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By . . Donovan Mitchell scored a game-high 35 points to inspire the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 115-111 victory against the Boston Celtics. The Cavaliers, whose 15-game winning run at the start of the season was ended by the Celtics, were 14 points behind at one stage in the third quarter before a strong rally. Mitchell scored 20 points – including 11 consecutive points – in the fourth quarter and, with one minute seven seconds left, put the Cavaliers 103-101 in front and they held on for a significant victory. The win ended a run of two defeats for the Eastern Conference leaders while the Celtics had their run of seven straight wins ended. Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You. NEWS UPDATE: Nigerians have been finally approved to earn Dollars from home, acquire premium domains for as low as $1500, profit as much as $22,000 (₦37million+). Click here to start.
Michigan's defense of national title fell short, aims to cap lost season with win against Ohio StateTrump names billionaire investment banker Warren Stephens as his envoy to Britain
Three protestors in Boston protesting a proposed pipeline project. This is the third article in a series delving into the contentious topic of carbon capture and storage at point-source emitters like power plants and industrial facilities. My first article discussed the three technologies used in CCS, and my second examined their strengths and weaknesses. This article is about a dirty little secret habitually glossed over by CCS supporters: there simply aren’t many places to store captured carbon dioxide. A small coal-fired power plant with a 100 MW capacity running at 80% utilization would generate nearly 700,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide in a year. Triple that figure for a medium-sized coal-fired plant and multiply by ten for a large plant. You might be considering 700,000 metric tons in a theoretical sense, so I’ll state it in visceral terms. That weight in steel stacked in a city block would stand fifteen stories high. That weight in corn would completely fill a professional sports stadium. Finding sufficient space in which to store that much of anything is not easy and requires non-trivial engineering. iOS 18.1.1—Update Now Warning Issued To All iPhone Users Leak Reveals Trump Crypto Bombshell As Bitcoin Suddenly Surges Toward $100,000 Price Matt Gaetz Controversy Explained: Sexual Misconduct Allegations Sink Trump’s Attorney General Nominee Capturing carbon is only one-third of the CCS battle Geologists would suggest that there are plenty of geological formations that could store an enormous amount of carbon dioxide. Indeed, carbon storage capacity is a good news-bad news story. The good news is that the U.S. is the world leader in carbon dioxide storage capacity. The bad news comes in two parts. First, there is hardly any operational storage capacity outside the U.S., as indicated by the dark green sections in the graph below. Storage facilities are in early stages of planning and construction, but at nowhere near the required scale. Capture (orange) and storage capacity (blue / green columns) globally. The second bit of bad news is that even in the U.S., where storage capacity is often related to enhanced oil recovery—extracting oil from tight reservoirs by injecting pressurized CO 2 —facilities emitting carbon dioxide aren’t situated near suitable underground storage sites. Since many emission sources are far from viable storage sites, transporting captured carbon dioxide represents a daunting engineering and political obstacle. Post-CCS transportation of CO2 represents a huge political and engineering challenge Interstate pipelines must be approved by several federal regulatory agencies and are subject to further regulation if traversing or bordering on environmentally protected areas. State regulators must also approve such plans, and the pipeline company must jump through various municipal hoops pertaining to taxes, zoning, and land use. The pipeline company must finally secure contiguous property for the entire pipeline route through easements or the arduous legal process of eminent domain. Once the property has been purchased, the pipeline constructed, and the regulatory hurdles cleared, operating a carbon dioxide pipeline can be fraught with peril, as the residents of Sartartia, Mississippi—a town situated near a CO2 pipeline that burst in 2020—know too well. Considering the difficulties in planning, permitting, and operating a CO 2 pipeline, it would be reasonable to ask how long it would take to build out the infrastructure necessary to transport carbon dioxide, and how much of it already exists. There are only just over 5,000 miles of pipelines permitted to transport carbon dioxide, only 1.25% of the 400,000 miles of natural gas pipelines in the U.S. The natural gas pipeline system has taken ~100 years to build, suggesting a long road lies ahead for the buildout of CO2 pipelines. (Make sure to check out my recent article about two U.S. start-ups that are generating electricity from natural gas pipelines without burning any gas!) You might expect that natural gas pipelines could be repurposed to transport carbon dioxide, but these pipelines must undergo significant renovations—including replacement with pipes constructed of thicker, specialized steel—to be certified to carry CO 2 . Building out new pipelines is expensive. The 2,000-mile Midwest Carbon Express pipeline was estimated to cost $3.5 billion, or $1.75 million per mile. Spending this much money might make sense for a coal-fired power plant generating 700,000 metric tons of CO 2 which can be sold to an oil major that needs the pressurized gas for EOR. However, will the owner of a small manufacturing facility generating a fraction as much CO 2 pony up $1.75 million per mile to transport their emissions? CCS infrastructure is being built out The situation is not as bleak as I have painted it. Several large oil and gas companies are building billions of tons of CO 2 capacity in the Texas/Louisiana Gulf Coast industrial corridor region, an area responsible for about half the refining capacity in the U.S. and a major center for chemical production as well. For example, the Occidental Petroleum subsidiary 1PointFive is developing the Bluebonnet Hub ; Chevron, Total, and Equinor are building the nearby Bayou Bend CCS facility, and ExxonMobil is building a facility to store CO 2 from Linde’s blue hydrogen production center. These storage facilities will store many billions of tons of CO 2 underground. This incremental progress is great, but facilities less accessible to storage hubs will find it difficult to transport carbon dioxide if they invest in equipment to capture it. Smaller emitters are out of luck due to the expense of pipeline construction unless they are situated very close to accessible pipelines. I have been speaking with a few interesting companies with viable solutions to the CCS quandary described in this series. One start-up, Neustark , a young Swiss firm has developed a great solution for storing captured carbon dioxide without burying it underground. Neustark’s solution works especially well for smaller emitters that have no way to use lower-emission technologies in their processes. Follow my work here to learn more about Neustark’s solution to the biggest deal killer for CCS. Intelligent investors take note.
With nearly all of the votes counted, left-leaning Mr Milanovic won 49% while his main challenger Dragan Primorac, a candidate of the ruling conservative HDZ party, trailed far behind with 19%. Pre-election polls had predicted that the two would face off in the second round on January 12, as none of the eight presidential election contenders were projected to get more than 50% of the vote. Mr Milanovic thanked his supporters but warned that “this was just a first run”. “Let’s not be triumphant, let’s be realistic, firmly on the ground,” he said. “We must fight all over again. It’s not over till it’s over.” Mr Milanovic, the most popular politician in Croatia, has served as prime minister in the past. Populist in style, the 58-year-old has been a fierce critic of current Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and continuous sparring between the two has been a recent hallmark of Croatia’s political scene. Mr Plenkovic has sought to portray the vote as one about Croatia’s future in the EU and Nato. He has labelled Mr Milanovic “pro-Russian” and a threat to Croatia’s international standing. “The difference between him (Mr Primorac) and Milanovic is quite simple: Milanovic is leading us East, Primorac is leading us West,” he said. Though the presidency is largely ceremonial in Croatia, an elected president holds political authority and acts as the supreme commander of the military. Mr Milanovic has criticised the Nato and European Union support for Ukraine and has often insisted that Croatia should not take sides. He has said Croatia should stay away from global disputes, thought it is a member of both Nato and the EU. Mr Milanovic has also blocked Croatia’s participation in a Nato-led training mission for Ukraine, declaring that “no Croatian soldier will take part in somebody else’s war”. His main rival in the election, Mr Primorac, has stated that “Croatia’s place is in the West, not the East”. However, his bid for the presidency has been marred by a high-level corruption case that landed Croatia’s health minister in jail last month and which featured prominently in pre-election debates. Trailing a distant third in the pre-election polls is Marija Selak Raspudic, a conservative independent candidate. She has focused her election campaign on the economic troubles of ordinary citizens, corruption and issues such as population decline in the country of some 3.8 million. Sunday’s presidential election is Croatia’s third vote this year, following a snap parliamentary election in April and the European Parliament balloting in June.Consumers in the United States scoured the internet for online deals as they looked to take advantage of the post-Thanksgiving shopping marathon with Cyber Monday. Even though e-commerce is now part and parcel of many people's regular routines and the holiday shopping season, Cyber Monday — a term coined in 2005 by the National Retail Federation — has become the biggest online shopping day of the year, thanks to the deals and the hype the industry has created to fuel it. Adobe Analytics, which tracks online shopping, expected consumers to spend $13.2 billion Monday — a record, and 6.1% more than last year. That would make it the biggest shopping day for e-commerce for the season — and the year. Online spending was expected to peak between the hours of 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Monday night, per Adobe — reaching an estimated $15.7 million spent every minute. For several major retailers, a Cyber Monday sale is a dayslong event that began over the Thanksgiving weekend. An Amazon Prime delivery person lifts packages while making a stop Nov. 28, 2023, in Denver. David Zalubowski, Associated Press Amazon kicked off its sales event right after midnight Pacific time on Saturday. Target's two days of discount offers on its website and app began overnight Sunday. Walmart rolled out its Cyber Monday offers for Walmart+ members Sunday afternoon and opened it up to all customers three hours later, at 8 p.m. Eastern time. Consumer spending for Cyber Week — the five major shopping days between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday — provides a strong indication of how much shoppers are willing to spend for the holidays. Many U.S. consumers continue to experience sticker shock after the period of post-pandemic inflation, which left prices for many goods and services higher than they were three years ago. But retail sales nonetheless remain strong, and the economy kept growing at a healthy pace. At the same time, credit card debt and delinquencies are rising. More shoppers than ever are also on track to use "buy now, pay later" plans this holiday season, which allows them to delay payments on holiday decor, gifts and other items. Many economists also warned that President-elect Donald Trump's plan to impose tariffs next year on foreign goods coming into the United States would lead to higher prices on everything from food to clothing to automobiles. A FedEx delivery person carries a package from a truck Nov. 17, 2022, in Denver. David Zalubowski, Associated Press Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts The National Retail Federation expects holiday shoppers to spend more this year both in stores and online than last year. But the pace of spending growth will slow slightly, the trade group said, growing 2.5% to 3.5% — compared to 3.9% in 2023. A clear sense of consumer spending patterns during the holiday season won't emerge until the government releases sales data for the period, but some preliminary data from other sources shows some encouraging signs for retailers. Vivek Pandya, lead analyst at Adobe Digital Insights, noted that discounts from Thanksgiving onward "exceeded expectations" and online spending throughout Cyber Week is on track to cross a record $40 billion mark combined. U.S. shoppers spent $10.8 billion online on Black Friday, a 10.2% increase over last year, according to Adobe Analytics. That's also more than double what consumers spent in 2017, when Black Friday pulled in about $5 billion in online sales. Consumers also spent a record $6.1 billion online on Thanksgiving Day, Adobe said. Meanwhile, software company Salesforce, which also tracks online shopping, estimated that Black Friday online sales totaled $17.5 billion in the U.S. and $74.4 billion globally. Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks in-person and online spending, reported that overall Black Friday sales excluding automotive rose 3.4% from a year ago. A United Parcel Service driver sorts deliveries July 15, 2023, on New York's Upper West Side. Richard Drew, Associated Press E-commerce platform Shopify said its merchants raked in a record $5 billion in sales worldwide on Black Friday. At its peak, sales reached $4.6 million per minute — with top categories by volume including clothing, cosmetics and fitness products, according to the Canadian company. Toys, electronics, home goods, self-care and beauty categories were among the key drivers of holiday spending on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, according to Adobe. "Hot products" included Lego sets, espresso machines, fitness trackers, makeup and skin care. Other data showed physical stores saw fewer customers on Black Friday, underscoring how the huge crowds that were once synonymous with the day after Thanksgiving are now more than happy to shop from the comfort of their homes. RetailNext, which measures real-time foot traffic in stores, said its early data showed store traffic on Friday was down 3.2% in the U.S. compared to last year, with the biggest dip happening in the Midwest. Sensormatic Solutions, which also tracks store traffic, said its preliminary analysis showed retail store traffic on Black Friday was down 8.2% compared to 2023. Grant Gustafson, head of retail consulting and analytics at Sensormatic Solutions, noted that in-store traffic was getting spread across multiple days since many retailers offered generous discounts before and after Black Friday. "Some of the extended Black Friday promotions really ended up leading to a little bit of a softer day-of traffic than expected," Gustafson said. In 2024, staying small on purpose seems to be paying off big for small businesses. They're keeping operations small and targeting niche, highly specialized customers. And some business owners find this strategy results in more time, energy, and money to intentionally capitalize on unique, small cap opportunities. The data tells the story of growth in small businesses for the year. According to NEXT , the Small Business Administration (SBA) reports awarding 38,000 SBA 7(a) loans under $150,000: double the amount they awarded in 2020. Here are the related small-business trends paying off in 2024. 1. Small and cozy office spaces in industrial and flex condos Commercial real estate agent Ryan Beckenhauer of Market Real Estate in Boulder, Colorado, has noticed that small businesses are growing smaller, and that their office and warehouse spaces are starting to reflect that as they shop for business space. In commercial real estate, many small business owners gravitate toward industrial condos and other flexible spaces. These are small-scale industrial spaces with a 90:10 or 80:20 split of warehouse to office. "More individuals are leveraging skills acquired at larger organizations to venture out on their own," explains Beckenhauer. And he goes on to say that they don't need a large commercial space as they make that leap to start a business. His clients include engineers, consultants, builders and other tradespeople. Beckenhauer's clients like the flexibility of being out of an office and being close to their inventory and workshop space. "The clients want to see and touch the finishes," he says. Small business owners both rent or buy these spaces. But he's seeing his clients opt to own industrial condos to stabilize costs due to rent increases in Boulder. And because these spaces are smaller, it can be easier for new buyers to qualify for financing. 2. More outsourcing of financial services Mariana Alvarez, owner of Controller Works , an online bookkeeping and advisory firm, has noticed that small business owners outsource financial support services because they don't want to increase headcount. "Outsourcing gives them the possibility of having access to the knowledge and the skills of a CFO without having to pay for the salary," she says. "They don't have to manage or deal with the workload, employment taxes , and all that comes with it," says Alvarez. Additionally, many small business owners in fields like construction are family-owned, and this makes it easier for business owners to hand off delicate financial work to a trusted person with financial experience. 3. Automating bookkeeping tasks with AI Every small business has recurring tasks that can benefit from some level of artificial intelligence automation . And Alvarez sees a lot of value in using AI for small business bookkeeping. She explains that you can automate the data entry on Quickbooks. "When you create rules, as long as you create the rules correctly, it pretty much does itself," says Alvarez. From there, you can lean on financial experts to help you analyze the data and make more informed decisions. She uses AI as a background resource when guiding her accounting clients. "I believe that we still need the human-to-human interaction that comes with more perspective for financial analysis," she explains. 4. AI-driven customer service According to the SBA , 77% of consumers feel that human interaction is still required for a positive customer experience. People turn to small businesses every day for a human experience. According to Arvind Rongala, CEO of Edstellar , small business workers can show up for their customers but still use AI for routine tasks like customer queries. "This balance allows companies to scale their operations without losing the personal touch that makes them unique. It's important to remember that AI isn't there to replace the human element—it's there to enhance it," he says. 5. Personalized customer experiences "By really focusing on one very small weakness that Amazon has, I've been able to carve out a successful business by offering something different," says Lou Harvey owner of Tank Retailer , a retailer of commercial water and fuel tanks. "When you read our customer reviews, many of them actually mention me by name because of how much we focus on customer service and go the extra mile." One of Harvey's most successful business strategies this year has been to lean into his small, niche market and offer the kind of customer experience that large retailers like Amazon don't. "Any small weaknesses that Amazon has (however small those weaknesses may be) needs to become a strength of a smaller business focusing on a niche market," says Harvey. Harvey has his company's customer service phone number front and center on the website to help earn customer trust. "I prominently feature our phone number, and a real person always answers the phone (usually it's me)," says Harvey. 6. Businesses promoting social impact Lucie Voves, CEO and founder of Church Hill Classics , an online, woman-owned diploma framing company that uses sustainable materials, has noticed an uptick in customers seeking services from a business on a mission. "This year, we've seen a growing inclination for consumers to actively seek out and support small businesses owned by women and minorities," says Voves. When consumers shop small, they choose to make their dollars count. "Customers are fueled by a desire to promote social impact through purchasing power," says Voves. 7. Increased social commerce sales Long gone are the days of online retailers "building it and they will come." In 2024 we've seen more small businesses than ever turn to social commerce to sell directly on social media platforms like Instagram Shopping , Facebook Marketplace , and TikTok . Small business owners are turning toward influencers, social media ads, and organic content to target their customers. Mike Vannelli of Envy Creative creates online ads for businesses, and he has seen his clients succeed on TikTok of late. "I've seen businesses, especially in retail, use TikTok's short-form video format to make their products go viral. Think of it as word-of-mouth marketing on steroids," says Vannelli. He uses the platform's algorithm to push a company's content to the right audiences, and it works because TikTok loves storytelling. "I know small brands that use behind-the-scenes videos, customer testimonials, and even playful challenges that tap into trends to humanize their products and build trust," explains Vannelli. To stand out on TikTok, he says, smaller brands need to embrace authenticity and emotional connection. Show your team, share your journey, and involve your community in content creation. This story was produced by NEXT and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. Chay_Tee // Shutterstock
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Celebrating the 8-year milestone of one of Indian cinema’s most iconic films, Dangal, actor Aparshakti Khurana took to social media to share a special throwback still featuring the film’s cast. Aparshakti Khurana drops priceless BTS from Dangal days His heartfelt post rekindled memories of the incredible journey that not only redefined Indian cinema but also inspired millions across the globe. He captioned the post: “8 years from where it all started! DANGAL! It feels like yesterday” Marking his debut in Bollywood, Aparshakti played the role of Omkar, Mahavir Singh Phogat’s younger nephew, leaving a lasting impression with his nuanced performance. Reflecting on the legacy of Dangal, Aparshakti expressed his gratitude for being part of such a monumental project and for the opportunity to work alongside talented co-stars, including Aamir Khan, Sakshi Tanwar, Sanya Malhotra, and Fatima Sana Shaikh. More about Dangal Dangal emerged as a global phenomenon upon its release, setting box-office records and earning critical acclaim for its gripping storytelling, empowering message, and outstanding performances. As the film completes 8 years, Aparshakti’s nostalgic post is a reminder of the power of cinema to inspire and leave a timeless legacy. Meanwhile, Aparshakti has been garnering praise for his recent work. His OTT film Berlin received widespread acclaim, and he was applauded for reprising his role as Bittu in the horror-comedy hit Stree 2. Up next, he will star in the romantic drama Badtameez Gill alongside Paresh Rawal and Vaani Kapoor. He is also set to appear in the upcoming documentary Finding Ram. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Bollywood, Entertainment News and around the world.Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards was fined $75,000 by the NBA for public criticism of officiating and using inappropriate and profane language, the league announced on Monday. Edwards made the remarks that drew the punishment following Minnesota's 113-103 home loss to the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. The 23-year-old playmaker, who helped the United States capture gold at the Paris Olympics, has averaged 25.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists a game for the T-Wolves this season. Edwards used profanity in describing what he considered a poor performance from the referees, calling it "terrible" and saying he and teammate Julius Randle are penalized "for being stronger than our opponent every night. "We don't get no calls. That's how I feel about the officials every game we play." Edwards was whistled for four fouls against the Warriors and shot four free throws himself. At 14-13, the Timberwolves are 10th in the Western Conference, ahead of Phoenix on tie-breakers. js/mw
UN Resolution 1701 is at the heart of the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire deal. What is it?Insights into the Air Scrubber Market and Future Trends at a CAGR of 8.5% by 2030Ian 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
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Ian Schieffelin, Clemson topple Penn State to win Sunshine SlamNEW 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 re-evaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups. The changes announced by the world's biggest retailer on Monday 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 retreat from such 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 at 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 October survey, compared to 56% in a similar survey in February 2023. Rachel Minkin, a research associate 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. Walmart says its U.S. businesses sourced more than $13 billion in goods and services from diverse suppliers in fiscal year 2024, including businesses owned by minorities, women and veterans. It was unclear how its relationships with such business would change going forward. Organizations 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 has no 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.
Match Awards from Bayern Munich’s close 1-0 win over PSG in the Champions League
WESTFIELD — Organizers preparing for the 70th annual Westfield River Wildwater Race are launching a fundraising drive to cover the more than $30,000 in cash they need to run the event. Race Chairman Harry Rock said that while participant fees cover about half the cost of the race, cash donations and in-kind services are needed to continue the longest running canoe race in the country. He is confident the April 19 race will persevere. “We discovered last year that the fees charged participants was not enough to run the races,” he said. “We nearly had to cancel the race if not for the generosity of some supporters and businesses who stepped up at the last minute.” “This year we are starting early and looking to our supporters to step up again,” he said. Rock said organizers are creating a guide for donations. Any amount given up to $100 falls under the “Starting Line” level, while a “Rapids” designation covers any donation between $100 and $249, followed by a “Kayak” for donations of $250 to $499. The guide continues with the “Canoe” level at $500 to $999, with “Paddlers” in the $1,000 to $2,499 range, where Rock himself has contributed. “White Water” donors contribute between $2,500 and $4,999 and “Finish Line” donors are in the $5,000 and up category. So far, JL Raymaakers & Sons Inc. and Roar Inc. have again taken the lead in contributing as the first Finish Line contributors. Last year, John Raymaaker, a longtime paddler in the races, stepped up when he heard about the potential cancelation and put up $4,000 in cash, then challenged his fellow business people to get on board. They did. Champion racer Travis Wheeler started a GoFundMe page that raised over $4,000. Indian Motorcycle of Springfield added to that, as did Pioneer Valley Waste, the Wild and Scenic Westfield River committee, Westfield Bank and others. As a result of the giving, the 69th running of the Westfield River Wildwater Race was launched on time. Rock, joined by the race director, Kathryn Koegan, adopted new operational procedures to better accommodate racers’ needs. A tiered registration system will offer early registrants a discounted fee, with prices increasing as race time nears. Start times, too, will depend upon registration times. Those who register early will have the earliest launches. John Raymaaker led off the Westfield River Wildwater Race Classic Race event in April wearing a special shirt for the occasion. (Dave Canton / The Republican) Dave Canton Rock is meeting with officials in each of the communities the race passes through, smoothing over relations. “We have met with the select boards of both Russell and Huntington, great meetings with the boards, and we are pressing forward,” Rock said. “The Westfield River dominates this area. We want to know how the Westfield River Wildwater Race can increase community involvement with the race and make it better for the people who live along the race course and the towns we are in.” The race is believed to have started as a bet in the early 1950s at the Whippernon Country Club bar, formerly on Route 20 in Russell. The first race in 1953 saw nine canoes shove off on the west branch of the river at Wildcat Springs Restaurant in Chester and run 10 miles to the Whippernon. Seven canoes finished and the prize was two cases of beer. In 1965, the course was changed to its present runs, with the novice race starting at the Huntington Department of Public Works yards on Route 112 and traveling eight miles to the paper mills at Woronoco. The expert race stars at the base of the Knightville Dam and runs five miles to the rest area off Route 20 in Huntington near the Huntington Health Center. Since that first bar bet, the Westfield River Wildwater Race has seen a lot of history and a lot of evolution as tastes and technology changed how people interact with the river. Jeff DeFeo first ran the race as a lark in 1974, the year he graduated from high school. “I was lucky we didn’t get killed because we knew practically nothing,” he said Saturday. “We weren’t dressed right, and it was really cold. We ended up swimming the first four or five times we were in the race, until we figured it out.” DeFeo has participated in the race every year since and went on to become the race co-chairman in 1983. With his paddling partner, Jurgen Igel, he ran the race for 30 years. But even back then, entry fees did not cover all of the costs. “We did tag sales and golf tournaments and a couple of dances in the off-season just to keep the funding up,” he said. Later, the race attracted several corporate sponsors and their giving took pressure off, something DeFeo said needs to happen again. “We did all our own timing, all our own registration. Now they are paying for things we never had to do. They are paying way more for police,” he said. Julie Marcoulier has seen a lot of the history of the race first hand, and made some herself. After 30 consecutive races, she is the longest standing female paddler. “In 1994, John DeFeo, Jeff’s brother, took me on as a paddler and taught me and my husband how to read the river and how to use different strokes,” she said. “We ran the novice race that year.” Marcoulier was instrumental in getting more women into the races as teams. “I was coaching girls’ cross country at the Gateway High School from 2000 to 2013 and I took four or five of my runners down the river to try to get them interested,” she said. Now, her favorite partner on the river is her daughter, Jesse Marcoulier-Gladu. “For the past eight or 10 years, my daughter and I have been racing in the expert competition,” Marcoulier said. “I started with Kathy Enger as my partner and we ran a female team. Then my daughter came up and we have been racing together for the past at least 10 years.”The roughskin dog fish shark, a species of the shark family, which has never been seen live before, was recently spotted in the uncharted depths of the Cayman Islands. Scientists described their first glimpse of the shark as a “shadow swimming just beyond the (camera’s) detection window," stated multiple reports. Researchers from the Cayman Islands Department of Environment and project partner, Beneath the Waves, used a baited remote underwater video system (BRUVS) to track the dogfish shark alive. Researchers recorded two curious individuals at a depth of 1,045 meters during a deep-sea study from 2022 to 2024. Why is roughskin dogfish's live footage important Around 11 minutes of the footage from the project show the elusive roughskin dogfish shark (Centroscymnus owstonii). Few moments after the scientist spotted the shadow, the predator shark approached the bait, giving researchers an opportunity to study the species alive in its natural habitat. The roughskin dog fish shark's discovery, published in the Journal of Fish Biology, is significant as it provides the first live footage of this species, which was previously known only from dead specimens. Reportedly, the group of scientists who discovered the dog fish shark, hoped the findings would encourage conservation efforts to protect Cayman Islands' biodiversity. As per conservationists, live footage of any specimens help identify critical habitats and migration patterns of creatures of the animal kingdom. Researchers involved in discovering the roughskin dogfish A multidisciplinary team of scientists, including Olivia Dixon, Shannon Aldridge, Johanna Kohler, Anne Veeder, Paul Chin, Teresa Fernandes, Timothy Austin, Rupert Ormond, Mauvis Gore, Diego Vaz, and Austin Gallagher led the discovery. Their expertise and use of innovative technologies such as the BRUVS system have set a new benchmarks for deep-sea exploration. Taditional methods such as fishing and trawling, which have often been used for deep sea exploration, usually harm marine life. However, video-based systems like the dBRUV allow researchers to study species with minimal ecological disturbance.Jimmy Carter, 39th US president, Nobel winner, dies at 100
