jilipark app download latest version
Niall O Ceallachain hails 'special' triumph as Na Fianna cap landmark night for Dublin clubs
Homeland Security shares new details of mysterious drone flights over New Jersey, lawmaker says A New Jersey lawmaker from part of the state where several mysterious drones have been spotted in recent week says the devices appear to avoid detection by traditional methods. Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia was among state officials who met Wednesday with representatives from the Department of Homeland Security. She says lawmakers were told the drones have dodged detection by helicopters and radio. Fantasia says DHS described the devices as up to 6 feet in diameter and sometimes traveling with their lights off. The Morris County Republican made the comments in a post on X shortly after she and several other state and local lawmakers met with state police and Homeland Security officials. Donald Trump will ring the New York Stock Exchange bell as he's named Time's Person of the Year NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is expected to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange for the first time and be named Time magazine's Person of the Year. Thursday's events will be a notable moment of twin recognitions for Trump, a born-and-bred New Yorker who has long seen praise from the business world and media as a sign of success. Four people with knowledge of his plans told The Associated Press that Trump was expected to be on Wall Street on Thursday to mark the ceremonial start of the day's trading, while a person familiar with the selection confirmed that Trump had been selected as Time's Person of the Year. Rape allegation against Jay-Z won’t impact NFL's relationship with music mogul, Goodell says IRVING, Texas (AP) — NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says a rape allegation against rapper Jay-Z won’t impact the NFL's relationship with the music mogul. Jay-Z's company Roc Nation has produced some of the NFL’s entertainment presentations including the Super Bowl halftime show. A woman who previously sued Sean “Diddy” Combs alleging she was raped at an awards show after-party in 2000 amended the lawsuit Sunday to include an allegation that Jay-Z was also at the party and participated in the sexual assault. Jay-Z says the rape allegation made against him is part of an extortion attempt. The NFL teamed up with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation in 2019 for events and social activism. The league and the entertainment company extended their partnership a few months ago. Ohio politician proposes make flag planting a felony after fight in Michigan rivalry game An Ohio politician has seen enough flag planting. Republican state Rep. Josh Williams said Wednesday on social media he's introducing a bill to make flag planting in sports a felony in the state. His proposal comes after the Nov. 30 fight at the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry football game when the Wolverines beat the Buckeyes 13-10 and then attempted to plant their flag at midfield. A fight ensued and police had to use pepper spray to disperse the players. Former Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield famously planted a flag in the middle of the field at Ohio State after the Sooners beat the Buckeyes in 2017. Gastineau confronts Favre in documentary for his 'dive' on Strahan's record-breaking sack Former New York Jets star Mark Gastineau confronted Brett Favre last year at a memorabilia show and angrily accused the Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback of deliberately going down on a record-breaking sack. The tense exchange is shown in the new ESPN 30 for 30 documentary “The New York Sack Exchange." It chronicles the Jets’ fearsome foursome defensive line of the 1980s that included Gastineau. Gastineau set an NFL record with 22 sacks in 1984, but Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan broke the mark when he sacked Favre in 2002 in a game between the Giants and Packers. Many have accused Favre of purposely taking the sack so Strahan could set the single-season record with 22 1/2. What happens next with Alex Jones' Infowars? No certainty yet after sale to The Onion is rejected Lawyers in the Alex Jones bankruptcy case are now in discussions on what could happen next after a federal judge in Texas rejected the auction sale of Jones’ Infowars to The Onion satirical news outlet. The next steps remained unclear Wednesday as the judge ordered the trustee who oversaw the auction to come up with a new plan. Judge Christopher Lopez in Houston rejected the bid late Tuesday, saying there was too much confusion about The Onion’s bid. The bankruptcy case was in the wake of the nearly $1.5 billion that courts have ordered Jones to pay for calling the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut a hoax. Sandy Hook families had backed The Onion’s bid. NFL and Nike extend their partnership with a 10-year deal, will focus on growing the sport globally IRVING, Texas (AP) — The NFL’s desire to become a global powerhouse is no secret. Nike is committed to helping the league continue expanding its worldwide reach. The league and the apparel giant announced Wednesday a 10-year partnership extension. The NFL and Nike will focus on working together to grow the game’s global reach, increase participation, develop new talent, and expand the football fan base. Nike, the world’s largest supplier of athletic shoes and apparel, has been the NFL’s exclusive provider of uniforms and sideline, practice and base layer apparel for all 32 NFL teams for 12 years. George Kresge Jr., who wowed talk show audiences as the The Amazing Kreskin, dies at age 89 NEW YORK (AP) — George Joseph Kresge Jr., otherwise known to TV watchers as the mesmerizing entertainer and mentalist The Amazing Kreskin, has died at age 89. Kreskin’s friend and former road manager, Ryan Galway, says he died Tuesday at his home in Caldwell, New Jersey. Kreskin launched his television career in the 1960s and remained popular for decades, appearing with everyone from Merv Griffin to Johnny Carson to Jimmy Fallon. Fans would welcome, if not entirely figure out, his favorite mind tricks — whether correctly guessing a playing card chosen at random, or, most famously, divining where his paycheck had been planted among the audience. He also hosted a show in the 1970s, gave live performances and wrote numerous books. Albertsons sues Kroger for failing to win approval of their proposed supermarket merger Kroger and Albertsons’ plan for the largest U.S. supermarket merger in history has crumbled. The two companies have accused each other of not doing enough to push their proposed alliance through, and Albertsons pulled out of the $24.6 billion deal on Wednesday. The bitter breakup came the day after a federal judge in Oregon and a state judge in Washington issued injunctions to block the merger, saying that combining the two grocery chains could reduce competition and harm consumers. Albertsons is now suing Kroger, seeking a $600 million termination fee, as well as billions of dollars in legal fees and lost shareholder value. Kroger says the legal claims are “baseless.” Keynote Selena Gomez spotlights prioritizing mental health during Academy Women's Luncheon LOS ANGELES (AP) — While surveying a room packed with Hollywood’s most influential figures, “Emilia Pérez” star Selena Gomez took center stage at the Academy Women’s Luncheon to spotlight a critical issue: Prioritizing mental health and supporting underserved communities often left behind in the conversation. The singer-actor has been public about her mental health struggles, revealing she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Gomez was the keynote speaker Tuesday at the event held at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures with attendees including Ariana Grande, Olivia Wilde, Amy Adams, Pamela Anderson, Rita Wilson, Ava DuVernay and Awkwafina.Ohio State, Michigan players involved in postgame scuffle
Blockchain Beyond Bitcoin: The Rise of Smart Contracts and Tokenized EconomiesGun found on suspect in killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO matches shell casings at scene, police say ALTOONA, Pa. (AP) — New York City’s police commissioner says the gun found on the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO matches shell casings found at the crime scene. Commissioner Jessica Tisch also said Wednesday that lab results matched suspect Luigi Mangione’s prints to a water bottle and a snack bar wrapper found near the scene of the killing. Police had said earlier that they believed the gunman bought the items at a nearby coffee shop while awaiting his target. Mangione is jailed in Pennsylvania on weapon and forgery charges, but he also has been charged in New York with murder in Brian Thompson's death. His lawyer has noted that Mangione is presumed innocent. Authorities are scrutinizing evidence and the suspect’s experiences with the health care industry. Arguments over whether Luigi Mangione is a 'hero' offer a glimpse into an unusual American moment Memes and online posts in support of 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, who's charged with killing UnitedHealthcare's CEO, have mushroomed online. Some cast Mangione as a hero. That's too far, says Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a rising Democrat who was almost the Democratic vice presidential nominee this year. CEO Brian Thompson's death touched off off these ripples. They offer a glimpse into how so many different aspects of 21st-century life can be surreally connected, from public violence to politics, from health care to humor, or attempts at it. FBI Director Wray says he intends to resign before Trump takes office in January WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Christopher Wray says he plans to resign at the end of President Joe Biden’s term in January. The announcement Wednesday comes a week and a half after President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate loyalist Kash Patel for the position. His impending resignation will bring him three years short of the completion of a 10-year term during which he tried to keep the FBI out of politics even as the bureau found itself entangled in a string of explosive investigations. Trump applauded the news Wednesday, saying it will end the weaponization of what he called the “Department of Injustice.” Donald Trump will ring the New York Stock Exchange bell as he's named Time's Person of the Year NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is expected to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange for the first time and be named Time magazine's Person of the Year. Thursday's events will be a notable moment of twin recognitions for Trump, a born-and-bred New Yorker who has long seen praise from the business world and media as a sign of success. Four people with knowledge of his plans told The Associated Press that Trump was expected to be on Wall Street on Thursday to mark the ceremonial start of the day's trading, while a person familiar with the selection confirmed that Trump had been selected as Time's Person of the Year. The Trump and Biden teams insist they're working hand in glove on foreign crises WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump doesn’t think much of Joe Biden’s foreign policy record. He frequently casts the outgoing Democratic president as a feckless leader who shredded American credibility around the world during his four-year term. But the Trump and Biden national security teams have come to an understanding that they have no choice but to work together as conflicts in Gaza, Syria and Ukraine have left a significant swath of the world on a knife’s edge. It’s fuzzy how much common ground Biden and Trump’s teams have found as they navigate crises that threaten to cause more global upheaval as Trump prepares to settle back into the White House. Syrians flock to morgues looking for loved ones who perished in Assad's prisons DAMASCUS (AP) — Many bodies have been found in Syrian detention centers and prisons since President Bashar al-Assad's government fell. Now Syrians around the world are circulating images of the corpses in hopes that they will see slain loved ones whose fate had been a mystery. At the morgue visited by The Associated Press on Wednesday in Damascus, families flocked to a wall where some of the pictures were pinned in a haunting gallery of the dead. Relatives desperately scanned the images for a recognizable face. Some of the prisoners died just weeks ago. Others perished months earlier. US warns Russia may be ready to use new lethal missile against Ukraine again in 'coming days' WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon says Russia could launch its lethal new intermediate-range ballistic missile against Ukraine again soon. Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh cited a U.S. intelligence assessment in telling reporters on Wednesday that an attack could come “in the coming days.” She says the U.S. does not consider the Oreshnik missile a game changer on the battlefield. But that Russia is using the weapon to intimidate Ukraine as both sides wrestle for an advantage that will give them leverage in any negotiations to end the war. The Russian Defense Ministry also is warning it may retaliate against Kyiv for an attack on a military base in the Rostov region in southern Russia on Wednesday. Israeli strikes on Gaza kill at least 33 including children, Palestinian medics say DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian medical officials say Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip have killed at least 33 people. One of the strikes hit a home where displaced people were sheltering in the isolated north, killing 19. A separate strike outside nearby Kamal Adwan Hospital killed a woman and her two children, and another strike in central Gaza killed at least seven people. Israel's military says it tries to avoid harming civilians and accuses militants of hiding among them, putting their lives in danger. Local health officials say Israel’s retaliatory offensive after the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023 has killed over 44,000 Palestinians in Gaza. Hannah Kobayashi, missing Hawaii woman whose disappearance prompted a massive search, is found safe LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hannah Kobayashi has been found safe. That’s according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Kobayashi vanished last month in Los Angeles. The missing Hawaii woman's disappearance prompted a massive search and a missing persons investigation. It was not immediately clear where she was found, but police previously said she had voluntarily crossed the border into Mexico. The LAPD said Wednesday the department will wrap up its investigation. Kobayashi's family reported her missing to law enforcement on Nov. 11 after relatives received “strange and cryptic, just alarming” text messages. Kobayashi’s mother and sister said they are “grateful” she has been found safe. Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup. But when exactly? ZURICH (AP) — Saudi Arabia scored a major win in its campaign to attract major sports events to the kingdom when it was formally appointed as the 2034 World Cup host on Wednesday. Still, many questions remain about the tournament. Key issues include during which part of the year to stage the tournament, where to play the games, whether alcohol will be allowed at all and how to protect workers rights in the massive construction projects required to host the World Cup.
The Alberta Energy Regulator publishes 2023 Water Use Performance ReportThe White House announced on Dec. 10 that President Joe Biden intends to veto a bipartisan bill proposing the first significant expansion of federal district court judgeships in more than 30 years. House Republicans are moving to advance the legislation before the close of the 118th Congress, but congressional Democrats argue that the measure’s timing undermines its original bipartisan intent. The White House weighed in on the controversy on Dec. 10, issuing a statement of administration policy panning the bill as “unnecessary to the efficient and effective administration of justice.” The statement argued that the legislation has not fully accounted for existing judicial resources, such as senior-status judges and magistrates. The Biden administration also took issue with the timing of the legislation, noting that the House delayed consideration until after the election when Trump’s victory assured him the opportunity to make the initial wave of appointments. “Hastily adding judges with just a few weeks left in the 118th Congress would fail to resolve key questions, especially regarding how the judges are allocated,” the statement said. It also pointed to “efforts by some Senators to hold open existing judicial vacancies” as evidence that judicial economy and caseload management were not the primary motivations for the bill’s passage. The statement concludes: “If the President were presented with S. 4199, he would veto it.” Democrats contend that bipartisan support that propelled the JUDGES Act through the Senate in August was predicated on the assumption that neither party knew which presidential candidate would oversee the first batch of appointments. With Trump’s victory, Democrats say that the bill’s fairness has been compromised. Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, accused Republicans of delaying the bill until after the election to ensure that their preferred candidate benefitted. “Now here they are today, during the narrow window when the central premise behind the JUDGES Act is broken, trying to force this bill through the House on a partisan basis,” Nadler said. House Republicans say that the JUDGES Act addresses an urgent need to expand the judiciary. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), chair of the Judiciary Committee, said during the Dec. 10 hearing that the bill allocates judgeships fairly, with several appointments going to states represented by Democratic senators. Under the current blue-slip system, which allows senators to veto judicial nominees in their states, both parties retain significant influence over the process. Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), the bill’s co-sponsor, criticized the White House’s veto threat and urged Biden to sign it if it makes it to his desk. “My broadly bipartisan bill is a common sense approach to a politically challenging problem and is widely supported by leading legal organizations across our country.” The bill’s phased rollout, beginning in January 2025, seeks to mitigate concerns about partisan exploitation. Trump would appoint 22 permanent and three temporary judges during his term, while subsequent administrations would oversee the remaining appointments through 2035. The judiciary currently has 677 authorized district court seats and 10 temporary ones.
'Sara Sharif was tortured by her family but local council must answer questions'Even as the BJP failed to make any official announcement about who will be Maharashtra’s Chief Minister for the eighth day on Saturday, senior Maharashtra politicians met Dr Baba Adhav, an old respected political activist and physician, who had been on a protest fast against the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs), demanding a return to paper ballot voting. Interestingly, NCP leader and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, who is a part of the winning BJP-backed Mahayuti was at the venue at Bhide Wada locality in Pune, requesting Dr Baba Adhav to call off his three-day old fast “to save democracy and the Constitution.” Uddhav Thackeray, who leads the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Jayant Patil of Sharad Pawar-led NCP, also met Adhav and requested him to give him his fast. Advertisement At least for now, Dr Adhav has given up his fast, but he said that his agitation against EVMs will continue. Earlier on Saturday, Sharad Pawar himself who is 83, met the medico Baba Adhav who is 96 years old, who was on a protest fast against EVMs since November 28. Significantly, Sharad Pawar expressed full support to Baba Adhav’s anti-EVM protest. Shortly after Baba Adhav broke his fast, politicians lost no time in using the venue to target the BJP-backed Mahayuti. Uddhav Thackeray said that “a big movement” will be organised against EVMs to “save democracy.” “Today is a day to remember; Baba is always an inspiration and inspiration never grows old. Even the losers and the winners of this assembly election do not believe in this result. A spark is enough to ignite a wildfire. At this moment, Baba Adhaav is that spark. The rulers purchased Maharashtra through various schemes. EVM is a big issue because the people must understand where their votes have gone,” Uddhav said. Uddhav questioned why 76 lakh votes increased during the last one hour of voting. He also made it a point to target Maharashtra caretaker CM Eknath Shinde without openly naming him. “Why is there no happiness in Maharashtra despite Mahayuti getting such a monstrous majority? Why are these people going to worship in the fields instead of going to Raj Bhavan (Maharashtra Governor’s official residence) with their majority,” Uddhav asked, targeting Eknath Shinde indirectly. Uddhav Thackeray said that the Maha Vikas Aghadi comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), the Congress and Sharad Pawar-led NCP will take the anti-EVM protest movement forward. Thackeray said that Baba Adhav should withdraw his agitation for now, but such anti-EVM agitations will continue to take place all over Maharashtra. “This is another fight for freedom. Don’t let Adani come here,” Uddhav-led Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said, taking on Gautam Adani. Also at the venue of Adhav’s fast was social activist Medha Patkar who said that several countries had abandoned EVMs. “Nobody knows if something is being done by somebody who is sitting at the EVM control room. If there is a relationship between the political party in power and the Election Commission, and if votes are purchased when the code of conduct is in effect, there is a problem,” Medha Patkar said. Patkar said that Baba Adhav’s movement does not raise questions about EVMs alone, but also the implementation of the Constitution. “There is so much money in the hands of a handful of people. Rahul Gandhi is not alone. Why was Baba Adhav, who fought for 94 years, inspired to sit on a fast against EVMs” Patkar said at the venue. AdvertisementLekhwiya launches Strategic Plan 2024-2030
Beth Dooley | (TNS) The Minnesota Star Tribune The holidays loom large. Parties, gift-shopping, school programs, recitals, family gatherings — there’s really no time to cook. Related Articles Restaurants Food Drink | Roasted orange delivers big flavor in this smoky chicken traybake Restaurants Food Drink | CRAZIES awards honor CT’s best in the restaurant industry. Here are the winners. Restaurants Food Drink | Trump won’t be able to save the struggling US beef industry Restaurants Food Drink | Winter can be a time of culinary abundance. Experts share tips on eating nutritiously Restaurants Food Drink | Popular CT pizza stop closing doors for good this week. It’s been called the ‘tastiest’ around But there is! Here are three quick and easy recipes you can hustle to the table in 30 minutes or less. Relax, take a deep breath and know that dinner is served. Serves 4. Making grilled cheese for more than one can be tricky. Here, the sheet pan does the work; the sandwiches are ready all at once. Try our suggested fillings or just enjoy them plain in all their gooey deliciousness. From Beth Dooley. Directions Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Spread the butter to the edge of 4 slices of bread. Place the slices butter-side down on the sheet pan. Top with the sliced cheese and add a layer of the filling, then top with the remaining slices of bread. Put the pan in the oven and cook until the butter is thoroughly melted and bottom slices are turning golden and the cheese is melting, about 8 to 10 to minutes. Flip the sandwiches. Continue cooking until the top layer of bread begins to turn golden and the cheese is melted. Turn the oven to broil and toast the top layer, watching closely, this goes quickly, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Flip the bread and toast the other side, about 15 to 20 seconds or so. Remove, cut and serve. Quick Skillet Chicken with Lemon, Tahini and Warm Spices will come together quickly and can be served on a bed of greens or pasta. (Ashley Moyna Schwickert/For the Minnesota Star Tribune) Serves 4 to 6. A simple marinade of pantry staples — lemon, tahini, olive oil and a little honey — keeps the chicken moist and becomes the sauce for finishing the dish. Serve on a bed of dark greens or cooked rice. From Beth Dooley. Directions In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon, tahini, honey and olive oil. Measure out 1⁄2 of the mixture into a separate bowl. This is to sauce the chicken after it’s cooked. If it seems too thick, whisk in a little water. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and pound with the flat edge of a knife to even out the width a bit. Put the chicken into the bowl of marinade and turn to coat. Film a heavy skillet with more oil and set over high heat. When the oil begins to ripple, add the chicken, reduce the heat to medium and cook, flipping after about 5 to 7 minutes, and continuing, until cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes. (The chicken should reach 165 on an instant-read thermometer when done.) Remove the chicken from the skillet, set on a cutting board to rest for about 10 minutes. Slice the meat in long strokes against the grain. Serve on a bed of greens or rice, garnished with a drizzle of sauce, chopped herbs and a few thinly sliced lemons. Pass additional sauce on the side. One-Pot Pasta with Sausage, Tomato and Spinach is a quick but hearty meal for busy, chilly nights. (Ashley Moyna Schwickert/For the Minnesota Star Tribune) Serves 4 to 6. You only need one pot for this simple pasta. The sausage adds the seasoning, the onions turn sweetly golden, cherry tomatoes burst into a luscious sauce. A squeeze of lemon at the end livens things up. From Beth Dooley. Directions Film a large heavy pot or Dutch oven with the oil and set over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until it turns limp and golden, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the sausage, breaking apart with a spatula until it crumbles, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and the stock, scraping up the bottom of the pan to release browned bits that stick to the bottom. Bring to a boil. Add the pasta, stirring well and continue boiling for about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the heat down to a brisk simmer, stirring to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot. If the sauce becomes too thick and the pasta begins to stick, stir in water, about 1⁄4 cup at a time. Simmer until the sauce is mostly absorbed and the pasta is tender, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the spinach, then stir in the cheese. Add lemon juice to taste. Serve garnished with the chopped parsley. Beth Dooley is the author of “The Perennial Kitchen.” Find her at bethdooleyskitchen.com. ©2024 The Minnesota Star Tribune. Visit at startribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
he are gearing up for yet another quarterback change as is sidelined for Sunday's game against the due to a heel injury. Head coach confirmed on Wednesday that Lock, who is currently not practicing and wearing a protective boot, will be unavailable. As a result, will step in as the DeVito, 26, first took over as the starter last month following the departure of , debuting against the . However, his performance left much to be desired, as he failed to throw a touchdown and sustained a forearm injury, leading to him losing his starting role after just one game. Lock then replaced him but struggled to make an impact in subsequent games against the Despite his underwhelming performances, the Giants had planned to stick with Lock as their starter if he was healthy. Daboll shared earlier this week that for an undisclosed injury but would remain the starter if cleared to play. NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported on X: " " Can Tommy DeVito turn the tide for Giants? With Lock unavailable, . Last weekend, he played just one snap in the Giants' loss to the Saints, replacing Lock briefly and drawing cheers from the home crowd at MetLife Stadium. Now, he has the opportunity to reclaim his role and The Giants are also preparing for veteran Tim Boyle to step in as the backup quarterback with Lock out injured. The team faces an uphill battle as they edge closer to what could be their ninth consecutive loss. Their most recent defeat came in heartbreaking fashion against the Saints when a potential game-tying field goal by Graham Gano was blocked as time expired. The season has been tough for the Giants, and Daboll's decision to shuffle quarterbacks reflects the ongoing struggle to find consistency. As DeVito takes the reins again, fans will be watching closely to see if he can rise to the challenge and help turn things around for a team desperate for a win.ST. LOUIS (AP) — Fourteen North Korean nationals have been indicted in a scheme using information technology workers with false identities to contract with U.S. companies — workers who then funneled their wages to North Korea for development of ballistic missiles and other weapons, the head of the FBI office in St. Louis said Thursday. The scheme involving thousands of IT workers generated more than $88 million for the North Korean government, Ashley T. Johnson, special agent in charge of the St. Louis FBI office, said at a news conference. In addition to their wages, the workers stole sensitive information from companies or threatened to leak information in exchange for extortion payments, Johnson said. Victims included defrauded companies and people whose identities were stolen from across the U.S., including Missouri, Johnson said. The indictments were filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis. All 14 people face wire fraud, money laundering, identity theft and other charges. Most of those accused are believed to be in North Korea. Johnson acknowledged that bringing them to justice will be difficult. To help, the U.S. Department of State is offering a $5 million reward for information leading to any of the suspects. Federal authorities said the scheme worked like this: North Korea dispatched thousands of IT workers to get hired and work remotely or as freelancers for U.S. companies. The IT workers involved in the scheme sometimes used stolen identities. In other instances, they paid Americans to use their home Wi-Fi connections, or to pose in on-camera job interviews as the IT workers. Johnson said the FBI is going after those “domestic enablers,” too. “This is just the tip of the iceberg,” Johnson said. “If your company has hired fully remote IT workers, more likely than not, you have hired or at least interviewed a North Korean national working on behalf of the North Korean government,” Johnson said. The Justice Department in recent years has sought to expose and disrupt a broad variety of criminal schemes aimed at bolstering the North Korean regime, including its nuclear weapons program. In 2021, the Justice Department charged three North Korean computer programmers and members of the government’s military intelligence agency in a broad range of global hacks that officials say were carried out at the behest of the regime. Law enforcement officials said at the time that the prosecution highlighted the profit-driven motive behind North Korea’s criminal hacking, a contrast from other adversarial nations like Russia, China and Iran that are generally more interested in espionage, intellectual property theft or even disrupting democracy. In May 2022, the State Department, Department of the Treasury, and the FBI issued an advisory warning of attempts by North Koreans “to obtain employment while posing as non-North Korean nationals.” The advisory noted that in recent years, the regime of Kim Jong Un “has placed increased focus on education and training” in IT-related subjects. In October 2023 , the FBI in St. Louis announced the seizure of $1.5 million and 17 domain names as part of the investigation. The indictments announced Tuesday were the first stemming from the investigation. Johnson urged companies to thoroughly vet IT workers hired to work remotely. “One of the ways to help minimize your risk is to insist current and future IT workers appear on camera as often as possible if they are fully remote,” she said. Officials didn’t name the companies that unknowingly hired North Korean workers.Former CPI-M leader Bipin C Babu joins BJP, criticizes party’s direction
A coalition of local labor unions are planning a large demonstration at Thursday’s Camden County Commissioner’s meeting to demand higher salaries, better healthcare benefits and pay equity for members of the local chapter of the Communication Workers of America in the latest round of contract negotiations. The coalition of unions CWA Local 1084 represents 375 public employees that work under the Camden County Board of Social Services that administer public assistance programs such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and Medicaid benefits . A sister union, Local 1014 represents another 1,500 local and county workers in Camden County. Members of Local 1084 have worked without a contract since Jan. 1 and negotiations since then have failed to result in an agreeable contract. The unions represent non-supervisory employees of local and county agencies. The last negotiations meeting was held on Nov. 21 where management offered a 2.25% pay increase which the union flatly declined, according to CWA Local 1084’s website. “They’ve lowballed us,” the union stated, “completely disregarding our hard work, burgeoning clientele, and the crushing impact of inflation. We’ve persevered through COVID and no appreciation was shown. Furthermore, we haven’t been able to retain employees due to our low pay.” A spokesperson for the county said Wednesday they would continue negotiations with the union. “The county will continue to negotiate in good faith with the CWA at the negotiating table and not through the press,” Dan Keashen, spokesperson for Camden County, said Wednesday. The union says pay has not kept pace with inflation or the rising costs of healthcare their members have covered over the last several contracts. “Working families across this country are getting gouged for healthcare,” Tammy Carr, vice president of CWA Local 1084, said Wednesday. “We have members that pay twelve thousand dollars a year in premiums to provide healthcare for their families.” Issues with healthcare premiums for the union reach back to 2011 when former Gov. Chris Christie signed Chapter 78 into law. It recalculated how much public employees must pay into their pensions and how the State Health Benefits Program was administered. The union is also asking for higher pay to help offset the increased insurance premiums over the past decade as well as the increased rate of inflation. “Like all working class people, we have been slammed by inflation,” Sam Ferraino, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 360 and also president of the Southern New Jersey Central Labor Council said Wednesday. “The price of groceries and gas and damn near everything else is through the roof.” Inflation took off in 2021 as global supply chains struggled to keep up with demand for goods following mandated quarantines to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The inflation rate has fallen since the summer of 2022 but remains higher than pre-pandemic levels according to the Congressional Budget Office . Locally, the cost of goods in the Philadelphia region that includes Camden County increased by an annual rate of 3.4% through October, according to the National Bureau of Labor Statistics . Workers are also asking for pay equity. A presentation expected to be shared by the union at Thursday’s commissioners meeting underscores a wide gap between employee salaries in similar positions based on when they started working for the agency. The disparity has caused frustration and attrition among workers. “Newer employees are paid so little that they can’t afford to live independently. Most of them have second and third jobs,” Stephen Johnson, president of CWA Local 1084, said. “We have more and more workers who are paid so little that they qualify for the same programs that we distribute to our clients.” In some cases employees with the same title could make up to $30,000 less than their peers based on when they started working, according to wage comparisons in the union presentation. The gap in salaries has led to serious issues with recruiting and retaining employees, according to the union’s presentation. According to an internal survey by the union, 57% of employees responded they considered leaving their job in the past year for reasons other than retirement, and 87% reported low morale and burnout. The presentation noted that the union’s workforce has decreased by four percent while overtime expenditures to cover increasing case loads in the county have risen exponentially. The union presentation claims that the agency spent just under $200,000 in overtime in 2019, but spent over $868,000 in overtime in 2023. Included in the slides are other data points from the union’s internal survey they say illustrate how morale among union members has been throttled by low and unequal pay and a burdensome workload. “Camden County Social Service workers love what we do and we want to provide high quality support to those we serve,” the closing slide in the union’s presentation states. “That’s why we got into this work and that is why we stay.” Stories by Matthew Enuco N.J. veterinarian’s death being investigated as a homicide, authorities say Bare-chested man pinned flight attendant against exit door during N.J.-bound flight, officials say Investigation launched after man found dead in N.J. town Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com . Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com . Follow Matt on X
- Previous: jili60
- Next: jilipark bet
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24957516/236811_WIFI7_CVirginia_1.jpg)