fortune year of the rabbit 2023

fortune year of the rabbit 2023 Elon Musk’s massive, multi-billion-dollar Tesla pay package was blocked by a judge againTrudeau told Trump Americans would also suffer if tariffs are imposed, a Canadian minister says

By ALEXANDRA OLSON and CATHY BUSSEWITZ 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.” She 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.Nathan Ake calls on Man City to show character after latest setback

Americans still dreaming of a really big Christmas present can keep that dream alive during Friday's Mega Millions drawing for a jackpot worth an estimated $1.15 billion. Friday’s jackpot will potentially be the fifth largest in the game's history. Mega Millions tickets are $2 a piece. But the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350, and the odds of winning any Mega Millions prize are 1 in 24, according to lottery officials. Tickets for the game are sold in 45 states, along with Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Here is a look at the largest U.S. jackpots won and the states where the winning tickets were sold: 1. $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022 (one ticket, from California) 2. $1.765 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023 (one ticket, from California) 3. $1.602 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023 (one ticket, from Florida) 4. $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016 (three tickets, from California, Florida, Tennessee) 5. $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018 (one ticket, from South Carolina) 6. $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023 (one ticket, from Maine) 7. $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022 (one ticket, from Illinois) 8. $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 7, 2024 (one ticket, Oregon) 9. $1.13 billion, Mega Millions, March 26, 2024 (one ticket, from New Jersey) 10. $1.08 billion, Powerball, July 19, 2023 (one ticket, from California)

NoneIan Schieffelin came within two assists of a triple-double and Clemson handed Penn State its first loss with a 75-67 decision for the championship of the Sunshine Slam tournament Tuesday in Daytona Beach, Fla. Schieffelin finished with 18 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists for the Tigers (6-1), leading four players in double figures. Chase Hunter added 17 points, while Chauncey Wiggins scored 14 and reserve Del Jones chipped in 10 points. Clemson sank 9 of 19 3-pointers, converted 16 of 20 free throws and was able to limit the impact of the Nittany Lions' full-court pressure. The Tigers committed just 13 turnovers, helping them hold Penn State (6-1) to less than 85 points for the first time this year. Ace Baldwin starred in defeat with game highs of 20 points and 11 assists, while center Yanic Konan Niederhauser added 14 points. Nick Kern came off the bench to score 11 but Penn State was outscored 15-2 on the fast break and made just 4 of 18 attempts from 3-point range. Schieffelin came up big down the stretch, assisting on a 3-pointer by Jaeden Zackery with 6:04 left that made it 65-61. Then he made two foul shots and tossed in a jump hook from the lane to up the margin to 71-66 with 1:03 left. The big storyline going into this game was which team would be able to control the pace. Penn State came in averaging 96 ppg, while Clemson demonstrated its ability to enforce a slower tempo in March, advancing to a regional final in the NCAA Tournament. In the first 10 minutes of the game, the Tigers made the Nittany Lions play at a crawl, opening up a 17-10 advantage when Schieffelin converted a short hook in the lane. But Penn State answered with an 18-4 run over nearly six minutes, establishing a 28-21 lead when Kern shook free for a layup. Clemson rallied with nine straight points but the Nittany Lions had the last say as Baldwin converted a layup with 24 seconds left, cutting the Tigers' edge to 38-36 at halftime. --Field Level Media

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia’s House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill that would ban children younger than 16 years old from social media , leaving it to the Senate to finalize the world-first law. The major parties backed the bill that would make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent young children from holding accounts. The legislation passed 102 to 13. If the bill becomes law this week, the platforms would have one year to work out how to implement the age restrictions before the penalties are enforced. Opposition lawmaker Dan Tehan told Parliament the government had agreed to accept amendments in the Senate that would bolster privacy protections. Platforms would not be allowed to compel users to provide government-issued identity documents including passports or driver’s licenses. The platforms also could not demand digital identification through a government system. “Will it be perfect? No. But is any law perfect? No, it’s not. But if it helps, even if it helps in just the smallest of ways, it will make a huge difference to people’s lives,” Tehan told Parliament. RELATED COVERAGE North Carolina’s governor has vetoed a GOP bill that would weaken his successor and other Democrats Venezuela’s government will investigate opposition leader Machado for supporting US House bill Australia rejects Elon Musk’s claim that it plans to control access to the internet Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the Senate would debate the bill later Wednesday. The major parties’ support all but guarantees the legislation will pass in the Senate, where no party holds a majority of seats. Lawmakers who were not aligned with either the government or the opposition were most critical of the legislation during debate on Tuesday and Wednesday. Criticisms include that the legislation had been rushed through Parliament without adequate scrutiny, would not work, would create privacy risks for users of all ages and would take away parents’ authority to decide what’s best for their children. Critics also argue the ban would isolate children, deprive them of positive aspects of social media, drive children to the dark web, make children too young for social media reluctant to report harms they encountered and take away incentives for platforms to make online spaces safer. Independent lawmaker Zoe Daniel said the legislation would “make zero difference to the harms that are inherent to social media.” “The true object of this legislation is not to make social media safe by design, but to make parents and voters feel like the government is doing something about it,” Daniel told Parliament. “There is a reason why the government parades this legislation as world-leading, that’s because no other country wants to do it,” she added. T he platforms had asked for the vote on legislation to be delayed until at least June next year when a government-commissioned evaluation of age assurance technologies made its report on how the ban could been enforced. Melbourne resident Wayne Holdsworth, whose 17-year-old son Mac took his own life last year after falling victim to an online sextortion scam, described the bill as “absolutely essential for the safety of our children.” “It’s not the only thing that we need to do to protect them because education is the key, but to provide some immediate support for our children and parents to be able to manage this, it’s a great step,” the 65-year-old online safety campaigner told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “And in my opinion, it’s the greatest time in our country’s history,” he added, referring to the pending legal reform.

While the first official day of winter has yet to come, the chilly weather has arrived in many parts of the U.S. And whether you're the type to hunker down in the house or plan a ski trip, we found plenty of deals that'll help you enjoy the season. Right now, you can curl up with a digital book or download a movie with for $70 off. You can also score for over half off. But if your main concern is keeping warm, these are 40% off and you can grab a 10-pack of for just $7. Keep scrolling for more of our favorite deals of the day ahead of the (official) winter season. Apple iPad (10th Generation), 64GB Cozy Bliss Faux Fur Throw Blanket Drew Barrymore Beautiful 9 Quart TriZone Air Fryer Project Cloud Genuine Suede Ankle Boots Greenworks 80V 12" Cordless Brushless Snow Shovel with 2.0 Ah Battery Kate Spade Sadie North South Large Crossbody Anrabess Open Front Knit Lightweight Cardigan Coat HotHands Hand Warmers Value Pack, 10-Count Old Navy High-Waisted PowerSoft 7/8 Leggings Tagry Bluetooth Headphones True Wireless Earbuds Clinique Almost Lipstick Tinted Lip Balm in Black Honey, 1 Count This iPad has been around for close to two years, but its technology is still top of the line. Get it while it's on sale for $70 off during Target's Holiday Countdown Sale and get it before Christmas! It features a liquid retina display with True Tone technology that adjusts to the color temperature of the room, making viewing easy in any light. (So, yes, you could take this to the beach.) Shoppers especially love how fast it is. The A14 bionic chip delivers powerful performance, whether you're using your iPad to watch movies, play games or shop. Plus, it offers all-day battery life. "Perfect iPad for those of us who aren’t looking for something too crazy. Very easy and fun to use," said one shopper. "I have been using it nonstop and taking it everywhere. It’s perfect for my needs/usage. Holds a charge really well so far and the screen is beautiful." Curl up in this cozy faux fur blanket that's marked 40% off, but only for a limited time — it's one of Amazon's Daily Lightning Deals. That means you'll have to shop fast before the price goes back up. That said, you'll definitely want to! This 50 by 60-inch blanket features faux fur on one side and soft fleece on the other, and it's machine-washable. "It is incredibly soft, stylish, and really cozy," confirmed . "Didn't shed after washing. Both sides of the blanket are really soft...This is a slightly heavier/warmer blanket, which is what I was looking for since I get cold easily." If a standard air fryer simply won't suffice for your cooking needs, then behold this one from Drew's cookware line. The extra-large size and TriZone technology means you can cook two different foods at once. You can choose from six available colors, but the White Icing (pictured here) is the one that's on sale today. "I love, love, love this," said one shopper. "It is a beautiful addition to my countertop. I use it for air frying the most but I also have used it for the other functions and I'm extremely pleased. I'd buy it again. A little tip: Set the time and temperature a little less than you would for a regular oven. Also, the quality and crisp you'll get on your food is amazing. The amount you can cook in it is also great." These suede boots look a lot like the ones from a certain name brand and they're on sale for about half the price. Inside, they're lined with shearling, so they're warm, cozy and should last you a long time. They come in this chestnut brown color as well as black, brown, gray, olive and taupe. "I love these boots," . "Very comfortable, excellent price, well made, color is as expected. When I received them, I ordered more. True to size." Shoveling snow the old-school way can be exhausting, not to mention nearly back-breaking. With an electric option like this one, you'll have a whole lot of help cleaning up after Mother Nature's latest onslaught. You'll get up to 45 minutes of runtime with a fully charged battery, meaning you can quickly clear your driveway, sidewalks, patios and more — the shovel will leave a 12" clearing path and 6" clearing depth. Best of all, the ergonomic design eliminates back pain... ahh, sweet relief! "I have used it in the last two snowstorms. It has worked as advertised, and it sure is a lot easier on my back," said one Walmart shopper. If you're looking for a do-it-all black leather crossbody you can sling around your torso to run errands, grab dinner at your favorite restaurant or take to a work meeting — this is it. The minimalist style won't draw too much attention, but its timeless design will have you reaching for it all the time. Is it a cardigan or is it a coat? It's both! Score this versatile piece for chilly end-of-summer mornings and early fall days while it's just over half off in a range of colors. This khaki goes great with jeans and leggings, but it can make any outfit look a bit more elevated. "Very nice fabric — nice feel and weight to fabric," said one . "Very soft, steps up the look of any outfit. I'm 5'3" and it hits right at knee. Looks so professional for work or completes a look with jeans. I will be buying more colors." For anyone who spends a lot of time outdoors in the wintertime — or for anyone who's cold — these are a godsend. They're single-use but they heat up fast and stay hot for up to 10 hours. Slip them into ski gloves, coat pockets or even boots for a toasty time. "These ... work well for keeping your hands warm for hours," said . "They last a long time. I love that they’re compact, so they’re easy to take anywhere. The price is great; definitely a good option for outdoor activities." Don't sleep on Old Navy's athletic wear! The brand's leggings are super soft, and these have a little bit of compression to suck everything in. They're also available in over 10 colors, but you can't go wrong with classic black. Stock up while they're 50% off. "I have tried all the expensive leggings and all the dupe leggings, but Old Navy will always be my go-to," said one loyal shopper. "Material holds up great and doesn't stretch out." If you want an affordable, reliable pair of earbuds, more than 50,000 Amazon shoppers rave about this pair. They offer six hours of battery life on a single charge and 60 hours with the charging case. The battery levels are listed right on the case on an LED screen. "These earbuds are great earbuds considering the price. I use them daily but I rarely have to charge the case," said . "As far as music quality, they're pretty good, not great, but definitely not bad. The bass and mids are not overly harsh and the earbuds provide just enough clarity to still make the music enjoyable." While Clinique's Black Honey shade has been around for a while (Liv Tyler reportedly wore it in !), the shade is trending again, thanks to TikTok beauty enthusiasts. Grab the moody red color in this tinted lip balm while it's 15% off — the same price as it was during Black Friday. "This looks great on everyone and feels amazing!" . "It's not sticky or tacky and it smells like lipstick but tastes like nothing! This is high-quality stuff that won't stain your clothes or skin! It's a great topper to anything and gives that natural tint to your lips." : Get up to 40% off select holiday items, plus an extra 40% off sale items. : Get an extra 15% off fall sale styles. : Get up to 25% off during the Cyber Monday Extended Sale. : Get up to 50% off shoes, clothing, gear and more. : Take up to 50% off select items site-wide. : Get up to 60% off select full-priced items. : Get up to 70% off 300-plus styles, plus an extra 25% off select styles. : Get up to 40% off gift items with code . : Shop thousands of extended Cyber Monday markdowns, up to 60% off. : Get up to 80% off select coats from Vince Camuto, Kenneth Cole New York, Lucky Brand and more. : Grab some of the brand's top-selling styles, starting at just $9. : Take up to 35% off select cups and tumblers. : Shop holiday rollbacks and flash deals, up to 40% off.NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose to records Tuesday after Donald Trump’s latest talk about tariffs created only some ripples on Wall Street, even if they could roil the global economy were they to take effect. The S&P 500 climbed 0.6% to top the all-time high it set a couple weeks ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 123 points, or 0.3%, to its own record set the day before, while the Nasdaq composite gained 0.6% as Microsoft and Big Tech led the way. Stock markets abroad mostly fell after President-elect Trump said he plans to impose sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China once he takes office. But the movements were mostly modest. Stock indexes were down 0.1% in Shanghai and nearly flat in Hong Kong, while Canada’s main index edged down by less than 0.1%. Trump has often praised the use of tariffs , but investors are weighing whether his latest threat will actually become policy or is just an opening point for negotiations. For now, the market seems to be taking it more as the latter. The consequences otherwise for markets and the global economy could be painful. Unless the United States can prepare alternatives for the autos, energy products and other goods that come from Mexico, Canada and China, such tariffs would raise the price of imported items all at once and make households poorer, according to Carl Weinberg and Rubeela Farooqi, economists at High Frequency Economics. They would also hurt profit margins for U.S. companies, while raising the threat of retaliatory tariffs by other countries. And unlike tariffs in Trump’s first term, his latest proposal would affect products across the board. General Motors sank 9%, and Ford Motor fell 2.6% because both import automobiles from Mexico. Constellation Brands, which sells Modelo and other Mexican beer brands in the United States, dropped 3.3%. The value of the Mexican peso fell 1.8% against the U.S. dollar. Beyond the pain such tariffs would cause U.S. households and businesses, they could also push the Federal Reserve to slow or even halt its cuts to interest rates. The Fed had just begun easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high a couple months ago to offer support for the job market . While lower interest rates can boost the economy, they can also offer more fuel for inflation. “Many” officials at the Fed’s last meeting earlier this month said they should lower rates gradually, according to minutes of the meeting released Tuesday afternoon. The talk about tariffs overshadowed another mixed set of profit reports from U.S. retailers that answered few questions about how much more shoppers can keep spending. They’ll need to stay resilient after helping the economy avoid a recession, despite the high interest rates imposed by the Fed to get inflation under control. A report on Tuesday from the Conference Board said confidence among U.S. consumers improved in November, but not by as much as economists expected. Kohl’s tumbled 17% after its results for the latest quarter fell short of analysts’ expectations. CEO Tom Kingsbury said sales remain soft for apparel and footwear. A day earlier, Kingsbury said he plans to step down as CEO in January. Ashley Buchanan, CEO of Michaels and a retail veteran, will replace him. Best Buy fell 4.9% after likewise falling short of analysts’ expectations. Dick’s Sporting Goods topped forecasts for the latest quarter thanks to a strong back-to-school season, but its stock lost an early gain to fall 1.4%. Still, more stocks rose in the S&P 500 than fell. J.M. Smucker had one of the biggest gains and climbed 5.7% after topping analysts’ expectations for the latest quarter. CEO Mark Smucker credited strength for its Uncrustables, Meow Mix, Café Bustelo and Jif brands. Big Tech stocks also helped prop up U.S. indexes. Gains of 3.2% for Amazon and 2.2% for Microsoft were the two strongest forces lifting the S&P 500. All told, the S&P 500 rose 34.26 points to 6,021.63. The Dow gained 123.74 to 44,860.31, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 119.46 to 19,174.30. In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady following their big drop from a day before driven by relief following Trump’s pick for Treasury secretary. The yield on the 10-year Treasury inched up to 4.29% from 4.28% late Monday, but it’s still well below the 4.41% level where it ended last week. In the crypto market, bitcoin continued to pull back after topping $99,000 for the first time late last week. It’s since dipped back toward $91,000, according to CoinDesk. It’s a sharp turnaround from the bonanza that initially took over the crypto market following Trump’s election. That boom had also appeared to have spilled into some corners of the stock market. Strategists at Barclays Capital pointed to stocks of unprofitable companies, along with other areas that can be caught up in bursts of optimism by smaller-pocketed “retail” investors. AP Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.

Adam Olsen finds new life after politics with Peninsula First Nation

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Stock indexes drifted to a mixed finish on Wall Street as some heavyweight technology and communications sector stocks offset gains elsewhere in the market. The S&P 500 slipped less than 0.1% Thursday, its first loss after three straight gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.1%. Gains by retailers and health care stocks helped temper the losses. Trading volume was lighter than usual as U.S. markets reopened following the Christmas holiday. The Labor Department reported that U.S. applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week, though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years. Treasury yields fell in the bond market. On Thursday: The S&P 500 fell 2.45 points, or 0.04%, to 6,037.59. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 28.77 points, or 0.1%, to 43,325.80. The Nasdaq composite fell 10.77 points, or 1%, to 19,764.89. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies rose 20.34 points, or 0.9%, to 2,280.19. For the week: The S&P 500 is up 106.74 points, or 1.80%. The Dow is up 485.54 points, or 1.1%. The Nasdaq is up 447.76 points, or 2.3%. The Russell 2000 is up 37.82 points, or 1.7%. For the year: The S&P 500 is up 1,267.76 points, or 26.6%. The Dow is up 5,636.26, or 15%. The Nasdaq is up 5,009.01 points, or 33.4%. The Russell 2000 is up 253.12 points, or 12.5%.

ID.me attributes multi-year revenue growth to the power of its digital identity wallet, simplifying access online for millions of Americans MCLEAN, Va., Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ID.me, the next-generation digital identity wallet that simplifies how individuals securely prove their identity online, today announced it ranked 315 on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 TM, a ranking of the 500 fastest-growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences, fintech, and energy tech companies in North America, now in its 30th year. In the Greater Washington, D.C. region, ID.me ranked 12. ID.me has earned a spot after seeing 370% revenue growth from 2020 to 2023. Blake Hall, ID.me's Founder & CEO, attributes this remarkable growth to ID.me's commitment to reducing friction in consumers' lives while enabling secure access to services, benefits, deals, and more. "ID.me is designed to be the last login you need to create and the last identity verification you complete," said Hall. "With the ID.me Identity Wallet, users can verify their identity once and easily sign in with all organizations that accept ID.me. Solving these consumer pain points helps brands drive higher conversions and revenue while lowering costs. It also empowers government agencies to improve customer service, ensure privacy, prevent fraud, and expand digital access." ID.me is the only digital wallet that meets the federal government standards for secure login and multi-factor authentication, NIST IAL2, while offering online, video chat, and in-person pathways for identity verification. ID.me has enrolled more than 135 million members into its digital wallet. The number of these users verified at IAL2 has grown to over 62 million. These users can utilize ID.me's digital wallet to safely login and prove their identity in seconds at any government, commercial, or non-profit organization that uses ID.me. "For 30 years we've been celebrating companies that are actively driving innovation. The software industry continues to be a beacon of growth, and the fintech industry made a strong showing on this year's list, surpassing life sciences for the first time," said Steve Fineberg , vice chair, U.S. technology sector leader, Deloitte. "Significantly, we also saw a breakthrough in performance of private companies, with the highest number of private companies named to the list in our program's history. This year's winners have shown they have the vision and expertise to continue to perform at a high level, and that deserves to be celebrated." "Innovation, transformation and disruption of the status quo are at the forefront for this year's Technology Fast 500 list, and there's no better way to celebrate 30 years of program history," said Christie Simons , partner, Deloitte & Touche LLP and industry leader for technology, media and telecommunications within Deloitte's Audit & Assurance practice. "This year's winning companies have demonstrated a continuous commitment to growth and remarkable consistency in driving forward progress. We extend our congratulations to all of this year's winners — it's an incredible time for innovation." About the 2024 Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Now in its 30th year, the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 provides a ranking of the fastest-growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences, fintech, and energy tech companies — both public and private — in North America. Technology Fast 500 award winners are selected based on percentage fiscal year revenue growth from 2020 to 2023. In order to be eligible for Technology Fast 500 recognition, companies must own proprietary intellectual property or technology that is sold to customers in products that contribute to a majority of the company's operating revenues. Companies must have base-year operating revenues of at least US$50,000, and current-year operating revenues of at least US$5 million. Additionally, companies must be in business for a minimum of four years and be headquartered within North America. About ID.me ID.me is the next-generation digital identity wallet that simplifies how individuals securely prove their identity online. Consumers can verify their identity with ID.me once and seamlessly login across websites without having to create a new login and verify their identity again. Over 135 million users experience streamlined login and identity verification with ID.me at 19 federal agencies, 44 state government agencies, and 66 healthcare organizations. More than 600 consumer brands use ID.me to verify communities and user segments to honor service and build more authentic relationships. ID.me's technology meets the federal standards for consumer authentication set by the Commerce Department and is approved as a NIST 800-63-3 IAL2 / AAL2 credential service provider by the Kantara Initiative. ID.me is committed to "No Identity Left Behind" to enable all people to have a secure digital identity. To learn more, visit https://network.id.me/ . About Deloitte Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world's most admired brands, including nearly 90% of the Fortune 500® and more than 8,500 U.S.-based private companies. At Deloitte, we strive to live our purpose of making an impact that matters by creating trust and confidence in a more equitable society. We leverage our unique blend of business acumen, command of technology, and strategic technology alliances to advise our clients across industries as they build their future . Deloitte is proud to be part of the largest global professional services network serving our clients in the markets that are most important to them. Bringing more than 175 years of service, our network of member firms spans more than 150 countries and territories. Learn how Deloitte's approximately 460,000 people worldwide connect for impact at www.deloitte.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/idme-ranked-315-fastest-growing-company-in-north-america-on-the-2024-deloitte-technology-fast-500-302313205.html SOURCE ID.me, Inc.

NoneBy ALEXANDRA OLSON and CATHY BUSSEWITZ 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.” She 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.

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