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Jimmy Carter: Many evolutions for a centenarian ‘citizen of the world’Kristina Johnson sells $449,025 in Cisco stockNEW YORK, Dec. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Results from the 2024 Travelers Risk Index highlight a concerning increase in distracted driving, with many risky behaviors surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Recently, Jessica Kearney and Ginny Brzezinski from the Travelers Institute, along with Ryan McMahon from Cambridge Mobile Telematics, partnered with D S Simon Media on a nationwide satellite media tour to discuss the dangers of distracted driving, tips to navigate the holidays, and the growing use of telematics to offer solutions. Millions of Americans will be hitting the road this holiday season, and with that comes a rise in distracted driving. While traffic fatalities decreased by 4% last year to 44,450, distracted driving remains a growing issue. According to the 2024 Travelers Risk Index, 78% of consumers believe distracted driving is worse now than a few years ago, with many drivers admitting to risky behaviors: close to 60% are reading texts or emails while driving; 26% are updating or checking social media; and 24% are taking photos or videos. Young drivers, particularly Gen Z, are especially at risk. Compared to overall averages, drivers ages 16-20 engage in some hazardous driving behaviors more frequently, like texting/emailing, scrolling and GPS navigation. Additionally, 41% of parents surveyed said they don’t feel like distracted driving is emphasized enough in drivers ed, so they are taking matters into their own hands. Here are some important tips to help prevent distracted driving: Activate the “Do Not Disturb” feature on your phone to block notifications while driving. Before starting your trip, program your GPS and review the route to avoid distractions while on the road. Consider signing up for a telematics program to promote safe driving habits beyond the holiday season. Finally, don't hesitate to speak up if you see a friend or loved one driving distracted—encourage them to focus on the road. If you're on the phone with someone who's driving, ask them to call you back once they've safely reached their destination. Telematics technology is playing a key role in promoting safer driving by collecting data from connected vehicles, IoT devices, and smartphones. It tracks behaviors such as speeding, hard braking, and distraction, and provides users with feedback to help improve their driving habits. By monitoring performance and encouraging safer choices, telematics helps drivers adopt better habits beyond the holiday season. To learn more about the Travelers Institute, visit travelersinstitute.org . To learn more about Cambridge Mobile Telematics, visit cmt.ai . About Jessica Kearney Jessica Kearney is Vice President for Public Policy at the Travelers Institute, the public policy division of Travelers. In this role, she leads corporate thought leadership initiatives on policy issues of interest to the property casualty insurance sector, as well as the financial services industry more broadly. Her portfolio has included work addressing the economy, cybersecurity, small business advocacy, auto safety, autonomous vehicles and disaster preparedness. She also serves as a member of the company’s Autonomous Vehicles and Electric Vehicles Working Groups. Kearney is co-creator, producer and guest host for the Travelers Institute’s webinar series, which seeks to help business and risk professionals navigate today’s biggest challenges in insurance, business and leadership. She leads operations and initiatives for the Travelers Institute, presents at client and industry conferences, and was named to Insurance Business America’s annual Hot 100 list for 2022. About Ginny Brzezinski Ginny Brzezinski is Assistant Vice President for Public Policy Initiatives at the Travelers Institute, the public policy division of Travelers. In this role, she works on corporate thought leadership initiatives on policy issues of interest to the property casualty insurance sector, as well as the financial services industry more broadly. Brzezinski is a producer for the Travelers Institute’s webinar series, which seeks to help business and risk professionals navigate today’s biggest challenges in insurance, business and leadership. Her portfolio also includes work on the Institute’s podcast and social media. Prior to joining Travelers, Brzezinski worked for more than a decade on Capitol Hill, including as Communications Director for the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, the U.S. Senate Government Affairs Committee and Press Secretary for U.S. Senator Bill Roth. She is the co-author of Comeback Careers, a blueprint for women looking to reinvent, reboot or reimagine careers at 40, 50 and beyond. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History from Brown University and completed Masters studies in communications at Boston University. About Ryan McMahon Ryan McMahon is the Senior Vice President of Strategy & Corporate Development at Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT), the world’s largest telematics provider. Ryan joined CMT from the insurance industry where he held several leadership roles, introducing new products and insurance services to personal and commercial markets. Ryan is a member of CMT's executive team with responsibilities overseeing corporate development, government, and public affairs. Ryan holds a BA in Psychology from SUNY Potsdam and an MBA from Worcester Polytechnic University. About D S Simon Media: The firm is well known as a leader in the satellite media tour industry and produces tours from its studio and multiple control rooms at its New York headquarters. Clients include top brands in healthcare, technology, travel, financial services, consumer goods, entertainment, retail and non-profits. Established in 1986 the firm has won more than 100 industry awards. About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a property of D S Simon Media. The video included and release was part of a media tour that was produced by D S Simon Media on behalf of the Travelers Institute. Dante Muccigrosso Director of Media Integration & Client Reporting E: dantem@dssimon.com C: 973.524.0104 A video accompanying this release is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/96ea9c3b-7434-4a89-83c4-2cdbdf2ccd2bINDIANAPOLIS , Dec. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- American Legion National Commander James A. LaCoursiere, Jr. , issued the following statement today concerning the passing of former President Jimmy Carter : "President Carter was a Legionnaire, a distinguished Navy veteran and a devout Christian. His commitment to human rights and community service was respected worldwide. He lived longer than any president in American history and made the most of his post-presidential years by strongly advocating for world peace and improving the lives of the disadvantaged. His energy, integrity and humility were admired by people across the political spectrum. President Carter's wife, Rosalynn, was a leader in mental health awareness. They will both be missed. Our condolences to the entire Carter family and the many lives that they have touched, especially in their home state of Georgia ." During an address to The American Legion's 1980 national convention, President Carter described his vision for America on the world stage. "We do not maintain our power in order to seize power from others. Our goal is to strengthen our own freedom and the freedom of others, to advance the dignity of the individual and the right of all people to justice, to a good life, and to a future secure from tyranny. In choosing our course in the world, America's strength serves American values," he said. About The American Legion The American Legion , the nation's largest veterans organization, is dedicated to the motto of "Veterans Strengthening America." Chartered by Congress in 1919, The American Legion is committed to mentoring youth and sponsoring wholesome community programs, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting a strong national security and continued devotion to service members and veterans. It has made suicide prevention its top priority through its Be the One mission . Nearly 1.6 million members in more than 12,000 posts across the nation and regions overseas serve their communities with a devotion to mutual helpfulness. Media contact: John Raughter , [email protected] , 317.630.1350 SOURCE The American Legion
Jimmy Carter’s public service heralded by Southern California lawmakers on either side of the aisle
South Korea lifts president's martial law decree after lawmakers vote against it SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s government has lifted the martial law he imposed during a tense night of political drama in which troops surrounded parliament and lawmakers voted to reject military rule. Yoon said early Wednesday that his government withdrew military personnel following a bipartisan parliamentary vote rejecting martial law, and the measure was formally lifted during a Cabinet meeting around 4:30 a.m. Yoon declared martial law late Tuesday, vowing to eliminate “anti-state” forces as he struggles against an opposition that controls the country’s parliament and that he accuses of sympathizing with communist North Korea. Less than three hours later, parliament voted to lift the declaration. President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urge judge to toss his hush money conviction NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers have formally asked a judge to throw out his hush money criminal conviction. Trump’s lawyers told Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan in court papers Monday that dismissal is warranted because of the extraordinary circumstances of his impending return to the White House. They argue continuing the case would present unconstitutional “disruptions to the institution of the Presidency.“ Prosecutors have said they will fight any efforts to dismiss the case but have indicated openness to delaying sentencing until after Trump’s second term ends in 2029. Trump team signs agreement to allow Justice to conduct background checks on nominees, staff WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team has signed an agreement to allow the Justice Department to conduct background checks on his nominees and appointees after a weeks-long delay. The step lets Trump transition aides and future administration staffers obtain security clearances before Inauguration Day to access classified information about ongoing government programs. It also allows those nominees who are up for Senate confirmation to get the background checks lawmakers want before voting on them. Trump's FBI pick has plans to reshape the bureau. This is what Kash Patel has said he wants to do WASHINGTON (AP) — Kash Patel has been well-known for years within Donald Trump’s orbit as a loyal supporter who shares the president-elect’s skepticism of the FBI and intelligence community. But he’s receiving fresh attention, from the public and from Congress, now that Trump has selected him to lead the FBI. As he braces for a bruising and likely protracted Senate confirmation fight, Patel can expect scrutiny not only over his professed fealty to Trump but also for his belief — revealed over the last year in interviews and his own book — that the century-old FBI should be radically overhauled. Hamas and Fatah are near an agreement on who will oversee postwar Gaza CAIRO (AP) — Palestinian officials say Fatah and Hamas are closing in on an agreement to appoint a committee of politically independent technocrats to administer the Gaza Strip after the war. It would effectively end Hamas’ rule and could help advance ceasefire talks with Israel. The rival factions have made several failed attempts to reconcile since Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007. Israel has meanwhile ruled out any postwar role in Gaza for either Hamas or the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, which is dominated by Fatah. Thanks to peace, two unexpected words are echoing across Afghanistan's capital: Luxury housing KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Peace is driving up property prices in Kabul and fueling the luxury market. Afghans who spent years overseas are returning home, keen to take advantage of the country’s improved security after decades of war. They include those escaping deportation campaigns in Iran and Pakistan and are taking their cash with them. Kabul is less violent since the Taliban transitioned from insurgency to authority and foreign forces withdrew. The Taliban, sticklers for bureaucracy, have pledged to stamp out corruption and regulate legal and commercial matters. That means no more dealing with warlords or bribing local officials for land purchases or construction projects. Native American students miss school at higher rates. It only got worse during the pandemic SAN CARLOS, Ariz. (AP) — Years after COVID-19 disrupted American schools, nearly every state is still struggling with attendance. But attendance has been worse for Native American and Alaska Native students — a disparity that existed before the pandemic and has since grown, according to data collected by The Associated Press. Out of 34 states with data available for the 2022-2023 school year, half had absenteeism rates for Native students that were at least 9 percentage points higher than the state average. Many schools serving Native students have been working to build stronger connections with families. They must navigate distrust dating back to the U.S. government’s campaign to force Native kids into abusive boarding schools. Democrats stick with Schumer as leader. Their strategy for countering Trump is far less certain WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats reelected Chuck Schumer as party leader on Tuesday as the party moves into a deeply uncertain time, with no real consensus on a strategy as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office. Schumer faced no opposition in the party leadership elections, in which Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin was also re-elected to the No. 2 spot and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar became the new No. 3. Schumer said he was honored to move the party forward “during this crucial period for our country.” But it is a bleak moment for Senate Democrats, who lost four seats and the majority in November's election. The year in review: Influential people who died in 2024 O.J. Simpson’s “trial of the century” over the 1994 killings of his ex-wife and her friend bared divisions over race and law enforcement and brought an intersection of sports, crime, entertainment and class that was hard to turn away from. His death in April brought an end to a life that had become defined by scrutiny over the killings. But he was just one of many influential and noteworthy people who died in 2024. Alexei Navalny, who died in prison in February, was a fierce political foe of Russian President Vladimir Putin. And the music industry lost a titan in producer Quincy Jones, who died in November. 2024 in pop culture: In a bruising year, we sought out fantasy, escapism — and cute little animals NEW YORK (AP) — Did you have a “Brat summer” this year? Were you “demure,” and were you “mindful”? Did you enter a celebrity look-alike contest? All these were pop culture trends that emerged in 2024. But most of all, it seemed the theme was escapism. Whether it was the yellow brick road in “Wicked” or the beckoning seas of Oceania in “Moana 2” or adorable fuzzy animals like Moo Deng or even unlikely Olympic heroes making us proud, audiences gravitated to fantasy and feel-good moments.Black Friday Streaming Deals: Read the Fine Print First
Viant Technology (NASDAQ:DSP) Shares Down 5.5% – Here’s WhyRuud van Nistelrooy enjoyed a dream start to his reign as Leicester manager after a 3-1 win over West Ham, whose boss Julen Lopetugui is under increasing pressure. Van Nistelrooy has replaced Steve Cooper at the King Power Stadium and saw Jamie Vardy open the scoring after just 98 seconds. Bilal El Khannouss and Patson Daka added goals after the break to ensure the Dutchman started with three points in style. Starting with a win! 🤩 Delivered by @bcgame #LEIWHU pic.twitter.com/X90nFSbMLm — Leicester City (@LCFC) December 3, 2024 His task is to keep the Foxes in the Premier League this season and after ending a five-game winless run they moved up to 15th, four points clear of the relegation zone. West Ham’s hierarchy will have seen what impact a managerial change can have as the jury remains out on Lopetegui, with away fans making their feelings clear by chanting “You’re getting sacked in the morning”. Niclas Fullkrug scored a consolation goal at the death but it counted for nothing and forthcoming games against Wolves, Bournemouth, Brighton and Southampton could determine the Spaniard’s future. When Van Nistelrooy went to bed last night, even he would not have dreamt of his side starting as well as they did as they went ahead with less than two minutes on the clock. One of the Dutchman’s first conversations following his appointment was to take Vardy to task for breaking his record for scoring in the most consecutive Premier League games nine years ago. And the veteran striker rolled back to the years as, living on the shoulder of the West Ham defence, he raced clear from El Khannouss’ through-ball and slotted into the corner. The linesman’s flag immediately went up but a lengthy VAR review ruled Vardy had timed his run perfectly and the goal stood. Vardy could have added a second from a similar move but this time Lukasz Fabianski denied him. The Dutchman quickly learned about the frailties of his side as West Ham created a raft of chances in search of an equaliser. Jarrod Bowen forced Mads Hermansen into a stretching save when he cut in from the right before Ings’ header crashed into the post and Max Kilman slipped at the crucial point from the rebound. Bowen, a constant threat, sent a ball across face of goal which evaded everyone before the England international was denied by a reflex save from the busy Hermansen. The Danish goalkeeper needed to be alert to tip over Mohammed Kudus’ deflected effort early in the second half before he was saved by the referee’s whistle after after his attempted punch went into his own goal, Tomas Soucek the man penalised. Leicester remained a threat on the counter-attack and that is how they doubled their lead just after the hour. Kasey McAteer was set clear down the left and his ball inside was perfect for El Khannouss to find the bottom corner from 15 yards. It was almost three as Fabianski produced an acrobatic save from Wilfred Ndidi’s header before Leicester needed a heroic piece of defending to keep their 2-0 lead intact. Crysencio Summerville bundled the ball goalwards and it was heading over the line until Conor Coady adjusted his feet and poked it clear. The Foxes, who also had a goal from substitute Bobby De Cordova-Reid chalked off by VAR, wrapped things up in the 90th minute when Daka broke clear and emphatically converted into the roof of the net. West Ham did get on the scoresheet when Fullkrug headed a corner home, but the game was already done.The Minnesota Wild’s in-game entertainment folks make sure that no matter what happens on the ice, home games are quite a spectacle of music and light. But after nearly a month, Wild forward Joel Eriksson Ek had done more than enough of watching the show. On Sunday, Eriksson Ek returned to the Wild lineup after missing the previous 11 games with a lower-body injury. ADVERTISEMENT “It’s never fun being injured. So yeah, happy to be back for sure,” said Eriksson Ek, following the team’s morning skate at TRIA Rink. During a Dec. 3 home win over Vancouver, Eriksson Ek left the ice during overtime after a collision with Canucks winger Jake DeBrusk. “I think we hit each other’s knees,” Eriksson Ek said. “So yeah, just an unlucky play.” The Wild went 5-6-0 with their top-line center missing, including a season-worst, four-game losing streak. While Kirill Kaprizov missed a second consecutive game and his third of the season on Sunday, Minnesota coach John Hynes struck an optimistic note about getting two-thirds of the team’s standard top line back together to face Ottawa. “It was nice that he had a full practice yesterday and feels good, so getting him back is obviously always a benefit,” he said. “With who he is as a player, who he is as a guy and what he means to our team, it’s good.” In 22 games with the Wild this season, Eriksson Ek has five goals and eight assists for 13 points, normally playing center between Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello, when all three are healthy. That has been a rarity this season, as the trio has combined to miss 29 games among the 37 that the Wild have played. ADVERTISEMENT World Juniors 2026 prep underway While the Ottawa Senators were in Minnesota on Sunday, around two dozen folks from the State of Hockey are in Ottawa this week, attending the 2025 World Junior Hockey Championship and planning for a year from now when the world’s best young hockey talent comes to Minnesota. The Senators’ home rink and a secondary site in Ottawa are hosting the 2025 event, while starting in December 2025 the games will be played at 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis and Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. The Twin Cities last hosted the World Juniors — which is considered second only to the Olympics among global hockey events — in 1982, with the since-demolished Met Center used as one of the rinks. The group visiting Ottawa included officials from both local arenas, several people from Minnesota Sports and Events and Minnesota hockey legend Lou Nanne, who is one of the local ambassadors for the 2026 World Juniors. ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .Sagittarius Daily Horoscope Today, December 05, 2024 predicts future prosperity
The Reds ultimately left St James’ Park with only a point after Fabian Schar snatched a 3-3 draw at the end of a pulsating encounter, but Salah’s double – his 14th and 15th goals of the season – transformed a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead before the Switzerland defender’s late intervention. The 32-year-old Egypt international’s future at Anfield remains a topic of debate with his current contract running down. Asked about Salah’s future, Slot said: “It’s difficult for me to predict the long-term future, but the only thing I can expect or predict is that he is in a very good place at the moment. “He plays in a very good team that provides him with good opportunities and then he is able to do special things. “And what makes him for me even more special is that in the first hour or before we scored to make it 1-1, you thought, ‘He’s not playing his best game today’, and to then come up with a half-hour or 45 minutes – I don’t know how long it was – afterwards with an assist, two goals, having a shot on the bar, being a constant threat, that is something not many players can do if they’ve played the first hour like he did. “That is also what makes him special. If you just look at the goals, his finish is so clinical. He’s a special player, but that’s what we all know.” Salah did indeed endure a quiet opening 45 minutes by his standards and it was the Magpies who went in at the break a goal to the good after Alexander Isak’s stunning 35th-minute finish. Slot said: “The shot from Isak, I don’t even know if Caoimh (keeper Caoimhin Kelleher) saw that ball, as hard as it was.” Salah set up Curtis Jones to level five minutes into the second half and after Anthony Gordon has restored the hosts’ lead, levelled himself from substitute Trent Alexander-Arnold’s 68th-minute cross. He looked to have won it with a fine turn and finish – his ninth goal in seven league games – seven minutes from time, only for Schar to pounce from a tight angle in the 90th minute. Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe was delighted with the way his team took the game to the Reds four days after their disappointing 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace. Howe, who admitted his surprise that VAR official Stuart Attwell had not taken a dimmer view of a Virgil van Dijk shoulder barge on Gordon, said: “It’s mixed emotions. “Part of me feels we should have won it – a big part of me – but part of me is pleased we didn’t lose either because it was such a late goal for us. “Generally, I’m just pleased with the performance. There was much more attacking output, a much better feel about the team. “There was much better energy, and it was a really good performance against, for me, the best team we’ve played so far this season in the Premier League, so it was a big jump forward for us.”Monster Beverage Corp. stock rises Friday, still underperforms market
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The Reds ultimately left St James’ Park with only a point after Fabian Schar snatched a 3-3 draw at the end of a pulsating encounter, but Salah’s double – his 14th and 15th goals of the season – transformed a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead before the Switzerland defender’s late intervention. The 32-year-old Egypt international’s future at Anfield remains a topic of debate with his current contract running down. Asked about Salah’s future, Slot said: “It’s difficult for me to predict the long-term future, but the only thing I can expect or predict is that he is in a very good place at the moment. Two goals and an assist for Mo tonight 👏 pic.twitter.com/tMXidgeA0P — Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 4, 2024 “He plays in a very good team that provides him with good opportunities and then he is able to do special things. “And what makes him for me even more special is that in the first hour or before we scored to make it 1-1, you thought, ‘He’s not playing his best game today’, and to then come up with a half-hour or 45 minutes – I don’t know how long it was – afterwards with an assist, two goals, having a shot on the bar, being a constant threat, that is something not many players can do if they’ve played the first hour like he did. “That is also what makes him special. If you just look at the goals, his finish is so clinical. He’s a special player, but that’s what we all know.” Salah did indeed endure a quiet opening 45 minutes by his standards and it was the Magpies who went in at the break a goal to the good after Alexander Isak’s stunning 35th-minute finish. Slot said: “The shot from Isak, I don’t even know if Caoimh (keeper Caoimhin Kelleher) saw that ball, as hard as it was.” Salah set up Curtis Jones to level five minutes into the second half and after Anthony Gordon has restored the hosts’ lead, levelled himself from substitute Trent Alexander-Arnold’s 68th-minute cross. He looked to have won it with a fine turn and finish – his ninth goal in seven league games – seven minutes from time, only for Schar to pounce from a tight angle in the 90th minute. Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe was delighted with the way his team took the game to the Reds four days after their disappointing 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace. Howe, who admitted his surprise that VAR official Stuart Attwell had not taken a dimmer view of a Virgil van Dijk shoulder barge on Gordon, said: “It’s mixed emotions. “Part of me feels we should have won it – a big part of me – but part of me is pleased we didn’t lose either because it was such a late goal for us. “Generally, I’m just pleased with the performance. There was much more attacking output, a much better feel about the team. “There was much better energy, and it was a really good performance against, for me, the best team we’ve played so far this season in the Premier League, so it was a big jump forward for us.”Jean-Philippe Mateta struck in the second half with the only real piece of quality in a nervy encounter between two struggling teams. It is now two wins and three draws from the last six matches for Glasner’s side, whose winter revival is gathering pace nicely following a sticky start to the campaign. “I feel very happy, we’re all very pleased with the result, it was not the best performance but the result was more important,” said the Eagles boss. “Most of the time we controlled the game and we scored an amazing goal, a fantastic finish from JP. “We had more chances to decide the game but we couldn’t, but I think the win was well deserved. “We didn’t give them any chances from open play and with a clean sheet you can always take the win. “It’s a big win. Now it’s not time to sit back and relax but to keep going. In four days we face Manchester City. We stay humble. There are still many things to improve but we are on the right path.” Ipswich looked the likelier to score as a low-key first half drew to a close and were denied by a point-blank save by Dean Henderson from Harry Clarke’s near-post header. Shortly after the interval Wes Burns got clear down the right and lifted an inviting cross towards Liam Delap, whose header was straight at Henderson. However, from out of nowhere Palace conjured up a lightning counter-attack to go ahead on the hour. Eberechi Eze led the charge before feeding Mateta, who surged forward with a couple of stepovers before brushing off the attention of Jacob Greaves and finishing superbly past Arijanet Muric. It was the French forward’s sixth goal of the season, and his first away from Selhurst Park. Back came Ipswich with Leif Davis fizzing in another cross for Delap, who somehow mistimed his jump and completely missed the ball from six yards. As time ticked down Greaves looped a header against the far post, with the rebound just eluding substitute Ali-Al Hamadi. “Frustrating night,” said Town boss Kieran McKenna. “It was a tight first half, we weren’t fantastic in terms of the flow of the game and didn’t create as many opportunities as we wanted. But having said that neither did our opponents. “In the second half we conceded a really poor goal and that proved decisive. We can do better than we did tonight.”
The Lawrence Energy Center in Kansas burns coal for electric power. A federal lawsuit filed by 11 Republican attorneys general claims institutional investors BlackRock, Vanguard and State Street committed antitrust violations to lower supply and increase the cost of coal. (Jill Hummels/Kansas Reflector) Major institutional investors have artificially lowered coal production and raised energy costs for consumers in an effort to lower global carbon emissions, a federal lawsuit claims. Republican attorneys general in 11 states, including Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, filed a joint lawsuit last month against BlackRock, Vanguard and State Street, claiming the organizations’ efforts to pressure coal companies to lower carbon emissions and respond to climate change amount to anti-competitive business practices. All three companies, the lawsuit says, have acquired significant shares in the largest publicly-traded coal companies to coerce their management. “For the past four years, America’s coal producers have been responding not to the price signals of the free market, but to the commands of Larry Fink, BlackRock’s chairman and CEO, and his fellow asset managers,” the lawsuit says. BlackRock is the world’s largest financial asset manager. The case was in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas on behalf of the states of Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, West Virginia and Wyoming. The case asks the court to find that the companies have violated federal antitrust laws and prohibit them from using their stock holdings in coal companies to limit output. In a statement, State Street called the lawsuit “baseless.” “State Street acts in the long-term financial interests of investors with a focus on enhancing shareholder value,” the company said. “As long-term capital providers, we have a mutual interest in the long-term success of our portfolio companies.” In 2020, Fink wrote in a letter to CEOs that “climate risk is investment risk” and announced efforts to “place sustainability at the center of our investment approach.” He said companies and investors had a meaningful role to play in the transition from fossil fuels and coal to clean energy. The following year, BlackRock, State Street and Vanguard joined the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative, acknowledging an “urgent need to accelerate the transition towards global net zero emissions” and committing to work to reduce carbon emissions. Black Rock and State Street also signed onto Climate Action 100+, a similar initiative where investors work with companies “on improving climate change governance, cutting emissions and strengthening climate-related financial disclosures. Burning coal produces carbon dioxide, the most prevalent greenhouse gas and a significant drive of climate change, scientists say. It also produces sulfur dioxide, particulates and other emissions that can be harmful to human health. Coal made up 19% of energy-related carbon emissions in 2022 and more than half of emissions from electric power companies, according to the Energy Information Administration . In a press release, Hilgers’ office accused the three companies of weaponizing their shares of the coal market. “Whether it comes from state or federal governments or the private sector,” Hilgers said, “the radical climate agenda harms Nebraskans.” Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey vowed to “not stand idly by while these companies hamper energy production and raise prices for Missouri consumers.” Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita’s office said in a press release that he was “taking further action to stop work corporatists and their left-leaning allies in government from driving up energy costs for hardworking Hoosiers.” “Coal has been the backbone of Indiana’s economic success for decades,” Rokita said. “The demand for electricity has gone up and these (environmental, social and governance) titans are reaping the benefits of these skyrocketed prices by keeping their thumb on production.” And Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird said she would keep “fighting until we take down every cog of the woke machine and protect hardworking families and farmers.” “While Woke Wall Street lines its own pockets,” Bird said, “families and farmers are forced to pay the price.” This article first appeared in the Kansas Reflector , a sister site of the Nebraska Examiner in the States Newsroom network.PRATTVILLE, Ala. (AP) — A federal judge has ordered an Alabama city to allow an LGBTQ+ pride group to participate in the city's Christmas parade on Friday, after the mayor initially blocked the group from the annual event citing unspecified “safety concerns.” U.S. District Judge R. Austin Huffaker Jr. ruled that the City of Prattville violated Prattville Pride's First Amendment right to free speech and 14th Amendment right to equal protection under the law when it banned the group from running a float in the annual Christmas parade one day before the event was set to take place. “The City removed Prattville Pride from the parade based on its belief that certain members of the public who oppose Prattville Pride, and what is stands for, would react in a disruptive way. But discrimination based on a message’s content 'cannot be tolerated under the First Amendment,' ” Huffaker wrote in his opinion. The ruling required the city to provide at least two police officers to escort the float throughout the parade. On Thursday, Prattville Pride requested additional security measures from law enforcement. In response, Mayor Bill Gillespie Jr released a statement banning the group from the parade altogether, citing “serious safety concerns.” Huffaker's ruling said that, leading up to the event, some community members “voiced vehement opposition” to the group's inclusion in the parade, but that “the City has presented no evidence of legitimate, true threats of physical violence.” Gillespie's office referred to a statement posted on the city's social media in response to a request for comment. “The City respects the ruling of the Court and will comply with its order. The safety of everyone involved with the parade is a priority,” city officials said in a statement on social media. Prattville Pride celebrated the ruling on social media. “The Christmas parade is a cherished holiday tradition, and we are excited to celebrate alongside our neighbors and friends in the spirit of love, joy, and unity," the group wrote. Prattville is a small city of about 40,000 people, just north of the capital of Montgomery.
By TOM KRISHER, Associated Press DETROIT (AP) — For a second time, a Delaware judge has nullified a pay package that Tesla had awarded its CEO, Elon Musk, that once was valued at $56 billion. On Monday, Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick turned aside a request from Musk’s lawyers to reverse a ruling she announced in January that had thrown out the compensation plan. The judge ruled then that Musk effectively controlled Tesla’s board and had engineered the outsize pay package during sham negotiations . Lawyers for a Tesla shareholder who sued to block the pay package contended that shareholders who had voted for the 10-year plan in 2018 had been given misleading and incomplete information. In their defense, Tesla’s board members asserted that the shareholders who ratified the pay plan a second time in June had done so after receiving full disclosures, thereby curing all the problems the judge had cited in her January ruling. As a result, they argued, Musk deserved the pay package for having raised Tesla’s market value by billions of dollars. McCormick rejected that argument. In her 103-page opinion, she ruled that under Delaware law, Tesla’s lawyers had no grounds to reverse her January ruling “based on evidence they created after trial.” On Monday night, Tesla posted on X, the social media platform owned by Musk, that the company will appeal. The appeal would be filed with the Delaware Supreme Court, the only state appellate court Tesla can pursue. Experts say a ruling would likely come in less than a year. “The ruling, if not overturned, means that judges and plaintiffs’ lawyers run Delaware companies rather than their rightful owners — the shareholders,” Tesla argued. Later, on X, Musk unleashed a blistering attack on the judge, asserting that McCormick is “a radical far left activist cosplaying as a judge.” Legal authorities generally suggest that McCormick’s ruling was sound and followed the law. Charles Elson, founding director of the Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware, said that in his view, McCormick was right to rule that after Tesla lost its case in the original trial, it created improper new evidence by asking shareholders to ratify the pay package a second time. Had she allowed such a claim, he said, it would cause a major shift in Delaware’s laws against conflicts of interest given the unusually close relationship between Musk and Tesla’s board. “Delaware protects investors — that’s what she did,” said Elson, who has followed the court for more than three decades. “Just because you’re a ‘superstar CEO’ doesn’t put you in a separate category.” Elson said he thinks investors would be reluctant to put money into Delaware companies if there were exceptions to the law for “special people.” Elson said that in his opinion, the court is likely to uphold McCormick’s ruling. Experts say no. Rulings on state laws are normally left to state courts. Brian Dunn, program director for the Institute of Compensation Studies at Cornell University, said it’s been his experience that Tesla has no choice but to stay in the Delaware courts for this compensation package. The company could try to reconstitute the pay package and seek approval in Texas, where it may expect more friendlier judges. But Dunn, who has spent 40 years as an executive compensation consultant, said it’s likely that some other shareholder would challenge the award in Texas because it’s excessive compared with other CEOs’ pay plans. “If they just want to turn around and deliver him $56 billion, I can’t believe somebody wouldn’t want to litigate it,” Dunn said. “It’s an unconscionable amount of money.” Almost certainly. Tesla stock is trading at 15 times the exercise price of stock options in the current package in Delaware, Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas wrote in a note to investors. Tesla’s share price has doubled in the past six months, Jonas wrote. At Monday’s closing stock price, the Musk package is now worth $101.4 billion, according to Equilar, an executive data firm. And Musk has asked for a subsequent pay package that would give him 25% of Tesla’s voting shares. Musk has said he is uncomfortable moving further into artificial intelligence with the company if he doesn’t have 25% control. He currently holds about 13% of Tesla’s outstanding shares.
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