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Former US President, Jimmy Carter dies at 100Amanda Hernández | (TNS) Stateline.org CHICAGO — Shoplifting rates in the three largest U.S. cities — New York, Los Angeles and Chicago — remain higher than they were before the pandemic, according to a report last month from the nonpartisan research group Council on Criminal Justice. The sharp rise in retail theft in recent years has made shoplifting a hot-button issue, especially for politicians looking to address public safety concerns in their communities. Since 2020, when viral videos of smash-and-grab robberies flooded social media during the COVID-19 pandemic, many Americans have expressed fears that crime is out of control. Polls show that perceptions have improved recently, but a majority of Americans still say crime is worse than in previous years. “There is this sense of brazenness that people have — they can just walk in and steal stuff. ... That hurts the consumer, and it hurts the company,” said Alex Piquero, a criminology professor at the University of Miami and former director of the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics, in an interview. “That’s just the world we live in,” he said. “We need to get people to realize that you have to obey the law.” At least eight states — Arizona, California, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, New York and Vermont — passed a total of 14 bills in 2024 aimed at tackling retail theft, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The measures range from redefining retail crimes and adjusting penalties to allowing cross-county aggregation of theft charges and protecting retail workers. Major retailers have responded to rising theft since 2020 by locking up merchandise, upgrading security cameras, hiring private security firms and even closing stores. Still, the report indicates that shoplifting remains a stubborn problem. In Chicago, the rate of reported shoplifting incidents remained below pre-pandemic levels throughout 2023 — but surged by 46% from January to October 2024 compared with the same period a year ago. Shoplifting in Los Angeles was 87% higher in 2023 than in 2019. Police reports of shoplifting from January to October 2024 were lower than in 2023. Los Angeles adopted a new crime reporting system in March 2024, which has likely led to an undercount, according to the report. In New York, shoplifting rose 48% from 2021 to 2022, then dipped slightly last year. Still, the shoplifting rate was 55% higher in 2023 than in 2019. This year, the shoplifting rate increased by 3% from January to September compared with the same period last year. While shoplifting rates tend to rise in November and December, which coincides with in-person holiday shopping, data from the Council on Criminal Justice’s sample of 23 U.S. cities shows higher rates in the first half of 2024 compared with 2023. Researchers found it surprising that rates went up despite retailers doing more to fight shoplifting. Experts say the spike might reflect improved reporting efforts rather than a spike in theft. “As retailers have been paying more attention to shoplifting, we would not expect the numbers to increase,” said Ernesto Lopez, the report’s author and a senior research specialist with the council. “It makes it a challenge to understand the trends of shoplifting.” In downtown Chicago on a recent early afternoon, potential shoppers shuffled through the streets and nearby malls, browsing for gifts ahead of the holidays. Edward Johnson, a guard at The Shops at North Bridge, said that malls have become quieter in the dozen or so years he has worked in mall security, with the rise of online retailers. As for shoplifters, Johnson said there isn’t a single type of person to look out for — they can come from any background. “I think good-hearted people see something they can’t afford and figure nothing is lost if they take something from the store,” Johnson said as he patrolled the mall, keeping an eye out for lost or suspicious items. Between 2018 and 2023, most shoplifting in Chicago was reported in the downtown area, as well as in the Old Town, River North and Lincoln Park neighborhoods, according to a separate analysis by the Council on Criminal Justice. Newly sworn-in Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke this month lowered the threshold for charging retail theft as a felony in the county, which includes Chicago, from $1,000 to $300, aligning it with state law. “It sends a signal that she’s taking it seriously,” Rob Karr, the president and CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, told Stateline. Nationally, retailers are worried about organized theft. The National Retail Federation’s latest report attributed 36% of the $112.1 billion in lost merchandise in 2022 to “external theft,” which includes organized retail crime. Organized retail crime typically involves coordinated efforts by groups to steal items with the intent to resell them for a profit. Commonly targeted goods include high-demand items such as baby formula, laundry detergent and electronics. The same report found that retailers’ fear of violence associated with theft also is on the rise, with more retailers taking a “hands-off approach.” More than 41% of respondents to the organization’s 2023 survey, up from 38% in 2022, reported that no employee is authorized to try and stop a shoplifter. (The federation’s reporting has come under criticism. It retracted a claim last year that attributed nearly half of lost merchandise in 2021 to organized retail crime; such theft accounted for only about 5%. The group announced this fall it will no longer publish its reports on lost merchandise.) Policy experts say shoplifting and organized retail theft can significantly harm critical industries, drive up costs for consumers and reduce sales tax revenue for states. Those worries have driven recent state-level action to boost penalties for shoplifting. California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a package of 10 bills into law in August aimed at addressing retail theft. These measures make repeated theft convictions a felony, allow aggregation of crimes across multiple counties to be charged as a single felony, and permit police to arrest suspects for retail theft even if the crime wasn’t witnessed directly by an officer. In September, Newsom signed an additional bill that imposes steeper felony penalties for large-scale theft offenses. California voters also overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure in November that increases penalties for specific drug-related and theft crimes. Under the new law, people who are convicted of theft at least twice may face felony charges on their third offense, regardless of the stolen item’s value. “With these changes in the law, really it comes down to making sure that law enforcement is showing up to our stores in a timely manner, and that the prosecutors and the [district attorneys] are prosecuting,” Rachel Michelin, the president and CEO of the California Retailers Association, told Stateline. “That’s the only way we’re going to deter retail theft in our communities.” In New Jersey, a bipartisan bill making its way through the legislature would increase penalties for leading a shoplifting ring and allow extended sentences for repeat offenders. “This bill is going after a formally organized band of criminals that deliver such destruction to a critical business in our community. We have to act. We have to create a deterrence,” Democratic Assemblymember Joseph Danielsen, one of the bill’s prime sponsors, said in an interview with Stateline. The legislation would allow extended sentences for people convicted of shoplifting three times within 10 years or within 10 years of their release from prison, and would increase penalties to 10 to 20 years in prison for leading a retail crime ring. The bill also would allow law enforcement to aggregate the value of stolen goods over the course of a year to charge serial shoplifters with more serious offenses. Additionally, the bill would increase penalties for assaults committed against retail workers, and would require retailers to train employees on detecting gift card scams. Maryland legislators considered a similar bill during this year’s legislative session that would have defined organized retail theft and made it a felony. The bill didn’t make it out of committee, but Cailey Locklair, president of the Maryland Retailers Alliance, said the group plans to propose a bill during next year’s legislative session that would target gift card fraud. Better, more thorough reporting from retailers is essential to truly understanding shoplifting trends and its full impact, in part because some retail-related crimes, such as gift card fraud, are frequently underreported, according to Lopez, of the Council on Criminal Justice. Measuring crime across jurisdictions is notoriously difficult , and the council does not track organized retail theft specifically because law enforcement typically doesn’t identify it as such at the time of arrest — if an arrest even occurs — requiring further investigation, Lopez said. The council’s latest report found conflicting trends in the FBI’s national crime reporting systems. The FBI’s older system, the Summary Reporting System, known as SRS, suggests that reported shoplifting hadn’t gone up through 2023, remaining on par with 2019 levels. In contrast, the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System, or NIBRS, shows a 93% increase in shoplifting over the same period. The discrepancy may stem from the type of law enforcement agencies that have adopted the latter system, Lopez said. Some of those communities may have higher levels of shoplifting or other types of property crime, which could be what is driving the spike, Lopez said. Despite the discrepancies and varying levels of shoplifting across the country, Lopez said, it’s important for retailers to report these incidents, as doing so could help allocate law enforcement resources more effectively. “All law enforcement agencies have limited resources, and having the most accurate information allows for not just better policy, but also better implementation — better use of strategic resources,” Lopez said. Stateline staff writer Robbie Sequeira contributed to this report. ©2024 States Newsroom. Visit at stateline.org. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

As we approach the year 2025, a new generation of babies is set to be born, marking the beginning of what will be known as Generation Beta. Defined as those born between 2025 and 2039, this cohort of children will follow in the footsteps of Generation Alpha, the children born from around 2010 to 2024, and will grow up in an increasingly complex and interconnected world shaped by rapid technological advances and global challenges. According to social researcher Mark McCrindle, who coined the term "Generation Alpha", Generation Beta will face a future defined by rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, sustainability, and global population changes. Who are Generation Beta? Generation Beta will consist of children born from 2025 to 2039, making them the children of younger Gen Ys (Millennials) and older Gen Z s. By 2035, it is expected that they will make up 16% of the global population, a significant demographic that will influence future economies, cultures, and societies, as per McCrindle's blog post. One of the most notable characteristics of Generation Beta will be their longevity. With advances in healthcare and technology, many children born during this period are expected to live well into the 22nd century, potentially experiencing a life span much longer than previous generations. A world of transformation and challenges As these children grow, they will inherit a world grappling with numerous societal challenges. Climate change, global population shifts, and rapid urbanization will be pressing issues that influence their lives. Mark McCrindle emphasizes that sustainability will no longer be a choice but a necessity. For Generation Beta, environmental consciousness and a sustainable lifestyle will be ingrained from an early age, as they will be tasked with finding solutions to the pressing ecological concerns of the 21st century. Technological advancements, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI) and automation , will be a dominant force in their daily lives. According to McCrindle, by the time Generation Beta comes of age, these technologies will be fully embedded in education, workplaces, healthcare, and entertainment. “Generation Beta will live in an era where AI and automation are fully embedded in everyday life—from education and workplaces to healthcare and entertainment,” he explained. Who will make up Generation Beta? Generation Beta will primarily consist of children born to younger Gen Ys (Millennials) and older Gen Z s. These parents, who are familiar with the digital age and the rise of social media, will raise their children in a vastly different world—one where artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and sustainability are key aspects of daily life. While Millennials and Gen Z have witnessed and adapted to significant technological shifts, Generation Beta will be born into an even more interconnected, automated, and technologically advanced world. They are the first generation to experience the full impact of AI-driven technologies, shaping not only how they learn and work but also how they interact with the world around them. A generation set for longevity Many children born in this period are expected to live well into the 22nd century, thanks to advances in healthcare and longevity technologies. This remarkable life expectancy will present unique challenges and opportunities for the generation, as they will need to navigate not only the complexities of a rapidly changing world but also potentially extended lifespans. Key characteristics of Generation Beta Global Impact: By 2035, Generation Beta is expected to make up 16% of the world’s population, highlighting their significance on a global scale. Their decisions, values, and actions will shape economies, cultures, and industries worldwide. Technological integration: Unlike previous generations, Generation Beta will be surrounded by artificial intelligence and automation from birth. These technologies will be fully integrated into their education systems, workplaces, healthcare, and entertainment. The influence of AI will be pervasive in their everyday lives, allowing them to adapt to a future where machine learning and automation are commonplace. Sustainability focus: Generation Beta will inherit a world confronted by pressing issues such as climate change and resource depletion. The emphasis on sustainability will not just be a choice but a necessity. These challenges will define their approach to living, working, and consuming, with an expectation for greater environmental responsibility. Generation Beta’s world of change While many of their Millennial and Gen Z parents grew up in a world of rapid change, Generation Beta will be born into a hyper-connected, high-tech world. They will have access to technologies and innovations that today’s generations can only imagine, from smart cities to autonomous vehicles to next-generation virtual realities. As the world continues to evolve, Generation Beta will be the key generation to harness the full potential of AI, machine learning, and blockchain technologies. They will grow up in an era where personalization and automation are a given in almost every aspect of life, from school to work to entertainment.The former US president Jimmy Carter , who has died aged 100, achieved a far more favourable reputation after leaving the White House than he ever secured during his single term of office. Following his electoral defeat in 1980 – when Ronald Reagan beat him by 489 to 49 electoral college votes – his sustained efforts to improve life for the deprived people of the world won him the 2002 Nobel peace prize. Carter left a mixed heritage from his presidential term. He put human rights firmly on the international agenda, persuaded Congress to cede US control of the Panama canal, demonstrated that peace settlements could be achieved in the Middle East, and completed the second strategic arms limitation treaty with the Soviet Union. But he was not cut out for the White House. He became the 39th president because he was not Gerald Ford : he was ousted after one term not only because of his administration’s inept handling of the Iranian hostage crisis but because he was overwhelmed by the job. Carter came into office faced with the continued economic aftermath of the Vietnam war. To meet its burgeoning costs, President Richard Nixon had abandoned the fixed international exchange rate agreed after the second world war and allowed the dollar to float. That immediately imported inflation into the US, exacerbated by the 1973 Yom Kippur war in the Middle East, which provoked Arab oil-exporting nations to quadruple the price of their oil. Carter arrived in Washington with inflation running at 7%. Within 18 months it had climbed to 11.3%. Oil, which had been $20 a barrel, surged to $107. Carter’s response was to ask the US to curb its profligate use of energy. The plea fell on deaf ears. He then nominated Paul Volcker as chairman of the Federal Reserve Board to deal with the problem. Volcker arrived proclaiming that the US “could not inflate itself out of a recession” and embarked on a ferocious campaign to kill it. The interest figures tell the story: in June 1979 America’s prime rate was 11.5%, by November 15.5%, by March 1980 18.5% and by the end of that year it peaked at 21.5%. During his election campaign Carter had devised what he called the misery index, combining unemployment and inflation. It stood at 13.5 when he was elected. He left the White House with it at 19.9. He eventually retrieved his reputation by founding the Carter Center in his home state of Georgia and embarking on a vast range of activities designed to defuse international conflict and to introduce democracy and a decent standard of life across the globe. This took him to countries ranging from Zambia to Peru and from Sudan to Guyana, for such disparate projects as mediating in civil warfare, encouraging sustainable agricultural development, establishing a proper judicial system, or installing a clean water supply. He became a familiar figure at election counts around the globe, part of the international team that sought to ensure that where skulduggery could not be prevented, it was at least well publicised. With the agreement of the Clinton administration, in 1994 Carter took up an invitation to visit Kim Il-Sung in Pyongyang, and out of their talks came the Agreed Framework , by which North Korea undertook to suspend its nuclear weapons programme in return for increased energy aid from the US. Initial progress was not sustained, and by 2003 relations between the two countries were openly hostile again . In 2008 he was criticised in the US and Israel for urging peace talks involving Syria and Hamas. In August 2010 he returned to North Korea to secure the release of a US citizen, Aijalon Gomes; he visited the country again in 2011, and six years later indicated his willingness to do so once more if called on . Carter acknowledged that much of the energy he brought to the Carter Center had stemmed from the unexpected frustration of his presidential career. “I don’t think that if I had had two full terms in the White House, I would have launched so ambitious a new career. I would probably have become a professor and written some books.” Born in Plains, Georgia, Jimmy (James) was the eldest of four children of Lillian (nee Gordy), a nurse, and James Carter, a peanut farmer. He planned a naval career, graduating from the US naval academy in 1946. Then he became involved in the design and development of nuclear power for ships, and later with training seamen to serve in them. This was apparently when he acquired his dogged interest in organisational and functional minutiae. In 1953, however, the death of his father obliged him to resign his commission to take control of the family business. This sparked an interest in politics and, in 1962, he was elected a state senator. At the end of his four-year term, he ran unsuccessfully for the governorship of Georgia. In 1970 he was elected at his second attempt and began to plan his presidential campaign. His ambitions coincided with the Watergate scandal and the enforced resignation of Nixon in August 1974. Ford, a Republican congressman from Michigan, had been hand-picked by the beleaguered incumbent as his successor. The electorate, initially neutral about the constitutional niceties of this procedure, erupted in fury when the newly sworn-in President Ford announced an unconditional pardon for his patron. The stage was thus set for Carter’s bid, on the basis that he did not belong to the Washington establishment and that he espoused the simple moral and religious values that the electorate was then seeking. In the 1976 primaries he easily outpaced his Democratic rivals. But his presidential victory was uncomfortably narrow: he won only 23 of the 50 states and secured less than half the popular vote (excluding Washington DC). His arrival in the White House arose more through the quirks of the electoral college, where he predominated by 297 votes to Ford’s 240. His election showed plainly what became even more starkly evident as his term progressed: that support in the country was marginal and could be eroded by almost any setback. The honeymoon lasted long enough domestically to get the Panama canal treaties ratified in 1978 – no small achievement – and internationally to bring Israel and Egypt to a widely applauded peace settlement in 1979, brokered by Carter. But the very nature of his electoral campaign quickly rebounded on him. He chose to emphasise the shift from previous administrations by appointing a group of inexperienced assistants to senior posts. Within a short space of time, his budget director, Bert Lance , was forced to resign amid allegations of impropriety – charges that sat ill with Carter’s repeated emphasis on probity. His chief of staff, Hamilton Jordan , became notorious for his poor handling of influential figures on Capitol Hill, a vital factor for any administration, but even more critical in the post-Vietnam, post-Watergate climate in Washington. Congress, in its own eyes, had been bulldozed into the expansion of the Vietnam war by Lyndon Johnson , grossly affronted by Nixon’s constant claims of executive privilege and eventually by his illegalities, and circumnavigated by Ford’s accession. It had fettered the White House with the War Powers resolution of 1973 and came within a whisker of impeaching the president. It was singularly unimpressed by the arrival of a man whose experience was as a one-term southern governor. It might have been easier had Carter arrived with a clear political agenda, but he seemed geared to the politics of symbolism rather than substance. In an effort to focus his compatriots’ attention on their profligate use of energy, he addressed the nation wearing a woollen cardigan, which simply drowned the message in derision. His national energy policy was barely recognisable by the time it emerged from Congress. The international community also found itself with problems caused by the amateurism of the White House. Within six months of taking office, Carter requested funds to develop neutron warheads for missiles deployed in Europe, particularly West Germany. There had been no consultations within Nato, and a row erupted in Europe. The Dutch defence minister resigned and Chancellor Helmut Schmidt of West Germany, faced with demonstrations and parliamentary dissent, publicly dissociated himself from the move. The furore continued for months, until Carter suddenly announced that he had abandoned the idea, having exposed serious rifts within the Atlantic alliance to no useful end. In spite of alarming the Kremlin with unsignalled proposals for huge cuts in strategic weapons (later abandoned), his administration did manage to negotiate the Salt II (strategic arms limitation talks) agreement, a complex, phased programme of strategic disarmament. But it aroused deep suspicions in the Senate, which had little liking for the president anyway, and the treaty was consequently never ratified. By now it had become evident to the country that its chief executive was becoming impotent through his insistence on bogging himself down in detail to the extent that he even insisted on drawing up the playing rota for the White House tennis courts. With his popularity waning steeply, particularly after a disastrous television address in which he seemed to saddle the nation with his own uncertainties, Carter was hit by the twin crises that doomed his presidency – the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the fall of the shah of Iran. Long after he left office, it emerged that much of the blame for the Afghan crisis could, in fact, be laid at his door. In February 1979 the US ambassador in Kabul, Adolph Dubs, was kidnapped and died in a botched rescue attempt by the local police. The Soviet Union was alleged to have been behind the kidnapping and, in retaliation, Carter signed a secret directive on 3 July 1979, authorising the CIA to fund and arm Muslim opponents to the Kabul regime, which the Soviet Union supported. This decision was later described by Carter’s national security adviser, Zbigniew Brzezinski , as “giving the Soviet Union its own Vietnam”. Its consequences, including the rise of the Taliban, have clanked unpredictably through the ensuing decades. As US-funded fighting spread rapidly across Afghanistan, the Kabul regime tottered and Moscow decided that the only answer to the destabilisation of its strategically vital southern border was to invade. Carter, already in deep trouble over the fall of the shah, responded to the Soviet invasion by shooting himself in the foot. With domestic political attention focused on the impending 1980 presidential campaign, he announced an embargo on a portion of US grain exports to the Soviet Union, the prime victims of which were America’s midwestern farmers rather than the USSR. He did manage to see off the internal party challenge of Senator Edward Kennedy , but slipped badly in the broader race for re-election. He had been unlucky in inheriting the brewing Iranian crisis, but he handled that no better. The shah was entirely the creature of successive US administrations. It was, therefore, self-evident that the dethroned monarch would turn to his patrons in his final crisis and that, conversely, the new Iranian regime would stoke the anti-Americanism built up by his autocratic reign. The US embassy in Tehran sent repeated warnings of the likely Iranian reaction if the terminally ill shah was allowed into the US, but they were ignored by the White House. Within three weeks of his arrival for medical treatment, the embassy had been seized and 53 of its staff held hostage. A bad situation was made far worse by an ill-conceived and ultimately disastrous attempt to mount a rescue operation. Its chances of success were always slight and were wholly nullified by the combination of equipment failures and excessive interference from above. Had Carter been held in greater confidence by his countrymen, they might have had more sympathy for his dilemma. He had nothing to bargain with, and it became evident that for Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini , the fundamentalist Shia cleric who had overthrown the shah, the crisis had become a personal contest. He released the American hostages only at the moment when Carter was succeeded by Reagan. Carter’s political ambition far outreached his experience or capacity, but his brief sojourn in the Oval office at least gave him the international standing to carry out the humanitarian work for which he will probably be best remembered. With his wife, Rosalynn (nee Smith), whom he married in 1946, he visited more than 140 countries. He wrote 30 books, including A Call to Action (2014), which addressed discrimination and violence against women, and A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety (2015). Having turned 100 last October, he fulfilled his aim of voting in the presidential election. Rosalynn died in November 2023. He is survived by their four children, Amy, Jack, Chip and Jeff, 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. James Earl Carter, politician, born 1 October 1924; died 29 December 2024 Harold Jackson died in 2021

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The Ontario Provincial Police has launched a new initiative to help protect people from global cryptocurrency fraud. Project Atlas, an initiative of the OPP’s Cyber-Enabled Fraud Team, has a focus of disrupting organized fraud, supporting victims in the recovery of stolen funds and educating the public about cryptocurrency investment scams. In 2023, a total of $309.4 million in investment fraud was reported to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. A majority of that was crypto fraud, said Det.-Const. John Armit, a member of the OPP Anti-Rackets Branch. “We know that many of our fraudsters who are committing these frauds are attached to global organized groups,” he said in a launch event that was . The Cyber-Enabled Fraud Team was established in 2023 to investigate and prevent digital technology-based fraud, including cryptocurrency fraud and phishing, to protect people and businesses from cyber-related financial loss. As part of Project Atlas, the specialized OPP team will work with anti-fraud and other law enforcement partners to help make it safer for people to take part in digital currency markets. Cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual currency, with bitcoin being a well-known and early form of such currency, with people having the ability to buy or exchange tokens or currency though digital accounts. The OPP says cryptocurrency investment fraudsters will trick people into putting their money into fake crypto accounts. People might see ads on social media, dating apps or search engines, promising quick profits. Victims may start with small investments and fraudsters may then suggest to the person to download a trading app or set up a cryptocurrency wallet. Fraudsters may also use an approval phishing tactic, whereby they seek permission to move the victim’s tokens on their behalf. Eventually, however, victims find they can’t access or withdraw their funds, the OPP says. Armit said the OPP is not trying to dissuade people from trading cryptocurrency, but to make people aware of some of the risks involved. The OPP says investigators may reach out to victims or to people who may have information that may be helpful to an investigation with proactive calls either by phone or email. The OPP says the purpose of proactive calls is to support in cryptocurrency recovery efforts for the victim or to support the prosecution of offenders. Det.-Sgt. Lynn Danis, lead investigator with the team, says the OPP can’t promise funds will be recovered, but it is one of the team’s aims. The team can also provide some education to victims, such as teaching them how to revoke permissions to help prevent them from being victimized another time. The project will also be raising public awareness. Project Atlas has various resources to help protect people from fraud and what to do if they are a victim of fraud. An important part of preventing fraud, Amrit said, is police need victims to report it. “In order to disrupt these acts and activities of these criminals worldwide, it’s really essential that victims or attempted victims come forward and report their fraud to law enforcement and to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre,” he said. He said when people come forward, their testimonials help police understand the emerging trends, which can then help law enforcement to stop them. More information is available at . Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our and . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google and apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our .BENSALEM, Pa., Dec. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Law Offices of Howard G. Smith reminds investors that class action lawsuits have been filed on behalf of shareholders of the following publicly-traded companies. Investors have until the deadlines listed below to file a lead plaintiff motion. Investors suffering losses on their investments are encouraged to contact the Law Offices of Howard G. Smith to discuss their legal rights in these class actions at (215) 638-4847 or by email to howardsmith@howardsmithlaw.com . iLearningEngines, Inc. (NASDAQ: AILE ) Class Period: April 22, 2024 – August 28, 2024 Lead Plaintiff Deadline: December 6, 2024 The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period the defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose: (1) that the Company’s “Technology Partner” was an undisclosed related party; (2) that the Company used its undisclosed related party Technology Partner to report “largely fake” revenue and expenses; (3) that, as a result of the foregoing, the Company significantly overstated its revenue; and (4) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants’ positive statements about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. Iris Energy Limited (NASDAQ: IREN ) Class Period: June 20, 2023 – July 11, 2024 Lead Plaintiff Deadline: December 6, 2024 The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period the defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Defendants overstated Iris Energy’s prospects with data centers and high performance computing, in large part as a result of material deficiencies in Iris Energy’s Childress County, Texas site; and (2) as a result, Defendants’ positive statements about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. Edwards Lifesciences Corporation (NYSE: EW ) Class Period: February 6, 2024 – July 24, 2024 Lead Plaintiff Deadline: December 13, 2024 The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period the defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) the Company did not possess reliable information pertaining to projected revenue outlook and anticipated growth; (2) the Company’s growth was at risk of decelerating; (3) the Company’s “patient activation activities” failed to reach the perceived low-treatment-rate population TAVR’s growth relied upon obtaining; (4) the Company overstated hospital desire to continue to utilize the Company’s TAVR procedures over newer, innovative structural heart therapies; and (5) as a result, Defendants’ positive statements about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. Xiao-I Corporation (NASDAQ: AIXI ) Class Period: March 9, 2023 – July 12, 2024 Lead Plaintiff Deadline: December 16, 2024 The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period the defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Defendants had downplayed the true scope and severity of risks that Xiao-I faced due to certain of its Chinese shareholders’ non-compliance with Circular 37 Registration, including the Company’s inability to use Offering proceeds for intended business purposes; (2) Xiao-I failed to comply with GAAP in preparing its financial statements; (3) Defendants overstated Xiao-I’s efforts to remediate material weaknesses in the Company’s financial controls; (4) Xiao-I was forced to incur significant R&D expenses to effectively compete in the AI industry; (5) Xiao-I downplayed the significant negative impact that such expenses would have on the Company’s business and financial results; (6) accordingly, Xiao-I overstated its AI capabilities, R&D resources, and overall ability to compete in the AI market; (7) as a result of all the foregoing, there was a substantial likelihood that Xiao-I would fail to comply with the NASDAQ’s Minimum Bid Price Requirement; and (8) as a result, Defendants’ positive statements about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. To be a member of these class actions, you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the class action. If you wish to learn more about these class actions, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Howard G. Smith, Esquire, of Law Offices of Howard G. Smith, 3070 Bristol Pike, Suite 112, Bensalem, Pennsylvania 19020, by telephone at (215) 638-4847 or by email to howardsmith@howardsmithlaw.com , or visit our website at www.howardsmithlaw.com . This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. Contacts Law Offices of Howard G. Smith Howard G. Smith, Esquire 215-638-4847 888-638-4847 howardsmith@howardsmithlaw.com www.howardsmithlaw.comIT’S just days until the end of 2024 and Dollar Tree is offering party essentials at a great price. The foil balloons are ideal for shoppers looking to decorate their homes to celebrate New Year’s and the discount chain is selling them at an incredible $1.25 each. They’re available in festive gold and silver , so will match a wide variety of color themes and décor. “Plus, sturdy foil material holds helium longer than latex balloons and is not easily popped,” according to the retailer’s website. Dollar Tree will inflate the balloons when purchased and if bought online, shoppers simply need to take them to their local store for filling. The website advises customers to speak to the store manager beforehand to ensure enough helium is available. Read more on Dollar Tree A copy of the purchase receipt is also required in order to have the balloons inflated. SHOPPER FEEDBACK Dollar Tree customers are pretty impressed with the gold balloons. “I used the star balloons in a center piece for a red carpet theme. It was much cheaper to buy them from the Dollar Tree than to purchase them through an event supplier,” said one shopper. Meanwhile another wrote: “I had my brother stop purchase some star foil balloons for my daughter’s birthday party on Nov 13th. Most read in Money “Deciding I would throw them away when they lost their float, I kept them in her room. I am amazed because some are STILL floating after 2 months!!” And a third said: “Bought 50 of these brilliant gold star balloons for a Cruise Ship-themed New Year's Eve party. “Ordered online and picked them up at my local store inflated to decorate table centerpieces. Beautiful!” The silver shade is also a favorite among shoppers. “Service was excellent. These are still inflated and flying high almost two weeks later. They were a great addition to our party decorations,” said one. Another wrote: “I purchased 20 of these and 40 of other colors for a graduation party. Despite the name of the store, Dollar Tree recently added items that cost more than $1 to its inventory. Most items at the store cost no more than $1.25, but items in the Dollar Tree Plus section cost up to $5. Dollar Tree introduced Plus aisles to 100 locations in 2019 as part of an effort to diversify its products. By 2022, Dollar Tree had added the items to over 1,500 locations. "We believe testing additional price points above $1 for Dollar Tree products will enable us over time to expand our assortments, introduce new products and meet more of our customers’ everyday needs," president and CEO Michael Witynski said in a statement . "Our brand promise is that customers get great value for what they spend at Dollar Tree. We will continue to be fiercely protective of that promise, regardless of the price point." “Store did an excellent job of having them ready for me. Balloons stayed up for two weeks! Incredible!” FAB FINDS The discounter is known for its low prices, especially on dupes for higher-end items. Shoppers praised a budget breakfast favorite , Toast-em Pop-ups that were selling for just $1.25 over the holidays . This was a big saving on the $2.62 cost of Strawberry Frosted Pop-Tarts from Walmart . Beauty fans have also been raving about Power Stick Body Spray , the Brazilian Mist fragrance in particular. It gets an average rating of 4.9 out of five from reviewers on the retailer’s website and again costs just $1.25. Another beauty buy wowing shoppers is the b-pure lip contour kit , which one fan swears is a dupe for a celebrity must-have that retails for $35. @kimnuzzolo posted a video showing her $1.25 find on TikTok . Read More on The US Sun “It comes with a nude lip liner and a nude matte liquid lipstick,” she said, adding: “This looks so much like the Kylie Jenner lip kit.”

Bank7 Corp: Operating Environment To Keep Earnings Stable; Maintaining A Hold Rating

A new phishing scam targets Facebook business users with fake emails from Meta, claiming prohibited content on pages. Know how to keep your page safe. There are several startup businesses, small businesses and pages which rely on Facebook for marketing and promotion. If your business relies on Facebook for promotion, then know Kaspersky experts have uncovered a new phishing scam targeting businesses that use Meta for Business, Facebook’s platform for managing business pages. Scammers are sending emails pretending to be from Facebook’s Meta for Business team. The email claims that your business page contains prohibited content, and as a result, your account and page have been blocked. To resolve the issue, the email urges you to provide explanations or take action via a provided link. What the attackers really want is access to your business account. By tricking you into interacting with a fraudulent page, they hope to steal your login credentials and potentially gain control of your account. Why This Scam Is Different According to Kaspersky’s anonymized data, these phishing emails began circulating on December 14. Complaints have been reported globally, including in the Asia-Pacific region. A closer look at the “From” field in the email reveals that the domain doesn’t belong to Facebook. Scammers are using various unrelated domains to send these messages. Plus, the email link takes you to Facebook Messenger, where a fake account poses as Facebook’s support team. The setup looks convincing, which adds to the scam’s credibility. This phishing campaign stands out because, unlike earlier scams that accused users of copyright violations via email, this one mimics internal communication on Facebook’s platform itself. By using Facebook Messenger, the attackers create a false sense of trust. It’s easy for stressed users to miss subtle warnings, such as the account being labelled as a fan page instead of an official support account. “If you receive such an email, verify its authenticity before taking any action. Avoid clicking on suspicious links, and report the incident to Facebook’s support team immediately. Activating two-factor authentication and updating compromised passwords are critical steps to protect your account,” Andrey Kovtun, Email Threats Protection Group Manager at Kaspersky recommends. How to Protect Your Business Account To make sure you are never a victim of a phishing scam like the one above, here are some recommendations: Click for more latest Tech news . Also get top headlines and latest news from India and around the world at News9. Divya is a Senior Sub-Editor with about 3 years of experience in journalism and content writing. Before joining News9live, she had contributed to Times Now and Hindustan Times, where she focused on tech reporting and reviewing gadgets. When she's not working, you can find her indulging in Netflix, expressing her creativity through painting, and dancing.

SoFi stock soars to 52-week high, hits $16.09 amid robust growthCongressman Paul Tonko Joins National Institute for Industry and Career AdvancementTM and Industry Leaders for National Apprenticeship Week Roundtable to Strengthen New York's Semiconductor Talent PipelineDaniel Suddeath column: Trump struggled to get platform approved first time. Will new term be any different?

The health care company formerly known as Bright Health, which benefited from Minnesota’s largest-ever initial public offering of stock less than three years ago, is going private again as executives retool the business. NeueHealth, as the company is now known, is being taken private by a group of investors including venture fund New Enterprise Associates (NEA) in a deal that values the firm at $1.3 billion. The business has switched from selling health insurance plans to providing care to patients and accountable-care contracting solutions to providers. The company moved its corporate headquarters from Bloomington to Doral, Fla., earlier this year. The deal, announced late Monday , will provide holders of common stock $7.33 per share — a 70% premium over the stock’s closing price on Monday. NEA and the dozen other investors who own the company’s preferred shares will exchange their existing NeueHealth stock for equity in the private company. NeueHealth’s existing loan facility with Hercules Capital will remain in place. “We are pleased to announce this transaction as we believe it places NeueHealth in a strong position for continued growth while maximizing value for all of NeueHealth’s public stockholders,” NeueHelath CEO Mike Mikan said in a press release announcing the deal . Bright Health was founded in 2015 as a health insurer that quickly grew to cover more than 1 million people through Obamacare individual insurance exchanges and 125,000 seniors in Medicare Advantage plans. In 2021, the company raised $924 million in an IPO that made it Minnesota’s must lucrative. But going public during the COVID-19 pandemic proved challenging for the new insurer. The company stumbled by not accurately paying claims or calculating risk-adjustment payments. Mikan said in 2021 that the company grew faster than it had capacity to handle. The timing of the pandemic coincided with difficulties in obtaining accurate data on the health status of individuals it was covering, as well as scaling up the company’s organizational capabilities and technologies. The company jettisoned it insurance business and in January announced its move to Florida, changing its name in the process. Today, NeueHealth says it provides care to more than 500,000 “health consumers” through a network of clinics it owns and partnerships with more than 3,000 affiliated clinicians. The company says it works with patients with Medicare and Medicaid coverage and Obamacare, or Affordable Care Act, plans. It also partners with independent doctors and medical groups to provide the advanced technology and services needed to enter “value-driven” payment arrangements, which are intended to align the costs and benefits of care by varying payments based on patients’ health outcomes. In the most recent quarter , NeueHealth reported a $6 million operating loss on $152 million in revenue in the solutions business, and $16 million in profits from $83 million in revenue in its segment providing care.The Bank of Scotland’s business barometer poll showed 73% of Scottish businesses expect to see turnover increase in 2025, up from 60% polled in 2023. Almost a quarter (23%) of businesses expect to see their revenue rise by between six and 10% over the next 12 months, with just over a fifth (21%) expecting it to grow by even more. The poll found that 70% of businesses were confident they would become more profitable in 2025, a two per cent increase when compared with the previous year. Revenue and profitability growth was firms’ top priority at 52%, though 40% said they will be targeting improved productivity, and the same proportion said they will be aiming to enhance their technology – such as automation or AI – or upskill their staff (both 29%). More than one in five (22%) want to improve their environmental sustainability. Other areas businesses are hoping to build upon AI-assisted technology (19%), and 24% will be investing in expanding into new UK markets and 23% plan to invest in staff training. The business barometer has surveyed 1,200 businesses every month since 2002, providing early signals about UK economic trends. Martyn Kendrick, Scotland director at Bank of Scotland commercial banking, said: “Scottish businesses are looking ahead to 2025 with stronger growth expectations, and setting out clear plans to drive this expansion through investments in new technology, new markets and their own teams. “As we enter the new year, we’ll continue to by their side to help them pursue their ambitions and seize all opportunities that lie ahead.”

Generation Beta is coming: Babies born in 2025 will experience a world like no other

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Authored by Jonathan Turley, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is widely known to be angling to be the next Democratic presidential nominee after the implosion of Vice President Kamala Harris. This week, Newsom positioned not just his campaign but also his state as part of the “resistance” for the next four years against the Trump Administration. Newsom pushed a special session to secure a $25 million war chest to take the Trump Administration to court, even before the inauguration and release of policies by the incoming administration. I wrote earlier about how the loss of both houses, as well as the White House, will mean that lawfare and obstructive efforts will shift to the states . Newsom is moving to out-position governors (and potential primary opponents) like Govs. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker moved first in a chest-pounding press conference that he would stop the incoming administration from trying to remove undocumented persons, declaring, “You come for my people, you come through me.” New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) added that he will “fight to the death” against Trump’s agenda. Newsom has upped the ante by demanding millions to pre-fund litigation against the new administration. With a massive budget debt burden, Newsom has continued to pile on new debt for politically popular initiatives. I cannot recall any state pre-positioning funds for the sole purpose of litigating against any incoming administration. The most obvious area of disagreement is the effort to ramp up the enforcement of immigration laws and to carry out deportations. While polls show that the public overwhelmingly supports such enforcement, including deportations, California is seeking to take the lead in court actions designed to slow or frustrate such efforts. It could prove costly, not just in litigation expenditures. The Trump Administration could seek to withhold federal funding from states and cities obstructing enforcement efforts. In the meantime, sanctuary cities are continuing to face rising costs associated with rising populations of undocumented migrants. For example, as we previously discussed , Denver Mayor Mike Johnson (D) declared that he was preparing the Mile-High City for its “Tiananmen Square moment” to fight the federal government in any attempt to deport unlawful migrants . Johnson warned that he would have not only Denver police “stationed at the county line to keep [ICE] out” but also “50,000 Denverites.” He later walked back the comments while repeating that the city is positioning itself to be part of the resistance. Now the Common Sense Institute (CSI), a non-partisan research organization estimated that eight percent of the city’s 2025 budget of $4.4 billion is now dedicated to housing and services for undocumented persons. If true, that amounts to $356 million or $7,900 per migrant. California has led other states in offering a wide array of benefits to undocumented persons. Notably, Californian voters surprised many Democrats this election with almost 40% voting for President-elect Trump over California’s own Vice President Kamala Harris. There is an obvious political advantage to Newsom in securing these public funds to assume the mantle as the leader of “the resistance” as a foundation for his 2028 campaign. The question is how such an obstructive position will prove to the advantage of Californians. As citizens sought to increase criminal penalties by passing Proposition 36 by over 70 percent (over the opposition of Newsom ), the governor is focusing on setting aside millions to fund a high-profile legal campaign against Trump’s administration. Ultimately, the litigation campaign is unlikely to change federal enforcement efforts significantly. However, Newsom hopes it will significantly change his electoral enhancement efforts.None

Dow Jumps Over 200 Points, Crude Oil Gains 1.5%DENVER (AP) — Amid renewed interest in the killing of JonBenet Ramsey triggered in part by a new Netflix documentary, police in Boulder, Colorado, refuted assertions this week that there is viable evidence and leads about the 1996 killing of the 6-year-old girl that they are not pursuing. JonBenet Ramsey, who competed in beauty pageants, was found dead in the basement of her family’s home in the college town of Boulder the day after Christmas in 1996. Her body was found several hours after her mother called 911 to say her daughter was missing and a ransom note had been left behind. The details of the crime and video footage of JonBenet competing in pageants propelled the case into one of the highest-profile mysteries in the United States. The police comments came as part of their annual update on the investigation, a month before the 28th anniversary of JonBenet’s killing. Police said they released it a little earlier due to the increased attention on the case, apparently referring to the three-part Netflix series “Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey.” In a video statement, Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn said the department welcomes news coverage and documentaries about the killing of JonBenet, who would have been 34 this year, as a way to generate possible new leads. He said the department is committed to solving the case but needs to be careful about what it shares about the investigation to protect a possible future prosecution. “What I can tell you though, is we have thoroughly investigated multiple people as suspects throughout the years and we continue to be open-minded about what occurred as we investigate the tips that come into detectives," he said. The Netflix documentary focuses on the mistakes made by police and the “media circus” surrounding the case. JonBenet was bludgeoned and strangled. Her death was ruled a homicide, but nobody was ever prosecuted. Police were widely criticized for mishandling the early investigation into her death amid speculation that her family was responsible. However, a prosecutor cleared her parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, and brother Burke in 2008 based on new DNA evidence from JonBenet's clothing that pointed to the involvement of an “unexplained third party” in her slaying. The announcement by former district attorney Mary Lacy came two years after Patsy Ramsey died of cancer. Lacy called the Ramseys “victims of this crime.” John Ramsey has continued to speak out for the case to be solved. In 2022, he supported an online petition asking Colorado’s governor to intervene in the investigation by putting an outside agency in charge of DNA testing in the case. In the Netflix documentary, he said he has been advocating for several items that have not been prepared for DNA testing to be tested and for other items to be retested. He said the results should be put through a genealogy database. In recent years, investigators have identified suspects in unsolved cases by comparing DNA profiles from crime scenes and to DNA testing results shared online by people researching their family trees. In 2021, police said in their annual update that DNA hadn’t been ruled out to help solve the case, and in 2022 noted that some evidence could be “consumed” if DNA testing is done on it. Last year, police said they convened a panel of outside experts to review the investigation to give recommendations and determine if updated technologies or forensic testing might produce new leads. In the latest update, Redfearn said that review had ended but that police continue to work through and evaluate a “lengthy list of recommendations” from the panel. Amy Beth Hanson contributed to this report from Helena, Montana.