Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
CONCORD – A Boscawen woman pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing over $73,000 in U.S. Department of Education funds from the former Capital City Public Charter School in Concord, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.
Stephanie Alicea, 49, pleaded guilty to one count of theft from a program receiving federal funds. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Landya B. McCafferty scheduled sentencing for January 6, 2025.
Alicea was the founder of the Capital City Public Charter School (“Capital City”) in Concord, New Hampshire. Capital City offered classes to several dozen students during the 2018-19 and 2019-20 school years. Alicea oversaw the school’s finances and day-to-day operations. Capital City received federal charter school grant funds, which were to be used solely for education-related expenses.
In spring 2020, an external auditor detected irregularities with Capital City’s finances. Specifically, the auditor found that Alicea had spent some of the grant funds on expenses that were personal in nature, including gambling, dining, and travel. In total, Alicea stole $73,253.36 in federal grant funds from Capital City.
Capital City closed after the 2019-20 school year, surrendered its charter in February 2021, and declared bankruptcy in March 2021.
The charge of Theft from a Program Receiving Federal Funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General and Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Brien Fredendall, age 46, of Port Byron, New York, pled guilty today to two counts of possession of child pornography. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Fredendall, who has a previous New York State conviction for possession of child pornography, admitted that he possessed videos and images of child pornography he received from a minor on his Snapchat account. He also admitted to possessing additional child pornography on his cellular phone.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 21, 2025, before Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes. Fredendall faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison, a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000.00 and a term of supervised release of between five years and life, to begin after imprisonment. Fredendall will also be required to continue to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force with the assistance of the Cayuga County Sherriff’s Office. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Tuck prosecuted Fredendall as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
On September 23, 2024, at approximately 12:35 am, Grand Rapids RCMP responded to a report of a shooting in a residence, located in Misipawistik Cree Nation.
Officers responded and located the victim, a 23-year-old male from the community, who had been shot and was pronounced deceased on scene.
The investigation led to the arrest of a 16-year-old male, from Chemawawin, who has been charged with numerous firearms-related offences and has been remanded into custody.
Grand Rapids RCMP, along with RCMP Major Crime Services and Forensic Identification Services, continue to investigate.
ALPHARETTA, Ga., Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Aptean, a global provider of mission-critical enterprise software solutions, announced its recent collaboration with Snack Connection B.V., a prominent private label manufacturer of nut blends, seeds and sweet fruits in the Netherlands. The deal marks a significant step forward for the Dutch company as it embarks on a journey towards modernizing its business operations.
Snack Connection, founded in 2010, has quickly established itself as a successful player in the European market, delivering high-quality products to various European retailers. The business differentiates itself by a wide variety of products, innovative packaging and an individual customer approach that ensures quick action and response. With a client-centric mindset and commitment to innovation and efficiency, the company sought a robust software solution to replace its current ERP system and drive operational excellence across two production sites in Giessen and Bergschenhoek, Netherlands.
Recognizing the need for a transformative solution, Snack Connection selected the cloud-based Aptean Food & Beverage ERP, alongside Aptean Patch OEE and Aptean Business Intelligence, to streamline processes and enhance decision-making capabilities. The comprehensive suite of software solutions offered by Aptean aligns seamlessly with Snack Connection’s vision for a data-driven, paperless organization. Renowned for its maturity and comprehensive support, the software provides the company with essential features such as multiple location management, traceability functionalities and allergen registration, along with the ability to optimize production efficiency and gain valuable insights for informed decision-making.
“Aptean’s solution suite is an all-in-one package with all the food-specific functionality we need. We believe we can benefit from this by standardizing our processes, based on the best practices on which the software is built,” said Martijn van Gink, ICT Manager at Snack Connection. “The decision to partner with Aptean was driven by our desire to modernize our operations and achieve greater efficiency. Aptean’s proven track record in the food and beverage industry, coupled with their commitment to understanding our unique needs and local business culture, made them the clear choice for us.”
By standardizing processes and embracing cloud technology, Snack Connection anticipates shorter training periods for new hires and enhanced cybersecurity practices. Aptean’s local leadership and dedication to understanding Snack Connection’s business culture have further solidified the partnership, ensuring a smooth transition to the new software environment.
“At Aptean, we believe that success is built on strong partnerships and a deep understanding of our customers’ businesses. We look forward to supporting Snack Connection as they leverage our industry-leading ERP solution to streamline operations, drive growth and maintain a competitive edge in today’s dynamic Food & Beverage market,” said Duane George, President EMEA and APAC at Aptean.
About Snack Connection Snack Connection is a relatively young (established 2010) Dutch company specialized in purchasing, processing, mixing and packing nuts, kernels, seeds, subtropical fruits and related products. By means of two modern production facilities, located in Giessen and Bergschenhoek (Netherlands) and more than 150 dedicated and professional employees, Snack Connection has proven to be a reliable and flexible partner for several European retailers, B2B and Out of Home clients. Discover more about our passion for snacking excellence at www.snackconnection.nl.
About Aptean Aptean is a global provider of industry-specific software that helps manufacturers and distributors effectively run and grow their businesses. With rapid deployment, Aptean’s solutions and services help businesses of all sizes to be Ready for What’s Next, Now®. Aptean is headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia and has offices in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. To learn more about Aptean and the markets we serve, visit www.aptean.com.
Aptean and Ready for What’s Next, Now are Registered Trademarks of Aptean, Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.
For Media Inquiries Please Contact MediaRelations@Aptean.com
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Tessell, the leading next-generation database-as-a-service (DBaaS) that helps startups and enterprises accelerate data and application modernization journeys at scale, announced today a groundbreaking collaboration with Microsoft Azure and NetApp to deliver the first ubiquitous Copilot for Cloud Databases. This solution integrates an enterprise-grade Database PaaS with one-click functionality for any database on Azure, leveraging Azure NetApp Files (ANF) as enterprise cloud storage and Tessell as the unified Database Service. For the first time, customers of Azure and NetApp will have access to an enterprise-grade Managed Instance for Oracle on Azure, fully integrated with ANF and supporting any virtual machine (VM) family across all Azure regions.
This new solution delivers a unique offering for cloud database management that provides customers with unprecedented flexibility, cost optimization, and performance enhancements. Azure Saving Plans and NetApp effective capacity pricing are available, ensuring Co-Sell incentives and Microsoft Azure Consumption Credits (MACC) enablement. Moreover, the bundled solution includes 24x7x365 support with a 15-minute response time for issues related to Azure, ANF, and Tessell Oracle PaaS.
For enterprises facing rising infrastructure and database licensing costs, this announcement marks a turning point. With Tessell’s new offering, customers can experience up to a 45% reduction in total cost of ownership (TCO) across four key vectors:
Infrastructure Optimization: Maximize cloud resources while reducing overhead.
Third-Party Software Optimization: Lower costs associated with external software.
The integration of Tessell, Azure, and Azure NetApp Files ensures seamless database migration to Azure with guaranteed investment protection, delivering a robust foundation for database modernization and further integration into the Azure ecosystem, including Microsoft Fabric and Synapse. Other key features and benefits of the collaboration include:
Azure: Offers robust cloud infrastructure across multiple regions and availability zones, with extensive support for database workloads and flexible pricing options, including pay-as-you-go (PAYG) and reserved instances.
NetApp: Provides Microsoft 1st-party, enterprise-grade Azure NetApp Files storage with low-latency performance, high-performance instant snapshots, and scalable storage for any database or application.
Tessell: Delivers the only Oracle Managed Instance available on Azure, fully integrated with ANF, allowing for superior performance, multi-region disaster recovery, and enterprise-grade data protection.
Tessell, Microsoft, and NetApp further showcased this innovative solution in a joint session at NetApp INSIGHT 2024 titled “Oracle Migration to Azure Enabled by Azure NetApp Files.” This session, featuring key insights from Tessell’s Head of Strategy and Alliances, Animesh Pillai, Microsoft’s Principal Product Manager, Ram Kakani, and NetApp’s Director of Product Management for NetApp Files, Geert van Teylingen, provided an in-depth look at how Azure NetApp Files supports Oracle Database@Azure and how Tessell’s DBaaS strategies enable seamless, scalable Oracle migrations. The session took place on Monday, September 23.
“Azure NetApp Files has been differentiating itself as the go-to storage platform for high-performance, low-latency file workloads. Providing a ‘Volumes as a service’ experience makes the service very easy to deploy and scale, without interruptions – particularly important for business-critical applications like Oracle and databases,” said Geert van Teylingen, Director Product Management, Azure NetApp Files at NetApp. “I am excited about the Tessell integration with ANF, as it empowers customers in the Database PaaS segment with cost efficiencies, enhanced performance, and improved operational efficiencies. Together, Azure, NetApp, and Tessell will continue to innovate and deliver value across all vectors – Data & AI, Modernization, and more.”
“We are excited to introduce the first enterprise-grade cloud database solution that combines the versatility of Azure and Azure NetApp Files, the high-performance storage powered by NetApp, and the unified management capabilities of Tessell,” said Bala Kuchibhotla, Co-Founder and CEO at Tessell. “This collaboration breaks new ground in the cloud industry by providing businesses with an unprecedented level of control, performance, and cost savings, all within their preferred cloud environments.”
The new Copilot for Cloud Databases solution is available immediately to all Azure and NetApp customers. Customers can take advantage of Azure Saving Plans and NetApp’s effective capacity pricing models, ensuring maximum ROI on their cloud investments.
About Tessell Tessell is a multi-cloud DBaaS platform offering a comprehensive suite of database services. It supports a wide array of database engines, tailored for operational and transactional applications across all major cloud providers. Tessell’s value proposition is built on the pillars of choice, data delight, and governance, helping enterprises modernize their data infrastructure and maximize the economic benefits of cloud adoption.
Media Contact Len Fernandes Firecracker PR for Tessell len@firecrackerpr.com
Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
September 24, 2024
Senators: “We share the grave concerns of the residents of Southern Oregon that this consolidation poses significant negative consequences for both our community and the efficiency of postal services in the region”
Washington D.C.— U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today demanded Postmaster General DeJoy immediately reverse his damaging position to relocate outgoing operations at the regional postal distribution center in Medford.
“We share the grave concerns of the residents of Southern Oregon that this consolidation poses significant negative consequences for both our community and the efficiency of postal services in the region,” the senators wrote in a letter to DeJoy. “The Medford processing center plays a critical role in ensuring timely mail delivery for local residents, businesses, and government agencies. The consolidation of this facility has led to delays in mail delivery, affecting vital services like prescription deliveries, bill payments, and other essential communications.”
Wyden and Merkley wrote that these changes land hardest on seniors, rural Oregonians and small businesses in the area who rely on prompt and reliable postal services.
“Oregonians rely on the high-quality service provided by USPS, especially as a state that votes entirely by mail,” they wrote. “We are confident that, with thoughtful consideration, a solution can be found that both strengthens the Postal Service and supports the needs of local communities in Southern Oregon. Downgrading the Medford site is not that solution.”
The senators’ letter comes as the USPS Office of Inspector General issued a report that further illustrates Oregonians’ concerns as expressed by the senators’ letter about delays in first class mail deliveries.
The full text of the letter is here.
Related Files
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Freddie Daley, Research Associate, Centre for Global Political Economy, University of Sussex
Grangemouth oil refinery is set to close in 2025 with the loss of 400 jobs.orxy / shutterstock
At the end of September, the UK’s last remaining coal power plant, Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire, will be retired. The closure of the plant should – and will – be celebrated by environmentalists, as the move away from coal has made Britain’s electricity much cleaner over the past decade. It is on this basis that the UK claims climate leadership.
In the 1950s, coal provided the overwhelming majority of British energy, and as recently as 2012 it still generated 40%. By 2022, it was less than 2%. In a month’s time, it will be zero.
Phasing out coal was a brutal and profound process. Organised labour was decimated, entire regions were forced into decline, and communities were left with sustained economic, social and health problems. The towering ghosts of power stations like Ratcliffe-on-Soar will haunt Britain’s ongoing effort to phase out North Sea oil and gas and replace it with clean energy.
Towering ghosts: Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station. The Exposure / shutterstock
And we are witnessing this haunting in real-time. After the Labour government announced its plans to end new licenses for oil and gas in British waters – necessary to meet the Paris Agreement – workers and trade unions feared history would repeat itself in terms of job losses and blighted communities.
The general secretary of Unite, Sharon Graham, noted that without a more thorough plan, the policy risked creating “the coal miners of our generation”. A recent motion at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) gathering in Brighton called for no ban on oil and gas licensing before a fully funded jobs guarantee is agreed. The motion narrowly passed.
Workers and unions are demanding a “just transition” from polluting industries into the clean industries of the future. But to achieve this, the UK government must learn from what happened with coal.
Many places still rely on oil and gas jobs
Although oil and gas are not as embedded throughout British life as coal once was, there are many settlements and larger areas still dependent on energy jobs. Grangemouth in central Scotland is a good example. In November 2023, the owner, Petroineos, announced plans to close the town’s oil refinery in 2025, bringing a century of production to an end at the cost of 400 jobs.
Even if the UK government did issue new oil and gas licences, the North Sea faces structural decline. Production peaked around the turn of the century. Since 2014, as many as 200,000 jobs have been lost either offshore or along the supply chain onshore.
From gas to wind?
Planning for the end of fossil fuels is therefore an urgent endeavour. The dominant strategy for protecting skilled jobs is to transition workers into the industries set to replace North Sea production: wind energy and other low-carbon technologies.
However, though Britain has developed a large wind power sector, it remains a major importer of turbines. Domestic manufacturing makes only a small contribution, and developers are not required to use British-made turbines or other parts, despite the jobs this would create.
This has left Grangemouth workers discontented. When one of us (Ewan Gibbs) and Riyoko Shibe interviewed young refinery workers at Grangemouth earlier this year, many commented that there were relatively few jobs in renewables. When jobs were visible on LinkedIn and comparable job sites, one told us that “you’ll see there’s a big difference in terms and conditions”.
Wind farms are relatively easy to run once installed, so most jobs are in building them. Kevin Shipp / shutterstock
In its current form, the UK wind industry will find it hard to provide the types of secure ongoing employment that oil and gas historically has. Most jobs are in the construction and maintenance of wind farms, with the latter threatened by automation. Without public investment and a targeted industrial policy, Britain will remain a net importer of wind technology, and the phasing out of North Sea oil and gas will prove costly in job terms.
Britain’s lack of state intervention is not the norm. After all, more than half of British wind farms are state-owned, though less than 1% are owned by the UK government. Swedish, Norwegian, French, Irish and German state-owned entities are major players, but the biggest is Denmark’s Ørsted, a former oil company turned renewables giant which is mostly state-owned. In the UK’s most recent offshore wind auction, 70% of the projects were awarded to Ørsted.
The newly launched Great British Energy could give the state a foothold in the North Sea once more. This publicly owned company plans to focus on domestic manufacturing and will invest in ports and other infrastructures to “unlock strategic bottlenecks”.
But if such projects are to be meaningfully incorporated into a just transition, they will need to offer continuity and security to oil and gas workers. As one Grangemouth worker put it, referring to his colleagues facing the choice of either remaining unemployed locally or relocating to use their skills:
They’re moving to the Middle East, they’re moving to the north-east of Scotland. They’re moving offshore, they’re moving to the Shetlands, and therefore it’s not a just transition, in my view, if we’re moving to these jobs.
Another worker highlighted the risks that Grangemouth could join the coalfields in becoming “stranded” communities:
We’ve got a community that’s been built round the site, we’ve got skills and we’ve got people that work there, we’ve got the infrastructure there – why should we not have these jobs when the time comes to move to these industries? Why can we not have it at Grangemouth?
Britain’s push to phase out oil and gas is urgent and necessary, but it cannot follow the same trajectory as Britain’s exit from coal – lessons must be learned. The opportunities presented by the transition away from fossil fuels will only be fully realised if workers are at its centre.
Freddie Daley receives funding from UKRI for the SUS-POL project at the University of Sussex, which explores fossil fuel phase-outs around the world. Freddie also campaigns on demand reduction with Badvertising.
Ewan Gibbs received funding from a British Academy Wolfson Fellowship that supported this research (grant number: WF21210099).
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Alice Kelly, Assistant Professor of Literature and History, University of Warwick
America’s inaugural national memorial marking the first world war was unveiled this month in Washington DC, on the birthday of war commander General John J. Pershing – 106 years after the end of the war. We don’t often get to see a new memorial to a century-old war, especially one that has been deliberately designed in a century-old style.
Its sculptor, Sabin Howard – who was recently referred to as a “self-appointed bulwark against the scourge of modern art” – rejects the vogue for abstract commemorative art seen in memorials such as Maya Lin’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial (1982). The centrepiece of the new memorial is Howard’s 58-foot panoramic sculpture, A Soldier’s Journey. Five connected scenes tell the story of an American everyman who enlists as a volunteer, fights in Europe, then returns home.
The 38 realist figures were painstakingly sculpted from costumed models before being cast in 25 tonnes of weather-resistant bronze. Howard wanted to “tell a story” about the first world war and how it affected Americans, to make the conflict more visible to viewers today and in the future.
In an episode of Cheers from 1983, when a first world war veteran comes into the bar, Coach asks: “Is that the war with Clark Gable or Gary Cooper?” I’m not sure American knowledge of the war has come much further in the past 40 years.
In every other participating nation, the centenary of the war was marked by a pageant of commemorative activity – think of the 5 million people who went to see the ceramic poppies at the Tower of London. But in the US, despite having a culture of venerating veterans, the first world war is notoriously a “forgotten” war. It tends to be overshadowed by the civil war on one side, and the second world war on the other.
Perhaps this blindspot is because the American experience of the first world war was much shorter. For the US, it lasted just 19 months from the declaration of war in April 1917 to the signing of the armistice in November 1918. And the fighting – as the song goes – was “over there” rather than on the home front, as it was in Europe. American losses, although high at 116,516 men (plus several hundred women who lost their lives while serving as nurses), were much lower than those of European nations. Britain, for example, lost 880,000 servicemen – 6% of the adult male population at the time.
But the role this war played in the development of the “American century” is incomparable. The first world war destabilised the European powers – already in imperial decline – to the extent that the US grew to become the pre-eminent financial and military power after the war.
The sacred and the dead
The first world war hasn’t always been forgotten in the US. Indeed, in the 1920s and ’30s, American commemoration of the war was at its most “supercharged”, as scholar Steven Trout has shown. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, was interred in 1921 – a commemorative form borrowed from Europe after the first “unknowns” were interred in London and Paris in November 1920.
Arlington is now the site for national memory of all wars, woven into the fabric of US political life. The recent controversy over a confrontation between Donald Trump staffers and cemetery officials demonstrates its continuing role in ensuring the sacred place of war dead in American culture.
Across the nation, Americans have sought to remember their war dead in myriad forms, including memorial halls, parkways, plazas, opera houses, arches, gymnasiums, parks, trees and bell towers. There were so many memorials erected in New York City in the 1920s and ’30s – including parks, sculptures and the planting of memorial trees – that after the second world war, New York City’s commissioner for parks and recreation, Robert Moses, effectively banned new monuments being built, considering them “monstrosities”.
Many memorials are still peppered across America, hidden in plain sight but instantly recognisable, even if viewers don’t know the context. The Spirit of the American Doughboy, designed by sculptor E.M. Viquesney and copyrighted in 1920, features a “doughboy” (recruit) holding his rifle with fixed bayonet and a grenade in his other hand – deliberately echoing the Statue of Liberty.
‘American doughboy’: a memorial to the Americans who served in the first world war, designed by E.M. Viquesney. Rosemarie Mosteller/Shutterstock
Advertised as an affordable tribute that could be bought by towns as their local memorial, there are currently 135 originals and replicas on public display across the US. I find it impossible not to think of those doughboys when I look at the soldiers in Howard’s memorial.
Commentators may well criticise Howard’s figurative sculpture as old-fashioned, but the debate over appropriate memorial forms and the question of “taste” is not new. In fact, it was a very live debate in the first world war’s immediate aftermath.
In attempting to correct the historical omission of a national memorial, it seems appropriate that Howard’s figurative sculpture looks like – and recalls – first world war sculpture of the time.
Will it earn the war its place in American memory that it deserves? I’m not sure. But in giving old form to an old war, it will make it visible to generations of Americans unfamiliar with it – and help the rest of us remember it anew.
Alice Kelly does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ben O’Loughlin, Professor of International Relations, Royal Holloway University of London
Prime Minister Keir Starmer was under immense pressure to announce some big policies in his 2024 party conference speech. Those who felt the agenda had been captured by stories of scandal and discontent in Number 10 saw a major new offering as a potential way to distract. But Starmer chose a different path – one that he overtly described as the more difficult one.
This, for him, is not about policies. Starmer is offering Britain a choice about how it thinks about politics. In his speech, he rejected what he called a politics of “easy answers” offered in the “cowardly fantasy” of populists. He asked the British public to ignore the “whims of Westminster” that see a politician stirring uproar to hide their lack of action.
Looking back at the last government, he said: “Take Rwanda, a policy they knew from the beginning would never work, was never supposed to work. £700 million of your money, frittered away on something that was never a credible option because politically it was an easier answer.”
Want more politics coverage from academic experts? Every week, we bring you informed analysis of developments in government and fact check the claims being made.
What is required is for politicians to address difficult challenges directly, not duck them, he said, adding: “If this path were popular or easy we would have walked it already.” The public must therefore be prepared to debate difficult challenges. This is a difficult version of politics.
Will people like it?
Easy-answers politics is quick and based on the performance of utter certainty. X is wrong, Y will fix it. If government doesn’t do Y, it is betraying the country. A flight to Rwanda will solve global migration patterns caused by climate, conflict and the way the world economy works. We don’t want to even think about climate, conflict and the way the world economy works. This is how Starmer characterised the Conservative government of the last 14 years.
Take the rough with the smooth
Starmer is offering a performance of seriousness and trying to create an expectation he will deliver a serious politics. He called this a “renewal” because Britain has done serious politics before, generations ago, and it is in British people’s blood: “We will turn our collar up and face the storm,” he said. British people will all contribute, all participate in that renewal, because “this is a country with fairness in the water”.
This entails being open to debate with other citizens who we disagree with, in a spirit of collective endeavour, not self-interest. You want security? Prisons may be built near you, he said. You want cheaper electricity? Then we’ll build pylons overground. You want government to have some control in the immigration process? We’ll make it function properly. But you must accept that in that fair and proper process, some people will be granted asylum. Agree to disagree, but, more fundamentally, agree that disagreement is OK, because we are equal citizens.
The British public must be persuaded to trust this government and this renewal project because they understand government not as aloof partying liars. Look to my government, Starmer said, to see politicians in service to the country of Britain and the British “working people”. But for government to show it thinks it is in the service of the public, it struck me that it can’t be accepting free tickets to watch Arsenal.
Do we have a narrative yet?
Starmer addressed the question of whether he has a story to tell about the country. Since he came to government, it has felt as though he lacks one. He said Britain’s dilemma is “our story is uncertain. Hope is beaten out of us.”
Yet the world thinks of Britain as a great nation, he said, of scientific genius, the industry of its working people, and pragmatism about the complexity of global relations. He said this shows Britain was capable of writing “our own story and that of the world”. He called for Britain to do this again.
For this to happen, citizens need to be able to see a connection through time. It begins with the government saying it is serious and trustworthy. Then, at a certain point in time, the public needs to be able to look back and see the actions that government has taken. Finally, at a later time, citizens decide whether they’ve seen the results of those actions in their lives.
This is how the story of a nation is built. But it is where enormous patience is needed. And while his narrative was more successful than previous attempts, there was a piece missing from the puzzle. Will building prisons or electricity pylons provide conditions that allow companies to create economic growth?
This is not a fully coherent story based on a clear plan – at least not one that has been made public. It is more a wager Starmer is calling on Britons to make. Bet now, and wait. And that’s a lot to ask.
Ben O’Loughlin does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)
Washington Foreign Press Center Briefing “Preview of President Biden’s Quad Summit” on September 24, 2024.
The mission of the Foreign Press Centers is to assist foreign media in their coverage of the United States by providing firsthand access to both government and non-government experts to gain a deeper understanding of U.S. politics, history, values, and culture. The views expressed by briefers not affiliated with the Department of State or U.S. government are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of State or the U.S. government. Participation in Foreign Press Center programming by briefers not affiliated with the Department of State or U.S. government does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation of their views.
———-
Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.
The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.
Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/statedept
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StateDept
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/statedept
Flickr: https://flickr.com/photos/statephotos/
Subscribe to the State Department Blog: https://www.state.gov/blogs
Watch on-demand State Department videos: https://video.state.gov/
Subscribe to The Week at State e-newsletter: http://ow.ly/diiN30ro7Cw
State Department website: https://www.state.gov/
Careers website: https://careers.state.gov/
White House website: https://www.whitehouse.gov/
The President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, met today with the President of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in the margins of the high-level week of the 79th United Nations General Assembly.
In addition to the increasingly difficult situation in the Middle East, the meeting also focused on the common commitment to support Ukraine’s territorial integrity and pursue a just and lasting peace.
With regard to the debate on Security Council reform, the two leaders reiterated their shared commitment in the context of the ‘United for Consensus’ group, supporting a solution inspired by the principles of equality, democracy and representativeness which therefore excludes the creation of new permanent seats.
On a bilateral level, President Meloni and President Erdoğan reaffirmed the shared desire to hold a summit between their two governments and a business forum as soon as possible in order to further strengthen the bilateral relationship.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03)
WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03) announced she helped secure another $20 million for Nevada from the Bureau of Reclamation to strengthen the Las Vegas Wash. This federal investment, to be provided to the Southern Nevada Water Authority, will go toward the construction of an erosion control structure, known as a weir, in the Lower Las Vegas Wash within Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
The Las Vegas Wash is a critical drought mitigation tool and the primary drainage channel for the Las Vegas Valley watershed, carrying around 200 million gallons of water to Lake Mead daily. The additional weir will help filter the water returning to the lake and improve habitat conditions for endangered wildlife, fortifying the Wash for years to come.
“Nobody knows better than a Nevadan how important our water is, and today’s announcement is another huge win to protect both our local and regional water supply,” said Congresswoman Susie Lee. “The Las Vegas Wash is critical to keeping more water in Lake Mead as well as ensuring safe and clean water for this generation and those to come. I’ll keep fighting to bring back federal dollars to strengthen southern Nevada’s water infrastructure.”
The investment is funded in part by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Congresswoman Lee helped negotiate and pass last Congress. In 2023 alone, Lee delivered more than $122 million for local water projects and infrastructure. This year, she secured another $4 million for the Lake Mead/Las Vegas Wash Program.
The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced settled charges against TrueCoin LLC and TrustToken Inc. for their fraudulent and unregistered sales of investment contracts involving TrueUSD (TUSD), a purported stablecoin.
According to the SEC’s complaint, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, TrueCoin was an issuer of TUSD and TrustToken was the developer and operator of TrueFi, a so-called lending protocol. The SEC’s complaint alleges that from November 2020 until April 2023, TrueCoin and TrustToken engaged in the unregistered offer and sale of investment contracts in the form of the crypto asset TUSD and profit-making opportunities with respect to TrueUSD on TrueFi. The complaint further alleges that TrueCoin and TrustToken falsely marketed the investment opportunity as safe and trustworthy by claiming that TUSD was fully backed by U.S. dollars or their equivalent, when in fact a substantial portion of the assets purportedly backing TUSD had been invested in a speculative and risky offshore investment fund to earn additional returns for the defendants. The complaint alleges that, by approximately March 2022, after the TUSD operations had been sold to an offshore entity, that entity and TrueCoin had invested more than half a billion dollars of the assets purportedly backing TUSD in the speculative fund, and that, by Fall 2022, TrueCoin and TrustToken became aware of redemption problems at the offshore fund but continued to make false statements to investors casting TUSD as backed one-for-one by U.S. dollars. As alleged, by September 2024, 99% of the reserves backing TUSD were invested in the speculative fund.
“TrueCoin and TrustToken sought profits for themselves by exposing investors to substantial, undisclosed risks through misrepresentations about the safety of the investment,” said Jorge G. Tenreiro, Acting Chief of the SEC’s Crypto Assets & Cyber Unit. “This case is a prime example of why registration matters, as investors in these products continue to be deprived of the key information needed to make fully informed decisions.”
Without admitting or denying the allegations, TrueCoin and TrustToken have agreed to settle the SEC’s charges by consenting to the entry of final judgments enjoining them from violating applicable provisions of the federal securities laws and to pay civil penalties of $163,766 each. TrueCoin has agreed to pay disgorgement of $340,930 with prejudgment interest of $31,538. The settlements are subject to court approval.
The SEC’s investigation, which is ongoing, was conducted by Michael C. Baker, Michael Friedman, Pasha Salimi, and Bryan Hsueh. The matter was supervised by Michael Brennan, James Connor, and Mr. Tenreiro.
In August 2024, workers at the first U.S. unionized Apple Store, represented by the IAM, ratified a new contract after 18 months of bargaining. The union contract included a 10% raise, scheduling improvements, and protections for part-time and current members. It also includes a severance clause, limits on contracted employees, and a clear disciplinary process.
IAM District 4 Organizer Kevin Gallagher, who was an Apple worker at the Towson, Md., Apple store, recently visited the IAM Headquarters in Upper Marlboro.
Watch the video here.
“The amount of support the IAM union gives workers is unbelievable,” said Gallagher. “Apple store employees across America who are considering organizing would be wise to join the IAM.”
Gallagher toured the massive IAM building and met directly with many department heads and support representatives.
“I was very impressed with the Health and Safety Department,” said Gallagher. “Some Apple workers are exposed to potentially hazardous situations working with materials like lithium batteries. It was good to hear how the IAM trains workers on handling such substances.”
The high point of the tour was sitting down with IAM International President Brian Bryant
“We’re here, willing and able to you assist you,” said Bryant. “It’s important to bring the same justice that you’ve got in Maryland and bring that to all other locations.”
The Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, met, on the sidelines of the high-level week of the 79th United Nations General Assembly, the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
At the heart of the meeting, in addition to the increasingly difficult situation in the Middle East, was the shared commitment to supporting the territorial integrity of Ukraine and to seeking a just and lasting peace.
Regarding the debate on the reform of the Security Council, the two Leaders reaffirmed their common commitment within the context of the “United for Consensus” group to support a solution inspired by the principles of equality, democracy and representativeness which therefore excludes the creation of new permanent seats.
On the bilateral front, the common will to convene a Summit between the two Governments and a “Business Forum” as soon as possible was reaffirmed in order to further strengthen the bilateral relationship.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.
On the sidelines of the high-level week of the 79th United Nations General Assembly, the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, met with the Head of the Interim Government of Bangladesh, Prof. Muhammad Yunus.
During the meeting, President Meloni expressed Italy’s support for the reform process in Bangladesh and the primary objective of improving the socio-economic conditions of the population.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to address the issue of immigration and to affirm the desire to strengthen collaboration on the matter, relaunching in particular the negotiation for the conclusion of a bilateral agreement that contrasts irregular migratory flows, establishes closer collaboration on repatriations and, at the same time, favors legal pathways.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.
SAN DIEGO, Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI), a leading provider of innovative gaming and hospitality intelligence platforms, is proud to announce a strategic partnership with Maropost for Marketing Cloud, its enterprise-grade email marketing tool built to personalize customer communications at scale.
Enhanced with QCI data, Marketing Cloud automates and elevates email marketing to high-value customers, making it more timely, relevant, and engaging. The combined solution connects casinos to their best customers on a deeper level by learning preferences, spotlighting interactions, and enabling VIP experiences
The partnership will be highlighted at the upcoming Global Gaming Expo (G2E) 2024 in Las Vegas, where team members from Maropost will join QCI at their booth. Together, they will showcase how their integrated solutions empower casino operators to enhance player engagement, improve operational efficiency, and gain actionable insights.
“Maropost is a steadfast supporter of the gaming sector, and we are thrilled to partner with them,” said Dr. Ralph Thomas, CEO of Quick Custom Intelligence. “Connecting QCI data with Marketing Cloud allows us to offer our clients robust and compliant marketing automation tools. Our partnership is not just strategic; it’s essential for the industry’s continued growth and success.”
Andrew Cardno, QCI’s Chief Technology Officer, emphasized the urgency of the collaboration: “Maropost’s commitment to the gaming industry advances the industry’s capabilities. Their proven marketing automation platform, which sends more than 104 million emails each day, enables casino operators to effectively and compliantly deliver hyper-personalized offers, increasing response rates and driving revenue.”
Jarred Young, VP of Revenue at Maropost, highlighted the transformative impact of the partnership: “Our collaboration with QCI has been a game-changer for casino operators. By integrating QCI’s rich data with Maropost’s powerful email automation, we’ve unlocked next-level guest engagement. We’re proud to stand with QCI to deliver the solutions our clients urgently need.”
About Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI)
Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI) is the pioneer behind the QCI Platform, an artificial general intelligence platform that seamlessly integrates player development, marketing, and gaming operations with real-time tools designed for the gaming and hospitality industries. Our advanced, highly configurable software is deployed in over 160 casino resorts across North America, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Latin America, and The Bahamas. Managing over $24 billion in annual gross gaming revenue, QCI’s platform serves as a best-in-class solution for on-premises, hybrid, or cloud-based operations. Our data-driven, AGI-powered software facilitates swift, informed decision-making, optimizing resources, crafting effective marketing campaigns, and enhancing customer loyalty. Co-founded by Dr. Ralph Thomas and Mr. Andrew Cardno, QCI is headquartered in San Diego, with additional offices in Las Vegas, St. Louis, Dallas, Denver, and Phoenix. For more information, visit www.quickcustomintelligence.com.
About Maropost
Only Maropost unites the commerce tools and insights growing brands need to engage customers and scale their business. Built on unified customer data and an enterprise-grade infrastructure, Maropost offers a complete, connected suite of marketing, merchandising and search, ecommerce, and retail solutions. Since its founding in 2011, Maropost has made multiple appearances on Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 list and G2’s leaderboard. A global company, Maropost proudly serves 5,000+ leading commerce brands across North America, Australia, and Europe, including Victoria Beckham, Sandro Paris, Untuckit, Scott Sports, James Perse, and Fujifilm. Learn more at www.maropost.com.
About Global Gaming Expo (G2E)
Global Gaming Expo (G2E) is the world’s premier international gaming trade show and conference, bringing together industry leaders, innovators, and decision-makers from around the globe. G2E 2024 will take place in Las Vegas, showcasing the latest trends and technologies that are shaping the future of the gaming industry.
About Dr. Ralph Thomas
Dr. Ralph Thomas is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Quick Custom Intelligence. A product visionary in applied analytics, he has founded two companies delivering solutions in casino gaming, education, and adult learning. As a gaming industry veteran, Dr. Thomas has substantial experience implementing analytics into single and multi-property gaming companies to drive tangible and measurable gains to the bottom line. He has built business intelligence tools for multibillion-dollar casinos and is the co-author of seven books and over 80 articles on applied analytics and data science in gaming. An inventor on dozens of patents, Dr. Thomas understands gaming from raw data up through casino operations, giving him a unique, 360-degree view of the industry.
About Andrew Cardno
Andrew Cardno is a distinguished figure in the realm of artificial intelligence and data plumbing. With over two decades spearheading private Ph.D. and master’s level research teams, his expertise has made significant waves in data tooling. Andrew’s innate ability to innovate has led him to devise numerous pioneering visualization methods. Of these, the most notable is the deep zoom image format, a groundbreaking innovation that has since become a cornerstone in the majority of today’s mapping tools. His leadership acumen has earned him two coveted Smithsonian Laureates, and teams under his mentorship have clinched 40 industry awards, including three pivotal gaming industry transformation awards. Together with Dr. Ralph Thomas, the duo co-founded Quick Custom Intelligence, amplifying their collaborative innovative capacities. A testament to his inventive prowess, Andrew boasts over 150 patent applications. Across various industries—be it telecommunications with Telstra Australia, retail with giants like Walmart and Best Buy, or the medical sector with esteemed institutions like City Of Hope and UCSD—Andrew’s impact is deeply felt. He has enriched the literature with insights, co-authoring eight influential books with Dr. Thomas and contributing to over 100 industry publications. An advocate for community and diversity, Andrew’s work has touched over 100 Native American Tribal Resorts, underscoring his expansive and inclusive professional endeavors.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
DAKAR, Senegal, September 24, 2024/APO Group/ —
The Basketball Africa League (BAL) (https://BAL.NBA.com) and Speak Up Africa, an African-led, Senegal-based organization working with leaders and changemakers in Africa and beyond to solve Africa’s pressing sustainable development challenges, today announced the launch of the second edition of their mentorship program, “Teaming Up: African LeadHERs meet BAL4HER,” which this year will pair 10 young African female athletes and aspiring sports industry leaders with female executives in the sports industry. The program is part of the BAL and Speak Up Africa’s efforts to advance gender equity and public health, propel women’s leadership, and prepare the next generation for careers in sports business across the continent.
The second edition of the program, which will run from Friday, Nov. 1, 2024 – Sunday, June 1, 2025, will once again pair each mentee with an industry executive and experienced mentor who will guide them through a personalized development journey. Through monthly workshops, targeted goal-setting, and immersive learning experiences, the mentees will gain essential skills and knowledge to thrive in Africa’s sports industry and become advocates for critical health issues affecting women and girls. Applications (https://apo-opa.co/3ZzrFNG) are open now and will close on Monday, Oct. 7. The mentors for this year’s program include:
Ashley Combs (Senior Director of Player Marketing, Excel Management)
Aicha Diop (Director of Marketing, BAL)
Allison Feaster (Vice President of Team Operations & Organizational Growth, Boston Celtics)
Dr. Kensa Gunter (Director of Mind Health, NBA)
Ebony Hoffman (Assistant Coach, Seattle Storm)
Dr. Ndidi Onyejiaka (Mental Health Professional, Chicago Sky)
Jamila Wideman (Senior Vice President of Player Development, NBA)
“‘Teaming Up: African LeadHERs meet BAL4HER’ reflects the BAL’s commitment to supporting the development of young African women who will shape the future of the sports industry on the continent,” said BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall. “As we continue our efforts to advance gender equity, we look forward to once again collaborating with Speak Up Africa to pave the way for a more inclusive, dynamic, and health-conscious basketball community.”
“Basketball is more than a game. It is a powerful catalyst for social change,” said Speak Up Africa Founder, Yacine Diop. “Through ‘Teaming Up: African LeadHERs meet BAL4HER,’ we’re igniting a movement that intertwines sports, gender equality and health. These young women leaders will break barriers on the court and in boardrooms, champion critical health issues, and inspire millions across Africa.”
Similar to last year’s program, mentees will have the opportunity to visit their mentors in their home countries, allowing them to engage with leading professionals in their workplace. This hands-on experience will allow mentees to forge meaningful connections, broaden their networks, and gain practical knowledge directly from industry leaders.
As part of the launch, BAL and Speak Up Africa hosted an event at the NBA headquarters in New York City that brought together sports industry leaders and stakeholders to discuss and address areas impacting women in African basketball. The event featured the Speak Up Africa LINGEER exhibition, a photo exhibition designed to drive greater inclusion in basketball by highlighting the impact of women across a range of roles and functions.
Launched in 2023 as part of Speak Up Africa’s African LeadHERs movement and the BAL’s “BAL4HER” initiative, last year’s program matched six young women from Egypt, Rwanda and Senegal with sports industry executives Amber Nichols (General Manager, Capital City Go-Go), Chin, Feaster, Ebony Hoffman (assistant coach, Seattle Storm), Taylor Kielpinski-Rogers (Vice President of Communications, Boston Celtics) and Kornelia Semmelink (NBA Africa Senior Director, Media Partnerships).
For example, since yesterday, some of MSF’s staff in south Lebanon, Beirut, and other parts of the country have been forced to leave their homes, with people fleeing and spending hours in traffic in search of safety. In south Lebanon and Baalbek-Hermel—areas that continue to experience heavy aerial strikes—MSF staff reported bombardments in close proximity to their homes. Many staff there were still sheltering in their homes while Israeli warplanes continued to fly overhead and throughout the night.
MSF is distributing non-food items like mattresses and hygiene kits to collective shelters across the country. MSF mobile medical units are providing primary and mental health care to shelters for those in need. In addition, teams are running mental health helplines, offering psychological support to displaced and affected individuals during this time of distress.
Following the pager attacks last week, MSF immediately reached out to health actors, including hospitals, to provide support and donate supplies.
MSF will continue to coordinate closely with partners and hospital networks, offering support where possible as the situation develops.
Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) is cosponsoring bipartisan legislation to help college graduates reduce the burden of student loans through a tax-free employer contribution. The Employer Participation in Repayment Act would permanently extend a provision of the Internal Revenue Code allowing employees to exempt up to $5,250 from tax annually in student loan repayments that employers contribute on their behalf. The original provision was included in the bipartisan CARES Act and later extended through January 2026. Before the expansion of the provision, employers were only allowed to contribute toward continuing educating — not student loan repayments — in a way that is tax-free to the employee. The bill’s original sponsors are Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and John Thune (R-SD).
“Student loans are an essential financial tool to help people in Maine and across the nation access and afford higher education,” said Senator King. “However, as we seek to tackle the cost of living in America, if we can cut costs for college graduates, those extra dollars can help them afford apartments, cars or even set aside savings. The bipartisan Employer Participation in Repayment Act is a commonsense step forward to ease the burden of student loan debt, while also creating a valuable recruiting and retention tool for employers. It’s not just smart policy, it’s a win-win for Maine workers and businesses.”
According to a report from Federal Student Aid, an office of the Department of Education, it is estimated that Americans owe a combined $1.74 trillion dollars in student loan debt. This debt is a significant financial burden that not only influences the way the American workforce saves and spends, but also has a stifling effect on the economy. The Employer Participation in Repayment Act would update an existing federal program so that it works better for employees living with the reality of burdensome student loan debt.
From day one in the Senate, Senator King has advocated for student loan borrowers, working to ease the heavy debt burden that impacts thousands of Maine people. Earlier this year, he joined his colleagues in urging Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to consider a pause for student loan borrowers who are nearing their final payments during the Department’s transition to additional student loan servicers. In April 2019, Senator King joined Senators Coons and Portman to introduce Domenic’s Law, bipartisan legislation which would allow a parent whose child develops a total and permanent disability to qualify for student loan forgiveness. After an alarming report in 2019 from National Public Radio (NPR) which found that hundreds of thousands of Americans with qualifying disabilities have not received the student loan relief they are entitled to by law, Senator King joined a bipartisan group of Senate colleagues in sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Education urging the Department’s Acting Inspector General, Sandra Bruce, to investigate the federal student loan discharge process for Americans with total and permanent disabilities (TPD).
Contemporary ice hockey was pioneered in Canada, and the sport has historically been watched and played by Canadians.(Shutterstock)
Hockey has played a significant role in shaping Canada’s culture and identity over the years. As sport scholar Tony Patoine once put it, “hockey has become more than a simple pasttime: it is a true Canadian tradition, a quasi-religion.”
Despite these perceptions, however, we question the strength of such unification potential amidst recent changes to hockey culture. Can hockey continue to unify all of Canada?
‘Communitas’
Hockey’s purported sense of unity closely relates to the concept of “communitas,” coined by anthropologist Victor Turner, which describes the strong bonds of comradery that form between members of a group — and sometimes between members of disparate groups — where rank and status disappear.
However, not everyone experiences this sense of unity equally. Since social groups establish behaviours required for group membership, those who don’t align with these norms may feel excluded.
Former Hockey Night in Canada commentator, Don Cherry, was once praised for upholding values characteristic of hockey, including the promotion of violence, hyper masculinity and an overall adherence to “ideas of loyalty, fraternity, and mutual respect.” These values, once normalized within the hockey community, shaped how both players and fans were expected to act.
But as the game continues to evolve and these values are increasingly considered archaic and out of sync with the broader political culture fostered within Canada, we as Canadian sport and political science researchers, respectively, question if hockey still provides that sense of communitas for all of Canada.
Hockey in French Canada
Although Canadians often view hockey as a monolithic, universally adopted sport across Canada, a closer look reveals patterns of non-uniformity. Nowhere are such differences more apparent than in the historical development of the sport in Québec versus the rest of Canada.
As historian Emmanuel Lapierre wrote, “French Canadians appropriated hockey in their own manner and used it to tell a story about themselves,” a story that is, like the province of Québec itself, unique within the Canadian federation.
For much of Canadian history, Anglophone hockey players represented the in-group, while Francophone hockey players were often seen as outsiders. In the 1950s, for example, Francophone players in the NHL believed they were treated more harshly when it came to suspensions and fines.
Maurice Richard scoring his 500th goal on Oct. 19, 1957. At the time, he was the first and only professional NHL player to achieve such a feat. (Wikimedia Commons)
After Montreal Canadiens’ player Maurice “Rocket” Richard was suspended from the playoffs in March 1955 for punching an official, a massive riot broke out among fans. They raged through downtown Montréal, targeting Anglophone-owned buildings. This riot became a symbol of Francophone resistance to Anglophone dominance, serving as a stepping stone towards the Quiet Revolution and renewed French Canadian nationalism.
This, in turn, strengthened the sense of unity around hockey in Canada. Francophone hockey players began to be viewed as more equal to, and at the very least not controlled by, Anglophone players. Hockey was used to forge a sense of communitas amongst French Canadians, serving as a transcendent unifier in Canada.
But that was then, and it occurred within the context of a province historically rich with connections to French Canadian culture, where hockey’s unification potential was, therefore, heightened. Does this similar sense of communitas still exist in the rest of Canada with respect to hockey? Or has the sport’s ability to unite the nation become weakened in an era of unprecedented political polarization?
In 2023, Hockey Canada’s former CEO acknowledged the need to address racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination in hockey culture. “Each topic, or part of culture that we’re trying to get at, that will determine who the audience is as we move forward,” he said.
As hockey navigates these changes, it must adapt to the growing emphasis on equity, diversity and inclusion, alongside the impacts of an increasing immigrant population and the globalization of the game.
This evolution could mean the demise of “traditional” hockey values, and perhaps that is a good thing: misogynistic, “rock ‘em and sock ’em” mentalities don’t align with the values of a modern liberal democracy like Canada.
Still, for communitas to transcend division, hockey must also find a way to bring traditional fans along, who may have enjoyed the undertones of violence and masculinized definitions of loyalty, fraternity and respect, without alienating them.
Where should hockey go now?
Hockey’s role as a unifying force in Canada is well established. Not only is it still Canada’s official winter sport, but as outlined above, it has also served as a unifier for French and English Canada. Hockey has, moreover, unified Canadians during other key moments, such as Canada’s victory over the USSR in the 1972 Summit Series, which symbolized democracy’s triumph over communism.
However, hockey’s role as a unifying force has diminished over the years. For many Canadians, hockey is no longer “the best game you can name,” as Stompin’ Tom Connors once sang.
If hockey is to maintain its historic place as a contributor to Canadian nationalism and communitas, the sport must evolve. While some traditional values — such as teamwork, loyalty and respect — should be preserved, outdated notions like hyper masculinity and aggression no longer align with today’s values.
As Canada changes, so too must hockey. Canadian hockey culture and policies must better adapt to meet contemporary Canadian values like diversity and inclusivity.
The question for Canadians isn’t just the future of hockey, but what can unite us in today’s world. Communitas need not be confined to hockey, let alone a sport. Hockey has traditionally filled this unification role, but if it fails to keep up, what will take its place?
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
In the margins of the high-level week of the 79th United Nations General Assembly, the President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, met today with the Head of the Interim Government of Bangladesh, Prof. Muhammad Yunus.
During the meeting, President Meloni expressed Italy’s support for the reform process in Bangladesh and the main goal of improving the population’s social and economic conditions.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to discuss migration, with the intention being stated to strengthen cooperation on this issue, in particular by relaunching negotiations to complete a bilateral agreement to combat irregular migration flows, establish closer cooperation on returns and, at the same time, support legal paths.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09)
Washington, DC — Today, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Congressman Tracey Mann (KS-01), Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Senator Roger Marshall, MD (R-KS), introduced the bicameral and bipartisan Farmer First Fuel Incentives Act requiring the Treasury Department to restrict the eligibility of the 45Z Tax Credit to renewable fuels made only from domestically sourced feedstocks and extending the tax credit to make it a full ten-year credit.
“I joined my colleagues in this important bicameral and bipartisan effort because helping American farmers, producers, and growers goes beyond state and party lines,” said Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), senior member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture.” We must ensure the Clean Fuel Production tax credit is structured in a way that benefits domestic producers and not one that advantages foreign-produced feedstocks from China or Brazil. Our legislation will extend this credit through 2034 and bolster American energy independence by prioritizing American producers and the production of domestic biofuels.”
“In no world should American tax incentives first benefit foreign producers,” said Congressman Tracey Mann (KS-01). “While the use of foreign feedstocks can play an important role in producing domestically manufactured ethanol, biodiesel, renewable diesel, and sustainable aviation fuel, we must not displace harvest in America. Our legislation puts American farmers first by ensuring that American tax credits are incentivizing American-grown products.”
“American tax dollars should support American farmers – not imported feedstocks. To continue to grow the biofuels industry and open new markets for Ohio farmers, we must stop taxpayer money from subsidizing a surge in Chinese cooking oil or any other foreign feedstock from infiltrating the American market. Our bipartisan bill ensures these investments benefit Ohio farmers and Ohio energy producers,” Said Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH).
“It’s very tough in farm country with high interest rates and low commodity prices, which is exactly why we can’t have a tax policy that will lower commodity prices even more. While we support free trade and open markets, we do not believe foreign feedstocks should be incentivized through the hard-earned dollars of US taxpayers to the detriment of American farmers,” said Senator Roger Marshall, MD (R-KS). “This legislation puts farmers FIRST to ensure they are the primary beneficiaries of renewable fuel tax incentives and provides businesses a decade of certainty.”
“The federal clean fuel production tax credit is meant to foster a domestic market for cleaner burning fuels that promote American jobs and energy independence,” said Rusty Goebel, President, Ohio Soybean Association. “Foreign imported feedstocks shouldn’t benefit from American taxpayer investments in this industry. Ohio Soybean farmers support Congresswoman Kaptur’s efforts to ensure Ohio-grown feedstocks aren’t undercut by foreign suppliers.”
“NOPA commends this bipartisan, bicameral legislative effort which puts U.S fuel producers, US crushers and US farmers first. We thank Senators Brown and Marshall and Representatives Mann and Kaptur for their leadership,” said NOPA President and CEO Kailee Tkacz Buller. “We support free trade and open markets but do not believe foreign feedstocks should benefit on the backs of U.S. taxpayers to the detriment of US farmers. Without this fix, the 45Z credit will incentivize the use of foreign feedstocks over those grown by US farmers. Our industry has made significant investments to expand US crush capacity by 30 percent and this fix is pivotal to ensuring these investments are delivered.”
“Corn growers are making every effort to help the airline industry lower its greenhouse gas emissions through the use of corn ethanol,” said Minnesota farmer and NCGA president Harold Wolle. “We are deeply appreciative of these leaders for introducing legislation that establishes requirements for the tax credit that will level the playing field for America’s corn growers.”
“Biofuel production paves a key path for our country to be a clean energy leader, and US farmers who grow the crops going into those biofuels take pride in helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions while supporting the US economy and energy independence,” said ASA President Josh Gackle, a North Dakota soybean farmer. “However, for continued growth of America’s promising biofuels industry, US farmers need the support of a final 45Z rule that prioritizes domestically sourced feedstock.”
“The Farmer First Fuel Incentive Act recognizes the vital role of American agriculture in 45Z. This legislation ensures that the guidance is designed and implemented in a farmer-focused manner, supporting domestic clean energy production and stimulating economic growth across rural America,” said Craig Meeker, Chairman of National Sorghum Producers.
“This important bill sends a strong signal that extending the 45Z credit is going to be a top, bipartisan priority in this Congress and the next,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “We applaud all our rural champions for working to give biofuel producers and our farm partners the long-term certainty we need to accelerate innovation in America’s bioeconomy. With a longer runway from Congress, and clear, flexible, and timely guidance from the US Department of the Treasury, we’ll have the pieces in place to unlock billions of dollars in new clean energy investments across rural America,” Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy, said.
The 10-year credit will give the ethanol industry the time and financial incentive to build up the infrastructure needed for the US to be less reliant on foreign fuel, open new markets for farmers, and increase ethanol production across the Midwest. However, we recently learned that 45Z has a glaring flaw that needs to be fixed for farmers wanting to sell feedstocks to the biodiesel and renewable diesel industry. If 45Z goes into effect as is, taxpayers will be massively subsidizing Chinese used cooking oil and would all but eliminate the use of homegrown soy or corn oil in renewable diesel.
House cosponsors include: Representatives Don Bacon (NE-02) Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), and Representatives James Comer (KY-01).
Senate cosponsors include: Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Tina Smith (D-MN).
The Farmer First Fuel Incentives Act is supported by Growth Energy, National Oilseed Processors Association, National Corn Growers Association, American Soybean Association, Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association, Ohio Soybean Association, Kansas Corn Growers Association, Kansas Soybean Association, Kentucky Soybean Association, Scoular, and Louis Dreyfus Company.
Background:
Prior to introducing this legislation, Congresswoman Kaptur joined Senators Brown and Marshall in a July bipartisan letter they led calling for the US Treasury Department to restrict the eligibility of the 45Z Tax Credit to renewable fuels made only from domestically-sourced feedstocks, like Kansas soybean oil and corn oil. You may click here to read Senator Brown and Marshall’s full letter. Representatives Kaptur and Mann led 39 House colleagues in a subsequent letter September. A similar letter calling for 45z to be restricted to domestic feedstocks was sent by the American Farm Bureau Federation, American Soybean Association, National Corn Growers Association, and National Farmers Union to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and US Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09)
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today delivered remarks from the House floor after attending a ceremony in the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center where a statue of Johnny Cash was unveiled. The statue, commissioned by the State of Arkansas, has been placed in the Capitol, along with the statue of Arkansas civil rights activist and journalist Daisy Bates which was unveiled in May.
In his remarks, Congressman Cohen said:
“Today I attended a marvelous program in Emancipation Hall where the statue of Johnny Cash was placed for time immemorial. Johnny Cash was put in there by the State of Arkansas who earlier placed Daisy Bates in the Capitol. I commend the State of Arkansas for doing that and the outstanding addresses by Arkansas legislators, the governor, and by Roseanne Cash, the daughter of Johnny Cash.
“Johnny Cash was born in Arkansas but he came to Memphis to start his musical career. He went to Sun Records and Sam Phillips got him started. He was at Sun Records on the day when Elvis was there, Jerry Lee Lewis was there, and Carl Perkins was there. They put together songs that day that Sam Phillips recorded that was called ‘The Million-Dollar Quartet.’ Johnny Cash was a great singer, a great humanitarian worthy of this honor, and someone we should all remember. A life well-lived and memorialized in the Capitol.”
(Oklahoma City, Okla.) — Last night, Apple Retail Union-CWA Local 6016 members at the Penn Square Mall Apple Store in Oklahoma City overwhelmingly voted to ratify their first collectively-bargained contract, becoming the second union of Apple Store retail workers in the country to do so.
Highlights of the three-year agreement include:
Wage increases of up to 11.5% over the next three years.
Worker involvement in scheduling and guaranteed paid time off to vote.
A safer and more democratic workplace with a grievance and arbitration process and the establishment of joint Safety and Health and Working Relations committees.
Job protection in the event of a store closure or relocation and severance pay.
Guaranteed paid time off, health and other benefits
“It is exhilarating to finalize this bargaining process and know that after all the work we have done and all the obstacles that Apple has put in our way, we have finally secured the protection and improvements in pay and benefits that we deserve. We hope this sets an example for Apple’s tens of thousands of retail workers that when we stand together, we have the power to make meaningful changes in our workplace,” said Michael Forsythe, Genius Admin and member of Apple Retail Union-CWA.
Last month workers voted unanimously to authorize a strike and held an informational picket following months of delays at the bargaining table. However, subsequent bargaining sessions in early September were productive and workers secured a tentative agreement on September 6th.
“This contract is a direct result of the collective strength and determination of Apple workers who fought for a voice at one of the most profitable tech companies in the world. In doing so, this sends a powerful message to Apple Store workers that when we fight, we win,” said Antonio Flores, President of CWA Local 6016.
The 78 retail workers at the Penn Square Apple Store represent the second team of Apple’s retail workers to win a collectively bargained contract and the first to do so with the support of Communications Workers of America. In August, workers at the Towson Town Square store in Maryland, represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, ratified the first collectively-bargained contract between Apple retail workers and the tech giant.
“With the Oklahoma City workers’ success and the growing public support for unions across the country, it’s time for Apple to change course, hold itself accountable to their credo, and allow workers at all stores a free and fair opportunity to choose whether or not to join a union,” said Derrick Osobase, CWA District 6 Vice President.
Apple workers interested in improving their working conditions and having the protections of a union contract should visit this site to learn more about organizing.
###
The Campaign to Organize Digital Employees (CODE-CWA) is a network of worker-organizers and their staff working every single day to build the voice and power necessary to ensure the future of the tech, game, and digital industries in the United States and Canada. CODE-CWA is a project of the Communications Workers of America which represents hundreds of thousands of workers throughout tech, media, telecom, and other industries who stand together to fight for justice on the job and in our communities.
WSDOT is planning the set of biggest closures of the year to make progress on key transportation projects in the metro area
SEATTLE – Drivers traveling across Lake Washington on State Route 520, through the Interstate 405/SR 167 corridors, and on I-5 in Seattle and between Federal Way and Tacoma should prepare for major closures beginning late Friday, Sept. 27 to early Monday, Sept. 30.
Together these closures form a “monster” traveler challenge – the biggest weekend of Washington State Department of Transportation construction closures for the region this year. Knowing the location of each closure is important for drivers to prepare in advance and make alternate plans to get around the region.
SR 520 closure
The SR 520 closure stretches from I-5 in Seattle to 92nd Avenue Northeast in Clyde Hill on the Eastside and include all of the associated on- and off-ramps. The SR 520 Trail will also close for bicyclists and pedestrians across the lake. The highway and trail will close at 11 p.m. Friday and reopen at 5 a.m. Monday. Part of the SR 520 Montlake Project, crews will work on lighting and the fire suppression system under the new Montlake lid over SR 520.
Northbound I-405 closure
Northbound I-405 in Renton will be closed from Sunset Boulevard Northeast/Southport Drive (Exit 5) to Coal Creek Parkway Southeast from 11 p.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Monday. The following ramps will also be closed:
Sunset Boulevard Northeast on-ramp (Exit 5).
Northeast 30th Street on- and off-ramps (Exit 6).
Northeast 44th Street on- and off-ramps (Exit 7).
Lake Washington Boulevard Southeast on- and off-ramps (Exit 8).
Coal Creek Parkway off-ramp (Exit 10).
During the closure, contractor crews working for WSDOT will shift northbound traffic onto a new bridge as part of the I-405/Renton to Bellevue Widening and Express Toll Lanes Project. A signed detour will be available. This work requires mostly dry weather and could be rescheduled if it rains.
Southbound SR 167 closure
Southbound SR 167 will be closed in Kent from SR 516 to South 277th Street beginning 11:59 p.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Monday. The following ramps will also be closed:
SR 516 on-ramp to southbound SR 167.
Southbound SR 167 off-ramp to South 277th Street.
Crews will be paving and striping sections of southbound SR 167. A signed SR 167 detour will be in place for this SR 167 Corridor Improvements Project closure. This work requires mostly dry weather and could be rescheduled if it rains.
I-5 overnight closures
Both directions of I-5 between SR 18 in Federal Way and 54th Avenue East in Fife will be closed overnight on Friday, Sept. 27 and Saturday, Sept. 28. Northbound lanes are closed by 10:30 p.m. and southbound lanes by 11 p.m. Lanes begin reopening at 7 a.m. on Saturday with all lanes open by 11 a.m. On Sunday, lanes begin reopening at 8 a.m. with all lanes open by noon.
Travelers headed to the Fife area should use the signed SR 99 detour route. People with destinations other than Fife should consider using regional routes including SR 18, SR 161, SR 167 and SR 512.
During this closure, WSDOT contractor crews will set girders for a new overpass crossing I-5. This work is part of WSDOT’s Puget Sound Gateway Program to complete SR 167.
Mercer Street on-ramps to I-5
The Mercer Street on-ramps to both north- and southbound I-5 in Seattle will close beginning at 10 p.m. on Friday and reopen at 5 a.m. Monday. This work is part of the SR 520 I-5 Express Lanes Connection Project. Crews will use the shutdown to pave the ramp and adjacent shoulders.
Know before you go
Detour routes cannot accommodate normal traffic volumes, so people are advised to “know before you go,” travel during off-peak hours or, if possible, delay discretionary travel to help minimize backups. Traffic flow information is available using WSDOT’s real-time travel map.
Resources to stay informed about the project:
SR 520 24-hour construction hotline: 206-775-8885
I-405/Renton to Bellevue Widening and Express Toll Lanes Project 24/7 construction hotline: 425-818-0161
SR 167 Corridor Improvements Project hotline: 425-456-8585
SR 167 Completion Project: 253-220-5009
SR 520 I-5 Express Lanes Connection Project: 206-316-2559
From September 27 to 29, Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen will be in Winnipeg to talk about the Artemis II mission, during which he will be the first Canadian to fly by the Moon. He will then be in the Montreal area on October 1.
Longueuil (Quebec), September 24, 2024 – From September 27 to 29, Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen will be in Winnipeg to speak about the Artemis II mission during which he will be the first Canadian to fly over the Moon. He will then pass through the Montreal region on October 1.
He will speak to students, give presentations to the general public and give interviews to the media.
Journalists wishing to attend one of the presentations or request an interview with CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen should contact the Media Relations Office.
Winnipeg
Friday, September 27, 2024
Hour
What
Or
12:30 p.m. (CT)
Presentation to 350 Chamber of Commerce members and Winnipeg students
RBC Convention Centre375 York AvenueWinnipeg, ManitobaR3C 3J3
7:00 p.m. (CT)
Presentation to the general public (approximately 200 people) at the Manitoba Museum
The Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, met the Prime Minister of Iraq, Mohammed Al Sudani, in New York.
The leaders discussed bilateral relations, reaffirming their common will to establish a strategic partnership between the two nations in all sectors, from political to economic cooperation, from security to cultural cooperation.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to reaffirm Italy’s commitment to international support for Iraq’s security through the training of security forces and the fight against terrorism.
President Meloni and Prime Minister Al Sudani also discussed the situation in the Middle East, agreeing on the need to continue working towards regional de-escalation.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.
Experts from around the world gather to address intellectual property crime threat
WILLEMSTAD, Curaçao – Law enforcement officials, security and industry experts are meeting in Curaçao to strengthen global partnerships and coordinate action to counter intellectual property (IP) crime.
Affecting all sectors and all regions, the trade in fake and pirated goods by transnational organized crime groups is often linked to other crime types, such as human trafficking, corruption and money laundering.
To counter this evolving threat, some 375 specialists from more than 65 countries are meeting at the 17th International Law Enforcement Intellectual Property (IP) Crime Conference to shape effective enforcement strategies.
Co-hosted by INTERPOL, the Government of Curaçao and its partner the Curinde Free Trade Zone in partnership with UL Standards and Engagement, and delivered by the International IP Crime Investigators College (IIPCIC), this is the first time the event is being held in the Caribbean.
The event also marks the creation of the first National IP Crime Task Force in Curaçao which will provide expert assistance in anti-counterfeiting activities.
On behalf of the Council of Ministers, Curaçao’s Minister of Justice, Mr Shalten Hato said:
“We must unite to fight crime. For Curaçao, the advantage of creating a dedicated task force goes beyond simply identifying criminals who travel internationally and tackling cross-border crime; the exchange of information is essential in helping us stay ahead of criminal activities.”
INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock said:
“With every region of the world and all industry sectors affected by intellectual property crime, a global and coordinated response is essential.
“This conference will provide new impetus to our united efforts to tackle this threat, which not only harms public health, but also damages economies, undermining communities.”
Focusing on Free Trade Zones and Supply Chain Security, the theme of the conference is “Reducing the Harm”, and will address the following three key areas:
Coordinating Responses
Aligning Resources
Leveraging Opportunities
“We are a safety advocacy organization, and counterfeits represent the absence of safety,” said George Borlase, Interim Executive Director of UL Standards & Engagement.
“We are proud to partner and co-host with INTERPOL, the Government of Curaçao, and the Curinde Free Trade Zone to convene key stakeholders and support information sharing that will lead to solutions that leave us better protected against the harms of counterfeits.”
First held in 2007, the Law Enforcement IP Crime Conference has become the premiere event for law enforcement and private sector professionals.
On September 11, 2024, at approximately 11:30am, Thompson RCMP received a report of a missing 44-year-old female.
Carmen Chastelaine was reported missing by family after they had not heard from her after a prolonged period of time.
Since being reported missing, officers have been out doing searches in and around Thompson, checking in with family, friends and places Chastelaine frequents. The investigation to date has led police to believe that she may be in the City of Winnipeg.
Chastelaine is described as 5’6″, approximately 185 pounds, with short brown hair, and has a tattoo “Billy” on her neck.
If you’ve seen her or have information on her whereabouts, please call the Thompson RCMP at 204-677-6909, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 or submit a secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.
