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NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart's sweeping rollback of its diversity policies is the strongest indication yet of a profound shift taking hold at U.S. companies that are revaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups in business. The changes announced by the world's biggest retailer followed a string of legal victories by conservative groups that have filed an onslaught of lawsuits challenging corporate and federal programs aimed at elevating minority and women-owned businesses and employees. The risk associated with some of programs crystalized with the election of former President Donald Trump, whose administration is certain to make dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs a priority. Trump's incoming deputy chief of policy will be his former adviser Stephen Miller , who leads a group called America First Legal that has aggressively challenged corporate DEI policies. “There has been a lot of reassessment of risk looking at programs that could be deemed to constitute reverse discrimination,” said Allan Schweyer, principal researcher the Human Capital Center at the Conference Board. “This is another domino to fall and it is a rather large domino,” he added. Among other changes, Walmart said it will no longer give priority treatment to suppliers owned by women or minorities. The company also will not renew a five-year commitment for a racial equity center set up in 2020 after the police killing of George Floyd. And it pulled out of a prominent gay rights index . Schweyer said the biggest trigger for companies making such changes is simply a reassessment of their legal risk exposure, which began after U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in June 2023 that ended affirmative action in college admissions. Since then, conservative groups using similar arguments have secured court victories against various diversity programs, especially those that steer contracts to minority or women-owned businesses. Most recently, the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty won a victory in a case against the U.S. Department of Transportation over its use of a program that gives priority to minority-owned businesses when it awards contracts. Companies are seeing a big legal risk in continuing with DEI efforts, said Dan Lennington, a deputy counsel at the institute. His organization says it has identified more than 60 programs in the federal government that it considers discriminatory, he said. “We have a legal landscape within the entire federal government, all three branches -- the U.S. Supreme Court, the Congress and the President -- are all now firmly pointed in the direction towards equality of individuals and individualized treatment of all Americans, instead of diversity, equity and inclusion treating people as members of racial groups,” Lennington said. The Trump administration is also likely to take direct aim at DEI initiatives through executive orders and other policies that affect private companies, especially federal contractors. “The impact of the election on DEI policies is huge. It can’t be overstated,” said Jason Schwartz, co-chair of the Labor & Employment Practice Group at law firm Gibson Dunn. With Miller returning to the White House, rolling back DEI initiatives is likely to be a priority, Schwartz said. “Companies are trying to strike the right balance to make clear they’ve got an inclusive workplace where everyone is welcome, and they want to get the best talent, while at the same time trying not to alienate various parts of their employees and customer base who might feel one way or the other. It’s a virtually impossible dilemma,” Schwartz said. A recent survey by Pew Research Center showed that workers are divided on the merits of DEI policies. While still broadly popular, the share of workers who said focusing on workplace diversity was mostly a good thing fell to 52% in the November survey, compared to 56% in a similar survey in February 2023. Rachel Minkin, a research associated at Pew called it a small but significant shift in short amount of time. There will be more companies pulling back from their DEI policies, but it likely won’t be a retreat across the board, said David Glasgow, executive director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at New York University. “There are vastly more companies that are sticking with DEI," Glasgow said. "The only reason you don’t hear about it is most of them are doing it by stealth. They’re putting their heads down and doing DEI work and hoping not to attract attention.” Glasgow advises organizations to stick to their own core values, because attitudes toward the topic can change quickly in the span of four years. “It’s going to leave them looking a little bit weak if there’s a kind of flip-flopping, depending on whichever direction the political winds are blowing,” he said. One reason DEI programs exist is because without those programs, companies may be vulnerable to lawsuits for traditional discrimination. “Really think carefully about the risks in all directions on this topic,” Glasgow said. Walmart confirmed will no longer consider race and gender as a litmus test to improve diversity when it offers supplier contracts. Last fiscal year, Walmart said it spent more than $13 billion on minority, women or veteran-owned good and service suppliers. It was unclear how its relationships with such business would change going forward. Organizations that that have partnered with Walmart on its diversity initiatives offered a cautious response. The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, a non-profit that last year named Walmart one of America's top corporation for women-owned enterprises, said it was still evaluating the impact of Walmart's announcement. Pamela Prince-Eason, the president and CEO of the organization, said she hoped Walmart's need to cater to its diverse customer base will continue to drive contracts to women-owned suppliers even if the company no longer has explicit dollar goals. “I suspect Walmart will continue to have one of the most inclusive supply chains in the World,” Prince-Eason wrote. “Any retailer's ability to serve the communities they operate in will continue to value understanding their customers, (many of which are women), in order to better provide products and services desired and no one understands customers better than Walmart." Walmart's announcement came after the company spoke directly with conservative political commentator and activist Robby Starbuck, who has been going after corporate DEI policies, calling out individual companies on the social media platform X. Several of those companies have subsequently announced that they are pulling back their initiatives, including Ford , Harley-Davidson, Lowe’s and Tractor Supply . Walmart confirmed to The Associated Press that it will better monitor its third-party marketplace items to make sure they don’t feature sexual and transgender products aimed at minors. The company also will stop participating in the Human Rights Campaign’s annual benchmark index that measures workplace inclusion for LGBTQ+ employees. A Walmart spokesperson added that some of the changes were already in progress and not as a result of conversations that it had with Starbuck. RaShawn “Shawnie” Hawkins, senior director of the HRC Foundation’s Workplace Equality Program, said companies that “abandon” their commitments workplace inclusion policies “are shirking their responsibility to their employees, consumers, and shareholders.” He said the buying power of LGBTQ customers is powerful and noted that the index will have “record participation” of more than 1,400 companies in 2025."AI ‘godfather’ Geoffrey Hinton says AI will one day unite nations against a common existential threat
Dusty May, No. 14 Michigan try to continue strong start vs. ArkansasSusy Diaz He is one of the best-known people in Peruvian entertainment, standing out for his participation in television programs, his musical career and his time in politics as a congressman. For years, he has been in the public eye for his outgoing personality. However, in a recent Mundo Latino podcast in the United States, she shared a painful revelation about a confession from her father, which moved her deeply. Susy Díaz reveals that her ‘father’ is not her biological father In an emotional interview, Díaz revealed the following: “My daddy, before he died, told me, ‘daughter, I’m not your dad, tell your mom.’ And I said, ‘Really, Dad, you’re not lying to me?'” The former congresswoman assured that, although her father’s words surprised her deeply, she did not believe him at the time, because he always treated her like his daughter, and according to her words, he conceited her and loved her more than everyone. However, the anguish came when, when she told what happened to her mother, the response was completely different from what she expected. “My mother yelled at me and said, ‘How can you give her money if you’re her daughter? She threw me out. That’s something I have here. And it hurts,’ she said with tears and a broken voice. Susy Díaz asks her real father to look for her The confession left the Peruvian woman with a deep emotional void, an unanswered question that still torments her. In the podcast, he shared how he sometimes feels the need to find his real father. “Sometimes I see white men, older than me, and I wonder, is it my dad?” he said. The search for his identity has been a constant in his life, and although he has managed to build a career and a public life full of brilliant moments, the lack of answers about his origin remains an open wound. “Sometimes I ask God, I say, that my dad looked for me . (...) And that’s life, life, not everything is happiness,” he concluded. Susy Díaz is currently 61 years old. Photo: El Popular How did Susy Díaz begin her artistic career on Peruvian television? In 1984, Susy Díaz began her career as a secretary at Panamericana Televisión. It was in this environment where she took her first steps on television, participating in the comedy program ‘Risas y Salsa’, where her charismatic personality quickly made her stand out. During the second half of the eighties, he established himself as a regular figure in several comedy programs on Peruvian television, collaborating on channels such as Frecuencia Latina and América Televisión. In the nineties, she took a turn in her career and assumed the role of host of the musical program ‘Ritmo Tropical’ on Channel 7. During that same time, she began a romantic relationship with the renowned musician and composer Augusto Polo Campos. From that relationship, their daughter was born, Flor de María de los Milagros Polo Díaz, known in the public sphere as Flor Polo Díaz. Susy Díaz was a congresswoman in 1995. Photo: Exitosa When was Susy Díaz’s autobiographical film trained? The film ‘Susy, a vedette in Congress’ premiered on Thursday, October 26, 2023. The story of Susy Díaz was produced by SYN Entertainment and Star Films. Join our entertainment channel
Jasper Therapeutics Announces First Patient Dosed in Phase 1b/2a ETESIAN Clinical Study of ...Cyber Monday has hit Amazon, which has continued the madness of Black Friday deals, but only for a limited time. Buyers are able to take advantage of discounts on various PC hardware , including gaming monitors, SSDs, headphones , and much more. Cyber Monday is one of your final chances to snag fantastic deals to cross names off your Christmas shopping list. While Black Friday has now wrapped up, some retailers continue the sale madness this week, but only for select products. Online retailers are launching fresh discounts for Cyber Monday, with Amazon, known for its deals, fully immersed in the action. If you want to save hundreds on new headphones or other PC hardware, check out the details below. Additionally, smartphones have been discounted in celebration of Cyber Monday, with discounts across Samsung devices, including the Fold and the Google Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 8a, and 8 Pro. There are also discounts on smartphone accessories. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Cell Phone, 512GB AI Smartphone - 25% off - Current Price: $1,059.98 - Original Price: $1,419.99 SAMSUNG Galaxy S24 FE AI Phone, 256GB Unlocked Android Smartphone - 21% off - Current Price: $559.99 - Original Price: $709.99 Google Pixel 9 Pro - Unlocked Android Smartphone with Gemini, Triple Rear Camera System - 20% off - Current Price: $799 - Original Price: $999 Google Pixel 8a - Unlocked Android Phone with Google AI - 20% off - Current Price: $399 - Original Price: $499 Google Pixel 8 Pro - Unlocked Android Smartphone with Telephoto Lens and Super Actua Display - 41% off - Current Price: $592.78 - Original Price: $999 SAMSUNG Galaxy Z Fold 6 AI Cell Phone, 256GB Unlocked Android Smartphone - 31% off - Current Price: $1,307.97 - Original Price: 1,899.99It will bulldoze through local concerns and lead to individual applications bypassing elected councillors and planning committees. It will reengineer housing targets to switch house building from urban areas into rural areas and it will fail to deliver housing to the areas where the jobs are and where people actually want them. Although we built a million homes in the last five years, more are clearly needed. But that does not mean the Government can ride roughshod over local peoples’ voices. Any attempt to exclude local consent from the planning process and for faceless planning officers and inspectors in Bristol and ministers in Whitehall to dictate where they should go instead is doomed to failure. Worse still, Labour has taken an axe to our measures to get people on the housing ladder. Right to Buy, First Time Buyer Stamp Duty relief and the affordable homes to purchase programmes cuts have all been cut. It’s no wonder that Labour Governments never deliver on housebuilding – the last one saw it fall to its lowest level since the 1920s and Sadiq Khan’s record in London is abysmal. Our plan was to increase housing in cities and areas, but Labour has bizarrely done the exact opposite. Housing targets in cities have been slashed, whereas they have ramped them up in the countryside. It beggars’ belief that North Yorkshire is having to build more houses than Manchester or that targets are being cut by up to 50% in Newcastle, Nottingham and Coventry whilst doubling in Northumberland, Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness. It is such a poorly thought through policy that it is pretty clearly the latest episode of Labour’s war on rural England. Housing policy is about more than just building houses, it is about supply and demand. Part of the need for all this extra housing is Labour’s lax approach to immigration rules which will significantly fuel demand. That is just not acceptable. We tightened up rules such as the £38,000 salary threshold because we knew numbers were just too high. But everything Labour has done since they have got in has been to increase migration, including reducing this threshold to £29,000 and by scrapping of the Rwanda deterrent. Unpicking our efforts to curb illegal and legal migration will wipe out much of the benefit of any efforts to increase housebuilding. Homeownership is central to what it means to be British and it gives people the stake in society that most people aspire to. Clearly, this hard Left-wing Labour government just doesn’t get it. Kevin Hollinrake is the shadow housing secretary
NEW YORK (AP) — Juan Soto appears on a timetable to decide on where to sign either before or during baseball's winter meetings in Dallas, which run from Dec. 8-12. Soto met with the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays, a person familiar with the negotiations said last week, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details were not announced. Soto's agent, Scott Boras, asked teams to submit initial offers by Thanksgiving, a second person familiar with the talks said, also on condition of anonymity because it was not announced. Soto is the top player available among this year's free agents . A four-time All-Star, Soto finished third in AL MVP voting after hitting .288 with 41 homers, 109 RBIs and 129 walks. He has a .285 career average with 201 homers, 592 RBIs and 769 walks over seven major league seasons. Soto turned down a $440 million, 15-year offer from Washington in 2022, prompting the Nationals to trade him to San Diego, which then dealt him to the Yankees last December. Soto then combined with Aaron Judge to lead New York to the World Series, where the Yankees lost to the Dodgers . In his pitch to teams, Boras highlighted that Soto joined Mickey Mantle as the only players with seven RBIs in a World Series at age 21 or younger when he was with Washington, and at 20 became the youngest player with five postseason homers. Soto's .906 postseason OPS through age 25 topped Mantle (.900) and Derek Jeter (.852). Soto is likely to seek a record contract, topping Shohei Ohtani's $700 million, 10-year agreement with the Los Angeles Dodgers last December. That might not mean Soto gets more than $700 million, though. Because Ohtani's deal included $680 million in deferred money payable through 2043, it can be valued by different methods. For instance, Ohtani's contract is valued at $46.1 million per season ($461 million total) under MLB's luxury tax system, which used a 4.43% discount rate. The players' association uses a 5% rate, which puts Ohtani's contract at $43.8 million per year. For MLB's regular payroll calculations, a 10% discount rates values Ohtani's deal at just $28.2 million. Which means if Soto gets even $462 million without deferred payments, there's an argument that his deal is the most valuable in MLB history. By average annual value, pitchers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander are tied for second in baseball history at $43.33 million as part of contracts they signed with the New York Mets, deals that expired at the end of the 2024 season. In terms of total value, Ohtani surpassed outfielder Mike Trout’s $426.5 million, 12-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels through 2030. MLB’s longest contract is outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr.’s 14-year deal with the San Diego Padres through 2034. The Mets, Yankees, Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies all are likely to enter 2025 having paid luxury tax for three straight years, putting them at the highest rate: a 50% surcharge on payroll between $241 million and $261 million, 62% from $261 million to $281 million, 95% from $281 million to $301 million and 110% for each dollar above $301 million. Toronto may have dropped below the initial tax threshold this year, pending final figures next month. If the Blue Jays did fall under, their rates next year would reset to 20%, 32%, 62.5% and 80% for the four thresholds. If Soto reaches or announces an agreement at the winter meetings in Dallas' Hilton Anatole, it would be a familiar location for a big Boras deal. Alex Rodriguez's record $252 million, 10-year contract with the Texas Rangers was announced in December 2000 at what then was called the Wyndham Anatole Hotel. A-Rod's deal more than doubled MLB's previous high, a $121 million, eight-year contract between pitcher Mike Hampton and Colorado that was announced just two days earlier. “In two days, we’ve doubled a new highest salary,′′ said Sandy Alderson, then an executive vice president in the commissioner’s office. ”I don’t like the exponentiality of that." Rodriguez was 25 at the time of the agreement with Texas, a free agent before entering his likely prime, like Soto. Third baseman Alex Bregman, first basemen Pete Alonso and Christian Walker, and outfielders Anthony Santander and Teoscar Hernández are among the significant bats available to pursue and likely would interest some of the teams who fail to sign Soto. Bregman and Alonso, like Soto, are represented by Boras. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Welcome to Medical Ethics Unpacked! In this episode of Medical Ethics Unpacked , hosts Dominic Sisti, PhD, and Steve Levine, MD, continue their deep dive into the controversial topic of medical aid in dying (MAID) and euthanasia for individuals with severe psychiatric conditions. Part 2 of a 2-part series, this episode shifts from foundational concepts to the intricate ethical considerations surrounding these practices, touching on autonomy, capacity, treatment equity, and societal implications. Sisti, an associate professor in the Department of Medical Ethics & Health Policy and the director of the Scattergood Program for the Applied Ethics of Behavioral Health Care at the University of Pennsylvania, begins by discussing the notion of parity between psychiatric and physical illnesses in evaluating eligibility for MAID, calling attention to recent research from Kious et al—who argues that mental illnesses should be given equal ethical consideration as physical conditions, though he acknowledges the challenges in assessing long-term trajectories for psychiatric disorders. For instance, conditions like borderline personality disorder may remit over time, but requiring patients to endure suffering for years in anticipation of potential improvement raises moral concerns. Levine, a psychiatrist and the senior vice president of Patient Access at Compass Pathways, builds on this by exploring how psychiatric illnesses often blur the line between mental and physical health, emphasizing that mental health conditions, like depression or anorexia nervosa, can have physical manifestations that further complicate prognosis and decision-making. The discussion highlights critical issues with capacity evaluations. Levine outlines the nuanced frameworks used to assess a patient’s ability to make decisions about MAID and stresses the dynamic nature of capacity, which can fluctuate with psychiatric symptoms. Both agree that insufficient or inconsistent evaluations, as seen in some jurisdictions permitting psychiatric euthanasia, risk undermining the ethical integrity of these practices. Sisti cites evidence from Belgium and the Netherlands, where "assertions" of capacity rather than thorough assessments have led to controversial cases, particularly among patients with mood or personality disorders. The gender disparity in psychiatric euthanasia, with women disproportionately represented, adds another layer of ethical complexity, raising questions about justice and societal biases. The conversation also examines whether patients should be required to attempt all available treatments, including experimental options, before pursuing MAID. While Sisti suggests this could prevent premature decisions, Levine cautions against infringing on autonomy, noting that some patients may validly reject certain treatments. They grapple with cases like anorexia nervosa, a psychiatric condition with high mortality rates, and whether its ego-syntonic nature—where patients often do not view their condition as a problem—impedes true capacity for MAID decisions. Finally, the hosts address societal implications. Sisti warns that expanding access to psychiatric euthanasia without addressing underlying structural issues, such as inadequate mental health care and social determinants like poverty and isolation, risks normalizing preventable suffering. Levine reflects on how offering MAID as an option might paradoxically provide hope for some patients but could also undermine their optimism for recovery. As they conclude, both Levine and Sisti emphasize the need for robust ethical frameworks, thorough capacity evaluations, and thoughtful policymaking to navigate this morally complex issue. They encourage listeners to engage with the growing body of bioethics literature and reflect on how these debates shape our understanding of autonomy, human suffering, and the value of life. Relevant studies and documentation mentioned in this episode: Doernberg, Samuel N., John R. Peteet, and Scott YH Kim. "Capacity evaluations of psychiatric patients requesting assisted death in the Netherlands." Psychosomatics 57, no. 6 (2016): 556-565. Kim, Scott YH, Raymond G. De Vries, and John R. Peteet. "Euthanasia and assisted suicide of patients with psychiatric disorders in the Netherlands 2011 to 2014." JAMA psychiatry73, no. 4 (2016): 362-368. Kious, Brent M., and Margaret Battin. "Physician aid-in-dying and suicide prevention in psychiatry: A moral crisis?." The American Journal of Bioethics 19, no. 10 (2019): 29-39. Nicolini, Marie E., Scott YH Kim, Madison E. Churchill, and Chris Gastmans. "Should euthanasia and assisted suicide for psychiatric disorders be permitted? A systematic review of reasons." Psychological medicine 50, no. 8 (2020): 1241-1256. Nicolini, Marie E., Chris Gastmans, and Scott YH Kim. "Psychiatric euthanasia, suicide and the role of gender." The British Journal of Psychiatry 220, no. 1 (2022): 10-13. Sisti, Dominic, J. John Mann, and Maria A. Oquendo. "Suicidal behaviour is pathological: implications for psychiatric euthanasia." Journal of Medical Ethics (2024). Relevant disclosures for Sisti include Lykos Therapeutics and Tactogen. Relevant disclosures for include Levine include Compass Pathways. Editor's Note: This podcast explores complex and sensitive topics, including medically assisted suicide and the ethics of euthanasia. The views and opinions expressed by the hosts and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of HCPLive or MJH Life Sciences. This content is intended to encourage thoughtful discussion and does not constitute medical advice or endorsement of any particular position. Listeners are encouraged to approach these subjects with care and consult appropriate resources for further information.
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Several Iowa community colleges, after reviewing their diversity, equity and inclusion activities to come in line with recommendations from Community Colleges for Iowa, have concluded that they were already on the right track in their mission of supporting all students. The presidents of Des Moines Area Community College, Indian Hills Community College and Iowa Central Community College gave that assessment as state lawmakers — who have already restricted DEI activities at state universities — are preparing to take a closer look at Iowa’s higher education system. Community Colleges for Iowa released recommendations relating to diversity, equity and inclusion on community college campuses in May at the prompting of legislators. The organization worked with college leaders to craft the recommendations, which included reviewing positions, groups and policies connected to DEI and adjusting them if found not necessary for accreditation or compliance with the law, and ensuring transparency for campus and larger communities. Community Colleges for Iowa Executive Director Emily Shields said the colleges took these recommendations as a chance to look at their practices and how they aligned with their mission, as well as laws and accreditation standards. Colleges also looked at what sort of language they’re using to convey their work to the public so there aren’t misunderstandings. “I think it made a lot of sense and really reflected how I think most, if not all, (colleges) had already been approaching these issues,” Shields said. “I think it’s helpful to just have kind of a statement out there representing the approach that we’re all taking.” Now, more than six months after the list came out, each president said the recommendations emphasized the practices and policies they already had in place and they are ready and willing to keep the conversation going with legislators if necessary. Jesse Ulrich, president of Iowa Central Community College, said he appreciated how the recommendations solidified for the entire community college system that their efforts are focused on students and furthering their success, not politicizing issues. “As far as the recommendations go, we felt like we did a really good job of making sure that the important work in this area wasn’t politicized at our local level,” Ulrich said “We wanted to make sure that the pendulum wasn’t swinging too far one way or another.” Iowa Central has a lot of areas of diversity on campus, Ulrich said, with 80% of students having financial need and 30% identifying as first-generation college students. The college works to ensure their success, he said, no matter what groups they belong to. Indian Hills Community College President Matt Thompson agreed, saying it was nice to bring all of the colleges together to craft “ground rules” of a sort for DEI. This feeling is shared by the bulk of the community college system, he said, along with the fact that they didn’t have much to do to follow the recommendations. “We’re here to serve all citizens of Iowa, and that’s been a part of our charter since we started as community colleges,” Thompson said. The college didn’t change anything as a result of the recommendations, as Thompson said it doesn’t have positions for DEI and no significant budget dollars going to initiatives connected to it. Ulrich said Iowa Central Community College had no changes to make as well, as the college had no DEI departments or roles. Iowa Central Community College does have a diversity committee, which Ulrich said is required by an accreditor, and the college has made efforts over the past 20 years to recruit and retain people of color, women and other groups to try and have its workforce reflect the students it serves. DMACC President Rob Denson said the college made no specific changes after the recommendations came out. He said policies were already in place that had the college focus more on helping students with individual issues and providing support where needed to make sure everyone succeeds. Each of the college presidents said they felt the recommendations were necessary in order to put all of the institutions on the same page, and Denson said they also served to show the Legislature, business and industry leaders and the public the work they’re putting in on this subject. “We just want students to succeed,” Denson said. “If we’ve got a particular group that is not graduating or completing at the same rate, we’re going to look and say, ‘Okay, do we have services currently that could help them and how could they be more successful?’ And legislators have been very supportive of this, because in the end, they want companies in their areas to be able to get employees.” A new higher education committee has been formed in the Iowa House of Representatives, with Rep. Taylor Collins, R-Mediapolis, as its chair. The committee will look at all areas of higher education in the state, Collins previously said, from public to private to community colleges, to assess how they’re using state dollars and their “return on investment” for the state. Collins said he doesn’t feel a need to make more legislative changes to DEI on college campuses, but the committee will discuss how necessary certain degree programs, like social justice degrees, are to preparing Iowa’s workforce. Shields said she anticipates follow-up questions from lawmakers about the recommendations, but Community Colleges for Iowa will have to wait and see if the governing body decides to pursue any further actions. “We have had good conversations and a good partnership with them on all of this, so I don’t anticipate that changing,” Shields said. Ulrich said he welcomes further conversations with legislators about the work community colleges do. He’s particularly interested in discussing community colleges’ return on investment for the state, for which they are a “champion model,” he said. “I think that in a lot of ways, it could be a really good opportunity for people to look at the work of the community colleges, what we’ve done in the past, and what we’re going to be doing for the future of Iowa,” Thompson said.The gunman who stalked and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fled New York City by bus, police officials told CNN on Friday. Video of the suspected shooter leaving the scene of the shooting Wednesday showed him riding a bicycle to Central Park and later taking a taxi cab to a bus depot, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told CNN. Here's the latest: The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer may have fled the city on a bus, New York City police officials told CNN on Friday. Video of the suspected shooter leaving the scene of the shooting Wednesday showed him riding a bicycle to Central Park and later taking a taxi cab to a bus depot, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told CNN. “We have reason to believe that the person in question has left New York City,” Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer made sure to wear a mask during the shooting yet left a trail of evidence in view of the nation’s biggest city and its network of security cameras that have aided authorities piecing together his movements and his identity. A law enforcement official said Friday that new surveillance footage shows the suspect riding the subway and visiting establishments in Manhattan and provided more clues about his actions in the days before he ambushed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson . The gunman’s whereabouts and identity remain unknown Friday, as did the reason for Wednesday’s killing. New York City police say evidence firmly points to it being a targeted attack . ▶ Read more about the search for the gunman In many companies, investor meetings like the one UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was walking to when he was fatally shot are viewed as very risky because details on the location and who will be speaking are highly publicized. “It gives people an opportunity to arrive well in advance and take a look at the room, take a look at how people would probably come and go out of a location,” said Dave Komendat, president of DSKomendat Risk Management Services, which is based in the greater Seattle area. Some firms respond by beefing up security. For example, tech companies routinely require everyone attending a major event, such as Apple’s annual unveiling of the next iPhone or a shareholder meeting, to go through airport-style security checkpoints before entering. Others forgo in-person meetings with shareholders. ▶ Read more about how companies protect their leaders Those images include New York’s subway system, a law enforcement official said. In establishments where the person was captured on camera, he always appeared to pay with cash, the official said. The official wasn’t authorized to discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. — Mike Balsamo Medica, a Minnesota-based nonprofit health care firm that serves 1.5 million customers in 12 states, said it’s temporarily closing all six locations. The firm has offices in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska and North Dakota, and employs about 3,000 people. Employees will work from home, Medica spokesman Greg Bury said in an email Friday. “The safety of Medica employees is our top priority and we have increased security both for all of our employees,” a statement from Medica said. “Although we have received no specific threats related to our campuses, our office buildings will be temporarily closed out of an abundance of caution.” Bury also said biographical information on the company’s executives was taken down from its website as a precaution. The insurer cited the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in its announcement about the Dec. 12 event. “All of us at Centene are deeply saddened by Brian Thompson’s death and want to express our support for all of those affected. Health insurance is a big industry and a small community; many members of the CenTeam crossed paths with Brian during their careers,” Centene CEO Sarah M. London said in a news release. “He was a person with a deep sense of empathy and clear passion for improving access to care. Our hearts are with his family and his colleagues during this difficult time.” Centene Corp. has grown in recent years to become the largest insurer in Medicaid, the state- and federally funded program that covers care for people with low incomes. Insurers manage Medicaid coverage for states, and Centene has more than 13 million people enrolled in that coverage. The insurance company also said it’s focused on ensuring the safety of employees and assisting investigators. “While our hearts are broken, we have been touched by the huge outpouring of kindness and support in the hours since this horrific crime took place,” the company said. But he said Friday that he’s confident police will arrest the shooter. “We are on the right road to apprehend him and bring him to justice,” Adams said on TV station WPIX. Later, it removed their names and biographies entirely. Police and federal agents have been collecting information from Greyhound in an attempt to identify the suspect and are working to determine whether he purchased the ticket to New York in late November, a law enforcement official said. Investigators were also trying to obtain additional information from a cellphone recovered from a pedestrian plaza through which the shooter fled. The fatal shooting of Brian Thompson while walking alone on a New York City sidewalk has put a spotlight on the widely varied approaches companies take to protect their leaders against threats. Experts say today’s political, economic and technological climate is only going to make the job of evaluating threats against executives and taking action to protect them even more difficult, experts say. Some organizations have a protective intelligence group that uses digital tools such as machine learning or artificial intelligence to comb through online comments to detect threats not only on social media platforms such as X but also on the dark web, says Komendat. They look for what’s being said about the company, its employees and its leadership to uncover risks. ▶ Read more about the steps companies take to protect their leadership Police said Thursday they found a water bottle and protein bar wrapper from a trash can near the scene of the ambush and think the suspect bought them from a Starbucks minutes before the shooting. The items were being tested by the city’s medical examiner.
Tech stocks help lift S&P/TSX Friday, U.S. stock markets mixed after jobs reportSpray paint and protest banners cover the walls and pavements of Dongduk women’s university in Seoul. “We’d rather perish than open our doors,” reads one slogan . Since 11 November, students have staged a sit-in, initially occupying the main building and blocking access to classroom buildings across campus, forcing classes to move online and a planned job fair to be cancelled. The outcry was sparked by plans for some departments to admit male students but have since spiralled into a wider clash over the future of women-only spaces in a country that is grappling with the issue of gender equality . “The university’s unilateral decision, made without any input from the students who actually study and live here, left us with no choice but to raise our voices,” one member of Dongduk’s student council says, speaking on condition of anonymity. In South Korea, women’s universities were established in the early 20th century as one of the only paths to higher education for women in a strictly patriarchal society. Today, they are seen by some as vital institutions for nurturing female talent in a country that remains deeply male-dominated. South Korea ranks 94th out of 146 countries in gender equality, according to the World Economic Forum. Women hold just 20% of parliamentary seats and make up only 7.3% of executives at the country’s 500 largest companies . Yoonkyeong Nah, a professor of cultural anthropology at Yonsei University, says that, more broadly: “The protests reflect how young Korean women feel unsafe in public spaces”, citing the prevalence of illegal filming , stalking, and digital sex crimes, including the latest deepfake pornography epidemic . “While providing safe spaces isn’t the primary purpose of women’s universities, students are protesting to maintain what they see as a secure environment for learning – it reveals broader problems in Korean society,” Nah says. The outcry began after students discovered the university administration had been discussing plans to convert its design and performing arts departments to become co-educational. Administrators insist co-education was only one proposal being discussed – citing practical needs for male actors in performing arts and long-term competitiveness concerns. On Thursday, a partial agreement saw classes resume after the university agreed to temporarily suspend co-education discussions, but on Monday, a meeting between student leaders and university administrators reportedly ended without resolution, with students refusing to end their occupation of the main building until the complete withdrawal of the co-education plans. In a statement afterwards, university president Kim Myung-ae warned of “resolute action” against what she described as illegal protests that had violated educational rights. As the weeks have gone by, the dispute has increasingly become a political battleground. Han Dong-hoon, leader of the ruling conservative party, declared that “instigators of violent incidents” must be held accountable for property damage, while Lee Jun-seok, another prominent lawmaker who has frequently clashed with women’s groups, criticised the protests as “ uncivilised ”. The head of a state-run human resources agency suggested “weeding out” the university’s graduates during hiring rounds and declared he “would never accept” a daughter-in-law from the institution. In response, opposition politicians have accused conservatives of weaponising the protests to deflect from their own political troubles, including allegations of election nomination interference. Former lawmaker Jang Hye-young condemned what she called “women bashing” tactics and warned they only “make life more difficult for all women in South Korea”. “Stop using us”, said Choi Hyun-ah, president of Dongduk’s student council, in a recent interview with local daily Kyunghyang Shinmun . “Those who frame this as a gender conflict are simply using students to justify their own views.” In a later statement, the council said politicians and other officials “fail to see the essence and context of the situation, dismissing us simply as ‘rioters’.” The protests have also sparked a strong anti-feminist backlash online. The “male rights” anti-feminist group New Men’s Solidarity has weighed in . The group’s leader, recently convicted for defaming a feminist activist, has threatened to expose the personal information of the “rioters” online, prompting safety concerns. One female YouTuber with over 60,000 followers who voiced support for the protesters was forced to shut down her account after allegedly facing sexual harassment and impersonation attempts. The dispute also reflects deeper structural challenges posed by South Korea’s changing demographics, says Kyuseok Kim, a higher education expert and scholar. Student enrolment in higher education has plunged 18% to 3 million students over the past decade as the country’s already low birthrate continues to slide, forcing some institutions to potentially shutter departments or close entirely . “Universities face a precarious balancing act: preserving their identity while implementing the changes necessary to secure their future,” Kim says. “Even legacy institutions are being forced to reconsider their identities amid unprecedented demographic pressures”. After students overwhelmingly voted last week in favour of the protests, Choi Hyun-ah, the student council president said : “We have made history today in our fight for a democratic Dongduk. “The existence of women’s universities is about advancing women’s educational rights; transitioning to co-education would mean there’s no reason for us to exist at all.”Carrier Global Corp. stock underperforms Friday when compared to competitorsMGL partners Nawgati to promote CNG adoption among commercial fleet operators in Mumbai, Thane and Raigad
First downs and second guesses: Tony White leaving is no shocker. He could have left last year with the right offer. He made a difference. He helped build a good defensive culture. White is making a chess move to a future head coaching job, but it’s got a risk. He’s going to work for a Florida State head coach on the hot seat. Mike Norvell is hiring White and offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn to help save his job. FSU was a mess this season. I’m guessing the portal this off-season will make a bigger difference than the coordinators. Who should NU go after? I’d start with Syracuse defensive coordinator Elijah Robinson, who has connections with Rhule. You can hang out on my lawn (no flags please) if you want. But Old Man Football has some things to get off his chest. College football needs some adults to step up. The sport had a rough weekend. Great games were overshadowed by the images of fights and torn flags. It was ridiculous. When did planting a flag become an important thing? What does that even mean? That you conquered the field? It means winning isn’t enough. You have to rub your opponents’ nose in defeat. Hey Michigan: wasn’t that your fourth straight win over Ohio State? That means you won at Ohio Stadium two years ago, right? So why are you acting like it was Michigan’s first-ever win over Ohio State? Meanwhile, Buckeyes coach Ryan Day is watching the chaos much like Kevin Bacon in “Animal House.” Remain calm. All is well. On the flip side of this, when did the midfield logo become the sacred ground of college football? Teams stomp on the logo all game, bodies are slammed, blood spilled on it. But before and after it needs security detail? It’s part of the football field. Don’t plant a flag on it. Don’t worry if somebody steps on it. The best midfield logo I ever saw was the diamond-shaped “Big 8” logo at Memorial Stadium. Let’s go back to that. Let’s go back to respecting the game, and the opponent, too. Nebraska needs a lesson in that after the no-hand shake event on Friday. This is a generational debate. I’ve heard from both sides of Nebraska fans on this. My take: if you don’t respect your opponent, you don’t respect the game, either. Both are a problem. The handshake should be part of the Nebraska football identity. Attention to detail. Not creating needless distractions. Play the right way. All are important to the ultimate goal: winning. Is the pre-game drama the reason Iowa won? No. But it makes you wonder what are the priorities at Nebraska. Like the 2020 game when the Huskers complained about clapping while the quarterback called the signals. What’s the focus on? Lack of respect was a two-way street in Iowa City on Friday. Hawkeye linebacker Jay Higgins went up to Nebraska coach Matt Rhule and said that not shaking hands was a bad idea. I’ve never heard of a Nebraska player ever getting in the face of an opposing coach. Not Barry Switzer. Not Bill McCartney. Not any of them. I’m guessing if someone had done that to Kirk Ferentz, we’d never hear the end of it. Player entitlement is the rage in college football. They’re getting paid. That’s a good thing. But they’re also becoming bolder with their actions. Not all of it is good. Rivalries are fun. Rivalries are emotional. That’s what makes them great. It’s the extra rubbing the opponent’s face in it that crosses the line for me. Take the W, and the L, and head back to the locker room and wait until next time. The Nebraska-Iowa rivalry has never been hotter. I’d like to see coaches Ferentz and Rhule get control of it. We don’t need a flag plant or a brawl after next season’s game. I feel like we're headed that way. You know, a cool tradition to start in this rivalry would be a pre-game handshake from the teams at midfield. Oh, wait. That’s the Captains’ coin toss. There’s been a moment of civility and respect in the Iowa-Nebraska series. I saw it last January at the Outland Trophy Dinner in Omaha. The Outland honored Dan Young and Reese Morgan with the Tom Osborne Legacy Award. Both were high school coaches in Nebraska and Iowa and assistant coaches at NU and Iowa. There was a lot of love and respect in that room that night, including Ferentz and a group from Iowa City to represent Morgan. Iowa-Nebraska can be intense, nasty and emotional — and still about respect. Nebraskans and Iowans are actually a lot more alike than either side will ever admit. That’s what makes it such a good rivalry. There’s not much Creighton volleyball can do about being a No. 6 overall seed, other than winning at Nebraska or Louisville. Then again, that’s what CU is going to have to do — at Penn State — to get to the Final Four. Until the Big East gets built up in volleyball, that’s the bottom line. If Nebraska and Creighton both make the Final Four, guess who would meet in the national semifinals on Dec. 19? Get local news delivered to your inbox!
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