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swerte casino Americans Have Little Sympathy for Murdered Health Insurance ExecIs Enron back? If it’s a joke, some former employees aren’t laughingWith a recession deepening and the 1982 midterm elections approaching, Federal Reserve Chair Paul Volcker was summoned to the Oval Office, where Ronald Reagan was sitting with his chief of staff, James Baker. When Baker said Reagan wanted to give Volcker an “order” about interest rates, the 6-foot-7 central banker immediately stalked silently from the room. He did not take orders. Donald Trump is determined to break institutions to the presidential saddle, so people wonder: Could he fire the head of the Fed? (Probably not. Besides, Chair Jerome H. Powell’s term expires in May 2026.) More interesting questions are: What is the Fed for? And is its “independence” a license for mission creep? John H. Cochrane and Amit Seru of the Hoover Institution think the hyperactive Fed has become too ambitious in its interventions in the economy and social policy. Their proposal is the title of their essay “Ending Bailouts, At Last” in the Journal of Law, Economics and Policy. The problematic behavior is a century old and bipartisan: When large financial institutions are in danger of failing, government bails them out by bailing out their creditors. The 1907 financial crisis led in 1913 to the Federal Reserve Act establishing the Fed, which did not prevent the 1933 bank collapse. This led to deposit insurance and many regulations, which did not prevent Continental Illinois Bank’s 1984 failure, the savings and loan crisis of the 1980s and many other bumps on the road to 2008. “Never again, we say, again and again,” wrote Cochrane and Seru. Bailouts multiply, larger each time, spreading to highly leveraged industrial companies, as in the auto bailout of 2009. “Too leveraged to fail,” they wrote, “might be the summary of our new regime.” Too leveraged is a consequence of interest rates too low for too long, combined with confidence that the bailout culture is forever and unlimited. During the pandemic, the market for Treasury bonds became fragile, so the Fed lent bond dealers money to buy the bonds, “then turned around and bought the Treasurys from the dealers a few days later.” Cochrane and Seru wrote that the Fed almost has an implicit policy of buying “whatever quantity” necessary to prop up corporate bond prices. They noted that the Biden administration’s “paycheck protection” program made “forgivable loans” — Washington-speak for gifts — “to small businesses with 500 or fewer employees to cover their business costs, including mortgage interests, rent, utilities and up to eight weeks’ payroll costs.” It is one thing for the accountable political institutions to do this, quite another for the Fed to lend “on lenient terms to the real economy, not just the financial sector.” Throughout the economy, Cochrane and Seru wrote, leverage has been rewarded: “If you saved and bought a house with cash, if you saved and went to a cheaper college rather than take out a big student loan, or if you repaid that loan promptly, you did not get money.” In today’s permanent central-bank-run credit system, “Borrow. Borrow especially if you are big or part of a big and politically influential class of borrowers. As with student loans, borrow from the government.” You might not have to pay it back. When Silicon Valley Bank accepted many large, uninsured deposits, then got in trouble, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. — the government — guaranteed all deposits. So now, wrote Cochrane and Seru, “effectively markets expect all deposits of any size to be guaranteed going forward, at least during any newsworthy event.” The Congressional Budget Office projects budget deficits of 5% to 8% of gross domestic product forever. And this, Cochrane and Seru correctly believe, is too unrealistic. CBO assumes no crises, recessions, wars, pandemaics or — most laughably — spending increases. But even this optimistic debt path “simply cannot happen.” “We have,” Cochrane and Seru wrote, “once-in-a-century crises every 10 years these days.” “Crisis” has come to mean “the possibility that someone, somewhere might lose money.” And “contagion” now denotes a vague fear that “any ripple anywhere might bring down the financial system.” Societies get what they incentivize. Moral hazards — incentives for perverse, risky behaviors — are now sown throughout American life. Cumulatively, they might break the government before Trump’s eccentric Cabinet nominees can. Will writes for The Washington Post. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Trump’s comeback and goals please conservatives

This is Flow has been appointed to lead media for children’s audio brand Yoto in its launch into the Australian market. The independent media agency won the account by showing its comprehensive understanding of Australian parents, uncovering new audience opportunities and media spaces, and presenting a strategy that combined immediate impact with a long-term vision for the brand’s growth in Australia. Yoto is known for its flagship audio products such as the Yoto Player and Yoto Mini, empowering children by providing engaging audio experiences that let kids independently explore audio using physical cards packed with additional features to support learning, play and family routines. All without ads, microphones or screens. The card store has over 500 titles from the world’s best publishers, record labels and creators. Among them are Disney/Pixar, Marvel, Queen, The Beatles, Roald Dahl, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Harry Potter. Yoto also creates and co-creates its own Yoto Originals that include mindfulness and meditation, educational audio and step-by-step baking recipes. This is Flow will provide a fresh focus on the Australian market for Yoto, handling media strategy, planning and buying – excluding paid search and social which are managed by Yoto’s global team in the UK. The agency launched Yoto’s first campaign in November, which was timed to resonate with families during the pre-Christmas season. “We’re incredibly excited to partner with This Is Flow as we bring Yoto to Australian families,” Anaelle Bayet , head of marketing Europe, Yoto. “Their deep understanding of local parents, coupled with their innovative approach to media strategy, made them the perfect partner for our launch. “At Yoto, we’re passionate about empowering kids through audio that sparks their imagination, independence, and learning. With Flow’s expertise, we’re confident we’ll inspire families across Australia to make Yoto a cherished part of their everyday routines.” Jimmy Hyett , founder and CEO of This Is Flow, added: “I’m thrilled to collaborate with a brand like Yoto. They champion kids’ independence and freedom to explore and as a father, it’s such an important part of parenting – and my kids can’t get enough of their Yoto cards. We’re looking forward to establishing Yoto as a household name for all Australian families.” Keep on top of the most important media, marketing, and agency news each day with the Mediaweek Morning Report – delivered for free every morning to your inbox.The Detroit Lions have equaled the franchise record for most consecutive victories and stand alone atop the NFC standings. They still have plenty of obstacles to clear to remain at that perch. Even the NFC North remains up for grabs and they'll try to create a little more separation when they host the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night. The Lions (11-1), who have won 10 straight, haven't been able to shake free from Minnesota (10-2) or Green Bay (9-3). Detroit will host Minnesota, which has won five straight, in the regular-season finale next month. The Packers have remained in contention by winning seven of their last eight, with the only loss coming at the hands of the Lions. Detroit opened up a 21-point lead early in the third quarter and held on for a 24-14 victory. Lions coach Dan Campbell says the fun really begins now. "The best part of all of this -- we're in playoff football right now, that's where we're at," he said. "We're in December, and our schedule says that. Man, we play tough opponent after tough opponent -- we've got plenty coming up. So, man, this is the type of stuff that you live for and it's also the type of stuff that gets you ready for the tournament. "So, yeah, we're a resilient bunch and nothing's going to change that. We've just got to worry about the one in front of us." Detroit is coming off a 23-20 win over Chicago on Thanksgiving Day in which it nearly blew a 16-point lead. The Bears' poor clock management cost them an opportunity to send the game into overtime and led to coach Matt Eberflus' firing. The Lions have been hit with a wave of injuries, particularly on the defensive side. They signed four players over the past week to fortify their depth. "I know the elephant in the room is all the injuries that have happened with us on the defensive side," defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said. "Our personnel staff does a really good job of acquiring players that fit exactly who we are. I would say this, it's not the playbook that's the most important thing for these guys to come in and learn. It's the style of play that we have and that's easy to learn." Jared Goff has thrown for six touchdowns and zero interceptions in the past three games after tossing five picks against the Houston Texans on Nov. 10. The Packers also played on Thanksgiving, defeating Miami 30-17. Green Bay opened up a 24-3 halftime lead as Jordan Love threw two touchdown passes to Jayden Reed. Now the Packers face a Detroit team that has defeated them in five of the last six meetings. "With most good teams, they play the game the right way," Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur said. "Certainly, Detroit's been doing that for a couple years now. That's who they are and that's who we are as well. It should be a great game on Thursday night." The Packers might have to win via a shootout, considering the Lions are averaging a league-best 31.9 points per game (Green Bay ranks eighth at 26.5). Stopping the running game will be key, according to LaFleur. "They're two very dynamic backs. (David) Montgomery, he's going to beat you up physically and the other guy (Jahmyr Gibbs), you've got to try to corral because he can take it the distance," he said. "Jared (Goff) is playing at an MVP level, so they've got a really potent offense." Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker (knee) and three defensive linemen -- DJ Reader (shoulder), Josh Paschal (knee) and Levi Onwezurike (hamstring) -- didn't practice on Tuesday. Offensive guard Elgton Jenkins (knee), Linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (hamstring) and cornerback Corey Ballentine (knee) missed the Packers' practice. --Field Level Media

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Amar'e Marshall scored 17 points as Albany beat Puerto Rico-Mayaguez 93-50 on Friday. Marshall also contributed five assists for the Great Danes (4-1). Byron Joshua added 13 points while going 4 of 4 (3 for 3 from 3-point range) while he also had five assists and five steals. Aaron Reddish shot 4 of 7 from the field, including 2 for 3 from 3-point range, and went 2 for 3 from the line to finish with 12 points. Puerto Rico-Mayaguez was led by David Maldonado, who posted 16 points. Jose Alicea scored 10 points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Liverpool boss Arne Slot talks up ‘special player’ Mohamed Salah

China's Xi warns 'no winners' in trade war with U.S.

ZT Corporate’s 27th Annual Chairman’s Gala: A Night of Glamour, Visionary Leadership, and Unforgettable MomentsFor those on the right side of the political aisle, 2024 was a mixed bag. We had to trudge through the final year of Joe Biden’s disastrous presidency while fighting to prevent the administration from inflicting further economic carnage. Yet we also received an enormous gift with the victory of President-elect Donald Trump. Here are my top five moments of 2024. By far, this was best. Things did not look good for Trump at the start of the year, as he faced a litany of felony charges across multiple jurisdictions. But despite the legal onslaught, Trump refused to back down. (tncms-inline)9a826eb8-a769-4b71-b7ae-7e84438f7477[0](/tncms-inline) Aside from his legal problems, Trump faced several opponents as he fought for the GOP presidential nomination. In the spring, many political pundits and talking heads thought Trump could not win the Republican nomination. Yet he emerged victorious and united the GOP under the “Make America Great Again” banner. Trump then pulled off one of the biggest comebacks in political history as he cruised to victory and helped the Republican Party gain control of both houses of Congress. This election will go down in history as a turning point, considering the vast inroads Trump made among voters who traditionally voted for Democrats. Though the polls were tight heading into the debate between Trump and Biden, the absolutely pitiful performance by Biden completely changed the race. Soon after Biden flopped in front of millions of Americans, the Democratic Party pulled the plug on his reelection effort. Of course, this short-sighted move benefited Trump greatly, as it demonstrated that the sitting president was going senile. More important, it led to the rise of Vice President Kamala Harris to the top of the Democratic ticket. Considering Harris’ flip-flops on basically every central policy position, it really was a blessing in disguise that she inherited Biden’s place and was eventually destroyed by Trump. This could have easily been first or second on my list. In midsummer, Trump was crisscrossing the country, holding outdoor rallies. Unfortunately, Trump’s proclivity to engage with his supporters nearly cost him his life. But despite two would-be assassins somehow evading Secret Service detection — and one fired several shots — Trump was largely unharmed. While this was a blessing, we must never forget that one person, Corey Comperatore, died at the Butler, Pennsylvania, rally, and two others were wounded. On Oct. 14, SpaceX launched its Super Heavy Starship, the most powerful rocket in the world. Then, in an unprecedented engineering marvel, the 23-story-tall Super Heavy booster returned to the launch pad in an upright position and was “caught” without a hitch. It was like something straight out of a science-fiction movie, and it demonstrated that the age of space exploration has entered a new chapter. The department, known as DOGE, is an early Christmas present for conservatives and libertarians. For decades, we have been warning that the size and scope of the federal government is unsustainable and that big government is bad news for personal liberty. Finally, some significant spending cuts and institutional reforms are in the offing. With the national debt exceeding $36 trillion and trillion-dollar deficits the new normal, we need to downsize the federal bureaucracy and get back on sound fiscal footing before it is too late. Talgo is the editorial director at The Heartland Institute. He wrote this for InsideSources.com . Get local news delivered to your inbox!None

Quanta Services Inc. stock underperforms Friday when compared to competitors despite daily gains

Tesla is facing a lawsuit alleging its claims about Autopilot and Full Self Driving's (FSD) capabilities contributed to a fatal crash, giving the courts yet another chance to hash out claims similar to those in previous lawsuits. In this instance, driver Genesis Giovanni Mendoza Martinez died, and his brother Caleb was seriously injured, when the former's Tesla Model S slammed into a fire truck parked diagonally across two lanes of a California interstate highway for traffic control in an unrelated incident. According to the lawsuit [PDF], originally filed in California's Contra Costa Superior Court in October, the plaintiffs' lawyers claim Mendoza's Model S was operating under Autopilot at the time of the collision, and he had "generally maintained contact with the steering wheel until the time of the crash." The lawsuit was recently removed to the US District Court for the Northern District of California following a filing by Tesla. Like several previous cases involving fatalities or serious injuries that occurred while a Tesla was operating with Autopilot/FSD active, Mendoza's surviving family argue that, while he was using it with appropriate caution, he was nonetheless misled into believing Tesla's self-driving capabilities were more capable than they actually are due to "Tesla's long-term advertising campaign designed to persuade the public that its vehicles were capable of driving themselves." "Not only was [Giovanni] aware that the technology itself was called 'Autopilot,' he saw, heard, and/or read many of Tesla or Musk's deceptive claims on Twitter, Tesla's official blog, or in the news media," the lawsuit argued. "Giovanni believed those claims were true, and thus believed the 'Autopilot' feature with the 'full self driving' upgrade was safer than a human driver, and could be trusted to safely navigate public highways autonomously." The argument that Tesla is overblowing Autopilot and FSD's capabilities isn't a new one: Tesla has fought, and is still fighting, so many lawsuits and regulator investigations into the matter that it's difficult to keep count. One of the cases it's fighting involves the 2019 death of Jeremy Banner , whose Model 3 smashed into a tractor-trailer in cross traffic. That case bears a striking similarity to the 2016 death of Joshua Brown , whose Model S also collided with a tractor-trailer crossing a highway ahead of him. Tesla claimed that it addressed the issue linked to Brown's death, but given the similarities to Banner's death, regulators have been worried the carmaker might not be doing all it can to prevent such deaths. Mendoza's fatal accident bears similarities to both Brown's and Banner's cases, as well as a prior investigation by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that found Tesla Autopilot tended not to notice emergency vehicles stopped on the side of the road. That investigation resulted in a voluntary recall and over-the-air software update by Tesla that a lawyer for Mendoza's family said was insufficient. Genesis Mendoza's death caused by the failure of Tesla's vision system is yet another example of Tesla overstating and overhyping what its technology can do "Genesis Mendoza's death caused by the failure of Tesla's vision system is yet another example of Tesla overstating and overhyping what its technology can do; knowing full well that it was incapable of identifying and responding to an emergency vehicle flashing lights," lawyer Brett Schreiber told The Register in an email. "Rather than taking the responsible step of recalling these vehicles, Tesla simply pushed an over the air update," Schreiber continued. "This limited bug fix left tens of thousands of vehicles on the road continuing to suffer from the same defect, putting both Mr. Mendoza, members of the public and emergency first responders needlessly at risk. "The time for Tesla to be held accountable is coming," Schreiber concluded. Whether that will actually happen remains to be seen, however. Tesla has managed to escape liability in two prior cases that made many of the same arguments that Mendoza's lawyers make in their case, namely that Tesla overhyped Autopilot and FSD's capabilities, fostering overreliance among drivers based on Tesla's safety assurances. Justine Hsu, who alleged that her Tesla Model S swerved onto a curb in Autopilot mode in 2019, lost her case when a jury decided her vehicle acted as it should have, and that the company had disclosed everything it should have regarding the safety of the system. Several months after the Hsu verdict, Tesla defeated a case that made similar allegations in the fatal Autopilot accident that killed Micah Lee and injured two of his passengers. Tesla's answer to the Mendoza lawsuit (included in the PDF linked above) has been much the same: Namely, Autopilot and FSD worked as intended, and the accident was instead caused by "the negligence, acts or omissions of another, not Tesla." Whether the Mendoza case cracks Tesla's legal show remains to be seen, but there is precedent: While Tesla defeated the aforementioned two Autopilot accident cases last year, it chose to settle a third earlier this year involving the death of Walter Huang on the condition the amount it paid out remained secret. Tesla said in April that, if the payout became public knowledge, it could be perceived as evidence of Tesla's potential liability, and be devastating to the EV maker if others took up legal arms in response. Both Tesla and Mendoza's lawyers have requested trial by jury in this most recent case. Neither Tesla nor its lawyers in this case responded to questions. ®

MIAMI (AP) — The NBA is urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes following reports of recent high-profile burglaries of dwellings owned by Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis , Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley Jr. and Kansas City Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. In a memo the NBA sent to its team officials, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, the league revealed that the FBI has connected some burglaries to “transnational South American Theft Groups” that are “reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices.” Conley's home was broken into on Sept. 15 when he was at a Minnesota Vikings game and jewelry was taken, officials told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Portis said his home was broken into on Nov. 2 and has offered a $40,000 reward for information related to the incident. The homes of Mahomes and Kelce were broken into within days of each other last month, according to law enforcement reports, and the NFL issued a similar warning memo to its teams this week. The NBA memo, relaying information from the FBI, said the theft rings “are primarily focused on cash and items that can be resold on the black market, such as jewelry, watches, and luxury bags.” The NBA, which has also been giving guidance to team security personnel, recommended that players install updated alarm systems with cameras and utilize them whenever leaving the home, keeping valuables in locked and secured safes, remove online real estate listings that may show interior photos of a home, “utilize protective guard services” during extended trips from the home and even suggested having dogs assist with home protection. “Obviously, it’s frustrating, disappointing, but I can’t get into too many of the details because the investigation is still ongoing,” Mahomes recently said. “But, obviously, something you don’t want to happen to anybody, but obviously yourself.” One of the break-ins involving the Chiefs players happened on a game day — Oct. 7 — and Portis was also playing a game when his home was robbed. “They took most of my prized possessions,” Portis said. AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBACanadian minister says Trump was joking when he said Canada could become the 51st stateEuropean markets head for mixed open with all eyes on French confidence vote

An elaborate parody appears to be behind an effort to resurrect Enron. Subscribe to continue reading this article. Already subscribed? To login in, click here.Udemy Appoints Marylou Maco and Debra Chrapaty to its Board of Directors

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 10, 2024-- VIQ Solutions Inc. (“ VIQ ”, “ VIQ Solutions ” or the “ Company ”) (TSX: VQS), a global provider of secure, AI-driven, digital voice and video capture technology and transcription services, today announces the retirement of Susan Sumner as Chief Operating Officer and President of the Company. Ms. Sumner will continue as a part-time advisor to the Company until January 31, 2025. In connection with her retirement, Ms. Sumner has informed the Company that she will resign from her director position on the board of directors of the Company (the “ Board ”) as of January 31, 2025. Ms. Sumner has served as Chief Operating Officer of VIQ since July 2018, President of VIQ since February 2021, and has been a member of the Board since April 2022. Sebastien Pare, Chief Executive Officer and Director of VIQ stated: “It has been an honor and a privilege to have worked with Susan over the last number of years. Over the years, Susan has offered a lot of time, effort and encouragement while performing her roles at the Company and has been part of moving VIQ forward throughout her time with us. All of us at VIQ thank Susan for her contributions to our success over the years.” For more information about VIQ, please visit viqsolutions.com . About VIQ Solutions VIQ Solutions is a global provider of secure, AI-driven, digital voice and video capture technology and transcription services. VIQ offers a seamless, comprehensive solution suite that delivers intelligent automation, enhanced with human review, to drive transformation in the way content is captured, secured, and repurposed into actionable information. The cyber-secure, AI technology and services platform are implemented in the most rigid security environments including criminal justice, legal, insurance, government, corporate finance, media, and transcription service provider markets, enabling them to improve the quality and accessibility of evidence, to easily identify predictive insights and to achieve digital transformation faster and at a lower cost. Forward-looking Statements Certain statements included in this press release constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) under applicable securities legislation. Such forward- looking statements or information are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking statements (typically contain statements with words such as "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "plan", "intend", "estimate", "propose", "project" or similar words, including negatives thereof, suggesting future outcomes or that certain events or conditions “may” or “will” occur). These statements are only predictions. Forward-looking statements in this press release include but are not limited to statements with respect to finding a replacement for Susan Sumner. Forward-looking statements are based on several factors and assumptions which have been used to develop such statements, but which may prove to be incorrect. Although VIQ believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements because VIQ can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on a number of opinions, assumptions and estimates that while considered reasonable by the Company as of the date of this press release, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the factors described in greater detail in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s annual information form and in the Company’s other materials filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca . These factors are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect the Company; however, these factors should be considered carefully. Such estimates and assumptions may prove to be incorrect or overstated. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release and the Company expressly disclaims any obligations to update or alter such statements, or the factors or assumptions underlying them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241210682802/en/ CONTACT: Jacob Manning VIQ Solutions Email:marketing@viqsolutions.com KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA CANADA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SECURITY DATA MANAGEMENT LEGAL OTHER COMMUNICATIONS PUBLISHING TECHNOLOGY AUDIO/VIDEO CONSULTING ADVERTISING COMMUNICATIONS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TELECOMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE NETWORKS SOURCE: VIQ Solutions Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/10/2024 05:30 PM/DISC: 12/10/2024 05:30 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241210682802/en

Twist as staff ‘fired’ after filling in surveyWASHINGTON — A top White House official said Wednesday at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations were impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered new details about the breadth of the sprawling Chinese hacking campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. FILE - The American and Chinese flags wave at Genting Snow Park ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics, in Zhangjiakou, China, on Feb. 2, 2022. A top White House official on Wednesday said at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File) Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued guidance intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that the number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could grow. The U.S. believes the hackers were able to gain access to communications of senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures through the hack, Neuberger said. “We don’t believe any classified communications has been compromised,” Neuberger added during a call with reporters. She added that Biden was briefed on the findings and the White House “made it a priority for the federal government to do everything it can to get to the bottom this.” US officials recommend encrypted messaging apps amid "Salt Typhoon" cyberattack, attributed to China, targeting AT&T, Verizon, and others. The Chinese embassy in Washington rejected the accusations that it was responsible for the hack Tuesday after the U.S. federal authorities issued new guidance. “The U.S. needs to stop its own cyberattacks against other countries and refrain from using cyber security to smear and slander China,” embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said. The embassy did not immediately respond to messages Wednesday. White House officials believe the hacking was regionally targeted and the focus was on very senior government officials. Federal authorities confirmed in October that hackers linked to China targeted the phones of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, along with people associated with Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris. The number of countries impacted by the hack is currently believed to be in the “low, couple dozen,” according to a senior administration official. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity under rules set by the White House, said they believed the hacks started at least a year or two ago. The suggestions for telecom companies released Tuesday are largely technical in nature, urging encryption, centralization and consistent monitoring to deter cyber intrusions. If implemented, the security precautions could help disrupt the operation, dubbed Salt Typhoon, and make it harder for China or any other nation to mount a similar attack in the future, experts say. Trump's pick to head the Federal Bureau of Investigation Kash Patel was allegedly the target of cyberattack attempt by Iranian-backed hackers. Neuberger pointed to efforts made to beef up cybersecurity in the rail, aviation, energy and other sectors following the May 2021 ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline . “So, to prevent ongoing Salt Typhoon type intrusions by China, we believe we need to apply a similar minimum cybersecurity practice,” Neuberger said. The cyberattack by a gang of criminal hackers on the critical U.S. pipeline, which delivers about 45% of the fuel used along the Eastern Seaboard, sent ripple effects across the economy, highlighting cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the nation’s aging energy infrastructure. Colonial confirmed it paid $4.4 million to the gang of hackers who broke into its computer systems as it scrambled to get the nation's fuel pipeline back online. Picture this: You're on vacation in a city abroad, exploring museums, tasting the local cuisine, and people-watching at cafés. Everything is going perfectly until you get a series of alerts on your phone. Someone is making fraudulent charges using your credit card, sending you into a panic. How could this have happened? Cyberattacks targeting travelers are nothing new. But as travel has increased in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, so has the volume of hackers and cybercriminals preying upon tourists. Financial fraud is the most common form of cybercrime experienced by travelers, but surveillance via public Wi-Fi networks, social media hacking, and phishing scams are also common, according to a survey by ExpressVPN . Spokeo consulted cybersecurity sources and travel guides to determine some of the best ways to protect your phone while traveling, from using a VPN to managing secure passwords. Online attacks are not the only type of crime impacting travelers—physical theft of phones is also a threat. Phones have become such invaluable travel aids, housing our navigation tools, digital wallets, itineraries, and contacts, that having your phone stolen, lost, or compromised while abroad can be devastating. Meanwhile, traveling can make people uniquely vulnerable to both cyber and physical attacks due to common pitfalls like oversharing on social media and letting your guard down when it comes to taking risks online. Luckily, there are numerous precautions travelers can take to safeguard against cyberattacks and phone theft. Hackers can—and do—target public Wi-Fi networks at cafés and hotels to gain access to your personal information or install malware onto your device, particularly on unsecured networks. Travelers are especially vulnerable to these types of cybersecurity breaches because they are often more reliant on public Wi-Fi than they would be in their home countries where they have more robust phone plans. This reliance on public, unsecured networks means travelers are more likely to use those networks to perform sensitive tasks like financial transfers, meaning hackers can easily gain access to banking information or other passwords. One easy way to safeguard yourself against these breaches is to use a virtual private network, or VPN, while traveling. VPNs are apps that encrypt your data and hide your location, preventing hackers from accessing personal information. An added bonus is that VPNs allow you to access websites that may be blocked or unavailable in the country you are visiting. To use a VPN, simply download a VPN app on your phone or computer, create an account, choose a server, and connect. If your phone falls into the wrong hands, there's a good chance you won't be getting it back. Out of those 91,000 phones stolen in London in 2022, only 1,915 (or about 2%) were recovered. The good news is that you can take precautions to make the loss of your phone less devastating by backing up your data before you travel. With backed-up data, you can acquire a new device and still access your photos, contacts, messages, and passwords. Moreover, if you have "Find My Device" or "Find My Phone" enabled, you can remotely wipe your stolen phone's data so the thief cannot access it. It's safest to back up your data to a hard drive and not just the cloud. That way, if you have to wipe your device, you don't accidentally erase the backup, too. In order for the previous tip on this list to work, "Find My Phone" must be turned on in advance, but remotely wiping your device isn't the only thing this feature allows you to do. The "Find My Phone" feature enables you to track your device, as long as it's turned on and not in airplane mode. This is particularly helpful if you misplaced your phone or left it somewhere since it can help you retrace your steps. While this feature won't show you the live location of a phone that has been turned off, it will show the phone's last known location. With "Find My Phone," you can also remotely lock your phone or enable "Lost Mode," which locks down the phone, suspends any in-phone payment methods, and displays contact information for returning the phone to you. If your phone was stolen, experts caution against taking matters into your own hands by chasing down the thief, since this could land you in a potentially dangerous situation and is unlikely to result in getting your phone back. 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A Quarter of Canadians Cite Cost of Living as Their Top ConcernThe truth behind an email declaring staff had been fired after indicating they were “stressed” in a wellbeing work survey has caused even more outrage. It all started when Anouska Dutta, who, according to her LinkedIn profile, works as a copywriter at the Indian company YesMadam , shared a screenshot of a wild email she’d allegedly received from the company. “What’s happening at YesMadam? First you conduct a random survey and then fire us overnight because we’re feeling stressed? And not just me 100 other people have been fired too,” she wrote. YesMadam is a company that offers a tech platform for beauty and wellness. The copywriter described the incident as a “mass firing”. This was the original email that went viral. Picture: X MORE: 5 signs your workplace is toxic – and what to do about it The post went viral. People online shared their shock and horror over the brutal email. It was called “toxic” and “insane”. The email also amassed millions of views on X because Siqi Chen, who founded tech start-up Runway and has a following of over 70,000, shared it. He claimed the email left him “shaking” and called it “actually insane” and a massive thread kicked off. In the email, the company’s HR manager claimed they had decided to “depart ways” with any employees who had indicated experiencing “significant stress” in a recent wellbeing survey. “This decision is effective immediately and impacted employees will receive further details separately,” the email read. This was the original post that went viral. Picture: LinkedIn The company has now said no one got fired. Picture: LinkedIn MORE: 9 signs you’re burnt out from work The company has now backflipped on this claim, declaring that no one was fired and that the email was a marketing stunt to highlight the “serious issue of workplace stress’. “We sincerely apologise for any distress caused by our recent social media posts suggesting we dismissed employees for being stressed. We would never take such an inhuman step,” the company wrote. “Those who shared angry comments or voiced strong opinions we say thank you. When people speak up it shows they care and care is at the heart our business”. The company explained that after staff filled out a workplace wellbeing survey, those who shared they were stressed were given a break to reset and were urged to “rest and recharge” and no one was fired. The company released a lengthy statement. Picture:X/YesMadam It thanked people for speaking up. Picture:X/YesMadam The company added that “productivity” can often overshadow employee wellbeing, but that wasn’t the case at YesMadam, and they were happy to introduce India’s first “de-stress leave” policy for staff. Employees are now entitled to six days of paid stress leave a year. Ms Dutta, the employee who shared the email on LinkedIn to begin with, also clarified that “nobody got fired” and that her original post was untrue. “Everybody is curious to know what really happened at YesMadam, I am spilling the beans here,” she wrote. “Yes, the survey did happen, in fact, I volunteered in the survey, and was part of the core team which gave birth to the idea of De-Stress Leave.” The staff member claimed the email that went viral and was a “planned move”, claiming they executed the stunt because it was “the need of the hour”. “Stress is not just limited to one office, one city, or one country, it’s a universal problem which needs immediate attention,” she said. This was her wild update. Picture: LinkedIn Business consultant and managing director of Dynamic Leadership Program s Australia, Karlie Cremin, said this type of stunt trivialised something very serious and made an already stigmatised conversation even more so. “You wouldn’t send an email about ‘anyone who has had a serious laceration at work is now fired’ with a follow up of ‘I was just trying to draw attention to an important issue’,” she told news.com.au. “This is because a) it’s nonsense, and b) physical injuries are viewed as somehow more meaningful. Companies trying to get attention this way lessens the conversation, and we are all worse off for it.” Online, people were outraged that a company would pull a stunt about firing staff and said they would struggle to trust a business that would lie about such a situation. “Now I know YesMadam is a company that fires their own employees for PR Stunt,” one wrote. “This is one of the most disgusting things I’ve ever seen in 20 years of executive leadership,” another complained. “What about our stress level spiking after your firing marketing stunt yesterday? Isn’t this more like a mockery made out of stress?” another asked. Someone else called the stunt “silly” and “distasteful and disgraceful”. Another said the company needed to work on its “sensitivity” and one person dubbed the reveal “pathetic”. “Absolutely shocking,” one wrote. “Is this the corporate version of, ‘we were just kidding?’” another asked. “Fire the person that came up with this stupid idea,” someone else ordered. More Coverage Staff fired ‘immediately’ after filling survey Mary Madigan ‘Your gut’: 23yo’s house dream shatters Mary Madigan Originally published as ‘Disgusting’: Truth behind YesMadam’s ‘mass firing’ email At Work Don't miss out on the headlines from At Work. Followed categories will be added to My News. More related stories At Work Garbo strike to hit 30,000 Aussie homes A garbage strike in one Aussie city could impact up to 30,000 households – leaving stinking bins on the sidewalk in 30C heat. Read more At Work Man dies in horror farm incident Emergency services were called to a macadamia farm after reports a man was crushed while standing near an excavator. Read moreNATO and Ukraine to hold emergency talks after Russia's attack with new hypersonic missile

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