn't chosen.July 21, 2024
Presidential historian Jon Meacham speaks about ‘the magnitude’ of Biden’s decision to drop out None - Presidential historian Jon Meacham speaks about ‘the magnitude’ of Biden’s decision to drop out Presidential historian Jon Meacham joins MSNBC’s Katy Tur to discuss Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 presidential election. Meacham talks about the magnitude of the decision for Biden and the country. July 21, 2024